Whispers in the Dark
Thomas Newman
" average darkness and occasional beauty deliver mixed album "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the limited release
I'm sure many people were rather curious the moment Intrada released an unknown Thomas Newman score in their Special collection series, curious but also patient. Patient about the word, patient concerning whether or not it was something meaningful. Because Thomas Newman might be a composer many people adore, he is also the kind of composer that literally surprises you ... but also disappoints you. Because you never know if you receive something mind blowing, or something excruciatingly eclectic. And considering the movie was a quickly forgotten affair, patience is still until this day the word to summarize the album release of Whispers in the Dark.
Because this score is surely divided between the nice Thomas Newman sound and the forgettable mood. In fact, several tracks could easily be entitled Thomas Newman's stab at horror music. The 10 minute highlight (for Intrada at least) is a 6 minute mood setter where (like previous tracks) extremely little happens, then all of a sudden we receive a 2 second fanfare for it to disappear again, only to be remembered for the final minutes including percussive clanging and noisy atonal shrieks, becoming what is essentially a 3 minute interest in a 10 minute affair. The other cue "The Torture" follows the moodier path I'm afraid, and is only remembered because of the musical sfx.
Those musical sfx (cold, awkward and eclectic) are of course a signature of Thomas Newman. But so is his beautiful voice. "Making Love" is extremely memorable for the wonderful string melody at the end (after a series of lovely but typical oboe and piano melodies), the oboe returns again in "I Thought I Was the Gentlest Man" (never failing in Thomas Newman land), delivering an Angels in America theme (heard for instance in the final track of that album) that returns later on in "Trip to Iowa" and "Epilogue". The track "Epilogue" is quite easily the best one due to the return of that amazing string melody of track 2, only here bolder and more magical.
So for about 10 minutes, you receive the Thomas Newman you were hoping for. For about 3 extra minutes you receive the Thomas Newman like you wanted it, surprising you with an enjoyable increasing effect of "Main Title" (creating even an honest to god The Dig effect in the opening minute of the cue). And for about the remainder you receive Thomas Newman bringing approachable dramatic urgency and quite boring moodiness, making Whispers in the Dark a difficult score to recommend. For Thomas Newman completists, this is a score to have, if only to experience more enchanting melodies and some of the composer's darkest tracks. But for many, it's hardly memorable, and one amazing string melody will not bring the experience in balance. All the reason the limited edition is still for sale, a rarity for Intrada albums nowadays.
Track Listing
1. Main Title (3.38)
2. Making Love (2.38)
3. Dangerous Sex (1.29)
4. I Thought I Was the Gentlest Man (2.42)
5. Eve in Lobby (3.06)
6. Your Cheeks Are Pink (1.56)
7. Eve is Dead (1.47)
8. John's Interrogation (1.50)
9. The Torture (5.00)
10. The Ledge (2.14)
11. My Best Friend (3.24)
12. Trip to Iowa (2.16)
13. Airport Chase (1.58)
14. The Revelation (9.42)
15. Epilogue (1.11) Excellent track
Bonus Tracks
16. Goodbye Paul (0.36)
17. Flying to Nantucket (0.21)
18. Eve Masturbates (0.41)
19. Revealing Doug (0.45)
20. I Know You Had a Relationship (0.30)
21. John's Flyer (0.26)
22. She Hung Herself (0.21)
23. Cognac at Night (0.40)
Total Length: 49.11
Because this score is surely divided between the nice Thomas Newman sound and the forgettable mood. In fact, several tracks could easily be entitled Thomas Newman's stab at horror music. The 10 minute highlight (for Intrada at least) is a 6 minute mood setter where (like previous tracks) extremely little happens, then all of a sudden we receive a 2 second fanfare for it to disappear again, only to be remembered for the final minutes including percussive clanging and noisy atonal shrieks, becoming what is essentially a 3 minute interest in a 10 minute affair. The other cue "The Torture" follows the moodier path I'm afraid, and is only remembered because of the musical sfx.
Those musical sfx (cold, awkward and eclectic) are of course a signature of Thomas Newman. But so is his beautiful voice. "Making Love" is extremely memorable for the wonderful string melody at the end (after a series of lovely but typical oboe and piano melodies), the oboe returns again in "I Thought I Was the Gentlest Man" (never failing in Thomas Newman land), delivering an Angels in America theme (heard for instance in the final track of that album) that returns later on in "Trip to Iowa" and "Epilogue". The track "Epilogue" is quite easily the best one due to the return of that amazing string melody of track 2, only here bolder and more magical.
So for about 10 minutes, you receive the Thomas Newman you were hoping for. For about 3 extra minutes you receive the Thomas Newman like you wanted it, surprising you with an enjoyable increasing effect of "Main Title" (creating even an honest to god The Dig effect in the opening minute of the cue). And for about the remainder you receive Thomas Newman bringing approachable dramatic urgency and quite boring moodiness, making Whispers in the Dark a difficult score to recommend. For Thomas Newman completists, this is a score to have, if only to experience more enchanting melodies and some of the composer's darkest tracks. But for many, it's hardly memorable, and one amazing string melody will not bring the experience in balance. All the reason the limited edition is still for sale, a rarity for Intrada albums nowadays.
Track Listing
1. Main Title (3.38)
2. Making Love (2.38)
3. Dangerous Sex (1.29)
4. I Thought I Was the Gentlest Man (2.42)
5. Eve in Lobby (3.06)
6. Your Cheeks Are Pink (1.56)
7. Eve is Dead (1.47)
8. John's Interrogation (1.50)
9. The Torture (5.00)
10. The Ledge (2.14)
11. My Best Friend (3.24)
12. Trip to Iowa (2.16)
13. Airport Chase (1.58)
14. The Revelation (9.42)
15. Epilogue (1.11) Excellent track
Bonus Tracks
16. Goodbye Paul (0.36)
17. Flying to Nantucket (0.21)
18. Eve Masturbates (0.41)
19. Revealing Doug (0.45)
20. I Know You Had a Relationship (0.30)
21. John's Flyer (0.26)
22. She Hung Herself (0.21)
23. Cognac at Night (0.40)
Total Length: 49.11