Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste - SOUL (2020)

[Under-Terrestrial 51]

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/soul-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1543828609

 

[Thor 7,477]

I was stumped about this composer casting before MANK. But after MANK, I'd say they are definitely up to the task of scoring a Pixar movie. Looking forward to this!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Is this the right movie for their techno music?

[Thor 7,477]

1 minute ago, The Big Man said:

Is this the right movie for their techno music?

 

They don't do techno (they've mostly done dark ambient in the past), plus it says 'jazz' there on the cover. Furthermore - and as previously noted - check out MANK as an example of a brand new, orchestral/jazz sound from them.

[Under-Terrestrial 51]

4 minutes ago, The Big Man said:

Is this the right movie for their techno music?

Judging from this clip, it might very well be! My understanding is that Jon Batiste is covering the source jazz music (diagetic and non-) for the real-world sequences, and Reznor/Ross are addressing the ethereal nature of the soul worlds. The Reznor/Ross input definitely sounds in-line with their electronic/minimalist work on prior films. What's funny is that according to an interview they did recently, they scored Soul prior to Mank, where they then flexed their symphonic/jazz muscles. I wonder if Pixar would've asked Reznor/Ross to score the entirety of Soul (jazz music included) if they heard their work on Mank ahead of time.

 

 

 

 

[Thor 7,477]

1 minute ago, Under-Terrestrial said:

Judging from this clip, it might very well be! My understanding is that Jon Batiste is covering the source jazz music (diagetic and non-) for the real-world sequences, and Reznor/Ross are addressing the ethereal nature of the soul worlds. The Reznor/Ross input definitely sounds in-line with their electronic/minimalist work on prior films. What's funny is that according to an interview they did recently, they scored Soul prior to Mank, where they then flexed their symphonic/jazz muscles. I wonder if Pixar would've asked Reznor/Ross to score the entirety of Soul (jazz music included) if they heard their work on Mank ahead of time.

 

That's interesting! 

 

I'm a fan of theirs, whether it's the dark ambient/electronic stuff, or the new doors they opened with MANK. If this is a more open, electronic landscape -- perhaps something a la MID90s (their most extrovert score up untill now) -- I'd welcome that as well.

[LSH 968]

That's all fine but they're scoring a PIXAR movie for Christ's sake. They had better injected some genuine emotion into the music. While I appreciate the constructs of their past material, everything I've heard still feels a bit... cold.

 

Look at every PIXAR composer before them... two Newmans, Giacchino, the Dannas. They all delivered on the heartstrings. I just can't imagine Reznor and Ross achieving this on that level.

 

Hopefully I'll be proven wrong.

[Thor 7,477]

Listen to MANK, Lee.

[bruce marshall 1,315]

Batistebis super talented. Don't know if he has composing chops.

[LSH 968]

1 hour ago, Thor said:

Listen to MANK, Lee.

 

I've heard a few bits. It's impressive... and unlike anything I'd have expected from the duo. So that's encouraging.

 

However, a PIXAR film score just has to move you. And, so far, there has been little disappointment... from seasoned composers who know their way around.

 

I'm slightly optimistic after Mank but they better deliver some teardrops or goosebumps. Otherwise it's not a PIXAR score. 

 

[Under-Terrestrial 51]

1 minute ago, LSH said:

 

I've heard a few bits. It's impressive... and unlike anything I'd have expected from the duo. So that's encouraging.

 

However, a PIXAR film score just has to move you. And, so far, there has been little disappointment... from seasoned composers who know their way around.

 

I'm slightly optimistic after Mank but they better deliver some teardrops or goosebumps. Otherwise it's not a PIXAR score. 

 

We'll have to see! Saw a video interview where Pete Docter (director) said they were consciously trying to get away from the symphonic Pixar score sound. That of course doesn't mean that we can't get an overtly emotional score, but Reznor/Ross may also be more interested in teasing out more elusive, plaintive feelings than people are used to with Pixar music. Regardless, if Soul's story and characters are up to snuff (which seems to be the case), I have faith that however Reznor/Ross have chosen to support that story will make sense in context.

[bruce marshall 1,315]

THREE composers?!

Isn't that like ......Zimmer?

 

[LSH 968]

3 hours ago, Under-Terrestrial said:

We'll have to see! Saw a video interview where Pete Docter (director) said they were consciously trying to get away from the symphonic Pixar score sound. That of course doesn't mean that we can't get an overtly emotional score, but Reznor/Ross may also be more interested in teasing out more elusive, plaintive feelings than people are used to with Pixar music. Regardless, if Soul's story and characters are up to snuff (which seems to be the case), I have faith that however Reznor/Ross have chosen to support that story will make sense in context.

 

Like I said, I'm intrigued. But from what I've seen from the trailer and clips.... it looks very PIXAR. And I want it to make me cry.

[KK 3,307]

5 minutes ago, LSH said:

And I want it to make me cry.

 

I'm sure they will achieve this effect. I trust that Pete Doctor and team knows what they're doing.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Seems like you have a very strict formula of what you want out of a Pixar film.

 

 

[bruce marshall 1,315]

I haven't seen a PIXAR since the glorious INSIDE OUT.

I used to never miss their films .

Until CARS2....

 

Lotsa sequels and retreads.

Have I missed anything great?

[LSH 968]

32 minutes ago, Koray Savas said:

Seems like you have a very strict formula of what you want out of a Pixar film.

 

 

 

Well they almost always deliver on an emotional level that is markedly absent from most other big animation studio fair. They have an undoubtedly stunning track record of this.

 

I grew up with PIXAR. I am the perfect age to have seen them through from a child. I'm 30 now... so when their first feature Toy Story was released I was 5 years old. Perfect. I've followed them all. So forgive me if I sound authoritative on the subject. 

 

But that's beside the point. We're talking about music. Originally I was only doubting Treznor and Ross' ability to musically capture the same PIXAR magic that I, and mostly every body, have experienced in those films. MUSICALLY.

 

I'm not being dismissive... if anything I'm open-minded. I really like the look of this film and it should turn out to be another classically-PIXAR story that is touching and uplifting.  

[KK 3,307]

With very few exceptions, the old Pixar is mostly dead anyway. They're just like any other corporate animation studio, just with a higher quality of technical animation.

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

10 minutes ago, KK said:

With very few exceptions, the old Pixar is mostly dead anyway. They're just like any other corporate animation studio, just with a higher quality of technical animation.

You clearly haven't seen Monsters University

[bruce marshall 1,315]

INSIDE OUT proved they are still capable of sterling work.

But, I'm just not intetested in sequels or films designed to sell merch.

[TheUlyssesian 2,473]

Pixar has definitely lost their magic a bit. Their run from 2007 to 2010 - with Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up and Toy Story 3 is a skull-crushing string of genius -  magnificent movies all of them.

 

Inside Out came close to them - again a very good, and frankly quite an elaborate and complex film. Soul definitely looks to be their most original since Inside Out.

 

13 hours ago, Under-Terrestrial said:

What's funny is that according to an interview they did recently, they scored Soul prior to Mank, where they then flexed their symphonic/jazz muscles. I wonder if Pixar would've asked Reznor/Ross to score the entirety of Soul (jazz music included) if they heard their work on Mank ahead of time.

 

This is actually a little bit embarrassing for a composer I might imagine. Namely that they hired a composer for the film, but they had to hire a different composer to address the main milieu of the film - like Jazz.

 

Let's be honest, if they had hired Gia - he would write the entire music. Or maybe even Tom Newman. Can you imagine hiring JW for a project like this - based around jazz music and he isn't allowed to write the jazz music?

 

Eitherways, seems like it all worked out. Reznor's second academy award for score is all sewn up.

[KK 3,307]

1 hour ago, Not Mr. Big said:

You clearly haven't seen Monsters University

Likeable, but not exactly “Golden Age” Pixar, is it?

 

Inside Out was their last great outing. I trust Soul will be another winner too. It looks like it’s really going out there. And Pete Doctor usually delivers.

[bruce marshall 1,315]

Well........

That clip is enticing. Seems cut from the same cloth as INSIDE. Like the music!

Fingers crossed

 

 

 

My PIXAR faves"

TOY STORY I , II

RATOTUOILLE

INCREDIBLEZ

WALL E

INSIDE OUT

 

UP and NEMO are incredibly overrated in my estimates.

[Once 604]

7 hours ago, bruce marshall said:

I haven't seen a PIXAR since the glorious INSIDE OUT.

I used to never miss their films .

Until CARS2....

 

Lotsa sequels and retreads.

Have I missed anything great?

In my opinion Coco is great.

[Thor 7,477]

ONWARD has some great potential in it too, let's not forget that (currently on my 35th place out of 100 movies from 2020 that I've seen). I even put it ahead of INSIDE OUT, which I personally find overrated. But I haven't really been wowed by a Pixar movie since UP more than a decade ago. Perhaps SOUL is the film to do it for me.

[ymenard 54]

On 12/17/2020 at 9:43 AM, Under-Terrestrial said:

What's funny is that according to an interview they did recently, they scored Soul prior to Mank, where they then flexed their symphonic/jazz muscles. I wonder if Pixar would've asked Reznor/Ross to score the entirety of Soul (jazz music included) if they heard their work on Mank ahead of time.

 

Or they heard the S01E06 episode of Watchmen, which features jazz songs as performed by trent and atticus + john beasley on the piano.

 

 

 

[Jay 37,312]

Am I nuts or is this album not on Spotify?  Yet it is on Apple Music??

[KK 3,307]

It's on Spotify, for me at least.

[Jay 37,312]

I found it!

 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2ffRAIZdlGEwnYE5ytIw88?si=hf2nx7HARYGEREq8oTpqsg

 

42 tracks!?

[Thor 7,477]

Yes, Reznor and Ross are going crazy with their soundtrack releases. MANK was equally overkill too.

[bruce marshall 1,315]

But FORTY THREE tracks on Quartet GBU is just fine?!😳

[Jay 37,312]

Again that's a nice 85 minutes main program. Everything else is just a bonus you can elect to listen to, or just press stop after the end credits and skip them. You exaggerate way too much to make your points. 

 

EDIT: Oh, I see what you mean now.  Well, 43 tracks for a catalog expansion of an old score makes sense to me, 42 tracks for a new OST album is surprising.  However, please note that I was not complaining about it, simply surprised by it.

[bruce marshall 1,315]

He should have at least preserved the combos that EM preferred. Respect.

Everything else that was not included on previous releases,  could present discrete

[Jay 37,312]

EM's entire OST album is included untouched in the new set.  Did you not realize that?

[bruce marshall 1,315]

Me?

I'm talking about the short MONO cues that Ennio Combined for the GDM set.

He was very outspoken about including short cues on osts.

Malone should have honored his preferences and kept those cues the way they were on that release.

Not too hard to understand.

Short cues - from the same scene- that run consecutively.

Example: " Esacape on Horseback". Stupid to decouple those cues#

[Holko 9,499]

You can just keep listening to the previous expansion if you want the previous expansion.

[Jay 37,312]

Yea no one is taking your old set away from you nor forcing you to buy the new one.  If you aren't going to giving Quartet your money for their hard work for the flaws you perceive it to have I don't think that many people here are going to pay attention to your complaints

[bruce marshall 1,315]

Blah...blah ...blah...
This is rich coming from folks who complain about every SW and IJ expansion , no matter how much music is included!

 

Talk about chutzpah!😳

 

 

13 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

 

 

 

 

If you aren't going to giving [RCA....CONCORD...SONY..]your money for their hard work for the flaws you perceive it to have I don't think that many people here are going to pay attention to your complaints

 

[Jay 37,312]

I bought every single Star Wars and Indiana Jones expansion with my own money and was very grateful to get the music we did get while simultaneously being annoyed about the music we are still missing.

 

 

Discussing music that a great composer wrote than an album producer elected not to include at all, is extremely different from the debate of combining short cues vs leaving them in their own track

[bruce marshall 1,315]

You can never admit you're wrong.

I respect that!😅

Anyway were off topic.

[NewBlueEyes 4]

I listen to the jazz music, it was okay. But the score..... ugh. The score played by synthesizers feels like a demo for a video game or temp tracks from John Carpenter movies

[Mephariel 451]

I like it but don't love it. The short cues really hurt the score for me. And the who thing felt more like a demo than an actual complete piece of work. 

[bruce marshall 1,315]

26 minutes ago, Mephariel said:

...The short cues really hurt the score for me.

You are not allowed to say this.

Not on THIS board!

[Arpy 4,145]

The Reznor/Ross material is boring and soulless. No strong thematic identity to pull it altogether. Batiste's jazz pieces are nice, but maybe for an inoffensive, easy-listening playlist; his pieces seem to be the more meaty work the score has to offer. 

 

I can understand Docter wanting to shake things up, but this score is more like a diet-Inside Out.

[Thor 7,477]

I've had a listen-through. I like it! The Reznor/Ross cues are indeed in the same mold as MID90s; some neat, upbeat electronic textures. Not as striking as MANK or anything, but neither worse nor better than I expected. The Batiste cues are nice too. However, as with many Reznor/Ross soundtracks, it's severely hampered by too long a running time. Needs some serious whittling to work properly as an album.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

What has happened in the world for giacchino or, by the least, newman not scoring this?

 

This composer credit is bewildering seeing docters previous films.

 

[HunterTech 987]

I read somewhere that they specifically went out of their way to shake up the Pixar formula for this particular film, which included the music.

 

As much as I probably like Ross & Reznor more than most here, I'd rather this be a one time thing. Animated movies is one of the last few places where you're most likely to see an orchestra get properly utilized, so I wouldn't want to lose that.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

I hope they dont get another oscar for lack of anything else....:/

[Under-Terrestrial 51]

On 12/18/2020 at 11:33 AM, ymenard said:

 

Or they heard the S01E06 episode of Watchmen, which features jazz songs as performed by trent and atticus + john beasley on the piano.

 

 

 

AH, nice! I was vaguely aware they wrote jazzy pieces for Watchmen.

[Faleel 5,340]

Someone pointed out a bit of a similarity:

 

 

On 12/24/2020 at 2:47 AM, Arpy said:

soulless.

Heh