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John Powell's SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (2018) - Deluxe Edition 2020 / Intrada 2-CD edition October 31, 2023


crocodile

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I’m pretty fed up. Kept waiting days and days for a “release date delivery” option to appear on the Amazon page, like with TLJ; none did, so eventually on May 20 I just went ahead and preordered. Kept checking back for updates on tracking my package, but as of yesterday afternoon it still had no estimated delivery date, hadn’t been shipped, nothing.

 

So last night I cancelled the order, rejoined Amazon Prime in the hopes that it would give me the option for release-date-delivery/cheaper faster shipping, and I preordered it a second time. I selected 1-day-shipping, thinking at the very latest I would receive the CD a day late (May 26). Well, it then said that my estimated delivery date would be May 31.

 

I started a chat with customer support to ask what the deal was, and of course there was not much they could do. I’m just confused, as TLJ’s page explicitly had an option to receive the item on release day, and I ordered that one only a couple days before—even closer to release day, than me ordering SOLO on May 20. So I just cancelled the second order too, and I guess now I’ll make a trip to my local Target or someplace in the hopes they have it.

 

I had been eyeing the Amazon page since the day the page went up, waiting for the option I used to get TLJ’s soundtrack, but it never showed up. I really don’t know what the deal is, nor do I know how people are getting the OST on time (let alone early!)?

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Sometimes I preorder CDs and never get a shipping notice, but they still come on release day.  I remember having a rage about Amazon not shipping Lana Del Rey's second CD, running to Wal Mart to see if they had a copy, and coming home to find it on my porch.  That was back in the day when Lana Del Rey released good albums.

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Something is terribly wrong. I'm 8 tracks in and there's been no force theme!!! :P

 

This is refreshing! Williams' new Han theme is all over the score so far. The orchestra sounds amazing - enough to make me miss them for TFA, RO and TLJ (it's the LSO, right?)
 

Spoiler

Track 10 contains the first appearance of existing SW themes - the main "Lukes" theme with choir and orchestra followed by the Rebel Fanfare on strings. Goosebumps!

 

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4 minutes ago, mstrox said:

Sometimes I preorder CDs and never get a shipping notice, but they still come on release day.  I remember having a rage about Amazon not shipping Lana Del Rey's second CD, running to Wal Mart to see if they had a copy, and coming home to find it on my porch.  That was back in the day when Lana Del Rey released good albums.

 

I'm pretty low on her generally, but I took this weird liking to the song "Brooklyn Baby."  For some reason I can sing every word of that song and have listened to it a dozen times.  And I don't like any other song by her!  That said, it's a really stupid song still.

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43 minutes ago, Alan said:

Well, I know what I'm doing this afternoon...

 

Does the inside of the booklet list which tracks contain existing Williams material?

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Just now, Jay said:

 

Does the inside of the booklet list which tracks contain existing Williams material?

 

No. It does confirm that The Adventures of Han was recorded at 20th Century Fox Studios, CA though. It doesn't say when.

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29 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Maybe it's just an Amazon Prime thing, but I have never had to worry about it.  They've never failed to deliver on release date yet.

 

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Maybe it's because you ordered so early. I considered ordering that early, but I'm not as familiar with Amazon, and kept checking back for the "Want to receive this the day it comes out?" option like they had when I ordered TLJ. When I ordered TLJ, the page had that option and I was able to order the album up to just a few days before release, and still receive it the day of. Which is why I was/am confused that the "day it comes out" blurb never showed up for SOLO. Whatever. Just dumb, as I'd have preordered the thing the day the page went up, if I knew this would happen.

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My first impression of the album is that it is poorly assembled.


After the opening concert arrangement, the next SIX tracks in a ROW are big, bombastic, busy, frenetic action tracks!  It's EXHAUSTING.  Then we get the weird source music piece, and only then do we finally start to get into theme development and world building, etc.  The OST is probably in chronological order I suppose, but mixing things up in this case would have provided a stronger listening experience, I suspect.

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2 minutes ago, Jay said:

HTTYD2 isn't chronological is it?

 

Only very lightly fussed with.

 

"Meet Drago" and "Stoick Finds Beauty" are put before "Flying With Mother" instead of after as would be chrono.  At least that's how I remember it.  Someone correct me!

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The problem is with the movie and the pacing. It begins with action, exposition, action, action, exposition, action again,and then it starts to the main plot, hence, explaining the world building

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Wow!  Reminiscence Therapy features a really cool version of Here They Come material!

 

Oooh, and The Asteroid Field, too!

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6 minutes ago, Jay said:

Wow!  Reminiscence Therapy features a really cool version of Here They Come material!

 

Oooh, and The Asteroid Field, too!


Makes the recent Empire release sting just that little bit more, eh?

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It's just so hard not to have a smile on your face listening to this. Even the weirder, non-Williamsy stuff is fun and unique in its own way (with plenty of flute flourishes and exotic orchestration that would make Williams proud for the sheer experimentation).

 

Certainly better than grimacing throughout the listen, at moments like this:

 

Amazing how amateurish everything sounds in that score now, right after listening to Powell's SW music. :lol:

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7 minutes ago, PrayodiBA said:

I just cant help but noticing, chewie theme is, similar note to note with Terminator theme:

 

 

 

Ah yes, the improved Terminator theme! This score keeps sounding better and better the more I hear about it.  Tomorrow can't come soon enough!

 

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I think we need to talk about "Chicken In The Pot"

 

This was certainly the most unexpected thing I've ever heard on a Star Wars music album!

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1 hour ago, Jay said:

After the opening concert arrangement, the next SIX tracks in a ROW are big, bombastic, busy, frenetic action tracks!  It's EXHAUSTING.  Then we get the weird source music piece, and only then do we finally start to get into theme development and world building, etc.  The OST is probably in chronological order I suppose, but mixing things up in this case would have provided a stronger listening experience, I suspect.

 

I think it's also because of Powell's specific style of writing for action scenes--it's very dense and busy, the dynamic spectrum is very thick and there is seldom a moment of respite. Don't get me wrong, I like a lot how he writes, but it's very thick with layers upon layers (not too dissimilar from how modern Elfman writes), so it becomes a little bit fatiguing for the ears after a while.

 

Btw, I like a lot what he did here for Solo. It's a testament of his skills as a pure composer. Also, I guess the luxury of having Williams by his side providing brand new material is a big plus :)

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18 minutes ago, Jay said:

I think we need to talk about "Chicken In The Pot"

This was certainly the most unexpected thing I've ever heard on a Star Wars music album!

What's this all about?

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38 minutes ago, crumbs said:

Both Williams ideas get a fantastic action-mode workout in Break Out, as well.

 

By golly...you are right! :lovethis::lovethis::lovethis:

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Nah, Temple of Doom starts with world building first in "Indy Negotiates".  This just goes RIGHT into the action and doesn't let up

 

OK, on second listen there is some downtime within those first 25 minutes

 

But I think this will be the kind of score where a complete release really helps, to provide more balance.  The OST album is extremely action heavy

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12 minutes ago, The Illustrious Jerry said:

What's this all about?

 

If I'm thinking of the right track, it's some very zany source music featuring two female soloists. A little out of the box but the series has always been filled with bizarre source music (looking at you, Lapti Nek). It's actually a fun listen IMO, like something you'd hear in an offbeat Japanese karaoke jazz bar, filtered with a hint of the Blues, Star Wars style.

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4 minutes ago, crumbs said:

If I'm thinking of the right track, it's some very zany source music featuring two female soloists. A little out of the box but the series has always been filled with bizarre source music (looking at you, Lapti Nek). It's actually a fun listen IMO, like something you'd hear in an offbeat Japanese karaoke jazz bar, filtered with a hint of the Blues, Star Wars style.

Any confirmation of that awesome kinda different intro to the Enfys Nest clip being on the OST?

 

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8 hours ago, PrayodiBA said:

Yess, in its various form, in action piece too, complete with that Bulgarian Choir.

Actually, it is another main highlight (aside from the love theme) of Powell's materials

 

Thanks! But Bulgarian?

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1 hour ago, crumbs said:

It's just so hard not to have a smile on your face listening to this. Even the weirder, non-Williamsy stuff is fun and unique in its own way (with plenty of flute flourishes and exotic orchestration that would make Williams proud for the sheer experimentation).

 

Certainly better than grimacing throughout the listen, at moments like this:

 

Amazing how amateurish everything sounds in that score now, right after listening to Powell's SW music. :lol:

 

It sounds so much better then Giacchino's Rogue One, which I did enjoy. Not only are the orchestrations so much richer, but the melody and hook is a lot better, that it makes Giacchino's work, seem like amateur cartoon music in comparison.

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