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Watchmen: Volume 1 (Music from the HBO Series)

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Watchmen: Volume 1 (Music from the HBO Series) is the original score for the HBO superhero drama limited series Watchmen, composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. It was released on November 6, 2019.

Track Listing[]

All tracks written by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, except where noted.

No. Title Length
1. "How the West Was Really Won" 3:44
2. "Orphans of Krypton" 1:56
3. "Garryowen" 1:17
4. "Nun with a Motherf*&*ing Gun" 3:17
5. "Objects in Mirror (Are Closer than They Appear)" 1:38
6. "Kattle Battle" 1:42
7. "American Promo Story" 0:48
8. "I'll Wait" 3:24
9. "Trigger Warning" 0:55
10. "The Brick" 4:01
11. "Never Surrender" 2:08
12. "Müller Time" 2:25
13. "Owl Hunts Rat" 2:37
14. "Absent Friends and Old Ghosts" 3:29
15. "Watch Over This Boy" 3:38
Total length: 37:05

Notes[]

About[]

Watchmen is Reznor and Ross' first collaborative soundtrack for scripted television following their work on a number of award-winning films (beginning with The Social Network in 2010), as well as the documentary series The Vietnam War in 2017. The score combines the duo's signature electronic and dark ambient sounds with jazz and blues compositions, a piano cover of David Bowie's "Life on Mars," and a number of interludes containing in-world content from the series' universe, including dialogue excerpts and fictional advertisements.

The score was critically acclaimed, with many reviewers considering it Reznor and Ross' best work to date. Particular praise was given to the album's stylistic range, as well as its role in crafting the series' distinct atmosphere. The score earned Reznor and Ross the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series in 2020.

The nin.com statement about the release reads:

"Three unique LPs specifically timed to be released throughout the first season of HBO's Watchmen. Created in collaboration with the show's writers, each LP features the score from Academy Award winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as well as artwork and packaging exclusive to this vinyl release that explores the culture of Watchmen America and provides revealing insights into the saga's mythology and mysteries."

About the decision to release the score in three volumes, Reznor stated the following:[1]

"Well, we had quite a bit of music. And we decided to do something fun with the way it’s released. I think that putting out an hour and a half of music today is like throwing it out the window -- it’s asking too much of a kind of short attention span audience that we’ve all become. So breaking it up into chunks felt like something we wanted to do. And I don’t mean to be too cheeky about it, but I think that when the first record comes out, it’ll make more sense why we split it up into three pieces. It’s just something that feels very Watchmen to us. It’s fun, and a cool way to get music out and be part of the story. I don’t mean to be oblique here, but it’ll make more sense when you hear it."

Reznor and Ross also created the theme for the end credits of the show, which is a mashup of three tracks from Volume 01: "Nun With A Motherf*&*ing Gun", "Never Surrender", and "Owl Hunts Rat". An extended version of this composition was posted to the official Nine Inch Nails YouTube channel.[2]

In-Universe Vinyl[]

The vinyl version of Volume 1 is referential to in-world content from the series, and is detailed with faux artwork, artists, track listings, and credits. The music actually contained on them is the same as above.

The entire presentation of Volume 01 lays out a history for a fictional band called the Sons of Pale Horse, including the following fictional details: The Book of Rorschach was released in November 2, 2000 and was inspired by the legacy of the late Walter Kovacs; The band's frontman, Chris Deschaines, went into seclusion after he and his band stormed offstage in Los Angeles on December 1st, 2000.

Track Listing[]

Side A

  1. "American Love (They Don't Make It Anymore)"
  2. "Good Men Like My Father"
  3. "Kitty-Made"
  4. "My Violent New Continent"
  5. "Face/Mask"
  6. "No One Cares But Me"

Side B

  1. "Moloch (I Fought The Law)"
  2. "Dead Dogs And Pretty Little Butterflies"
  3. "Locked Up In Here With Me"
  4. "All My Friends Are So Very Soft"
  5. "The End Is Nigh (Suite)"
  6. "Never Compromise, Never Surrender"All songs written and performed by Sons of Pale Horse except where noted.
  • "Face/Mask" written and performed by Chris Deschaines.
  • "I Fought the Law" written by Sonny Curtis.
  • "The End Is Nigh (Suite)" contains samples of: "Neighborhood Threat" written by Iggy Pop, performed by Pale Horse; "Ink Blot Guy" written by Red D'Eath, performed by Pale Horse, "The Spirit of Seventy-Six" written by Red D'Eath, performed by Pale Horse.

Appearances[]

Featured Characters[]

Locations[]

Events[]

Organizations[]

Items[]

Mentioned[]

Credits[]

  • Mixed by Atticus Ross
  • Mastering: Tom Baker at Baker Mastering
  • Engineering: Kyle Hoffman, Tommy Simpson, Mat Mitchell, Chris Richardson
  • Series Music Editor: Sally Boldt
  • Additional Arrangements: Nick Chuba
  • Writing and World Building: Jeff Jensen and Damon Lindelof
  • Art Direction: John Crawford
  • Design: Corey Holms
  • Legal: Zia Modabber for Katten Munchin Rosenman LLP, Ross Rosen for Ross B. Rosen & Associates, LLC
  • Management: Silva Artist Management
  • Booking: Marc Geiger for WME
  • Business Management: William Harper and Michael Walsh for Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman
  • Published by Cloudcover (ASCAP)/Administered by Kobalt Songs Music
  • Published by Songs in the Key of Mink (BMI)/Administered by Downtown DMP Songs
  • ©2019 Null Corporation, under exclusive license to Capitol Records

    Thank You: Steve Barnett, John Blair, Josh Cappannelli, Tiffany Chung, Erin Cooney, Pam Fitzgerald, Dana Flax, Ambrosia Healy, Jeff Jensen, Michelle Jubelirer, Damon Lindelof, Katherine Lo, Noelle Lyons, Teri Eastwood Molls, Ashley Newton, Arjun Pulijal, Josh Remsberg, Mariqueen Maandig Reznor, Claudia Sarne, Angela Tarantino, Adam Weiss, Yauny Wheaton

Additional Credits[]

Volume 02[]

  • "Trust In The Law": written by Mike Garson, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Performed by Mike Garson; Engineered by Austin Creek

  • "Nostalgia Blues" and "Dreamland Jazz": written by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and John Beasley

Arranged by John Beasley; Performed by John Beasley, Keith Fiddmont, Peter Erskine and Chuck Berghofer; Engineered by Tommy Vicari Thank You: Peter Rotter

Volume 03[]

  • "The Way It Used To Be"

Music Producer: Dan Higgins, Engineering and Mixing: Rich Breen

  • "Life On Mars?": written by David Bowie

Gallery[]

References[]

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