Snow Patrol

“Signal Fire”
from the soundtrack Spider-Man 3 (Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture)
2007
iTunes

You know you’re dealing with a real blockbuster when the soundtrack is made up not only of rocking tracks, but of rocking tracks that were recorded specifically for the movie instead of being fished out of various preexisting albums. (Okay, except for Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” — that one’s not hot off the presses.) Such is the power of Spidey that he inspired the likes of Snow Patrol, the Killers, Jet, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Wolfmother — and of course you just have to look at the title of “The Supreme Being Teaches Spider-Man How to Be in Love” to know the song is by the Flaming Lips. The overall mood is less heavy than on the previous soundtrack, with the selection hitting pretty close to an alt-rock bull’s eye.

Snow Patrol manage to keep their own identity throughout “Signal Fire” — not always easy on a franchise soundtrack — and it’s catchier the more times you hear it. Other highlights include “Sealings,” a return to form for Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Walkmen‘s evocative “Red River,” and Jet’s “Falling Star,” a muscular piece of retro-balladry. Among the oddities are Coconut Records, the new project of actor (and former Phantom Planet member) Jason Schwartzman; its contribution, the lovely “Summer Day,” features backup vocals by Kirsten “Mary Jane” Dunst. Still, sometimes a big name is not needed: One of the best tracks, the anthemic “Portrait of a Summer Thief,” is by the unsigned Austin band Sounds Under Radio.