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SoundCast Ep. 39 - Oscars - I Think There's a Buzz!

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:44:00 +0000

Episode 39 - OSCARS: I THINK THERE’S A BUZZ.

In our annual Oscar prediction show, Michael Coleman (SoundWorksCollection.com) joins in. They also react to the Awards given out thus far and sidetrack on “What is an iconic score?”

Episode Highlights

00:00 — I think I hear a buzz.
01:27 — Welcome and Intro: Michael Coleman (SoundworksCollection.com)
04:10 — WHYBLT? James Horner, Crysis 2
06:44 — WHYBLT? Joe Hisaishi
07:56 — WHYBLT? Oscar short-listers and Hanna's back
11:28 — WHYBLT? Tinker Tailor, The Artist, The Greatest Miracle
13:01 — WHYBLT? Haywire, Back to Gaya, Man to Man
15:28 — Sidetrack: "What is an iconic score?"
28:09 — Awards Reactions
31:12 — Detour into Drive and Contagion
40:38 — Revisiting last year's predictions
41:41 — The Nominees Are...
44:01 — Reacting to the Entertainment Weekly article by Kyle Anderson (http://bit.ly/Aaat9r)
56:05 — Oscar Predictions!
66:18 — Conclusion

Select Music

00:00 — "Night Call" (Drive) by Kavinsky
00:00 — "A Real Hero" (Drive) by Cliff Martinez
04:30 — "A Return to the Caspian, and to the Iran of Old" (House of Sand and Fog) by James Horner
05:35 — "Chase" (Crysis 2) by Hans Zimmer, Borislav Slavov and Tillman Sillescu.
07:07 — "Opening" (Legend of the Four Gods Vol. 1) by Joe Hisaishi
08:37 — "Hanna's theme" (Hanna) by Hanna
11:58 — "George Smiley" (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) by Alberto Iglesias
13:05 — "Barcelona" (Haywire) by David Holmes
13:50 — "Main Title" (Back to Gaya) by Michael Kamen
15:33 — "The Game Has Changed" (Tron: Legacy) by Daft Punk
24:35 — "Dream is Collapsing" (Inception) by Hans Zimmer
26:21 — "Sorrow" (Gladiator) by Hans Zimmer
31:15 — "Tick of the Clock" (Drive) by Cliff Martinez
34:04 — "The Birds Are Doing That" (Contagion) by Cliff Martinez
42:09 — "The Adventures of Tintin" (The Adventures of Tin Tin) by John Williams
42:27 — "The Thief" (Hugo) by Howard Shore
42:45 — "George Valentin" (The Artist) by Ludovic Bource
43:07 — "George Smiley" (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) by Alberto Iglesias
43:31 — "The Reunion" (War Horse) by John Williams
46:27 — "Salander At Soder Hospital" (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) by Reznor/Ross
66:34 — "Peppy and George" (The Artist) by Ludovic Bource

Download the episode here

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Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (Soundtrack) by Alberto Iglesias - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:35:00 +0000

Old Men Drinking in the Dark
Review by Helen San

Classically trained Spanish composer ALBERTO IGLESIAS has an ethereal, perspicacious style that Hollywood has really taken a liking to. Like actor Antonio Banderas, IGLESIAS has been propelled him into the international spotlight by his close working relationship with acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. Recent years has seen him scoring more and more Hollywood and European artfare, the kind that gets Academy Award nominations. Twice nominated for the Academy Awards before (THE CONSTANT GARDENER and THE KITE RUNNER), IGLESIAS has just been nominated a third time for TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY (TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY). He has already won the Hollywood Film Composer Award this year for both TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY and Almodóvar’s THE SKIN I LIVE IN.

IGLESIAS’ style is reminiscent of other classical composers like JOHN CORIGLIANO and ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL. He writes abstract, discordant, thorny compositions that pique and provoke, often contrasted against an amorphous, atonal background. When it hits the spot, his music is sheer brilliance. “Los Vestidos Desgarrados” (Track 1) in THE SKIN I LIVE IN, for example, is one of the most mesmerizing and ingenious string cues I’ve ever heard. The problem was, these flashes of genius were few and far between. In both previous Oscar-nominated scores , THE CONSTANT GARDENER and THE KITE RUNNER, IGLESIAS maintained his luminosity and intelligence at a relatively steady pace throughout the albums. This year, in both THE SKIN I LIVE IN and TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, Iglesias’ music has been very uneven.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

Interview with Cliff Martinez from Sundance 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:13:00 +0000

One of the most exciting assignments I received was a chance to sit down with the incredible composer, Cliff Martinez. We met at the Sundance Film Festival Headquarters in the Park City Marriott Hotel. I was initially concerned because I knew this was the hub of the festival and finding a quiet place to chat would be close to impossible. We decided on speaking in this tranquil swimming pool area that had glassed ceilings giving us the warmth of indoor heating along with the beautiful sunlight from above. Cliff had just come back from an early morning screening and mentioned he was running on a few hours of sleep as his duties as a Jury Member of Sundance were starting to take its toll on Day 6 of the festival, however Cliff was pleased to sit down with me for this interview. We discussed his work on DRIVE, CONTAGION, his working relationships with his directors and his experience as a Jury member at Sundance 2012.

CHECK OUT OUR SUNDANCE COVERAGE

Underworld: Awakening (Original Score) by Paul Haslinger - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:59:00 +0000

Underworld: Do Not Disturb
Review by Edmund Meinerts

Attracting something of a cult following and consistently performing well at the box office despite scathing critical reviews across the board, the UNDERWORLD series proves that all you really need to earn money in Hollywood these days is Kate Beckinsale in a tight leather outfit. Throw in a few battles between supernatural creatures – vampires, werewolves, the usual types – and the result is a series of films where style is clearly prioritized over substance. Fortunately, films such as this would seem to offer ripe ground for a composer to let rip with some equally stylish horror music – unfortunately, that’s rarely the case with this series, and the fourth entry is hardly an exception to that rule.

To take a hybrid approach to the UNDERWORLD film scores would seem to be a logical move, considering the similarly hybrid creatures battling it out on the screen. Therefore, PAUL HASLINGER was approached to score the first film. HASLINGER, a former member of the electronic music group TANGERINE DREAM, has been dabbling with film scoring ever since that group’s own forays into the genre in the 80s, before lending his electronic programming services to GRAEME REVELL’S scores in the late 90s and early 00s. UNDERWORLD represented HASLINGER’S first exposure to the mainstream, and he responded with a primarily industrial score that offered both the necessary grungy drive for the fight scenes, and a handful of compelling softer ideas. It was never the most refined of scores, but the modern approach worked for the franchise.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE

Sundance 2012: The Raid by Mike Shinoda & Joseph Trapanese (In-Film Score Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:30:00 +0000

THE RAID
Directed by Gareth Evans
Music by Mike Shinoda & Joseph Trapanese
Review by: Bradley Winston

One of the most anticipated films at Sundance, The Raid, is a flurry of flying fists, feet and sweat all to the rhythmic score provided by Mike Shinoda and Joseph Trapanese. Praised as “relentlessly exciting*” and “an action masterpiece**,” the film has left audiences out of breath and clutching their still-beating hearts thanks to the non-stop adrenaline rush that director Gareth Evans provides.

As a rookie member of an elite special-forces team, Rama (Iko Uwais) is instructed to hang back during a covert mission involving the extraction of a brutal crime lord from a rundown fifteen-story apartment block. But when a spotter blows their cover, boss Tama (Ray Sahetaphy) offers lifelong sanctuary to every killer, rapist and thief in the building in exchange for their heads. Now Rama must stand in for the team’s fallen leader Jaka (Joe Taslim) and use every bit of his fighting strength – winding through every floor and room to complete the mission and escape with his life.

The score is relentless as the action. Paired with the action, the music takes you on a thrill ride that you never want to end. Primarily an electronic score of drum machine beats and unique sounds, the music could easily be trapped in a techno pit like the Chemical Brother’s score to Hanna, but the heart-warming strings and soft piano touches in the human-element moments of the film draw you back to reality to realize you care about these human-punching bags and want the lead actor, Iko Uwais (“Rama”), to defeat his enemies and get home.

The main theme introduced early on in the film, continually teases the audience with a feeling of unfinished melody as the characters fight their way up a 15-story building. We don’t actually hear the entire theme played out until the final credits when the score blends into an original song produced by Shinoda sparks to life and eases us back to reality. The cord tension pulls at your subconscious so much that when you finally hear the full melody and the action is finally over you can actually relax and let the experience of the ride wash over you.

The Raid marks Mike Shinoda’s first score as a film composer. His career is primarily known as being a member of Linkin Park and contributing many influential songs to movie soundtracks over the years. Joseph Trapanese collaborated with Daft Punk on the riveting score to TRON: Legacy and recently contributed to five tracks on M83’s latest double-album release, “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming,” as well as scoring projects like The Bannen Way and the upcoming animated series TRON: Uprising.

The Raid will release in theaters on March 23rd nationwide. There are no plans to release a score soundtrack at this time.

Interview: Composer Robert Duncan - Having Fun Scoring the Castle

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:01:00 +0000

Interview by Richard Buxton

As the ABC dramedy CASTLE continues through its fourth season on air, versatile composer ROBERT DUNCAN explores his work on the show and his previous experiences of scoring hits such as BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, THE UNIT and THE CHICAGO CODE, and offers an insight into the differences between TV and Film scoring.

TS- How exactly did you land the role of Castle's composer?

RD - I heard about the show in the pilot stage and had a meeting with one of the executives at ABC. She then took my demo CD and gave it to Castle producers Andrew Marlowe and Laurie Zaks. They got a few submissions, but kept coming back to me and eventually I was chosen. I was very lucky.

TS- Looking back over the previous three seasons of Castle, how would you say your music has evolved, and have such changes been a result of major storyline shifts or you establishing a greater understanding of the characters and the world they inhabit?

RD - The music has evolved with the characters. During the pilot, the main characters, Castle and detective Beckett were just meeting each other and there was an almost primal, slightly animalistic element to their flirting. Now their relationship is a lot deeper and the music has become more introspective.

TS- Being a comedy/drama, how has your approach to scoring Castle differed to say, a straight drama? Is the act of balancing the two genres a hindrance, or does it allow you greater freedom to experiment musically?

RD - Each show I work on has its own unique personality and vibe that I try to tap into. Even the way comedy is handled in a show can widely vary. My first lesson in scoring comedy was working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The producers took what I think was a clever approach to the comedy: don't play it. With just a few exceptions, music always played the 'straight man', and sidestepped the humor. 'Clear for the joke' I would hear in meetings, meaning a bar ringout and rest, or sustain before continuing. Occasionally the music had some tongue-in-cheek or winking but not much. With Castle, the music plays more literally. The producers want the music to contour with almost every beat. Balancing comedy with drama isn't an awkward feat; in my mind it’s a palette and sensibility choice. One painting may be entirely made from varying shades of blue. Another may have blues, reds and greens.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE

BAFTA 2011 Film Award Nominees for Best Original Score

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:52:00 +0000

In case you've missed it, below are the this year's BAFTA Nominees for Original Score. No big surprises here. We'll go way out on a limb and predict that Ludovic Bource will be bringing home another award here. What say you?

THE ARTIST - Ludovic Bource

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO - Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

HUGO Howard - Shore

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY - Alberto Iglesias

WAR HORSE - John Williams

SEE THE REST OF THE 2011 BAFTA NOMINEES HERE

In the Land of Blood and Honey (Soundtrack) by Gabriel Yared - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:50:00 +0000

Ever Elusive
Review by Edmund Meinerts

ANGELINA JOLIE makes a surprising directorial debut with IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY, a film that uses the love story between a Bosnian POV and the Bosnian Serb overseer of the camp in which she is held captive to depict the atrocities of the Bosnian war. Casting exclusively local actors who themselves lived through the horrific conflict, and with a mostly Bosnian and Serbo-Croatian script, JOLIE has been praised for her sincere attempt to bring this often-forgotten war to the attention of the public. Since its limited release at the end of December, however, the film has picked up some criticism for being too heavy-handed in its message and its dramatized, and some have said caricatured portrayal of the Serbs.

Handling musical duties for this project is Lebanese composer and former art house favorite GABRIEL YARED, who made a splash in Hollywood during the late 1990s on such popular, well-known dramatic and romantic projects as THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE and THE ENGLISH PATIENT. Film music collectors, however, mostly remember his involvement in the musical fiasco of TROY, for which YARED’S enormous score, a labor of love on which the composer had worked for over a year, was unceremoniously replaced by a last-minute JAMES HORNER effort. His career since then has slowed down considerably, only taking on a handful of lesser-known, often foreign films. In short, YARED scores have become somewhat elusive on album, and unfortunately, IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY does little to correct that ill.

The main reason for that, as a quick glance at the liner notes will readily make apparent, is the fact that YARED’S contribution to the film is limited to only a little more than a quarter of the album, comprising the first four tracks. The rest is devoted to source songs by little-known Bosnian artists, with the notable exception of the U2 and BRIAN ENO single “Miss Sarajevo” (5), which combines BONO’S downbeat, contemporary voice with an unexpected solo from robust opera tenor LUCIANO PAVAROTTI, to surprisingly effective genre-bending collaboration. Given the subject matter of the well-known song, its inclusion on the soundtrack is unsurprising, but it did not appear in the film.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

SoundCast Interview: Lorne Balfe (Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Skylander)

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:59:00 +0000

Interview: Lorne Balfe (Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Skylander)

Marius Masalar talks with composer Lorne Balfe about two of his latest projects: Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Skylander: Spyros. Balfe as reveals how he got into video game music, the challenges of writing music for popular sequels and what he considers his dream project.

CORRECTION: Lorne Balfe composed the exhibition trailer for Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, which was the third game of the series, not the second as he inadvertently stated.

Episode Highlights

02:06 — How did you transition from film to video games?
06:27 — How did you come to work on SKYLANDERS
13:13 — Did you feel that you had to be dutiful to the original Spyro?
15:25 — WHYBLT? - Hugo, Twilight for Chamber Orchestra
17:22 — Assassins Creed: Revelations - How did you work with composer Jesper Kyd?
24:14 — What were some of the musical highlights for you from AC: Revelation
27:00 — What sort of reactions have you gotten to your music for AC: Revelation
28:51 — The next Assassins Creed, Sherlock Holmes, Anthems, and Bat Man
33:01 — What is your ideal project?
36:02 — The Ron Howard/ Canon Project
40:10 — Taste, subjectivity, and style

Select Music

00:00 — "Rhodes" (Assassin's Creed: Revelations) by Lorne Balfe
06:26 — "Shattered Island" (Skylander: Spyros Adventure) by Lorne Balfe
10:28 — "Sky Schooner Docks" (Skylander: Spyros Adventure) by Lorne Balfe
11:55 — "Skylanders Main Theme" (Skylander: Spyros Adventure) by Hans Zimmer
17:15 — "Master and Mentor" (Assassin's Creed: Revelations) by Lorne Balfe
24:45 — "Assassins Creed Theme" (Assassin's Creed: Revelations) by Lorne Balfe
43:35 — "The Road to Masysaf" (Assassin's Creed: Revelations) by Lorne Balfe

Download the episode here

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Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Soundtrack to Release on Feb. 7

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:53:00 +0000

KINGDOMS OF AMALUR: RECKONING™ ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK SET FOR RELEASE ON FEBRUARY 7

Score by Renowned Composer Grant Kirkhope & Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Released by Sumthing Else Music Works on Same Day as Innovative Video Game

New York - January 12th, 2012 - Marking the next step in the evolution of video game soundtracks, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning™ Original Soundtrack is scheduled for release on February 7, 2012-the same day that the highly anticipated fantasy role-playing video game becomes available. Featuring original music composed by renowned composer Grant Kirkhope, the soundtrack will be distributed through Sumthing Else Music Works-the leading video game music company created by famed musician/producer Nile Rodgers-and will be released through a licensing relationship between 38 Studios LLC and Big Huge Games.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning™ Original Soundtrack will be available at all physical and online retail outlets, and through digital download at www.sumthingdigital.com, Amazon MP3, iTunes® and other digital music sites.

Set in an entirely new universe crafted by New York Times best-selling author R. A. Salvatore, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is brought to life visually through the trademark visceral style of renowned artist and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. With a sprawling explorable world and deep RPG gameplay at its core, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning adds a new level of intense action combat to the genre, and a one-of-a-kind advancement system as players unfold and evolve their destiny through constant character customization. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is being created under the leadership of Ken Rolston, lead designer of the critically acclaimed open-world RPGs Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Renowned video game composer Grant Kirkhope (GoldenEye, Perfect Dark, Viva Pinata) and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra bring the magical world of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning to life with an original dark fantasy score. The cutting-edge soundtrack is just the latest release from Sumthing Else Music Works, founded in 1998 by world-renowned songwriter, musician and record producer Nile Rodgers. Rodgers' philosophy of artist-driven music, coupled with his appreciation of new concepts and products, has made Sumthing Else a leader in the relatively new genre of video game soundtracks. (SumthingDigital.com)

"Reckoning was a huge undertaking, as I knew from the start the scale of the game was going to be BIIIIIIIG!," said Kirkhope. "I wanted to make sure it was strong thematically so that the player could make real associations with characters and places; I've always tried to do this with all the games I've worked on. There's a good two and a half hours' worth of full orchestral score in Reckoning ranging from huge boss fights to smaller ensemble pieces for dungeons and cities. I wanted the score to have a dark fairytale kind of feel that was full of magic and danger at every turn just like the game. The team here at Big Huge Games created such a beautiful looking world that it was such a pleasure to score!"

Developed by 38 Studios subsidiary Big Huge Games in Baltimore and 38 Studios in Providence, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will be available on February 7, 2012 in North America and on February 10, 2012 in Europe on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC. For more information on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, please visit www.reckoning.com, become a fan on Facebook http://facebook.com/ReckoningTheGame and follow Reckoning on Twitter http://twitter.com/ReckoningGame.

LISTEN TO CLIPS AND PRE-ORDER THE SOUNDTRACK FROM AMAZON HERE

The Ides of March (Soundtrack) by Alexandre Desplat - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:11:00 +0000

Not Too Brute
by Richard Buxton

The last few years have seen ALEXANDRE DESPLAT evolve from an up and coming feature composer to one of the most sought after in Hollywood, yet he is one that remains divisive depending on how his music is heard. DESPLAT is undoubtedly one of the most talented composers in the art of pure music-to-film correlation working today. Once his music is extracted from its original residency within the walls of a motion picture however, cracks tend to show. These cracks are not displays of inadequacy in compositional skill, rather the effects of the transformation a score undergoes when it is heard out of context. DESPLAT is certainly not known for writing bombastically memorable fanfares that the likes of JOHN WILLIAMS thrive on, and this is something that has to be taken into account when assessing his work.

DESPLAT retains his enviable ability to craft a musical score as if it and the film were one and the same with his score for the GEORGE CLOONEY film THE IDES OF MARCH. THE IDES OF MARCH dwells within the dark and deceitful world of modern-day politics, following the descent of the bright-eyed and idealistic campaign manager Stephen Meyers (RYAN GOSLING), into a world of guile, treachery and uninhibited ambition. The development that both the protagonist and his world undergo has allowed DESPLAT to craft a score that interweaves between the optimism and inevitable corruption of a young political mind.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE

The Awakening (Soundtrack) by Daniel Pemberton - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:38:00 +0000

When Horror Held Back
Review by Richard Buxton

Musical offerings in the horror genre are often a mixed experience of glorious highs and mind numbing lows. Beyond the pedestrian scores heard in the various celebrations of mindless violence in recent years, horror has often been an exercise in patience that is occasionally rewarded with quite simply stunning music. JAMES NEWTON HOWARD could be seen as one of the catalysts for the evolution of the horror score beyond atmosphere and scares, as his music for the SHYAMALAN films SIGNS and THE VILLAGE both transcended the genre, and combined unremitting tension with emotionally stunning scores. Both of these scores provided a master class in guiding the listener through the horror with timely suggestions of a beauty beyond the terror that culminated in rousing catharsis at the climax of each movie. Taking a similar approach, FERNANDO VELAZQUEZ wowed the ears with his show-stopping music finale for THE ORPHANAGE/EL ORFANATO, reducing listeners and viewers to emotional wrecks. It’s clear that composer DANIEL PEMBERTON has taken note of previous successes and has admirably attempted to craft a score beyond the bare minimum.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

The Top Ten Scores of Thomas Newman

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:51:00 +0000

Ranking the works of Thomas Newman might seem an easy task given the composer’s wealth of career-projects; however, it’s almost as frustratingly difficult as being nominated for an Oscar but never bringing home the golden bacon. Nevertheless, I take on this formidable task with giddy eagerness because it affords me the chance to dive back through some of most emotionally stirring movie music to come out of Hollywood over the last 20 years.

The one easy part for me (which may make some of Newman’s fans immediately upset) is eliminating from contention almost every one of his works that can be grouped into the category I call the “American Beauty Group.” There were a plethora of scores that Newman produced, principally in the 90s, which were of this quirky, minimalist variety best exemplified by his highly recognized score for AMERICAN BEAUTY. Others that fall into this group, and hence immediately out of contention from this top ten list would be among others: WHITE OLEANDER, PAY IT FORWARD, ERIN BROKOVICH, IN THE BEDROOM, and SALTON SEA.

That said, and somewhat ironically in light of the popularity of some of the aforementioned titles, few composers can do “majestic” like Thomas Newman. While some of his scores can almost be indistinguishable from one another, often times, there are incomparable moments of wonder, exultation, and brilliance dotted throughout these very same scores. One may find that scores like this, which tend to trend earlier than later in his prolific career, dominating my top ten list.

#10 - REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
Revolutionary Road (End Title) by Thomas Newman on Grooveshark
One of 2008’s most powerful and best acted films was directed by Sam Mendes, which pretty much ensured that Thomas Newman would be on the case as well. Again, Newman provides a dream-like, sonic landscape with piano, woodwinds and strings, supporting the apparently young and loving, suburbanite-couple perfectly. However, Newman’s introduction of jazz improvisations and progressions tells us that this story will go in unanticipated directions and that this relationship is far from harmonious. The end result is a score that, if experienced within the gut-wrenching film, can hardly be forgotten.

#9 - WALL-E
The Axiom by Thomas Newman on Grooveshark
One of Pixar’s top efforts, WALL-E, featured very little dialogue, putting a greater amount of weight on its original score to help tell the story. Newman is clearly up to the challenge effetively adding even more layers and textures to his strongly ambient style. He crafts a memorable robot-love theme and treats us to a number of playful and innocent themes which are well contrasted by a handful of thrilling action sequences.

#8 - THE HORSE WHISPERER

Looking for something majestic? If so, then The Horse Whisperer is for you. The title theme is oft used throughout the movie, sometimes reaching emotional peaks that Thomas Newman has become adept at scaling...when he is allowed to. The reason this title isn’t higher is simply due to the abundance of blue-grass-flavored tracks that break the rapture these other tracks have produced. That, and because the tracks containing his summit reaching music are so very brief.

#7 - MEET JOE BLACK

Anyone who has seen this film or listened to the soundtrack has certainly not forgotten the film’s climax or Newman’s underscore. Wait. Saying “underscore” is a poor choise of words as there is nothing “under” about this piece. “That Next Place” (which is over 10 minutes in length) is one of the most emotionally, over-the-top-cues you will ever hear...and that’s why so many love it so! While that and the track “Walkaway,” with its gentle introduction to the score’s main theme, get the majority of attention on this soundtrack, there is quite a bit more to appreciate. It’s not groundbreaking in anyway, but Meet Joe Black is a great representation of Thomas Newman’s talents.

#6 - SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

Here’s one that suffers from it’s own success. Some of the grander moments of his music for Shawshank, like the majestic “End Title” have gone on to the realm of trailer-abuse. We have heard it so many times, attached to so many things, that it may have lost some of its potency or even become a bit of a parody. Regardless of the later abuse, pieces like “So Was Red” remain among Newman’s best. Now, outside of those well-worn, but still satisfying pieces, Newman’s bass-lead Stoic theme, plods along in its own monotonous desperation until his ever-hopeful strings join in the undulating rhythm. Newman’s score should be seen as every bit the classic that the film itself has become.

#5 - ROAD TO PERDITION

If anyone could make an Irish-mafia film contemplative and melancholy, Thomas Newman could...and did for Road to Perdition. This was certainly one of Newman’s stand-out efforts of the early 2000s, as his languishing strings are this time punctuated by by lively bagpipes and tin whistles.

#4 - ANGELS IN AMERICA

The somewhat controversial HBO series won Golden Globe and Emmy for Best Mini-Series and was the most watched series made for cable movie in 2003. While Newman didn’t receive any major nominations for his work, his music, no doubt makes a significant impact on the audience. Newman underscores the pain filled stories of the series’ central characters utilizing his familiar palette of instruments and techniques, but he also, on occasion, gives us doses of frightful dissonance attached to glorious choral eruptions. Infused with Newman’s familiar ethereal qualities, ANGELS makes for a more intriguing and unpredictable listen than many of his other works from the early 2000s.

#3 - HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT

Newman’s title theme for this film alone carries it to this lofty position in my top 10. While the ingredients of the piece are common to much of his work in the mid-1990s: soft strings and lead oboe, Newman’s languishing theme hits home. The same can be said for his track “The Diver” which bears close resemblance to memorable pieces from The Horse Whisperer, but QUILT precedes that film by several years. Unfortunately, the soundtrack release saw Newman’s efforts painfully interrupted by the likes of Bing Crosby, Neil Diamond, and Benny Goodman. This score has always deserved a more complete release.

#2 - OSCAR AND LUCINDA

Newman provides a surprisingly contemporary take on the story of a priest and an heiress who look to build a glass church...in the outback of Australia no less. The story affords Newman a natural opportunity to employ the use of glass and chimes to great affect. The other striking inclusion is that of the full choir in the title theme; showing up at the most elevated moments of the film. Looking at Thomas Newman’s extensive list of scores, the use of full choir is rather rare, especially in this very traditional manner.

#1 - LITTLE WOMEN

The mid to late 1990s found Thomas Newman at the top of his game and his score for LITTLE WOMEN is the tops of the top. Not only offering a Christmasy-good-title-theme, “Orchard House,” but the interior tracks also contain a special brand of magic and emotion found in varying quantities in his other works of this era. His liberal and bright use of brass, bells and other chromatic percussion on top of his familiar string lushness truly distinguishes this effort and places it firmly in the top position.

So there you have it! Did I miss one of your favorite Thomas Newman scores? Let us know what your favorite Thomas Newman scores are in our comments section.

Journey Trailer - A Musical Journey (Music by Austin Wintory)

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:30:00 +0000

Everytime we are afforded another appetizing glimpse at ThatGameCompany's next video game, we are treated to something truly special. I hesitate to even call it a "game" as "interactive art" seems to be a much better description.

Whatever you call it, JOURNEY, continues to amaze in this latest trailer and this time the focus is put on composer AUSTIN WINTORY's enveloping score. It's becoming ever clearer that the developers and composer have taken great pains to make this "interactive art" something truly remarkable...and they haven't minded making us wait for the final product to be as luscious and awe inspiring as possible.

Already the string work heard in this trailer has captured me...and it doesn't hurt that the visuals cause as much curiosity in me as they are satisfying. We then hear some of Tina Guo's lead cello work and, while brief, is as alluring as we'd expect from her.

As much as I loved ThatGameCompany's previous works: FLOWER and flOw (including their respective musical scores), I think JOURNEY is going to be something that goes beyond its predecessors...something very different...something that changes our expectations on what a "gaming" experience can be.

If the final iteration of JOURNEY lives up to the sights and sounds we have in this trailer (and I'm betting that it will), I think we are in for one special sojourn this year.

What do you think of JOURNEY and it's music so far?

The SoundCast - Ep. 38 - M:I - Shooken It Enough!

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:59:00 +0000

Episode 38 - M:I - Shooken It Enough!

The crew breaks down MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL (the movie and the score) and discuss how it compares to ther previous films. Also, they sidetrack on Shore’s music in THE HOBBIT trailer and the Thomas Newman on SKYFALL bomb!

Episode Highlights

00:21 — Welcome and Happy New Year
01:52 — WHYBLT? - Little Women, Memories of Murder
03:33 — WHYBLT? - Humble Indie Bundle, Baldur's Gate II
06:30 — WHYBLT? - Hugo, Twilight for Chamber Orchestra
08:56 — WHYBLT? - Halo: Combat Evolved
14:43 — WHYBLT? - The Darkest Hour
17:50 — SideTracks: Shore's music in The Hobbit trailer, prequel/sequel scores
25:20 — SideTracks: Thomas Newman Scoring the next James Bond film, Skyfall
35:36 — Main Discussion: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and "pre-yond"
63:47 — Conclusion

Select Music

00:00 — "Theme from Mission: Impossible" (Music Inspired by Mission: Impossible) by Larry Mullen/ Adam Clayton
02:10 — "Orchard House (Main Title)" (Little Women) by Thomas Newman
07:14 — "The Chase" (Hugo) by Howard Shore
07:51 — "Bella's Lullaby" (Twilight/ Chamber Orchestra) by Carter Burwell
10:00 — "Installation 04" (Halo: Combat Evolved) by Martin O'Donnell/ Michael Salvatori
14:46 — "Now What_" (The Darkest Hour) by Tyler Bates
18:08 — "Hymn of the Dwarves" (The Hobbit Trailer) by Howard Shore
35:34 — "Light the Fuse" (M:I - Ghost Protocol) by Michael Giacchino
46:48 — "Railcar Rundown" (M:I - Ghost Protocol) by Michael Giacchino
52:23 — "Nyah and Ethan" (Mission: Impossible 2) by Hans Zimmer
56:47 — "Mission- Impossible - Firebird" (Mission: Impossible - My Life in Music) by Lalo Schifrin
63:59 — "Mood India" (M:I - Ghost Protocol) by Michael Giacchino

Download the episode here

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Music from the Twilight Saga for Chamber Orchestra - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:47:00 +0000

Team Compilation or Team Original?
Review by Helen San

MUSIC FROM THE TWILIGHT SAGA FOR CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (MTSCO) is a new compilation produced by the label BSX Records (owned by Buy Soundtrax, a retail outlet catering to hardcore soundtrack fans). Right away, you know this album is made for die-hard fans. But in this case, it is geared more toward die-hard fans of the Twilight Saga, known as “twihards”. Yes, you heard right. They’re called twihards.

In case you’ve been living on a deserted island, the Twilight Saga is a series of films based on four books (TWILIGHT, NEW MOON, ECLIPSE, and BREAKING DAWN) about a young woman named Bella and her love triangle between a vampire named Edward and a werewolf named Jason. The triangle is crux of the legend, with Twilight fandom splitting into two factions: Team Edward and Team Jason. There have been four movies so far, with one more to go. There is one movie per book except for the fourth book. BREAKING DAWN is split into two films (a la HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS), with PART 1 released in November 2011, and PART 2 to be released in November 2012.

The scores for the four released movies are as follows:

1) TWILIGHT by CARTER BURWELL
2) NEW MOON by ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
3) ECLIPSE by HOWARD SHORE
4) BREAKING DAWN, PART 1 by CARTER BURWELL.
(BREAKING DAWN PART 2 will also be by CARTER BURWELL.)

The story is filled with adolescent angst, lovelorn torment, and bittersweet pining. It is a perfect recipe for the kind of beleaguered, romantic melancholy CARTER BURWELL likes to compose. Indeed, twilighters apparently agreed and petitioned for CARTER BURWELL to return to the franchise after the project went to DESPLAT and SHORE for the second and third films respectively. I have to agree that while DESPLAT’s and parts of SHORE’s music were more melodious and easier to listen to, BURWELL’s pain-filled score resonated much better with the emotional core of the saga. It works better in the film. It works better on album to evoke the memories and essence of the Saga.

Book and movie-wise, I am nowhere near being a twihard, or even a regular twilighter. However, as a film music enthusiast, I have found the music compelling enough to spend good money on all four of the original Saga scores. The new titles of the compilation match the originals, track for track. So I was well able to compare this album to the previous works.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE

Tower Heist (Soundtrack) by Christophe Beck - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:20:00 +0000

Consistently Sufficient
Review by Richard Buxton

The prospect of a typical Heist movie is rarely, if ever, met with the voracious expectation of originality by legions of salivating fans. Rather, a heist movie such as TOWER HEIST is expected to provide an assortment of thrills that generally follow a loose but ultimately formulaic template. The genre has generally been defined by a repetitious history, regardless of whether the template chosen is of a serious or more comedic nature. Audiences of recent years will largely be familiar with the trilogy of OCEAN’S films, with the first in the trio setting the standard for the comedic heist thriller of the last decade. Once the elaborate crime is in motion TOWER HEIST does little to dispel the suspicion that it will not be the film to break the mould, yet it is in the nature of its protagonist’s that TOWER HEIST stands out.

Unlike OCEAN’S ELEVEN, TOWER HEIST follows the fumbling attempts to secure a multi-million dollar figure from a fraudulent Wall Street businessman. The idea that, apart from one character TOWER HEIST’S “heroes” are all amateurs is clearly the catalyst for comedic capers perhaps unseen in previous heist movies. Not only does this provide the filmmaker’s with an opportunity, it also provides composer CHRISTOPHE BECK with the chance to walk a road less traveled. From the opening titles of TOWER HEIST, it’s obvious that despite this, TOWER HEIST is going to offer little more than the stereotypical swagger of a heist score with an added dash of comedic tension thrown into the mix.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

The SoundCast Vault - James Horner and the 80s w/ Doug Adams

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:10:00 +0000

So are you loving our "Best of the Decade" series of podcasts? Believe it or not...as long as they have been, there are bits that don't make the final edit, so to wish you a Happy New Years, we offer you this almost-13 minute section where Doug Adams joins the SoundCast crew to talk about his feelings about James Horner's scores from the 80s.

So if you like these cool bits of edited goodness, please let us know and will crank out more of the same.

As always, you can find our full SoundCast episodes here

And connect with us over on SoundCloud directly!

SoundCast #37 - The 80s: Raiders is 21? Guest: Doug Adams

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:00:00 +0000

Episode 37 - The 80s: Raiders is 21?

Doug Adams (The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films) joins the crew to discuss their favorites scores from the decade of the 80s. We read your tweeted faves, play our first voicemail and hit THE GIRL IN THE DRAGON TATTOO, THE HUNGER GAMES, and PROMETHEUS in our WHYBLT and Sidetrack segments.

Episode Highlights

00:00 — 80s Montage
00:38 — Intros and Welcome
02:43 — WHYBLT? (What Have You Been Listening To?): Hugo, Organ music manuals,The Artist
06:08 — WHYBLT? - Skyrim and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
14:00 — WHYBLT? - W.E. and Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows
18:35 — WHYBLT? - Arthur Christmas, The Awakening, Moneyball
22:30 — SideTracks: Helen sees and hears Hanna, and runner-up, Drive
26:58 — SideTracks: James Newton Howard on The Hunger Games
32:06 — SideTracks: Marc Streitenfeld on Prometheus
37:42 — SideTracks: 10th anniversary of Fellowship of the Ring
46:22 — Main Discussion: The Best of the 80s

Select Music

03:27 — "The Artist Ouverture" (The Artist) by Ludovic Bource
06:14 — "Theme" (Skyrim) by Jeremy Solule
07:11 — "I Can't Take It Anymore" (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
14:50 — "Romanian Wind" (Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows) by Hans Zimmer
19:03 — "Seeing Through Ghosts" (The Awakening) by Daniel Pemberton
19:46 — "One out away" (Moneyball) by Mychael Danna
20:31 — "The Show" (Moneyball) perf. by Kerris Dorsey
23:27 — "The sandman" (Hanna) by The Chemical Brothers
24:49 — "Skull Crushing" (Drive) by Cliff Martinez
37:47 — "Prologue- One Ring to Rule Them All" (Fellowship of the Ring) by Howard Shore
39:46 — "The Shire" (Fellowship of the Ring) by Howard Shore
45:43 — "The Strength of the Righteous" (The Untouchables) Bill Conti
47:40 — "Anvil Of Crom" (Conan The Barbarian) by Basil Poledouris
48:36 — "Gabriel's Oboe" (The Mission) by Ennio Morricone
50:03 — "The Untouchables" (The Untouchables) by Ennio Morricone
55:55 — "Main Title (I Had A Farm In Africa)" (Out of Africa) by John Barry
60:08 — "Main Theme"(The Last Starfighter) by Craig Safan
61:32 — "Call to Arms" (Glory) by James Horner
63:44 — "To Cairo" (Raiders of the Lost Ark) by John Williams
64:44 — "The Dark Crystal Overture" (The Dark Crystal) by Trevor Jones
66:55 — "Back to the Future" (Back to the Future) by Alan Silvestri
71:20 — "Training Hard" (The Karate Kid) by Bill Conti
77:22 — "Theme from Chariots of Fire" (Chariots of Fire) by Vangelis
83:16 — "The Show" (Moneyball) perf. by Kerris Dorsey

Download the episode here

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Puss in Boots (Soundtrack) by Henry Jackman - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:52:00 +0000

"Panache in Boots"
Review by Helen San

PUSS IN BOOTS is a prequel in the SHREK series that tells of the title character’s adventures and misadventures before meeting Shrek for the first time in SHREK 2. It is more than a children’s animated parody about stealing the Golden Goose from the Giant in the clouds with a girl cat and Humpty Dumpty; it is also a story of deception and betrayal, conscience and honor, friendship and sacrifice. Voiced by Antonio Banderas, Puss in Boots is a Spanish cat through and through. With Salma Hayek voicing the leading lady cat, Kitty Softpaws, it is clear PUSS IN BOOTS would have as strong a Spanish flavor as KUNG FU PANDA had a Chinese one.

When we think of Spanish music, we think of the classical guitar and the flamenco. To be sure, composer HENRY JACKMAN, included ample amounts of both. There are more than a few hints of JAMES HORNER’s MASK OF ZORRO in here, no doubt a parodied nod to Banderas’ portrayal of the rogue Spaniard who inspired Puss’ personality. (Puss even swooshes out a “P” with his sword, like the famous “Z” by Zorro.) A Bad Kitty (1), is probably the most notable homage to MASK OF ZORRO, with a similar flamenco opening.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

Johnny English Reborn (Soundtrack) by Ilan Eshkeri

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:59:00 +0000

"Parodisiacal"

Review by Richard Buxton

The last decade has been a decidedly erratic one for the parody film genre, with the likes of the SCARY MOVIE franchise, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, VAMPIRES SUCK and KUNG FU HUSTLE all sitting at wildly varying positions on the critical scale. Being a source of whimsical imitation at best, the parody genre is one that never has the weight of great expectations placed upon it and is therefore one that can occasionally surprise in a number of areas. JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN is certainly not one the greatest entries the genre in recent years, but the genre it aims to imitate and satirize is one that provides ample room for a musical score to excel. If anything, parody allows a composer to truly let loose and exploit the clichés within the themes of a film, and this is certainly prevalent throughout ILAN ESHKERI’S score for JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

Composers Partner with Sweet Relief for Benefit Album - Novum Initium

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:41:00 +0000

TOP COMPOSERS PARTNER WITH SWEET RELIEF FOR
MUSICIANS BENEFIT ALBUM "NOVUM INITIUM"

BioShock®, Call of Duty®, Dead Space™, Dragon Age™, God of War®, Mass Effect™, Medal of Honor™, Prince of Persia®, World of Warcraft® Composers Unite for Benefit Album; Proceeds to Provide Financial Assistance to Healing Musicians in Need

Los Angeles, CA - December 5th, 2011 - Many of the video game industry's leading music composers, producers and songwriters have joined forces to create "Novum Initium" (New Beginning), a benefit album dedicated to supporting working musicians in need of financial assistance. Partnering with the music industry charitable organization Sweet Relief, all proceeds from the album will be donated to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund which provides financial assistance to career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. "Novum Initium" will be available for digital download via Bandcamp, CDBaby.com, Amazon MP3, iTunes and 7digital on December 6th.

Featuring all-new original music by composers of such blockbuster titles as Call of Duty®, Dead Space™, Dragon Age™, God of War®, Mass Effect™, Medal of Honor™, Prince of Persia®, World of Warcraft®, with cover art by illustrator Aurelien Police commissioned especially for the project; twenty limited edition CDs of the album will also be signed by the composers and auctioned for sale on eBay here: http://xfer.me/nieb.

Composer Sam Hulick, co-producer of the "Novum Initium" album project, commented: "There are many musicians who struggle with medical bills and making ends meet during tough times after dealing with unexpected health issues. We wanted to put together a special project to help our peers who are on that stressful road after recovery."

"We reached out to our friends in the video game industry and were overwhelmed with the response," explains composer and album co-producer Jason Graves. "This is obviously something everyone can relate to. As full-time composers, we are self-employed contractors and there's no such thing as 'time off' or 'paid vacation.' If we don't work, we don't get paid. Medical bills can add up quickly. That's the whole impetus behind the album."

Tracklisting with Artists' Previous Credits:

"Lionheart" - Sam Hulick (Mass Effect™)
"Adagio Coda" - Brian Tyler (Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3)
"Adrenaline" - Jason Graves (Dead Space™)
"Awakened" - Otto Cate (MAG) & Aubrey Ashburn (Dragon Age™)
"Underwood" - Inon Zur (The Lord of the Rings: War In The North)
"The Maelstrom" - Singlefrequency & Chad Seiter (Legend of Zelda™ 25th Anniversary Symphony)
"Shadows And Light" - Trevor Morris (Army of Two™)
"Chrysalis" - Neal Acree (World of Warcraft®)
"Trouble In Chinatown" - Tom Salta (Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands™)
"Dancing Outtakes" - Garry Schyman (BioShock®)
"Versailles" - Ed Lima (Doom® 3)
"Consequence" - Neil Goldberg (Shift 2: Unleashed™)
"Lacus Turbatus" - Gerard Marino (God of War®)
"Espionage" - Mark Griskey (Star Wars™: The Old Republic™)
"House Of The Vine" - Mick Gordon (Shift 2: Unleashed™)
"The Left-Hand Path" - Cris Velasco & Sascha Dikiciyan (Warhammer® 40,000®: Space Marine®)
"Bullseye" - Christopher Lennertz (Medal of Honor: European Assault™) & Timothy Wynn (Red Faction®: Guerrilla™)
"I'm With You" - Jack Wall (Mass Effect™) & Cindy Shapiro (Myst® III: Exile™)

All proceeds from "Novum Initium" will be donated to career musicians in need. For more information on Sweet Relief please visit www.sweetrelief.org.

GET THE ALBUM HERE

39th Annual Annie Award Nominees - Music Categories

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:48:00 +0000

The 39th Annual Annie Award Nominees have just been announced. Now, being one who loves the genre of animation, this is one award I generally pay close attention to year after year. This year we have two categories for "best music:" Music in a Television Production and Music in a Feature Production. More often than not, The Annie's compile an acceptable list of noms in the music categories, but this year, let me tell you, I'm plenty animated myself at their noms. Ok...have a peek below to see who they are:

Music in a Television Production

Adam Berry, Bob Schooley, Mark McCorkle “Penguins of Madagascar” – Nickelodeon and Technicolor
Ben Locket “The Amazing World of Gumball” – Cartoon Network Europe in association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi
Frederik Wiedmann “Green Lantern The Animated Series” – Warner Bros. Animation
Grace Potter, Michael Giacchino “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Joel McNeely, Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda “Pixie Hollow Games”– DisneyToon Studios
Kevin Kliesch “Thundercats” – Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network
Shawn Patterson, Zeb Wells “Robot Chicken” – ShadowMachine and Stoopid Monkey in association with Adult Swim

Music in a Feature Production

Henry Jackman “Puss In Boots” – DreamWorks Animation
John Williams “Tintin” – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall
Mikael Mutti, Siedah Garrett, Carlinhos Brown, Sergio Mendes, John Powell, “Rio” – Blue Sky Studios
Zooey Deschannel, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Henry Jackman, Robert Lopez “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Neglecting the TV noms for now, I must say that the noms for Feature Production does induce a bit of headscratching. While I enjoyed WINNIE THE POOH a great deal, I'm surprised to see it get a nod here. So, must give the ASIFA-Hollywood big-ups for recognizing, BUT, the exclusion of the scores for KUNG FU PANDA 2 and ARTHUR CHRISTMAS is more than a little odd. Easily two of the best animated-scores of the year, I'm curious to know whether there is some eligibility issue here.

Whatever the reasons are, I find these categories signicantly less compelling now. What do you think about these noms?

SEE ALL OF THE NOMINEES HERE

Enter to Win The Adventures of Tin Tin Soundtrack CD by John Williams

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:42:00 +0000

While we say a big ol' "Congrats!" to Brian Buda who won our last True Fan Contest, we also say to all of you, "Ready for more?"

Thought so. You may not have won WAR HORSE, but John Williams isn't hardly done there. In just a couple of weeks THE ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN will be released and Tracksounds is proud to partner with SONY CLASSICAL to give you a chance to win the original soundtrack! Follow the link below for all the glorious details!

ENTER THE TRUE FAN CONTEST

Grammy Nominations for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:31:00 +0000

For those of you who follow the Grammy's, below is a list of this year's nominees from the only category worth caring about. I still don't get their qualification calendar, mixing releases from two different calendar years. In fact, it irritates me so much that the Grammy's have become irrelevant to me....but that's me.

Of course, in that reality which exists outside of my own, a Grammy nom is nothing to scoff at, so with some sort of quantum-parallel-sincerity, I give BIG UPS to this years...last years...whatever years nominees!

Good luck to you all when the award show is held. Is it this year? Next? Whenever. Good Luck.

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media

Black Swan
Clint Mansell, composer
[Sony Classical/Fox Music]

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2
Alexandre Desplat, composer
[WaterTower Music]

The King's Speech
Alexandre Desplat, composer
[Decca]

The Shrine
Ryan Shore, composer
[Screamworks]

Tron Legacy
Daft Punk, composers
[Walt Disney Records]