Jump to content

What Is The Last Score You Listened To? (older scores)


Ollie

Recommended Posts

When JW told Spielberg that he needed a better composer for Schindler's List he was actually trying to tell him he needed Conrad Pope.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, crocodile said:

:music: Valerian and the City of the Thousand Planets by Conrad Pope. My first listen of this score was a disappointment. Revisited it yesterday after receiving the CD and it was a drastically different experience.

 

Do you think the tracks order played a part in that?

 

4 hours ago, crocodile said:

Still not a fan of the synth stuff though. I can see how it works within the colourful Besson world, it makes the score seem more generic than it actually is.

 

I agree with this. While the synth stuff doesn't bother me in a few tracks, I still find that the ones I like the most are the purely/mostly orchestral ones (Arriving On Alpha, Flight Above The Big Market, Submarine...).

 

4 hours ago, crocodile said:

I wonder if there is any significant material missing from the 71-minute presentation to make it more listenable?

 

Having watched the film, I can't say I noticed any noteworthy unreleased cues. All the highlights are on the album.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the track order has something to do with that. Pearls of Mul is one of the best tracks on the album and it sets the tone nicely for a fantasy film. It's almost Williams-esque. I like how it introduces and foreshadows Pearls theme (that will culminate later in the penultimate track).

 

As for the synths and percussion, it's not that Desplat does it badly. I just don't like the fact he has to adhere to modern tastes and trends. It makes it somewhat less striking. The music as written is absolutely fine.

 

Karol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Gives 'aimless' a bad name. Foul mixture of purely atmospheric drones (80%), the usual chopping tips o' the hat to old Zimmer Batmans, amateurish JNH impersonations (what aspires to be a melodic identity, alas...) and a big question mark if guys like Holkenborg score literally 'to picture', that is, without ever considering a bigger musical arc than what's happening in a given minute (now sad button=minor chords and soft piano hits, mystery button=industrial sounds with strange background screeches and so on). It's the pits, really.

 

That being said, there's a catchy main theme ('Roland of Eld') tacked on as last track, probably not to annoy people who might get their hopes up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shhh... @Stefancos is a fan. He'll hear..

 

:music: War of the Worlds by John Williams. I almost admired this score but the album is a bit frustrating. I can't quite understand how editing all those smaller atmospheric cues into one long track towards the end of the album is supposed to accomplish anything. Hoping for the expanded set to come out. The timpani writing, which serves as a signature instrumental accent throughout this score, reminds me a bit of Alex North. I always wondered how they achieved those vocal-like hissing sounds in The Intersection Scene.

 

Karol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, crocodile said:

Shhh... @Stefancos is a fan. He'll hear..

 

:music: War of the Worlds by John Williams. I almost admired this score but the album is a bit frustrating. I can't quite understand how editing all those smaller atmospheric cues into one long track towards the end of the album is supposed to accomplish anything. Hoping for the expanded set to come out. The timpani writing, which serves as a signature instrumental accent throughout this score, reminds me a bit of Alex North. I always wondered how they achieved those vocal-like hissing sounds in The Intersection Scene.

 

Karol

Choir and synth effects I suppose. Very Close Encounters of the Third Kind in my opinion. I somewhat consider this the evil cousin to that score stylistically with Stravinskian drive thrown into the mix.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Spielberg/Williams Collaboration Part III

 

Seen a lot of disparaging remarks about this album on the board, but it's still my favorite and most listened-to album of this year so far.  A wonderful collection.  I love every track!  The stretch of tracks 4-10 especially is just perfect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

I don't acknowledge the existence of Weezer from 2005-2010.  As far as I'm concerned, they've released 6 good-to-great albums

 

I don't know much about Weezer if I'm honest but that was a good track and an awesome video.

 

Fun song to play, my band played as part of the set for our one night only world tour!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, crocodile said:

:music: How to Train Your Dragon 2 by John Powell. One of composer's finest. What I like about both scores is that they don't really have the schizophrenic construct of many animation scores (even by Powell). They feel fully realised musical world with big collection of long-lined themes (think by the second score we get about 15 of them). And they're all good. It's this focus in writing that separates it from many other works in this genre. It doesn't mickey-mouse or change direction every 20 seconds. And it does sound like someone as well.

 

I'm not sure how John Powell will manage to create unified whole between Williams' style and his own in the upcoming Han Solo film. But at least I'm sure it will be well-written and colourful score. I always wanted him to try a more "classical" approach. He's never really done that in the film. Most of his works are quite eclectic in terms of influences. But having him explore the concert I'm dying to hear what it will sound like.

 

But even if that turns out to be a disappointment... there is always How to Train Your Dragon 3 in 2019. ;)

 

 

Karol

Yes all around excellent stuff, this and its predecessor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Bilbo Skywalker said:

 

I don't know much about Weezer if I'm honest but that was a good track and an awesome video.

 

Fun song to play, my band played as part of the set for our one night only world tour!

 

I hold nothing against those that like the songs from that period.  This old-school Weezer fan just couldn't go along with the change in sound. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

18 minutes ago, Incanus said:

Yes all around excellent stuff, this and its predecessor.

However, my favourite Powell cue is from an entirely different score entirely.

 

 

Karol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, crocodile said:

Valerian and the City of Thousand Planets

Papillon

War for the Planet of the Apes

The Blue Max

The Salamander

 

Karol

I took a first listen to Valerian last night and I am not quite sold on it yet. Again Desplat's orchestrations are a treat but the music doesn't really have much emotional pull for me, at least no the first time around. Have to investigate more as Desplat's music usually demands more listens than one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Incanus said:

I took a first listen to Valerian last night and I am not quite sold on it yet. Again Desplat's orchestrations are a treat but the music doesn't really have much emotional pull for me, at least no the first time around. Have to investigate more as Desplat's music usually demands more listens than one.

I didn't like it at all after my first listen. And I still think the album programme isn't terribly good. And I think mixing electronic and orchestral is becoming a bit of a cliche, especially in the space opera context. After all it's like doubling what you can already see on the screen. You need some counterpoint. Williams and Lucas understood this back in 1977. But yeah, give it a one spin or two before giving up. To paraphrase a famous quote on Wagner, "it's not as bad as it sounds". ;)

 

Karol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/29/2017 at 2:25 PM, Disco Stu said:

 

I hold nothing against those that like the songs from that period.  This old-school Weezer fan just couldn't go along with the change in sound. 

 

You're nuts.  The red album is their third best album after the blue album and Pinkerton

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Too goofy for me.  My favorite Weezer albums strike a better balance between heartfelt/thoughtful and goofy.   That whole era veered between boring/anonymous-sounding songs and overly goofy songs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But after the first 2 tracks of the red album, the goofyness is gone; Tracks like "Heart Songs" are very heartfelt.  Maybe listen to it now, after all these years, to see if you judged it too harshly the first time around?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 29/07/2017 at 7:25 PM, Incanus said:

Yes all around excellent stuff, this and its predecessor.

 

Do you guys know where I can find a thematic breakdown of both these scores?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:music: The Peacemaker. This is my favourite vintage action score from Hansu. It's a strange late addition to his power anthem stage and an anticipation of stuff like Gladiator (vocals and stuff). To be honest, the best thing about this score is the opening sequence (same with the film) but I still have soft spot for the entire thing.

 

 

Karol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, crocodile said:

:music: The Peacemaker. This is my favourite vintage action score from Hansu. It's a strange late addition to his power anthem stage and an anticipation of stuff like Gladiator (vocals and stuff). To be honest, the best thing about this score is the opening sequence (same with the film) but I still have soft spot for the entire thing.

 

 

Karol

 

I quite liked the film too. Effective 90's actioner. Completely forgotten now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Assassins Creed: Syndicate by Austin Wintory: Oh give this man a blockbuster to score already! With artistic freedom from producer committee of course. It would be glorious! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Titanic OST

 

You know, I do believe Death of Titanic is my favorite track ever. Since I surrendered my Williams card, I don't have to worry about admitting things like that anymore. It's very liberating. You should think of it as therapy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.