CD REVIEW - GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST


Ghosts of Girfriends Past
Music by Rolfe Kent
Silva Screen Records SILCD1295
24 Tracks 43:44 mins


The second recent score from Rolfe Kent, due out from Silva Screen on 9th November, is for the romantic comedy-drama Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, with its winning cast of Alias' Jennifer Garner, and roguish Matthew McConaughay.
Kent says of the assignment: "For me Ghosts of Girlfriends Past was an opportunity to do some big dramatic symphonic things; the story has some real drama to it, and lots of motion. I loved working on it." Things get off to a breezy start with the brief "Opening Title." "Kaiko Shoots Arrow is" is also a brief, mystical cue, followed by another short piece, the light and rhythmic "Jenny & Connor Meet and Spar."
"Uncle Wayne's Room" is dominated by easy-going jazz, an approach that continues into "Uncle Wayne's Apparition," with the addition of a suitably ghostly Theremin or similar, taking on a more mysterious quality as the cue continues. "Jenny & Connor; Wedding Sex" expands upon their "sparring" theme from before; whilst "Ghost of Girlfriend Past" is largely mysterious, leading into more breeziness in "The Swings/Young Jenny," which takes a more romantic turn as it proceeds. "Why Woo When We Can Do" continues the romance in a more mature, easy-going manner, before ending in sadness in "Leaving Before Dawn."
"Ghost of Girlfriend Present" proceeds kind of nervously, with the Theremin returning to give it that supernatural quality; contrasting with the following piano and strings warmth of "Pauly's Theme."
"Conjuring the Ghost of Future" gives Kent the chance to pull out all the supernatural stops, and he also provides a thunderous climax to "Graveside Epithany;" with "Connor Believes, But Too Late" expanding upon his material from "Conjuring." He provides very different, uplifting music for the climax of "Pain Beats Regret; following up with the warmth of "Best Man Speech," and the concluding "Jenny & Connor in the Snow."
Keep an eye on www.silvascreenmusic.com/ishop/299/Ghosts.aspx for ordering details.