 According to Drew Miller of Stylus , the soundtrack " [ gives ] unconscious voice " to the characters ' psyches and complements the subtext . The most obvious use of pop music " accompanies and gives context to " Lester 's attempts to recapture his youth ; reminiscent of how the counterculture of the 1960s combated American repression through music and drugs , Lester begins to smoke cannabis and listen to rock music . Mendes ' song choices " progress through the history of American popular music " . Miller argues that although some may be over familiar , there is a parodic element at work , " making good on [ the film 's ] encouragement that viewers look closer " . Toward the end of the film , Thomas Newman 's score features more prominently , creating " a disturbing tempo " that matches the tension of the visuals . The exception is " Don 't Let It Bring You Down " , which plays during Angela 's seduction of Lester . At first appropriate , its tone clashes as the seduction stops . The lyrics , which speak of " castles burning " , can be seen as a metaphor for Lester 's view of Angela — " the rosy , fantasy @-@ driven exterior of the ' American Beauty ' " — as it burns away to reveal " the timid , small @-@ breasted girl who , like his wife , has willfully developed a false public self " . 
 According to Drew Miller of Stylus , the soundtrack " [ <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>gives</mark></a> ] unconscious voice " to the characters <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'</mark></a>psyches and complements the subtext . The most obvious use of pop music " accompanies and <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>gives</mark></a> context to " Lester <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>attempts to recapture his youth ; reminiscent of how the counterculture of the 1960s combated American repression through music and drugs , Lester <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>begins</mark></a> to smoke cannabis and listen to rock music . Mendes <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'</mark></a>song choices " progress through the history of American popular music " . Miller <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>argues</mark></a> that although some may be over familiar , <a href='dey_it' title='8'><mark>there</mark></a> is a parodic element at work , " making good on [ the film <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'s</mark></a>] encouragement <a href='null_relcl' title='10'><mark>that</mark></a>viewers look closer " . Toward the end of the film , Thomas Newman <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'s</mark></a>score <a href='uninflect' title='12'><mark>features</mark></a> more prominently , creating " a disturbing tempo " <a href='null_relcl' title='13'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='14'><mark>matches</mark></a> the tension of the visuals . The exception <a href='drop_aux' title='15'><mark>is</mark></a>" Don 't Let It Bring You Down " , which <a href='uninflect' title='16'><mark>plays</mark></a> during Angela <a href='null_genetive' title='17'><mark>'s</mark></a>seduction of Lester . At first appropriate , its tone clashes as the seduction <a href='uninflect' title='18'><mark>stops</mark></a> . The lyrics , which speak of " castles burning " , can be seen as a metaphor for Lester <a href='null_genetive' title='19'><mark>'s</mark></a>view of Angela — " the rosy , fantasy @-@ driven exterior of the ' American Beauty ' " — as it <a href='uninflect' title='20'><mark>burns</mark></a> away to reveal " the timid , small @-@ breasted girl <a href='null_relcl' title='21'><mark>who</mark></a>, like his wife , <a href='been_done' title='22'><mark>has</mark></a> willfully developed a false public self " . 
According to Drew Miller of Stylus , the soundtrack " [ give ] unconscious voice " to da characters  psyches and complements the subtext . The most obvious use of pop music " accompanies and give context to " Lester  attempts to recapture his youth ; reminiscent of how tdacounterculture of the 1960s combated American repression thru music and drugs , Lester begin to smoke cannabis and listen to rock music . Mendes  song choices " progress through the history of American popular music " . Miller argue dat although some may be over familiar , it is a parodic element at work , " making gud on [ thdailm  ] encouragement viewers look closer " . Toward the end of the film , Thomas Newman  score feature more prominently , creating " a disturbing tempo " match the tension of thedasuals . The exception " Don 't Let It Bring You dwn " , which play during Angela  seduction of Lester . At first appropriate , its tone clashes as the seduction stop . The lyrics , which speak of " castles burnin " , can b seen as a metaphor for Lester  view of Angela — " the day , fantasy @-@ driven exterior of the ' American Beauty ' " — as it burn away to reveal " the timid , small @-@ breasted girl , like his wife , done willfully developed a false public self " .