Alias Season 1
Michael Giacchino
" The mix of an orchestral and electronic flavour for a TV outing of miss Bond "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
For Michael Giacchino, Alias was the beginning of everything. It resulted in an immediate ?everlasting? friendship with creator J.J. Abrams, creator of the now famous series Alias and Lost. For both series, Abrams asked for none other than the musical voice of Michael Giacchino. Knowing what we know now, Alias is not Lost. The show's success led to 2 soundtrack releases, with Season 1 being presented here. As I missed the show completely, it is difficult for me to understand what this music does for the series. And perhaps that is why I find it a lesser brother to the now infamous big brother Lost.
While Alias holds one gigantic advantage (the ever so lovely Jennifer Garner), musically it is quite different from the experimental sounding Lost. Alias doesn't hold that complexity nor exhilarating bombast of the MOH scores, and nor does it handle its music in the vein Lost does it nowadays. Alias is more straightforward, but on a lighter scale.
The main theme (written by Abrams) itself is nothing memorable and J.J. Abrams theme for Lost holds much more significance. The musical material that follows it is more important to notice, even though Giacchino can't flex his muscles here as he did in the MOH universe. And perhaps it's noticeable he can't do it, because Alias is not that noticeable throughout. Like most Television music it is standard and effective, without pushing the envelope. Of course Giacchino wouldn't be Giacchino if he at least saved a few surprises for us.
The most talked about cue on this album is "Spanish Heist". Beats alongside Spanish flair and a solo vocal deliver practically the salsa you require to shake your hips with. "Anna Shows Up" presents a vocal too, but it is the brass and guitar accompaniment that gives us a James Bond feel. "Sleeping Beauty" isn't the sleeping track at all, charging forward with the best that Giacchino can deliver. Brassy Bond stuff and a choir charge this suspenseful track forward to the finish line. More or less, this is the best the score has to offer and for this, fans of Giacchino will be happy they bought it.
The rest isn't that memorable. "Looking for a Man" holds some Medal of Honor darkness while stating Sydney's theme. Some lovely piano is heard in "It was Anna" and Horner's evil four note motif appears in "Ball Buster" (quite effectively I might add too). Not everything is the same too, techno vocals are unleashed in "On to Paris" while more Bond like stuff is heard in the bonus track "SD-6 Dance Party".
While confirming that Michael Giacchino's talents will work in whatever scenery, Alias is not what we call groundbreaking material. The writing for an orchestra is top notch but the scope is missing. It shows that Television music is still not movie music per se. Like Stargate, there is sometimes a huge gap between the series at the beginning and the movie that influenced it all. Call it light Bond, call it accessible Television music, call it a reason to stare at the pictures of Jennifer Garner, the fans of the show will be happy nonetheless with the end result.
Tracklisting
1. Main Title * (0.27)
2. Dissolved (2.07)
3. Red Hair is Better (2.31)
4. Spanish Heist (4.30)
5. Double Life (1.53)
6. Tunisia (4.12)
7. In the Garden (2.29)
8. Looking for a Man (3.53)
9. Anna Shows Up (3.30)
10. Home Movies (0.40)
11. On to Paris (1.49)
12. Page 47 (1.54)
13. The Prophecy (2.10)
14. Badenweiler (5.11)
15. Arvin at the Poles (1.36)
16. Sleeping Beauty (3.08)
17. Blow'd Up (2.26)
18. It's Not the C.I.A. (1.38)
19. Oh My God!!! (3.18)
20. The Tooth Doctor (2.00)
21. It Was Anna (0.54)
22. Wet Suits (2.39)
23. Ball Buster (1.39)
24. The End? (0.57)
25. Bristow & Bristow (3.26)
Bonus Track
26. SD-6 Dance Party (3.18)
* Main Title written by J.J. Abrams
Total Length: 65.10
While Alias holds one gigantic advantage (the ever so lovely Jennifer Garner), musically it is quite different from the experimental sounding Lost. Alias doesn't hold that complexity nor exhilarating bombast of the MOH scores, and nor does it handle its music in the vein Lost does it nowadays. Alias is more straightforward, but on a lighter scale.
The main theme (written by Abrams) itself is nothing memorable and J.J. Abrams theme for Lost holds much more significance. The musical material that follows it is more important to notice, even though Giacchino can't flex his muscles here as he did in the MOH universe. And perhaps it's noticeable he can't do it, because Alias is not that noticeable throughout. Like most Television music it is standard and effective, without pushing the envelope. Of course Giacchino wouldn't be Giacchino if he at least saved a few surprises for us.
The most talked about cue on this album is "Spanish Heist". Beats alongside Spanish flair and a solo vocal deliver practically the salsa you require to shake your hips with. "Anna Shows Up" presents a vocal too, but it is the brass and guitar accompaniment that gives us a James Bond feel. "Sleeping Beauty" isn't the sleeping track at all, charging forward with the best that Giacchino can deliver. Brassy Bond stuff and a choir charge this suspenseful track forward to the finish line. More or less, this is the best the score has to offer and for this, fans of Giacchino will be happy they bought it.
The rest isn't that memorable. "Looking for a Man" holds some Medal of Honor darkness while stating Sydney's theme. Some lovely piano is heard in "It was Anna" and Horner's evil four note motif appears in "Ball Buster" (quite effectively I might add too). Not everything is the same too, techno vocals are unleashed in "On to Paris" while more Bond like stuff is heard in the bonus track "SD-6 Dance Party".
While confirming that Michael Giacchino's talents will work in whatever scenery, Alias is not what we call groundbreaking material. The writing for an orchestra is top notch but the scope is missing. It shows that Television music is still not movie music per se. Like Stargate, there is sometimes a huge gap between the series at the beginning and the movie that influenced it all. Call it light Bond, call it accessible Television music, call it a reason to stare at the pictures of Jennifer Garner, the fans of the show will be happy nonetheless with the end result.
Tracklisting
1. Main Title * (0.27)
2. Dissolved (2.07)
3. Red Hair is Better (2.31)
4. Spanish Heist (4.30)
5. Double Life (1.53)
6. Tunisia (4.12)
7. In the Garden (2.29)
8. Looking for a Man (3.53)
9. Anna Shows Up (3.30)
10. Home Movies (0.40)
11. On to Paris (1.49)
12. Page 47 (1.54)
13. The Prophecy (2.10)
14. Badenweiler (5.11)
15. Arvin at the Poles (1.36)
16. Sleeping Beauty (3.08)
17. Blow'd Up (2.26)
18. It's Not the C.I.A. (1.38)
19. Oh My God!!! (3.18)
20. The Tooth Doctor (2.00)
21. It Was Anna (0.54)
22. Wet Suits (2.39)
23. Ball Buster (1.39)
24. The End? (0.57)
25. Bristow & Bristow (3.26)
Bonus Track
26. SD-6 Dance Party (3.18)
* Main Title written by J.J. Abrams
Total Length: 65.10