Prime Video truly has something for everyone on its summer lineup — from the topsy-turvy teen dramaWe Were Liarsto the action-packedCountdown. But those looking for a more grown-up whodunnit featuring two of the best actresses in the biz, well, they know to look no further than the streamer’s thriller series,The Better Sister. StarringJessica BielandElizabeth Banks, the series follows in the footsteps ofAlafair Burke’s 2019 novel, and tells the story of a family torn apart by murder. While the performances of its leading and supporting cast drive the plot and keep audiences engaged, it’s the soundtrack composed byWill Batesthat further launches the intrigue and informs viewers how to feel from one scene to the next. Today, Collider is thrilled to share an exclusive first listen to the track “A Complicated History” ahead of the album’s July 11 release by Lakeshore Records.
In a statement paired with the sample, Bates walks listeners through the unique sounds they’re hearing in today’s sneak peek, explaining,
“Recording steel girders in the middle of the night was my first foray into making the score for The Better Sister. My percussionist pal Spencer Cohen and I decided to sneak into a building site next door to my house in Los Angeles and do some field recording. It ended up becoming a signature sound in the show and this cue became the basis of Nicky (Biel) and Chloe’s (Banks) theme. And now I’m kind of stuck with these steel girders.”
The use of the steel girders certainly makes a standout, one-of-a-kind sound that serves as an ear-catching foundation for the other instruments that make up “A Complicated History.” While the main melody takes the driver’s seat, the distinctive percussive sound cuts through just enough to act as its own theme.
Where You’ve Heard Will Bates’ Tunes Before
Using steel girders to make the music ofThe Better Sisterreally pop might be Bates’ latest genius idea, but it certainly isn’t his first. In the past, the composer has paired up with an incredible line-up of filmmakers, includingMike Cahill(Another Earth),Alex Gibney(Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief), andThe Better Sister’sCraig Gillespiefor the director’s 2023 biographical drama,Dumb Money. The composer’s name is also attached to theSydney Sweeney-led horror flickImmaculate, Hulu’s recent docuseries,Call Me Alex, AMC+’s hit book-to-screen productionMayfair Witches, and the Netflix miniseries,Devil in Ohio. Up next, audiences can tune their ears into the musician’s sounds as he lays out the score for Paramount+’sNCIS: Tony & ZivaandRob Burnett’sIn Memoriam.
Take a first listen to “A Complicated History” above and pick up the album forThe Better Sisterwhen it releases on July 11.Hit this linkto pre-save the album.
The Better Sister
