The original motion picture soundtrack accompanying the highly-anticipated film, ‘Love, Simon’ has its fair share of highlights, old and new.

Bleachers (Jack Antonoff) dominates the beginning of the soundtrack to the highly anticipated film, Love, Simon.  His domination is welcome, particularly on well-written, memorable opener “Alfie’s Song (Not So Typical Love Song).” Notably, Harry Styles is a co-writer.  The acoustic guitars give “Alfie’s Song” a more throwback, rock-infused pop sound, which is actually refreshing.  Antonoff sounds great.

“Rollercoaster,” reprised from Bleachers’ debut album Strange Desire, naturally sounds more typical of Bleachers, with bigger, busier production work.  A selling point is how Antonoff switches between the undertone of his lower register on the verse, and his more dynamic, mid-upper register on the chorus.

“Never Fall in Love” still falls in the Jack Antonoff domination.  It’s credited to Jack and Swedish artist MØ. This is a fun record that contrasts the two that precede it.  Notably, there’s a key change, which is quite old-fashioned in 2018, but a staple of 80s music, an era that Antonoff is highly influenced by. Troye Sivan sounds magnificent on the Antonoff/Alex Hope co-write, “Strawberries & Cigarettes.” His instrument sounds distinct, “easy on the ears,” and emotionally invested.  Concluding the first wave of Antonoff productions is a Julia Michaels co-write, “Sink In,” performed by up-and-coming artist, Amy Shark. Solid, the biggest rub of “Sink In” might be its length, nearing the five-minute mark.

“Love Lies”

The biggest attraction from Love , Simon is “Love Lies”, a sweet collaboration between Khalid and Normani (Fifth Harmony). “Love Lies” is set in a minor key.  Instantly, the record has a darker, sexier vibe. Adding to the vibe is sensational, urban contemporary production.  This includes excellent use of guitar accompaniment, as well as snaps within the production. Khalid starts things off with smooth, distinct vocals on the first verse. He’s a commanding, unique presence.  Normani is no slouch. She drops beautiful vocals on the second verse, contrasting Khalid with distinct, nuanced, and powerful vocals in her own right. Both vocalists exhibit excellent vocal blend and chemistry on the chorus and bridge sections. The chorus represents the crème de la crème of “Love Lies.”

“So baby, tell me where your love lies

Waste the day and spend the night

Underneath the sunrise

Show me where your love lies

Tell me where your love lies

Waste the day and spend the night

Underneath the sunrise

Show me where your love lies.”

Modern Gems and Classics

Following a number of original songs, Love, Simon integrates some modern gems and classics.  The first is a classic, “The Oogum Boogum Song,” courtesy of Brenton Wood. “Love Me,” courtesy of The 1975, follows, in all its groovy glory, from the 2016 album, I like it when you sleep… Likewise, the Whitney Houston pop-R&B classic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” hails from the 1987 classic, Whitney. The Jackson 5 adds Christmas joint “Someday at Christmas,” the penultimate record from their 1970 holiday effort, Christmas Album.

“Wings”

The original soundtrack continues on with its unoriginality, adding Haerts’ “Wings” to the mix. Although they hail from Germany, Haerts is based in New York City. “Wings” originally appeared on their 2014 self-titled debut.  In this particular case, the song’s appearance on the soundtrack gives the little-known band some welcome exposure, particularly given the groovy nature and sheer excellence of “Wings.” 

Two more Bleachers songs conclude Love, Simon.  The first is the cool, reserved “Keeping a Secret,” which has Jack Antonoff written all over it.  That’s not a bad thing in the least. Surprisingly, “Keeping a Secret” never percolates to overblown status – it’s quite tame and balanced. The driving, 80s-infused “Wild Heart” is bigger and more dynamic, closing Love Simon on a high-note.  Interestingly, the record served as the opener for Strange Desire. The arpeggiation is a key feature of the production.

Final Thoughts

Soundtracks are soundtracks for a reason – they’re meant to accompany the film and feed off of the theme of the given film.  That said, the soundtrack for Love, Simon has replay value beyond accompanying the film itself.  Jack Antonoff serves up some fine numbers, whether he’s the lead or in the background.  Relatively tight at 46 minutes, ultimately, this is a well-assembled compilation. It’s not game-changing, but certainly enjoyable.

Gems: “Alfie’s Song (Not So Typical Love Song),” “Strawberries & Cigarettes” & “Love Lies”

Various Artists • Love Simon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) • RCA • Release: 3.16.18

Photo Credit: RCA