There's a narrative to the soundtrack for 's 2018 remake of , one that mirrors the one told in the movie. Often, the album features dialogue ripped from the screen -- a full 15 tracks, actually, amounting to seven minutes of this 74-minute album -- which means almost plays like a record from the '60s or '70s: it's designed to tide listeners over until they get a chance to see the movie again. Of course, is a musical, so its soundtrack is filled with full-fledged songs, all of which serve the story that the dialogue gooses along. Strip out the distracting dialogue tracks and the plot of is still evident, as the music moves from the grungy Americana of 's character, through his affecting duets with , toward her flashy pop, and then culminating with "I'll Never Love Again," the song where the two estranged lovers reunite. Each of these phases is expertly executed. assists in the rangy grunge of "Black Eyes," while 's spare "Maybe It's Time" is an affecting slice of Americana. The second stage, where is duetting with , fuses their sensibilities seamlessly, particularly on the aching ballad "Shallow" and loping country-rock of "Music to My Eyes," which was co-written by and . Her pop section plays like its own EP, and it's snappy, stylish, and savvy, particularly on the retro-disco of "Why Did You Do That?" and soulful "Heal Me." All the songs make sense narratively and on their own, so they hold together well and amount to a first-rate soundtrack. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine