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John Powell's PAYCHECK (2003) - 2021 2CD Varese Deluxe Edition


Jay

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Anyone know what Uma's Tune is?

 

I like how John Powell's own 5 Cat Studios is producing and mastering these new expansions of his old scores.  Since HTTYD showed up on digital platforms I expect this will too eventually (but I'm happily buying the CD edition now).

 

I wonder why only Cary is mentioned as an exec producer for Varese, but not @BryonDavis as well?

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13 minutes ago, Jay said:

Anyone know what Uma's Tune is?

 

Based on the length, I'm assuming it's "Rachel's Party" from the OST - a string quartet version of the love theme which isn't used in the movie.

 

There is a scene with a string quartet on-screen, but they play something else. Disc one, track five ("Party Of Two") is an overlay to that source music, but swapping this for "Rachel's Party/Uma's Tune" is a better listen away from the film.

 

I'm not sure if "Rachel's Party" was originally composed as source music for that scene - I'd suspect not, as it would stand out quite a bit. So perhaps it was always intended as an album arrangement. The fact it as originally called "Rachel's Party" makes little sense, as while there is a party scene in the film, it's not for her!

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What makes the separated OST versions of Mirror Message and Impostor better than the combined & longer film versions?

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The OST was released at a time when albums were cut off at 30/45/60 minutes - 45 minutes did not do this score justice!

 

6 minutes ago, Jay said:

What makes the separated OST versions of Mirror Message and Impostor better than the combined & longer film versions?

 

I personally combined the Mirror Message and Imposter and also the two-part Hog Chase into two single tracks - I'll never listen to one half without the other.

 

The Deluxe (film version) of Imposter is slightly extended, but it doesn't add any meaningful new material - the album version plays better for pace.

 

Hog Chase will be the same on both versions, but I prefer it as a single track.

 

The film version of Wolfe Pack has a drawn out intro (which the album did a good job of shortening), but contains some good extra material on the end. This is one of few examples where each version does something a little better than the other.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yea, no reason to expect otherwise. But it's not like they ever tell us ahead of time, they just randomly show up one day 

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Terrific review! 
I remember checking out the OST from my local library. “20 Items” and “Wild Hog Chase Pt 2” were on repeat constantly. 
 

I dreamed/hoped this Powell guy would get the chance to score a big Epic of some kind (this was the era of Gladiator/Troy/Alexander etc) While he never got a sword and sandal film, he did compose HTTYD several years later. And the rest is history! 

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1 hour ago, Jay said:

I am seriously impressed with the action music in this score.  I can't believe I never knew this score before this announcement!

 

I can't believe it either! It's always been one of my favorite Powell scores.

 

Yavar

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1 hour ago, Jay said:

I am seriously impressed with the action music in this score.  I can't believe I never knew this score before this announcement!

 

From what I can tell, we have similar tastes. We must compare notes and see if either of us have any absolute examples of "I love this score" that the other hasn't heard!

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23 hours ago, Jay said:

I am seriously impressed with the action music in this score.  I can't believe I never knew this score before this announcement!

That's exciting to hear, because I bought it blind along with The Matrix. Haven't listened to the OST, haven't watched the film, and didn't even listen to the samples. 

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23 minutes ago, Jay said:

Ooh boy, I hope you end up liking it!


Do you like the action music in the HTTYDs, Bournes, and Solo?

Yep, that's kind of why I just went for it based on descriptions! More-so I like the HTTYDs and Solo, and I like some other Powell's like X-Men 3, Horton Hears a Who. 

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I wasn't familiar with this score at all and really enjoyed my first listen last night. I was expecting more Bourne sound and while it does have some similarities to that there's way more melody and colour in this.

 

Karol

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On 6/25/2021 at 8:41 AM, crocodile said:

I wasn't familiar with this score at all and really enjoyed my first listen last night. I was expecting more Bourne sound and while it does have some similarities to that there's way more melody and colour in this.

 

Karol

 

Yeah! I think the heavy use of woodwinds really brightens things up. The score takes itself far less seriously than Bourne. Fans of either should also check out Mr. & Mrs. Smith, although - and this is being far too general - that sounds a bit like "Spanish Bourne".

 

X-Men has a few bits of brass writing that remind me of Paycheck, but Powell hasn't really done anything else like Paycheck.

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On 6/26/2021 at 7:10 PM, A. A. Ron said:

This album is now available digitally on Bandcamp for just $15.

 

https://varesesarabandedigital.bandcamp.com/album/paycheck-deluxe-edition-soundtrack

 

So you can just preview each track in a web browser in its entirety... 

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Just gave this a second listen (lots of new music!) And only just noticed that the violins are divided between left and right. 

 

I initially thought that the channels have been flipped but it seems unlikely that JP would’ve made such a screwup in producing the album! Interesting that he chose that arrangement which is fairly atypical (for those who aren’t familiar with standard orchestral set up, the violins are usually on the left, violas in the middle, cellos and basses on the right).

 

It certainly works particularly well with the echoing string figures as they bounce between headphones or speakers. Enjoying revisiting a great score that I had rather forgotten about somehow even though it’s probably one of the first scores byJohn Powell that got me into his music.

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I have no idea if these slate numbers are correct, but they came up on freedb when I ripped the disc.

 

Disc One:
1. Paycheck: Main Title From The Motion Picture (3:29) 1m2
2. A Kiss Of Flexible Morality (1:10) 1m4
3. Memory Wipe (0:54) 1m5
4. A Good Life (1:05) 1m6
5. Party Of Two (0:32) 1m7
6. Portents Of Crystal Balls (2:11) 1m10
7. Injection (0:32) 2m11
8. A Second Chance (1:54) 2m13
9. You’re Done (1:16) 2m14
10. Freeze Frames (1:59) 2m15
11. Hot Seat (7:39) 2m16
12. The Ring (0:42) 2m17
13. That’s You (0:31) 3m18
14. Twenty Items (5:39) 3m19-21
15. Lucky Number (2:01) 3m22
16. Wolfe Pack (4:01) 3m23-24
17. The Third Rail (3:28) 3m25
18. Reservations (3:25) 4m26
19. Mirror Message/Imposter (8:43) 4m27-28

 

Disc Two:
1. Hog Chase Pt.1 (3:18) 4m29a
2. Hog Chase Pt.2 (4:06) 4m29b
3. I Don’t Remember (1:33) 5m30v1
4. I Don’t Remember (Alternate Version) (1:35) 5m30v2
5. Tomorrow’s Headlines (4:27) 5m31
6. Return to Allcom (3:13) 5m32
7. Future Tense (7:58) 5m33
8. Bio Lab Bash (3:08) 6m34
9. Fait Accompli (6:39) 6m35
10. One Big Payback (5:37) 6m36
11. Uma’s Tune (Bonus Track) (2:55)

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6 minutes ago, blondheim said:

What are the differences between the album and the extended versions of some cues? Do I need both releases?

 

Probably just if you want micro-edited versions of some cues, for some reason?

 

Yavar

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Just now, Yavar Moradi said:

 

Probably just if you want micro-edited versions of some cues, for some reason?

 

Yavar

 

Oh. If that's all, then I'm probably fine. Unless this turns out to be a little exhaustive of an experience and then maybe we will see about a one disc presentation.

 

These new Powell expansions are mixed incredibly well. I am having a hard time getting used to Coming Back Around because I listened to the original mix so much and it's SO forward. The drumline just wailing. But every other cue sounds so much better on the new release of Dragon. Paycheck will give me a chance to get used to this new mastering first so that doesn't happen again.

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3 hours ago, blondheim said:

What are the differences between the album and the extended versions of some cues? Do I need both releases?

 

If you want every single possible option for cues, yes. If you just care about having as many bars of music as possible (and not an optimised listening experience), you'll be satisfied with the Deluxe edition only.

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15 minutes ago, Anthony said:

 

If you want every single possible option for cues, yes. If you just care about having as many bars of music as possible (and not an optimised listening experience), you'll be satisfied with the Deluxe edition only.

 

Are there actual differences? Inserts or alternate sections? Or just micro-edits as Yavar mentioned

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16 hours ago, blondheim said:

 

Are there actual differences? Inserts or alternate sections? Or just micro-edits as Yavar mentioned

 

See here

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17 hours ago, blondheim said:

 

Are there actual differences? Inserts or alternate sections? Or just micro-edits as Yavar mentioned


It’s just microedits.

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13 minutes ago, A. A. Ron said:


It’s just microedits.

 

No it isn't. The OST has microedits but also shortened tracks (entire parts of cues missing - more than just cutting out a few seconds of repetition). The Deluxe has everything restored and included, although that's not necessarily the best way to listen to it. See the lengthy review post above.

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Yeah I read your post. I guess we can argue about what counts as a microedit if you want, but my point is that there are no alternate mixes, takes or differently written cues on one album vs the other. All of the differences between them are literally just edits.

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9 minutes ago, Anthony said:

 

No it isn't. The OST also has shortened tracks (entire parts of cues missing

Which are also microedits...

 

 

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To be fair "microedits" is a made-up term that as far as I can tell started on online discussion forums such as this one, and is only used in such places; The people in the industry don't actually use this term.

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Plus to be fair, Jeff Bond's liner notes for the War of the Worlds expansion include the term, so maybe it will be legitimized :)

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1 hour ago, Jay said:

At times I feel like I am listening to a proper James Bond score, and now I'd be equally happy if him or Arnold get to do the next Bond film (I really hope it won't be Zimmer from now until he retires...)

 

BUT...Bond films include violence. So I guess it's not what JP is interested in any more. Oh, how I loved the days when we'd get fantastic music for terrible films, presumably because one couldn't be as picky about what they worked on. :D

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