Simon Franglen's AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (2022)

[crocodile 8,017]

But...there is no CD release for this...is there?

 

Karol

[Edmilson 7,466]

17 minutes ago, Not Mr. Big said:

The Nickelodeon show for kids will always be the TRUE Avatar for me.! 

It may be for kids but it's better written than many live action adult shows.

[JTN 2,033]

2 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

 

Your decision to purchase and hear a score is entirely based around whether it gets release on a shiny CD, and not in any way based on whether you actually like it?

 

You're massively missing out on the advantages of streaming and previewing, just so that you only ever have to hear music on a nice stereo system.

Not every score, but the score to Avatar 2 in this case, or any specific score I don't watch the film they were written to. If I'm interested in listening to it for a particular reason, I will get the CD, then I will decide if I like the score.

 

To me art has to be on physical medium, whether it's books, films or soundtracks. 

My Dad collected vinyl and books, and I continue the tradition of collecting the things I like. 

 

I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I've been very happy listening to and collecting thousands of CDs for the last 30 years. 

[Faleel 5,357]

It is on a physical medium.  Or are your phones, computers and other devices not physical?

[JTN 2,033]

I'm sure you know exactly what I mean. Novels as physical books, not ebook, music on CD, not on computer, films on DVD or Blu-ray, not streaming. 

[Faleel 5,357]

Nvm

[Richard Penna 3,694]

I completely emphasize with strongly wanting to own music on CD.

 

What doesn't make sense is waiting until after you've paid for the CD to find whether you like it. It seems such an unneccessary aversion to listening at all to music on a non-physical medium.

[JTN 2,033]

2 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

I completely emphasize with strongly wanting to own music on CD.

Well that’s my main reason. I love owning and listening to my music on CD, having a physical collection. 

 

2 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

waiting until after you've paid for the CD to find whether you like it.

I don’t buy every single CD, only those that, for some reason (e.g. I like the composer, I like the film, it’s the sequel to a film and score I like, a friend of mine recommends it etc.) I want to listen to. 99% I buy a

CD nowadays only if I know that even if I’ll dislike it, I will want to have in my collection. So mostly scores by my favorite composers or by classic scores by Golden Age composers or in this case, the sequel to a film I like that has the score by Horner and I’m curious what Franglen did with his themes. So even if I dislike it entirely, which I doubt, I won’t mind having paid for it, because the score is the sequel to a score I already own on CD, so to me it’s worth adding to my collection.
Besides, I love collecting music on CD, I just love having these “shiny pieces of plastic” that have amazing scores on them. And I love their booklets with the informative liner notes, love their artwork, love their smell, and that I can hold them in my hands, and not just browse through digital data on my harddrive. It gives me the pleasure of actually owning individual things. Only a collector knows what it feels like having a collection of books, films or music. It’s great. 

[Faleel 5,357]

[JTN 2,033]

7 hours ago, A Farewell to Kings said:

If this is meant for me, thanks, I love bananas. ✌🏻

[Richard Penna 3,694]

9 hours ago, JTW said:

So even if I dislike it entirely, which I doubt, I won’t mind having paid for it, because the score is the sequel to a score I already own on CD, so to me it’s worth adding to my collection

 

I completely get the physical argument - no issues there at all. at one point I really wanted to buy everything on CD too.

 

Buying CDs because of their composer or connection to a franchise - I've veered towards that very occasionally. I was a bit bummed when I found that the Doctor Who series 9 was completely unavailable on CD because it's the only one I'm missing of the entire post-2005 era, despite my only liking a handful of tracks from it.

 

But the part I find hardest is essentually refusing to listen to a score using any online form, to give even a sense of whether a score is for you. My favourite composer is JNH but there's no way I would buy everything he does.

[JTN 2,033]

2 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

I really wanted to buy everything on CD too.

I don’t.

 

3 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

I was a bit bummed when I found that the Doctor Who series 9 was completely unavailable on CD

There are always exceptions to the rule. E.g. I have the score to THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS.

 

4 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

My favourite composer is JNH but there's no way I would buy everything he does.

He’s one of my favorites as well, and I buy everything by him. 

[thestat 348]

I don't have time to pay attention to Avatar minutae, but this sounded like an actual score - real themes and orchestratrions, presence, meaning development of thematic strands. Precisely what is missing in all current HZ-inspired nonsense. Absolutely loved what Franglen did here and the Songcord theme is a powerhouse as are many of the action cues.

 

So pleased this stuff continues to be done whilst the music world burns because of an ignorant German.....

[Edmilson 7,466]

I dunno, it's an okay score and the Songchord theme is good, but I feel like had it been released 20 or 30 years ago, when great orchestral music was the norm and not the exception, it probably would've received less positive attention. But now, in the age of Lorne Balfe and Junkie XL, when most scores are indistinguishable from sound design, it becomes one of the best scores of the year.

 

In other words, we were so desperate for decent orchestral stuff that even a passable score like this is like classic Horner.

[Yavar Moradi 2,599]

For me this score is much, much better than merely "passable"... in fact much to my surprise I actually prefer it to Horner's original score.

 

Were it not for the powerhouse that was Bear McCreary's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, I think this would have been my favorite score of last year.

 

Yavar

[leeallen01 2,136]

On 11/06/2023 at 9:06 AM, Pawel P. said:

Been there in Krakow and the Suite sounded fantastic, no generic at all. I spoke to Simon about the chances of a releasing CD. He said that the material was prepared for the CD, but of course it's not up to him to decide.

 

He promised that he would once again write to people who decide about it. It's obvious he cares about that too.

 

Wow. I wish I was there! 

 

Can you describe anything that you remember about the suite? Like what was included and how it flowed etc. Was it primarily mini thematic suites within it or was there any room for big action moments within it?

 

I hope the FMF post an official video of the suite someday, like they have with previous years' concerts.

[Brónach 1,302]

discovering this score for the first time on youtube

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

I actually shed a tear when he acknowledges Horner. Beautiful!

 

 

[Mr. Who 919]

Deserved win, A2 is one of my favorite scores of recent years! Love how he acknowledged Horner!

[leeallen01 2,136]

It's exciting to find out where Franglen's career will go now. He is clearly intending to score all of Avatar, but I wonder what other opportunities he will get. He's another champion of melody and dedicated to developing themes throughout, so I hope he gets some great projects.

[LSH 969]

He seems like a lovely guy. The man has talent too. I really like his score for Avatar 2 and I'm looking forward to hearing what he's doing for the rest of the franchise. Horner would be proud, I'm sure.

[thestat 348]

This is still probably the only score I listen to from last year - it has actual melodies, grand overarching narrative etc. A real score. It is a score that tells a story you can hear by listening to the music. A lot of the Balfe etc nonsense does the job of being sound effects that accompany a film, but they do not tell a story like Franglen's work does here,

[Tydirium 1,167]

Does anyone think a CD release of this will still happen at some point?

[Jaaaackified 81]

4 hours ago, Tydirium said:

Does anyone think a CD release of this will still happen at some point?

 

Simon Franglen apparently thinks so himself

[Richard Penna 3,694]

For once, if I CD happens I might actually buy it. The album has been in my Spotify favourites for an eternity, with my being unable to quite muster the enthusiasm to listen to it properly.

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,433]

Disney Music Emporium has now some copies for the next 5 seconds so hurry up because they might be limited

[Jay 37,369]

Physical CD edition coming Friday, November 17th

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNQL18K5

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Simon-Franglen-Avatar-The-Way-Of-Water-CD/2697823089

[Bounty95 558]

He's one of us. 

[Jay 37,369]

So he's saying if enough people buy the OST album on physical CD, then Hollywood Records will fund an expanded score album too.

 

If only they did the same for Indiana Jones 5...

[Bounty95 558]

If only they did this for Star Wars. They have sold enough OST albums, including all those reissures... 

[Jay 37,369]

Disney Records themselves have not sold a lot of physical Star Wars CDs.  Most of the history of Star Wars physical CD sales have been from other labels.

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,433]

9 minutes ago, Jay said:

So he's saying if enough people buy the OST album on physical CD, then Hollywood Records will fund an expanded score album too.

 

If only they did the same for Indiana Jones 5...

They did, they just decide to print a dozens of those

[Chewy 2,391]

14 minutes ago, Jay said:

Disney Records themselves have not sold a lot of physical Star Wars CDs.  Most of the history of Star Wars physical CD sales have been from other labels.

I'm pretty sure they sold a lot of CDs and LPs for the sequel trilogy scores 

[Jay 37,369]

Sure, but 7 years of them selling physical OST albums in the streaming era is nothing compared to 38 years of OST albums + expansions during the height of physical music sales

[Chewy 2,391]

Right!

[leeallen01 2,136]

I wonder what score version it is...

 

If not expanded in any way, then hopefully it's at least the extended score we already have, not the shorter version with the Weekend song.

[Richard Penna 3,694]

The Amazon link in Jay's post has the CD listed against the first release with the Weeknd so I wouldn't be that optimistic, personally.

[Holko 9,529]

Amazon is 100% clueless when grouping items, that's not proof of anything.

[JTN 2,033]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

the post-CD era

???

[Jay 37,369]

Fixed

[Mr. Who 919]

Really hope the 4CD release happens!! 

[Mr. Who 919]

Franglen has removed his tweet and posted a similar tweet without the 4CD part… hopefully he didn’t get a call from the studio or anything like that

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

It's now a 6LP set.

[Mr. Who 919]

 

[Richard Penna 3,694]

Thing is, you don't need a 'complete' version on CD if the main concern is the complete score. Surely the studio should look at sales of the expanded digital version, rather than judging demand for more music on sales of a CD.

 

And I definitely won't be buying the CD if it turns out to be the first release. Possibly if it's the expanded one.

[1977 1,743]

Happy this stage a finally happening, but sadly I won't be able to support this release due to financial constraints

[Mr. Who 919]

2 hours ago, Richard Penna said:

Thing is, you don't need a 'complete' version on CD if the main concern is the complete score. Surely the studio should look at sales of the expanded digital version, rather than judging demand for more music on sales of a CD.

 

And I definitely won't be buying the CD if it turns out to be the first release. Possibly if it's the expanded one.

I halv no need for the complete release to happen on CD. Digital is more than enough.

[blondheim 1,157]

I will buy this CD just to support Franglen and because it was way better than any of us expected it to be. It deserves to be on the shelf.

 

One of the best surprises of recent years is just how good this score is.

[Tydirium 1,167]

Has anyone seen any more info about this release? Still not seeing the ability to pre-order at Amazon. Btw @Jay, that “Audio CD” option on the Amazon page for the soundtrack has been there since early this year, maybe even late last year. And I think I recall also seeing that Walmart page months ago, back when the CD was originally supposed to be coming out. 

[Jay 37,369]

That makes sense.  I didn't realize they were both old links and not new links.

 

I have not seen any info beyond Franglen confirming it via twitter.