The Holy Mountain (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

While not as well-known as his iconic lysergic western El Topo, which became one of the major midnight movies of the '70s, The Holy Mountain is arguably the definitive work from Chilean/Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky, a visually dazzling and gloriously confounding story of the search for spiritual enlightenment. While it's all but impossible to describe what happens in The Holy Mountain, given its emphasis on surreal visuals over narrative, it's a cult film for the best reasons — love it or hate it, it's a remarkable and thoroughly individual accomplishment — and the soundtrack album, featuring Jodorowsky's original score, is an eclectic and interesting listen in its own right. The music sways from rock ("Psychedelic Weapons") to esoteric folk music ("Pissed and Passed Out") to subtle tone poems ("Violence of the Lambs") to grand-scale orchestral themes ("Christs 4 Sale"), with plenty of room for lyrical musical backdrops ("Communion"), a dash of vintage dance music ("A Walk in the Park"), and even some Tuvan throat singing ("Trance Mutation"). This music is never as trippy or engrossing as the movie it was designed to accompany, but Jodorowsky's melodic sense is sure and appealing, and it's not hard to imagine he could have become a successful composer if he'd set his mind to that goal. The Holy Mountain is most strongly recommended for fans of the film, but soundtrack collectors with a taste for the offbeat with doubtless find this rewarding.