English indie pop band The XX wrote the moody electronic track Together specifically for Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The soundtrack isn’t expected to reach shelves until May 7 (preview it on iTunes here), but this YouTube tease lets you listen to the whole tune a few weeks early.
The song sets an ominous, passionate tone. We can imagine it being used in the background as Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) stares lustily across a crowded socialite party at Daisy (Carey Mulligan), fantasizing about time they’ll spent together.
Luhrmann’s movies always make excellent use of original musical collaborations, though it concerns me slightly that most of the stories we’re hearing about The Great Gatsby have to do with the movie’s soundtrack, and the illustrious artists who are contributing tracks. Where are the comments on DiCaprio’s performance in the title role? How has Luhrmann bounced back from Australia? Is there heat between DiCaprio and Mulligan? It’s great is Gatsby has a fantastic soundtrack … but a fantastic soundtrack does not a movie make.
We’ll likely start hearing more about Gatsby very soon as the movie begins screening for press ahead of its May 10 release date. Then it’s off to France, where Luhrmann and his cast is expected to open this year’s Cannes Film Festival. For now, though, the talk mostly has been about the music. Are you still excited for Luhrmann’s take on Fitzgerald’s seminal novel? Do these songs do anything to raise or lower your interest?
