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

[Kasey Kockroach 2,448]

Didn't we see Rogue One's unreleased cues get uploaded? Could have sworn I saw discussions on those. :S

[Lockdown 239]

Yeah, but that was an FYC. That'll be a long wait.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,448]

Ooooh, right. Either way, plenty to gobble up until then.

[Lockdown 239]

Which came out in December of 2016. It's so far away from Oscar season, but hopefully they still upload the score to their site at the least.

[Breadstick Basilisk 108]

LOVE Powell's string counterpoint to Williams' A theme, at 1:33!!!

 

 

[PrayodiBA 804]

Now one question:

 

Will this score be eligible for Oscar?

And will it be nominated for an Oscar?(twice for Powell, gazillionce for Towner then)

[Kasey Kockroach 2,448]

It'll probably lose to Trent Reznor again.

[crocodile 8,964]

7 minutes ago, Breadstick Basilisk said:

LOVE Powell's string counterpoint to Williams' A theme, at 1:33!!!

 

 

I like how he sets Han's theme against the Attacking the Star Destroyer (from TESB) ostinato at the beginning of Reminiscence Therapy at 0:35.

 

Karol

[Breadstick Basilisk 108]

Yep, love that one too!

 

Also can't get enough of this minor trumpet progression that happens at 1:24 of "Corellia Chase"...

 

 

...and again at 2:23...

 

 

 

[Lockdown 239]

14 minutes ago, Breadstick Basilisk said:

LOVE Powell's string counterpoint to Williams' A theme, at 1:33!!!

 

 

Nothing can beat this though, imho.

 

 

[Miz 145]

Obviously loving this, but I don't know how it will hold up over time as the album presentation is front-heavy and, the action music very dense.

 

Powell has treated Williams' themes fantastically - not just clear callouts like Reminiscence Therapy, but subtle inclusion of familiar chord-progressions like the Rebel fanfare that run through the score. Giacchino did the same in Rogue One too, which I think not everyone cottoned on to (that score goes deeper into Star Wars mythos, structure and tone, and I would argue is dripping with the Star Wars sound as much as it is Giacchino's).

 

Best non-Williams Star Wars score? I certainly think it's the most dynamic - Powell's ability to write captivating dynamic melodic lines is strong, not to mention how he plays with themes and give them attitude. What Solo lacks is romanticism, I think. Rogue One had plenty to offer in that regard (though some would criticise its broad-and-simple Giacchino strokes), but both are surely trumped in terms of romanticism by Shadows of the Empire.

[crocodile 8,964]

Yeah but SOTE was written for a book and completely free from picture, sound, filmmaker's prejudices and studio meddling. Pretty much any above average composer can deliver in a situation like this.

 

Karol

[Kasey Kockroach 2,448]

Giacchino's is a solid narrative and hardly the disgrace it's been made out to be, it just doesn't have nearly as much meat to chew on. I'll be happy to revisit it here and there as I do find it an interesting work. I've never heard even slight similarities between Giacchino and Williams, so it's admirable Rogue One is as serviceable as it is. But I like his Jurassic flavor more.

 

[publicist 4,647]

Cutting out all the *imho* obnoxious or non-essential stuff i still arrive at a respectable 45-50 minutes (in comparison i didn't even bother to listen more than once to R1)

Meet Han

Spaceport

Flying with Chewie

Train Heist

Is This Seat Taken?

L3 & Millennium Falcon

Lando's Closet

Mine Mission

Break Out

The Good Guy

Savareen Stand-Off

Dice & Roll

 

[Kasey Kockroach 2,448]

That's probably the album we'd get if Solo was an OT score.

That tracklist actually does have a nice unique flow to it! Fine work, kid!

Though I'd bet a good "classic short" album can be found with R1.

[publicist 4,647]

I doubt that would miss 'Chicken in a Pot'. I generally favour the quieter parts here. Cues like 'Corellia Chase' or 'Into the Maw' are the typical totter candidates: while not necessarily worse than the rest, the onslaught of them makes for an unpleasant listening experience.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,448]

I think I'm just weird and hyper enough to not get tired of that stuff. Delivering pizzas while sipping Monster drinks to that music, it's the life, babe.

Still, Chicken in the Pot would make a funny album ending.

[publicist 4,647]

Oh, i kept that, it's a fun track but for purity reasons it's not featured in the playlist.

[Breadstick Basilisk 108]

Can't stop listening to "Marauders Arrive". Especially the bit that starts at 0:24! 

[Kasey Kockroach 2,448]

Understood. Actually playing your order as we speak! I'll sure as the moon keep the OST as it be (I only made one alteration to place Chicken in the Pot as the last track), but your arrangement is actually pretty smooth as far as if one just needs a shorter sweet taste of the Powell palette. 

[Arpy 4,178]

40 minutes ago, publicist said:

Cutting out all the *imho* obnoxious or non-essential stuff i still arrive at a respectable 45-50 minutes (in comparison i didn't even bother to listen more than once to R1)

Meet Han

Spaceport

Flying with Chewie

Train Heist

Is This Seat Taken?

L3 & Millennium Falcon

Lando's Closet

Mine Mission

Break Out

The Good Guy

Savareen Stand-Off

Dice & Roll

 

But...but...but what about Corellia Chase? That's a fantastic cue!

[Breadstick Basilisk 108]

Maybe a music-theory-trained member could help me figure this out/let me know what their opinion of this is? @Falstaft @Sharky

 

In "Marauders Arrive", the rhythmic pattern that begins at 0:24:

 

 

Do you think it's this:

 

 

...or this:

 

 

?

 

I can hear both possibilities, but I'm trying to figure out if that first note of the pattern is a pick-up or the start of a measure.

 

 

 

 

[filmmusic 2,509]

12 minutes ago, Breadstick Basilisk said:

Maybe a music-theory-trained member could help me figure this out/let me know what their opinion of this is? @Falstaft @Sharky

 

In "Marauders Arrive", the rhythmic pattern that begins at 0:24:

 

 

 

I would say the first note it's definitely NOT a pick up note.

I hear it as 5/4 with the 5 first notes: eighth - quarter - quarter -dotted quater-quarter

 

(but it could be  your first option too: 5/8 with the notes grouped rhythmically as 3+2)

[Breadstick Basilisk 108]

Swapped out the files with corrected versions; I had the wrong note at the end.

 

And yeah, I also noticed that it ends up adding up to 5/4 (2 bars of 5/8 = 10 eighths = 5 quarters).

 

EDIT: Just noticed the trombone hits that occur under each first note of the pattern. Highly unlikely they would be entering like that on a pick-up; I think they're laying the downbeats. So, yeah, I'm also leaning toward my first option/the 5/4.

[leeallen01 2,188]

My playlist is -

 

Track 1 - Adventures of Han

Track 6 - Train Heist (first 90 seconds)

Track 11 - Lando's Closet

Track 12 - Mine Mission

Track 13 - Break Out (Most of it but minus the percussion loop sections)

Track 14  - The Good Guy

Track 18 - Good Thing You Were Listening

Track 19 - Testing Allegiance (2nd half)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[crocodile 8,964]

I think the only track that slightly tests my endurance is Into the Maw. Think it is a bit..too...much.

 

Karol

[Ludwig 1,179]

1 hour ago, Breadstick Basilisk said:

Swapped out the files with corrected versions; I had the wrong note at the end.

 

And yeah, I also noticed that it ends up adding up to 5/4 (2 bars of 5/8 = 10 eighths = 5 quarters).

 

EDIT: Just noticed the trombone hits that occur under each first note of the pattern. Highly unlikely they would be entering like that on a pick-up; I think they're laying the downbeats. So, yeah, I'm also leaning toward my first option/the 5/4.

 

I agree with you and filmmusic about the first note being a downbeat. In situations like this where there's a repeating chunk but it's hard to tell where the start point is, a strong suggestion of downbeat is where the changes of harmony occur. It would be very strange to have the harmony change on the last eighth of a bar then be carried over into the next bar. Even if It were rotated that way, we tend to hear the downbeat with the change of harmony.

 

As for the notation, it probably wouldn't be your first option because there isn't anything besides the melody that suggests another downbeat in the middle of the whole 10-eighth-note pattern. It sounds more like a consistent beat is being retained throughout, so I'd guess a continuous 5/4 here. In other words, there's no reason for the melody's quarters to suddenly sound like a strong beats if they have been sounding as weak beats just before.

[leeallen01 2,188]

I know I've been a little too harsh on the things I don't like about the score, but that is just raw emotion of the disappointment in those aspects of it. I was honestly expecting to be blown away and not be disappointed as I love some of Powell's music. I am now trying to focus on what I love and generally enjoy about it and leaving the negatives for others to discuss who actually enjoyed the things I didn't. 

 

That being said, I'd like to express once again how painfully gorgeous his love theme is. And Lando's Closet is easily in my top 3 favourite Powell piece he's ever written. 

[spielboy 0]

32 minutes ago, crocodile said:

I think the only track that slightly tests my endurance is Into the Maw. Think it is a bit..too...much.

 

Karol

 

same with the movie, putting that action escape scene with the falcon RIGHT AFTER another action escape scene with the falcon

[crocodile 8,964]

2 minutes ago, spielboy said:

 

same with the movie, putting that action escape scene with the falcon RIGHT AFTER another action escape scene with the falcon

Which follows an action escape scene right before that.

 

Karol

[leeallen01 2,188]

Not seeing it, but is the film basically; Solo: An Action Escape Scene Story?

[Knight of Ren 1,204]

Watched the movie and it wasn't as bad as many people is saying. Nothing really original but a lot of fun. The score fits well into the movie, but I wish in some action scenes they had let it shine a bit more. The softer parts have much more presence in the film mix. As for the album presentation, is mostly chronological, just with one track being out of order from what I remember, that being The Good Guy which I think goes after Into the Maw.

 

Most of the interesting music is here but there are still some nice missing cues. Spoilers:

Spoiler

-Both Imperial March versions when Han is at the Spaceport and when he is fighting for the Empire.

-Some more softer variations of the Love theme from the beginning of the movie, and later when Han and Qi'ra meet again.

-Duel of the Fates variation for Darth Maul's big return!

 

I really like the score and each time I listen to the album again I love it even more! Marauders Arrive is an instant classic, as well as Reminiscence Therapy. 

[Holko 11,172]

The ending of Into the Maw is the only part where I feel like it's a bit much. The rest of it is fun - I love when it goes crazy at about 3 minutes.

 

Chicken in the Pot sounds like a weird, stoned mix of French and Japanese. Took me a few listens, but I'm growing to like it - those strings make the whole track!

[Loert 2,882]

1 hour ago, Ludwig said:

As for the notation, it probably wouldn't be your first option because there isn't anything besides the melody that suggests another downbeat in the middle of the whole 10-eighth-note pattern. It sounds more like a consistent beat is being retained throughout, so I'd guess a continuous 5/4 here. In other words, there's no reason for the melody's quarters to suddenly sound like a strong beats if they have been sounding as weak beats just before.

 

Personally I do feel it to be 3+2, like this:

 

 

If it's notated like this then the low tutti octaves on the F# and the taiko(?) drums come in on each downbeat.

There's nothing preventing it from being 5/4 too, though, so I'd say with certainty that it's either 5/4 or 3/4+2/4 (and not 5/8).

(And yes, that first note is a G#, not an A. It's almost indistinguishable with the choir but it's evident when the horns come in later.)

[spielboy 0]

anyone remembers the fist appearance of the love theme in the movie?

 

I just remember the part in SPACEPORT track, when Han leaves, but I am asking if it appears earlier (when they're together in the car or ...)

[Loert 2,882]

3 hours ago, crocodile said:

I think the only track that slightly tests my endurance is Into the Maw. Think it is a bit..too...much.

 

I think In The Maw is THE one track where Powell REALLY let loose and pushed the orchestra as far as he could.

 

For that reason I love it but I can definitely understand why somebody would get ear fatigue from it.

 

There are actually two quips I have about that particular track.

One is the break at 1:20, which sounds like the orchestra just suddenly decided to play a totally different piece of music. ANY kind of transition would have been welcome here, a gradual diminuendo, maybe a downwards harp glissando...

The other is the segment which kicks in at 3:36 - it's so good, but it's over before you've even realised what's gone on. I would've wanted it to have been developed for at least 10 seconds longer.

Naturally I blame the film editing for all of this...

[PrayodiBA 804]

Does anybody here hear the vuvuzelas part? Are they in the maw?

[Alex 2,919]

What played during the end credits? Haven't seen the movie yet.

[saulocf 88]

Did anybody else thought that the transition from “Dice & Roll” to the end credits was awful? As someone who likes a good transition from the finale to the end credits, this was the third time in a row that the transition was very disappointing. The End Credits editing isn’t very good as well.

[crumbs 15,343]

Has it occurred to some people that if Williams knew how to use electronics and synthetic instruments the way that Powell does, he would do the same thing himself? He's regularly shown a willingness to dabble in the world of synth, just never to an extent that it overtakes the voice of a live orchestra.

 

He's certainly never spoken ill of such techniques. In fact, he seems almost intrigued by the way composers like Powell have these additional tools at their disposal (but doesn't have the willingness to learn at his age, which is fair enough).

[Knight of Ren 1,204]

1 hour ago, spielboy said:

anyone remembers the fist appearance of the love theme in the movie?

 

I just remember the part in SPACEPORT track, when Han leaves, but I am asking if it appears earlier (when they're together in the car or ...)

I think there is a softer variation almost at the begining when Han & Qi'ra kiss just before the Corellia Chase track

 

11 minutes ago, Alex said:

What played during the end credits? Haven't seen the movie yet.

It starts with the usual end credits fanfare but it segues to the Han's theme sooner than in other end credits. The list of themes would be something like this. It's not 100% accurate but I think is pretty much like this:

-End Credits Fanfare

-Han Heroic Theme (Similar to Adventures of Han)

-L3 Theme (Similar to Break Out version)

-Han Heroic Theme (Similar to Adventures of Han)

-Love Theme (similar to The Good Guy version)

-L3 Theme (Softer version like the beginning of L3 & The Millenium Falcon, before it starts in the military setting of Mine Mission)

-More Han's Theme (Something like Corellia Chase)

-Searching Theme (I think is the Corellia Chase version)

-Some Crew's theme (Maybe Train Heist)

-More Han's Theme (I think this is the most similar to Adventures of Han)

-Chewbacca's Theme (Flying with Chewie version)

[crumbs 15,343]

So Luke's Theme starts the end credits again, just like the other 9 SW films? 

[crocodile 8,964]

Yeah.

 

Karol

[Knight of Ren 1,204]

Yeah, but is shorter than in previous movies and quickly lets Han's theme take over. That was surprising, and also that the credits didn't ended with the classical ending, but it's a nice change.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,086]

Han's theme feels nondescript. If it were any other hero's theme I'd be disappointed. But the ambiguity works for Han, rather well actually. 

[Ricard 2,282]

With John Williams Stepping Aside, 'Solo' Looks to Create a 'Modern' Musical Score for 'Star Wars'

 

Quote

 "Once I had his theme, it gave me permission to do the things the film perhaps was asking for. Since it's a different type of film, he was telling me not to worry and not be too honorable to the original, and do what I felt like is the right thing to do." One of the challenges was to concoct a present-day sounding-score that still felt timeless, a tricky proposition. "John was interested to see how it would be if it were modern, as it were. And I say 'modern' in inverted quotes because his style is sort of timeless for a classic. The danger with making anything modern is that it goes out of fashion. If you look back on a score from 1977 by John Williams, it doesn't seem out of date at all. But if you look back on a score by an electronic rock band (from the 70s) and listen to it now, it sounds really dated. John's score could have been '77, '88, '98 anytime." According to Powell, his mere goal was "to fit into that world, not fuck it up, and also not be frightened to do what the film needs."

 

 

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8457839/star-wars-solo-music

[BLUMENKOHL 1,086]

It pleases me to no end that John Williams sees the need to release those who will follow him from the need to ape his style.

 

Powell has succeeded at what he set out to do, and what Williams wanted him to do. This is a great Star Wars score, rooted in the franchise's rich musical tradition and yet different enough to help the franchise evolve. 

 

It's just right. It's not too far out. It keeps what works, sheds what's anachronistic, and brings just enough of individual voice to work and work well. 

[crocodile 8,964]

Oh so Williams actually wanted a modern sounding score. That's pretty cool to learn. I bet as an artist he's fascinated with all the modern toys that contemporary composers use.

 

To be honest, this hot-headed probably bit too over-eager take on the old material sits well with the younger incarnation of Solo.

 

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,752]

So you aprove of the film, Karol?

[crocodile 8,964]

No, I didn't like the film at all. It was kind of boring. 

 

Karol