CD REVIEWS
Serenity
Music by David Newman
Varese Sarabande VSD-6682 (EU)
23 Tracks 50:03 mins.
A cinematic spin-off of a short-lived Sci-fi TV series from the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, here David Newman provides a slightly more conventional approach than series composer Greg Edmonson, whose score was somewhat offbeat and unconventional for the genre. The guitars from the series are still in evidence here though, albeit used sparingly,like in Serenity, the flowing Going for a Ride and the End Credits.
Newman's voice for the score is cello, mostly heard in somewhat melancholy mode, but occasionally more optimistically. Along the way there is much dissonance and some exciting, though seldom sustained burst of action, all achieved through a combination of orchestra, percussion and electronics.
Fans of Edmonson's original series approach will be delighted to hear that Varese Sarabande are also issuing an album of his score. I will be interested to compare the two.
Innocence
Music by Kenji Kawai
MIYA MICA-0144
12 Tracks 47:27 mins.
Kenji Kawai has here written another fine score to the Mamoru Oshii's sequel to the original anime film Ghost in the Shell. Dominating the score is a rather wonderful choral action piece, heard in three variations, the longest being over 9 minutes long, which features very traditional sounding Japanese female choir, sometimes a capella, at others supported by light, or powerful percussion, with Taiko drums, at others by an electronic pulse, or strings, or a combination of all these elements. Whatever, it's exciting stuff.There are also a couple of lightly percussive variations on a theme, lead by chimes, the second of which develops with the addition of electronics, and this music also makes a brief appearance in the lengthier of the choral tracks. There is some pretty dull ambience in two or three tracks along the way, but the aforementioned tracks, with the addition of two excellent English language vocals by Kimiko Itoh, the first a laid-back jazz ballad, the second an exotic and haunting ballad, make this album a desirable purchase. It might be a little hard to track down, but you might try eBay, which was where I found my copy.
Serenity
Music by David Newman
Varese Sarabande VSD-6682 (EU)
23 Tracks 50:03 mins.
A cinematic spin-off of a short-lived Sci-fi TV series from the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, here David Newman provides a slightly more conventional approach than series composer Greg Edmonson, whose score was somewhat offbeat and unconventional for the genre. The guitars from the series are still in evidence here though, albeit used sparingly,like in Serenity, the flowing Going for a Ride and the End Credits.
Newman's voice for the score is cello, mostly heard in somewhat melancholy mode, but occasionally more optimistically. Along the way there is much dissonance and some exciting, though seldom sustained burst of action, all achieved through a combination of orchestra, percussion and electronics.
Fans of Edmonson's original series approach will be delighted to hear that Varese Sarabande are also issuing an album of his score. I will be interested to compare the two.
Innocence
Music by Kenji Kawai
MIYA MICA-0144
12 Tracks 47:27 mins.
Kenji Kawai has here written another fine score to the Mamoru Oshii's sequel to the original anime film Ghost in the Shell. Dominating the score is a rather wonderful choral action piece, heard in three variations, the longest being over 9 minutes long, which features very traditional sounding Japanese female choir, sometimes a capella, at others supported by light, or powerful percussion, with Taiko drums, at others by an electronic pulse, or strings, or a combination of all these elements. Whatever, it's exciting stuff.There are also a couple of lightly percussive variations on a theme, lead by chimes, the second of which develops with the addition of electronics, and this music also makes a brief appearance in the lengthier of the choral tracks. There is some pretty dull ambience in two or three tracks along the way, but the aforementioned tracks, with the addition of two excellent English language vocals by Kimiko Itoh, the first a laid-back jazz ballad, the second an exotic and haunting ballad, make this album a desirable purchase. It might be a little hard to track down, but you might try eBay, which was where I found my copy.
posted by jeffhall | 7:43 PM
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