All About Soundtracks

"Battle: Los Angeles" - Brian Tyler

2011-03-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

Battle: Los Angeles

Composed by: Brian Tyler

Release date: March 8, 2011

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Amazon user's rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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All About Soundtracks Review:
Continuing his collaboration with director Jonathan Liebesman, Brian Tyler scores Battle: Los Angeles, which was catalogued by the critics as a poorly written and poorly acted movie, and the same could be said about half the movies Tyler scored. In this case, however, Tyler provides an unexpected disappointment.
(Read more.)

Battle: Los Angeles starts off the worst way possible: with a complete rip off of pre-existent music. If you're familiar with the Surface of the Sun cue from John Murphy's Sunshine, you'll notice the outrageous similarities that it has with the opening track of this album, Battle Los Angeles Hymn, a track driven by echoing electric guitars, strings and noble choir. This theme returns in its quiet deja vu chords in the final track, We Are Still Here.
For the first two listens, this theme is a guilty pleasure. Then, it's just annoying.
The main thematic idea of the score, though, is the heroic theme presented in Battle Los Angeles Main Title with horns and militaristic precurssion. Tyler creates a heroic piece too anonymous and too obviously based also on Remote Control scores (namely Jablonsky's Transformers), and however he uses this theme in a multitude of other cues like Marines Don't Quit, Elegy, Redemption, which are all action cues that feel like more and more of the same.
The only actually pleasant use of the theme is in Regret, where Tyler twists it to a beautiful string version, with small touches by electric guitars and choir, the instrumentation of the other theme or hymn, thus creating a nice mix between these two thematic ideas. This is an inteligent touch by Tyler.
Other nice cue of contemplative beauty is the guitar-driven Shelf Life, despite not being really related with the thematic ideas of the score.
The main theme returns at the climax, Abandoning Los Angeles, and then is reprised in the suite Batlle Los Angeles which is, perhaps the only interesting action piece of this score, where we can really hear the traditional Tyler action music, with agressive rythms and brutal orchestrations, maintaining the interest for its 5 minutes of duration.
The rest of the action music presents unfortunate similarities with other composers music, something Tyler doesn't need, because he's so much better than many of them. Thus, the rest of the scores reminds of the droning sound of Remote Control scores.
The extremely long duration of the album, another Brian Tyler signture, in this case makes everything even worse. If you appreciate Tyler's usually more inteligent and interesting orchestral action music, then this score is an exhausting listening that you'll probably not want to repeat.
This is probably one of the worst scores by Tyler, in the sense that he clearly imitates the temp track (and what a bad temp track) and instead of maintaining his own identity, he employs mainstream musical mannerisms. Adding the general musical anonimity of the themes and the droning sound of most action tracks, this score is largely unremarkable and a significant underachievement.
Maybe we could say that the director or the studio had some fault in this result, with the intention of having a score that sounded as mainstream as possible, but they probably did not force Tyler to rip off John Murphy's Surface to the Sun, which is perhaps the most unfortunate flaw of this score.
Just because Tyler is obviously capable of so much better, this score ends up being tedious and frustrating.
Unless, of course, you're a sucker for more Remote Control, generic scores.

Ups: if you love Remote Control, you have another bunch of droning action music and heroic anthems.

Downs: if you prefer Tyler's true identity, with engaging themes and truly exciting orchestral action music, than this score will be unimpressive, tedious, overlong, exhausting and frustrating because of the way it blatantly imitates other composers.

Noteworthy tracks: Regret, Shelf Life, Battle Los Angeles

Score note: 4/10

Preview: Arrival

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"The Secret In Their Eyes" - Emilio Kauderer & Federico Jusid

2010-08-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Secret In Their Eyes

Composed by: Emilio Kauderer & Federico Jusid

Release date: May 25, 2010

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Amazon users rating: not available.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
The highly acclaimed Argentine/Spanish murder thriller The Secret in Their Eyes (in the original, El Secreto de Sus Ojos) is the winner of this year's Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. This film has mystery, crime, and revenge. But also a deep, nostalgic love. And that's clearly the main inspiration for the duo of composers for the score, Emilio Kauderer and Frederico Jusid.
(Read more.)

First adjective to this score: beautiful. It's a beautiful score in the most simple ways. The ensemble is small, mainly leaded by the piano, backed by a small string ensemble, in a few tracks with a light choir too, and in one track a music box.
The themes are kept simple, and often played by solo instruments, to enhance the deep nostalgia of the movie. The main theme is a love theme that is flows in a heartbreakingly angelic way. Once again, the simplicity employed by the composers makes the theme extremely effective. It can be heard in Her Eyes and Main Theme, but the most touching use of this theme is in the track The Train Leaves and the most heartbreaking is in The Elevator. (Be prepared for tears.)
Another theme, used in a track aproppriately named The Doubt is a series of tension-filled, three-note motifs that increases its intensity as the uncertainty and suspicion increases. This theme is heard with a sense of conlusion and mixed with the love theme in Unwrapping the Truth. It also closes the album with full development in a nine-minute reprise.
But we can't forget this is a thriller, even if a love theme is at the center of the score.
Actually, there are some needed passages of underscore. That's the weakest point of the score. Despite the delicate way that the composition and orchestration brings tension and mystery, these moments turn kind of anonymous when compared to more intense cues. However, they are not exactly bad. Take a listen to Suspicious Photo and Gomez.
A theme shortly presented is a character theme, heard in Liliana's Theme with a solo cello taking the center stage. It's a nostalgic theme in the style of the main one, and one is left whishing it was more developed.
There's still another theme, which I don't know what relates to, but it's heard throughout the score in piano, backed by strings, like in The Bad News, and also a beautiful music box rendition in Liliana's Music Box.
Finally, some tracks, even not defined by any themes, are moments of pure musical excelence. Passion is the loudest passage in the score, with organ, strings and choir making justice to the name of the cue. Also the almost religious choir in Sandoval's Choice is noteworthy.
The critics praised the movie and some of theme even mention the way this score manages to be tense and thrilling and at the same time making us experience the nostalgic love story. And everything here is used perfectly to that very purpose. Besides that, the score works wonders as a standalone listening experience. It's elegant, nostalgic, tense.
Doesn't matter if it's a tension-fillied cue or a rendition of the tragic love theme: it's always beautiful, in a surpisingly simple way.
The score flows so well that it can even be relaxing music.
Another excelente score in this amazing year for film music.
Hopefully, Emilio Kauderer and Frederico Jusid will break into Hollywood some day.

Ups: a beautiful score, thematically rich, that manages to create tension even when sounds delicate or nostalgic.

Downs: this score is never too loud, never over-the-top, it's not for you if you enjoy fast-paced, loud music.

Noteworthy tracks: Her Eyes, The Doubt, Passion, Sandoval's Theme, The Train Leaves, Main Theme, The Elevator, Liliana's Theme, Liliana's Music Box, Unwrapping the Truth, The Doubt - Reprise.

Score note: 9

Preview:
Track 7 - The Train Leaves

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"Salt" - James Newton-Howard

2010-07-22T12:38:00.001-07:00

Salt

Composed by: James Newton-Howard

Release date: July 20, 2010, on iTunes.

Amazon page: not available.

Amazon users rating: not available.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
Salt is a new action thriller, starring Angelina Jolie for more than obvious reasons. The score by James Newton-Howard matches what was expected for such a movie.
(Read more.)

There's not much more to say about a score that is so empty (restrained by the movie itself).
It mostly consists either of action bombastic cues or suspenseful tedious underscore. The action cues are a great deal of fun though. Newton-Howard creates a score that doesn't quite sound like him because he infuses a lot of style in the music, using electronic samples and electric guitars. Escaping the CIA and Chase Across DC are well constructed and structered in a Brian Tyler way. Others like Taser Puppet and Eight Floors Down bring all the style with the electric guitar bursts, and are actually pleasing.
There's something missing in this score though: there is not the usual James Newton-Howard main theme. Actually there are very few identifiable motifs in this score.
It's a score that lacks a defined, stong identity. Therefore, this is a pretty unmemorable score, despite being very entertaining sometimes. You'll not be revisiting this score for the rest of your life, but some cues might keep interested for the next weeks.
Fans of Howard's more traditional works will find rewarding the choir used in Barge Apocalypse and Go Get Em, the first half of You're My Greatest Creation, the soft piano at Not Safe With Me and the completely Howard-esque Destiny, which is string driven and has a good choral presence too.
Try to enjoy this stylish, fun, forgetable score.

Ups: full of style and exciting action cues, and even some more Howard-esque tracks.

Downs: definitely lacks an identity; the underscore ir boring and the rest sounds a bit generic.

Noteworthy tracks: Escaping the CIA, Chase Across DC, Destiny, Barge Apocalypse, Eight Floors Down, Go Get Em.

Score note: 5/10

Preview:
Track 15 - Eight Floors Down

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"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" - Patrick Doyle

2010-07-20T04:04:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Composer: Patrick Doyle

Release date: November 15, 2005

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Amazon users rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
After composing the scores for the first three movies in the Harry Potter saga (and providing the memorable and famous Hedwig’s Theme), John Williams was replaced by Patrick Doyle for the fourth installment, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
(Read more.)

The longest book in the saga suffered many cuts to fit one movie, resulting in a fast-paced movie that consists of nearly constant action. Such an exhilarating experience needed a different direction for the music than the one Williams gave to first three movies, since, in this one, the innocence is gone and the Dark Lord (aka Voldemort) returns in bone, flesh and blood. Patrick Doyle excels in providing such direction to the music.
The tone is established in the opening cue, The Story Continues, with its brass explosions and sinister chord progressions beginning actually with a minor variation of William’s Hedwig’s Theme. Doyle sets a series of motifs used to set the ominous mood of the movie, used excellently only in the underscore and expanded in standout cues, like Dark Mark, Goblet of Fire, and especially the ultra-climatic Voldemort.
The dark tone is intense, but Doyle also explores the other aspects of the movie. Harry in Winter is a lovely theme for Harry and his love interest, Rita Skeeter is comically insinuating (as the character), action cues like Golden Egg and Black Lake are epic and thrilling, and the closing cues from the score, especially Another Year Ends, bring a sad tone to the ending of the movie.
There’s still something that Doyle manages to do and Williams never did: getting a right sense of place to the music. While William’s scores were a tribute to American music, Doyle’s score is full of Celtic and Irish references, like one can hear in Quidditch World Cup.
The energy and symphonic sinister magnificence here makes for a perfect score for an Harry Potter movie. One can just hope that Doyle is the one to score Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (since Part 1 is already being scored by Alexandre Desplat), given the intimidating music he can produce, his amazing theme for Voldemort and his ability to score the intense action scenes.

However, the odds are much more on the side of John Williams for composer of the final installment on the saga. Unfortunately.

Ups: sets a new musical direction that was right for the tone of the story and, unfortunatelly, wasn't followed by Nichollas Hooper scores for the sequels; brings excelent themes and instrumentation and provids an exhilarating listening experience.

Downs: might let down avid fans of the first three scores in the franchise and those who dislike such ominous, intimidating and opresssive listening experiences; three songs from the movie are placed at the end of the album, which might also bug those who love the song-free albums of the three predecessors in the franchise.

Noteworthy tracks: Story Continues, Quidditch World Cup, Dark Mark, Foreign Visitors Arrive, Rita Skeeter, Golden Egg, Neville's Waltz, Harry in Winter, Potter Waltz, Black Lake, Voldemort, Another Year Ends, Hogwarts Hymn.

Score note: 9,5/10

Preview:
Track 1 - The Story Continues

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"Inception" - Hans Zimmer

2010-07-20T03:52:00.000-07:00

Inception

Composer: Hans Zimmer

Release date: July 13, 2010

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Amazon users rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
Inception is the third collaboration between director Christopher Nolan and Hans Zimmer. For this score, Zimmer creates a soundscape that is, well, different.
(Read more.)

Since his scores (in collaboration with James Newton-Howard) for the new Batman franchise, directed by Nolan himself, Zimmer seems to be relying, unfortunately, in the same type of sounds and electronic samples.
Actually, there are two unforgiving coincidences: one, the rhythm at the end section of the cue Radical Notion presents the exact same rhythm one can hear in the end section of Aggressive Expansion from The Dark Knight; and two, the samples and the middle of One Simple Idea are exactly the ones used on that score.
In fact, a lot of Inception sounds like an expansion of the sound and themes from The Dark Knight. Well, not really an expansion, but just a re-use that bugs a lot.
While in Angels and Demons, Zimmer took the style of The Dark Knight and expanded it with violent choral explosions and ethereal violin solos, in Inception the result comparably terrible.
The first two tracks, Half Remembered Dream and We Built Our Own World are extraordinary, in the sense that they’re able to achieve nothing musically.
Waiting For a Train, the biggest cue on album, was obviously expected to be the trademark climatic-overlong-Zimmer-cue. However, it’s all overlong and nothing climatic.
The last cue, Time, imitating the style from Chevaliers de Sangreal (from The Da Vinci Code) should be a showstopper and a definite highlight. Instead, it turns out to suffer from the same problem that the rest of the score suffers: almost all the tracks are overlong and based on repetition of simple motifs. Nothing of exciting.
The main identity of the score is the brass blasts heard in Dream Is Collapsing and Dream Within a Dream. Even that one is mostly loud music than exciting music, even if the sound is so electronically processed.
Even the refreshing (comparing with the rest of the score) track Mombasa suffers from the problem of the overlenght and repetition.
Zimmer delivers a boring score based on sound design rather than music. For those who praise these abilities in Zimmer, I advise: in a movie production there is a reason for separating the Sounds Effects team and the Music team. Because the score is supposed to be music, not sound.
This score fails to be good music and might let down even some Zimmer hardcore fans, something that I thought I was too, but after this, I’m not sure.
Of one thing I’m sure though. Inception is the let down of the year.

Ups: might please those who like Zimmer's usually heavy-bass electronic music.

Downs: fails to be good music anyway, suffering from extremely long cues and tiring repetition throughout.

Noteworthy tracks: Dream Is Collapsing, Mombasa, Time.

Score note: 3/10

Preview:
Track 3 - Dream Is Collapsing

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"The Omen" - Jerry Goldsmith

2010-07-03T09:24:00.001-07:00

The Omen

Composer: Jerry Goldsmith

Release date: June 25, 1976

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Amazon users rating: 4,5 out of 5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
In the successful The Omen, from 1976, the wonderful score from Jerry Goldsmith garnered him his only and deserved Academy Award.
(Read more.)

The movie depicts the birth of the Antichrist himself, who is adopted by a couple. The little boy, Damien, then shows his supernatural powers, even if not aware of them.
Jerry Goldsmith’s score is powerful and terrifying. Its structure was recently reflected in the score for Drag Me To Hell, by Christopher Young: moments of bombastic brass and intimidating choral chants, contrasting with tender, hopeful piano-driven cues.
The first cue, the main theme of the score, Ave Satani, was nominated apart of the score for Best Song Oscar too. And it’s deserved. The choir has got the spotlight here, in its most menacing and terrifying appearance. The Latin chant can be translated as “Hail Satan”, “Hail Antichrist”, “We drink the blood”, “We eat the body”, “Elevate the body of Satan”. The strings and brass play another portion of the theme, and the fusion of the two provides an amazing effect, that’s oppressive and scary as hell. It will give you shivers.
This theme has violent renditions in Killer’s Storm, Demise of Mrs. Baylock, The Fall, The Dog’s Attack, and in the climactic The Altar, also with a brief appearance through Safari Park. The choir use is the most memorable aspect of this score, with the shouting and also the whispering creating a suspicious, dark, foreboding atmosphere. Its use always leads to a tremendously violent climax.
Surprisingly, the other thematic component of the score, is a hopeful and romantic theme that represents the couple that adopts Damien. As with the tender theme from Young’s Drag Me To Hell, this theme played in piano, strings and occasional woodwinds seems out of place, though its use is effective in film to create the illusion of calm, hope and happiness. This theme can be heard in cues like The New Ambassador and The Homecoming, and is the base for the song The Piper Dreams, interpreted by Jerry Goldsmith’s wife, Carol Goldsmith.
There’s a score that’s inspiration for good and bad horror composers nowadays. It’s another constantly excellent highlight in Jerry Goldsmith’s career. Even if running for just 35 minutes, the listening experience of this album is intense as hell.

Ups: intense, disturbing listening experience, with an incredibly opressive and menacing main theme, constrating with the fragily tender family theme; a good album if you enjoyed Drag Me To Hell, by Christopher Young

Downs: the quality of the recording is not the best.

Noteworthy tracks: all of them.

Score note: 9,5/10

Preview:
Track 1 - Ave Satani

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"Kingdom of Heaven" - Harry Gregson-Williams

2010-07-03T09:09:00.002-07:00

Kingdom of Heaven

Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams

Release date: April 26, 2005

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Amazon users rating: 4,5 out of 5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven, instead of calling for the bombast talents of Hans Zimmer, as in Gladiator, called of a different approach which was handled by Harry Gregson-Williams.
Actually, Kingdom of Heaven can be considered, in terms of instrumentation and mood, a superior cousin of Gregson-William’s more recent Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. This is a very consistent, solid score, from start to end; however, it will take some time to sink in. If you let it though, you’ll be amazed.
(Read more.)

Williams employs electric cello and violin that provide an amazing authentic sound for the era of the Crusaders. The percussion is diverse and gives also an ethnic feeling to the music. The brass is not bombastic as in Zimmer’s Gladiator. And, at last but not least, the chorus is huge and powerful, and makes some incredibly beautiful appearances.
The main theme is more subtle and yet more powerful than Williams’ theme for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and it assures the consistency of the score, being present in almost every track. The chords of the theme are slowly presented by the ensemble in A New World, and the theme itself is presented more clearly in Ibelin. However, it can be heard since the first track, Burning The Past, until the well incorporated song at the end, Light of Life.
Cues that will help the score sinking in are To Jerusalem and Battle of Kerak. Even in the action cues, Williams does not blow everything up on your face (or ears), instead infuses orchestral beauty with a sense of adventure and hope, even the darkest moments – listen to Wall Breached.
The stand-out appearances of the chorus are made in the highlights Terms and Better Man.
This score is so consistent in quality that actually every is as great as what we would call highlights in, for example, Gladiator. There not much more to say, but there’s a lot to listen to and discover for yourself.

Ups: authentic score for the period of the movie; exciting and beautiful from start to finish.

Downs: takes some time to sink in, maybe more than one listening.

Noteworthy tracks: Burning the Past, Crusaders, Swordplay, A New World, To Jerusalem, Sibylla, Ibelin, The Battle of Kerak, Terms, Better Man, Wall Breached, Path to Heaven.

Score note: 9,5/10

Preview:
Track 5 - To Jerusalem

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"Inception" - Hans Zimmer - Complete preview and pre-order!

2010-07-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

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This score stars sounding more and more like The Dark Knight. The baseline at least seems to have been shamelessly incorporated.

Pre-order the Inception soundtrack here.

It will be released July 13, 2010.

"The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" - Howard Shore

2010-06-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Composed by: Howard Shore

Release date: June 29, 2010

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Amazon users rating: 2,5 out of 5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
The third (and better) book of the Twilight Saga was brought to the big screen through the vision of David Slade (also director of Hard Candy and 30 Days of Night). This movie differs from its predecessors in its faster pace and less melodramatic romanticism. This includes tough decisions about growing up and a big battle at the end. Howard Shore is then more than obviously in his comfort zone to score this movie.
(Read more.)
His score is by far more mature and subtle than the other scores by Carter Burwell (relying too much on electric guitars and synths) and Alexandre Desplat (professional but way too melodramatic).
Howard Shore creates a theme for Bella, heard first in solo piano in Compromise/Bella’s Theme, which is romantic without being cheesy. This theme is very pleasant and exposes dedication and love in a more restrained way. This symbolizes the maturing of Bella’s character as she faces her choices. A beautiful rendition comes in Bella’s Truck/Florida, and a less subtle string rendition in Wedding Plans (the title of the cue explains it all). Bella’s theme though is mostly absent from the score, as this one has other two main driving forces.
Jacob’s theme is melancholic in the fashion of Desplat’s score, but, as said, much more subtle. First heard in electric guitar, reprising the instrumentation of Carter Burwell’s Twilight, in Imprinting, creates an obsessive atmosphere. Two beautiful renditions in strings, heard in First Kiss and The Kiss, being the last one the strongest, can just break your heart as Bella does with Jacob. In Wolf Scent, this theme is subtly presented in clarinet, being an example of how perfect can be an underscore by Howard Shore.
Obviously, the best of this score are the action cues, and the action motif Shore created is simply addictive, and might remind some of the action cues for the new Batman movies by Hans Zimmer and James Newton-Howard, especially in the first cue, Riley, a perfect opening to the score. Howard Shore combines a strong, muscular string section with synthetic percussion and electric guitars, fusing the first two scores of the saga. The newborn vampires are also symbolized by a strident distortion in high strings. This action theme is also present in Victoria and Mountain Peak, but its obvious climax is the cue The Battle/Victoria vs. Edward.
The last cue, Wedding Plans, transits perfectly in a song by indie band Metric, that does not feel obtrusive, because it’s actually a translation of the Bella’s Theme into a song (pretty much what Howard Shore did with Gollum’s Theme in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, but here it’s a rock song).
The piano solos of Bella’s theme and Jacob’s theme (respectively, in Compromise/Bella’s Theme and Jacob Black) are so tender, yet juxtaposed to the violent presentations of the action theme. The back stories of two characters, Rosalie and Jasper, present in cues with their names, function almost as mini scores, with so complete themes and such clever instrumentation.
In short, Howard Shore maintains the score dynamic and fast-paced, even when it’s not action what comes into play. There are some moments of underscore that will not immediately grab your attention but will also not disappoint. This score is far better than the Twilight score, and also uses electric instrumentation, and also much more structured than Alexandre Desplat score for New Moon, that failed in the action sequences.
Restrained and subtle, yet strongly narrative, this dark score fits the movie, is better than its predecessors and proves once again that, if the Twilight Saga movies could be just as good as the music they have.

Ups: mature music that dignifies a movie that may not even deserv it; complete, dynamic and fast-paced listening experience.

Downs: the restrained (yet sensible) music of Howard Shore might unplease some listeners, especially given the fanbase of these movies.

Noteworthy tracks: all of them.

Score note: 8/10

Preview:
Track 1 - Riley

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"Star Trek" - Michael Giacchino

2010-06-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

Star Trek

Composed by: Michael Giacchino

Release date: May 5, 2009

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Amazon users rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
In the 2009 reboot of the Star Trek franchise, director J. J. Abrams turned to Michael Giacchino to recreate the music for it, something the composer had already done in the third movie of the Mission: Impossible franchise.
(Read more.)
In the same year that he won his first Oscar with the score for Pixar’s Up!, Giacchino delivered a score that has a parallel with David Arnold’s score for the reboot of the James Bond franchise. He employs a series of themes of his own, merging very subtly some motifs of other composers in the franchise with his music, and then, in the end, delivers a known theme for the fans, as a reward for all that the characters have gone through.
The result is a bombastic adventure score. Missing is the sense of fantasy that other composers added to the franchise. However, Giacchino’s score is a very solid one and can stand on its own for it has a moving and pompous main theme (Star Trek).
This theme is explored in the first third of the album with a very nice rendition at Hella Bar Talk, reaching climax in Enterprising Young Men (an extremely addictive cue).
Unfortunately, Giacchino employs this theme in nearly every cue, getting it a bit overexposed. The use of brass in this is very well developed, and makes sense for the continuity of the music in the franchise, however one wishes that Giacchino could have employed the chorus more times, thought it makes a great appearance at Nero Fiddles, Narada Burns.
The rest of the album consists of fast-paced, bold adventure cues. Standout cues like Run and Shoot Offense and Nero Death Experience (this one with a reward and exciting choral blast) keep the listening experience fresh and interesting.
The Giacchino’s theme is then explored in full again, in Back from Black and That New Car Smell.
Then, at the end, in To Boldly Go and End Credits, Giacchino brings the well-known theme for the TV series, composed by Alexander Courage.
Overall, this is another solid entry from Michael Giacchino, with a sense of adventure and lots of loud music, and a driving main theme. However, this strongly action-packed score may turn down some fans of the franchise, wishing to hear the great music that Jerry Goldsmith or James Horner created in the past for the Star Trek movies.

Ups: a fast-paced, bold adventure score, with obvious themes several highlights.

Downs: misses the sense of overbearing fantasy, present in other scores of the franchise; trying to put together Courage's theme for the TV series and Giacchino's theme for the movie doesn't actually result very well.

Noteworthy tracks: Star Trek, Hella Bar Talk, Enterprising Young Men, Run and Shoot Offense, Nero Death Experience, Nero Fiddles, Narada Burns, Back From Black, That New Car Smell, End Credits.

Score note: 8/10

Preview:
Track 5 - Enterprising Young Men

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"Crash" - Howard Shore

2010-06-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

Crash

Composer: Howard Shore

Release date: March 21, 1997

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Amazon users rating: 4,5 out of 5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
When you talk about Crash, you’re probably talking about the 2004 film with a score by Mark Isham. Well, in this review I’ll talk about a much darker Crash.
It’s David Cronenberg’s Crash, from 1996, scored by the renamed Howard Shore.
(Read more.)

Crash is a psychological thriller about car accidents and fetishist sex (both are actually related in the movie). The disturbing pictures in the movie called for a dark score to draw a parallel with the characters fixation with these strange fetishes.
Howard Shore is a master to create strange and uncomfortable atmospheres and this score is a pretty good example of it. However, as a consequence, the score is better appreciated for its mood and orchestration, rather than its thematic content.
There seems to be actually just one theme or motif, that’s the central motif of the score and represents the obsession with all those disturbing things. That theme is played in electric guitars, which give a metallic texture to the music. The notes are very repetitive, once again representing the obsession, but, somehow, the main title cue (Crash) becomes strangely addictive.
That said, this score might be the ugly and disturbing equivalent of Jerry Goldsmith’s Basic Instinct.
However, when the characters appear to care for each other, the theme is given a more orchestral treatment, as heard in the disturbingly beautiful Sexual Logic.
Howard Shore employs very intelligent tricks in this score, but the atmosphere is mostly uncomfortable (the last track, Prophecy is Dirty and Ragged, will put you the edge of your seat), so this score may not please to everyone. Still, it is best than most of the horror-clichéd stuff that we hear a lot nowadays (especially from Steve Jablonsky).
This is a hard-to-find score, and a much unknown one in Shore’s career, but it’s worth a listen.

Ups: as usual, Howard Shore finds the right texture and music for a disturbing, difficult film, and still manages to deliveres a somehow addictive main title cue.

Downs: disturbing, slow-paced score, with too much music for its thematic content.

Noteworthy tracks: Crash, Sexual Logic, Prophecy is Dirty and Ragged.

Score note: 6/10

Preview:
Track 1 - Crash

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"Edge of Darkness" - Howard Shore

2010-06-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

Edge of Darkness

Composer: Howard Shore

Release date: January 26, 2010

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Amazon users rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
The most recent work from Howard Shore in the thriller genre once again proves his ability to make an orchestra feel deep and somber.
(Read more.)

With a suspicious main theme in harp and strings, that suddenly brings a low brass blast, heard in Main Title, this score sets the pace and mood of the movie perfectly.
In Edge of Darkness, Mel Gibson plays a father in a quest for revenge after his daughter is murdered in front of him for political reasons. Howard Shore was given the task to replace the first composer for the movie and score the series of gory events.
The instrumentation works well, but the thematic development is only made in the last cues of the album. In Emma, Reunited and You’re My Girl, Shore employs a piano theme for father and daughter that is the only light of affection in this dark and restrained score.
However, as said, this score brings mostly darkness. Captured and Killing pretty much sum up the middle portion of the score, with violent blasts of low brass and tense strings emerging sometimes. There’s also a sudden “scream” of insanely high strings to highlight the violence and blood on screen.
At the end, in Edge of Darkness, the main title is fully developed, now with the brass coming just at the end of the cue, barely audible, just as if to announce that the violence is over. That’s when You’re My Girl enters, bringing the soft piano theme, providing an expected highlight.
Overall, a good score with a few surprises and highlights, not many but enough to please any Howard Shore fan.

Ups: violent, somber score, with some soft moments too, that proves the mastery of Howard Shore.

Downs: the first two thirds of the album (especially the second) may turn down some listeneres as it falls all the similar pace and mood.

Noteworthy tracks: Main Titles, Pursuit, Emma, Captured, Killing, Reunited, Edge of Darkness, Your're My Girl.

Score note: 6

Preview:

Track 16 - You're My Girl

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"Inception" - Hans Zimmer (Preview)

2010-06-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

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For me, it's sounds a bit The Dark Knight, but at the same time a bit fresh. What do you think?

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"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" - Nicholas Hooper

2010-06-26T04:17:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Composer: Nicholas Hooper

Release date: July 14, 2009

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Amazon users rating: 3,5 out of 5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
Returning from the fifth and probably worst entry on the Harry Potter franchise, director David Yates brought back with him his fellow composer Nicholas Hooper.
While the movie definitely improved over the last one, the score continues to be too little given that this is a Harry Potter movie. There’s just not enough density in Hooper’s composition and orchestration.
Hooper’s second entry on the franchise continues to be poor when compared to prior scores, but it’s an improvement over the last one in terms of thematic development.
(Read more.)

The most evident themes here are the percussion-ridden dark theme for the Death Eaters, heard in Opening and Into the Rushes, the love theme for Harry and Ginny, heard first in Ginny and later fully “developed” (once there’s not really a remarkable development or variation) in When Ginny Kissed Harry, and, most importantly, a theme for Dumbledore, who is a central character in this movie (even more than in the other movies). His theme first appears as a Latin chant absent from the movie in In Noctem and the funeral rendition of the theme is fully “explored” (because there’s not much to explore in Hooper’s themes) in Dumbledore’s Farewell. Finally, there’s also a minor theme for Malfoy heard in Malfoy’s Mission.
Hooper also brings back themes from the last score: the Umbridge theme, heard in Living Death, and the Fireworks theme, in The Weasley Stomp.
A fun track is Wizard Wheezes, in its uplifting jazzy style. But for the most part, the score is merely effective, which is not sufficient, once again given this is a very big franchise. And, sometimes, it is not even effective: The Killing of Dumbledore completely fails to establish any tension. And while the best track must be Dumbledore’s Farewell, it suffers from the lack of density and engagement that dominates Hooper’s work.
Besides, the incorporation of John Williams’s memorable themes is only notable in two tracks: Opening and Ginny.
Fortunately, despite being the same director who’s bringing the final book to life, our ears will be probably much better served with the score which is being composed by Alexandre Desplat.

Ups: delicate orchestration and more thematic development then the last score by Hooper.

Downs: weak, fragile score, with too little density; mostly avoids John Williams themes and completely despises Patrick Hoyle themes for Harry and Voldemort.

Noteworthy tracks: Opening, Wizard Wheezes, When Ginny Kissed Harry, Dumbledore's Farewell, The Weasley Stomp.

Score note: 5

Preview:
Track 26 - Dumbledore's Farewell

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"Basic Instinct 2" - John Murphy

2010-06-26T03:59:00.000-07:00

Basic Instinct 2

Composer: John Murphy

Release date: April 18, 2006

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Amazon users rating: 3,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
After 14 years of troubled production, Basic Instinct 2 was here. Directed by Michael Caton-Jones, this late sequel lost everything that made its predecessor a classic: a titillating direction by Paul Verhoeven, a much younger and sexier Sharon Stone as main star, and a superb score by Jerry Goldsmith.
(Read more.)
Instead, Basic Instinct 2 merely replays the formula of the first movie, with much lesser success: both to the critics and the box office. The setting is moved to London, the new male star has the same facial expressing for the whole movie, Sharon Stone’s face seems plastic, the movie is dialogue-ridden and even the sex scenes are boring. Adding to this disaster, we have John Murphy composing the score. British composer John Murphy is known for his scores for 28 Weeks Later and 28 Days Later.
There two types of tracks in Murphy’s score for Basic Instinct 2: a) tracks that unite small orchestra and electronics in a poor combination with no dramatic power and b) re-recordings of Jerry Goldsmith material from the first movie, which despite the better recording quality are wrongly used in the movie.
There are two exceptions on the album. The first one is probably the best track on this score: track 10, I Smell Blood, which features the main theme by Jerry Goldsmith adapted to a seductive string quartet. Then, track 15, Catherine at Police Station, which just adapts a Goldsmith theme to mumble with it for two minutes.
If you’re a fan of John Murphy’s electronic-based music, then you’ll be happy to know that he creates his own motifs. There’s an ascending-then-descending four-note motif played by a duduk, an Armenian woodwind instrument, which you can hear in Legs Wide Open on a Chair. Besides, the title theme he composed is an exotic and simplistic chord progression that you can in 120 MPH Sex. These stylistic aspects make this score feel like a Western. While these decisions could have seemed interesting, the result is boring, just like the sex scene track, Sex with Catherine, another simplistic and limp sample-based cue. There’s also a piano motif that you can hear in No Apologies.
If you’re a fan of Jerry Goldsmith, you’ll like the incorporation and adaption of his themes on album (while on film their use is laughable). You can hear them mainly in track 1, Michael Reads Her Book, track 10, I Smell Blood, track 21, Jacuzzi, track 25, Washburn Dies, and track 29, End Credits.
IF you’re not a fan of Murphy neither of Goldsmith, just avoid this album, where the dominating aspect is a terrible lack of identity and engagement, once Murphy never fuses his themes with Goldsmith’s and the music is overall unexpressive.

Ups: re-recording of Jerry Goldsmith superb themes for the original movie; original tracks by John Murphy that might please his fans.

Downs: uncoerent, boring score with lack of identity and engagement.

Noteworthy tracks: the ones that feature themes by Jerry Goldsmit; John Murphy's exotic main title theme.

Score note: 4

Preview:
Track 2 - 120 MPH Sex (Main Title - Basic Instinct 2)

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"Bram Stoker's Dracula" - Wojciech Kilar

2010-06-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Composer: Wojciech Kilar

Release date: November 24, 1992

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Amazon users rating: 4,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
Polish composer Wojciech Kilar was hired to score Francis Ford Copolla’s strange Bram Stoker’s Dracula and created a score that is darkly melancholic, but most of the time the darkness or the melancholy is more audible.
(Read more.)

Darkness is presented with low strings, blasting brass, militaristic percussion, and even a speaking choir. Dracula’s theme is somber and enigmatic (Dracula – The Beginning), reprised with feeling of danger in The Brides. Van Helsing also as a theme, more violent and militaristic, heard in the tracks Vampire Hunters, The Hunters Prelude and The Hunt Begins.
Melancholy comes in the form of the beautifully sinister love theme for Dracula and Mina. The use of a female vocal to introduce us to the theme is genial – Mina’s Photo is so attractive in its haunting lovely style, that you will get stuck in your head. Strings and woodwinds also come into the play for this theme, as you can hear in Love Remembered. But the development of the theme in Mina-Dracula and Love Eternal provides the greatest highlights of the album.
However, tracks like The Ring of Fire or Ascension make you feel like they were not supposed to be in this album. They’re completely unrelated to the rest of the score, and are unnecessary on album, just like the song by Annie Lenox, Love Song for a Vampire.
This score by Kilar combines horror and tragic love, and it’s mostly successful. When it has to be a horror score, it can be relatively good. But when it has to act like a gothic romantic score, it excels. Kilar’s love theme here is amazing, and it makes the two sides of the score more coherent, with this constant melancholic feeling.
As a whole, however, this score must be mostly appreciated for the style, mood and structure, because the themes are not properly memorable.
In the end of the day though, it’s a pretty recommendable score that inspired a lot of gothic romantic scores.

Ups: powerful, melancholic highlights for the love theme; inspiration for recent excelent gothic scores like Twilight Saga: New Moon or The Wolfman.

Downs: some tracks feel out of place and just break an otherwise fully entertaining listening experience.

Noteworthy tracks: Dracula - The Beginning, Mina's Photo, Love Remembered, Mina-Dracula, Love Eternal.

Score note: 7

Preview: Mina-Dracula

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"Twilight" - Carter Burwell

2010-06-24T09:30:00.001-07:00

Twilight

Composer: Carter Burwell

Release date: November 21, 2008

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Amazon users rating: 4,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
The debut chapter on the Twilight Saga was scored by Carter Burwell, who usually collaborates with the Coen brothers.
However, 2008’s Twilight is not a Coen brothers movie, and the music reflects the quality of the movie. Therefore, Carter Burwell can’t be the only one to blame for this very-less-than-average score.
(Read more.)

Twilight opens with the “predator” theme (in How Would I Die) – a simplistic progression of chords in synths, backed by drum loops and filled with a two-note descending guitar groaning. The lack of inspiration present in this score becomes evident when this theme is repeated with little variation in I Know What You Are, The Skin of a Killer and Showdown at the Ballet Studio. The chords of the theme are present in the piano solo Stuck Here Like Mom. And, actually, In Place of Someone You Love seems almost totally copy-paste from How Would I Die. If really scoring a movie was like this, it would be pretty easy.
This theme represents the vampire Edward Cullen and the danger associated to him being a vampire, while the love that Bella develops for him is scored with a well-known theme that you probably heard (either in the movie or in the tons of Youtube videos where it is used).
Bella’s Lullaby is the climax of this theme and actually the only good track in the score. And it’s not amazing or great as millions of fans claim. It’s just a simple piano and string piece that is beautiful and all cute. When compared to the rest of the score though, this track might actually seem amazing and great.
This theme is also present in guitar and piano in Phascination Phase and Edward in Her Bed, two calm, moody renditions of the theme. Even before Bella’s Lullaby, the development of the theme is made in the enigmatic and, once again, moody (which might mean dull) The Lion Fell in Love with the Lamb.
Aiming at the fanbase of the saga, Carter Burwell insisted heavily on drums and guitars, creating and industrial-rock ambience for the score: listen to the new-age-y Who Are They (which first half features an interesting female vocal) or the simply terrible tracks like Treaty, Complications and Nomads.
Appropriate for its public, this score fails to create an entertaining listening experience and Bella’s Lullaby is probably the only track one remembers after listening to this album.
(Thank God Burwell didn't return for the second installment on the saga.)

Ups: the sound and pace of the score is appopriate for the movie and its fanbase.

Downs: terrible tracks relying in drum loops and electric guitars, too similar to each other.

Noteworthy tracks: Bella's Lullaby, The Lion Fell in Love with the Lamb.

Score note: 3

Preview:
Bella's Lullaby

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"King Kong" - James Newton-Howard

2010-06-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

King Kong

Composed by: James Newton-Howard

Release date: December 13, 2005

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Amazon users rating: 4,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review: Replacing Howard Shore in the scoring duties for 2005 Peter Jackson's epic King Kong, James Newton-Howard had only 5 weeks.
No one would guess it based on the result of his hard work.
(Read more.)

King Kong is a coerent score, emotionally charged, orchestrally rich. It's a solid score, beautiful from start to end. It's a Newton-Howard score.
Like other scores from Howard, this one lacks an immediatly recognizable theme: as usual, his themes are very subtle and will grow on you slowly.
However, this is probably the Newton-Howard score that will require less time from the listen to get lost into it. King Kong is a very fast-forward orchestral adventure, somewhat a predecessor to Howard's excelent and memorable Lady In The Water.
The score opens with the little theme for King Kong, than we're introduced (in A Fateful Meeting) to the simply beautiful theme for Ann, the girl for whom the beast falls in love. This theme is then explored in the no-less excelent tracks Beautiful and Central Park. The King Kong theme is also developed in It's in The Subtext and The Venture Departs, two appropriately darker tracks.
More fast-paced cues are also masterfully composed and orhcestrated - just listen to Defeat is Always Momentary.
Then the score ends with a series of five cues titled Beauty Killed The Beast. This 15-minute climax has everything there. Climatic, miliaristic action music that matches with the climax of the movie. A desperate variation of Ann's theme (or "love" theme?) and Kong's theme too. There's a beautiful, deep amount of sadness, especially when the choir (and alter a solo boy vocal) comes into the play.
In the movie though, the score is a lot of times overshadowed by the sound effects. But when the movie let's the music be heard, it injects life of Kong's proportions in the picture.
This is a score to admire. Listen to it repeatedly to understand it, then you'll listen to it repeatedly because you'll become addicted.
Bravo, Mr. Newton-Howard. There's just nothing wrong with this score.

Ups: emotional, memorable, solid score. Composed and orchestrated with excelence in just 5 weeks. Very fast-paced even in its 75-minute running time.

Downs: It takes time to be digested.

Noteworthy tracks: King Kong, A Fateful Meeting, It's in The Subtext, It's Deserted, Beautiful, Central Park, Empire State Building, Beauty Killed The Beast I, Beauty Killed The Beast II, Beauty Killed The Beast III, Beauty Killed The Beast IV, Beauty Killed The Beast V.

Score note: 10

Preview:

Track 2 - A Fateful Meeting

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Twilight Saga: Eclipse - Preview

2010-06-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

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Preview of all the tracks from The Twilight Saga: Eclipse score, composed by Howard Shore (in some tracks, with the collaboration of Metric's vocalist Emily Haines).

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"Mission: Impossible 2" - Hans Zimmer

2010-06-09T06:10:00.000-07:00

Mission: Impossible 2

Composer: Hans Zimmer

Release date: June 13, 2000

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Amazon users rating: 4,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
The score from Hans Zimmer to the second Mission: Impossible movie is a two-face one.
On the one hand, Zimmer's use of electronics goes here to levels of mere, irritating noise.
(Read More)
These portion is the most large on the score, and it's tremendously unenjoying, unless you love the loud sound of confusing electric guitars and synthetic samples. Track 4, Theme From Mission: Impossible is the best example of this exagerate use. Others, like the first track, Hijack, are simply plain and boring.
This part of the score where there's no deepness to explore also features Zimmer's trademark bass male choral chants, as in Ambrose or the barely exciting Bare Island (which features an unlistenable transition between the choral section and the reprise of the main theme in electric guitar).
On the other hand, there's light somewhere in this score. Somehow, this score is worth a listen, just for the moments where Zimmer was apparently inspired by the Spanish setting of the movie and the love story that the main character goes through.
These moments have the presence of Zimmer's usual contributors: guitarist Heitor Pereira and vocalist Lisa Gerrard (yeah, the lady from Gladiator). They become not only the highlight of a rather plain score, but somehow obligatory in any film music collection.
Injection blends vocals, acoustic guitar and electronics in such a fashion that becomes soothingly beautiful. It's the album's definite highlight.
Mano a Mano features a synthesized reprise of the Injection melody, but ends with a solo mourning vocal by Lisa Gerrard reprisinf that melody that makes this cue noteworthy.
Mission: Accomplished features a more hopeful acoustic guitar tune that just makes you want more. And it comes...
Nyah and Ethan puts Heitor Pereira guitar ability's as the main attraction, in a toneful Tango-oriented theme. It's just lovely and, in the same level of Injection, an obligatory cue for every film music admirer.

Ups: some wonderful, beautiful tracks that are worth repeat listenings, featuring Lisa Gerrard's vocals and Heitor Pereira's acoustic guitar.

Downs: mainly an electronic, sample-based, electric-guitar-centered plain score. Track 2 is a completely unnecessary song.

Noteworthy tracks: Nyah, Injection, Mano a Mano, Mission: Accomplished, Nyah and Ethan.

Score note: 5/10

Preview
Track 9 - Injection

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"Lady In The Water" - James Newton-Howard

2010-06-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

Lady In The Water

Composer: James Newton-Howard

Release date: July 18, 2006

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Amazon users rating: 4,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
James Newton-Howard usual collaboration with M. Night Shyamalan brought to film music another piece of excelence.
(Read more)
From start to finish, Lady in The Water is solid and very enjoyable, creating an athmosphere that matches the one of the movie: mistery, fantasy and a sense of constant flowing movement - pretty much life water itself. Combinig soft piano, flowing strings and light choir, Howard creats a waterish, amazing athmosphere.
He estabilishes some themes that are not immediatly recognizable, but once they're recognized, they engage the listener completely. These themes, as usual from Howard, are extremely and addictively emotional. A great example of this huge yet simple emotion in Howards notes is in the woodwind sequence in Ripples In The Pool.
With the themes and the refered instrumentation, Howard creates an athmosphere of magical, ethereal beauty, that is most evident in the tracks Prologue, Charades, Cereal Boxes, The Healing.
Then, there's The Great Eatlon: the climatic cue. Majestic renditions of the themes, with full orchestra and choir, plus great action writing. Powerful track.
End Titles is a great cue to finish the score, with a beautiful piano sequence.
This score will surely touch your heart and the themes, once recognized, will stay within your head. A very solid and impressive work from Howard.
Despite some moments of minor key musical mumbling and the four songs (happily placed at the end of the score portion of the album), this score is a must-listen.

Ups: impressive and solid, this score was evidently felt rather than merely composed.

Downs: too much minor key portions.

Noteworthy tracks: Prologue, Charades, Ripples In The Pool, The Blue World, Cereal Boxes, The Healing, The Great Eatlon, End Titles.

Score note: 9/10

Preview:
Track 3, Charades

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"The Last Airbender" - James Newton-Howard

2010-06-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

The Last Airbender

Composer: James Newton-Howard

Release date: June 29, 2010

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Amazon users rating: not available yet.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
Another collaboration between Newton-Howard and M. Night Shyamalan, The Last Airbender is planned to be the first movie of a trilogy based on the animated Asian series Avatar: The Last Airbender.
(Read more.)
This movie was Newton-Howard's opportunity for expanding the scope of the fantasy music with which he delighted us in Lady In The Water.
This time around, it's not only water: he has to deal with all the four elements. He identifies each one with a section of the orchestra: woodwinds for Air, percursion for Earth, strings for Water and brass for Fire. All of them are presented in Airbender Suite, the first track. This one runs for eleven minutes and it's a wonderful track. It also presents a theme that is unfortunately absent from the rest of the score.
However, thematic development it's not what one can catch at first listen. The themes are few and are not easy to identify.
On the other hand, this score is dense, with a feeling of fantasy and appropriate ethnicity, given this is based on an asian series. It's very pleasant to listen to this. Here, James Newton-Howard put all the emotion that's his trademark, but in a bigger, epic scope, with a remarkably excelent orchestration, usual from this composer.
The Blue Spirit, for instance is a great track: it has an excelent rythmic expression, and the use of the various sections of the orchestra is amazing. Great action cue, running for seven minutes.
As for the themes, they are both present in the majesticly beautiful cue Flow Like Water.
A very enjoyable listening experience. A score not very memorable, but very addictive instead.

Ups: an good fantasy adventure score that provides a great listening experience; as usual from Howard, it's extremly expressive and emotional.

Downs: lack of easily recognizable themes that engage the listener; non-chronological presentation of the album.

Noteworthy tracks: Airbender Suite, The Blue Spirit, We Could Be Friends, We Are Now The Gods, Flow Like Water.

Score note: 7,5/10

Preview:
Track 12, Flow Like Water

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"The Ghost Writer" - Alexandre Desplat

2010-05-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

The Ghost Writer

Composer: Alexandre Desplat

Release date: February 23, 2010

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Amazon users rating: 4,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review: The combination of a Roman Polanski thriller and an Alexandre Desplat score could have only been great. Still, this is a surprising achievement by the french composer.
(Read more)
His trademark delicate orchestration is present all over the score, which is not a bombastic kind of common thriller score, its instead a cheerful and deceptive score for a dark movie.
No one makes music like this anymore. Desplat uses, in the main theme of the score (heard most proeminently in The Ghost Writer and its reprise), a bass clarinet in a stacatto ostinatto fashion that reminds of Bernard Herrman's work for Hitchcock movies. An instrument that is rare in contemporary film music.
The score creates tension and suspicion with the strings, the muted trumpets and the resounding percursion, while creating an athmosphere of strangeness with glockenspiel and even xylophone (hear Suspicion), which serve also as support to those moments where the humor releases a bit the tension from this dark thriller. This elements are alternated in the score, what provides a fresh listening experience.
The main theme is excellent, as said before, paying homage to Herrman and Hitchcock, and it pretty much defines the score: nothing of bombastic or overblown; instead, a classical calm bright touch that contrasts with the tense dark feeling of the film. However, there are other interesting highlights.
Travel to the Island features the main theme in "singing flutes", provinding a very moving track. Other tracks change the pace of the score, like Chase in the Ferry or In the Woods, that prove that, actually, Desplat might be getting better with action scenes (good news for Harry Potter fans).
The climax of the score, The Truth About Ruth, is perhaps the greatest highlight. As the truth comes up and things get all clear, this cue brings all the elements of the score together, tying up the story to bring its conclusion. This brilliant 5-minute cue leads to the last track, a reprise of the the first one.
The score is professional from start to finish, feeling fresh and reinventing itself in almost every cue. It's a very strong score from Desplat, in the level of his Curious Case of Benjamin Button or Twilight Saga: New Moon.
Alexandre Desplat proves once again that he deserves to be recognized as the great composer he is and keeps everyone waiting for his score to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Pt. 1.
My heart is beating like a hammer.

Ups: an original and strong score, fusing elements of old-fashioned score with a modern athmosphere; great orchestration and better action cues than usual from Desplat.

Downs: only one main theme recongnizable and a perhaps slower pace than some would want; despite no relation to any other Desplat score, its still has that recognizable "Desplat sound" - which might be a bit over-exposed for some.

Noteworthy tracks: The Ghost Writer, Travel To The Island, Lang's Memoirs, Chase On The Ferry, Suspicion, In The Woods, The Truth About Ruth.

Score note: 8,5/10

Preview:
Track 1 - The Ghost Writer

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"Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" - Harry Gregson-Williams

2010-05-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams

Release date: May 25, 2010

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Amazon users rating: not available.

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All About Soundtracks Review: Another Remote Control Productions score, this time for the new adventure movie from Disney, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Don't worry - not as bad as Clash of the Titans.
(Read more)
Composer Harry Gregson Williams delivers a score that, most of the time, feels like it actually belongs to Persia, with the predictable incorporation of ethnic instruments.
Also unsurprising are other two facts. Fact one, the first cue promisses to much when compared to what the score as a whole delivers. Fact two, the second half of the score frequently falls into Zimmerish action music.
The biggest surprise in this score is not a good one. The thematic exploration of the music is almost absent. Actually, only one theme is recognizable (heard in Prince of Persia, Sands of Time, Destiny) and it is nothing of memorable.
The song I Remain, performed by Alanis Morissette, is totally unnecessary, terribly bad and happilly placed after the score.
Despite all its flaws, this score is more entertaining than other Remote Control scores, with a few interesting moments (e.g., Ostrich Race). However, Harry Gregson-Williams seems to be having some kind of writing block, as we all know he can do much much better.

Ups: good score for die-hard fans of Remote Control action music, in this case with some flavours of Persia.

Downs: an underachievement for Gregson-Williams, in terms of thematic development, construction and style.

Noteworthy tracks: Prince of Persia, Ostrich Race, Destiny.

Score note: 5/10

Preview:
Track 1 - Prince of Persia

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"Titanic" - James Horner

2010-05-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

Titanic

Composer: James Horner

Release Date: November 18, 1997

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Amazon users rating: 4,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review: This collaboration between the two James (Horner and Cameron) resulted in a undeniably successful and popular movie.
(Read more)

Titanic is the best-selling score album of film music history, therefore it's a huge success to the movie and to James Horner himself. In fact, the score is perfect for the movie and for its target audience, despite the usual flaws of Mr. Horner: too much self-references, flat moments where his music is able to achieve pratically nothing. And a obvious insparition from the obvious temp score of the movie: Enya, a new age artist.
The album opens with Never An Absolution, that presents two themes of the score: the first one, begins the cue in solo pipe, and represents the ship itself, with a in a hopeful way; the second one, presented in eerie female vocals, is the love theme for Rose and Jack, and also the melody for the song.
This love theme is developped with delicate beauty in Rose and Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave, which features a fascinating duet between a recorder and the female solo vocalist.
One of Horner's tipical methods is the creation of a fantasy-like athmosphere that one can here in track 2, Southampton. There, we're introduced to another theme for the ship that is reprised in Leaving Port and Take Her To The Sea, Mr. Murdock.
Hard To Starboard opens with a soft reprise of the love theme, but bursts into action at the 1:00 mark. A strong rythm of heavy methallic percurcursion is acompanied by brass calls and combined with desperate strings.
Panic and action return after the reprise of the love theme in Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave, with The Sinking and Death of Titanic, which together make for the weaker 13 minutes of this score. However, two interesting concepts are used by Horner in Death of Titanic. The first one is the dissonant reprise of the love theme, very apropriate for the situation. The other one is the crescendo of the synth voice at the end of the cue, while the people get their last bit of air before going underwater.
Aftermath comes in A Promise Kept, half being barely audible (or even musical at all), half reprising the love theme (in part, in a beautifully sad female vocal solo).
While A Life So Changed is too similar to Never An Absolution, An Ocean of Memories presents some similarities to the eerie Distant Memories, and obviously ends of the love theme in perfect harmony to end the score.
Then, comes what must be the most popular song in film music history. You know it's name, you know how it sounds like, but... well, it's the beautiful My Heart Will Go On, performed by Celine Dion. You may skip it, you may listen to it repeatedly.
The album ends with Hymn To The Sea, kind of end credits cue that features several reprises of the love theme and one of the the ship themes as well.

Ups: A remarkably melancholic, romantic, eerie and gorgeous athmosphere that supports the love story that unfolds in the movie, accomplished by the mix of synth effects and orchestra. A memorable love theme, that made history.

Downs: Similarities to Enya's work. Expected over-used Horner trikcs. Moments of irritant, barely audible sounds.

Noteworthy tracks: Never An Absolution, Leaving Port, Rose, Hard To Starboard and Unable To Stay, Unwilling To Leave.

Score note: 7/10.

Preview:
Track 8 - Unable To Stay, Unwilling To Leave

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"District 9" - Clinton Shorter

2010-05-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

District 9

Composer: Clinton Shorter

Release date: August 25, 2009

Amazon page.

Amazon users rating: 4/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review: Newcomer Clinton Shorter delivers something great for the innovative, emotional and memorable sci-fi movie District 9.
(Read more)

What stands out is the African vocals, giving a setting to the score. When this male African vocal comes, with a mix of orchestra and electronics as background, it creates a memorable soundscape, also expressing the sadness that is innerent to the movie's plot. This makes of track 1, District 9, the absolute highlight of this score. This soundscape is present in other tracks and might remind some of Hans Zimmer's Tears of The Sun.
Besides the great use of vocals, this track presentes other elements of the score: dense percurssion for action/suspense sequences, highly emotional blend of orchestra and electronics.
The action cues (e.g., I Want That Arm, Harvesting Material) are not the most exciting element of the score, but they are good and effective. Not only are they percursion-driven, but the use of strings in them reminds of Hans Zimmer's Batman Begins (specially Exosuit, that also features the African vocals).
The score really belongs to the movie: exciting, fresh, yet sad sometimes; African vocals that represent the setting of the movie, electronics that represent the technology and the aliens.
Clinton Short does a great breakout and there's hope to hear more coming from him.

Ups: Exotic, moving, fast-paced score, where every instrument as reason to be used. Deliciously melancholic and a great debut for Clinton Shorter.

Downs: A bit similar to somethings you might have heard. Some motifs get a little repetitive, though the score only runs for 30 minutes.

Noteworthy tracks: District 9, Exosuit, A Lot of Secrets, Prawnkus.

Score note: 7/10

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"Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)" - Steve Jablonsky

2010-04-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

Nightmare on
Elm Street (2010)

Composer: Steve Jablonsky

Release date: 7 May, 2010

Amazon page.

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All About Soundtracks Review: In the fashion of rebooting classic franchises, Nightmare on Elm Street is another failure. One of those movies that are a shame to Hollywood, it deserved precisly a score that would be a shame to film music. Being the movie produced by Micheal Bay, it was expected that Steve Jablonsky would be hired to score it. And so he was.
(Read more.)

It's sure that the film doesn't deserve much, but still this is a really underachieving score. Two thirds of the score are filled with slow-paced, almost unmelodic blend of electronic noise and little string orchestra. The theme for the main villain, Freddy, it's nothing special. It sometimes sounds hypnothic in orchestration, that's actually a relief from the rest of the noise.
But the greatest relief from this unscary bore is the third part of the album. The strings orchestra has a greater role that makes for the least unpleasant tracks (Where the Monster Lives, Wake Me Up), and there are some tracks with action that break a bit with the slow-pace (It's Not In Here).
The last two tracks are the most curious stuff on this score. One More Nap features electric guitar and drums, for what plays like a rock version of the main title, that doesn't feel too much unrelated to the rest of the music, despite being unnecessary.
The album ends with Jump Rope, a 20-second recording of Freddy's song from the movie.
Let's try to forgive another Jablonsky underachievement, because, once again, the music is as good as the movie: not good at all.
Everything here feels tired, over-used, unfresh. Everything sounds familar. Actually, familiarly bad.
This is a 50-minute long nightmare.

Ups: perfect for fans of the movie and/or athmospheric horror music.

Downs: mostly slow-paced, almost absent of melody, with nothing new, memorable or remarkable to the business of horror scores.

Noteworthy tracks: none.

Score note: 1/10

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"The Da Vinci Code" - Hans Zimmer

2010-04-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

The Da Vinci Code

Composed by: Hans Zimmer

Release date: May 9, 2006

Amazon page.

Amazon users rating: 4,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
In the first film adaptation of a Dan Brown novel, Ron Howard got Hans Zimmer to score The Da Vinci Code, a story so extraordinairly famous that introduce it is needless.
(Read more)

The first reaction to the score is of surprise. To a story dominated by chases and murders, Zimmer composed a score that focuses on the religious themes that are implicit in the movie. For example, the strong choral presence (specially the feminine one) could be interpreted as a theme to Mary Magdalene or the Sacred Feminine. The most notable presence of ethereal feminine chorus is on track 7, Salvete Virgines, a track that the movie didn't feature.
However, the tematic development of the score is ambiguous. There are, in fact, some motifs that are repeated throughout the album, but in the movie they're actually not associated with any character, location or organization.
Zimmer delivers a 68-minute running score, that with the proeminent use of strings and choir, as well as some synthetizers (and surprisingly almost absent of percursion, as the movie is a thriller), reminds you that, more than a thriller, this movie deals with religious matters. Maybe the score has been made to make you feel like the protagonist of the movie, Robert Langdon, surrounded by all this secret societies, fanatic people, codes and riddles.
Nonetheless, the score fails in creativity, as the instrumentation is very predictable, and you've heard stuff similar to this in Zimmer's Crimson Tide, Hannibal, or even Batman Begins. There is a fast moment, in the later part of Fructus Gravis (reprised in the later cue Beneath Alrischa), where an interesting use of solo strings feels fresh compared to the rest of the score.
Like if it was afraid of being noted, the score stands mostly low-profile and as few moments of real interest, maybe because of its significant slow-pace. It makes this rather unmemorable.
Actually the most exciting cues are at the last portion of the score.
The Citrine Cross stands out, with a choral presence that is very strong: sometimes gives an ethereal feeling, sometimes injects into dramatic action sequences.
Chevaliers de Sangreal, it's a definite highlight, both in the album and in Hans Zimmer's carrer. It presents the discovery theme (firstly introduced in track 1, Dies Mercurii I Martius) orchestrated in all its magnificience, and in a crescendo that it's both uplifting and a tearjerker.
The score ends with a composition by Richard Harvey, Kyrie for the Magdalene, that features the most outstanding presence of feminine chorus.
Overall, this score it's not much of an entertaining listening experience; it's actually a track-skipper. Most of the cues are not interesting to listen to, neither are they memorable. In fact, this could be a score to avoid in Zimmer's career, but the definite highlight of the album, Chevaliers de Sangreal, is too outstanding to not save the whole score.

Noteworthy tracks: Fructus Gravis, Salvete Virgines, The Citrine Cross, Chevaliers de Sangreal, Kyrie for the Magdalene.

Score note: 6/10

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"Clash of the Titans" - Ramin Djawadi (& Neil Davidge)

2010-04-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

Clash of the Titans

Composed by: Ramin Djawadi (& Neil Davidge)

Release date: March 30, 2010

Amazon page.

Amazon users rating: 3/5stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review: Another entry in the 3D Hollywood frenzy, Clash of the Titans (a remake, actually) was, as expected, trashed by critics. As many other action flicks on contemporary cinema, it relies too much on CGI effects and wall-to-wall action, rather than character development, which, of course, asks for a type of music so bombastic that it almost seems entertaining.
(Read more)

That type of music is well-known and already labelled by the name HANS ZIMMER. So, it must have been a simple for the filmmakers to decide what kind of composer they needed: either Hans Zimmer, or a clone. Second option was made and Ramin Djawadi is the unlucky guy.
Despite his fine work on TV series, Ramin Djawadi failled to bring a fresh sound to Iron Man, and fails again with Clash of the Titans.
Pretty much like Steve Jablonsky's work in the Transformers franchise, Djawadi found out cool and easy it is to imitate Zimmer's trademarks. However, unlike that franchise, Djawadi had the opportunity to come with something fresh, given the setting of the movie (Ancient Grece, Mediterrean Sea...). The only cue that gives a glimpse of musical setting is Argos, track 7.
Like Transformers, this score lacks real development, both thematic and emotional. And unlike Transformers, it pretty much fails to entertain, even if you don't expect something great.
The music has all been heard before, the style is all over Hans Zimmer filmography, the few themes are unmemorable and feel too familiar. Despite trying too hard to make the listener feel goosebumps with all this action standard music, it fails due to the lack of originality.
If that's not enough, this boredom runs for 75 minutes. And the worst cue is the 10-minute patience-tester Be My Weapon (track 20), a techno-industrial composition by Neil Davidge that completely feels out of place, given the setting of the movie.
Another non-senseness is the opening track, which is actually a song - The Storm That Brought Me To You. The transition from techno to orchestra is so unbelievable that it only weakens the album even more. The first orchestral cue is There is a God in You, a short cue that sums up all thats coming for the next 70 minutes: loud brass, heavy bass music layers, bombastic percursion, epic action familiar themes.
Failing the oportunity to construct an interesting setting for the music (which actually wouldn't make much sense, given the expected intellectual level of the target audience), Ramin Djawadi deliveres a score that has nothing of memorable, original or, at least, emotionally deep. It's all action, bombast. Loud music that may entertain patient listeners one time, but will certainly not be a repetitive play for their music libraries.
Simplistic and plain, there's nothing of memorable in this score. A Transformers-fan-friendly score for a Transformers-fan-friendly movie.

Noteworthy tracks: track 2, There Is a God in You, would suffice to have all the listening experience of this 75-minute-long boredom.

Score note: 2,5/10

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"Basic Instinct" - Jerry Goldsmith

2010-04-17T06:59:00.000-07:00

Basic Instinct
Composer: Jerry Goldsmith

1992 Album
Amazon page.
(Rating: 4/5 stars)
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2004 Expanded Album
Amazon page.
(Rating: 5/5 stars)
No download link available.

All About Soundtracks Review: Second collaboration between Jerry Goldsmith and director Paul Verhoeven, Basic Instinct is a 1992 erotic thriller about a fascinating, sexy and dangerous blond writer. Her books, all about sex, violence and death, tend to have connections with real-life events. That's why she gets to be the main suspect of an ice-pick, in-bed, cold-blooded murder. She is the unforgettable Catherine Tramell.
(Read more.)

There are two albums for the score, the first one running for 45 minutes, the expanded one for 75 minutes.
Let me start with a few considerations about the score, as heard in the 1992. Despite being a classic, Basic Instinct lies on a plot so unlikely that it could have been a mediocre film. No doubt that it was Goldsmith's score that defined it, creating a powerful, dark, sensual athmosphere that made the movie rise from other average erotic thrillers.
Catherine Tramell is the soul of movie, and Jerry Goldsmith literally transformed her personality into music. The main theme (Main Title) of the score is something that transcends excellence. It's dark yet sensual. You can feel the danger in it but can't resist being attracted to its distorted, dark beauty. Then, intensifying the mistery of the movie, the theme is performed, in minor key, by woodwinds.
Catherine's theme dominates the score, heard in as many variations as many moods she can appear to have. It's Goldsmith at his best, with an orchestral power so seducing that could make you lay down on a bed full of snakes.
The sexyness of Main Titles, is present in Crossed Legs with a hipnothic touch of fascination, as Catherine literally reveals a lot to the male characters of the movie.
As an erotic thriller, Basic Instinct obviously has sex scenes, which are highlighted by cues that defined the expression "orchestral orgasm". Just hear Pillow Talk: the way Goldsmith slowly seduces the listener with the string section and woodwinds, and progresses to more and more intense passages, in a crescendo that reaches a satisfying, amazing climax. It's a wonderful track to listen to and one of the best film music tracks ever.
In the action cues, Roxy Loses and Night Life, Goldsmith injects a pulsating masculinity, with great work of the brass section and percurssion. Goldsmith has his very own style of action, where the whole orchestra seems to be battling, the diferent sections fighting with each other to be heard.
The only murder cue present in the 1992 album is The Games Are Over, which is actually excellent in building tension that suddenly disappears, but then returns with more intensity, creating a seducing crescendo that brings a delightful musical bloodshed.
As for the expanded 2004, it brings back some unforgivable omissions, but also some underscore, that may seem not-so interesting when compared to the rest of the score.
First Victim is an highlight. It's the cue that plays on the opening scene, that, if not obvious, is also the first sadistic murder. Opens very softly, but, like The Games Are Over, ends with musical bloodshed.
Catherine & Roxy, presents the two blondies of the movie, and it's mistifying as those two. Variations of the main theme are heard, and this is, perhaps, the most grave omission of the first album.
Your Wife Knew may seem a bit of underscore, but it's actually quite interesting to listen to. Another seductive cue, thanks to the power of strings and woodwinds.
Another powerful track, Nick & Beth, is a disturbing piece of music. It's intense and dark, and is played during a sex scene that it's not romantic or seductive; it's a rape scene, and the track as a creepy feeling of sexuality. Scary.
Finally, another highlight is It Won't Sell, a wonderful piano rendition of the main theme that misleads the listener to believe that there is a possible happy ending.
The Basic Instinct score is a great work, likely the best of Jerry Goldsmith. Memorable, seductive, tense, melancholic, dark, sexy. Defines the word "amazing". The 1992 it's a fine compilation of high points of the score, but if it catches your ears (or if you're a fan of Jerry Goldsmith work) the 2004 expanded version is a must-have.
More than recommended.

Noteworthy tracks: all of them in the 1992 album. Avoid some underscore and source music in the expanded album if you want a more straight-forward listening experience.

Score note: 10/10.

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"Drag Me To Hell" - Christopher Young

2010-04-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

Drag Me To Hell

Composer: Christopher Young

Release Date: August 18, 2009

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Amazon users rating: 5 out of 5stars

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All About Soundtracks Review: Master of the horror-movie genre, Christopher Young gets in Drag Me To Hell both his fourth collaboration with director Sam Raimi and his opportunity to deliver a remarkable, unique and unforgettable score. Which he does.
(Read more.)

Drag Me To Hell is an over-the-top though not explicitly sadist (unlike many contemporary horror movies), rated PG-13, that includes a pretty blond but not-so-good-hearted protagonist, that, because of professional ambitions, gets cursed by a terrific gyspy old lady. The curse will, literally, drag her to hell in three days and she does everything she can to get free of the curse.
This gave Young the oppportunity to include a gypsy sound on the score and to go all over-the-top, following the cheesy spirit of the music.
With the exception of three cues, Christopher Young includes his horrifying trademark of orchestral chaos. Insane organ, choral desperate chantings, violent brass, and other sounds so unrecognizable that are unique.
But the most compeling element of the score is the solo violin, that emerges from this mayhem with a distorted beauty, to perform the main theme of the score, which both opens and ends the album (being the ending cue, Concerto To Hell, the strongest and most terrifying rendition of the theme). This is the theme where Young mostly employs a recognizable gyspy influence. Apparently, this theme represents the curse of the movie (called Lamia), as in track 4, Lamia, it gets a violent and insanely chaotic treatment.
Other cues will hardly please a common listener, but will be loved by horror score fans. This include Black Rainbows and Ode To Ganush, tracks where the sounds are so distorted that almost become atmospheric cues.
The refered three tracks that where this sense of chaos and terror is absent are Tale Of A Haunted Banker, Familiar Familiars and Brick Dogs Ala Carte. If one only heard these cues from the album, would never say it was an horror score. Young employs most notably piano and soft strings, with a simplistic theme that represents the sweet (at least, on surface) protagonist, Christine. This kind of music lets the listener breath a bit and it almost feels out of place, like Christine herself feels in the middle all that creepy events.
This score is absolutely a must-listen. Young and/or horror score fans will be absolutely delighted. As for those who are not familiar with the score for this type of movie, this is a hell of a good start.
Christopher Young's score is terrifying, creepy, sometimes distortedly beautiful, other times chaotically funny. Employing some of his trademarks, Young has remarkable moments of originality, which is rare in horror scores. Despite some cues a little bit too atmospheric, the overall quality of the album is very good.

Noteworthy tracks: Drag Me To Hell, Tale of a Haunted Banker, Lamia, Familar Familiars, Auto-Da-Fe, Concerto To Hell.

Score note: 8,5/10

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"Angels & Demons" - Hans Zimmer

2010-04-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

"Angels & Demons"

Composed by: Hans Zimmer

Release date: May 12, 2009

Amazon page.

Amazon users rating: 4,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review: After the ethereal yet subtlely agressive orchestral effort in The Da Vinci Code, Zimmer returns, as expected, to score its follow-up, Angels & Demons.
(Read more.)

The movie itself was more fast-paced than its predecessor and had not only religion, but also science and technology. Predictably, Zimmer employs here numerous sound effects to relate to the scientific themes in the movie, most of them similar to the ones used in The Dark Knight. However, he does it in a very intelligent and effective way.
The score opens with 160 BPM, a track that immediatly explodes into action music. There's a lot of power there, but also a subtle beauty: the bass ryhtm and the violent sound effects contrast with the choral and orchestral layers of the track, in an outstanding way. Like religion and science. Like angels and demons.
God Particle sounds more like ambient choral music, after its delightful begginning.
The next three tracks go again to the thrill and action. The highlight is Air, that runs for 9 minutes and has it all: sound effects, choir, orchestra, piano. Energy and then melacholy. Zimmer at his best.
The tracks are long though they rarely seem overlong. Actually the best cue is Science and Religion (running for 12 minutes), which puts an end to all of this action music. It's elegant, sad and full of beauty, feauturing violin solos by Joshua Bell.
Some themes are brought from The Da Vinci Code, but the melody from Chevaliers de Sangreal is, as expected, the most heard here. It's employed and several tracks with some variations, the most stong being in the last cue, 503, that sounds like a shorter version of Chevaliers de Sangreal, using church organ and strings.
This score is very entertaning, and as a lot of delightful moments, both in the action cues as in the more peaceful ones. Hans Zimmer work in this one defines all he's done through his career. A recommended score.

Noteworthy tracks: 160 BPM, Air, Science and Religion, Election by Adoration, 503.

Score note: 8,5/10.

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"A Single Man" - Abel Korzeniowski & Shigeru Umebayashi

2010-04-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

"A Single Man"

Composers: Abel Korzeniowski, Shigeru Umebayashi.

Release date: January 5, 2010

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Amazon users rating: 5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review: The score for Tom Ford's directorial debut has two composers, though Abel Korzeniowski is responsible for the majority of the tracks.
This score was reportedly recorded without click track and with solo violinist standing up while playing. This all made the music sound more natural, which just highlights its emotional depth.
(Read more.)

A Single Man is scored with great simplicity, it's almost minimalistic. However, the music is so artistic, emotional and full of texture that it all works really well.
Sometimes the listener can feel like the music will absorb him.
Korzeniowski fills the first half of the score with a sense of loss, sadness, despair and no hope for hapiness (Stillness of the Mind). However, the music is not over-dramatic. It hits the right spot. Then, in the second half of the album there amazing tracks that resound a newly found hope and happiness (Swimming, Sunset).
Every cue is great in the score, but reference must be made to two cues in special. Drowning has such an incredible orquestration and dream-like melody that is feels irrealistic, like in the negation phase after a tragic event. Then, the final cue, Clock Tick, is a strong presence, great string work and really works like a clock, with a repetitive and somehow additctive rythm.
From Shigeru Umebayashi contributions, the most noteworthy is the two-parted George's Waltz. It's really beautiful, yet has a sad essence. Just like the score as a whole.
This score is excellent, deeply emotional, beautifully sad and intenselly addictive. However, it suffers from four songs placed right in the middle of this unique score.

Noteworthy tracks: all of them, except the songs (tracks 11, 12, 13 and 14)

Score note: 9.5/10

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"How To Train Your Dragon" - John Powell

2010-04-07T03:27:00.000-07:00

How To Train Your Dragon

Composer: Jonh Powell

Release date: March 23, 2010

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Amazon users rating: 5/5 stars

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All About Soundtracks Review:
John Powell was the one who got the unique chance to score this amazing 3D movie.
The album opens with a track (This is Berk) that pretty much defines what is coming: Irish tones, joyful melodies, bits of action/adventure and a very sentimental touch.
(Read more.)

Powell brings thematic development to this score, and a lot of energy and power too. There are great adventure cues, like track 11, Test Drive, which is one of the strongest tracks.
But the skeleton of the score is Hiccup, the protagonist of the film, and his emotions and relationships. Forbidden Friendship (track 8) presents the theme to the relationship between Hiccup and the dragon Night Fury.
After the musical development of their relationship, comes the climax of this joyful emotional ride, in track 15, Romantic Flight, that can literally make you fly. Powell conveys here all the power and beauty of the score, adding some teenage romance.
Then, comes the darker part of the score, with some heavier action cues (Battling The Green Death). In the end, it's all joy and happiness and beauty again (Coming Back Around)
Overall, this is an excelent score, that perfectly fits the movie, with John Powell presenting romance, friendship and teenage troubles in a beautiful yet simple way. Adding the energetic adventure, this is probably already one of the best scores of this year.

Noteworthy tracks: This is Berk, Forbidden Friendship, Test Drive, Romantic Flight.

Score note: 9/10

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"Avatar" - James Horner

2010-04-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

Avatar

Composer: James Horner

Release Date: December 8, 2009

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Amazon users rating: 4,5/5 stars

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All About Soundtracks Review:
Collaborating once again with James Cameron, James Horner delivers a wonderful, epic score to Avatar.
(Read more.)

There's a dramatic entrance in the wonderness of Pandora, then a romantic discovery of all this new world, then the human invasion and destruction and, finally, the huge battle. All of this happens in the movie, and all of this happens in the music.
That's one of the reasons why Horner's score is perfect for the movie.
Besides that, there is the use of native vocal choirs, like the one in the beggining of track 5, Becoming One of the People/Becoming one with Neytiri. The other instruments used are also an intelligent choice, specially the percursion, and there's also a nice methalic sound that represents the evil humans, equiped with a lot of high-tech.
Every cue has some kind of epicness, but the best one is, by far, the 11-minute action cue War.
However, what might kill this score for some listeners is the repetion of other James Horner works. For example, the main theme of the score might remind listeners of the theme wrote for Titanic, that also features the song on that album, My Heart Will Go On. And there's also the so-talked four-note danger motif (listen to The Destruction of Hometree), another trademark from this composer.
Overall, despite this repetition that might make it sound too familiar, Avatar can transport the listener to a wonderful ride to a new world.

Noteworthy trakcs are: Becoming One of the People/Becoming one with Neytiri, Gathering All the Na'vi Clans for Battle, War.

Score note: 8/10

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"The Dark Knight" - James Newton-Howard & Hans Zimmer

2010-04-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

The Dark Knight

Composers: James Newton-Howard, Hans Zimmer

Release Date: July 18, 2008

Amazon page.

Amazon user's rating: 4,5/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
After their elegant effort on Batman Begins, Newton-Howard and Zimmer join forces again to the second installent in the series with the direction of Cristopher Nolan.
(Read more.)

This score is better than the previous one, maybe because the movie is better too. This time, the Joker comes in the play, and with him comes "The Note", as Zimmer called it. "The Note" is Joker sound, a strange, scary methalic sound, that is excellently explored and developed through the score, with particular intensity in track 1, Why So Serious.
While Zimmer has scored the darkest character of the movie, Newton-Howard scored Harvey Dent, providing us a beautiful and elegant six-note theme, that evolves with the character, and re-appears later, played with a darker feeling. (Track 3, Harvey Two-Face)
The Batman also has his theme, played in the cues I'm Not a Hero and A Dark Knight; it's an heroic and intense motif, with sad undertones that match the character and the feeling of the movie.
All these themes all well explored.
The action cues are excellent (special atention to Agent of Chaos, track 11), with some occasional over-the-top heaviness (listen to Introduce a Little Anarchy). In short, they're very Zimmer-ish.
There are also some cues that don't have this energy, but are also very well composed (e. g. Blood on My Hans, track 6)
The best track is probably the 16-minute cue A Dark Knight, but there is one track that deserves special atention. Watch the World Burn is played in the climax of the movie, and is an extraordinary intense cue. It's elegant, dark, sad, dramatic and desperate: all at the same time.
James Newton-Howard and Hans Zimmer team has succefully created a music that is mixed with sound desing to match the feeling of Gotham City. This score's balance between electronic and orchestral is excellent. There is no weak moments; only some peaceful lower cues, that are not consumed by the crazyness and heavyness of the rest of the score.

Noteworthy tracks: all of them.

Score note: 10/10.

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"The Wolfman" - Danny Elfman

2010-04-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

The Wolfman

Composer: Danny Elfman

Release Date: February 23, 2010

Amazon page.

Amazon users rating: 4/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
Well-known for his work on fantasy movies and dark movies, Danny Elfman was as obivous choice to score The Wolfman, which has both fantasy and darkness.
(Read more.)

But the troubled production resulted on the rejection of the score composed by Elfman, which, however, ended up to be the final choice of the producers. It was reported that the score was adapted to the final cut of the movie for some anonymous composers (as Elfman was busy with Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland).
So, we don't know exactly how much of this is really Danny Elfman.
Anyway, the score is not bad (the same can't be said about the movie).
The influence from Wojciech Kilar's score to Bram Stoker's Dracula is evident in the main theme, which in first cues is powerful, but then is too repeated and gets a little tiring. But there is (besides Wolf Suite Part 1), a strong rendition of this theme, in the sad and dark cue The Funeral.
This is a very dark orchestral score, that has obvious Elfman's trademarks. It has some powerful moments: some strong action cues and others with a creepy dark beauty.
However, there also very boring moments, filled with ambient music.
In the end of the day, a quite good score, but Elfman can do (and has done) much better.

Noteworthy tracks are: Wolf Suit Part 1, Gypsy Massacre, Country Carnage, The Traveling Montage.

Score note: 7/10

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" - Alexandre Desplat

2010-04-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Composer: Alexandre Desplat

Relase date: November 20, 2009

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Amazon users rating: 4/5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
French composer Alexandre Desplat delivers something unexpected, given his usual works: energy. Power.
(Read more.)

Twilight Saga: New Moon is full of romatic energy and mistery. A beautiful main theme for the central love relationship is repeated a lof of times and with a lot of variations. It's strongest apparition is made on track 6, Edward Leaves.
There are also a lot of other well used thematic references (e.g. the Volturi theme, with a beautiful rendition in track 4, Volturi Waltz). The action cues are the weakest point, with one exception: To Volterra (track 16).
Desplat trusts on piano, strings and some occasional woodwinds, ignoring the style of the score (composed by Carter Burwell) from the first Twilight movie.
It gives a fresch classical feeling to the Twilight franchise, and is a very entertaing score as a stand-alone listening experience.
An excelent orchestral score, very emotional and filled with thematic development, that probably won't receive its due acclaim from the fanbase of the Twilight Saga.

Noteworthy tracks are: New Moon, Volturi Waltz, Edward Leaves, Dreamcatcher, To Volterra, Marry me Bella.

Score Note: 9/10

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