CD REVIEW - BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA


Big Trouble in Little China
Music by John Carpenter, in association with Alan Howarth
La-La Land Records LLLCD 1086 (US)
Disc 1 - 13 Tracks 50:44 mins Disc 2 - 9 Tracks 45:45 mins

I wish I could recommend this new limited edition release by La-La Land Records, but I'm afraid that, with the exception of his early scores for Assault on Precinct 13 and Halloween, I have found much of the rest of John Carpenter's electronic musings, many produced in association with Alan Howarth, as here, not to my taste, and 1986's Big Trouble in Little China, a very different film from the director's usual horror/thriller fare, is no exception.
Having said this, if you are a fan of Carpenter's films and scores, you will certainly want to snap up one of the 3,000 pressed copies, as it is a superior production, much expanding the film's original soundtrack release to more than 96 minutes of music, including a couple of bonus tracks at the end of disc 2. In addition, Daniel Schweiger's liner notes in the accompanying 20-page booklet could hardly be more detailed, and are peppered with reminiscences from both Carpenter and Howarth. This, and the cue-by-cue guide, together with the numerous colourful stills, make for just about the perfect package.
Go to www.lalalandrecords.com for your copy.