Ever wondered what a ridiculously hot vampire (Robert Pattinson) and his pale girlfriend (Kristen Stewart) might listen to? When the first Twilight soundtrack sold in unprecedented numbers, the producers knew they had the ability to make a huge impact on an artist's career with the inclusion of a single song on the next two Twilight soundtracks. So began an all out bidding war as artists and labels attempted to get on the most popular soundtrack to appear in years. The people who pick the music for this soundtrack have found themselves in the unexpected position of popular tastemaker. This series of soundtracks are introducing an entire new set of listeners to the trendy music of today, and on the whole, the latest entry is a fair representation of the direction music has taken in the past year.

The New Moon soundtrack features a darker, lonelier sound than the first film's soundtrack, which perfectly mirrors the contents of the film and in fact more fully resembles a well-put together mix-tape than a traditional movie soundtrack. The hipsters might turn up their noses at the Twilight connection, but if a friend had handed this mix around, the more indie-music loving among them would love it wholeheartedly upon first listen. There are a few huge successes on the album, most notably the inclusion of Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Muse, and the Killers. But aside from the big names are a whole lot of emerging artists, some who haven't even formally released albums yet, or who are completely unknown in the United States. This is a big gamble, but one that has paid off already as it quickly topped the Billboard 200 chart.

And apart from the big name appeal, it's easy to see why many of the songs have been chosen, dealing as they do with relentless loyalty and unrequited love, plus they provide a perfect backdrop to teenage love. Let's take a closer look at what the soundtrack holds, with a one to four fang rating for each song.

One fang: it's acceptable but hard to see why it was included.
Two fangs: a good enough song, it's easy to see why it's on the soundtrack.
Three fangs: almost a perfect song, both in composition and for the movie. Four fangs: a sublime mixture of story, music, and place in the movie.

"Meet Me on the Equinox" (Death Cab for Cutie)

The members of Death Cab for Cutie have long been the darlings of the independent music scene, and what better choice to pen an exclusive song for a teenage angst-filled film? The song itself is somewhat of a departure from their regular sound, though what a fantastic opportunity to try something new. The song is catchy, and the oft-repeated line “Everything ends,” will sear itself into your mind. Three out of four fangs.

"Friends" (Band of Skulls)

A highly danceable track from newcomers Band of Skulls, this is a floor-stomping tale of obsession. Remind you of anything? One of the best things about the album is the willingness to risk it all on unproven bands, or bands that haven't even released an entire album. New Moon wants so badly to be relevant that it actually strikes the right note without relying on well-known names in the music industry. Two out of four fangs.

"Hearing Damage" (Thom Yorke)

A pulsing electronic vibration is front and center in this raucous entry from Radiohead's front man and lead singer, Thom Yorke. Yorke's voice is highly recognizable in the music world, and his inclusion on the soundtrack is a high point. The song itself weaves and vibrates, and a melody line is hard to establish upon first listening. Yorke is actually one of the most established names to appear on the album, a risky gamble that has paid off in the past. Four out of four fangs.

"Possibility" (Lykke Li)

Twenty-three-year-old Swedish sensation Lykke Li has made quite an impression in the few years that she's been active in the indie music scene. She wrote this song specifically for the film, and it is one of the gentlest sounds, muted and hallowed. One of the smaller artists on the album, Lykke Li can expect to see her fan base grow exponentially after the film is released. Two out of four fangs.

"A White Demon Love Song" (The Killers)

A very different sound for the Killers, who usually rely heavily on fast-paced pop music; this song is a welcome departure. What we are given instead is a guitar- and drum-driven ballad reminiscent of the Beatles and David Bowie. It seems strange that so many bands would create unique songs for the album that sound so very little like their standard fare, but being asked to create a unique song for the film itself can be a welcome change of pace. Three out of four fangs.

"Satellite Heart" (Anya Marina)

One of the saddest songs on the soundtrack, this is a ramble through the details of a broken heart, and Anya Marina's sweet orchestral number is sure to please. Marina's voice is quavering and unique as she puts forth her tale of love and desperation, but it fails to captivate. One out of four fangs.

"I Belong to You [New Moon Remix]" (Muse)

By producing shockingly straightforward pop music, everyone's favorite Radiohead sound-alike, Muse, has become one of the most beloved bands of the college students of today. Pretty universally well-liked, though not for tremendously discernable reasons, this song is actually enjoyable. Two out of four fangs.

"Rosyln" (Bon Iver and St. Vincent)

Eerie and whispery, this song might as well be a half-forgotten melody heard through the woods on a cold fall evening. Bon Iver's high falsetto plays against St. Vincent's low-lying vocals, and this is one of the finest songs on the album, reminiscent of a half-remembered dream, perhaps the product of a restless night and a foggy early morning. Four out of four fangs.

"Done All Wrong" (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club)

This song is a crooning wasteland, stripped-down to the essentials, a rhythmic ride through disappointment. At one point I was reminded of Bob Dylan, though mostly in spirit, rather than actuality. Wistful without complaining, this song is a serious lament. Two out of four fangs.

"Monsters" (Hurricane Bells)

Hurricane Bells is Steve Schiltz from the band Longwave, and this song is a leftover from his side project, Hurricane Bells. A really different feel, hyper upbeat and fully fleshed out, Monsters is a welcome break from the heavy malaise of the rest of the album. Four out of four fangs.

"The Violet Hour" (Sea Wolf)

Los Angeles-based group Sea Wolf contributed this track (another upbeat number) about contradictions specifically for the film. Probably the most positive song on the album, Sea Wolf keeps it optimistic and fast-paced. It's interesting to note the number of bands that put together a darker song and the ones that saw the lighter aspects of the film and composed accordingly. Three out of four fangs.

"Shooting the Moon" (OK Go)

At this point, I'm starting to get visions of the Juno soundtrack, all sweet little guitar numbers mixed with a kind of sullen sadness. This feels like a strange deviation from typical OK Go sound, which tends toward a more booming vibrant sound. Shooting the Moon instead places us square in the midst of a strange sound battle between electronic vibes and the standard guitar male vocalist. Three out of four fangs.

"Slow Life" (Grizzly Bear featuring Victoria Legrand)

This song is perfectly Grizzly Bear, but features vocals from Victoria Legrand, who also heads up the group Beach House. Grizzly Bear is well deserving of a place on any movie soundtrack, as their lush approach to composition and orchestration is already cinematic in nature. While they've become better known in the past year, a little additional attention that New Moon will bring can't hurt. Four out of four fangs.

"No Sound But the Wind" (Editors)

Editors are well known in England, but haven't quite reached the same level of infamy here in the United States. This song is melodramatic to the fullest degree possible, sort of Coldplay in nature, only more suffocating. It feels so out of place with every other song on the album, it is strange that it made it into the final cut. All we can hope is that it's one of those songs that is on the album but not in the movie. One out of four fangs.

"New Moon [The Meadow]" (Alexandre Desplat)

And finally we have the New Moon version of 'Bella's Lullaby' from the first album, a lilting piano piece. Soaring, simple, and subtle, the wordless melody is pretty much all you would expect from the composer. Three out of four fangs.

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