LOST Season 1
Michael Giacchino
" While it may not be a full frontal assault on the senses that are the later scores, the season one release certainly hits all the right areas on the thematic front and creates a solid opening to the world of Lost music "Written by Anthony Cornfield - Review of the regular release
After reviewing the soundtracks to the third and fourth seasons, I too decided to travel back to 1977 (well…2004 to be more precise) and provide some opinions on the early beginnings of Michael Giacchino's behemoth that is Lost.
If you're new to Lost in its entirety, the first season centers around 48 survivors of a plane crash who end up on a deserted island in the south pacific. They soon come to realize that the island hasn't always been deserted with the discovery of a French radio transmission broadcasting from somewhere in the jungle, a seemingly un-openable hatch in the ground, and not to mention…something…that tears down trees in the middle of the night.
If you're not familiar with the Lost orchestra, it's approximately 30-40 pieces in size (it gets larger as it goes along) and is made up of strings, piano, a rather insane percussion section and four trombones. The orchestra always gets a work out, with instruments often being played "incorrectly" (deliberately) and pushing the limits of the players.
While it may not be a full frontal assault on the senses that are the later scores, the season one release certainly hits all the right areas on the thematic front and creates a solid opening to the world of Lost music. For score fans that don't watch the show, it will be considered the most by-the-books Lost score available, and truth be told it probably is – it's the birth of the main themes and motifs rather than a host of weird and wonderful variations of them.
Kicking off with "The Eyeland", a pulsating bass tone-lead cue, we"re introduced to the trippy and addictive 5 note "mystery" motif that is instantly recognizable as Lost. (It probably has its own trademark by now for all I know!). This is followed by a barrage of bizarre percussion that takes centre stage in "World's Worst Beach Party", the first of many manic action cues on the CD.
The Lost main theme is introduced in "Credit Where Credit is Due", which in the show underscores the aftermath and initial shock of the crash. Split up into four three-note intervals, the theme feels sombre and reflective.
It wouldn't be a Lost album without some off the wall horror scoring, and cues like "Run Like Um…Hell?", "Getting Ethan" and "Run Away! Run Away!" provide just that - the latter sounding like it's straight from a Godzilla movie.
Fans of beefy thematic pieces will sink their teeth into cues like "Hollywood and Vines" (one of the most addictive trek themes ever), "Win One for the Reaper" (the fantastic life and death theme), "We're Friends" (Claire's theme), "Locke'd Out Again" (Locke's Theme), "Booneral" (Shannon and Boone's theme) and "Kate's Motel" (Kate's theme), which are all appropriately fitting to their characters and scenes.
The bulk of the album is made up of lengthy thematic passages (often featuring the main theme) which are split up by the several manic horror/action cues. "I've Got A Plane to Catch" is a 180 degrees turn which provides a light hearted break, featuring a jaunty guitar/percussion based theme.
It all makes way for the ma-hou-sive 12 minute finale made up by the final two tracks. "Parting Words" introduces two new major themes for the show – one for the survivors, and one symbolizing rescue. The survivors' theme is peaceful and hopeful, while the "rescue" theme is rising and heroic. Slowly building up throughout the cue, the themes interweave with each other before an epic – EPIC – rendition of the rescue theme. Giacchino goes off the chart and provides one of his best cues (to this day). Best of all, the producers let the scene it accompanies go completely without sound effects. Music is often rarely this good!
The final "Oceanic 815" cue almost feels like a suite, summing up the main theme and the life and death themes in perfect harmony. Again, Giacchino manages to go off the chart, somehow pouring more and more emotion into every second of music. The cue ends ominously, before another huge brass fall off and the classic bass tone underscoring the "LOST" end logo.
As mentioned previously, season one is the most musically-sound Lost score available. It's got some seriously beefy thematic pieces mixed with some of the most emotional cues of the show, but lacks the more adventurous and experimental music of later seasons.
This is good – a great soundtrack in general, but the true face of Lost music isn't really revealed until season two when it gets rough around the edges.
If you're not a fan of the show, this will be the Lost soundtrack to buy if you ever pick one up. If you are a fan of the show, you'll probably pick up all the soundtracks anyway. All the thematic stuff here is spectacular, but true Lost fans will know that true Lost music comes with the arrival of Henry Gale from Minnesota.
Tracklisting
1. Main Title * (0.16)
2. The Eyeland (1.58)
3. World's Worst Beach Party (2.44)
4. Credit Where Credit is Due (2.23)
5. Run Like, Um ... Hell? (2.21)
6. Hollywood and Vines (1.52)
7. Just Die Already (1.51)
8. Me and my Big Mouth (1.05)
9. Crocodile Locke (1.49)
10. Win One for the Reaper (2.37)
11. Departing Sun (2.42)
12. Charlie Hangs Around (3.17)
13. Navel Gazing (3.24)
14. Proper Motivation (2.01)
15. Run Away! Run Away! (0.30)
16. We're Friends (1.32)
17. Getting Ethan (1.34)
18. Thinking Clairly (1.04)
19. Locke'd Out Again (3.30)
20. Life and Death (3.39)
21. Booneral (1.38)
22. Shannonigans (2.25)
23. Kate's Motel (2.07)
24. I've Got A Plane to Catch (2.37)
25. Monsters Are Such Innnteresting People (1.29)
26. Parting Words (5.30)
27. Oceanic 815 (6.11)
* Composed by J.J. Abrams
Total Length: 65.01
If you're new to Lost in its entirety, the first season centers around 48 survivors of a plane crash who end up on a deserted island in the south pacific. They soon come to realize that the island hasn't always been deserted with the discovery of a French radio transmission broadcasting from somewhere in the jungle, a seemingly un-openable hatch in the ground, and not to mention…something…that tears down trees in the middle of the night.
If you're not familiar with the Lost orchestra, it's approximately 30-40 pieces in size (it gets larger as it goes along) and is made up of strings, piano, a rather insane percussion section and four trombones. The orchestra always gets a work out, with instruments often being played "incorrectly" (deliberately) and pushing the limits of the players.
While it may not be a full frontal assault on the senses that are the later scores, the season one release certainly hits all the right areas on the thematic front and creates a solid opening to the world of Lost music. For score fans that don't watch the show, it will be considered the most by-the-books Lost score available, and truth be told it probably is – it's the birth of the main themes and motifs rather than a host of weird and wonderful variations of them.
Kicking off with "The Eyeland", a pulsating bass tone-lead cue, we"re introduced to the trippy and addictive 5 note "mystery" motif that is instantly recognizable as Lost. (It probably has its own trademark by now for all I know!). This is followed by a barrage of bizarre percussion that takes centre stage in "World's Worst Beach Party", the first of many manic action cues on the CD.
The Lost main theme is introduced in "Credit Where Credit is Due", which in the show underscores the aftermath and initial shock of the crash. Split up into four three-note intervals, the theme feels sombre and reflective.
It wouldn't be a Lost album without some off the wall horror scoring, and cues like "Run Like Um…Hell?", "Getting Ethan" and "Run Away! Run Away!" provide just that - the latter sounding like it's straight from a Godzilla movie.
Fans of beefy thematic pieces will sink their teeth into cues like "Hollywood and Vines" (one of the most addictive trek themes ever), "Win One for the Reaper" (the fantastic life and death theme), "We're Friends" (Claire's theme), "Locke'd Out Again" (Locke's Theme), "Booneral" (Shannon and Boone's theme) and "Kate's Motel" (Kate's theme), which are all appropriately fitting to their characters and scenes.
The bulk of the album is made up of lengthy thematic passages (often featuring the main theme) which are split up by the several manic horror/action cues. "I've Got A Plane to Catch" is a 180 degrees turn which provides a light hearted break, featuring a jaunty guitar/percussion based theme.
It all makes way for the ma-hou-sive 12 minute finale made up by the final two tracks. "Parting Words" introduces two new major themes for the show – one for the survivors, and one symbolizing rescue. The survivors' theme is peaceful and hopeful, while the "rescue" theme is rising and heroic. Slowly building up throughout the cue, the themes interweave with each other before an epic – EPIC – rendition of the rescue theme. Giacchino goes off the chart and provides one of his best cues (to this day). Best of all, the producers let the scene it accompanies go completely without sound effects. Music is often rarely this good!
The final "Oceanic 815" cue almost feels like a suite, summing up the main theme and the life and death themes in perfect harmony. Again, Giacchino manages to go off the chart, somehow pouring more and more emotion into every second of music. The cue ends ominously, before another huge brass fall off and the classic bass tone underscoring the "LOST" end logo.
As mentioned previously, season one is the most musically-sound Lost score available. It's got some seriously beefy thematic pieces mixed with some of the most emotional cues of the show, but lacks the more adventurous and experimental music of later seasons.
This is good – a great soundtrack in general, but the true face of Lost music isn't really revealed until season two when it gets rough around the edges.
If you're not a fan of the show, this will be the Lost soundtrack to buy if you ever pick one up. If you are a fan of the show, you'll probably pick up all the soundtracks anyway. All the thematic stuff here is spectacular, but true Lost fans will know that true Lost music comes with the arrival of Henry Gale from Minnesota.
Tracklisting
1. Main Title * (0.16)
2. The Eyeland (1.58)
3. World's Worst Beach Party (2.44)
4. Credit Where Credit is Due (2.23)
5. Run Like, Um ... Hell? (2.21)
6. Hollywood and Vines (1.52)
7. Just Die Already (1.51)
8. Me and my Big Mouth (1.05)
9. Crocodile Locke (1.49)
10. Win One for the Reaper (2.37)
11. Departing Sun (2.42)
12. Charlie Hangs Around (3.17)
13. Navel Gazing (3.24)
14. Proper Motivation (2.01)
15. Run Away! Run Away! (0.30)
16. We're Friends (1.32)
17. Getting Ethan (1.34)
18. Thinking Clairly (1.04)
19. Locke'd Out Again (3.30)
20. Life and Death (3.39)
21. Booneral (1.38)
22. Shannonigans (2.25)
23. Kate's Motel (2.07)
24. I've Got A Plane to Catch (2.37)
25. Monsters Are Such Innnteresting People (1.29)
26. Parting Words (5.30)
27. Oceanic 815 (6.11)
* Composed by J.J. Abrams
Total Length: 65.01