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NP : Exo Squad - Michael Tavera

Quite interesting. I loved this show. It was the main reason why I would wake up so early in the morning, watch it on TV before having to get ready to go to school. It was the best American anime show that got canceled for no dammed reason. The music is highly thematic, very melodic and dramatic at time. The main Exo Squad/action theme is extremely catchy and has certain Danny Elfman/David Arnold amalgamation to its construction, sprinkled with a bit of Gustav Holst's Mars rhythm. The underscore does the best in spite of its low budget nature, meaning synths everywhere. It is very well orchestrated, with real live instruments helping to counter that hollow sound.

I like it.

WP: Sleuth - Patrick Doyle

I like the mood it creates. It was good background music while I wrote part of an essay.

NP: Nausicaa Valley of the Wind - Joe Hisaishi

It is also really good music, but unfortunately, it can't keep me focused on the essay.

KLAUS BADELT - Ned Kelly

Oh this is good. A case where (along with the equally beautiful and sadly overlooked INVINCIBLE with Hans Zimmer) Klaus tried to create his own THE THIN RED LINE, and on his own frame he did pretty well actually. Long string-led melodies and heavily emotional, NED KELLY is a thoroughly enjoyable score from start to finish with notable thematic material. One of his career's highlights.

EDWARD SHEARMUR - passengers

This could have been easily written by Thomas Newman and nobody would know. Shearmur is capable of SO much more and with this score couple with last year's "Dedication" he seems in a rather uninspired phase.

I am not sure we're going to get it.

EDWARD SHEARMUR - skeleton key

I haven't listened to that for so long. It's so fun to revisit an old favorite though; the creepy horror music parts like the ones heard in "Ben escapes" and "saving Ben" are very captivating and aggressive, at times even reminding of REIGN OF FIRE's supremely dark atmosphere. When you exclude the conventional electric guitar on overdrive americana parts a la BEAR MaCREARY's REST STOP scores and just concentrate on the afore-mentioned intense cues instead, it makes for a very satisfying listen for the fans of the genre.

Yes.
You are.




Well, fair enough, but Jordi's criticism centered on the fact that it sounded a lot like Thomas Newman (several scores these days seem to get that particular comment leveled against them), which would suggest that while it may be something that's new to Desplat to use, it's not new in the genre (and may in fact be considered derivative).

For all clarity: I haven't listened to the score, and probably won't as Desplat is not very high on my list (though I did enjoy Golden Compass), so I don't care one way or the other.
My main issue was how Jordi criticism of the score ("sounds like Newman") was interpreted through Ego's monologue ("we should endorse the bold and the new"), which didn't seem to match in my opinion.

Well, THAT is quite possible!

But that's not the point.
My whole argument basically concerned the OPINIONS on the score, NOT the score PROPER.
It's a whole meta-discussion, which doesn't require anyone to listen to the score, UNLESS a counter claim would be that the score is -in some way- ground breaking (in which case Steven's reference to Ego's monologue could be germane, something that -as I argued- I don't think it is at this point).

I have no opinion on the score itself at all, as I haven't heard it.

CARTER BURWELL - twilight

Pretty standard americana-driven thriller score ranging from Paul Haslinger's conventional tricks and Bear McCreary (REST STOP) regions with the occasional, rare melodic break, usually driven by piano and lurking into emotional territories. It's somewhat disappointing and definitely far inferior to the standard Burwell ride, especially after the excellent recent examples of IN BRUGES and BURN AFTER READING. But i wouldn't expect anyone to be particularly inspired by that pile of doo-doo (the movie, the story, the hype).

NP : THUNDERBALL - John Barry

Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb (Videogame) (Clint Bajakian - themes by John Williams)

I love this for the big action cues, even if it's sometimes a cut and paste job when you play it in complete form. I made my own customised soundtrack that features all the big orchestral outbursts from the game and it's all big fun... The Kraken's Lair, Gondola Ride, The Feng Twins, Von Beck's Revenge, Rise of the Black Emperor, all great when you hear it in the game, and even better outside of it. Bajakian sure has a knack for composing huge action music for orchestra. Shame he doesn't get so much opportunities.

4 STARS

Indeed. One of his finest works. Sadly he is totally uninspired lately (Scorpion King 2, Starship Troopers 3....come on Klaus).

Indeed! Real fun score.

Have you heard Lennertz (spelling) From Russia With Love Score?
Amazing