What Scores are Everyone Listening to Now?

I'm listening to the Tribute Film Classics recording of Herrmann's Mysterious Island. Also to Robert Kral's Superman: Doomsday. And to ROTK.

 

I would think you would have quite a headache trying to listen to all three at once!

How is Superman: Doomsday? I was going to order it, but haven't heard much talk about it.

 

I've heard clips and I definitely plan to get it at some point. It sounded like a mix of a more light-hearted Lady in the Water and the Celtic parts of Treasure Planet. Also looking forward to Howard's score for I Am Legend.

For my part, I've been listening almost exclusively to ROTK, but Lair is still getting playtime as well as the recent Alien complete release.

 

I think Silvestri is one of the most vastly overrated people in the business. He hasn't written anything interesting in years. When I think of what I like by him, Judge Dredd comes to mind. I enjoy the Predator theme, but get bored if I try to listen to the whole score, and while Back to the Future has a brilliant theme as well, most of the score is not worth listening to. He's fared a little better with comedy and drama -- Forrest Gump was quite good, Practical Magic okay -- but action adventure scores are more up my alley. Over and over again I try his stuff out -- I found almost nothing worth my time in The Mummy Returns, and even less in The Cradle of Life and Van Helsing. I will say that I find Beowulf slightly more engaging than those last few, but it's still not going to be near the top of my playlist for long. And the songs are risible.

Other reviews:
movie-wave
Movie Music UK
Filmtracks
Tracksounds
Film Score Center

 

It's good. Nothing like the Williams or Ottman efforts, but not in a bad way. It's mostly above-average action scoring which, at its best, reminds me of David Arnold's energetic old adventure stuff like Independence Day. The main theme doesn't do a whole lot for me, but there are a couple reasons that may be, but the action is great, especially in the latter half. The score's biggest drawback is that they couldn't afford an orchestra, so it's entirely synthesized, and while mostly it sounds okay (and forgive me if I don't know what I'm talking about, because my knowledge of synths and sample libraries leaves a lot to be desired), Kral doesn't seem to be quite as good at putting together synthetic sounds as, say, Jeremy Soule, or Scott Glasgow in his recent Battletech score. Sounds a little too sterile -- like if you've ever heard synth chuchbells, which sound wrong because every gong is perfect but exactly the same, and especially in the brass, of which there's a lot in this score, can be pretty offputting. That said, I definitely recommend it. Once you get into it and overlook its synth nature, the music itself is, as I said, a bit above average, with an amazing one-two punch near the end of "Superman vs. Superclone" and "Superman's Victory". Maybe Stromberg or McNeely or someone who reconstructs/rerecords old movie music could fit in some side projects where they give a few good synth scores the orchestral treatment they deserve. . .

Other reviews:
Movie-wave
Soundtrack.net

 

I'm listening to Batman Mask of the Phantasm!

I love that movie and score! They work so well for the dark tone of the film. Its just an amazing movie!

 

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. It's not my CD, but I can still hear it, as it is playing in the other room.

 

Took a break from Speed Racer to watch the Phoenix landing coverage.

 

I've been listening to Raiders and Last Crusade a lot recently, just can't get enough of the Ark and Grail themes, and all that other good stuff.

Right now though, I'm listening to Casino Royale, a fair soundtrack if I do say so myself.

 

In addition to the new releases, I've restarted my task of listening to every score I own. So far I've made it through Richard Addinsell, John Addison, William Alwyn, Craig Armstrong, David Arnold, Georges Auric, Alexandre Azaria, Luis Bacalov, and am now working through Angelo Badalamenti and then Klaus Badelt.

 

Good luck, considering your collection is gigantic.

As for me, I've been listening to my recently expanded Goldsmith collection. God, how I miss him.

 

Iron Man

 

I listened to the complete score of First Knight today. It's amazing some of the material that didn't make it onto the original album.

I've been listening to a lot of James Newton Howard recently, particularly his Shyamalan scores. I'm getting ready for The Happening which comes out June 10. I don't have much faith in the film, but Howard does his best scores for Shyamalan movies, and he's apparently written this score with a prominent part for solo cello.

 

I've been listening to Lost Season 1 by Michael Giacchino. He has written some fantastic music for a tv show. He is my favorite up and coming composer. Star Trek will be his breakout. Hey if it worked for Horner it can work for Giacchino.

 

My four latest film scores which are in heavy rotation.

Get Smart by Trevor Rabin
Johnny English by Edward Shearmur
From Russia With Love by John Barry
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull by John Williams

 

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull.

The Crystal Skull theme is just awesome.

 

Partition
Brian Tyler


I have to say, this guy is one of the more talented up and comers around. Not only the fact that he writes kick ass music and can switch on a dime between stuff like War to AVPR, but that he also plays 90% or so of the percussion on his tracks, as well as a whole host of other instruments.

 

Transformers 2007 score and Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks.

 

I've had a lot of the Indy scores in my rotation, but I still haven't gotten KCS yet. I passed on it during my trip to the record shop last month, since it was 14.99 and it's 9.99 on Amazon. I just haven't gotten around to placing that Amazon order which I have intended to for the last five weeks. Grrrr.

 

You might want to go ahead and wait it out since it'll be coming out with the box set later this year. Unless of course you're one of the lucky few who have the original three on actual discs.

 

phantom of the opera in my head battle of the Heroes

 

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

 

Titanic - An Ocean of Memories