CD REVIEW - Dramatic Fantastic


Dramatic Fantastic
Music by Inon Zur, Dori Amarilio & Oded Tzur
Bruton Music Limited BR451 (U.K.)
17 Tracks + 30"s and stings 35:50 mins

As previously reported, Inon Zur has written many of the tracks on this latest collection of music aimed at the Hollywood trailer market, together with contributing composers Dori Amarilio and Oded Tzur. Zur conducts the 80-piece Northwest Sinfonia in 17 exciting compositions, many with choral support and the odd ethnic vocal to boot.
Much of the music is in the historical vein, though the final two tracks on the album are busy contemporary movers. The album starts with the title track, a powerful mix of orchestra, choir and electronics, which is followed by "Dark Hero," which has something of a "Batman" feel about it. The heroic "Neron" follows, with its ethnic female vocal book ending full orchestra and choir. A brief orchestral reprise of the theme follows. "The Fear Within" is full of dark conflict, whilst "Midnight Dance" is a magical waltz, with violin lead, and has an Edward Scissorhands feel about it. "Nightime Magic" is similarly Elfmanesque, with "Friend From Afar" more in the Williams mould - something like Amazing Stories crossed with Superman. Another weighty cue, book ended by ethnic voice is "State of Disaster," with "Defender of the Faith" an unusual but effective blend of martial rhythm and religious choir. "Seven Seas" moves purposefully and heroically, whilst "Pharaohs Curse" presents some Eastern-tinged action writing. Another heroic and purposeful track is "Dark Towers," with "Shadows of Battles" commencing with something of a dark march, which turns to conflict, before marching out again. "Exotic Spies" is an ethnic mover with a mysterious opening. The concluding tracks "Running Into Trouble" and "The Unopened Files" I've already covered.
This is a fine collection of themes, not long enough to outstay their welcome and easy to imagine gracing the latest trailers for a variety of Hollywood epics - makes me want to hear more entries in the series.

CD REVIEW - LES NOTES DE LECRAN - The best of French film music VOL.3


LES NOTES DE LECRAN - The best of French film music VOL.3
Music by Vladimir Cosma
Cinefonia Records CFSAMP003 (France)
32 Tracks 66:66 mins

Releases in this series are certainly value for money, not just for the quality of the music featured, but for the length of each disc. Here we have another hour plus of fine music from two scores by Vladimir Cosma.
First up is 1989's Les Grandes Familles, for which the composer came up with yet another wonderful theme, first heard as the title track in a lovely, rhapsodic arrangement. This is followed by his secondary theme, first heard in "La valse de l'adieu" as a grand orchestral waltz. The remainder of the score is largely made up of variations on these two great themes, with the highlights being the tender, romantic arrangement of the main theme in "La vie est a nous;" another tender reading of the same theme, which becomes more dramatic as it progresses in "La palais des ambitieux;" a somewhat solemn variation on the waltz theme in "Vers le destin;" and a sunny concluding arrangement of the main theme in "Le gout du pouvoir." Along the way, there are the usual sprinkling of source cues, including a couple more waltzes for a small ensemble, a gypsy fiddle tune, a period dance and a polka. Another very nice orchestral score indeed.
The second score on the disc is a complete departure. 1978's Sam & Sally is a largely electronic score, very much of its time, but with another extremely catchy main theme, which is put through plenty of variations, starting with the urgent arrangement over the titles, going through a laid-back arrangement in "Tendre Sam;" a swinging, brassy variation in "Le lit baladeur," and a quirky sax-lead waltz variation in "Lily Java." "Le Moulin desert" is another quirky little mover for guitars and Jews harp, as is the very '70s synth-lead mover "Exkalibur." By complete contrast is the sultry sax-lead dance number "Slow love," and the flowing guitar tune "Rencontre en Sicile," that closes the album.
I really hope that this series continues and that it can maintain the high standards achieved by the first three volumes. I don't see what it shouldn't, in view of the wonderful melodic riches provided by the likes of Delerue and Cosma, to name just two, over the years. In the meantime, if you enjoy melodic film music, you can't go wrong with these three volumes, available from the label's website at http://www.cinefonia.com/. What are you waiting for?

CD REVIEW - LES NOTES DE LECRAN - The best of French film music VOL.2 + A Special Offer from Perseverance Records


LES NOTES DE LECRAN - The best of French film music VOL.2
Music by Vladimir Cosma
Cinefonia Records CFSAMP002
30 Tracks 77:32 mins

This second volume features two scores from 1983 by Vladimir Cosma, who seldom disappoints with his melodic gifts and these scores are no exception. The album commences with L'Homme du Suez, for which Cosma composed an epic sounding string theme, with just a hint of the Middle East about it. It is first heard played straight over the title track and much of the rest of the score features variations on this theme, with the highlights being the playful, pizzicato version in "Rondeau du Petit Prince;" "Appel du Sud," with the addition of weighty timpani; the propulsive "Galop des sables; the somewhat romantic "Les heures bucolques," with prominent woodwinds; the busy "Soleil d'Egypte;" and a couple of action variations in "Tocsin pour un fleau" and the concluding "Allegro du canal." Much of the rest of the cues are either infectious source dances, including a waltz, a quadrille and a polka; or firmly Middle Eastern, including an affecting female lament in "Melopee du Nil." The main theme is extremely memorable, and it never outstays its welcome throughout the many variations thereon presented here.
The second score on the disc is La Chambre des Dames, which commences with a lovely ballad, "Pour L'amour," co-composed with Carola Pimper, and performed in French by Annick Thoumazeau. Lovely instrumental renditions of this theme are then presented in the title track and the concluding "Theme de Philippe;" with an interesting organ-lead version in "Aude et Thomas." Cosma's equally memorable secondary theme is first heard in a dramatic and purposeful arrangement in "Theme de Guillaume," followed immediately by a tender variation in "Come et Marie; " and a rather more formal one in "Guillaume et Florie." Both themes receive variations, either solo or in combination, in the remaining tracks, with just "Pelerinage pour Saint-Jean de Compastelle," a somewhat bleak, organ-lead theme providing anything different thematically.
As with Volume 1, the disc is presented in a gatefold digipack and is highly recommended for those who like their music melodic.


From: "Perseverance Records"

Dear collectors,

In order to make room for new inventory, we are offering you a special deal. If you order before June 19, 2006, we will pay the shipping (for US and Canadian customers only. International customers pay only $2 + $.50 per additional CD instead of the regular $5).

To order:

EMAIL/PAYPAL
order@perseverancerecords.com
(orders@perseverancerecords.com is no longer active)

FAX
818-841-2487

MAIL
PERSEVERANCE RECORDS
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Burbank, Ca 91505

CALL
818-842-1852

PRP 001 Prince Valiant by David Bergeaud
The last copies of this epic, symphonic score are still available.
This promotional CD was limited to 1,000 pressings, 400 of which went to the composer.
ORDER ______ units; price $22, 21 copies left, (promo, no barcode)

PRD 002 Dr. Phibes Rises Again by John Gale
The only score from this composer, opulent and with a nod to everything from Tchaikovsky to ballroom music. Includes the only known recording of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" as performed by Vincent Price.
ORDER ______ units; price $17, (license expires, no repressing)

PRD 003 Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Denny Zeitlin
The lone score by acclaimed jazz pianist Denny Zeitlin, composed for the 1978 version directed by Philip Kaufman. The riveting jazz score, which Pauline Kael called "dazzling", is complemented by a 30-minute-plus interview with the composer that explains why this is the artist's only film score.
ORDER ______ units; price $17, (license expires, no repressing)

PRD 004 The Abominable Dr. Phibes by Basil Kirchin
The acclaimed experimental composer Basil Kirchin wrote this avant-garde music to Vincent Price's first outing as the evil doctor in the vein of Hans-Werner Henze and Krzysztof Penderecki.
ORDER ______ units; price $17, 150 copies left

PRD 005 The Deadly Spawn by Michael Perilstein
Okay, the film was not great, but A LOT of people saw it and agree on one point: One of its strongest factors was the electronic score written and performed by Michael Perilstein, who composed a new 12-minute suite specifically for this release.
ORDER ______ units; price $17, 330 copies left

PRD 006 The Punisher by Dennis Dreith
Finishing off the album is a 30-minute interview with the composer and director Mark Goldblatt, exclusive to this CD, that goes into depth about the relationship and the collaboration between the two creative minds, as well as how a composer generally works on a picture. Also available as an SACD.
ORDER reg. CD ______ units; price $17
ORDER SACD ______ units; price $22, 60 copies left

PRD 007 Loch Ness by Trevor Jones
Our best seller. This lush, romantic score by Trevor Jones ("The Dark
Crystal", "The Last of the Mohicans", "Dark City") is a favourite among soundtrack collectors and has been on many a want list.
ORDER ______ units; price $17

PRD 008 The Least Worst of Michael Perilstein by Michael Perilstein
An eclectic collection of music from various films, all written by the "Deadly Spawn" composer. Everything from electronic to blues is featured. A great way to get to know this composer's body of work.
ORDER ______ units; price $12

PRD 009 Crypt of the Living Dead by Phillip Lambro
The first in a series of film scores by the acclaimed concert hall composer. Digitally restored from the original session tapes, this release sparkles not only acoustically, but also comes with a beautiful 16-page booklet, which offers insights into the composer's process.
ORDER ______ units; price $17, 510 copies left, (no repressing)

PRD 010 Remo Williams by Craig Safan
This long-awaited release of the classic film score from the composer of "The Last Starfighter" is sure to be a hit. Reserve your copies, as this title is limited to 3,000 units. Almost 70 minutes of music.
ORDER ______ units; price $19, release date June 20, 2006

PRD 011 Gag by Dennis Dreith
"Punisher" composer Dreith worked a lot with the sound designers on this current horror thriller, due this summer in theatres, to create a score rich in atmosphere and as dark as the villain's soul. Not for the weak of heart! Features the exclusive end title song "Tie Me Up" by Harley Krishna. Limited to 500 pressings.
ORDER ______ units; price $15, release date June 20, 2006

PRD 012 Dark Skies by Michael Hoenig with additional music by Mark Snow
Former Tangerine Dream member Michael Hoenig's first album in eighteen years! This much-asked-for album features almost an hour of music from the electronic guru. Also included is a 12-minute suite of music from the unaired, original pilot (a version only seen in the UK) by Emmy-winning "X-Files" composer Mark Snow.
ORDER ______ units; price $18, release date July 18, 2006

PRD 013 The Prophecy by David Williams
This highly-anticipated album was digitally re-mastered by the composer himself. David gets a lot of requests for this score, which is now finally available in its entirety on this world-premiere recording.
ORDER ______ units; price $18, release date July 18, 2006

PRD 014 Murph, the Surf by Phillip Lambro
The second album in the series of film music from this composer, this fantastic jazz score from the 1970's heist flick starring Robert Conrad and Don Stroud, is available for the first time on CD.
ORDER ______ units; price $18, release date August 15, 2006

PRD 015 The Prophecy 2 by David Williams
The follow-up score to the 1995 cult classic creates new themes while integrating old ones from the first film. Another long-awaited release from this under-represented composer.
ORDER ______ units; price $17, release date September 19, 2006

PRD 016 Kickboxer by Paul Hertzog
We got a lot of requests for this title. Finally, available for the first time ever, the music from the highly successful Jean-Claude van Damme starrer comes to you in full digital glory. Re-mastered under the supervision of the composer.
ORDER ______ units; price $17, release date October 17, 2006

Leatherface - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 by Jim Manzie
The third instalment in this highly successful franchise arguably had the best score in the series. Now, for the first time, available complete in chronological order, is this cult-classic score, which can be purchased only through our Web site. Only 500 CDs will be produced.
PRE-ORDER ______ units; $20, release date November 21, 2006


COMING UP LATER THIS YEAR OR EARLY 2007

You may pre-order now to give us a better understanding how many units we should press (unless already stated). YOU JUST NEED TO PAY $10 TO RESERVE YOUR COPY:
Chinatown - The Rejected Score by Phillip Lambro
A digital re-recording, this is the famous score that was tossed out' to be replaced by Jerry Goldsmith's music. Conducted in Prague by the composer.
PRE-ORDER ______ units; $30

Deadly Friend by Charles Bernstein
This promo is limited to 500 CDs. It features the complete orchestral music from the 1986 Wes Craven movie. The original Varese album at the time of the film's initial release contained only the electronic music written for the film. Included is another of our very popular audio interviews, this time with Wes Craven and Charles Bernstein.
This CD is available only through the Perseverance Web site and will not be sold in retail stores.
PRE-ORDER ______ units; $22

The Film Music of Jim Manzie, Vol. 1
The Film Music of Jim Manzie, Vol. 2
Selected from more than twenty of his film scores, the music on these two promotional releases is from such cult films as "Krocodylus" aka "Blood Surf", "Stepfather 2", "Night of the Scarecrow", "Sleepstalker", "My Grandfather Is a Vamppire", "Pumpkinhead II: BloodWings", "Night of the Demons 2", "H.P. Lovecraft's Lurking Fear", "Servants of Twilight", "The Offspring" aka " From a Whisper to a Scream", one of Vincent Price's last movies, and many others. 250 copies each are made available to the collectors around the world.
PRE-ORDER Vol. 1 ______ units; $29
PRE-ORDER Vol. 2 ______ units; $29

Sybil by Charles Bernstein
The promotional release of the music to the 2006 CBS movie directed by veteran Joseph Sargent is limited to 200 copies and won't be available in stores.
PRE-ORDER ______ units; $29


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Rob Esterhammer
Perseverance Records
Rare Film Scores
http://www.perseverancerecords.com

CD REVIEW - LES NOTES DE LECRAN - The best of French film music Vol.1


LES NOTES DE LECRAN - The Best of French film music Vol.1
Music by Georges Delerue
Cinefonia Records CFSAMP001
26 Tracks 58:36 mins

This, the first in three releases in what is hoped will be an ongoing series from Cinefonia Records, features selections from four scores by the late lamented Georges Delerue, commencing with 1969's Jacquou le Croquant, which is the only score here in mono sound, but is fine nevertheless. The title track presents a typically flowing orchestral theme from the composer, which is followed by a pretty theme for harp and flute, the three somewhat melancholy cues, though the last of these does brighten up, leading us into a reprise of the main theme for guitar and flute.
1979's Le Chevaux du Soleil is the only score presented here that is familiar to me, my having once owned the soundtrack album. It has a strikingly beautiful main theme, which is played in all its glory over the Main and End Titles, but is also given a more intimate treatment in "Triste est l'amour. Two marches feature in the score, the first, quite solemn for flutes and drums, the second, a much jollier affair. "Promenade en foret" comes between them, an achingly sad affair. A couple of middle-eastern flavoured cues make up the selected cues.
1977's Le Chandelier commences with a sad theme for violin and orchestra, which is reprised in a longer version over the End Titles. In between, we have what appear to be four source tracks, the best of which are a waltz for violin, cello and piano, and a lively quickstep.
The collection concludes with 1979's Le Jeune Homme Vert, which opens with the lovely "Andante pour violin et orchestre," which is self-explanatory. An equally lovely melody for guitar and orchestra follows, then although "Ballade melancolique" certainly starts out that way, it becomes yet another lovely new theme, possibly the best of a fine bunch. The next cue sees a welcome reprise of this theme for flute and orchestra, which also closes the album in yet another, shorter variation. In between, there is a nice waltz for piano and strings.
This is a simply gorgeous collection of music from one of the world's great melodists, and is presented in a deluxe gatefold digipack. Another great melodist, Vladimir Cosma, features in the second and third in the series, both of which will also be reviewed here, so watch this space!

CD REVIEW - Yamato


Yamato
Music by Joe Hisaishi
FLME FLCF-4088 (Japan)
22 Tracks 78:55 mins

I have been a fan of Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi for some time now, having first come to know his music from the films of Kitano and the many animated features he has scored over the years. This film, which, from the album's artwork (most of the text is in Japanese, which unfortunately I do not comprehend) and the nature of the score, may be Japan's answer to Das Boot, and could possibly follow the lives of the crew of a doomed World War II battleship, would appear to be a strange departure for a composer largely known for his beautiful thematic scores, but he employs this approach most effectively here in a big orchestral/choral score which completely holds one's interest over this lengthy album, a score which is book ended by two affecting male vocal ballads, in Japanese, despite the second having the English title "Close Your Eyes," which is actually sung during the song.
Hisaishi employs a handful of themes, which he weaves skilfully in and out of his score, one of which is surprisingly very much out of the Media Ventures school, but which the composer treats not only in those traditions, but also presents in a much more intimate reading for guitar and piano. There is also something of a muscular prelude to action theme, which is too seldom heard, some exciting conflict, and moments of great pride, but it is undoubtedly Hisaishi's natural sense of romance and poignancy that often shines through and which results in some genuinely heart-rending moments during the final score tracks.
The CD is presented in an attractive gatefold digipack, with plenty of colour stills from the film in the accompanying concealed booklet.
If you are already a Joe Hisaishi fan, you will definitely want to seek this one out. If not, this is a pretty good place to start. I haven't seen it on sale from any western soundtrack specialist retailer as yet, but if you go to http://www.global.yesasia.com/, they should be able to help you.

CD REVIEW - Soul of the Ultimate Nation


Soul of the Ultimate Nation
Music by Howard Shore
Sony BMG SB70053C (Korea)
20 Tracks 64:34 mins

For any Howard Shore fan suffering withdrawal symptoms following the end of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, I have the perfect tonic. This game score from Korea is something of a first cousin to the LOTR scores. Performed wonderfully well by the National Philharmonic of Russia and Academy of Choral Arts, this is music almost the equal in power and majesty as those scores and is a great listen, even if it does lose its way somewhat towards the end of the disc (though it does end in a powerful piece of action writing for "Menace of the Army Wings").
It's hard to pick out standout cues, though the eager mover "Helron's Castle," the brassy action of "The Valley of Dragons" and the powerful "March to Victory" most consistently do it for me. Rather that most tracks have some great moments like the ethereal choir that opens the disc in "Sanctuary of Fear;" the call to arms at the start of "A Prelude to Revolt;" the powerful build of "The Triumph;" the sensation of flying in "Forest of the Beasts;" "the menace and power of "Empire Geist;" the female choral lament of "The Epitaph;" the use of theremin, seldom heard these days, in "Hymns of Battlefields and "A Pernicious Plot;" and the powerful brass and organ in "Immortal Emperor."
If you still need convincing that game scores can be the equal, if not better, of music being composed for film these days, check this one out - you won't need further convincing.
Although I got my copy direct from Korea, I'm glad to say that it is now readily available from most specialist soundtrack retailers, so what are you waiting for?

CD REVIEW - X-Men III: The Last Stand + News from Costa Communications


XIII: The Last Stand
Music by John Powell
Varese Sarabande VSD-6732 (EU)
27 Tracks 61:38 mins

The scores for the first two X-Men movies, though effective enough on film, were not particularly memorable away from the action they supported. When I started analysing John Powell's score for this third outing, I was leaning towards the same conclusion. Many of the early tracks are quite brief and not particularly engaging, save for quite brief appearances by Powell's propulsive main theme and a menacing dark march for Magneto's forces, but things slowly start to change with the powerful "Dark Phoenix's Tragedy," concluding in the a capella female choir of "Farewell to X." Following this "The Funeral" starts suitably tragically, but then a lovely theme emerges. I haven't yet seen the film, but from the track titles it seems to me that it revolves largely around the Jean Grey character. Thought dead at the end of X-Men 2, she is resurrected in this movie as Dark Phoenix and, from its continued used throughout the remainder of the score, I am assuming this theme belongs to her, as does a powerful motif for female choir that presumably represents her awe-inspiring new powers.
Following "The Funeral," the score continues to improve over subsequent tracks, but really steps up a gear over the concluding tracks, which flow together as one continuous battle, featuring some powerful action writing for orchestra and choir, concluding with the truly wonderful "Phoenix Rises," which was so good it sent a shiver down my spine, and that doesn't often happen these days. The final track on this generous album (isn't it wonderful that Varese Sarabande are now able to issue such lengthy Hollywood-recorded scores these days?) features variations on the lovely Phoenix, as well as the main theme, which I would have loved to have heard more of throughout the score.
In conclusion, I would have to say that, as a separate listening experience, this is certainly the most enjoyable of the three X-Men scores so far, and I can't wait to see the film.


From Costa Communications

FILM COMPOSER JAMES DOOLEY
TAKES "FIRST FLIGHT"

DW's first animated short debuts in front of #2 "Over the Hedge" in NY and
LA

(Hollywood,CA) DreamWorks Animation has a new animated short film, "First
Flight," showing before this week's highest grossing animated film "Over the
Hedge" in New York and Los Angeles. Composer James Dooley provides the score for the film as he also provided additional music for the weekend's #1 blockbuster "The Da Vinci Code." Dooley's score CD for "When a Stranger
Calls," the first film to score more than $20 million on a Super Bowl
Weekend, was released last week in conjunction with the film's DVD debut.

This touching animated short about a man and a bird's first attempt at flight was written and directed by two longtime DreamWorks Animation veterans, Cameron Hood and Kyle Jefferson, "First Flight" is a computer-animated short film that tells the story of a fastidiously organized businessman, whose perspective on life is forever changed through an unexpected encounter with a tiny fledgling bird.

Dooley's recent credits also include DreamWorks' animated short "A Christmas
Caper" starring the penguins from the hit film "Madagascar," on which he previously teamed with Hans Zimmer. This short was seen in theatres this past fall before the Oscar winning claymation feature "Wallace and Grommit:
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" for which Dooley provides additional music.
Dooley also mixed and scored the new animated film, Urmel Aus Dem Eis, or
Impy's Island, as it will be known in the US. The film is based on a German children's book about a dinosaur that hatches in modern times on an island where animals learn to speak. Additionally, Dooley has scored some of the industry's most successful videogames including "Socom 3, US Navy SEALs," which he recorded at London's Air Lyndhurst Hall with a 70-piece orchestra.
Continuing in the series, Dooley has announced a deal to score "Socom 4."

James Dooley is a graduate of New York University where he majored in Music
Composition. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles to study film composition with such composers as Christopher Young and Elmer Bernstein. He joined Media Ventures in 1999 and collaborated with Zimmer both as his Chief Technical Engineer and as a composer. In addition, Dooley has partnered with
CDBABY.com to donate the proceeds from sales of his "The Mars Underground" soundtrack to the Red Cross national disaster relief effort. "The Mars
Underground" is a landmark documentary about renowned aerospace scientist and visionary, Dr. Robert Zubrin quest for Mars exploration.

CD REVIEW - Sea Images - The Best of David Fanshawe + News from Top Dollar PR


Sea Images - The Best of David Fanshawe
Silva Screen SILCD1205 (U.K.)
25 Tracks 79:36 mins

This generous overview of the English composer's career covers not just his screen music but much more, but as I am a screen music reviewer I'll naturally start with the "Film & Television" section, which commences with Fanshawe's "Overture" to perhaps his most well known film score Tarka the Otter, which has a nice, sweeping theme at its core and a turbulent middle. A flowing clarinet theme and variations thereon next features in "Mother and Child" from Serenata, followed by the jaunty travelling music of "Charabanc Ride" from England, Their England; the dreamy tango of "River Thames Interlude" from Three Men in a Boat, and "Piano Solo" from the same programme. Next up is the late Alex Glasgow's loved by some, hated by others, vocal from When the boat Comes In, as arranged by Fanshawe. The quirky, sax-lead "John Fothergill's Rag" follows; then two pieces from Flambards, again a quirky whistled theme with a repeated "Ma'am" vocal, followed by the jolly little sax-lead mover "Dorothy's Theme." The section finishes up with two songs from The Good Companions.
The most recent music on the disc is for Sea Images, three orchestral pieces, commencing with "Trafalgar, " a stirring march, incorporating the sailors Hornpipe and "Rule Britannia." There follows the composer's "Lament of the Seas," composed in response to the terrible Tsunami of Boxing Day 2004, which begins suitably menacing and turbulent and then choir joins the orchestra for an arrangement of "For Those At Sea." The final piece is "Dover Castle," a seascape, which goes through many moods before proudly building to a peaceful climax.
Arabian Fantasy was commissioned by and is dedicated to Nail Attallah. Of the 12 movements that comprise the work, four are included here. "Sirocco" is a fast-moving piece of pop; "Prelude" starts off ethnic and mysterious with Qanun solo then flows along before turning electronic; "Blues" is a flowing ethnic-jazz mixture; and "Arabian fantasy" a jazzy fast-mover with police siren effect.
African Sanctus, drawn from the composer's recordings of traditional African music on his travels along the Nile from 1969-73, is apparently Fanshawe's best-known work (though I've strangely never heard of it) and four movements are presented here, starting with the title piece, a mix of tribal dance and Latin chorus. This is followed by "Kyrie: Call to Prayer," which features a priest, recorded in the Muhammad Ali Mosque, Cairo, joined by choir in the composer's setting of "Kyrie eleison." "The Lord's Prayer" features the Choristers of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, backed by Alan parker's guitar. Finally, "Dona Nobis Pacem" features soprano Wilhelmenia Fernandez and choristers in a setting of "Agnus Dei."
The "Finale" section features two pieces from 2000's Planet Earth. The opening "Fanfare" commences with trumpets and drums, before becoming big and brassy, leading to a suitably grand climax; whilst "Millennium March" is suitably stirring, with a broad, very English theme at its centre.
As an encore, the composer includes a repeat of "Trafalgar," this time with choir singing "England expects that every man will do his duty" at the appropriate moments.
A very varied collection of works then by David Fanshawe, accompanied by an 18-page booklet, in which the composer, together with broadcaster Brian Kay, guide you through his career and the works presented therewith, which left me realising how little I actually knew about the artist in question.


From Top Dollar PR

NCsoft Announces "Lineage II: The Concert"

Award-winning composer Inon Zur to be honoured at first symphonic game music concert in Korea

Los Angeles - May 23rd, 2006 - Renowned composer Inon Zur will be celebrated in a special live symphony concert presentation of his music for the computer game Lineage II®: Chronicle V: Oath of Blood, to be performed by the Mostly Philharmonic Orchestra at the AX-Hall in Seoul, Korea on May 30th, 2006. Internationally recognised as one of the A-list composers in the video games industry, Zur was commissioned by NCsoft® Korea to compose the game's original score based on his award-winning dramatic music for film, television and video games. His other game credits include blockbuster titles such as Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones, Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest, Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, Icewind Dale II and SOCOM II, each production featuring Zur's distinctive orchestral style. For more information on Lineage II: The Concert please visit: http://bbs.lineage2.co.kr/event/eventView.asp?eid=33&progressType=0.

Mr. An Yong Jin, Sound Supervisor at NCsoft Studio E&G and organizer of Lineage II: The Concert, said, "Inon has written some of the most emotionally charged and ethereal music heard in a computer game to date. His music for Lineage II is perfectly suited for a live symphony concert setting and more importantly it matches our vision for this epic game and upgrades the fantasy to a whole new level!"

For the recording of the Lineage II: Chronicle V: Oath of Blood original game score, Zur recently conducted and recorded with the 70-piece Northwest Sinfonia at the Bastyr University Chapel in Seattle. The score was mixed at Zur's project studio in Los Angeles.

Commenting on his music for the game and the upcoming live concert performance in Seoul, Korea, Inon Zur said, "I'm very proud and honoured to take part in the legendary Lineage series. I hope my music will add to the Lineage heritage and bring some new elements to this magical world. I had an extremely fascinating experience working on this game and I look forward to sharing this music with the players and fans. It is a dream come true to have my music performed live in concert."

Zur's powerful orchestral scores have also previously featured in the promotional trailers for Hollywood movies such as "Annapolis" (Touchstone Pictures), "The New World" (New Line Cinema), "Kingdom Of Heaven" (Twentieth Century Fox), "The Pacifier" (Walt Disney Pictures), "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (Walt Disney Pictures), and "Fantastic Four" (Marvel/Twentieth Century Fox). Inon's music can also be heard in the hit television series "Into The West" from Executive Producer Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Television. Inon is a classically trained graduate of the Music Academy of Tel Aviv in Israel, and also studied at the Dick Grove School of Music and UCLA. Inon Zur is represented by Bob Rice of Four Bars Intertainment (North America) and Stacey Yoon of LaMi Productions Inc. (Asia). For more information please visit www.inonzur.com.


About NCsoft:
NCsoft® North America is headquartered in Austin, Texas and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Korea-based NCsoft Corporation. NCsoft, with its own development and publishing offices in Texas and California, also works with other NCsoft subsidiaries and third party developers throughout North America to develop and publish innovative online entertainment software products. The company has successfully launched multiple online titles in the last three years and continues to support its AAA franchises that include Lineage®/Lineage II®, City of Heroes®/City of VillainsT, Guild Wars®/Guild Wars FactionsT and Auto Assault®. More information about NCsoft can be found at http://www.plaync.com.

###

NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, Lineage, The Chaotic Chronicle, Scions of Destiny, Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Auto Assault and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. City of Heroes, City of Villains and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademark of Cryptic Studios, Inc. and NCsoft Corporation. Cryptic Studios is a trademark of Cryptic Studios, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CD REVIEW - Joe 90


Joe 90
Music by Barry Gray
Silva Screen SILCD1209
28 Tracks 78:22 mins

The latest in this great series of recordings from the 1960s Gerry Anderson shows is 1968's Joe 90, a series which didn't really do it for me, but which nevertheless had the usual high quality music present in other shows like Thunderbirds, Stingray and Captain Scarlet.
The Joe 90 theme, whilst not the classic that Thunderbirds is, still is a highly catchy tune, with guitar leading the orchestra, with Gray's trademark electronic touches well in evidence. If you don't immediately warm to the theme over the "Main Titles" you'll have plenty of opportunity to let it grow on you, as it appears in variations throughout the score. There's so much excellent music on display here that it's hard to single out any extra special cues. Really, more or less all of them have something to offer, but I would mention the Russian styled and martial music in "The Most Special Agent; the down-home banjo and comical moments of "The Race;" the easy listening source of "Double Agent Entertainment;" the suitably exotic touches to "Jungle Fortress;" the carefree tunes of "Dr. Darota's Alpine Clinic" and "Balloon Flight;" the Spanish guitar of "Porto Guavan;" the middle-eastern flavour to "King For a Day;" the fabulously punchy theme for "Mission tango 120;" the classical piano solo of "A Piano Recital by Igor Sladek;" the cool jazz theme in "Splashdown;" the suitably rousing "The Colonel's March;" the pseudo-Westernisms of "Lone Handed 90;" and the string and bass-lead variation of the main theme in "End Titles." And, as a bonus, the "Opening Titles," which features the main theme, shorn of its electronics, closes the disc.
As always in this series, there is a splendidly illustrated accompanying booklet, featuring Ralph Titterton of Fanderson's episode guide, plus the first part of a feature on the "Barry Gray Orchestra," and a detailed breakdown of the musicians who performed on these recordings.
Another superb entry in this splendid series, and I'm still hoping for a Stingray compilation in the not too distant future.

CD REVIEW - Halo 2 Original Soundtrack Volume Two


Halo 2 Original Soundtrack Volume Two
Music by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori
Sumthing Else SE-2018-2 (U.S.)
12 Tracks 70:04 mins

The first Halo 2 soundtrack came out some time back, before the game score was actually finished, and featured themes that were already composed, plus "inspired by" numbers from bands that were to feature in the game. This second volume features the actual score, "rearranged for maximum listening pleasure." Sad to say, despite this approach, there just isn't much pleasure to be had from this CD at all.
The composers utilise orchestra, electronics, choir and a touch of electric guitar, but the whole thing is downbeat and pretty uninspiring throughout, with very little action writing to get the pulse racing and not much in the way of melody to latch on to. The best of the former are "Unyielding" and its later variation "Reclaimer," with its wailing electric guitar; and also "Leonadis" which is a fair rhythmic mover. As for melody, only the piano-lead "Unforgotten" comes to mind. There a couple of beat-driven tracks that get the foot tapping briefly and "Wage" is worth mentioning for its repeating martial drums, quite effectively joined by orchestra and choir, but overall I suspect this very lengthy CD will only appeal to those of you who have played the game or like their scores on the atmospheric side.

CD REVIEW - The Green Hornet


The Green Hornet
Music by Billy May
Harkit Records HRKCD8222
11 Tracks 24:08 mins

Marking the 40th anniversary of the short-lived crime-fighting show from the producers of the popular Batman series, comes this limited edition CD release of Billy May's original soundtrack album, which may seem a little brief at just over 24 minutes, but that was not an atypical length for an LP at that time. In any case, those 24 minutes are packed with fine, jazzy music by Billy May, who is probably best known as a band leader and arranger, but who also did not inconsiderable scoring work, particularly for TV.
Another key man in the creation of the music for The Green Hornet is trumpeter Al Hirt, who blows up a storm on May's dynamic main theme, which, whilst spelling out the show's title as its main thematic line, also incorporates May's adaptation of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee," which had been used in the original radio serial. This exciting theme, which must have left Hirt breathless, I should imagine, features on four of the album's tracks, including what appears to be the "Main Title," which appears to be taken from the show's soundtrack itself, as it is the only track noticeably in mono.
"Four Hornets" is the first of two easy listening lounge numbers (the other being "Guardarahornet), which still manages to incorporate "Green Hornet" in its melodic line. The breezy jazz of "Casey" follows, and then we get an actual piece of dramatic scoring in the Batman-like action of "Horneted House." "Kato" is a cool jazz track, with a hint of pseudo-Orientalism. The other two non-main themed tracks are the catchy dance numbers "Do the Hornet" and "Black Beauty."
As good as the CD itself, is the 16-page accompanying booklet, which is packed with stills and publicity photos, with Martin Gainsford's notes providing a history of the show and a biography of the composer. All in all a fitting tribute to a short-lived show that sadly suffered in comparison with its big brother Batman, but first brought the amazing Bruce Lee to the attention of the world.

CD REVIEW - V For Vendetta


V For Vendetta
Music by Dario Marianelli
Astralwerks (number unreadable) (EU)
13 Tracks 63:07 mins

Latest score from up-and-coming composer Marianelli is for this graphic novel adaptation, starring Natalie Portman and a masked Matrix villain Hugo Weaving. It is fair to say it is closer in style to his score for The Brothers Grimm than Pride and Prejudice, though still quite different, as it lacks the variation that score received. This all sounds pretty much the same - a mix of dark, brooding, conspiratorial music and purposeful, drum-driven and sometimes quite rhythmic action writing. There are few light moments, though the gently flowing piano of "Valerie" is notable.
Throughout, Marianelli subtly sprinkles choir into the mix, though they do make their presence felt in a number of crescendos.
The final cue, following some powerful action writing of the nature described, eventually erupts in a strong and quite jarring statement of the 1812 Overture, which apparently accompanies scenes of Parliament burning.
In addition to the score, which comprises ten mostly lengthy tracks, there are three vocals by Julie London, Cat Power and Antony & The Johnsons.
Dario Marianelli continues to make his presence felt on the film composing scene with yet another stylistically different score, displaying his versatility.

CD REVIEW - Alexander Nevsky/Lieutenant Kije and News from Costa Communications


Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky . Lieutenant Kije
Music by Sergey Prokofiev
Orchestra National de Lille, Latvian State Choir, Conductor: Jean-Claude Casadesus
Naxos 8.557725 (EU)
12 Tracks 58:20 mins

I should imagine most students of film music history have probably got one of the various recordings of these pieces, previously issued, but this reissue of the recording made on 1st June 1994 at the Auditorium du Nouveau Siecle, in Lille, France, is worth picking up if you haven't.
The Cantata for Mezzo-Soprano, Chorus and Orchestra, drawn from Prokofiev's score for Sergey Eisenstein's 1938 film Alexander Nevsky, which dealt with the 13th century conflict between Russia and the Teutonic crusaders, runs for 38.35 minutes and goes from the suitably downbeat "Russia under the Mongolian Yoke;" through the spirited, then more stately choral "Song about Alexander Nevsky;" the powerful "The Crusaders in Pskov," from which one a young James Horner's derived inspiration for one of his most familiar motifs; the rousing choral song "Arise, Ye Russian People;" the marvellous, epic set-piece "The Battle on the Ice;" the mournful lament for mezzo-soprano "The Field of Death; to the triumphant and celebratory "Alexander's Entry into Pskov."
The popular suite from Lieutenant Kije is drawn from Alexander Feinzimmer's satirical1933 film of the same name. A number of familiar themes, present in the remainder of the piece, emerge from the opening "The Birth of Kije. "Romance" features a surprisingly sturdy and very Russian theme; whilst "Kije's Wedding" features a well-loved trumpet theme, bracketed by grand fanfares. "Troika" is probably the most well loved piece, with its grand opening and close surrounding the famous and highly infectious sleigh ride music; with "The Burial of Kije" closing with variations on much of the material that has gone before.
Keith Anderson's booklet notes, in three languages, serve as a guide to the composer and the works presented, and the lyrics to the songs are also included.


From Costa Communications

A STRANGER CALLS
FILM COMPOSER JAMES DOOLEY
Composer scores #1 opening retelling of classic horror film
Lakeside Releases Score CD May 16 as DVD Hits Stores

"The music is coming from inside the theatre!"

(Hollywood,CA) Composer James Dooley scores the #1 opening "When a Stranger
Calls" for Screen Gems and director Simon West ("Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," "Con Air"). Starring Camilla Belle, Katie Cassidy and Tommy Flanagan, the film opened February 3 with a DVD release planned for May. Lakeside Records releases Dooley's score CD May 16. Grossing $22 million, this marks the first time any film has scored more than $20 million on Super Bowl Weekend.
"When a Stranger Calls" is a retelling of the 1979 horror film that tells the story of a young high school student's nightmarish babysitting gig where she receives mysterious phone calls at the house to check on the children, only to find them dead. Dooley is well versed in the thriller genre, having previously collaborated with Hans Zimmer on the DreamWorks blockbuster "The
Ring."

Dooley began his sessions for "Stranger" in Prague, where he did two sessions for sampling, then recorded with 50 piece string session, and later held a 32 piece string session for celli and basses only. The rest of the score was recorded over four days in Seattle with the NorthWest Sinfonia's
85 musicians. The result is a combination of custom aleatoric samples and a traditional orchestra on top.

Dooley's recent credits include DreamWorks' animated short "A Christmas
Caper" starring the penguins from the hit film "Madagascar," on which he previously teamed with Zimmer. This short was seen in theatres this past fall before the claymation feature "Wallace and Grommit: The Curse of the
Were-Rabbit" for which Dooley provides additional music. Dooley also mixed and scored the new animated film, Urmel Aus Dem Eis, or Impy's Island, as it will be known in the US. The film is based on a German children's book about a dinosaur that hatches in modern times on an island where animals learn to speak. Additionally, Dooley has scored some of the industry's most successful videogames including "Socom 3, US Navy SEALs," which he recorded at London's Air Lyndhurst Hall with a 70-piece orchestra.

James Dooley is a graduate of New York University where he majored in Music
Composition. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles to study film composition with such composers as Christopher Young and Elmer Bernstein. He joined Media Ventures in 1999 and collaborated with Zimmer both as his Chief Technical Engineer and as a composer. In addition, Dooley has partnered with CDBABY.com to donate the proceeds from sales of his "The Mars Underground" soundtrack to the Red Cross national disaster relief effort. "The Mars
Underground" is a landmark documentary about renowned aerospace scientist and visionary, Dr. Robert Zubrin quest for Mars exploration.

CD REVIEW - The Da Vinci Code


The Da Vinci Code
Music by Hans Zimmer
Decca 985-4041
14 Tracks 68:10 mins

Certainly the most hyped film at the moment is Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code, starring Tom Hanks, Sir Ian McKellen, Audrey Tautou and Paul Bettany in an atypical villainous role. But does the film live up to all the hype? Well, from the few reviews I have seen, the critics seem to like it, so hopefully it does.
As for the music, well word got around that the British censor asked for changes to the music in order that the film obtain a 12 certificate, as the music was apparently likely to frighten children. Well, stories differ as to whether it was Hans Zimmer's finished score that did the frightening or whether it was in fact a temp track. On the evidence of the soundtrack album, I would say the latter, as there is very little here to cause offence, and would be more likely to bore than frighten children. Most of the music is of a spiritual nature, with very few intense moments, save for the Psycho-like strings in "Fructus Gravis," more tense string action in "Beneath Alrischa" and "Chevaliers De Sangreal," which builds and builds, but in optimistic fashion, until it becomes quite passionate.
My first impressions of the CD as a whole were favourable, when heard as background for various tasks I was performing, but when I actually sat down to listen to it properly, I did find myself agreeing to a degree with other critics that the music does tend to drone on a little, in the fashion of Batman Begins, and there are also nods towards earlier Zimmer works, with Crimson Tide being universally singled out. Not that his scores were not effective in these films. In fact, on viewing Batman Begins, the album took on a whole new life for me, having left me pretty cold initially.
What I can say is that there are some very good moments within the largely lengthy tracks, with the choral work and performances by soprano Hila Plitmann often quite gorgeous. Beside the performers, I think credit here must go to Zimmer's associates Nick Glennie-Smith, who conducted the choir, Graham Preskett, who was responsible for the Latin lyrics and choral arrangements, and Richard Harvey who not only conducted the orchestra, but played "historic stringed instruments" and wrote the album's concluding track "Kyrie for the Magdalene." Credit too must go to Martin Tillman and Hugh Marsh for their notable efforts on cello and violin in tracks like "Ad Arcana," "Daniel's 9th Cipher" and "Rose of Arimathea."
But, in conclusion, strangely enough, I have to say that my favourite track on the album is "Salvete Virgines," a very affecting chorale, which doesn't actually feature in the film. What this says, I'm not sure, but, for all its overall lack of genuine excitement, the fact remains that there is some quality music to be heard here, and Zimmer and co. obviously went to great pains to ensure this.

Session Reports at Soundtrack.Net


Sorry, no time for reviewing today, thanks to the business of my earning a living, so I thought I would point you in the direction of some interesting features on the Soundtrack.Net website. There you will find some pretty cool photo reports on recent recording sessions for some of the most anticipated films
The three major, and good and lengthy, reports are on Mission: Impossible III, scored by Michael Giacchino, complete with a picture of Tom Cruise conducting the orchestra; Superman Returns, scored by John Ottman, with its star Brandon Routh on trumpet; and the new M. Night Shyamalan film, scored of course by James Newton Howard, Lady in the Water; but there are also reports on two Danny Elfman projects Charlotte's Web and Nacho Libre; on Mark Isham's Invincible; on Theodore Shapiro's The Devil Wears Prada; and on Brian Tyler's The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
Go to http://www.soundtrack.net/ - you know it makes sense!

CD REVIEW - MediEvil: Resurrection +news from Top Dollar PR

MediEvil: Resurrection
Music by Bob & Barn
Sumthing Else Music SE-2023-2 (U.S.)
15 Tracks 57:23 mins

This is not only the soundtrack to the third in the popular MediEvil game series, but also features new arrangements of material from the previous entries, all performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic and Chorus, under the baton of Nic Raine.
Bob & Barn (alias Paul Arnold & Andrew Barnabas) first came to my attention with their score for 2003's Primal, released on CD by Silva Screen Records, and if that was a promising soundtrack, then this music fulfils that promise in spades.
The album commences with "Welcome to Gallowmere, " in which an a capella choral leads into the meandering, fairytale-like main theme. "The Spell" follows, initially with big and menacing choir, before turning mysterious. "Home of the Dead" moves along with a powerful choral, before the menacing action of "A Fiery Confrontation." The first of two darkly comical marches, which Danny Elfman would be proud of, features in "Comedy Corpses," leading to a splendid grand waltz for orchestra and choir in "Gallowmere Waltz." "Hall of Heroes" is one of the shorter tracks on the album, but is suitably noble, with awe-filled choir. Another waltz, this time of a darker nature features in "Village of Madness," whilst "Hilltop Mausoleum" presents a dark and powerful procession for orchestra, choir and organ. "Scurvy Docks" bounces along nicely, with quotes of "What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?" "George the Pumpkin" is a busy mover that becomes more forceful when the choir enters. "Wheat Demons" features the second dark comic march, which leads into some powerful orchestral/choral action. This is followed by "Zarok's Lair," a splendidly menacing march for orchestra and choir, and then "A Hero Returns," which starts out as a low-key waltz, turns menacing with choir, then transforms into music of ethereal beauty, with an affecting violin solo, which then positively soars. The "End Titles" reprises the main theme and variations, which again soar impressively at times.
The accompanying booklet features colour stills from the recording sessions, together with notes by the composers, as well as MediEvil's producer and creator.
If you enjoy big orchestral/choral scores, this is one you will not want to miss. It is simply one of the best soundtrack albums I have heard in a long time and again demonstrates how game scores are becoming the equal, and in fact better in a good many cases, of many a film or TV score.


MEDIA RELEASE FROM TOP DOLLAR PR

AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER AND VOCALIST WINIFRED PHILLIPS
SCORES The Da Vinci CodeT VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACK

Winifred Phillips' original music and lyrics immerse players in the official video game based on the upcoming film The Da Vinci CodeT.

New York - May 15th, 2006 - Winifred Phillips, a multiple award winning composer for video games, radio, television and film, has created the theatrical score for The Da Vinci CodeT video game, developed by The Collective for 2K Games. The video game is based on the highly-anticipated The Da Vinci Code film by OscarT winning director Ron Howard, which is based on Dan Brown's critically acclaimed, best-selling novel. The video game(s) are timed to coincide with the film's worldwide release date of May 19th.

Selected by the development team at Collective Studios for her imaginative and innovative approach to choral composition, Winifred was given extensive creative control to produce an original sound for the game inspired by Dan Brown's novel. Embracing the developer's ambition, Winifred wrote more than one hundred tracks of dramatic and ethereal music for The Da Vinci CodeT video game that combines classical and liturgical techniques with an aggressive contemporary edge and all the orchestral power of a modern-day thriller. Phillips is a classically trained vocalist as well as a composer, so for the score she personally sang all the voices of a full symphonic chorus including sopranos, altos, tenors and basses.

Cordy Rierson, producer of The Da Vinci CodeT game at Collective Studios, said, "When we heard Winifred's music, we knew she was the one to bring the video game alive with inspiring and innovative sound. Her music and vocals provided vision and helped shape what is going to be a true one of a kind gaming experience."

J.P. Walton, audio director for the video game at Collective Studios, added, "Winifred's score is the perfect accompaniment to the game. Her melodic themes and haunting choral arrangements provide a wonderful backdrop to The Da Vinci CodeT. Once you hear it you won't believe that she alone performed every part!"

As an accomplished game composer, Winifred's music has won the 2005 Interactive Achievement Award from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences for "Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition," and four Game Audio Network Guild Awards in 2005, including the prestigious "Music of the Year" Award. Winifred is also the composer of award-winning musical scores for more than 100 music drama programs in the "Radio Tales" series, originally aired on National Public Radio and currently broadcast weekly to the more than six million subscribers of XM Satellite Radio. For this series, Winifred wrote music for such radio programs as "War of the Worlds," "Arabian Nights," "The Time Machine," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Gulliver's Travels," "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Winifred has received four Gracie Awards from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television. She is also a New York Festivals World Medallist, and has been honoUred by the NFCB Golden Reel Awards and the Audio Publishers Association Awards. For more information please visit www.winifredphillips.com.

Doubleday has completed its 104th printing of the Dan Brown novel, which will bring the total number of hardcover copies in print in North America to an unprecedented 12 million. It is the record-setting adult fiction hardcover bestseller, with 161 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, 55 of them at #1. In addition, 5 million paperback copies for North America were printed and released in the U.S. market March 28th. The novel currently has 57 million copies in print worldwide in all formats.

For more information about The Da Vinci CodeT video game please visit: http://www.2Kgames.com.

About Sony Pictures Consumer Products
Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP), a Division of Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing (CTCM), is based in Los Angeles and handles the merchandising and branding efforts for some of the most recognized properties in film and television.

Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

About The Collective
Part of Foundation 9 Entertainment (www.F9E.com), the largest independent game developer in North America, The Collective is a leading developer of console video games, and known for groundbreaking third-person action adventure games. The Collective is based in Newport Beach, CA and can be found on the web at: www.collectivestudios.com.

The Collective, along with Backbone Entertainment, Pipeworks, ImaginEngine, and Digital Eclipse make up Foundation 9 Entertainment. The company's studios have developed more than 250 titles, including more than 50 in 2004 alone. Foundation 9 Entertainment employs more than 325 employees, and has offices in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Emeryville, Vancouver, Boston, Eugene, and Honolulu. For more information on Foundation 9 Entertainment, please visit: www.F9E.com.

CD REVIEW - M: I: III


M:I:III
Music by Michael Giacchino
Varese Sarabande VSD-6733 (EU)
21 Tracks 64:58 mins

If you'd have asked me who I would pick to direct another Mission: Impossible film, I'd have said Alias creator J.J. Abrams, so I was delighted to discover that this very man had been chosen for the latest outing for Tom Cruise's agent Ethan Hunt. I was equally delighted that his regular musical collaborator Michael Giacchino would be accompanying him, knowing what a fine job he would make of scoring the film, on the strength of his excellent scores for the Alias episodes and his mix of retro and modern for The Incredibles.
Well, the film has been critically very well received and seems to live up to my expectations, even if the antics of its star, as the press would lead you to believe, have somewhat damaged its box office receipts.
As for the music, well, I gather the score is pretty wall-to-wall and fortunately the album is of a generous length to give us a good sampling of it. In addition, the concluding track "Schifrin and variations" is something of a bonus, apparently a demo of what Giacchino proposed for the score, which must have been very well received as much of it is reproduced in the mix of action and stealth, with variations on Lalo Schifrin's unbeatable main theme, that is "Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall."
But going back to the start of the album and Giacchino gets us underway with a new, big orchestral version of the famous theme, but unlike previous composers for the first two filmic adventures, he then goes on to incorporate Schifrin's secondary theme "The Plot" into the following track "Factory Rescue," which is a splendid mix of action and suspense. "Evacuation" follows, an exciting, if a little episodic, action cue. "Helluvacopter Chase" is an even more exciting action cue, before things settle down with the mournful "Special Agent Lindsey Farris" and the tender, piano lead "Ethan and Julia." After the aforesaid "Humpty Dumpty," "Masking Agent" continues the excitement, but in stealthier mode, with forceful moments; followed by the tense and suspenseful "Voice Capture."
Schifrin's theme returns for "See You in the Sewer," whilst "Bridge Battle" starts off with a countdown before bursting into action. There's a wild percussive moment in the middle of "IMF Escape," with "The Chutist" another fine action cue with an exciting ending. "Hunting for Jules" continues the action, before things go off at a tangent somewhat.
Giacchino also collaborates with Abrams on the popular series Lost and the next couple of cues reflect the style he has brought to the scoring of those shows. "World's Worst Last 4 Minutes to Live" starts with a very typically Lost-like suspenseful build, before menacing percussion kicks in, followed by a tense mixture of action and stealth. "Reparations" also begins very Lost-like with a reflective piano solo, then another Lost-like orchestral build, before romantic strings lead into a statement of the Ethan and Julia love theme to conclude the score.
If box office receipts don't improve I should imagine this will be the last Mission: Impossible film, which is a shame now that the franchise has founds its perfect director-composer team.

CD REVIEW - The Film Music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, Volume 3 +
News of an exciting release from Intrada


The Film Music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, Volume 3
BBC Philharmonic, Rumon Gamba, Conductor
Ladies of Manchester Chamber Choir, Darius Battiwalla, Chorus Master
Chandos Movies CHAN 10368
23 Tracks 66:37 mins

This third in Chandos' series of recordings of the film music of Ralph Vaughan Williams kicks off with 25 minutes from the 1943 propaganda film The Flemish Farm. The opening "The Flag Flutters in the Wind" is suitably proud and heroic, though the track ends rather subdued. "Dawn in the Old Barn - The Parting of the Lovers" is a romantic, though again largely subdued track, featuring violin, which does take a passionate turn at the end. "In the Café" begins and ends quite carefree, but offers up some threatening music in between. "The Dead Man's Kit" has an overall feeling of gloom, but does feature elegiac violin and a fanfare leading to a lilting passage for flute. The concluding "The Wanderings of the Flag" offers up a stirring march, before reprising the opening music.
A 15-minute suite from 1947's The Loves of Joanna Godden follows. One of my favourite Vaughan Williams scores, it really deserves to be recorded in full, but this will have to do for now. The suite becomes powerful and optimistic at around the four-minute mark, and then comes a haunting passage for female choir. The music turns violent and troubled at around ten-minutes, but the suite ends on an optimistic note.
The album closes with 25 minutes from 1950's Bitter Springs, which was actually scored by Ernest Irving, utilising just thirty-eight bars of music supplied by Vaughan Williams. Irving worked wonders, with eight of the fifteen tracks recognisably VW, including the big and adventurous "Main Titles and Opening Music," which has a bouncy march at its core; "Rocks," an action cue based on the same march figure; the rather dark and desolate "First Desert" and "Waterhole;" the triumphant then again desolate "End of the Trek;" the elegant slow dance of "Housewarming;" the sneaky "Hunters" and the concluding "Round Up," which reprises the main theme, with a brief violin solo to end.
Irving's tracks are somewhat outclassed by the Vaughan Williams material, with only the menacing action of "Fire" holding any great interest. It's a pity that so much disc space on a Vaughan Williams collection was given over to somebody else's music, when more from Joanna Godden could have been included. A pretty fair collection then, but a bit of a missed opportunity.
The accompanying booklet features Michael Kennedy's notes on the films and their music in three languages.


INTRADA Announces:

AMAZING STORIES
Composed by John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, and More
INTRADA Special Collection Volume 32

In 1985, Steven Spielberg launched an ambitious anthology series called
AMAZING STORIES. Spread out over two seasons were good-natured, colourful tales of the fantastic. Stories about a cartoon wheel on a world war II plane, a phantom train, a ghoulish school teacher, magnetized kids, mummys and hair pieces gone wild...anything the imagination could conjure. To bring these outlandish tales to life,
Spielberg assembled an amazing line up of directors including himself,
Clint Eastwood, Danny DeVito, Robert Zemeckis, Joe Dante, Martin
Scorsese and many more. Musically, AMAZING STORIES featured some of Hollywood's biggest talents -- a roster of composers never seen before or since on a single television series.

Within the next few months, INTRADA will be releasing three 2-CD sets featuring the stunning music composed for AMAZING STORIES. Some of the highlight episodes included on these three sets are John Williams' GHOST
TRAIN and THE MISSION, Jerry Goldsmith's BOO, James Horner's ALAMO JOBE, and music by Bruce Broughton, Michael Kamen, Leonard Rosenman, Georges
Delerue, Danny Elfman, Alan Silvestri, Craig Safan, David Shire...the list goes on. Each represented episode is complete, and each disc features a different version of the AMAZING STORIES theme. Also featured is Williams' Amblin logo theme.

The music was mixed from the original multi-track masters and result in stunning stereo sound throughout. Liner notes are by Jon Burlingame. The first set is available now and is limited to 3000 copies.

INTRADA Special Collection - Volume 32
IN STOCK NOW
For cover art, track listing, and sound samples, please visit
http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.ACCT67745/it.A/id.4891/.f

Nicabella Records Launches with "Stay Alive"

My thanks to Costa Communications for bringing to my attention that John Frizzell's score for the T0uchstone film "Stay Alive" has become the first release for new Hollywood soundtrack label Nicabella Records. Released in a limited collector's edition of 1,000 copies, I previously covered the score at http://www.screensounds.blogspot.com/2006/03/john-frizzells-music-for-stay-alive.html. Though there was a good deal more music on the promotional CD I experienced, the commercial release runs for some 35 minutes, which is ample, considering the nature of the score. Check out my comments at the above link.
Nicabella Records "plans to release new titles in conjunction with an innovative marketing campaign that will promote the artists through traditional and non-traditional channels." You can purchase your copy of "Stay Alive" from http://www.buysoundtrax.com, or probably your regular choice of specialist soundtrack retailer.

CD REVIEW - Quel Gran Pezzo Della Ubalda Tutta Nuda e Tutta Calda


Quel Gran Pezzo DellaUbalda Tutta Nuda e Tutta Calda
Music by Bruno Nicolai
Digitmovies CDDM055
25 Tracks 59:39 mins

This medieval comedy from 1972 starred the lovely Edwige Fenech and Karin Schubert and received a highly tuneful, if a little repetitive score by Bruno Nicolai, receiving its premiere recording here in the usual fine stereo sound.
Nicolai composed a nice easy-going, often flute or harpsichord-lead comic theme, which makes many appearances over the course of the album. There is another nice, easy-going theme, which crops up less often, but which is given a very good, popped-up treatment in the unused finale, included as one of two bonus tracks at the end of the disc, the other being an even better treatment of the theme, with wordless choir added. There is also a sunny flute theme, which makes far too few appearances and an outright comic theme, often lead by bassoon.
The composer also makes use of a very nice love theme he composed for 1969's Zenabel, which is given a simply gorgeous treatment for orchestra in choir in "C'era una Volta." None of the other tracks in fact have titles, which makes this particular one stand out even more.
You certainly could not wish to hear a more jolly and tuneful album than this, which has the added bonus of being accompanied by the usual colourful booklet, which features amongst its stills and poster artwork a couple of topless pictures of Miss Fenech. There is however scant photographic coverage of Miss Schubert, who of course later achieved notoriety as a fully-fledged porn star. A synopsis and Claudio Fuiano's usual informative notes make up the package.

CD REVIEW - Cosa Avete Fatto A Solange?


Cosa Avete Fatto A Solange?
Music by Ennio Morricone
Digitmovies CDDM053
21 Tracks 48:04 mins

An expanded release for this 1972 Giallo score from Maestro Morricone. 13 tracks were previously available, but this release features another 8.
It's fair to say that this is a challenging listen, apart from the gentle main theme, which features piano and orchestra, with the wonderful voice of Edda dell'Orso. Unfortunately this theme only appears in full at the start and end of the disc, where the vocal is given a more breathy performance. A couple of variations appear in tracks 3 and 14, and there is some quite catchy carnival-styled music in the two "Fragile Organetto" tracks. Organ features strongly in the religious sounding "Cadenze" and returns in more suspenseful form, with weird vocal effects in "Altre Cadenze."
The rest of the score is largely experimental and atonal, although most tracks generate some movement at some point, largely propelled by drum kit and bass guitar, with the latter's riffs almost sounding like they could have come straight from a Man From U.N.C.L.E. episode.
As always, the CD is accompanied by a colourful booklet, featuring stills and poster artwork from the film, together with a synopsis and Claudio Fuiano's notes on the film and its music.

CD REVIEW - Carambola/Carambola Filotto...Tutti in Buca


Carambola/Carambola Filotto…Tutti in Buca
Music by Bixio, Frizzi, Tempera
Digitmovies CDDM054
27 Tracks 73:07 mins

Attempting to cash in on the success of the Terence Hill/Bud Spencer pairing, director Ferdinando Baldi teamed the clone-like Paul L. Smith (Popeye) and Michael Coby in a couple of comedic Italian Westerns dating from 1974 and 1975. Here Digitmovies present the complete scores, in fine stereo sound, from both; the former being scored by Bixio and Tempera, with Frizzi joining them on the sequel.
Both scores are typical of those found in these kinds of westerns, being overall infectiously tuneful. Carambola opens with the Oliver-Onions-styled song "You Can Fly" by Dreambags, who also perform the song "Sky's Motor Bike" in similar fashion for the sequel. Both songs are given instrumental treatments throughout the scores, some for live instruments, and others with synths taking the lead. Both scores also feature a Deguello, the sequel's being longer and the best, due to the irritating presence of electric guitar doodlings against the fine trumpet playing in that for Carambola. Both scores also feature plenty of Mexican-styled dance tracks, marches and comedic chases, and there are offbeat cues like the New Orleans-styled jazz of "Western Jazz," the bluesy electric guitar of "Blues for Trinity and Carambola" and the rather unusually bluesy keyboard of "Saloon," a cue one would normally expect to be scored for honky tonk piano.
The whole album makes for a delightfully toe-tapping experience, with the sequel score just shading it for me, thanks largely to the fast moving "Coby and Len," which is extremely catchy with Dreambags adding vocal support.
As always, a colourful booklet accompanies the CD, featuring stills and poster artwork, as well as a synopsis for each film and Claudio Fuiano's notes on the films and their scores.
If you like your Italian Western scores of the light-hearted, tuneful variety, you should definitely seek this one out.

CD REVIEW - Factotum


Factotum
Music by Kristin Asbjornsen
Milan 9903 99001-2 (EU)
21 Tracks 50:48 mins


Kristin Asbjornsen is apparently one of the leading singers in the Scandinavian rock scene and this is her first film score for Bent Hamer's Factotum, which stars Matt Dillon, and is based on the life of American cult favourite writer Charles Bukowski. Asbjornsen incorporates the writer's poems into her songs, performed by herself and her band Dadafon.
The main songs are the lilting, almost circusy "I Wish to Weep" and the dreary, hypnotic "Slow Day," which the singer performs painfully in her raspy Bonnie Tyleresque voice.
The instrumentals are somewhat of the trippy variety, with repetitive grooves and ethereal wordless vocal tracks, and quite a few of them are variations on the songs.
It's certainly not your typical film score, which was I am sure the aim - a different film score experience to say the least.

CD REVIEW - Bernard Herrmann: The Essential Film Music Collection


Bernard Herrmann: The Essential Film Music Collection
Various Conductors, The City of Prague Philharmonic
Silva Screen SILCD1208
Disc 1 - 69:28 mins Disc 2 - 70:31 mins

Pretty essential, but not definitive repackaging of Bernard Herrmann's film music mostly previously released on various Silva Screen collections, with important scores like All That Money Can Buy, The Magnificent Ambersons, Hangover Square and Jane Eyre missing but, having said that, this is a pretty impressive overview of his film career and would make for a great introduction for the layman.
The disc starts out with the "Overture" to Citizen Kane, which is swiftly followed by 8 minutes of music from the wonderful The Ghost and Mrs Muir, then a generous suite from On Dangerous Ground. Another, much shorter, suite follows from The Day The Earth Stood Still, where Herrmann's groundbreaking sound is pretty faithfully reproduced. "Romance" and the popular "Memory Waltz" from The Snows of Kilimanjaro follow, and then the composer's darkly comic music "A Portrait of Hitch," derived from his score to The Trouble With Harry. The "Preludes" from another Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much and the war film The Naked and The Dead follow before two generous tracks from one of Herrmann's best Hitchcock scores Vertigo. Disc one closes with the boisterous "Main Title from The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, and it's a pity the music for the duel with the skeleton couldn't also have been included.
Disc two starts with the wonderfully propulsive "Prelude" from North By Northwest, followed by the romantic "Conversation Piece" from the same film. Again, we're a little short-changed with just the "Overture" from The Three Worlds of Gulliver included. The "Main Themes" from The Twilight Zone are a strange inclusion. Herrmann's theme for the first series was dropped in favour of the familiar Marius Constant theme and I can't quite understand either theme's inclusion here when so much fine Herrmann music has been left off. A suite from Herrmann's other great Hitchcock score Psycho follows and then two decent selections from Mysterious Island. Next up is a suite from Cape Fear and then just the "Prelude" from Jason and the Argonauts, again leaving one feeling short-changed. The "Prelude & Farewell" from Marnie follows and then a suite from the composer's sadly rejected score for the last Hitchcock collaboration Torn Curtain. Herrmann's music for one of his Truffaut collaborations Fahrenheit 451 is represented by "The Road/The Search" and then, owing to Tarantino's revival of Herrmann's whistled theme from Twisted Nerve in his Kill Bill saga, a new recording of this piece features with the multi-talented Gareth Williams providing the whistle. Again, I felt a little short-changed with only just under two minutes of music from the composer's wonderful score for Obsession, with the "Night Piece for Saxophone and Orchestra" from Herrmann's final score for Taxi Driver concluding the disc.
The music is largely faithfully reproduced by the label's regular forces and is accompanied by a 12-page booklet, in which David Wishart guides us through the various selections.

DVD REVIEW - Morricone Conducts Morricone


Morricone Conducts Morricone
Euroarts DVD 2054698
Region Code 0 100 mins

There has never been a better time to be alive, if you're a fan of the great Ennio Morricone. Not only is the maestro still turning out quality new film scores, but we are fast approaching the happy position of having just about every score he ever wrote available on CD, with premiere issues as well as expanded versions of his back catalogue appearing all the time. And now, following the wonderful Arena Concerto DBD release a couple of years back, we have yet another of the great man's concerts available on DVD.
The Euroarts release features a concert given with the Munchner Rundfunkorchester and Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks at the Philharmonie im Gasteig, Munichon 20th October 2004, with Morricone conducting the orchestra, and features soloists soprano Susanna Rigacci, pianist Gilda Butta, Ulrich Herkenhoff on panpipes, Henry Raudales on violin and Norbert Merkl on viola.
The programme features a good deal included on the Arena Concerto disc, though some of the selections from those films are different. The programme plays almost continuously, with just a couple of breaks for audience applause, and is broken down into five sections - Life and Legend, Single Pages, Sergio Leone: Modern Film Legends, Socially Committed Cinema and Tragic, Lyrical, Epic…
The concert kicks off with music from The Untouchables, though sadly not the wonderful main theme. This is quickly followed by a suite from the ever popular Once Upon a Time in America, incorporating "Deborah's Theme," "Poverty" and the "Main Theme." On Arena Concerto, there was a lengthy suite from The Legend of 1900, whilst here only one brief selection is included. This is followed by the theme from another popular score Cinema Paradiso, and we are treated to some clips from the film.
The second section kicks off with the rare 1968 score for H2S, which showcases piano. This and the following three film scores do not feature on Arena Concerto, which alone makes this DVD worth seeking out. The theme from The Sicilian Clan follows, then two selections from another 1969 film Love Circle, with "Come Maddalena" from 1971's Madalena closing the section.
The Sergio Leone selections commence with another piece from Once Upon a Time in America; "Cockey's Song" gives us the rare opportunity of seeing panpipes in action and Herkenhoff does well without quite capturing the feel of the original. Speaking of which, the original sound of Morricone's western scores is impossible to reproduce on stage and, whilst Morricone's concert arrangements take a little getting used to, the themes are so great that one is soon caught up in the wonderful music; and the composer always seems at his most animated when conducting these pieces, so perhaps he has a certain fondness for them. There follow then the themes from The Good, the Bad and The Ugly, again accompanied by clips from the film, Once Upon a Time in the West and A Fistful of Dynamite, with possibly the composer's greatest theme ever "The Ecstasy of Gold" from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly concluding the westerns. Ms Rigacci does here best on the latter two, but no one can possibly match Edda's original performances. For some reason, 1999's Canone Inverso concludes this section, although the film was directed by Ricky Tognazzi. A wonderful 14-minute concerto, with a strong performance from Raudales proves a highlight of the disc, and is not present on the Arena Concerto DVD.
The next section begins with the theme from Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion and is followed by According to Pereira, which sadly suffers a little without the impassioned vocals of Dulce Pontes. The other two pieces in this section are from The Working Class Goes to Heaven and a lengthy Casualties of War.
Finally, we have the theme from The Desert of the Tartars, which is the last selection to be accompanied with some tantalising footage from the film; with the splendid suite from The Mission concluding the concert as only it can.
We are so lucky to have two fine recordings of Ennio Morricone concerts on DVD. I just wish that someone had captured an Elmer Bernstein or Jerry Goldsmith concert while these great film composers were still with us. There's still hope for a John Williams recording - please someone, before it's also too late.

NEWS FROM TOP DOLLAR PR

No review today, I'm afraid, due to pressure of work, but here, I'm pleased to say, is some news of another game music CD release:-


MEDIA RELEASE FROM TOP DOLLAR PR

HITMAN: BLOOD MONEYT ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
AVAILABLE ON SUMTHING ELSE MUSIC WORKS

Soundtrack to Agent 47's Latest Adventure Released in Stores on May 30th

New York - May 5th, 2006 - Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc., through a licensing relationship with Eidos Interactive, announces the upcoming release of the Hitman: Blood MoneyT Original Soundtrack. The soundtrack album from the latest installment in the multi million selling Hitman franchise will be released on May 30th at European and US retail and online outlets through Nile Rodgers' Sumthing Else Music Works label www.sumthing.com, the industry leader for licensing and distributing video game soundtracks.

The Hitman: Blood Money Original Soundtrack features over an hour of original music from the game written and produced by British Academy award-winning composer Jesper Kyd. His powerful blend of ambient, electronic and symphonic orchestrations beautifully enhances the cool, dark cinematic flair of the Hitman series and evokes the sinister mindset of the world's most deadly assassin Agent 47 as he travels to America and prepares to make a killing.

Highlights from the 16-track album include the operatic, choral crescendos and foreboding drums of "Apocalypse," the surreal soundscapes capturing "Night Time in New Orleans," the retro lounge vibe of "Vegas," the hypnotic underground dance grooves of "Club Heaven," and the Hitman: Blood Money theme, "Agent 47 Main Title."

Nile Rodgers, veteran music producer and Sumthing Else label founder, said, "Jesper Kyd is one of the most cutting-edge and unique composers writing music for ANY medium. Whether he's scoring a video game or movie it's sure to be a hit and once you've heard the Hitman: Blood Money soundtrack his music will own you!"

Hitman: Blood Money delivers an experience that is the closest gamers will ever have come to the real world of the assassin. Developed by Io-Interactive, Hitman: Blood Money is released in May 2006 on Xbox 360T, Xbox(r), PlayStation(r)2, and PC. For more information visit www.hitman.com.

About Jesper Kyd

Based in Los Angeles, Danish-born composer Jesper Kyd (www.jesperkyd.com) writes and produces award-winning soundtracks for movies and video games including the popular Hitman video game series. His evocative soundtrack for the third Hitman game "Hitman: Contracts" was awarded best Original Music by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts at the 2005 BAFTA Games Awards.

About Eidos Interactive Ltd
Eidos Interactive Ltd is part of SCi Entertainment Group Plc (SEG) one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software. Following the acquisition of EIDOS Plc in May 2005, the Group has a valuable combined portfolio of intellectual property including: Tomb Raider: Legend, Conflict: Global Storm, Hitman: Blood Money, Championship Manager, Just Cause, Battlestations: Midway, Urban Chaos: Riot Response and the interactive rights to Reservoir Dogs and Highlander.

About IO-Interactive

Io-Interactive (www.ioi.dk) was established in September 1998 as a joint venture between Nordisk Film & TV A/S and the game developer Reto-Moto. Based in Copenhagen, IOI develops advanced 3D computer games for the global market. Using proprietary technologies, IOI products are represented on all major platforms. Since its start in 1998, IOI have released the titles "Hitman: Codename 47" in 2000, "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin" in 2002. October 2003 saw the release of "Freedom Fighters" - a squad-based action shooter, set in a counterfactual present, presuming that Soviet Union won WWII and invades USA. In April 2004 IO-Interactive released the third instalment in the acclaimed Hitman series "Hitman: Contracts."
Today, IOI is a part of the Eidos group, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software. Eidos and IOI joined forces in March 2004 to be able to set even higher standards in their respective fields of excellence.

About Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc.

Nile Rodgers started Sumthing Else Music Works (SEMW) as a nationwide record label and creative outlet for independent artists and unique musical projects. Through its affiliated company, Sumthing Distribution, SEMW prides itself on its ability to rapidly and effectively deliver to the marketplace many innovative products. In view of the successes of its previous game soundtrack releases, the company is now recognized as the leader in this newly emerging musical genre. Accordingly, SEMW has bolstered its commitment to enhancing gamers' overall experience by acquiring many new titles to complement its current catalogue of releases.

Sumthing Else Music Works and Sumthing Distribution logos are copyright of their respective companies. All other names of products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

NEWS FROM TOP DOLLAR PR


Sorry no review today, due to pressure of work. However, I'm pleased to say here is some news of yet another game music CD:-


MEDIA RELEASE FROM TOP DOLLAR PR

HITMAN: BLOOD MONEYT ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
AVAILABLE ON SUMTHING ELSE MUSIC WORKS

Soundtrack to Agent 47's Latest Adventure Released in Stores on May 30th

New York - May 5th, 2006 - Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc., through a licensing relationship with Eidos Interactive, announces the upcoming release of the Hitman: Blood MoneyT Original Soundtrack. The soundtrack album from the latest installment in the multi million selling Hitman franchise will be released on May 30th at European and US retail and online outlets through Nile Rodgers' Sumthing Else Music Works label www.sumthing.com, the industry leader for licensing and distributing video game soundtracks.

The Hitman: Blood Money Original Soundtrack features over an hour of original music from the game written and produced by British Academy award-winning composer Jesper Kyd. His powerful blend of ambient, electronic and symphonic orchestrations beautifully enhances the cool, dark cinematic flair of the Hitman series and evokes the sinister mindset of the world's most deadly assassin Agent 47 as he travels to America and prepares to make a killing.

Highlights from the 16-track album include the operatic, choral crescendos and foreboding drums of "Apocalypse," the surreal soundscapes capturing "Night Time in New Orleans," the retro lounge vibe of "Vegas," the hypnotic underground dance grooves of "Club Heaven," and the Hitman: Blood Money theme, "Agent 47 Main Title."

Nile Rodgers, veteran music producer and Sumthing Else label founder, said, "Jesper Kyd is one of the most cutting-edge and unique composers writing music for ANY medium. Whether he's scoring a video game or movie it's sure to be a hit and once you've heard the Hitman: Blood Money soundtrack his music will own you!"

Hitman: Blood Money delivers an experience that is the closest gamers will ever have come to the real world of the assassin. Developed by Io-Interactive, Hitman: Blood Money is released in May 2006 on Xbox 360T, Xbox®, PlayStation®2, and PC. For more information visit www.hitman.com.

About Jesper Kyd

Based in Los Angeles, Danish-born composer Jesper Kyd (www.jesperkyd.com) writes and produces award-winning soundtracks for movies and video games including the popular Hitman video game series. His evocative soundtrack for the third Hitman game "Hitman: Contracts" was awarded best Original Music by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts at the 2005 BAFTA Games Awards.

About Eidos Interactive Ltd
Eidos Interactive Ltd is part of SCi Entertainment Group Plc (SEG) one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software. Following the acquisition of EIDOS Plc in May 2005, the Group has a valuable combined portfolio of intellectual property including: Tomb Raider: Legend, Conflict: Global Storm, Hitman: Blood Money, Championship Manager, Just Cause, Battlestations: Midway, Urban Chaos: Riot Response and the interactive rights to Reservoir Dogs and Highlander.

About IO-Interactive

Io-Interactive (www.ioi.dk) was established in September 1998 as a joint venture between Nordisk Film & TV A/S and the game developer Reto-Moto. Based in Copenhagen, IOI develops advanced 3D computer games for the global market. Using proprietary technologies, IOI products are represented on all major platforms. Since its start in 1998, IOI have released the titles "Hitman: Codename 47" in 2000, "Hitman 2: Silent Assassin" in 2002. October 2003 saw the release of "Freedom Fighters" - a squad-based action shooter, set in a counterfactual present, presuming that Soviet Union won WWII and invades USA. In April 2004 IO-Interactive released the third instalment in the acclaimed Hitman series "Hitman: Contracts."
Today, IOI is a part of the Eidos group, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software. Eidos and IOI joined forces in March 2004 to be able to set even higher standards in their respective fields of excellence.

About Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc.

Nile Rodgers started Sumthing Else Music Works (SEMW) as a nationwide record label and creative outlet for independent artists and unique musical projects. Through its affiliated company, Sumthing Distribution, SEMW prides itself on its ability to rapidly and effectively deliver to the marketplace many innovative products. In view of the successes of its previous game soundtrack releases, the company is now recognized as the leader in this newly emerging musical genre. Accordingly, SEMW has bolstered its commitment to enhancing gamers' overall experience by acquiring many new titles to complement its current catalogue of releases.

Sumthing Else Music Works and Sumthing Distribution logos are copyright of their respective companies. All other names of products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

CD REVIEW - Basic Instinct 2


Basic Instinct 2
Music by John Murphy, with original Basic Instinct themes by Jerry Goldsmith
La-La Land Records LLLCD 1045
33 Tracks 61:54 mins


I feel a little sorry for John Murphy, having to incorporate themes from Jerry Goldsmith's masterful score for the original Basic Instinct in his own score for this sequel, which has been a long time in coming and which, now it's here, hasn't been given the warmest of receptions by the critics. I haven't seen the film myself, but Murphy's music seems perfectly adequate for the genre type, with much suspense and mysterious, often piano-lead, music. It's just that whenever Goldsmith's music appears, it raises the whole thing up a notch.
Murphy has also been criticised for his use of mournful duduk and middle-eastern-styled rhythms in his few out and out action cues. As the story is set in London, it does seem a little odd, but there may well be a very good reason - I just can't say without seeing the film.
There are 29 score tracks on the album, with a further four bonus tracks of source music, three from Murphy and one from Mozart, with the usual lavishly illustrated booklet featuring notes on the film and its composer.

CD REVIEW - The Exorcism of Emily Rose


The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Music by Christopher Young
Lakeshore LKS 33836 (U.S.)
14 Tracks 63:19 mins

Christopher Young returns to the horror genre of sorts with a bang, producing some truly frightening sounds with the aid of his orchestral/electronic forces, in a score that is definitely not one for lovers of melody, because you won't find much of that here.
A number of lengthy tracks consist of much dark and threatening music, occasionally exploding forth violently, with some particularly strong string writing for these moments. At other times an air of mystery ensues, sometimes enhanced by Sara Niemietz's wordless vocals. Her appearances can also add an eerie element to proceedings, or a religious quality when required.
I'm sure this score works tremendously well on film but as an album it just doesn't work for me. Trouble is, one is just dozing off in the numerous subdued moments when one of those violent episodes arrives and frightens the life out of you.