.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Are you fucking kidding me? I was looking forward to hearing the theme again, and this shit starts playing?

[Not Mr. Big 5,011]

Oh god my ears!!!!!

[Richard P 5,302]

Ugh. Now Elfman is modernising...

[Thor 9,362]

I like what I'm hearing!

[Ren 77]

It's not baaaaaad, it just seems kinda flat out of context for me.

[Trent B 354]

I think the music maybe better in the film itself, depending on how the movie was made. I do agree with Ren that it seems flat and out of context. This is worse than his other two MIB scores.

On its own I don't think it would be very good.

[lonzoe 19]

Guess I'm the only one looking forward to this score. I don't think this score is as bad as some of you guys make it out to be. Though I have yet to hear the samples and will wait to see the movie first. But yeah Elfman's MIB scores aren't for everybody. But I'm fan those scores. I love how quirky and out there the music are for those.

[indy4 160]

I don't see what is so shocking about these samples. This is very typical stylistically for the modern Elfman.

[Ren 77]

I'm probably biased because these aren't scores I'd listen to in my car etc. Give me some powell though. ;-)

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

I prefer Arnold over Powell.

[BloodBoal 8,711]

[alicebrallice 134]

make it stop! make it stop now!

Give me some powell though. ;-)

[Maurizio 6,913]

What's so strange for you people? It's very much in the same tone and style of the previous two scores. Personally, I dig those 1960s-styled flute-and-percussion figures. I like when Danny goes back to his Boingo roots.

[chuck 155]

At times like these, I miss the musical voices of Reznor and Ross.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I honestly didn't listen past the first sample. The rock n roll vibe put me off.

[Maurizio 6,913]

What's so weird about putting the theme with a more pronounced rock vibe? It's Danny having fun with it. Also, the theme itself was already coloured by a 1960s rock 'n' roll vibe since the first score (the Mancini-like bass line, etc.)

Again, it's nothing strange. He went back to the style of the previous scores, as the rest of the samples show clearly well.

[Jill Sandwich 11,165]

Finally, a good Elfman score since Men in Black II!

[Koray Savas 2,260]

What's so weird about putting the theme with a more pronounced rock vibe? It's Danny having fun with it. Also, the theme itself was already coloured by a 1960s rock 'n' roll vibe since the first score (the Mancini-like bass line, etc.)

Again, it's nothing strange. He went back to the style of the previous scores, as the rest of the samples show clearly well.

I didn't find the bass line Manciniesque, nor the rest of the score very 60s. The more I see of the film the worse it looks. I had high hopes for it. I'll listen to the rest of the samples later, but his first score was one of my first forays into Elfman's catalogue and one of my favorite scores by him.

[Maurizio 6,913]

Well, the theme is clearly a nod to Mancini's Peter Gunn. The score is also peppered with some very nice 1960s stylings in terms of timbre and tone (the fluttering flutes, the bongos, the bass lines, etc., not unlike his Mission Impossible score), which fitted well the somewhat retro look of the film. Of course Danny put his own fingerprints all over it, hence it sounds just like him and no one else.

[Ren 77]

Alice!!!!!!!! Hahahaha

[Incanus 5,890]

Well since I was not a great fan of the two other Men in Black scores the third one doesn't seem like an improvement.

[Thor 9,362]

I honestly didn't listen past the first sample. The rock n roll vibe put me off.

They definitely put me ON!

This sounds like a perfect sequel to the previous two scores; incorporating the famous elements while adding the 60's vibes Danny does so well.

My second favourite composer (after Williams) is on a roll these days!

[Incanus 5,890]

My second favourite composer (after Williams) is on a roll these days!

Rolling down hill you mean?

[chuck 155]

My second favourite composer (after Williams) is on a roll these days!

Rolling down hill you mean?

He meant barrel roll.

Or log roll.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

My second favourite composer (after Williams) is on a roll these days!

Rolling down hill you mean?

Rolling all the way to the bank...

[alicebrallice 134]

[Incanus 5,890]

Ol' man Elfman, dat ol' man Elfman

He mus' know sumpin', but don't say nuthin'

He jes' keeps rollin' He keeps on rollin' along

[Jill Sandwich 11,165]

I honestly didn't listen past the first sample. The rock n roll vibe put me off.

They definitely put me ON!

This sounds like a perfect sequel to the previous two scores; incorporating the famous elements while adding the 60's vibes Danny does so well.

My second favourite composer (after Williams) is on a roll these days!

I'm not a fan of his late-2000s-present output, but Alice in Wonderland and The Wolfman were good. I like what I hear of this one too.

[Thor 9,362]

I am a completist of his, and I divide the film score work in three rough periods (four if count the early Boingo things) -- 1984-1996, 1996-2005 and 2005-present. With some notable exceptions I don't really connect well to the middle period between MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and the Serenada Schizophrana. But from that concert work and onwards, it has been one brilliant score after the other, IMO.

This sounds like another entry in that string, but I'll await further evaluation untill I've heard the whole thing.

[lonzoe 19]

Not surprised by all the negativity up here on this score. I remember someone (not here) saying things like "they wanted to rip their eardrums out after listening to Elfman's MIB scores." These scores aren't for everybody. They might come off to quirky and maybe even annoying to some but not for me. I love it when Elfman gets to have fun and not give a crap if the music is too much. And despite all the negativity up here I'm still very much looking forward to this score. I'm looking forward to this score more than his Dark Shadows score coming this month. It'll be interesting how he'll integrate his current writing style with a MIB score. Plus Elfman finally scores a trilogy. Glad to know from Maurizio's desciption of the score that Elfman is changing things up while still keeping in tone with his other MIB scores. When it comes to sequels Elfman hates rehashing and reusing music and likes to try different ideas.

[crocodile 9,724]

Zero interest in this score. Don't really like the other two, apart from few single tracks.

Karol

[indy4 160]

I take back my last comment, I was listening to the wrong samples.

[ShowUStheHOOK 8]

I like the samples except the main titles and end titles. THe electric guitar is a bit too much. As for the other tracks, it sounds like trademark Elfman. Not that that's a bad thing. I actually enjoyed his work for the MIB series. So far, my personal favorite score was MIB II, I'll have to wait until I hear the whole score to part III to see if that changes though.

Also does anyone think " mission accomplished" sounds like it was taken out of SPider Man?

I honestly didn't listen past the first sample. The rock n roll vibe put me off.

They definitely put me ON!

This sounds like a perfect sequel to the previous two scores; incorporating the famous elements while adding the 60's vibes Danny does so well.

My second favourite composer (after Williams) is on a roll these days!

agreed. = )

[lonzoe 19]

I like the samples except the main titles and end titles. THe electric guitar is a bit too much. As for the other tracks, it sounds like trademark Elfman. Not that that's a bad thing. I actually enjoyed his work for the MIB series. So far, my personal favorite score was MIB II, I'll have to wait until I hear the whole score to part III to see if that changes though.

Also does anyone think " mission accomplished" sounds like it was taken out of SPider Man?

I honestly didn't listen past the first sample. The rock n roll vibe put me off.

They definitely put me ON!

This sounds like a perfect sequel to the previous two scores; incorporating the famous elements while adding the 60's vibes Danny does so well.

My second favourite composer (after Williams) is on a roll these days!

agreed. = )

I have yet to hear the samples. But I think Elfman is one of the few composers who know how to integrate an electric guitar with an orchestra without it feeling out of place.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

John Barry, Kamen, David Arnold, Goldmsith...

[lonzoe 19]

John Barry, Kamen, David Arnold, Goldmsith...

I did say one of the few.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

Hans Zimmer, John Powell, Michael Giachino

[Quintus 6,495]

I haven't listened to the clips, but hasn't Elfman been off the boil for sometime now?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

That was the 90's, he's ok now

[Quintus 6,495]

Nah, he did Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks, Men in Black and Sleepy Hollow in the nineties. His best decade ever, as it happens.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,386]

Nah, he did Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks, Men in Black and Sleepy Hollow in the nineties.

Yeah, rubbish.

[crocodile 9,724]

Actually, Elfman is a much better composer right now. Some of the stuff he's doing I have no interest in, but that doesn't change a fact he's better than ever at the moment. Growing and expanding as an artist. Very much like Williams.

Obviously, many people would disagree.

Karol

[Quintus 6,495]

It's the 'maturity' thing, it seems to divide people down the middle like marmite. Folk like you, Indy4 and Josh500 love that stuff, but it doesn't appeal to listeners like me - who tend to prefer a more airy and audacious 'purity' in their film music. For eg: the things you like about JW's musical maturity are the very same things which ruin the Crystal Skull score, for me.

I just believe that music in general is better when it's written during the hungry years.

[crocodile 9,724]

Yes, that sums it up quite well.

One more thing: What I'm talking talking about has nothing to do with "enjoying" scores, because, of course, both Williams' and Elfman's earlier works are more enjoyable on a purely visceral level. But that doesn't change the fact they've "matured" as composers. To be honest, in the case of Elfman, I wasn't really his fan until I heard Serenada Schizophrana. It literally opened my ears to his music.

Karol - who doesn't like marmite

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I think Elfman hit a rough patch in and around the Wanted year. I think he's come back to regularly writing great music, though. Did you ever listen to Iris, Lee? Fantastic album, that'll take you straight back to his 90s days.

[crocodile 9,724]

Actually I think 2008 might be one of the best years in his career.

Karol

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I know I remember us arguing about it lol

Looking at his IMDb, it was Charlotte's Web through Taking Woodstock. I found all of those lacking, sans Standard Operating Procedure.

[crocodile 9,724]

Good that at least we can agree on SOP. One of my favourite Elfmans

Karol

[Richard P 5,302]

I think Elfman hit a rough patch in and around the Wanted year. I think he's come back to regularly writing great music, though. Did you ever listen to Iris, Lee? Fantastic album, that'll take you straight back to his 90s days.

I love Wanted, both the film and score. The album could've used some more work (some good stuff left off), but it's still a solid score.

I wouldn't consider any period a particular rough patch. I like a small subset of his scores (mostly drama, without too much quirkiness), and when he does an appropriate project, I usually enjoy them.

He does such a wide range of projects that some of them are more musically interesting than others, but nothing I've heard from him sounds lazy. Merely different.