The Big Empty
Brian Tyler
" the continuous quirkiness doesn't create a great listening experience "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the limited release
The Big Empty is a 2003 science-fiction film directed and written by Steve Anderson (the only film the man ever directed). It stars Jon Favreau as a struggling actor with a bizarre request from his neighbor to deliver a suitcase that he cannot open. While there, he meets an unusual cast of characters, and starts to think this delivery might be more than it seems. Sounds like a quirky affair right, right up the alley of one Thomas Newman? Well, I don't know if he was available or not, but I do hear Thomas Newman in the music of composer Brian Tyler. Then again, wasn't every composer struggling with the fact they had to incorporate some kind of Thomas Newman sound in their music after the American Beauty success?
Now, considering The Big Empty was composed in the same year as Children of Dune, Darkness Falls, Godsend, The Hunted and Timeline, you can bet some money on the fact The Big Empty could have done better if it was released in that very same period, simply because of the brief monumental status the name Brian Tyler then had. Not to worry, it's still sold out, but somehow in 2006 the name Brian Tyler wasn't as googled anymore as the name in 2003. But all things aside, The Big Empty is actually still original stuff.
I'm not saying special stuff, monumental stuff, or mindblowing stuff. No The Big Empty is actually a lot like a Thomas Newman score, at least in the quirky sense. It's not surprising we hear a lot of Thomas Newman piano work throughout the score ("Star Field", "Indian Bob", "The Suitcase Key", "Hitching"), it's not uncommon we discover a lot of various sounds during the 47 minute listening experience (ethnic duduk and vocals, percussion here and there, guitar twangs, chimes and all sorts of clanging noises in "Rubber Band Stove") and even some strange dialogue during the techno sounds of "Free Catalogue". The rocking track "Fierce" is duly noted but all things considered, the mish mash is quite strangely kinda boring.
Because what binds it together? Definitely not the quirkiness and definitely not a memorable theme. In fact I like to call this a background score that tries to support its images on screen, but leaves it inside the picture where it belongs. There's nothing that makes it noticeable, and there's definitely not a hook that one can hold on too. Like most of Thomas Newman's albums, the tracks are short and quirky. But at least those quirky affairs of Thomas Newman occasionally had a memorable string (theme) or well thought out creativeness. Here I feel The Big Empty keeps putting the music in the scene, without making it suitable for a CD experience.
Track Listing
1. The Big Empty (2.06)
2. Star Field (0.47)
3. Indian Bob (4.53)
4. Prologue (1.00)
5. The Suitcase Key (2.00)
6. Ode to Ruthie (2.01)
7. Jealousy (0.49)
8. Cowboy Arrival (0.25)
9. Mud Flap (0.53)
10. Rubber Band Stove (1.19)
11. Hitching (1.12)
12. Empty Reprise (2.24)
13. The Backstory (1.20)
14. Free Catalog (2.49)
15. Neely's Proposal (5.07)
16. Tense Blue (1.35)
17. Ruthie's Secret (2.02)
18. Fierce (2.43)
19. Git Along Little Doggie (2.43)
20. Bob's Wisdom (2.10)
21. Dark Night (2.00)
22. Desert Endless (2.18)
23. Back of the Neck (1.01)
24. The Big Empty Finale (1.24)
Total Length: 47.01
Now, considering The Big Empty was composed in the same year as Children of Dune, Darkness Falls, Godsend, The Hunted and Timeline, you can bet some money on the fact The Big Empty could have done better if it was released in that very same period, simply because of the brief monumental status the name Brian Tyler then had. Not to worry, it's still sold out, but somehow in 2006 the name Brian Tyler wasn't as googled anymore as the name in 2003. But all things aside, The Big Empty is actually still original stuff.
I'm not saying special stuff, monumental stuff, or mindblowing stuff. No The Big Empty is actually a lot like a Thomas Newman score, at least in the quirky sense. It's not surprising we hear a lot of Thomas Newman piano work throughout the score ("Star Field", "Indian Bob", "The Suitcase Key", "Hitching"), it's not uncommon we discover a lot of various sounds during the 47 minute listening experience (ethnic duduk and vocals, percussion here and there, guitar twangs, chimes and all sorts of clanging noises in "Rubber Band Stove") and even some strange dialogue during the techno sounds of "Free Catalogue". The rocking track "Fierce" is duly noted but all things considered, the mish mash is quite strangely kinda boring.
Because what binds it together? Definitely not the quirkiness and definitely not a memorable theme. In fact I like to call this a background score that tries to support its images on screen, but leaves it inside the picture where it belongs. There's nothing that makes it noticeable, and there's definitely not a hook that one can hold on too. Like most of Thomas Newman's albums, the tracks are short and quirky. But at least those quirky affairs of Thomas Newman occasionally had a memorable string (theme) or well thought out creativeness. Here I feel The Big Empty keeps putting the music in the scene, without making it suitable for a CD experience.
Track Listing
1. The Big Empty (2.06)
2. Star Field (0.47)
3. Indian Bob (4.53)
4. Prologue (1.00)
5. The Suitcase Key (2.00)
6. Ode to Ruthie (2.01)
7. Jealousy (0.49)
8. Cowboy Arrival (0.25)
9. Mud Flap (0.53)
10. Rubber Band Stove (1.19)
11. Hitching (1.12)
12. Empty Reprise (2.24)
13. The Backstory (1.20)
14. Free Catalog (2.49)
15. Neely's Proposal (5.07)
16. Tense Blue (1.35)
17. Ruthie's Secret (2.02)
18. Fierce (2.43)
19. Git Along Little Doggie (2.43)
20. Bob's Wisdom (2.10)
21. Dark Night (2.00)
22. Desert Endless (2.18)
23. Back of the Neck (1.01)
24. The Big Empty Finale (1.24)
Total Length: 47.01