“The Nightmare Before Christmas” was one of the first unconventional Disney movies; instead of a cheery setting, you’re taken to the dark world of Halloween. This setting is carried over in the music written and composed by Danny Elfman. But like any great musical, the songs really represent the characters more than anything else in the movie.

The changes in the orchestrations are enough to tell you that this soundtrack covers a lot of styles as it progresses from the dark, almost off-pitch tones of Halloween music to the upbeat, light music of Christmas.

I’m not saying this CD is for everyone; there’s a lot more of the darker sounds to the music, but the lyrics have an almost Dr. Seuss feel to them. You really gain insight into the characters after listening. If you’re a big musical fan like I am, then I suggest you add this to your collection: It’s the only one of its kind.