“Across the Universe,” the Beatles musical directed by Julie Taymor, rocks into theaters this Friday. I’ll be one of the first people in line because, if the soundtrack is any indicator, this movie will be a real treat for Beatles fans.

If you have the means, I highly recommend downloading the soundtrack on iTunes as opposed to buying it in a store or off Amazon. The regular soundtrack has only 16 songs from the film, whereas the iTunes version has 31. Seeing as how that’s an extensive amount of songs, I’ll just talk about a few of my favorite tracks.

But first, a word about the album. Unlike most musical cast albums, which are recorded in a studio, most of the tracks on “Across the Universe” were recorded live on the set. This creates for a gritty realism that brings so much more emotion to the tracks. The cast is acting as they’re singing on the album, so you can really hear the power and the feeling in their voices.

The album kicks off with “Girl,” sung by the film’s male lead, Jim Sturgess. Sturgess actually sounds like a Beatle himself, so the transition from song to cover song is minor here. In “Girl,” Sturgess has a raw sadness and longing in his voice that complements the lyrics of the Fab Four.

“I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends,” sung by Jim Sturgess and Joe Anderson, is a fraternal camaraderie tune, complete with upbeat vocals. It’s easy to imagine a bunch of guys hanging out in a bar or frat house and just appreciating the male bonding going on.

Carol Woods and Timothy T. Mitchum provide the lead vocals for “Let It Be.” What is great about “Across the Universe” is by re-imagining these classic songs, the filmmakers can pay tribute to the musical styles that inspired the Beatles track in the first place. That’s exactly what happens with “Let It Be,” which is redone as a beautiful gospel song.

My favorite track on the CD is “If I Fell,” sung by Evan Rachel Wood. The song is interpreted not as a showtune or performance piece, but as an internal monologue of sorts. Wood brings a softly moving vulnerability to the track.

U2 frontman and activist Bono performs “I Am the Walrus”. Bono has always been a huge Beatles fan and cites them as a big influence to U2’s sound. It’s easy to tell that Bono’s having a great time on this track as he performs one of the iconic songs of his most revered musical heroes. Bono brings a musical clout and experience to the album that grounds his track among those of the less-experienced performers on the album.

British comedian Eddie Izzard chews the scenery in “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite.” This track doesn’t differ much from the original, except that Izzard nails the bizarre and chaotic quality of the song. Listening to Izzard and hearing the circus sounds in the background makes me eagerly anticipate the visuals that will accompany this song.

Sturgess and Anderson return in “Strawberry Fields Forever,” which takes on a sexier tone on this album than the original. It’s hard not to compare this track to the one that immediately follows it, “Revolution.” The latter track disappointed me because it lacks the drive and urgency of the original call to action, while the former surprised me because the song isn’t usually one of my favorites. But this version of “Strawberry Fields” is a little more seductive and artsy than its original version.

“While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” sung by Martin Luther McCoy, is probably the best cover of this George Harrison tune in existence. McCoy brings a soulful pain to the song that complements the original while it is still distinctive.

Wood shines again on “Blackbird.” After getting over the initial shock of the young actress being a good singer, I listened to her tracks on the album over and over just to catch the emotive nuances she brings to her performances. She sounds so real, while keeping an ethereal dreaminess in her voice.

Bono wraps up the soundtrack with “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” Bono being Bono, sings the song with power, but keeps the track grounded in the trippy surrealism that made it such an iconic Beatles tune.

The music on this album pays respectful tribute to the original songs of the Beatles, while reimagining the songs in a way that is both powerful and entertaining.

Regardless of whether or not the film “Across the Universe” is good, I’ll be there just to have another experience with these incredible performances. Both the soundtrack and the film are obviously meant for anyone who has a passion for the Beatles and their music.