Richard Penna

Fair enough, and I agree that sometimes buying a CD and all the associated shit doesn't feel needed. Certainly there's a release that's sort of on my list at the moment that I don't want physically (I want a handful of tracks) but there's no way to get it other than buying a piece of plastic. Certainly in other cases such as Sleepy Hollow, Doug's definitely got some issues with his editing, but isn't mastering just a choice that's made by the engineer? It doesn't strike me as lazy, especially if they're doing more work on top of just transferring the tapes.

Have you ever considered contacting Doug with your comments/suggestions about mixing? Mentioning them on a public forum is one thing, but when you're openly admitting to pirating it and considering just not paying them (for a score that musically you liked) just because you don't like a few aspects of it, I dont really see what you're achieving other than clearly hating basically everything Doug does.

HTTF is a nice piece slightly dethroned by the OTT ending where the orchestra and choir are absolutely belting out. I'd prefer a more straightforward orchestral approach without choir.

I like the film - well directed and acted. The score is a mixed bag for me; some highlights such as HTTF but overall the score has too much of a monotonous sound for me to enjoy as an album. I'm not a fan of patriotic brass and strings to start with, but an hour of it tires me. No doubt orchestration enthusiasts go nuts and it works well in the film, but I don't find it works as well for listening.

The physical location of musicians shouldn't have a bearing on whether they're involved if Bear is supervising orchestra recording sessions over Zoom.

Huh? Have we missed something indicating Plan 9 isn't involved?

IMO there should be samples of every single track, not just half a dozen randomly selected tracks, some of which aren't unreleased music. I don't know about anyone else, but with a score like this where I've never seen the film and only have the prior release, being able to hear significant representative parts of the entire work before a purchase is a pretty critical factor. I don't buy stuff just because it's Young or other completist reason - it has to properly interest me. I bought Varese's Nightwing based entirely on hearing a large handful of samples and no other reason. Of course, instant streaming is the best way to address that...

I'm vaguely tempted to pick this up so I own it in some form, as the OST has some nice material. The Int'l store has no indication that it's not shipping yet, but is also charging a totally unreasonable price - 25% markup over the US store and waaay too much for only 2nd class post.

They've updated with cover art - this is the full 3000px version. Also, both are on digital-preorder for 3rd May so we can listen properly.

They'd get away with it if they were spoiling ESB, but this is not a huge movie and a lot of people will never have seen it. I think I've seen bits, but I certainly hadn't remembered the ending.

There are a minority of cases where I think Varese's fee limitations actually helped, and I think this is one of those. Might pick it up eventually given that this should also have been newly mastered, but sifting through the CS on YT, whenever I get to a cue that's properly doing something, it's a cue on the OST.

Seemingly not - its recording engineer Geoff Foster works at Air Studios, London: https://www.discogs.com/release/4105352-Clint-Mansell-Doom-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack

Boy, did we get #2 wrong. I have a track from Doom which appeared in Top Gear years ago. Does anyone do samples any more?

I've never heard a note. I'm not a fan of Tyler outside of his Yellowstone universe work.

6pm UK time iirc, so 5 hours from now.

Williams doesn't owe anyone another film score. If he wants and is able, he'll do it, perhaps with Ross' help. But no one should be surprised, shocked, betrayed or send hate mail to the composer who scores it, if Williams chooses not to. We were fortunate to get DoD out of him as a largely original score but we shouldn't expect it from him.

Your experience is why I don't have it. I love the OST - it's an hour of serene, concept material. The full release that I sampled just felt like it was going on and on without that variation you need for an interesting few hours.

I had a listen to some of the unreleased material on YouTube and I party agree - it's not a score that screams major unreleased highlights. Although I think the OST has way more worthwhile material than 7 mins. But neither are quite a few DEs Varese has done. The last one (bar HTTYD) I got was The Time Machine where even as a fan of the score, all the essential music was on the OST. Maybe one extra cue I'd have included. They're clearly trying to do a mix of scores where the expansion was badly needed and scores that are still represented only by their 30-minuters and will have some sort of audience in full form. I'm less charitable with something like AVPR - if the album is already essentially complete and it's more part of a campaign to get all Alien-verse scores out in full form... meh. They have scores in perpetuity that need it more.

Yep - I don't find either of those tracks interesting. Absolutely - agree 100%. The difference between your stance and some others' is some deciding that not only is that score or composer not worth your time and study, but that no one else is allowed to positively discuss the work without constant reminders that someone doesn't like the score. As an example of themes that may not be evident on first listen to the album are in the sadly officially unreleased end credits from The Lone Ranger. The first one starts where I started this video, and the second a minute in. Both are lone-lined, memorable themes, but if you only listened to the first track of the album and gave up (and you're fully justified in doing that) you'll never hear and appreciate them. I know I'm not hearing probably hundreds of memorable themes because I don't find the surrounding score to my tastes.

Most of A.I. doesn't do anything for me either. It's too cold and clinical for the most part, except for The Mecha World and Abandoned in the Woods. The highest profile JW score that does nothing for me, full stop, would be Schindler's List. I haven't seen the film and the subject matter is not one I enjoy musically. The many samples and tracks I've heard just don't musically interest me at all. From others, I tried Dune 2 multiple times and failed to get the evocation I got from the first one. Despite all the praises and thematic breakdowns here, I can't get into it. Also I guess Desplat's two Potter scores. I've given multiple listens but outside of a playlist of highlights I really don't find them very interesting. Classic case of a composer approaching from a technically astute writing process, but that doesn't mean it comes out as interesting music. I can understand a general dislike for his style and varying tastes, but I think ths sort of comment is more reflective of a lack of effort of inclination to listen to a score in more detail to find its themes. A score that comes to mind is The Lone Ranger which aside from the classic theme, has two or three other long-lined themes. Other dramas he's scored have multiple, often long-lined themes. Yes, he's probably more at home with atmospheric, synth-driven scoring, but he's composed memorable themes for most of his projects. It's the same sort of approach that leads to accusations that he doesn't write melodies - I think those proposers just aren't listening to much of his music.

I'd expect any DE to be chronological. Tyler and co. can shove their 'listening experience'. Are we sure it's Requiem though? It feels a bit unlikely to me if there would be so little unreleased material. Kloser's score surely has more missing.

I never understood that one either. Is that something to do with Riggs being completely off his nut and a danger to others?

The initial pressing had some major distortion in at least one (probably several) track and they had to do a repressing and send out a replacement copy to all initial purchasers. I have two copies as a result. It attracted a fair amount of comments about the labels listening to a sample before they send them out. Regarding Aliens, I'd rather they focused on getting some titles out that have never been expanded, instead of one that's available on streaming.

I can understand shipping costing $10 or so, but when it costs multiples of the value of the product itself, something's very wrong. I only bought this on CD out of a desire to have all Indys physically.

That too.