We Are Marshall
Christophe Beck
" From a slow start it builds to We are Marshall glory "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
I'm a sucker when it concerns sports movies. When done right, there is nothing better than to experience the thrill of a sports event in winning climatic circumstances. The last one in line to join the 'based on true events' tales is We Are Marshall, the story about the football team of Marshall University that lost their players, coaches and sponsors during a plane crash, and how the town struggled to pick up their lives by reclaiming their honor that is We Are Marshall.
Director on the job was Charlie's Angels McG, actors were Matthew Sahara McConaughey and Matthew Lost Fox, and composer was Christophe Pink Panther Beck? No Christophe Garfield Beck? One thing didn't see eye to eye with one another in the line of promising names and yet, there is nothing more exhilarating then hearing a man go out of his typecast genre and compose something people haven't heard from him yet. Christophe Buffy Beck could just do that with We Are Marshall. And if he delivers I'll tell you right now.
With "Theme from We Are Marshall" you receive his noble yet extremely faint main sports march, never exploding nor rising to a full concert performance. And yet perhaps the reason is because it was intended that way. "Marshall vs. East Carolina" starts with a piano version of the theme and then the actual sports music begins. And yet begin or beginning to enthrall it doesn't do at all, because it's merely disappointing drums and rhythms.
The nobility in "Winning is Everything", the charming if forgettable piano melody in "Annie and Chris", the fitting on edge approach of partly the main theme in "Breaking News" and the solo vocal of the theme in "Our Boy's Plane", this is music that's light and not heroic at all. With "Aftermath" it is mere guitar and piano with a little string work, same for "Dedmon's List". There's a solo cello for "Son of Marshall" or a slow horn in "Rebirth". The only difference is "Nate's Plea", when there's a brief statement of the main theme.
Yet when you spot the solo drums in "The Young Thundering Herd", your patience is up. More, you're wondering if there's any inspiration here at all. But then something amazing happens. In that mere track he just changes from boring tepid drums to a promising piece with just an orchestra that flows fluently in the mix, replacing the march of the drums for a more sporty attitude of spirit and heart with the theme. What's more interesting is the ending with a particularly noticed brass / flute rage. And it's here where the intention lies, to go from a colorless drum rhythm to an orchestral inspiring march when a new team is finally formed.
It is in these moments where Beck shows why getting him on board was a good thing. "Marshall vs. Xavier" starts averagely with moody underscore until suspense is brought in the game. The color is added through a simple heroic ditty and the way Beck simply builds to his climax is a textbook example of how it's supposed to be done. Not powerfully, but interestingly.
With "Second Half" he totally explodes with fanfares, percussion and suspense and again it is great to hear this music after such a tepid beginning. The main theme flourishes in "Touchdown" and even if it isn't a great main theme, the We Are Marshall glory is felt in this track. The more respected breeze of the final track closes the score like it began, with a nobility too frequently used during the music.
However when hearing the story behind We Are Marshall, it actually makes sense. Christophe Beck couldn't compose the same heroic music for a different team, because it had to be build first. So the choice is a valid one, but it also makes the score a somewhat slow progressing album. It is in the ending where Beck shows some small innovating ideas that make the score somewhat worth it. We Are Marshall sings forward in these moments proudly its name, despite the rather tepid begin of the score.
Tracklisting
1. Theme From "We Are Marshall" (3.14)
2. Marshall Vs. East Carolina (3.14)
3. Winning is Everything (2.03)
4. Annie and Chris (1.01)
5. Breaking News (1.54)
6. Our Boy's Plane (3.08)
7. Aftermath (2.29)
8. Nate's Plea (2.54)
9. Dedmon's List (2.11)
10. Why Jack Called (2.30)
11. Sons of Marshall (1.44)
12. Rebirth (1.36)
13. The Young Thundering Herd (2.10) Excellent track
14. Back on Track (2.28)
15. Remembering #29 (3.49)
16. Marshall Vs. Xavier (3.58) Excellent track
17. Game Day (4.29)
18. Second Half (3.44) Excellent track
19. Touchdown (2.18) Excellent track
20. From the Ashes we Rose (3.34)
Total Length: 54.38
Director on the job was Charlie's Angels McG, actors were Matthew Sahara McConaughey and Matthew Lost Fox, and composer was Christophe Pink Panther Beck? No Christophe Garfield Beck? One thing didn't see eye to eye with one another in the line of promising names and yet, there is nothing more exhilarating then hearing a man go out of his typecast genre and compose something people haven't heard from him yet. Christophe Buffy Beck could just do that with We Are Marshall. And if he delivers I'll tell you right now.
With "Theme from We Are Marshall" you receive his noble yet extremely faint main sports march, never exploding nor rising to a full concert performance. And yet perhaps the reason is because it was intended that way. "Marshall vs. East Carolina" starts with a piano version of the theme and then the actual sports music begins. And yet begin or beginning to enthrall it doesn't do at all, because it's merely disappointing drums and rhythms.
The nobility in "Winning is Everything", the charming if forgettable piano melody in "Annie and Chris", the fitting on edge approach of partly the main theme in "Breaking News" and the solo vocal of the theme in "Our Boy's Plane", this is music that's light and not heroic at all. With "Aftermath" it is mere guitar and piano with a little string work, same for "Dedmon's List". There's a solo cello for "Son of Marshall" or a slow horn in "Rebirth". The only difference is "Nate's Plea", when there's a brief statement of the main theme.
Yet when you spot the solo drums in "The Young Thundering Herd", your patience is up. More, you're wondering if there's any inspiration here at all. But then something amazing happens. In that mere track he just changes from boring tepid drums to a promising piece with just an orchestra that flows fluently in the mix, replacing the march of the drums for a more sporty attitude of spirit and heart with the theme. What's more interesting is the ending with a particularly noticed brass / flute rage. And it's here where the intention lies, to go from a colorless drum rhythm to an orchestral inspiring march when a new team is finally formed.
It is in these moments where Beck shows why getting him on board was a good thing. "Marshall vs. Xavier" starts averagely with moody underscore until suspense is brought in the game. The color is added through a simple heroic ditty and the way Beck simply builds to his climax is a textbook example of how it's supposed to be done. Not powerfully, but interestingly.
With "Second Half" he totally explodes with fanfares, percussion and suspense and again it is great to hear this music after such a tepid beginning. The main theme flourishes in "Touchdown" and even if it isn't a great main theme, the We Are Marshall glory is felt in this track. The more respected breeze of the final track closes the score like it began, with a nobility too frequently used during the music.
However when hearing the story behind We Are Marshall, it actually makes sense. Christophe Beck couldn't compose the same heroic music for a different team, because it had to be build first. So the choice is a valid one, but it also makes the score a somewhat slow progressing album. It is in the ending where Beck shows some small innovating ideas that make the score somewhat worth it. We Are Marshall sings forward in these moments proudly its name, despite the rather tepid begin of the score.
Tracklisting
1. Theme From "We Are Marshall" (3.14)
2. Marshall Vs. East Carolina (3.14)
3. Winning is Everything (2.03)
4. Annie and Chris (1.01)
5. Breaking News (1.54)
6. Our Boy's Plane (3.08)
7. Aftermath (2.29)
8. Nate's Plea (2.54)
9. Dedmon's List (2.11)
10. Why Jack Called (2.30)
11. Sons of Marshall (1.44)
12. Rebirth (1.36)
13. The Young Thundering Herd (2.10) Excellent track
14. Back on Track (2.28)
15. Remembering #29 (3.49)
16. Marshall Vs. Xavier (3.58) Excellent track
17. Game Day (4.29)
18. Second Half (3.44) Excellent track
19. Touchdown (2.18) Excellent track
20. From the Ashes we Rose (3.34)
Total Length: 54.38