Tom Guernsey

I like to think that I remain fictional... (however burn the reviews lol).

I totally get that, but I guess I'm a bit anally retentive and don't want an album version in my library if I can just reorder the expanded edition to replicate (or approximate) the OST in a playlist that's all. Plus there's always the issue that the expanded edition might sound better too - for HTTYD, I elected to delete the original album as, much though I love the score, I couldn't see myself listening to the original mix anyway. However, it does mean that several of my most frequently played tracks have disappeared, although I'm sure See You Tomorrow and Test Drive will quickly work their way back up...

Thanks Karol, glad that someone enjoyed my reviews and hope you discovered some good music from reading them. I'm sure quite a lot don't stand up today and my tastes have definitely changed. I do recall giving Alien 3 one star, but clearly it's a stunning piece of work, but it is pretty hard going in places so I'm not surprised I didn't enjoy it at the time!

Sounds like the kinda range of responses I expected. Sorry if my original post wasn't entirely sensible, but it was hard to explain it. I started writing it a few times but gave up until I just decided to post and hope for the best! I guess I'm more leaning towards keeping fewer and fewer of the original album programmes but, if the expanded edition allows, recreating them as a playlist. I have made some custom album arrangements based on suggestions from here and FSM, notably the whittler thread which has some good suggestions. In the opposite direction of creating an approximation of the complete score, I'll combine the commercial album and FYC into a playlist (the Star Wars sequels in particular) but I've not bothered to try and edit the actual tracks or resquence in iTunes itself - I'm happy to have each as different versions of the score even if there is some overlap. However, for those Bond scores where the original album had to be preserved at the start of the expanded edition, I just reordered the iTunes tracks into film order (or as close as possible where tracks are combined). The only time when I've done the latter was to incorporate the Chariot Race and finale from Prince of Egypt which were available as a single track on a Walmart (or something) disc but it drove me nuts having them as a single track since there was no obvious place to put it in the score and they had a pretty easy separation point. It would be great to have a database of expanded editions and whether it's possible to recreate the original album with the expanded tracks or if there are edits that prohibit this. I'm sure @Jay technically has enough information to do this, but pulling it all together could be quite a ballache!

The only one I read is Movie Wave, mostly because I went to uni with James (and basically introduced him to film music, or at least introduced him to the availability of soundtracks...) and his writing is witty and well observed. I like the enthusiasm of MMUK, but I find the reviews too long and, dare I say it, too positive. I used to read Filmtracks but haven't in an extremely long time. It's interesting how my and James' tastes diverged quite significantly when we at uni... he loved John Barry and Michael Kamen whereas I was indifferent to both aside from a few, whereas he really disliked Alan Menken and wasn't massively predisposed to James Horner. However, I now hugely appreciate the former and he the latter, especially James Horner. I've hugely enjoyed his James Horner odyssey. I think our tastes have probably converged quite a bit so if he likes something, I'll probably like it and if he recommends skipping I largely trust his judgement. As someone mentioned, I used to run Soundtrack Express during and for a few years after uni, so James and I had competing/complementary review sites. However, I kinda ran out of steam doing mine, largely getting bored of writing 3 star reviews of scores that I thought were "fine" but not much more than that and not terrible enough to inspire and enjoyably scathing review either. I tried restarting Soundtrack Express as a blog but couldn't get the momentum going so decided to just remain a contented reader.

Haha, yes indeed! Lethal Weapon goodness here I come... (and Man Who Killed Hitler and then the Bigfoot and Karate Kid 2. OK I just read that back... poor Karate Kid...).

Just a public thanks to LLL for emailing back to say they'll credit my account with the discount amount, super service as ever! Can't wait to hear the music now :-)

Very cool analysis, I'll have to sit and listen along at the weekend. Cheers!

First up, please can this not turn into a discussion about the relative merits of "proper" soundtrack albums versus C&C and everything in between. Leave that for the many threads that already exist on that. I was more hoping to gauge views on whether people like to have both the original album arrangement as well as whatever expanded version is available, or both, or hybrids of the two. I guess this is more directed at iTunes (and other audio player) users who can recreate the original album assembly in a playlist (if possible) and whether they both doing this or just keep a rip of the original album. How different do the arrangements of the tracks have to be for you to want to have both? There are plenty of original albums where tracks are edited together (Williams does this more than pretty much anyone). Alternatively, there the original album may have lots of micro edits that mean it's essentially impossible to recreate the original album exactly without audio editing software; Elfman's Mission: Impossible for example or say, Star Treks V & VI which have gaps in a couple of action cues that are cut out in the original album arrangement. Do you usually keep the original album arrangement, either from the original disc or prefer to assemble it (or close to it) from an expanded release? As I've mentioned elsewhere, there are some cases where the original album forms a really great, concise tone poem of the score with most of the major highlights - like a ballet suite compared to the full thing. For me, Starship Troopers, is the perfect example. I love having the entire score (it's an equal with Wind for my favourite Basil score - sorry Conan lovers) but the original album plays so perfectly, without a weak spot. However, some tracks are edited together on the original album that means recreating it as a playlist doesn't quite work. Then again, for example, Empire of the Sun has (as far as I can tell) only relatively minor differences in some tracks so I didn't feel I miss out by recreating the original album as a playlist while having the full score too. I'm currently contemplating whether to retain the original HTTYD album - the expanded release has better sound and I'm unlikely to actually want to listen to the original album but I feel I should keep it for nostalgic reasons. Which seems crazy somehow... Let the mud slinging (or sensible and thoughtful comments) commence. Or not.

I eventually got my confirmation but no discount. Have messaged. In my enthusiasm to place my order, I wonder if I was minutes too early. Which would be super annoying...

Anyone had any issues with not getting an email order confirmation from the LLL website? PayPal notification came through ages ago but no order confirmation and no indication of my order query (no discount :-/)

I will when my order confirmation email comes through!

I’m looking forward to it. I have the prior version of the first score from years ago but am looking forward to hearing the sequels. Ordered although no 18% taken off... grrr.

Hurrah my time to order this has come at last... just a shame the Star Trek: Enterprise V2 is still showing as out of stock. Grrr.

Interesting. As it's for a miniseries I guess it is pretty long (at least the re-recording is) and the show, based on what I know of it, is presumably fairly talky. Having said that, it's quite dramatic and surprisingly less subdued than might be expected. The main theme is pretty strident. However, I think it's worth persevering with and I'm enjoying this round of listening to it.

The Witches (Silvestri) - I am clearly enjoying this a lot more than everyone else, although I do still relate to the sentiment of those remembering how much more imaginative and memorable his music was. I did a quick test at the piano and realised that I could get to 20 something Silvestri themes from pre 2000 (as an arbitrary point - roughly midway through his career I guess?) without even trying but would struggle to get to double figures after, and 2 or 3 of them are from the Mummy Returns. If you move the date forward a couple of years, it's even worse... Red Heat (James Horner) - Quite a weird score, the credits music being about 90% Prokofiev and the rest is percussive action music. QBVII (Jerry Goldsmith) - The CPPO/Raine recording. Despite being familiar with the main theme, not one of his efforts I know well so trying to get better acquainted...

I actually got most of my introduction to classical music through James Horner and other scores with strong/specific classical influences. I still love the key figures of Russian music (Shostakovich primarily, but also Prokofiev, Stravinsky etc.) but this expanded out into well known classics I already knew and plenty I didn't. My taste is still broadly Beethoven onwards (I feel bad that I don't love Bach, despite his exalted status) Mozart/Haydn and that era don't do much for me, nor does opera which pains be somewhat. I feel as though I'd have a huge new world of music to explore if I did but despite several attempts, just can't get over my dislike for the operatic singing style. I went through the whole phase of being somewhat disappointed that my favourite film composers weren't quite the geniuses I thought - I think the Star Wars/Superman/Kings Row similarity was the biggest shock, but I'm kinda over it now. Enjoy the film music, but understand the provenance of much of it to a greater or lesser degree. The one thing that always amazes me is how much Horner, despite all the borrowings, seems to sound like Horner for a far larger proportion than seems reasonable given how large chunks can be assembled from other works. To that end, coming to a very familiar passage taken from something else doesn't pull me out of the music as much as it probably should. Oh and yeah... can't wait for Land Before Time, a lovely score, but man that's a lot of Prokofiev ;-)

Agreed... might have to give it a spin! Caution, Greeks approaching...

I have to admit that, having given it another spin recently, some of the Gerhardt album is a bit more hit and miss than I remember. Perhaps I was more willing to overlook some of the weaker parts of the performance but there are clearly a couple of moments when the brass struggle a bit. Surprising given how well the same (or broadly the same) forces perform some of the fiendishly complex Korngold brass writing on those albums. Having said that, still an enjoyable disc on the whole and a great tone poem style arrangement of the Empire score (even if it's not in order). Although of their three Star Wars discs, the music I actually enjoy the most is their extended Close Encounters suite from the Star Wars album, shame that this longer suite doesn't make it to concerts as it's a more balanced distillation of the score (again, functioning brilliantly as a self contained tone poem).

I guess it's quite likely he will have copies of the written score he could provide, even if they then had to be turned into orchestral parts. I do rather hope an enterprising label could either release what was originally recorded or re-record it. Both seem fraught with difficulty/expense but the music (however old fashioned feel it might be... I don't think it is especially, but it doesn't have that timeless quality that Horner's score does I guess) deserves a wider audience.

Agreed. It’s a great work. And his other concert works are scarcely less good. The Violin Concerto and Rabbit & Rogue are both terrific. I still pick up all his soundtrack albums but they don’t often surprise or intrigue but his concert works are superb. Hopefully he keeps plenty of time aside for those.

I’d go with that. To be fair the films were pretty generic action/thrillers so it’s not a great surprise he wasn’t super inspired. Shame he didn’t have some ongoing collaborators later in his career to give him the opportunities he deserved.

I’ll get it because it’s Goldsmith and even his lesser efforts usually have some merit but this isn’t one that ever massively excites me. I always thought of it in the same group as The Sum Of All Fears (or its maths based sequel, the fear of all sums...) but TSOAF being more engaging and with a much stronger title track with the soprano soloist.

Hmm not sure. I’m now wondering if it might be Richard Strauss... agh!

Is it me or is the cue from Cobb based on an existing piece of classical music? I keep thinking Mahler... and given how much I like Mahler I kinda feel I should be more certain if so! Gorgeous piece either way.