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  1. Ambulance (Lorne Balfe)

    So sad to see Lorne resort to such dribble. It's actually more painful than sadness. We know he can do so much more. But Sadly Bay demands this I guess (though he must have heard the massive success of Transformers and its stellar thematic structure no?)

    Anyway, one to dismiss easily if not for several more intimate cues and a rousing finale
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 10th 2022
    Thomas Glorieux wrote
    Ambulance (Lorne Balfe)

    So sad to see Lorne resort to such dribble. It's actually more painful than sadness. We know he can do so much more. But Sadly Bay demands this I guess (though he must have heard the massive success of Transformers and its stellar thematic structure no?)

    Anyway, one to dismiss easily if not for several more intimate cues and a rousing finale


    I absolutely LOVED the film, but can't remember much of the score. I'll have to listen to it on its own at some point.
    I am extremely serious.
  2. Thomas Glorieux wrote
    Ambulance (Lorne Balfe)

    So sad to see Lorne resort to such dribble. It's actually more painful than sadness. We know he can do so much more.


    I hope you're not referring to Fallout...
    •  
      CommentAuthorLSH
    • CommentTimeApr 11th 2022
    Thomas Glorieux wrote
    Ambulance (Lorne Balfe)

    So sad to see Lorne resort to such dribble.


    Yes, I'm sure the digits on his contract were in no way persuasive.


    NP: THE EDGE - JERRY GOLDSMITH

    I only really re-visit this for the main theme but, boy, is it a good one.
  3. Edmund Meinerts wrote
    There is some nice material and good ideas in that score, but ultimately it sorely lacks depth. The action material is a particular sticking point for me, it's just not good enough. It also is a weirdly lackadaisical score, with its ideas barely ever recurring more than two or three times.

    Its successor is more cohesive but at the cost of being much more boring and drab. It feels like a dry run for the Desplat scores but without Desplat's precise orchestrations.

    Both scores have merit, but ultimately fall very short of expectations for a series of that scale. The feeling of "thinness" is omnipresent throughout both of them. The flack is overly harsh at points but not undeserved IMO. Although I'd point fingers at the director before the composer in this case, as Hooper has written far more full-blooded music elsewhere.


    It's interesting actually to come back to it. I remember I had some of those views at the time. I thought in some ways it had more cut-through emotionally because of the simplicity. Point taken about the action music - the Phoenix film seems to like to step back and feel the sound design when the most magical action takes place (e.g. Dumbledore vs Voldemort). In some ways I'd take it over the second Desplat score, the second Williams score, and a good deal of the Doyle. (Heretical, I know.)
    A butterfly thinks therefore I am
  4. Jurassic Shark wrote
    Thomas Glorieux wrote
    Ambulance (Lorne Balfe)

    So sad to see Lorne resort to such dribble. It's actually more painful than sadness. We know he can do so much more.


    I hope you're not referring to Fallout...


    I'm referring to his great "His Dark Materials", the decent Jungleland and the actually fun Rumble of this year

    Fallout had its moments in the film, but nothing I remembered on CD

    On that matter ...
    Another forgettable score
    Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Junkie XL)

    Another wasted opportunity, completely forgettable and the only noticeable thing is "The Spiderman" theme of Michael Giacchino that pops up from time to time.

    Jeezus, this guy has zero talent in how to use any possible melody. It all comes down in a wall of sound ALL THE TIME, overtly drowning out every single detail that might be there. I know Zimmer thinks the world of him, let's agree to disagree on that matter
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 11th 2022 edited
    As I've said before, have a listen to BRIMSTONE, bits of FURY ROAD, DISTANCE BETWEEN DREAMS, WHITE LINES. Plenty of melody there. Or his early electronica work. If the film is "visionary" enough, or the project is outside the big, mainstream genre stuff, there's plenty of talent, melody and sophistication on display. But yes, he periodically disappoints too, with the generic blockbuster stuff.

    Same with Balfe, really. He can be good when the project calls for it. His cues on AD ASTRA were nice; I think that was the last time I was kinda impressed by his work (even though the Richter material outshines it).
    I am extremely serious.
  5. The best I've heard from Junkie is still the Elvis remix.
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 12th 2022
    Jurassic Shark wrote
    The best I've heard from Junkie is still the Elvis remix.


    It is, yes.
    I am extremely serious.
  6. Thor wrote
    As I've said before, have a listen to BRIMSTONE, bits of FURY ROAD, DISTANCE BETWEEN DREAMS, WHITE LINES. Plenty of melody there. Or his early electronica work. If the film is "visionary" enough, or the project is outside the big, mainstream genre stuff, there's plenty of talent, melody and sophistication on display. But yes, he periodically disappoints too, with the generic blockbuster stuff.

    Same with Balfe, really. He can be good when the project calls for it. His cues on AD ASTRA were nice; I think that was the last time I was kinda impressed by his work (even though the Richter material outshines it).


    Brimstone was decent, one cue of Fury Road yes, haven't heard the other 2
    His best work is Mortal Engines. I'm hard on the guy I know, but that's solely because often composers just churn out whatever they feel like. They have to follow the guidelines, the demands of the people in charge yes I know, but please make an effort. Star Wars is memorable for a reason. Not because it supports a legendary series, because it supports a legendary series and sounds awesome while supporting it
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
  7. Morbius (Jon Ekstrand)

    Man, I'm hearing great music lately ... not. Not that I was expecting something, but you would think Marvel would have higher standards. Forgettable, on to the next one.
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
  8. Lady Jane (Stephen Oliver)

    Still great!
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 14th 2022
    NP: Something, something FABLE, something something DUMBLEDORE (James Newton Howard)

    In one ear, out the other. Sorry.
    I am extremely serious.
  9. You should listen to Lady Jane instead.
  10. NP: The Lost City - Pinar Toprak

    Lighthearted and fun, a little John Powell flavor - enjoying it so far!
  11. Il Muto Di Gallura (Paolo Baldini Dubfiles)

    Thor, this might be one you'll enjoy. It's not electronic, but it has got a nice vibe. Interesting use of vocals (but still thematic), nice ambiance. Captured my interest from time to time. Not bad. Too long of course, but several tracks I enjoyed

    Agree on Dumbledore's Fantastic Beasts (halfway through the score and it's nothing that grabs you). Furthermore, I usually got the feeling Newton Howard was going on autopilot. All the fresh ideas of the first Fantastic Beasts are now mere filler music. But so was the first film great, the second boring (and dark) and I'm having the same feeling this will go down with the same dark Harry Potter vibe of the last films.
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
  12. I was surprised too that the first several tracks on Dumbledore didn't seem to have the momentum as the other film's scores but it got better later on, so I'm going to listen again to get a better handle on it. But I do really appreciate that JNH doesn't overuse his previous themes and like to hear what new stuff he comes up with.
  13. Also that Gregory Porter song at the end is really odd. It reminds me of the old cheesy 90s end credits songs and it really doesn't seem to mesh well, not sure at all what they were thinking with that one!
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 15th 2022
    Thomas Glorieux wrote
    Il Muto Di Gallura (Paolo Baldini Dubfiles)

    Thor, this might be one you'll enjoy. It's not electronic, but it has got a nice vibe. Interesting use of vocals (but still thematic), nice ambiance. Captured my interest from time to time. Not bad. Too long of course, but several tracks I enjoyed

    Agree on Dumbledore's Fantastic Beasts (halfway through the score and it's nothing that grabs you). Furthermore, I usually got the feeling Newton Howard was going on autopilot. All the fresh ideas of the first Fantastic Beasts are now mere filler music. But so was the first film great, the second boring (and dark) and I'm having the same feeling this will go down with the same dark Harry Potter vibe of the last films.


    Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out!
    I am extremely serious.
  14. NP: Kimi (Cliff Martinez)

    Very clever score. Some great counterpoint of action and music. Feels like a modern take on what a Herrmann score would be.
    A butterfly thinks therefore I am
  15. Thor wrote
    Thomas Glorieux wrote
    Il Muto Di Gallura (Paolo Baldini Dubfiles)

    Thor, this might be one you'll enjoy. It's not electronic, but it has got a nice vibe. Interesting use of vocals (but still thematic), nice ambiance. Captured my interest from time to time. Not bad. Too long of course, but several tracks I enjoyed

    Agree on Dumbledore's Fantastic Beasts (halfway through the score and it's nothing that grabs you). Furthermore, I usually got the feeling Newton Howard was going on autopilot. All the fresh ideas of the first Fantastic Beasts are now mere filler music. But so was the first film great, the second boring (and dark) and I'm having the same feeling this will go down with the same dark Harry Potter vibe of the last films.


    Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out!


    Let me know what you think, am I sending you good stuff, or not? :p
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
  16. Filmscoregirl wrote
    I was surprised too that the first several tracks on Dumbledore didn't seem to have the momentum as the other film's scores but it got better later on, so I'm going to listen again to get a better handle on it. But I do really appreciate that JNH doesn't overuse his previous themes and like to hear what new stuff he comes up with.


    Well, I've yet to check out the final 14 tracks or so, so hoping it gets better.
    Perhaps one of the problems are the short(ish) tracks. They're not one minute, but sometimes they tend to have the same 2.30 mark. When I usually see tracks having similar length, it usually gives me the feeling it will hurt the development of ideas.

    Maybe that's just me talking crazy, but I got the sense it already changed my impression beforehand.

    Anyway, gonna finish it this weekend
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
  17. I really struggled to get through JNH's latest Fantastic Beasts score. In terms of orchestration and color, it's as accomplished as you'd expect from him, but the score feels very aimless, with reprisals of prior themes feeling token and infrequent and whatever new themes there are didn't make any impression on me whatsoever. So you're left with a 100+ blob of perfectly fine music with nothing to prop it up. It's like if you took a good JNH fantasy score (such as its predecessors, even), deleted the 10 best cues containing all the most prominent statements of theme, and then doubled the length of what is left.

    Not a bad score but a deeply unsatisfying listening experience. I'm pretty disappointed.
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 16th 2022
    Thomas Glorieux wrote
    Let me know what you think, am I sending you good stuff, or not? :p


    It was okay. Had some neat ideas, but overall wasn't quite engrossing enough. Maybe I'll give it a second chance, though.
    I am extremely serious.
  18. Edmund Meinerts wrote
    I really struggled to get through JNH's latest Fantastic Beasts score. In terms of orchestration and color, it's as accomplished as you'd expect from him, but the score feels very aimless, with reprisals of prior themes feeling token and infrequent and whatever new themes there are didn't make any impression on me whatsoever. So you're left with a 100+ blob of perfectly fine music with nothing to prop it up. It's like if you took a good JNH fantasy score (such as its predecessors, even), deleted the 10 best cues containing all the most prominent statements of theme, and then doubled the length of what is left.

    Not a bad score but a deeply unsatisfying listening experience. I'm pretty disappointed.


    I know what you're saying. I was basically singing alongside of it, meaning I never heard and yet I knew which angle he would go. Doesn't happen often.
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
  19. Thor wrote
    Thomas Glorieux wrote
    Let me know what you think, am I sending you good stuff, or not? :p


    It was okay. Had some neat ideas, but overall wasn't quite engrossing enough. Maybe I'll give it a second chance, though.


    The first part is definitely better than the second part, slagged on near the second part. Wrote it during the first part, the ideas there were nice.
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 17th 2022
    NP: DIME QUIÉN SOY (Lucas Vidal)

    This was such a nice discovery in 2020. Both to rediscover Vidal again after many years, and the wonderful, smooth synth score that is no doubt anachronistic (even without having seen the show, I know that it is), but extremely melodic, cool and funky all at the same time.
    I am extremely serious.
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 22nd 2022 edited
    NP: THE WEATHER MAN (Hans Zimmer)

    Wow, I LOVE this! Never sought out the boot or anything in the past, and I don't believe I've ever seen the movie, so I was coming into this all fresh. Those glockenspiel-like things in the opening track (a little bit of Vangelis going on), the moody tracks, the melody, the sophisticated layers -- excellent stuff! I can understand why Zimmer promoted it in social media feeds (as opposed to those Nico Mastrakis things from NoteforNote that he hated).
    I am extremely serious.
  20. Fun to hear a little "sneak peek" of Interstellar in "Hot Apple Pie". smile
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeApr 22nd 2022
    Yeah, good point.
    I am extremely serious.