Bee Movie
Rupert Gregson-Williams
" Could this score B any Better? "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Rupert Gregson-Williams is stepping more out of the shadow of his famous brother Harry every day. That is evident when you look at the last couple of years. He has been scoring practically for about 10 years now but the last couple of years have been truly successful for Rupert. With Click (which captured a very nice score), Over the Hedge and I now Pronounce you Chuck & Larry, Rupert has been scoring one big box office blockbuster after another. With Bee Movie he surely landed the project that could regenerate those fond memories of one of the most fun scores ever composed.
It's easy to compare a Chicken Run with a Bee Movie because both share a load of musical energy, fun and exuberance that you don't find too much these days. Even if Bee Movie is not equalling that scope, it's hard not to boogie when hearing its music. Already in the first four tracks, it's obvious why that is.
"Graduation" has a playful nature and hops nicely around until it expands its overblown fun in "Honex" where some Matchstick Men by Hans Zimmer chips in. But it's only in the next 2 tracks where the biggest influence comes through. "The Pollen Jocks" and "Barry Flies Out" capture a wonderful energetic theme that sadly for its effort resembles a bit too much the sports theme of Remember the Titans by Trevor Rabin. I must admit that the theme definitely shines in this version too but the evidence in the whirling strings is a bit too obvious. However the track "Barry Flies Out" is not to be questioned for its use of the Remember the Titans theme because that track holds another strong point. Meaning one of supreme quality. For its first 4 minutes, this track is a superb ride through Chicken Run pleasure and holds the one fanfare after the other alongside prancing choir and big brass. You name it; it has it all. It soars with this overtly big sound over your speakers and is easily a track that will make you dance until it's finished.
The main theme on piano and a dancing guitar is discovered in "Vanessa Intervenes". Sadly it is the halt of the really stunning material. I mean what follows after it isn't covering the same gun ho approach.
With a song in the middle, Bee Movie holds more or less a pit stop from Rupert Gregson-Williams' music. However the appropriate songs are not faulted for their effective tone in the movie. Yet when we go back to the score you realize where Gregson-Williams gets his honey from. "Assault on Honey Farms" holds some resemblance to James Bond, yet that doesn't take away the wonderful suspense feel through the strings and the climatic choral ending. "Ken" is kinda childish and sneaky in its Venice like nature. "Barry Turns the Screws" holds a nice main theme version alongside some climatic emotional content.
The score keeps flowing from one small highlight to another even if it isn't always upbeat. The scary choir and high pitched strings bring darkish quality to "Monty Slanders" and "Adam Stings", the latter surely the sole dark cue on the soundtrack. Nonetheless the energy is once again high in this one. Guitar and solo violin dance the "Hearts, Flowers and Hive Closures" track to the spy-ish sounding "Honey Round Up". And even if these tracks don't come often sounding as big as the ones at the start, you can't comment on the lack of diverse ideas.
However as we approach the final tracks it is evident that we haven't heard the finish that will end this score with a bang. The emotional sad "Rooftop Consequences" is just the entrée for "Land that Plane". Again we build in the best possible energetic sense towards a simply staggering ending, where the full brassy themes are battling each another. Again the lengthy piece of fun is an example of how Rupert Gregson-Williams thinks like his brother did in his best days. It's basically a big ball of fun. All together this is coming close to Chicken Run, yet it's not reaching that level quite yet. It must be hard to compete and equal the level of pleasure Chicken Run gives us time and time again.
Yet Bee Movie is no small pick either. It is in fact one of the most fun scores of the year and at least several tracks keep returning in my CD player for timeless spins. If Rupert Gregson-Williams can grow the same way his brother Harry did, then I'm sure we haven't heard the last of his bag of tricks yet. Bee Movie is a hoot from start to finish.
Tracklisting
1. Graduation (3.15)
2. Honex (2.50) Excellent track
3. The Pollen Jocks (1.33) Excellent track
4. Barry Flies Out (5.34) Excellent track
5. Vanessa Intervenes (2.02)
6. Sugar Sugar: The Archies (2.47)
7. Assault on Honey Farms (2.34)
8. Ken (2.29)
9. Barry Turns the Screws (3.13)
10. Monty Slanders and Adam Stings (2.13)
11. Hearts, Flowers and Hive Closures (2.35)
12. Honey Round Up (1.39)
13. Rooftop Consequences (1.52)
14. Land That Plane (6.40) Excellent track
15. Here Comes the Sun: Sheryl Crow (3.01)
Total Length: 44.14
It's easy to compare a Chicken Run with a Bee Movie because both share a load of musical energy, fun and exuberance that you don't find too much these days. Even if Bee Movie is not equalling that scope, it's hard not to boogie when hearing its music. Already in the first four tracks, it's obvious why that is.
"Graduation" has a playful nature and hops nicely around until it expands its overblown fun in "Honex" where some Matchstick Men by Hans Zimmer chips in. But it's only in the next 2 tracks where the biggest influence comes through. "The Pollen Jocks" and "Barry Flies Out" capture a wonderful energetic theme that sadly for its effort resembles a bit too much the sports theme of Remember the Titans by Trevor Rabin. I must admit that the theme definitely shines in this version too but the evidence in the whirling strings is a bit too obvious. However the track "Barry Flies Out" is not to be questioned for its use of the Remember the Titans theme because that track holds another strong point. Meaning one of supreme quality. For its first 4 minutes, this track is a superb ride through Chicken Run pleasure and holds the one fanfare after the other alongside prancing choir and big brass. You name it; it has it all. It soars with this overtly big sound over your speakers and is easily a track that will make you dance until it's finished.
The main theme on piano and a dancing guitar is discovered in "Vanessa Intervenes". Sadly it is the halt of the really stunning material. I mean what follows after it isn't covering the same gun ho approach.
With a song in the middle, Bee Movie holds more or less a pit stop from Rupert Gregson-Williams' music. However the appropriate songs are not faulted for their effective tone in the movie. Yet when we go back to the score you realize where Gregson-Williams gets his honey from. "Assault on Honey Farms" holds some resemblance to James Bond, yet that doesn't take away the wonderful suspense feel through the strings and the climatic choral ending. "Ken" is kinda childish and sneaky in its Venice like nature. "Barry Turns the Screws" holds a nice main theme version alongside some climatic emotional content.
The score keeps flowing from one small highlight to another even if it isn't always upbeat. The scary choir and high pitched strings bring darkish quality to "Monty Slanders" and "Adam Stings", the latter surely the sole dark cue on the soundtrack. Nonetheless the energy is once again high in this one. Guitar and solo violin dance the "Hearts, Flowers and Hive Closures" track to the spy-ish sounding "Honey Round Up". And even if these tracks don't come often sounding as big as the ones at the start, you can't comment on the lack of diverse ideas.
However as we approach the final tracks it is evident that we haven't heard the finish that will end this score with a bang. The emotional sad "Rooftop Consequences" is just the entrée for "Land that Plane". Again we build in the best possible energetic sense towards a simply staggering ending, where the full brassy themes are battling each another. Again the lengthy piece of fun is an example of how Rupert Gregson-Williams thinks like his brother did in his best days. It's basically a big ball of fun. All together this is coming close to Chicken Run, yet it's not reaching that level quite yet. It must be hard to compete and equal the level of pleasure Chicken Run gives us time and time again.
Yet Bee Movie is no small pick either. It is in fact one of the most fun scores of the year and at least several tracks keep returning in my CD player for timeless spins. If Rupert Gregson-Williams can grow the same way his brother Harry did, then I'm sure we haven't heard the last of his bag of tricks yet. Bee Movie is a hoot from start to finish.
Tracklisting
1. Graduation (3.15)
2. Honex (2.50) Excellent track
3. The Pollen Jocks (1.33) Excellent track
4. Barry Flies Out (5.34) Excellent track
5. Vanessa Intervenes (2.02)
6. Sugar Sugar: The Archies (2.47)
7. Assault on Honey Farms (2.34)
8. Ken (2.29)
9. Barry Turns the Screws (3.13)
10. Monty Slanders and Adam Stings (2.13)
11. Hearts, Flowers and Hive Closures (2.35)
12. Honey Round Up (1.39)
13. Rooftop Consequences (1.52)
14. Land That Plane (6.40) Excellent track
15. Here Comes the Sun: Sheryl Crow (3.01)
Total Length: 44.14