The Uninvited
Christopher Young
" Take the invitation of Christopher Young, I dare you! "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
The Uninvited is a remake of the 2003 South Korean horror film A Tale of Two Sisters. Basically it is a ghost story and having seen the Korean horror film some time ago, I still remember those scary moments and atmospheric sound design that made of it a darn frightening experience. For now this movie seems to receive enough positive critic to go out and rent it, and if one thing can convince me completely it is Christopher Young's score. If fear's your thing, The Uninvited is your ticket to fear itself.
Christopher Young has always been a master in writing for horror films. And yet you wonder how much can he do it any differently? Well Young's proven this aplenty that he continues to create effective and creative horror music in any form, and The Uninvited is no different. This is a downright brilliant album when it comes down to actual effective horror music. One must only wonder what this must create if you listen to it home alone, in a dark room with your stereo pushed to the ultimate volume.
Well Young may be a horror master, he is also a darn fine composer that doesn't forget there needs to be a melody and a reason to create good effective music. And The Uninvited shows this from the very first second.
In the opening track "The Uninvited" we encounter another one of Young's lovely themes for dark horror films. The vocal effect may be an effective tool for any horror movie, but Young still gives it a melody that soothingly works around it splendidly. It becomes a nice soothing opening. But what follows will not sooth but shock you.
The piano and sombre cello in "Twice Told Tales" aside, there's nothing more scary than to crawl your way through "I'm at a Party". Don't think this is happy music. Expect atmospheric vocals, darker brass, basically top notch scary music.
Luckily and only a master as Young knows this, but put between your effective horror music lovely themes and all will be well. "Glass Act" is a truly lovely variation on the main theme. But that glass gets tainted in "Bloody Milk'. Basically it is one of the most shocking moments on the entire disc, because it literately attacks you in between a lovely piano moment with a shocking disturbing orchestral effect. Christopher Young at his best. The same for the scare of the album "Corpse Christmas" where a vocal takes you down the path of sheer horror.
The lovely (almost Thomas Newman) "Pairs in Love", the emotional stirring "Terror on the Water" and the main theme during "Twin Nightmares" are thematic listens with a sense of mystery and unease, but "Cry of Love" is the inventive voice of Young at work. Children and uneasy underscore, nothing more. Put together it creates effective horror music.
The finale is spread in the final tracks. The big sound of Hellraiser is all over the place in "Working Dreams", and the trio that follows is Young pushing out all the stops. The vocal effects erupt an orchestral dissonant mayhem in "The Screaming Bell" and the climatic stirring "What Have you Done?" and the rhythmic "A Dance With no One" show once again the true master at work. The resolving main theme during "Tale of Two Sisters" couldn't have come at a better time to end the score.
Sometimes you wonder if Christopher Young hasn't had enough writing for horror movies. But if you hear results like The Uninvited you know he hasn't. At one end this is a thematic dramatic listen, at another a downright frightening atmospheric attack on the senses. But put together it creates a listening experience unlike no other. And when in the right mood and played in the right kind of circumstances, I have no doubt The Uninvited will make you feel unwelcome in your very own room. Forget about those low budget horror soundtracks, go immediately for the best in the business. The Uninvited is but one of many examples of Christopher Young's expertise.
Tracklisting
1. The Uninvited (3.28)
2. Twice Told Tales (2.22)
3. I'm at a Party (3.36)
4. Glass Act (1.35) Excellent track
5. Bloody Milk (3.25)
6. Corpse Christmas (5.41)
7. Pairs in Love (1.50)
8. Terror on the Water (3.13) Excellent track
9. Twin Nightmares (4.18)
10. Cry of Love (5.30)
11. Working Dreams (2.41) Excellent track
12. The Screaming Bell (2.01)
13. What Have you Done? (2.42) Excellent track
14. A Dance With no One (1.33)
15. Tale of Two Sisters (4.43) Excellent track
Total Length: 48.44
Christopher Young has always been a master in writing for horror films. And yet you wonder how much can he do it any differently? Well Young's proven this aplenty that he continues to create effective and creative horror music in any form, and The Uninvited is no different. This is a downright brilliant album when it comes down to actual effective horror music. One must only wonder what this must create if you listen to it home alone, in a dark room with your stereo pushed to the ultimate volume.
Well Young may be a horror master, he is also a darn fine composer that doesn't forget there needs to be a melody and a reason to create good effective music. And The Uninvited shows this from the very first second.
In the opening track "The Uninvited" we encounter another one of Young's lovely themes for dark horror films. The vocal effect may be an effective tool for any horror movie, but Young still gives it a melody that soothingly works around it splendidly. It becomes a nice soothing opening. But what follows will not sooth but shock you.
The piano and sombre cello in "Twice Told Tales" aside, there's nothing more scary than to crawl your way through "I'm at a Party". Don't think this is happy music. Expect atmospheric vocals, darker brass, basically top notch scary music.
Luckily and only a master as Young knows this, but put between your effective horror music lovely themes and all will be well. "Glass Act" is a truly lovely variation on the main theme. But that glass gets tainted in "Bloody Milk'. Basically it is one of the most shocking moments on the entire disc, because it literately attacks you in between a lovely piano moment with a shocking disturbing orchestral effect. Christopher Young at his best. The same for the scare of the album "Corpse Christmas" where a vocal takes you down the path of sheer horror.
The lovely (almost Thomas Newman) "Pairs in Love", the emotional stirring "Terror on the Water" and the main theme during "Twin Nightmares" are thematic listens with a sense of mystery and unease, but "Cry of Love" is the inventive voice of Young at work. Children and uneasy underscore, nothing more. Put together it creates effective horror music.
The finale is spread in the final tracks. The big sound of Hellraiser is all over the place in "Working Dreams", and the trio that follows is Young pushing out all the stops. The vocal effects erupt an orchestral dissonant mayhem in "The Screaming Bell" and the climatic stirring "What Have you Done?" and the rhythmic "A Dance With no One" show once again the true master at work. The resolving main theme during "Tale of Two Sisters" couldn't have come at a better time to end the score.
Sometimes you wonder if Christopher Young hasn't had enough writing for horror movies. But if you hear results like The Uninvited you know he hasn't. At one end this is a thematic dramatic listen, at another a downright frightening atmospheric attack on the senses. But put together it creates a listening experience unlike no other. And when in the right mood and played in the right kind of circumstances, I have no doubt The Uninvited will make you feel unwelcome in your very own room. Forget about those low budget horror soundtracks, go immediately for the best in the business. The Uninvited is but one of many examples of Christopher Young's expertise.
Tracklisting
1. The Uninvited (3.28)
2. Twice Told Tales (2.22)
3. I'm at a Party (3.36)
4. Glass Act (1.35) Excellent track
5. Bloody Milk (3.25)
6. Corpse Christmas (5.41)
7. Pairs in Love (1.50)
8. Terror on the Water (3.13) Excellent track
9. Twin Nightmares (4.18)
10. Cry of Love (5.30)
11. Working Dreams (2.41) Excellent track
12. The Screaming Bell (2.01)
13. What Have you Done? (2.42) Excellent track
14. A Dance With no One (1.33)
15. Tale of Two Sisters (4.43) Excellent track
Total Length: 48.44