Dark City
Trevor Jones
" First there was Darkness. Then came Trevor Jones! "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
The year '98 definitely was a successful one for Trevor Jones. He scored two highly acclaimed movies, one highly acclaimed Television movie, and all three received a soundtrack to prove it to the fans of film music. And not uninteresting to know, all three are connected to each other in a certain way. Dark City, Merlin and The Mighty all deliver basically THE sound of Trevor Jones, being underscore terrific and fanfare ecstatic.
Now, if we want to speak of the movie, you'll realize it is THE movie that made Alex Proyas famous. Yes, the director of I, Robot and Knowing surely excelled the dark science fiction genre with this one, giving us a story that only in the end totally unleashed what it was building to all along. And in that end, Trevor Jones gave us THE track of the score. I'm sure people will only refer to Dark City through the track "You have the Power", and they are right in a way. I say in a way because then, you would diminish everything else that supports that special track.
Some people may find the 6 opening songs intrusive, unnecessary and pointless. Yes, pointless is indeed the fact when we receive 3 songs that aren't even heard in the film, and one trailer piece that's cool (but as well not used in the film). In a way, they are decent songs. But considering the already hyped 2 CD promo that floats on the net of Dark City, one always muster wonder why songs that aren't featured in the film must support a soundtrack album of THE film. And for those who have seen the director's cut, note that these aren't the versions sung by Jennifer Connelly as heard in that director's cut.
The score itself of Trevor Jones by then will mesmerize you, hypnotize you, will make you SLEEP NOW. But this is meant only in a good way. Because if someone is capable of writing moody underscore and keep it interesting, it is Trevor Jones. Here he opens the score with a powerful note in "Into the City", giving you already a taste of THE powerful music of the final track. "Emma" and "Memories of Shell Beach" are then the dark, moody, mysterious pieces of Trevor Jones' tuning, while "The Strangers are Tuning" erupts again with that amazing powerful music that represents the power.
But everything that Dark City builds to, it unleashes in full in "You have the Power". 12 minutes long, covering the powerful tuning music, the moody underscore and the wondrous fanfares, this is a sign. A sign that Trevor Jones knocked it out the ballpark with this one. Expanded in the movie (the director's cut), the beauty, mystery and fierce action all collides together to give you Trevor Jones in a nutshell. To many, it will be THE track that defines Dark City.
And then we must come to the conclusion being, Dark City wouldn't' be the score without this final track. But then again, it wouldn't' be the same without everything else. The underscore that signifies the mystery of the City, the questions of John Murdoch, the answers of Dr. Schreber, it is all discovered in THE underscore of Jones. And together with THE final track, it stands for Dark City. As said, a bigger and longer promo is already surfacing on the net for a while now, and I can understand if some don't find this album enough. But enough is surely the word, when you face "You have the Power" in THE manner it is meant to be heard. First in the film, then on CD, later in your mind when you sleep now.
Tracklisting
1. Sway: Anita Kelsey (3.42)
2. The Information: Course of Empire * (4.27)
3. Just a Touch Away: Echo & The Bunnymen * (5.03)
4. Dark: Gary Numan * (4.27)
5. Sleep Now: Hughes Hall (1.59)
6. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes: Anita Kelsey (3.28)
7. Into the City (4.46)
8. No More Mr. Quick (3.25)
9. Emma (3.39)
10. The Strangers Are Tuning (3.54) Excellent track
11. Memories of Shell Beach (4.38)
12. The Wall (1.17)
13. Living an Illusion (2.54)
14. You Have the Power (12.14) Excellent track
* Bonus track not in motion picture
Total Length: 60.20
Now, if we want to speak of the movie, you'll realize it is THE movie that made Alex Proyas famous. Yes, the director of I, Robot and Knowing surely excelled the dark science fiction genre with this one, giving us a story that only in the end totally unleashed what it was building to all along. And in that end, Trevor Jones gave us THE track of the score. I'm sure people will only refer to Dark City through the track "You have the Power", and they are right in a way. I say in a way because then, you would diminish everything else that supports that special track.
Some people may find the 6 opening songs intrusive, unnecessary and pointless. Yes, pointless is indeed the fact when we receive 3 songs that aren't even heard in the film, and one trailer piece that's cool (but as well not used in the film). In a way, they are decent songs. But considering the already hyped 2 CD promo that floats on the net of Dark City, one always muster wonder why songs that aren't featured in the film must support a soundtrack album of THE film. And for those who have seen the director's cut, note that these aren't the versions sung by Jennifer Connelly as heard in that director's cut.
The score itself of Trevor Jones by then will mesmerize you, hypnotize you, will make you SLEEP NOW. But this is meant only in a good way. Because if someone is capable of writing moody underscore and keep it interesting, it is Trevor Jones. Here he opens the score with a powerful note in "Into the City", giving you already a taste of THE powerful music of the final track. "Emma" and "Memories of Shell Beach" are then the dark, moody, mysterious pieces of Trevor Jones' tuning, while "The Strangers are Tuning" erupts again with that amazing powerful music that represents the power.
But everything that Dark City builds to, it unleashes in full in "You have the Power". 12 minutes long, covering the powerful tuning music, the moody underscore and the wondrous fanfares, this is a sign. A sign that Trevor Jones knocked it out the ballpark with this one. Expanded in the movie (the director's cut), the beauty, mystery and fierce action all collides together to give you Trevor Jones in a nutshell. To many, it will be THE track that defines Dark City.
And then we must come to the conclusion being, Dark City wouldn't' be the score without this final track. But then again, it wouldn't' be the same without everything else. The underscore that signifies the mystery of the City, the questions of John Murdoch, the answers of Dr. Schreber, it is all discovered in THE underscore of Jones. And together with THE final track, it stands for Dark City. As said, a bigger and longer promo is already surfacing on the net for a while now, and I can understand if some don't find this album enough. But enough is surely the word, when you face "You have the Power" in THE manner it is meant to be heard. First in the film, then on CD, later in your mind when you sleep now.
Tracklisting
1. Sway: Anita Kelsey (3.42)
2. The Information: Course of Empire * (4.27)
3. Just a Touch Away: Echo & The Bunnymen * (5.03)
4. Dark: Gary Numan * (4.27)
5. Sleep Now: Hughes Hall (1.59)
6. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes: Anita Kelsey (3.28)
7. Into the City (4.46)
8. No More Mr. Quick (3.25)
9. Emma (3.39)
10. The Strangers Are Tuning (3.54) Excellent track
11. Memories of Shell Beach (4.38)
12. The Wall (1.17)
13. Living an Illusion (2.54)
14. You Have the Power (12.14) Excellent track
* Bonus track not in motion picture
Total Length: 60.20