Partition
Brian Tyler
" Lovely score, but frustratingly repetitive "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
The success composer Brian Tyler is having today also comes with a downside, meaning he is delivering more music than the mind can handle. This has resulted in various albums that are decent but nothing more, bringing me to question whether Tyler has got what it takes to carry the weight of the filmmusic generation hopes and dreams. Of course, concerning Tyler we have often seen him too much in the thriller / action genre and not enough in the dramatic / comedy genre. Providing his voice of Partition was then also for many a chance to hear Tyler expanding his limits, and our tastes.
"Partition" brings us the wonderful main theme of the score, and it will be one that will appear many, many, many, many, many, many, many times throughout the music. In regard, it is like the love theme from Timeline, but through the instrumentation it transforms itself to a classic western theme.
"The Crossing" shows us another theme, heard alongside the main theme we discover it is the trek theme in all its wonder. "Attack at the Crossing" is then the familiar Tyler cue, delivering an ethnic titled combination of brass and rhythm. Of course this is a lighter action cue than we are accustomed of hearing in a Brian Tyler soundtrack. "Naseem's Journey" brings us another inspiring piece, this time showing a lovely flute version of the main theme.
"Transformation of Gian" uses the trek theme, "Sirsa" combines the main theme with the trek theme and "Coming of Age" blesses us with an ethnic vocal and various ethnic instruments. Sadly, Tyler has to fight against his own success too. The Children Dune sound is evident in "Tears of Joy", bringing forth a lovely sound nonetheless despite the similarities.
Indian instrumentation in "Bombay", the lovely main theme in "New Delhi, 1942", nice guitar moments in "Rain Dance", quirky rhythms in "Festival of Holi", guitar sparkles in "Free", the soft trek theme in "Separation" and a lovely combination of the hopeful (Children of Dune) theme, trek theme and the main theme fill out the remaining tracks.
The biggest problems of Partition are actually the same flaws that have plagued other Brian Tyler efforts in the past as well, namely that the album is basically insanely long. The album overkills the magic of the both themes by letting them return over and over again, thereby bringing us repetitive music. This is a perfect album experience if you literally throw away half of the score's exact same material, brought forward in a 78 minute listening experience which is too generous for its own good. Take it from me. Partition offers some of the more inspiring music of Brian Tyler's career, and it would have been a definitive 3 and a half star album (if they just stopped at the middle of the album).
Tracklisting
1. Partition (2.52)
2. The Crossing (3.25) Excellent track
3. Attack at the Crossing (3.35)
4. Naseem's Journey (2.44)
5. Transformation of Gian (3.23)
6. Water (1.47)
7. Sirsa (6.13)
8. Coming of Age (3.26)
9. Death Train (2.31)
10. Tears of Joy (3.30)
11. Bombay (1.59)
12. Hilltop Decision (2.58)
13. New Delhi, 1942 (2.26)
14. Gian's Plea (1.54)
15. Rain Dance (3.44)
16. Crossing the Border (2.00)
17. Festival of Holi (2.08)
18. Confrontation (1.47)
19. Vijay (2.15)
20. Gian to Margaret's (0.54)
21. Naseem and Gian (5.04)
22. Free (4.13)
23. Separation (3.20)
24. Shimla (1.59)
25. Villagers Demand Naseem (2.45)
26. Partition End Title (5.29) Excellent track
Total Length: 78.33
"Partition" brings us the wonderful main theme of the score, and it will be one that will appear many, many, many, many, many, many, many times throughout the music. In regard, it is like the love theme from Timeline, but through the instrumentation it transforms itself to a classic western theme.
"The Crossing" shows us another theme, heard alongside the main theme we discover it is the trek theme in all its wonder. "Attack at the Crossing" is then the familiar Tyler cue, delivering an ethnic titled combination of brass and rhythm. Of course this is a lighter action cue than we are accustomed of hearing in a Brian Tyler soundtrack. "Naseem's Journey" brings us another inspiring piece, this time showing a lovely flute version of the main theme.
"Transformation of Gian" uses the trek theme, "Sirsa" combines the main theme with the trek theme and "Coming of Age" blesses us with an ethnic vocal and various ethnic instruments. Sadly, Tyler has to fight against his own success too. The Children Dune sound is evident in "Tears of Joy", bringing forth a lovely sound nonetheless despite the similarities.
Indian instrumentation in "Bombay", the lovely main theme in "New Delhi, 1942", nice guitar moments in "Rain Dance", quirky rhythms in "Festival of Holi", guitar sparkles in "Free", the soft trek theme in "Separation" and a lovely combination of the hopeful (Children of Dune) theme, trek theme and the main theme fill out the remaining tracks.
The biggest problems of Partition are actually the same flaws that have plagued other Brian Tyler efforts in the past as well, namely that the album is basically insanely long. The album overkills the magic of the both themes by letting them return over and over again, thereby bringing us repetitive music. This is a perfect album experience if you literally throw away half of the score's exact same material, brought forward in a 78 minute listening experience which is too generous for its own good. Take it from me. Partition offers some of the more inspiring music of Brian Tyler's career, and it would have been a definitive 3 and a half star album (if they just stopped at the middle of the album).
Tracklisting
1. Partition (2.52)
2. The Crossing (3.25) Excellent track
3. Attack at the Crossing (3.35)
4. Naseem's Journey (2.44)
5. Transformation of Gian (3.23)
6. Water (1.47)
7. Sirsa (6.13)
8. Coming of Age (3.26)
9. Death Train (2.31)
10. Tears of Joy (3.30)
11. Bombay (1.59)
12. Hilltop Decision (2.58)
13. New Delhi, 1942 (2.26)
14. Gian's Plea (1.54)
15. Rain Dance (3.44)
16. Crossing the Border (2.00)
17. Festival of Holi (2.08)
18. Confrontation (1.47)
19. Vijay (2.15)
20. Gian to Margaret's (0.54)
21. Naseem and Gian (5.04)
22. Free (4.13)
23. Separation (3.20)
24. Shimla (1.59)
25. Villagers Demand Naseem (2.45)
26. Partition End Title (5.29) Excellent track
Total Length: 78.33