CD REVIEW - THE BOOK OF ELI


The Book of Eli
Music by Atticus Ross
Reprise Records
17 Tracks 56:10 mins

Coming in the New Year is the Hughes Brothers' post-apocalyptic film, in which Denzel Washington journeys across America with a sacred book that holds the secret to saving mankind.
The score is provided by three-time Hughes Brothers collaborator Atticus Ross (though this is his first feature for them), perhaps best known as a music producer, who has worked with the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Jane's Addiction and Korn.
Much of the music for The Book of Eli is studio produced, but an 80-piece orchestra, recorded at London's Abbey Road, adds to the mix to provide a hybrid score that is at times a challenging listening experience, to say the least; almost as much sound design as music. The score does however have its propulsive moments, featuring percussion ("The Journey"), or something of a beat-driven rock sound ("The Convoy"), and there are occasional poignant and tender interludes for piano, "Human," most notably; whilst "The Passenger" offers momentary hopefulness. I am not privy to the film's ending, but the final cue, "The Purpose," with its solo cello and strings appears almost spiritual.
The album will be released as a digital download through Amazon and iTunes (the latter featuring a remixed track by Dave Sitek) and on CD on January 12th 2010, three days before the film's US release, with a vinyl version to be released the following month.