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  1. A new review:

    Artik - Corey Wallace

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2020/06 … y-wallace/

    Music for those who don't necessarily need themes!
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  2. A new review:

    The Good Book - Heather Fenoughty

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2020/06 … fenoughty/
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  3. A new review:

    Wild and Wonderful Denmark - Peter Due, Anthony Lledo & Rasmus Zwicki

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2020/06 … us-zwicki/

    An excellent documentary score for a Danish 5-part series that maintains the strong entries of documentary scoring.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  4. There may not have been many reviews written for the blog in 2020 but I've certainly still been listening to lots of new music. Read who has made the shortlists for the 2020 Reel Music Awards:

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/02 … shortlist/

    Winners will be announced in a few weeks.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  5. I've not heard of most of these! It will be fun to look at your favorites more thoroughly. Thanks for sharing Alan!
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeFeb 22nd 2021 edited
    Some good selections there, Alan, and also some I disagree with. But that's the name of the game.

    Now I remember that I completely forgot to send you the Nordic (mostly Norwegian) scores of 2020. I think you would have had some contenders there, like Marcus Paus' TORDEN [MORTAL] if you had had access to them. My bad, but too late now!
    I am extremely serious.
    •  
      CommentAuthorFalkirkBairn
    • CommentTimeFeb 22nd 2021 edited
    Thor wrote
    ...I think you would have had some contenders there, like Marcus Paus' TORDEN [MORTAL] if you had had access to them. My bad, but too late now!

    MORTAL is available on Spotify and I had a listen to it after I read the glowing reports. But, I couldn't see what all the hype was about for than one.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  6. Thor wrote
    Now I remember that I completely forgot to send you the Nordic (mostly Norwegian) scores of 2020...

    I just assumed that, in the end, you weren't at liberty to send them out to me.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeFeb 23rd 2021
    I were. I could always send you a curated selection now, even though it won't affect your best of lists, but that's something we can discuss privately.
    I am extremely serious.
  7. Thanks Thor.

    I am wondering how relevant 'best of' lists are in today's environment with music so easy to listen to nowadays.

    Everyone has the opportunity to listen to most things and can form their own opinions on things that these lists - as well as reviews - are becoming somewhat redundant.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeFeb 23rd 2021
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    Thanks Thor.

    I am wondering how relevant 'best of' lists are in today's environment with music so easy to listen to nowadays.

    Everyone has the opportunity to listen to most things and can form their own opinions on things that these lists - as well as reviews - are becoming somewhat redundant.


    I think curated selections and best of lists (or 'awards', as you've chosen to call them) are a very useful tool these days, exactly because of the abundance of material out there, and its easy access. People need guidelines to navigate.
    I am extremely serious.
  8. Perusing an online store today is a bit like flicking through the soundtrack shelves in an old record store. It's a thing I can spend hours doing. Lists are sometimes like going into the store and looking at the manager's top 10 list - probably a great 10 scores but where is the excitement?
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  9. I know I'm in the minority, but lists are nice for me because I only listen to scores that I purchase. And I only purchase one score a month if it's new at full price, or 2 or 3 in its place if I find them used secondhand. Since I limit my consumption this way, I either go for one of my favorite composers latest or for ones I see on another film music fans' list or ones that are recommended by you, my friends! smile I think there's still plenty of variety, since so many "best-of" lists are so different!
  10. Thor wrote
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    Thanks Thor.

    I am wondering how relevant 'best of' lists are in today's environment with music so easy to listen to nowadays.

    Everyone has the opportunity to listen to most things and can form their own opinions on things that these lists - as well as reviews - are becoming somewhat redundant.


    I think curated selections and best of lists (or 'awards', as you've chosen to call them) are a very useful tool these days, exactly because of the abundance of material out there, and its easy access. People need guidelines to navigate.


    I agree with Thor. There's so much out there these days that I don't have time to listen to every new thing, nor would I want to, since a lot of it is just okay. I like to know what the "best" things are so that I can waste less time listening to scores I'm not going to like as much.
  11. After a bit of a difficult job here, at last, are my favourite scores of 2020:

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/03 … e-winners/
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeMar 5th 2021
    I've tried and I've tried, because I like Pemberton in general, but I don't get the appeal of ENOLA HOLMES. Oh well. But thanks for the list! As I said earlier, there are a few there I need to check out (or re-listen to).
    I am extremely serious.
  12. Thor wrote
    I've tried and I've tried, because I like Pemberton in general, but I don't get the appeal of ENOLA HOLMES. Oh well. But thanks for the list! As I said earlier, there are a few there I need to check out (or re-listen to).

    Thanks for taking a look.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  13. Great write-up, Alan. I always enjoy reading your end of year awards. You never fail to highlight a bunch of scores I've never even heard of. I need to check out Kalashnikov, Wild and Wonderful Denmark (and all your documentary honorable mentions), and Flames of Fate.

    To list my favorites from 2020 in the same categories (acknowledging that I haven't heard several of your winners yet):

    Overall: The Personal History of David Copperfield

    Drama: Fukushima 50

    Comedy: Copperfield

    Adventure: Call of the Wild

    Fantasy: The Claus Family

    Animation: Stand By Me Doreamon 2

    Documentary: Sadan Hanim

    TV: Queen's Gambit

    VG: Genshin Impact

    I'm not familiar enough with short film scores or archival releases to speak to those categories.
  14. I am trying to get going with more regular posts on my blog again. As well as starting with more reviews (hopefully one will be posted in the next few days), I am endeavouring to post "Weekly Recommendations" - a short list of titles that I have heard the previous week and which (for whatever reason) I think are worth checking out.

    Here's a link to the first two posts:

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/05 … -may-2021/

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/05 … -may-2021/



    It's been a challenge trying to get motivated to review music over the last 12-18 months. Not because there's no good music being released but more to do with my ongoing battle with trying to get my over-/under-active thyroid sorted out. Energy levels have been all over the place and, by the time I get free time to sit down to to do reviews, my reserves are just sapped.

    Things are still not sorted out but it's getting to the stage that I won't get anything done if I don't force myself to write. So, keep an eye out for my attempts to post stuff over the coming weeks.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  15. A new review:

    Violation - Andrea Boccadoro

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/05 … boccadoro/

    A mix of the baroque and avant-garde classical music featuring string quartet and solo voice combine on this short album that gets to the heart of the mental torment of the main character.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeMay 25th 2021
    FalkirkBairn wrote
    It's been a challenge trying to get motivated to review music over the last 12-18 months. Not because there's no good music being released but more to do with my ongoing battle with trying to get my over-/under-active thyroid sorted out. Energy levels have been all over the place and, by the time I get free time to sit down to to do reviews, my reserves are just sapped.


    Tell me about it. For me, Celluloid Tunes has always been an 'excess energy' project, and I don't have any of it these days. Too many problems in my personal life. So the activity on my site is super slow. But nice idea about the weekly, capsule review thingie. Seems more surmountable somehow.
    I am extremely serious.
  16. The weekly thing is really just me trying to keep some sort of a turnover of posts. It's not ideal but it's better than nothing (I think).
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  17. If anyone is interested, here's a list of some of my favourite soundtrack album covers from 2020:

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/05 … s-of-2020/
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorThor
    • CommentTimeMay 28th 2021
    You're on a creative "angle" roll, Alan. smile
    I am extremely serious.
  18. A new review:

    Eagle Wings - Chuck Okudo

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/05 … uck-okudo/

    A solid mix of orchestra and African rhythms for this score to a Nigerian action thriller.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  19. A new review:

    The Pink Cloud (A Nuvem Rosa) - Caio Amon

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/06 … caio-amon/

    An ambient score for a Brazilian sci-fi drama where a couple are trapped together after a toxic killer cloud covers the surface of the earth.
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
    •  
      CommentAuthorFalkirkBairn
    • CommentTimeJun 10th 2021 edited
    A new review:

    La Octava Dimensión - Javier Bayon

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/06 … ier-bayon/

    This is a good little score written for a short film made for Audi's 2018 advertisement campaign for their Q8 model*. Although featuring the car (in a relatively minor part), the 17-minute film is quite an interesting short film in its own right and Bayon's score adds to the interest.

    *I have not received a car for the writing of this review
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  20. FalkirkBairn wrote
    A new review:

    La Octava Dimensión - Javier Bayon

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/06 … ier-bayon/

    *I have not received a car for the writing of this review


    You should have smile
    waaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Where's my nut? arrrghhhhhhh
  21. After a bit of break I'm trying to catch up with my 'Weekly Recommendations' posts:

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/08 … july-2021/
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn
  22. After weeks and weeks of Weekly Recommendations I have finally written an actual review:

    Laid to Waste - Jacob McNatt

    https://reelmusic.wordpress.com/2021/10 … ob-mcnatt/

    A score for a 2021 audio drama that focuses more on establishing mood and atmosphere. It was interesting to consider what a composer has to do in order to support an audio drama. As well as having to try and provide additional information to help the audio-only story, the score needs to be unobtrusive and not swamp the dialogue (i.e., the storytelling).
    The views expressed in this post are entirely my own and do not reflect the opinions of maintitles.net, or for that matter, anyone else. http://www.racksandtags.com/falkirkbairn