Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Original Soundtrack) [Vinyl]

For the second installment of Quentin Tarantino's revenge tale KILL BILL, the renowned director/screenwriter/pop-culture whirlwind continues his streak of smart, quirky soundtrack selections. In addition to more snippets of film dialogue by Uma Thurman and others, VOL. 2 also sees the return of VOL. 1 musical contributors Charlie Feathers, Luis Bacalov, Meiko Kaji, and, in a bonus track, the RZA. However, that's where the similarities stop, since VOL. 2 features a distinct spaghetti-Western vibe, most evident in three vintage Ennio Morricone compositions. Echoing this theme is Shivaree's contribution, the twangy, dusky "Goodnight Moon." Perhaps the most notable track, however, is a previously unreleased Johnny Cash recording that features the Man in Black performing a spare, meditative rendition of "A Satisfied Mind." As with Tarantino's previous soundtracks, these wildly varied songs form a strangely cohesive mix that filters numerous forms of pop music through the auteur's unique aesthetic and perfectly complements his striking visuals.