The Salton Sea
Thomas Newman
" Thomas Newman keeps bringing them, those unfavorable sound designs "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Yes, it's sadly that again. That sound design approach of Thomas Newman that favors the background over memorable melodies. It sets a mood alright, and somehow on its own it makes for a perfect background experience. But filmmusic needs to be more than that, if not it's just another element of a movie. No movie music needs to enhance the movie's feel, has to elevate whatever is happening on screen and try to put it into musical notes. Somehow Thomas Newman has been doing that too sparsely lately, perhaps by demand, perhaps through no other choice. Either way, The Salton Sea is sadly the next in line that follows that uninteresting mood of scores such as Pay it Forward and In the Bedroom.
Yet, in several moments, The Salton Sea elevates itself to that emotion, to the point it becomes movie music with a heart. The opening cue, "Perpetual Night Party" may appear to be different at first, but the accoustic guitar in the second part is lovely nonetheless. The inspiring solo trumpet opening (by Terence Blanchard) silences you in "First Wife" and "Gil Evans: Saeta", and a piano moment always helps a sentimental soul in "Gun Cemetery" and "Last Wife". Yet honestly, it's quickly forgotten once you stopped playing it too.
Because the remainder is sadly Thomas Newman setting nothing but a mood down, using the usual known and unknown instruments that he has at his disposal. Percussion, guitars, a lot of electronic effects, you name it, Thomas will find a place for it. Cool it sounds yes (the groovy "Glock Semi-Automatic" and "Palmdale Monty" sets the tone down), sparsely it's quite rhythmic ("Salton Sea"), eccentric it occasionally becomes ("Dead Bobby") and mostly it's mood for a scene (the ethnic nothingness and the guitar swings of "One Red Hair", the forgetfulness of "Hole in the Head"). Altogether, it's once again an effective stroll through Thomas Newman's mind, but with no sight of a theme, a returning melody or even a hint of something mesmerizing, I feel The Salton Sea does itself no favors. Trust me, what starts as something decent turns quickly into something quite boring.
Track Listing
1. Perpetual Night Party (3.02)
2. Tweaker Crash (1.45)
3. Undress Revised (2.11)
4. First Wife (1.54)
5. IFORGIV (1.23)
6. Glock Semi-Automatic (1.20)
7. Gun Cemetery (1.18)
8. Queen Elizabeth (0.26)
9. School Teacher (0.56)
10. Palmdale Monty (2.52)
11. Night Vision (2.01)
12. Salton Sea (2.25)
13. One Red Hair (5.12)
14. Dead Bobby (1.54)
15. Gil Evans: Saeta (2.01)
16. Colombian Necktie (1.23)
17. Badger (1.06)
18. Undress Original (2.03)
19. Hole in the Head (1.36)
20. Last Wife (2.50)
21. Gutshot (2.36)
22. Linoleum / Walk to Black (4.36)
23. Lean to Yodel (0.41)
Total Length: 47.31
Yet, in several moments, The Salton Sea elevates itself to that emotion, to the point it becomes movie music with a heart. The opening cue, "Perpetual Night Party" may appear to be different at first, but the accoustic guitar in the second part is lovely nonetheless. The inspiring solo trumpet opening (by Terence Blanchard) silences you in "First Wife" and "Gil Evans: Saeta", and a piano moment always helps a sentimental soul in "Gun Cemetery" and "Last Wife". Yet honestly, it's quickly forgotten once you stopped playing it too.
Because the remainder is sadly Thomas Newman setting nothing but a mood down, using the usual known and unknown instruments that he has at his disposal. Percussion, guitars, a lot of electronic effects, you name it, Thomas will find a place for it. Cool it sounds yes (the groovy "Glock Semi-Automatic" and "Palmdale Monty" sets the tone down), sparsely it's quite rhythmic ("Salton Sea"), eccentric it occasionally becomes ("Dead Bobby") and mostly it's mood for a scene (the ethnic nothingness and the guitar swings of "One Red Hair", the forgetfulness of "Hole in the Head"). Altogether, it's once again an effective stroll through Thomas Newman's mind, but with no sight of a theme, a returning melody or even a hint of something mesmerizing, I feel The Salton Sea does itself no favors. Trust me, what starts as something decent turns quickly into something quite boring.
Track Listing
1. Perpetual Night Party (3.02)
2. Tweaker Crash (1.45)
3. Undress Revised (2.11)
4. First Wife (1.54)
5. IFORGIV (1.23)
6. Glock Semi-Automatic (1.20)
7. Gun Cemetery (1.18)
8. Queen Elizabeth (0.26)
9. School Teacher (0.56)
10. Palmdale Monty (2.52)
11. Night Vision (2.01)
12. Salton Sea (2.25)
13. One Red Hair (5.12)
14. Dead Bobby (1.54)
15. Gil Evans: Saeta (2.01)
16. Colombian Necktie (1.23)
17. Badger (1.06)
18. Undress Original (2.03)
19. Hole in the Head (1.36)
20. Last Wife (2.50)
21. Gutshot (2.36)
22. Linoleum / Walk to Black (4.36)
23. Lean to Yodel (0.41)
Total Length: 47.31