Hidalgo
James Newton Howard
" Not the big A+, but a good B instead "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
If James Newton Howard is really really good at something, it has to be for the adventure genre. Because everyone knows that adventure is best spelled out loud and exciting. So it was with some anticipation that Hidalgo was awaited by the fans, especially after the composer's rousing blockbusters Waterworld, The Postman and Dinosaur. So, Hidalgo was going to be nothing but a monumental experience for sure.
Yet if I want to talk about what makes Hidalgo different from the rest, I have to say that "Montage" is responsible for that, for combining the Arabic theme with a solo male vocal, delivering melodically what Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan would deliver in a non melodic sense. How restraint it plays itself out, it provides the most original voice of Howard on this disc.
The rest is indeed more the expected James Newton Howard. "Main Title" opens noble with the main theme but excels near the end in typical Howard fashion, sadly not lasting long enough. "Don't Waste our Money" continues on the final moments of the first, offering the more heroic voice of Howard (and this through another main theme statement).
"Arriving in the Desert" offers us the lovely Arabic theme all the while the excitement is forming in "Morning of the Race", only to be unleashed in "The Race Begins", offering a faint rise of orchestral adventure music. That is until the Arabic theme decides to end the charade and slow the pace down. Besides it was time to slow down, considering the track runs for about 1.68 (or so it says on the cover).
Now considering the race it partly slowing down, the score decides to occasionally throw gasoline on a flame. In "The Second Half" it is quiet and relaxing, in "Sandstorm" it is fast and relentless, in "Frank Pushes On" Vertical Limit's theme surprisingly passes through and in "The Trap" suspense is brought to a maximum in the rousing opening minute. But if we're talking about the really extraordinary adventure music, we have to talk about the final tracks of Hidalgo.
Because in "The Final Three" you get the adventure music you bought the album for. Rousing, rhythmic and full of brassy encores, the track pumps the volume up a notch, that is until the resolving main theme closes the track with nobility. That theme soars then in "Let 'Er Buck", a lovely final track.
Considering James Newton Howard is one of the finest and last great composers of his generation, it is a bit sad to discover that Hidalgo isn't one of his all time best. Considering because epic adventure music like this is always highly anticipated by music fans. But that doesn't mean Hidalgo is not entertaining. It's just a bit low on adventure I'm afraid, especially if they forget to include the rousing market chase scene too. Nonetheless Hidalgo offers us the better adventure music of the past few years, just not an A one.
Tracklisting
1. Main Title (3.14)
2. Don't Waste our Money (2.02)
3. Arriving in the Desert (2.59)
4. Morning of the Race (2.56)
5. The Race Begins (2.00)
6. The Second Half (2.26)
7. Sandstorm (1.57)
8. Frank Pushes On (1.57)
9. Katib (2.20)
10. Montage (6.56)
11. The Trap (3.22)
12. The Last Push (3.11)
13. The Final Three (5.17) Excellent track
14. Let 'Er Buck (4.55) Excellent track
Total Length: 45.40
Yet if I want to talk about what makes Hidalgo different from the rest, I have to say that "Montage" is responsible for that, for combining the Arabic theme with a solo male vocal, delivering melodically what Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan would deliver in a non melodic sense. How restraint it plays itself out, it provides the most original voice of Howard on this disc.
The rest is indeed more the expected James Newton Howard. "Main Title" opens noble with the main theme but excels near the end in typical Howard fashion, sadly not lasting long enough. "Don't Waste our Money" continues on the final moments of the first, offering the more heroic voice of Howard (and this through another main theme statement).
"Arriving in the Desert" offers us the lovely Arabic theme all the while the excitement is forming in "Morning of the Race", only to be unleashed in "The Race Begins", offering a faint rise of orchestral adventure music. That is until the Arabic theme decides to end the charade and slow the pace down. Besides it was time to slow down, considering the track runs for about 1.68 (or so it says on the cover).
Now considering the race it partly slowing down, the score decides to occasionally throw gasoline on a flame. In "The Second Half" it is quiet and relaxing, in "Sandstorm" it is fast and relentless, in "Frank Pushes On" Vertical Limit's theme surprisingly passes through and in "The Trap" suspense is brought to a maximum in the rousing opening minute. But if we're talking about the really extraordinary adventure music, we have to talk about the final tracks of Hidalgo.
Because in "The Final Three" you get the adventure music you bought the album for. Rousing, rhythmic and full of brassy encores, the track pumps the volume up a notch, that is until the resolving main theme closes the track with nobility. That theme soars then in "Let 'Er Buck", a lovely final track.
Considering James Newton Howard is one of the finest and last great composers of his generation, it is a bit sad to discover that Hidalgo isn't one of his all time best. Considering because epic adventure music like this is always highly anticipated by music fans. But that doesn't mean Hidalgo is not entertaining. It's just a bit low on adventure I'm afraid, especially if they forget to include the rousing market chase scene too. Nonetheless Hidalgo offers us the better adventure music of the past few years, just not an A one.
Tracklisting
1. Main Title (3.14)
2. Don't Waste our Money (2.02)
3. Arriving in the Desert (2.59)
4. Morning of the Race (2.56)
5. The Race Begins (2.00)
6. The Second Half (2.26)
7. Sandstorm (1.57)
8. Frank Pushes On (1.57)
9. Katib (2.20)
10. Montage (6.56)
11. The Trap (3.22)
12. The Last Push (3.11)
13. The Final Three (5.17) Excellent track
14. Let 'Er Buck (4.55) Excellent track
Total Length: 45.40