Posted by fitz in Music, Soundtracks on Jul 27
Welcome back!
Hi again!
Have you ever seen a movie where music composer John Williams did a movie score? His film scores for movies such as Star Wars, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and so on have entertained us for more than four decades. Some of his influences for the first Star Wars soundtrack may have come from a particular work by composer Gustav Holst. Holst’s most famous piece is “The Planets,” which was a suite of seven movements, each named after a planet and its corresponding astrological character.
In “The Planets,” the seven movements correspond to Mars (War), Venus (Peace), Mercury (the Messenger), Jupiter (Jollity), Saturn (Old Age), Uranus (the Magician) and Neptune (the Mystic). Each movement has a different character to it. For example, Mars is heavy and insistent with horns and drums, like a general marshaling his troops for a battle, while Neptune has a lighter, more mysterious feel to it using woodwinds. And each movement also is tied to the astrological character of the subject.
A new group has taken a similar approach to Holst in their new CD Eight Moons, composing songs about eight of the major moons with names of the gods – from Mars to the distant dwarf planet of Eris. Omnimi seems to seek a blend of classical, choral, and world music to evoke some of the same powerful feelings as Holst’s work – from the dramatic to the relaxing.
And, like Holst, each track feels as though it should be part of a movie soundtrack. “Phobos – Mars I” with its merging of a choir and driving percussion would be at home in a film like the upcoming Conan reboot starring Jason Momoa coming to theaters in 2011. There’s almost a desert feel to some of the percussion, giving it a vaguely “Arabian Nights” flavor.
From Phobos we move to “Io – Jupiter I,” which has a less insistent beat but somehow manages to fill the room with power with higher voices and strings building and building. What’s intriguing is there’s a rock guitar in the middle punctuating the lighter vocal performances, bringing this tune into a more modern era. Parts of the melody would feel right at home in the recent trailers for Chrisopher Nolan’s Inception.
My favorite of the tracks is “Neso – Neptune XIII” which manages to capture an ethereal, almost fairy-like sound and merges it with the incessant roll of the sea. Neso in Greel mythology is one of the goddesses of the sea and one of the 50 Nereids – one of the sea nymphs. Through a use of interesting beats behind the scenes along with the strings and voices it truly feels as though you are rolling along the waves.
Ultimately, I think Omnimi has done an amazing job in composing some truly unique songs in a Holst style. Movie directors and producers seeking full-sounding orchestrations for their own films would do well to give Eight Moons a listen to see how they might be worked into current productions. Hopefully we’ll hear more from Omnimi in the future!
For more information about Omnimi, be sure to check out their website at OmnimiMusic.com.
This article first appeared at BlogCritics.org here.
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up the CD here:
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Posted by fitz in Movies, Music, Soundtracks on Jun 28
Hey there…
James Newton Howard has always been a bit of a mixed bag for me as far as soundtracks go. There are always some amazing pieces within the whole of one of his movie scores, but I think his soundtrack to The Last Airbender may be my favorite of his so far.
Like a painter, the film score composer has many tools at his or her disposal. Broad strokes done with horns have a different effect than a quiet flute solo and the power of a single violin has a much different effect than the entire string section of an orchestra. And bringing in heavy, percussive drums and cymbals has yet another completely different effect.
It is also the job of any good movie soundtrack to not only enhance the action on screen, but also provide auditory clues to the audience. For example, each time you hear “The Imperial March” in a Star Wars soundtrack from John Williams, you know that Darth Vader is near. But more than that, the music should evoke an emotional response from the audience.
Within the soundtrack to The Last Airbender, I hear bits that make me think of Williams’ work, Basil Poledouris’ work on the Conan movie soundtracks, as well as classical influences from the East and a bit of a Russian feel. The composition as a whole provides many layers that evokes in me a lot of hope for this movie.
The industrial power of the Fire Nation seeks to convince the rest of the world that their way is best and the old ways must give way to the new. The other nations have their own ideas however. The peaceful Air Nation has been destroyed, the Earth Nation has become isolationist, and the Northern and Southern Water Nation tribes are isolated by virtue of location. Where they all once worked together, now the world is full of distrust and a version of the “Might is Right” line of thinking.
The opening “Airbender Suite” provides a taste of the musical themes that persist throughout the soundtrack. The breathy flute gives way to the cresting waves of strings and horns as we prepare to see the story of a world in the midst of a clash of philosophies. All twelve tracks of the soundtrack utilize the full extent of the highs and lows of an amazing orchestra.
Newton has given each tribe a different feel – from the powerful militant drums of the Fire Nation to the light and airy Air Nation flutes. Each tries to capture one of the four elements of Air, Earth, Fire, or Water in terms of a group of instruments, chords, or melody. Immediately I was caught up in the ebb and flow of these inspired orchestrations.
Of the soundtracks I’ve heard so far this summer, The Last Airbender by Howard has to be my favorite. The mix of instruments and styles from around the globe lends itself to some very unique compositions such as “The Four Elements Test,” which takes distinctly Eastern flutes and bells and combines them with the drums, horns, and strings of more Western traditions. Out of the 12 tracks on the soundtrack, this one is my favorite as it builds and builds to its conclusion.
“The Blue Spirit” is my other favorite, as it managed to surprise me with its use of silence to punctuate eerie crescendos and crashing waves of strings and drums. It reminded me of some of my other favorite soundtracks such as Raiders of the Lost Ark by Williams and Gladiator by Hans Zimmer as it progressed from light and soft to a powerful mix of horns and strings worthy of a great climax in the film.
Howard has received eight Oscar nominations so far in his career, including six Best Original Score nods for Defiance, Michael Clayton, The Village, The Prince of Tides, and My Best Friend’s Wedding. Personally I think that The Last Airbender is the best work to date I’ve heard from him and would expect this score to also receive award nominations.
As a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the animated series on Nicktoons that M. Night Shyamalan‘s movie is based on, I have to admit some worry about how it would translate to the screen. If Howard’s film score is any indication of the movie quality, I have gained some newfound hope for the entire experience. We’ll see if the film lives up to the promise of the soundtrack on July 2, 2010! Check out The Last Airbender soundtrack when it’s released on June 29, 2010.
Article first published as Music Review: The Last Airbender Soundtrack on Blogcritics.
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up this and other great soundtracks below!
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Posted by fitz in Movies, Music, Soundtracks on Aug 05
Hey all…
In August 2009, the movie Post Grad explores the life of Ryden Malby (Alexis Bledel – Gilmore Girls), recent college graduate. She thought her life perfect – loft apartment, perfect job at the city’s best publishing house, and so on. Unfortunately life throws her a curve ball as it so often does.
Her college nemesis, Jessica Bard (Catherine Reitman), gets the job and Ryden is forced to move home to figure out what’s next. However, her eccentric family provides a strong motivator to find a job, a relationship, and figure out what to do with her life. The movie has an all star cast with Jane Lynch as Ryden’s Mom, Michael Keaton as her Dad, and Carol Burnett as her Grandmother.
As fas the soundtrack goes, we’ve had great luck with movie music with our summer films. So far we’ve had I Love You, Beth Cooper, which deals with the end of high school, (500) Days of Summer, which deals with all the phases of a relationship, and now Post Grad dealing with the period between. I Love You, Beth Cooper and (500) Days of Summer both have amazing soundtracks, so why should Post Grad be any different?
Chrisophe Beck (who also pulled together the I Love You, Beth Cooper soundtrack) has pulled together a great mix of tunes and added some original compositions for the score as well. He manages to mix styles and artists to create a landscape worthy of a college graduate trying to find herself again when things don’t quite go according to plan. Each song deals with a different aspect of that self-discovery process – denial, acceptance, and moving on…
In the beginning, the tracks all revolve around simply accepting that things didn’t work out. First convincing her self things will be ok (“Pony (It’s Ok)” by Erin McCarley) and dealing with the grief she gets from others (“Don’t give Me a Hard Time” by The Locarnos). Then later she wonders why it happened to her (“What Happened to It” by the bird and the bee).
By the middle of the film, she’s figuring out that maybe this happened for a reason (“Always Where I Need To Be” by the Kooks) and sees that maybe she can make things work out for herself (“Turn Back Around” by Lucy Schwartz).
And by the end, she’s seeing the world in a new light (“Wake the Sun” by the Matches and “Brand New Day” by Joshua Radin) and ready to tackle life again (“I Say I Go” by Kevin Drew).
Overall this is a terrific mix of music that works to reinforce the themes of the movie. The variety of styles is refreshing and makes this another great summer party CD. It includes everything from light pop and acoustic tracks to punk and rap! My only complaint (similar to my review of the I Love You, Beth Cooper soundtrack), though I liked Beck’s score pieces, I have to wonder if it would have been better to have the score as a separate album all together.
Be sure to check out the Post Grad Soundtrack at your favorite online or brick-and-mortar retailer. when it arrives on August 18, 2009. And check out the movie at a theater near you on August 21st!
–Fitz
p.s. Pre-order your copy of the Post Grad soundtrack or these other great albums from Amazon!
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Posted by fitz in Movies, Music, Soundtracks on Jul 24
Hey all!
On July 10, 2009, the movie I Love You, Beth Cooper hit movie screens across the nation. Based on a book from Larry Doyle, the film focuses on geeky valedictorian Denis Cooverman (Paul Rust) who in his speech to the graduating class announces his love for cheerleader and all-round popular girl Beth Cooper (Hayden Panettiere). But he doesn’t stop there… He then manages to tell off his best friend, the school bully, and others, to release the pent up rage of high school societal circles.
The movie soundtrack includes 15 songs from the film – everything from Alice cooper, Kiss, and Smokey Robinson to Violet Columbus, The Perishers, and Airbourne. It’s an interesting mix of new and old, which helps solidify the movie’s broad and timeless appeal. High school is a right of passage that leaves its share of scars on all who survive it. And though the book is set in the 1970s, the themes are equally applicable to today and generations to follow.
Lyrics from the many songs play into the insecurities your typical students suffer. Discovering your own hopes and dreams is just as difficult as navigating the minefield of social relationships formed along the way.
For example, songs like “Forget Me” from Violet Columbus and Eleni Mandell and “Try It Again” from The Hives focus on the need to be able to pick yourself up and dust yourself off when relationships don’t go well.
“Come Out of the Shade” from The Perishers deals with the transition from friends to more. “Just friends, am I a fool to be asking for / a fool to wish that we could be more…”
“Sway” from The Kooks feels a bit like The Cure and is also about friendships becoming more. “… take whatever you have to take, you know I love ya / come however you have to come, and get it out…” Being there for one another as friends discover themselves and one another.
Beyond that, the songs are about that summer after graduating from high school… cutting loose and playing before heading off to the next rung of the social ladder, whatever that may be. “School’s Out” from Alice Cooper and “Feels Like the First Time” from Foreigner are classic tracks that will remain relevant forever. But “Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast” from Airbourne rocks right along with them about “if this is the end of days, then I’m goin’ out in style…” And “A Good Idea At the Time” from OK Go rocks along in an almost Jimmi Hendrix mode talking about just cutting loose.
Intermixed along with the pop and rock tracks are a few bits of the rest of the soundtrack, including “Who Knew?” – which reminded me a bit of some of the tunes from the August Rush soundtrack and a bit out of place here but well orchestrated for the slower, more emotional moments of the film.
Overall I think this is a great soundtrack for the summer. It includes a terrific mix of old and new songs and would be a great party mix without the few non-pop/rock bits. Be sure to check out the I Love You, Beth Cooper movie and soundtrack!
–Fitz
p.s. Be sure to pick up the soundtrack at Amazon!
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Posted by fitz in Comedy, Movies, Music, Soundtracks on Jul 08
Hi there!
David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls. Living legends of rock & roll. Members of Spinal Tap. Creators of such classic rock hits as “Hell Hole,” “Stonehenge,” and “Big Bottom.” And now, 35 years after St. Hubbins and Tufnel first started playing together, Spinal Tap is releasing their third album – Back from the Dead – to follow up Smell the Glove and Break Like the Wind.
For those of you not up on your Spinal Tap history, here’s a quick summary. In 1984, Rob Reiner directed a mock documentary film of Spinal Tap called This is Spinal Tap. The members included David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Nigel Tuffnel (Christopher Guest), and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer). I was introduced to Spinal Tap through the This is Spinal Tap movie in the late 1980s and have been holding a torch for the group ever since.
Spinal Tap music focuses on all the cliches of rock music. Creative yet stereotypical lyrics often about mystical, demonic, or sexual topics sung with the backing of a screeching/yelling lead singer, a tempermental lead guitarist, and a silent, almost Zen bass player. I’d mention the drummer, but Spinal Tap has always had an issue with keeping drummers alive and with the band. One died in a bizarre gardening accident, another choked on someone else’s vomit, and two died of apparent spontaneous human combustion while onstage.
With their latest release of Back from the Dead, I think they’ve outdone themselves. The CD includes 19 tracks, including a few jazz interludes, classic tracks such as “Sex Farm” and “Big Bottom”, and some newer tracks I hadn’t heard before such as “Celtic Blues,” “Back from the Dead”, and “Warmer Than Hell.”
What continues to amaze me about the band is that they’re actually quite good musicians and have a gift for writing comedic lyrics. McKean, Guest, and Shearer also portrayed the fictional band The Folksmen in the 2003 movie A Mighty Wind. They’re all accomplished actors, comedians, and to be able to play as they do is incredible.
Guest recently (January 2009) had a new music effort released – the Beyman Bros’ Memories of Summer as a Child. A combination of jazz, folk, and celtic influences that worked together to create a meditative journey from the beginning of the album to the end. Guest played a variety of instruments (mandolin, mandocello, clarinet, and occasional guitar) and it blew me away.
So the trio doesn’t lack for talent by any stretch of the imagination. The three tracks on Back from the Dead that were titled “Jazz Oddyssey” I, II, and III were each unique and showcased the raw talent aside from their comedic journey as a band. The same holds true for “Celtic Blues”, though it has a comedy bent to it as well. A capella music requires skill, talent, and trust – and they make it work beautifully.
And then there are the traditional tracks. “Big Bottom” speaks of love for big, beautiful women (I’m paraphrasing here). “Hell Hole” shows the journey from nobodies to the top of their game and realizing it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It’s a quote that stayed with me since This is Spinal Tap – “You know where you stand in a hell hole / folks lend a hand in a hell hole…” Ah, the rock and roll lifestyle.
If you’re a fan of Spinal Tap, or just like mock rock, the music alone would probably be enough to get you to listen and possibly buy it. But they sweetened the deal. There’s also a DVD included in the new release. It’s a series of video segments of the band talking about the various tracks on the album. And it for me sealed the deal.
The original movie worked because it was a combination of music and mockumentary. This CD/DVD release has the same appeal. The video below gives a taste of it.
I can say without a doubt the Back from the Dead “goes to 11″ as Spinal Tap would say. It’s great to see the guys back again. They haven’t lost a step. Visit their website SpinalTap.com and be sure to support their resurrection and pick up the album at your favorite retailer!
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up your Spinal Tap movies and music at Amazon!
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Posted by fitz in Movies, Music, Soundtracks on Jun 12
Hey there…
In 1989, Danny Elfman, from the band Oingo Boingo, scored the soundtrack to Batman starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson and directed by Tim Burton. From that moment on, whether Elfman was working with Burton or without, he had solidified himself in my mind as a composer with a unique edge and flair.
Over time, I found myself consciously comparing each of the soundtracks after Batman to that first great exposure to his work. By doing this comparison, I found signature elements in each soundtrack that uniquely identified Elfman’s work.
With Terminator Salvation — Original Soundtrack I really had to hunt to find that signature sound. In my opinion, this is one of Elfman’s best, because it strives to be unique for the continuation of the Terminator franchise, yet holds true to the sounds of the original movies. The thudding metal sound of the original Terminator score by Brad Fiedel was inspired, but Elfman has taken the melding of man and machine to another level.
When I saw Terminator Salvation on opening day, the soundtrack did what all great soundtracks do… blended into the background when the action of the characters on screen was important, and accented some of those important moments to make them stand out that much more. And with a mix of powerful action-oriented tracks and softer ones, I think he struck a balance that is difficult to do in any action or science fiction movie, let alone a reboot of the Terminator franchise.
I was unable to tell which orchestra was used for the non-electronic or synth portions of the soundtrack, but the blend between machines and men with the music was just as profound as the battle raging in the movie itself. The use of strings, powerful drums, horns, and soft guitar meshed with the metallic clanks, machine noises, and battle sounds beautifully.
Among my favorite tracks on the soundtrack album are “Broadcast” and “Marcus Enters Skynet”. “Broadcast” builds to a satisfying crescendo that cries out to me with the horns and strings. And “Marcus Enters Skynet” slows the pace a bit to allow us to experience what Marcus is feeling as he discovers his true nature and rebels against the machines.
In addition to the score for the movie, the soundtrack also includes Alice in Chains’ song “Rooster.” This track was used in one of the movie trailers that I can recall and fit in perfectly with the storyline of the Terminator universe. It’s hard to argue with lyrics like “Ain’t found a way to kill me yet…” when talking about John Connor, who has now managed to survive four movies and multiple attempts on his life.
The last Elfman soundtrack that sounded promising was for Wanted in 2007. It had its moments, but the soundtrack for Terminator Salvation worked beautifully for me.
If you like soundtracks and are among the few fans of the original Terminator movies and actually enjoyed Terminator Salvation (like me), be sure to pick up Terminator Salvation — The Original Soundtrack at a retail store near you or online.
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up the soundtrack at Amazon here:
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Posted by fitz in Movies, Music, Soundtracks on Jul 25
Hi all…
Let me preface this review with some thoughts about John Williams. I’ve loved his music ever since seeing Star Wars in the late 1970s. Since then, I’ve probably seen 90% of the movies that John Williams has scored for Spielberg and Lucas. My two favorite soundtracks of his are Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Empire Strikes Back.
That said, this wasn’t even close to either of those classic soundtracks for me, sorry John.
The last good soundtrack I heard from JW was Revenge of the Sith. I’m not a huge fan of any of the Star Wars prequels, but that was a great soundtrack.
Rating: 
So what didn’t work for me? I think it was that the whole thing hit me much like a repeat of Raiders. The themes were there, but there were no pieces that stood out distinctly. I still get chills when I hear the Map Room music. There were no chills here. In fact, I kept wanting to skip to the next track.
Perhaps it’s time for some of the other soundtrack composers to step to the fore… James Newton Howard and Howard Shore come to mind. They’ve done some amazing work in the last few films each has done.
Like I said — sorry JW. I’m only giving this 2/4. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t do much for me either.
–Fitz
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