Kill Bill Vol.1 & Vol.2 Original Soundtracks

Since I have been banging these two albums constantly while designing, I want to share with those who have not experienced them. Like Quentin Tarantino, music plays an important part of my work, especially when I need visual inspirations. These two soundtracks are responsible for fueling much creativity into my design.

When I need to produce something hip, edgy, and playful, Kill Bill Vol.1 is a perfect choice because the album fills with adrenaline rushes. Whether you jam it from start to finish or in any random order, the wonderful mix of tunes will guarantee to color your mind with bright and beautiful images. With a diverse range from Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” to Tomoyasu Hotei’s “Battle Without Honor or Humanity” to Luis Bacalov’s “The Grand Duel – (Parte Prima)” to Rza’s “Ode to Oren Ishii” to Meiko Kaji’s “The Flower of Carnage,” make sure you fastened up your seatbelt for a psychological ride.

Unlike Vol.1, Kill Bill Vol.2 is much more subtle which is great when I need to create something calm and elegant. Shivaree’s “Goodnight Moon” kicks off the album with a beautiful lightweight melody. Ennio Morricone contributed some mesmerizing musical scores such as “L’Arena,” “A Silhouette of Doom,” and “Il Tramonto.” Johnny Cash’s vocals are so convincing on the lyrical inspiration of Rhodes and Hayes’s “A Satisfied Mind.” A verse like this, “Money can’t buy back your youth when you’re old / Or a friend when you’re lonely, or a love that’s grown cold / The wealthiest person is a pauper at times / Compared to the man with a satisfied mind,” reminds me how important it is to live a simple and happy life instead of chasing and dreaming for fortune and fame. The last hidden track by The RZA featuring Ol’ Dirty Bastard is a nice little bonus. Speaking of ODB, his death is a great lost for the Wu Tang Clan as well as the Hip Hop community. His eccentric rhyming skills and his wild persona will always be remembered.

Even if you don’t like Tarantino’s films, the soundtracks are exquisite. He is among a few filmmakers who have great taste in music. I dig his films and love his soundtracks. I usually don’t spend money on soundtracks but Kill Bill and The Matrix are the only exceptions. I have used countless loops from The Matrix in the past for my motion projects, and I recently applied a few scores from Kill Bill Vol.1 to my works including the Vassar’s slideshow. I have nothing to loose and much to gain from these albums.