CD REVIEWS - CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR & THE BUCKET LIST + NEW RELEASE FROM FILM SCORE MONTHLY ANNOUNCED
Charlie Wilson's War
Music by James Newton Howard
Varese Sarabande VSD 6870 (EU)
10 Tracks 33:18 mins
A whole slew of James Newton Howard scores seems to be hitting the screens at the moment, which suggests he has been a very busy man these past months.
On UK screens currently is the Tom Hanks starrer Charlie Wilson's War, where he portrays a US senator who involves himself in the rebels' fight against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Howard's score on CD opens with the "Charlie Wilson" theme which, after an ethnic opening, becomes a lovely, noble Americana theme, first played on guitars, suggestive of the character's Texas roots, then on trumpet, before being taken up by full orchestra. The theme makes a couple of welcome returns throughout the score, concluding the album in fine style, after a rousing ethnic interlude.
In the score that follows, Howard duly tips his hat to the Texas settings with much use of twanging guitars and pedal steel, whilst the Afghanistan settings receive the obligatory ethnic stylings, with some mournful sounds for the opressed, plus more upbeat, percussive passages for their resistance, complete with ethnic vocals. The lengthy "Turning the Tide" is somewhat out of character, but interesting, with a classical-styled choral hymn bursting forth from ethnic rhythms - quite fascinating.
The other upcoming Howard score review I have for you, The Great Debaters, was co-composed with Peter Golub, which is not surprising perhaps, in view of the composer's recent workload.
The Bucket List
Music by Marc Shaiman
Varese Sarabande VSD 6877 (EU)
23 Tracks 50:08 mins
This Jack Nicholson/Morgan Freeman starrer, sees them play two dying men, who determine to work their way through a list of things to do before they die.
The film just cries out for a score from Marc Shaiman and, thankfully, it gets one, with a versatile main theme, at times poignant and heartfelt, at others lilting, with the composer on piano and Chris Botti adding bluesy trumpet to the mix. "Homecomings" offers a soft jazz variation as well. The theme dominates much of the score, though "Did You Hear It?" offers a more intimate interlude. "The Mountain" provides a suitably emotional ending to the score, which is continued in the subsequent "End Credits."
If, like me, you love film music that's melodic and moves you, you won't want to miss this latest effort from one of the masters of this art.
As it is only a short score of less than 25 minutes, the album rather uniquely offers Shaiman's piano interpretations of some of his best-remembered film scores, such as City Slickers, Simon Birch, The Addams Family and North. He also gives a spirited vocal performance of "Blame Canada" from the South Park movie and The Clurman Singers give a fine interpretation of "A Seed of Grain," the theme from The American President. A nice little present for Shaiman's fans. And, by the way, have you been over to YouTube yet? His "Yes" number from Finding Kraftland is hugely entertaining and not to be missed by anyone interested, and especially connected, with the business of film scoring.
From: "FILM SCORE MONTHLY"
For more detailed information, click on this URL:
Charlie Wilson's War
Music by James Newton Howard
Varese Sarabande VSD 6870 (EU)
10 Tracks 33:18 mins
A whole slew of James Newton Howard scores seems to be hitting the screens at the moment, which suggests he has been a very busy man these past months.
On UK screens currently is the Tom Hanks starrer Charlie Wilson's War, where he portrays a US senator who involves himself in the rebels' fight against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Howard's score on CD opens with the "Charlie Wilson" theme which, after an ethnic opening, becomes a lovely, noble Americana theme, first played on guitars, suggestive of the character's Texas roots, then on trumpet, before being taken up by full orchestra. The theme makes a couple of welcome returns throughout the score, concluding the album in fine style, after a rousing ethnic interlude.
In the score that follows, Howard duly tips his hat to the Texas settings with much use of twanging guitars and pedal steel, whilst the Afghanistan settings receive the obligatory ethnic stylings, with some mournful sounds for the opressed, plus more upbeat, percussive passages for their resistance, complete with ethnic vocals. The lengthy "Turning the Tide" is somewhat out of character, but interesting, with a classical-styled choral hymn bursting forth from ethnic rhythms - quite fascinating.
The other upcoming Howard score review I have for you, The Great Debaters, was co-composed with Peter Golub, which is not surprising perhaps, in view of the composer's recent workload.
The Bucket List
Music by Marc Shaiman
Varese Sarabande VSD 6877 (EU)
23 Tracks 50:08 mins
This Jack Nicholson/Morgan Freeman starrer, sees them play two dying men, who determine to work their way through a list of things to do before they die.
The film just cries out for a score from Marc Shaiman and, thankfully, it gets one, with a versatile main theme, at times poignant and heartfelt, at others lilting, with the composer on piano and Chris Botti adding bluesy trumpet to the mix. "Homecomings" offers a soft jazz variation as well. The theme dominates much of the score, though "Did You Hear It?" offers a more intimate interlude. "The Mountain" provides a suitably emotional ending to the score, which is continued in the subsequent "End Credits."
If, like me, you love film music that's melodic and moves you, you won't want to miss this latest effort from one of the masters of this art.
As it is only a short score of less than 25 minutes, the album rather uniquely offers Shaiman's piano interpretations of some of his best-remembered film scores, such as City Slickers, Simon Birch, The Addams Family and North. He also gives a spirited vocal performance of "Blame Canada" from the South Park movie and The Clurman Singers give a fine interpretation of "A Seed of Grain," the theme from The American President. A nice little present for Shaiman's fans. And, by the way, have you been over to YouTube yet? His "Yes" number from Finding Kraftland is hugely entertaining and not to be missed by anyone interested, and especially connected, with the business of film scoring.
From: "FILM SCORE MONTHLY"
FILM SCORE MONTHLY'S NEW RELEASE! DARK OF THE SUN!
For more detailed information, click on this URL:
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