Ice Age
David Newman
" it is a crazy score with the occasional emotional touch "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
There was a time David Newman was on a role, composing movies that turned out to be just a little more serious than the comedy bunch of late. Ice Age, the popular herd that needs to survive the disasters of Sid is a successful phenomenon, and Scrat will live on as one of the most popular characters ever created. David Newman had the fortune to jumpstart the magic in their very first adventure.
Overall, it is a crazy score with just the right emotional touch on various occasions. It is completely the opposite from a serious work as The Affair of the Necklace and if someone missed the raw energetic Newman in that period score, they will be thrilling with enthusiasm if they hear Ice Age ripping from the word "GO".
Let me first say that Ice Age is the mix of Galaxy Quest and Coneheads, mixing the energetic touch with a comedic feel and creating thereby humorous action music. Together they can start to irritate. But then, just then David Newman throws in a pleasant and enjoyable idea making everything right again.
That opening track is fun. "Opening Travel Music" has a bouncy tune which especially arouses through the guitar rollicking as it goes. The energetic music so accustomed to David Newman takes the stage after that and appears vividly strong in "Angered Rhinos", "Tigers going for Baby", "Fighting over the Melons", "Baby's Wild Ride", "Running from the Lava" and "Tigers Try to Get Baby". The first is memorable for its short heroic statement of the main theme at the end and the third because it offers for 1 minute fanfare after fanfare, making it the most fun track of the whole.
The others create energetic music, throwing various ideas together and occasionally it pays off, like in "Baby's Wild Ride". The other tone of the album is the calm emotional one. Soft piano based / choral supported touches that David Newman can do like the best. "Humans / Diego" is a very beautiful if typical piece with choir and "Checking out the Cave" is wonderful when it reaches Manny's heartfelt feelings.
The moment that literally made me cry are found at the end of the album in "Giving back the Baby". It ends somewhat abruptly but captures a lovely moment when the main theme is heard flourishing over the screen.
Altogether Ice Age is the yearly comedic wash of energy and fun. It is irritating to hear the crazy comedy music in it, it is wonderful when Newman goes for an intimate moment with the piano and cooing choir. Ice Age is indeed Newman in a nutshell. He was born for situations like these and it is strange he couldn't compose the second Ice Age 2 as well. So Ice Age is an example of his exuberant nature, and fits perfectly with the movie's demands.
Tracklisting
1. Opening Travel Music (1.15)
2. Angered Rhinos (2.14)
3. Humans / Diego (1.43)
4. Tigers Going for Baby (3.12)
5. Dodos (0.42)
6. Fighting over the Melons (2.01) Excellent track
7. Walking Through * (1.25)
8. Baby's Wild Ride (1.56)
9. Checking out the Cave (3.43)
10. Running from the Lava (2.27)
11. Baby Walks (1.33)
12. Tigers Try to Get Baby (5.41)
13. Giving Back the Baby (6.26)
* "The Comedians" composed by Dmitri Kabalevsky
Total Length: 34.30
Overall, it is a crazy score with just the right emotional touch on various occasions. It is completely the opposite from a serious work as The Affair of the Necklace and if someone missed the raw energetic Newman in that period score, they will be thrilling with enthusiasm if they hear Ice Age ripping from the word "GO".
Let me first say that Ice Age is the mix of Galaxy Quest and Coneheads, mixing the energetic touch with a comedic feel and creating thereby humorous action music. Together they can start to irritate. But then, just then David Newman throws in a pleasant and enjoyable idea making everything right again.
That opening track is fun. "Opening Travel Music" has a bouncy tune which especially arouses through the guitar rollicking as it goes. The energetic music so accustomed to David Newman takes the stage after that and appears vividly strong in "Angered Rhinos", "Tigers going for Baby", "Fighting over the Melons", "Baby's Wild Ride", "Running from the Lava" and "Tigers Try to Get Baby". The first is memorable for its short heroic statement of the main theme at the end and the third because it offers for 1 minute fanfare after fanfare, making it the most fun track of the whole.
The others create energetic music, throwing various ideas together and occasionally it pays off, like in "Baby's Wild Ride". The other tone of the album is the calm emotional one. Soft piano based / choral supported touches that David Newman can do like the best. "Humans / Diego" is a very beautiful if typical piece with choir and "Checking out the Cave" is wonderful when it reaches Manny's heartfelt feelings.
The moment that literally made me cry are found at the end of the album in "Giving back the Baby". It ends somewhat abruptly but captures a lovely moment when the main theme is heard flourishing over the screen.
Altogether Ice Age is the yearly comedic wash of energy and fun. It is irritating to hear the crazy comedy music in it, it is wonderful when Newman goes for an intimate moment with the piano and cooing choir. Ice Age is indeed Newman in a nutshell. He was born for situations like these and it is strange he couldn't compose the second Ice Age 2 as well. So Ice Age is an example of his exuberant nature, and fits perfectly with the movie's demands.
Tracklisting
1. Opening Travel Music (1.15)
2. Angered Rhinos (2.14)
3. Humans / Diego (1.43)
4. Tigers Going for Baby (3.12)
5. Dodos (0.42)
6. Fighting over the Melons (2.01) Excellent track
7. Walking Through * (1.25)
8. Baby's Wild Ride (1.56)
9. Checking out the Cave (3.43)
10. Running from the Lava (2.27)
11. Baby Walks (1.33)
12. Tigers Try to Get Baby (5.41)
13. Giving Back the Baby (6.26)
* "The Comedians" composed by Dmitri Kabalevsky
Total Length: 34.30