Robots
John Powell
" Robots puts the fun back in the concept John Powell, it however never left him "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
The career of John Powell has always delivered 2 constant facts. One, he keeps scoring plenty and fruitful, and 2 he keeps scoring computer animated movies. Robots, Dreamworks tale of a young robot who chases his dream of becoming an inventor was successful enough to be noticed, especially because it helmed Robin Williams as Fender, the comical sidekick in the film. John Powell stepped in to deliver what was going to be another entertaining ride for sure.
The Robots score opens pleasantly enough with a combination of styles and themes. In "Robots Overture" you discover the dream theme and the main theme, spiced up by a big band feel in the middle (continued in "Rivet Town Parade" and "Bigweld TV / Creating Wonderbot"). The main theme itself is everywhere, and it feels complete when you insert chimes, bells, trumpets and organ to an already alive theme in "Wonderbot Wash".
The flow from the drama theme to the main theme in "Train Station" shows that Robots is a much smoother listening experience than some of the latter animated scores. And free flowing delight also means something if you suddenly surprise the listener with an unexpected choral moment in "Crosstown Express". And then even an accordion can't destroy a cleverly developed bad villain theme in "Madam Gasket" and "Chop Shop".
There aren't that many exciting parts in Robots, but luckily the few really matter. In "Wild Ride" we already receive a taste of things to come, in "Escape" you receive the full package. Get ready for John Powell in a nutshell, main theme versions mixed in a dazzling design, with dark choir to boot, presented in a roller coaster ride of energetic proportions. Easily put, it is the absolute highlight of the score.
To continue, the laid back nature of "Meet The Rusties" is destroyed by the rather obnoxious loud twangs of Bigweld rushing down the mountain, this in "Bigweld Workshop". But it soon recovers itself when we listen to "Gathering Forces", a cool uprising track that unleashes all the necessary frenzy at the end. And "Attack of the Sweepers" continues the coolness factor with main theme statements in both choral as Irish versions. Sadly "Butt Whoopin'" gives you the good with the bad, creating at one end stylish enjoyable adventure music, at another crazy overemphasized frenzy. The end is luckily relieving enough with the main theme in "Homecoming" and the dream theme in "Dad's Dream".
Robots is a continuation of John Powell's entertaining voice for the computer animated movies. But while some overemphasized their luck, others actually succeeded through delivering diverse music in a pleasing design. Hearing metallic clangs over a charming main theme is sometimes all you want, especially if that theme comes from the master of catchy themes himself. So, if you're still deciding which albums bring the better animated music, just decide that sometimes not hearing everything is better in the end. Robots is one of those better to appreciate examples.
Tracklisting
1. Robots Overture (4.02)
2. Rivet Town Parade (0.54)
3. Bigweld TV / Creating Wonderbot (2.45)
4. Wonderbot Wash (2.08)
5. Train Station (3.50) Excellent track
6. Crosstown Express (1.19)
7. Wild Ride (1.36)
8. Madam Gasket (1.00)
9. Chop Shop (1.50)
10. Meet the Rusties (2.06)
11. Bigweld Workshop (3.13)
12. Phone Booth (1.29)
13. Gathering Forces (3.28) Excellent track
14. Escape (4.42) Excellent track
15. Deciding to Fight Back (1.13)
16. Attack of the Sweepers (1.26)
17. Butt Whoopin' (3.42)
18. Homecoming (1.33)
19. Dad's Dream (1.25)
Total Length: 43.51
The Robots score opens pleasantly enough with a combination of styles and themes. In "Robots Overture" you discover the dream theme and the main theme, spiced up by a big band feel in the middle (continued in "Rivet Town Parade" and "Bigweld TV / Creating Wonderbot"). The main theme itself is everywhere, and it feels complete when you insert chimes, bells, trumpets and organ to an already alive theme in "Wonderbot Wash".
The flow from the drama theme to the main theme in "Train Station" shows that Robots is a much smoother listening experience than some of the latter animated scores. And free flowing delight also means something if you suddenly surprise the listener with an unexpected choral moment in "Crosstown Express". And then even an accordion can't destroy a cleverly developed bad villain theme in "Madam Gasket" and "Chop Shop".
There aren't that many exciting parts in Robots, but luckily the few really matter. In "Wild Ride" we already receive a taste of things to come, in "Escape" you receive the full package. Get ready for John Powell in a nutshell, main theme versions mixed in a dazzling design, with dark choir to boot, presented in a roller coaster ride of energetic proportions. Easily put, it is the absolute highlight of the score.
To continue, the laid back nature of "Meet The Rusties" is destroyed by the rather obnoxious loud twangs of Bigweld rushing down the mountain, this in "Bigweld Workshop". But it soon recovers itself when we listen to "Gathering Forces", a cool uprising track that unleashes all the necessary frenzy at the end. And "Attack of the Sweepers" continues the coolness factor with main theme statements in both choral as Irish versions. Sadly "Butt Whoopin'" gives you the good with the bad, creating at one end stylish enjoyable adventure music, at another crazy overemphasized frenzy. The end is luckily relieving enough with the main theme in "Homecoming" and the dream theme in "Dad's Dream".
Robots is a continuation of John Powell's entertaining voice for the computer animated movies. But while some overemphasized their luck, others actually succeeded through delivering diverse music in a pleasing design. Hearing metallic clangs over a charming main theme is sometimes all you want, especially if that theme comes from the master of catchy themes himself. So, if you're still deciding which albums bring the better animated music, just decide that sometimes not hearing everything is better in the end. Robots is one of those better to appreciate examples.
Tracklisting
1. Robots Overture (4.02)
2. Rivet Town Parade (0.54)
3. Bigweld TV / Creating Wonderbot (2.45)
4. Wonderbot Wash (2.08)
5. Train Station (3.50) Excellent track
6. Crosstown Express (1.19)
7. Wild Ride (1.36)
8. Madam Gasket (1.00)
9. Chop Shop (1.50)
10. Meet the Rusties (2.06)
11. Bigweld Workshop (3.13)
12. Phone Booth (1.29)
13. Gathering Forces (3.28) Excellent track
14. Escape (4.42) Excellent track
15. Deciding to Fight Back (1.13)
16. Attack of the Sweepers (1.26)
17. Butt Whoopin' (3.42)
18. Homecoming (1.33)
19. Dad's Dream (1.25)
Total Length: 43.51