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

[enderdrag64 624]

4 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

You like Powell's Solo score but not his How to Train Your Dragon scores?

I plan to pick those up eventually too!

 

I'm still in college and I don't yet have the disposable income to pick up every release I find interesting. Solo is a special occasion because it might encourage more releases in the future.

[Jay 37,326]

Good man  

[Tallguy 3,381]

29 minutes ago, enderdrag64 said:

I'm still in college and I don't yet have the disposable income to pick up every release I find interesting. Solo is a special occasion because it might encourage more releases in the future.

 

So... So this isn't going to end when us old timers die? That's so good to know!

 

(When I was in college I spent an unreasonable amount of money on CDs and probably not quite enough on food.)

[Jay 37,326]

8 minutes ago, Tallguy said:

When I was in college I spent an unreasonable amount of money on CDs and probably not quite enough on food

 

I think of all the money spent on alcohol...

[MrJosh 892]

Cool news! I'll buy a copy even if it's the same thing, because I like to get physical....with music. 

 

I'm not getting my hopes up that the Williams demos will be there, but I can dream at least. 

[Demodex 557]

The digital release has the whole score as it appears in the film. There's nothing more that could get me to want to spend money on these. 

 

Plus physical CD's just take up space. 

[crocodile 7,991]

21 hours ago, MrJosh said:

Cool news! I'll buy a copy even if it's the same thing, because I like to get physical....with music. 

 

I'm not getting my hopes up that the Williams demos will be there, but I can dream at least. 

I bet they can't be released for the same reason they couldn't use those recordings in the film itself.

 

Karol

[MrJosh 892]

6 minutes ago, crocodile said:

I bet they can't be released for the same reason they couldn't use those recordings in the film itself.

 

Karol

I thought they weren't used in the film because they were just intended as demos for Powell hear examples of utilizing the theme itself, and then Powell could incorporate into his own writing as he saw fit. Maybe I have that wrong.

[Jay 37,326]

Nope you don't, that's how I understood it as well

[crocodile 7,991]

7 minutes ago, MrJosh said:

I thought they weren't used in the film because they were just intended as demos for Powell to then utilize and incorporate into his own writing as he saw fit. Maybe I have that wrong.

Yes, you are right. Technically. Although, Powell did mention something about there being no possibility of using them anyway even if they wanted to. 

 

Karol

[Jay 37,326]

Source?

[scallenger 483]

Powell just responded to my comment if the CDs would have the same content as the digital release, and he said: Yes!

[Jay 37,326]

Source?

[scallenger 483]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpImd-av2qO/

[crocodile 7,991]

22 minutes ago, Jay said:

Source?

I will try to find it. Bear with me. There are tons of interviews and podcast to go through.

 

Karol

[Jay 37,326]

8 minutes ago, scallenger said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpImd-av2qO/

 

Ah!  I'm an instagram newb and didn't realize the big Plus symbol with a circle around it caused more comments to fill in 

 

Here's a direct link to his reply to you  https://www.instagram.com/p/CpImd-av2qO/c/18054028486391865/r/17974058699122301/

[crocodile 7,991]

About 27 minutes in:

 

 

But then, I might be reading too much into this.

 

Karol

 

[rough cut 1,714]

Worked for me, and I’m not connected to @scallenger on IG.

 

[Jay 37,326]

8 minutes ago, crocodile said:

About 27 minutes in:

 

But then, I might be reading too much into this.

 

Karol

 

 

No, you're right.  What he says is clear and makes sense.  Every bit of music recorded with AFM musicians would have had to have fees paid, so they probably made a special deal to only have the theme arrangement used in the film, and only in the end credits.

 

So the actual "scoring" of the film is all London, and the end credits contains a licensed piece of music from another source.

[MrJosh 892]

Well, knowing the content will be the same as the digital release, the only thing I can think of to make the demo cues happen would be some kind of bonus Star Wars disc in 2033 when the 9 scores are expanded, like a disc that has Galaxy's Edge (plus the bits of William Ross stuff for the attractions), Solo + demos, Obi-Wan plus demos (and maybe any more William Ross music?). 

[Chewy 2,382]

43 minutes ago, scallenger said:

Powell just responded to my comment if the CDs would have the same content as the digital release, and he said: Yes!

This had to be expected!

 

Now I'm wondering if we'll get exclusive liner notes on this release?  

[Jay 37,326]

An FSM user once posted that some kind of digital booklet was supposedly posted back in 2020 then quickly removed, but I never saw it

 

He might have just been confused about that credits page Powell uploaded (which was never removed, so who knows)

[Chewy 2,382]

Interesting! I suspect Intrada will do some work on the packaging too. I remember they did themselves the back cover of "The Call Of The Wild" CD, I guess we'll get something similar for Solo.

[Tallguy 3,381]

Boy, don't you wish that the introduction of the Millennium Falcon looked as good as Powell's music sounds?

[Holko 9,499]

Just like with CotW, since I already bought it digitally I have no real motivation to buy it physically for more with the same content. But promising news indeed!

[Faleel 5,344]

1 minute ago, Holko said:

Just like with CotW, since I already bought it digitally I have no real motivation to buy it physically for more with the same content. But promising news indeed!

You just don't want another Intrada CD cover in your collection if you can help it

[Groovygoth666 650]

This is great news. Even if it is the same program as the digital I'll definitely be picking it up. 

 

Hopefully this will lead to more releases from the Star Wars Saga!

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

This means that if they release rogue one it will also the same faulty program…

[Groovygoth666 650]

9 minutes ago, Luke Skywalker said:

This means that if they release rogue one it will also the same faulty program…

Apart from the Bazaars Of Jedha cue missing was there anything else faulty about it?

[crocodile 7,991]

18 minutes ago, Groovygoth666 said:

Apart from the Bazaars Of Jedha cue missing was there anything else faulty about it?

Well, the WIlliams material in end credits is missing which makes it very choppy and awkward. One of the action cues towards the end ends quite abruptly and a couple of tracks feature extended silence (like 20 seconds). So bit of a mess really.

 

Karol

[Groovygoth666 650]

52 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Well, the WIlliams material in end credits is missing which makes it very choppy and awkward. One of the action cues towards the end ends quite abruptly and a couple of tracks feature extended silence (like 20 seconds). So bit of a mess really.

 

Karol

Ah yes the Williams bits can't believe I forgot those. Not sure which cue ends abruptly though. Isn't the first half of Antenna Alignment alternate missing (presumably because the ending was the only new part)? And the 20 seconds of silence wasn't that where the missing cue went?

[bollemanneke 3,341]

1 hour ago, Groovygoth666 said:

Apart from the Bazaars Of Jedha cue missing was there anything else faulty about it?

Perfect, I don't care about that at all.

[crocodile 7,991]

55 minutes ago, Groovygoth666 said:

Ah yes the Williams bits can't believe I forgot those. Not sure which cue ends abruptly though. Isn't the first half of Antenna Alignment alternate missing (presumably because the ending was the only new part)? And the 20 seconds of silence wasn't that where the missing cue went?

No, there another two tracks earlier in the score and the silence occurs in the middle of those.

 

Karol

[enderdrag64 624]

If the Bazaars of Jedha cue wasn't missing I would have no complaints about the 2022 release.

 

It features every cue. In order. Separate. With no editing. With no sound quality issues. By Lucasfilm's standards it's one of the best albums they've ever allowed to be released.

 

The alternate that starts in the middle is a little annoying but takes seconds to fix in Audacity. It may be a "sessions dump" but I'd much rather have that than the OST or the Ultimate Edition or the 2018 demasters 

[Jay 37,326]

One little bit in the score I really like is in the cue "Conveyex", when a fun percussion-based rhythm comes in and plays for a few measures before the Imperial theme from the first Star Wars movie plays on top if it.  It's so much better than just leading into a straightforward performance of that theme, the percussion really is an inspired and fun choice that gets me every time.  I find myself anticipating the arrival of the Imperial theme, which is great

 

 

@ 3:27 (for some reason the play button isn't going directly there)

[mstrox 6,647]

There’s something very Powell-feeling about that.   Reminds me of a transition during the mall chase cue in Evolution for some reason.

[Loert 2,510]

3 hours ago, Jay said:

One little bit in the score I really like is in the cue "Conveyex", when a fun percussion-based rhythm comes in and plays for a few measures before the Imperial theme from the first Star Wars movie plays on top if it.  It's so much better than just leading into a straightforward performance of that theme, the percussion really is an inspired and fun choice that gets me every time.  I find myself anticipating the arrival of the Imperial theme, which is great

 

 

@ 3:27 (for some reason the play button isn't going directly there)

 

 

 

[GerateWohl 4,345]

I said it before. For me Powell uses too much percussion in such scores, as if he doesn't trust into the power of a full orchestra of melody instruments. Instead of just setting punctual accents he uses the drums like in a rock band. But that's an issue that I have with many young composers.

[Jay 37,326]

I see what you're saying overall, and sometimes when listening to Powell I wonder why there's so much drumming, but for whatever reason for me it all feels right in Solo

[GerateWohl 4,345]

As I said, I don't like the drums. But the score has just such brillant musical moments and ideas, that I take it here. It is just still the greatest non-Williams Star Wars score.

And not only because it is in fact not completely a non-Williams Star Wars score.

 

[Datameister 2,037]

I don't mind the drums. Wouldn't want them in every score but I think they're a valid inclusion.

 

The only thing I truly dislike in this score is Powell's over-caffeinated approach to the Star Wars main theme. It just sounds cheesy at that speed, and not in a good way.

 

I also found the Williams quotes in Reminiscence Therapy to be awkward at first, but I've gotten used to the transitions. It helps that the performance and recording are so fantastic.

[Jay 37,326]

That cue (TIE Chase) is the only cue in the entire score I don't love.  I can't get used to some of those transitions.  I want to try to make an edit that omits the music from the original trilogy

[Loert 2,510]

1 hour ago, GerateWohl said:

I said it before. For me Powell uses too much percussion in such scores, as if he doesn't trust into the power of a full orchestra of melody instruments. Instead of just setting punctual accents he uses the drums like in a rock band. But that's an issue that I have with many young composers.

 

JP has quite a distinctive use of percussion, and it's become very much part of his style. I think it would be a mistake to group him with other composers who really do just add a basic drum loop to make up for their lack of orchestration ability. Rather, Powell's percussion is quite intelligently written and constantly adapts to the orchestra, and almost always feels like it adds some value (to me at least). E.g. It's clear to me that the four-to-the-floor in the excerpt Jay posted "plays off" the crazy staccato trumpets and violins - one would't work without the other.

 

Anyway, JP obviously has a thing for percussion (Horton Hears A Who, Robots etc.) and I remember in an interview he once did that he mentioned how he used to listen to a lot of vinyls of world/tribal music as a student. (I think the question was actually in relation to his use of percussion).

 

But I can understand why some people would be put off by it. For one, when I ever write for orchestra I know I would never do this sort of percussion because it would likely come off as cheesy.

 

By the way, the first time I ever actually listened to How To Train Your Dragon was when I heard the first few seconds of Test Drive, and I remember thinking "Eurgh, electric guitar and those awkward drums...? I'll pass" I didn't come back to the soundtrack until about a year later, and now it's one of my favourite scores (though not because of the percussion, mind you )

[GerateWohl 4,345]

1 hour ago, Datameister said:

The only thing I truly dislike in this score is Powell's over-caffeinated approach to the Star Wars main theme. It just sounds cheesy at that speed, and not in a good way.

I don't mind the speed. But I passionately dislike the usage of the main theme when they approach the Falcon for the first time. If this would have been a sequel to RotJ, then it would make sense to give a reminder of the Falcon's OT history. But OT is here the future. So, from a storytelling perspective this quote made no sense. It was rather like breaking the fourth wall and addressing directly to the audience, "Remember? That ship was in Star Wars!" And that in a quite unoriginal way.

I loved how Williams gave his nod to the OT in the actual sequel when we first see the Falcon with the brief quote of the rebel fanfare. There it made sense because that was the future and there was actually something to remember.

[Jay 37,326]

Yea I don't understand why Luke's theme appeared in that cue either

 

It could have been a director's / producer's request and something Powell didn't want to do personally

[GerateWohl 4,345]

1 hour ago, Loert said:

 

JP has quite a distinctive use of percussion, and it's become very much part of his style. I think it would be a mistake to group him with other composers who really do just add a basic drum loop to make up for their lack of orchestration ability. Rather, Powell's percussion is quite intelligently written and constantly adapts to the orchestra, and almost always feels like it adds some value (to me at least). E.g. It's clear to me that the four-to-the-floor in the excerpt Jay posted "plays off" the crazy staccato trumpets and violins - one would't work without the other.

 

Anyway, JP obviously has a thing for percussion (Horton Hears A Who, Robots etc.) and I remember in an interview he once did that he mentioned how he used to listen to a lot of vinyls of world/tribal music as a student. (I think the question was actually in relation to his use of percussion).

 

But I can understand why some people would be put off by it. For one, when I ever write for orchestra I know I would never do this sort of percussion because it would likely come off as cheesy.

 

By the way, the first time I ever actually listened to How To Train Your Dragon was when I heard the first few seconds of Test Drive, and I remember thinking "Eurgh, electric guitar and those awkward drums...? I'll pass" I didn't come back to the soundtrack until about a year later, and now it's one of my favourite scores (though not because of the percussion, mind you )

I adore single tracks from HTTYD, but when I put on the OST I have to switch off after some time, because the drums annoy me. It's nothing that works for me, when I just want to listen to orchestral music.

[crocodile 7,991]

I might be remembering it (slightly) wrong but I think Powell decided to use Luke's theme as a "destiny" theme. Great things to come...type of a thing.

 

Karol

[GerateWohl 4,345]

3 minutes ago, Jay said:

It could have been a director's / producer's request and something Powell didn't want to do personally

Right. That seemed quite much like the producers' approach to Star Wars at Disney at that time. Nostalgia. Nostalgia. Nostalgia.

[Faleel 5,344]

2 hours ago, Datameister said:

The only thing I truly dislike in this score is Powell's over-caffeinated approach to the Star Wars main theme. It just sounds cheesy at that speed, and not in a good way.

 

 

What part are you referring to?

[Jay 37,326]

 

 

@ 10:18