The Limits of Control (soundtrack)

The Limits of Control (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
various artists
ReleasedMay 5, 2009
Length53:54
LabelLakeshore
ProducerJim Jarmusch

The Limits of Control (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2009 film The Limits of Control directed by Jim Jarmusch. The album accompanied several songs contributed by Jarmusch's band Bad Rabbit, along with the band Boris that composed the film score, Sunn O))) and LCD Soundsystem, amongst others. The soundtrack was released through Lakeshore Records on May 5, 2009.

Development

The soundtrack is a curation of existing music selected by the director Jarmusch.[1] He considered the musical landscape to be "amazing" as it ranged from multiple genres—"space metal, doom, neo-psychedelic stoner sludge".[1] During the edit, Jarmusch listened to the song contributed by the rock band Boris, and had edited it as a temp score. A piece of music called "Fuzzy Reactor" which the band performed in collaboration with guitarist Michio Kurihara of the Stars had "a psychedelic density to it" which led him to put it on repeat while writing the script.[2][3] He also selected contributions from Sunn O))), LCD Soundsystem, the Black Angels, Earth amongst others.The end product, was an assortment of licensed music as film score, having "a whole file of music to work with in the editing room".[1] For scenes were no suitable music could be found, Jarmusch's own band Bad Rabbit recorded new songs.[1][4]

Jarmusch admitted that some of the music had inspired some of the editing and the intangible atmosphere, which existed only his in mind. He wanted the music to be woven into the mood of the film, rather than feeling slapped on the surface of the images and considering it "inspiring" on various other levels where "certain qualities [pushed him] forward in an abstract way."[1] Beyond the electronic and metallic soundscape, the film featured a classical composition of Franz Schubert's adagio from String Quintet in C performed by the Ensemble Villa Musica.[2]

While preparing the film in Spain, he researched extensively on the flamenco music, where one of his friends turned him into the peteneras style which was originated in the 14th century. A song from that era "El Que Se Tenga Por Grande" was performed by Carmen Linares for the film, while also featured another version originally performed by Talegón de Córdoba, and featuring guitarist Jorge Rodriguez Padilla. The lyrics from the song "He who thinks he is bigger than the rest must go to the cemetery, there he will see what life really is. It is a handful of dirt, a handful of dust…" was referenced throughout the film.[1][2] Another flamenco song "Por Compasión: Malagueñas" was also featured in the film, originally performed by Manuel El Sevillano. Jarmusch also mentioned in a dialogue that the guitar which was made during the 1920s for recording the song should also appear in the film.[2]

Critical reception

Kenneth Herzog of AllMusic wrote "As with any soundtrack, it’s only half of a collective audio/visual vision, but [The Limits of Control] exceeds the ambition of most cinematic compilations."[5] Rania of IndieWire stated that she "[got] goosebumps thinking of the aural landscape details in the film" praising Jarmusch's eclectic musical selections that provided an array of genres.[6] Dana Stevens of Slate described the soundtrack as "gorgeous".[7] Todd McCarthy of Variety gave a negative review, saying "there’s the music, mostly by a Japanese electronic noise outfit called Boris, that drones on ultimately to congeal into a state of undead rigor mortis."[8]

Craig Mathieson of SBS Australia called it "a nocturnal soundtrack of oceanic rock – wordless guitar drones and narcotic beats – that suggest an alternate reality."[9]

Track listing

No.TitleArtistLength
1."Intro"Bad Rabbit0:13
2."Fuzzy Reactor"Boris with Michio Kurihara3:42
3."Saeta"La Macarena2:17
4."Sea Green Sea"Bad Rabbit4:11
5."Feedbacker" (TLOC Edit)Boris3:32
6."Por Compasión: Malagueñas"Manuel el Sevillano2:03
7."Farewell"Boris7:29
8."N.L.T."Sunn O))) & Boris3:46
9."El Que Se Tenga Por Grande"Carmen Linares3:21
10."Dawn"Bad Rabbit1:41
11."You on the Run"The Black Angels4:50
12."Omens and Portents 1: The Driver" (TLOC Edit)Earth and Bill Frisell2:44
13."El Que Se Tenga Por Grande"Talegón de Córdoba & Jorge Rodríguez Padilla3:54
14."Blood Swamp" (TLOC Edit)Sunn O))) & Boris4:33
15."Schubert, Adagio from String Quintet in C, D.956" (TLOC Edit)Ensemble Villa Musica5:16
16."Daft Punk Is Playing at My House"LCD Soundsystem5:15
17.Untitled (TLOC Edit)Boris1:04
Total length:53:54

Chart performance

Chart (2009) Peak
position
UK Soundtrack Albums (OCC)[10] 44
US Top Soundtracks (Billboard)[11] 11

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Macaulay, Scott (May 1, 2009). "Jim Jarmusch and the music of The Limits of Control". Focus Features. Archived from the original on September 12, 2010. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Hill, Logan (April 23, 2009). "Q&A With Jim Jarmusch on the Exotic Stylings of His Latest Film, 'The Limits of Control'". New York. Archived from the original on July 27, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  3. ^ Kipp, Jeremiah (April 30, 2009). "It Sings: On the Musicality of Jim Jarmusch's The Limits of Control". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  4. ^ Joffe, Justin (July 13, 2017). "The Heady, Cinematic Music of Jim Jarmusch and Carter Logan". Vulture. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  5. ^ Herzog, Kenneth. "Review: Limits of Control [Soundtrack]". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  6. ^ Rania (June 2, 2009). "Soundtrack: THE LIMITS OF CONTROL by Jim Jarmusch". IndieWire. Archived from the original on January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  7. ^ Stevens, Dana (May 1, 2009). "The Limits of Boredom". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Archived from the original on July 23, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  8. ^ McCarthy, Todd (April 23, 2009). "The Limits of Control". Variety. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  9. ^ Mathieson, Craig (July 20, 2009). "The Limits of Control Review". SBS Australia. Archived from the original on January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  10. ^ "Official Soundtrack Albums Chart Top 50 – 17 to 23 May". Official Charts Company. May 17, 2009. Archived from the original on September 11, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  11. ^ "Soundtracks: Week of May 23, 2009". Billboard. May 23, 2009. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
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