Your favorite score sites... and the way they review

[Farawyn 0]

I used to surf around on filmtracks.com and soundtrack.net quite a lot, but rapidly got tired of both these sites.

The first seemed to me almost overcritical by times (I remember reading a review where the webmaster didn't give a five star rating to Seven Years in Tibet -- which is acceptable -- just because the score wasn't better than Schindler's List... -- which is a strange way of noting -- ).

The second seemed, to the contrary, to be too objective at times, and all in all not very "welcoming". Now, I usually go to musicfromthemovies.com or soundtrack-express.com .

What are your favorite film score review sites (besides this one of course... ) ?

Secondly, what do you think is to be reviewed ?

-The music itself, divorced from the film ?

-In relationship with it ?

-In relationship with other similar film scores ?

-The sound quality ?

-The Cd packaging, liner notes, etc. ?

-All of the above ?

Personnally, I really tend to examin the music on its own ; great sound and packaging may add something, but bad music in a great Cd isn't worth much... For instance, I listened recently to a very old Cd of Stokowski's Fantasia, and was completely blown away by the power of his orchestration... despite a very simple mono sound quality.

Do you agree ?

[Jacob 0]

I usually go to filmtracks. As a musical newb I appreciate their brief and simple "Buy it... / Avoid it..." overviews. I'll have to check out some of the others you posted.

Sometimes I go to Amazon and read user reviews, which are not so formal and at times surprisingly informative. But my biggest influence is JWFan. I really enjoy reading the opinions, recommendations and 'flamings' for lack of a better word of the informed and often passionate members here.

Do you read reviews before or after listening to a soundtrack (or even during)? I'll usually listen to a score and then read a couple reviews about it. It's then easier for me to understand what they're talking about.

And in answer to your question about what is to be reviewed, definitely 'all of the above' should be given consideration. Specifically I appreciate it when other scores I may be familiar with are compared and contrasted.

[Admiral Holdo 16]

I visit Filmtracks often, but Clemmensen can be an ass on occasion.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Clemmensens opinions can sometimes be downright weird, he also hears things that don't really excist. Like the Jamed Bond influenced music he claims Goldsmith wrote for The Russia House.

[Ollie 1,059]

I find the best reviews come from the members who actually post on the forums.

[John Crichton 4]

Secondly, what do you think is to be reviewed ?

-The music itself, divorced from the film ?

-In relationship with it ?

-In relationship with other similar film scores ?

-The sound quality ?

-The Cd packaging, liner notes, etc. ?

-All of the above ?

To me the relationship of the music and the film is most important, after all that's what it's being written for, film music is not written in a vaccum. And the quality of the music itself is also right there too, thematic structure, etc.

The rest is not so important. Relationship to other scores? If it's a sequel score sure, or if there's any evidence of direct ripping (No, I didn't mention Mr. Horner. Why would I even consider it.) Otherwise judge the score on it's own merits. The sound quality can be a minor issue on the CD, but shouldn't affect your opinion of the score itself. Same for CD packaging.

[Richard Penna 3,679]

I usually go to filmtracks for a quick first impression of whether a score is any good, before downloading it, but I usually take his more in-depth opinions with caution.

He seems to have something against Zimmer (please say no more) and he seems to think Newman's most experimental side is a load of rubbish. I suppose it's a problem you get when it's a one man site, where you're basically being guided by a single taste, unlike somewhere like soundtrack.net which has a boatload of reviewers.

He'll also deduct stars for too many songs and in one case, the smell of the packaging

[Morlock 11]

I used to like Clemmensen, but looking back, and reading his current reviews, he quite often does not seem to know what he's talking about.

My favorite site for online reviews is movie-wave.net, James Southall's site.

[ChuckM 1]

Soundtrack.net and Amazon.com.

[Ollie 1,059]

Amazon is also full of reviewers who have no idea what they are talking about.

[Romão 2,274]

musicfromthemovies.com is pretty good and tend to agree with their reviews.

[Henry B 50]

Some of MFTM's reviews seem rather amateur; for example, Hooper's Order of the Phoenix and the many snide comments about Goblet of Fire it includes.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

I don't read many reviews anymore, but one site I used to visit sometimes was Soundtrack Express.

[Admiral Holdo 16]

Soundtrack express is one of the better sites - they're fair overall (and they enjoyed Batman Forever. Can't argue with that logic!).