DIGITAL ALBUM REVIEW - THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE


The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Music by Trevor Rabin
Walt Disney Records
22 tracks 44:44 mins

Available as a digital download from tomorrow is Trevor Rabin's score for the new fantasy film from the team behind the National Treasure movies (which he of course also scored), The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which stars Nicolas Cage as a modern-day sorcerer, seeking an apprentice (Jay Baruchel) to help him defend Manhattan from the evil Alfred Molina. The film opens in the UK on August 11th.
No doubt there will be a few groans when I tell you that Rabin utilises the familiar Dukas symphonic poem, made popular by Disney in their animated masterpiece Fantasia, but the good news is, he only uses it, and then quite sparingly, in his opening title track on the album, mixed in with some very Pirates of the Caribbean-styled bombast - choir and all; though a "Fantasia Original Demo" does close the selections, offering an electronic take on the piece, which is best ignored.
Rabin continues the bombast for exciting and, at times, pretty menacing action passages throughout many of the score's subsequent tracks, sometimes eliciting a surprisingly retro, Media Ventures feel, whilst also giving a nod towards the LOTR trilogy of scores; choir continuing to supplement the orchestra, synths and guitars; adding to the power, as well as providing the necessary mystical feel to proceedings. By contrast, the opening of "Car Chase" really rocks out.
There are quieter moments, like the guitar solo that opens and closes "David Revives Balthazar," and pops up here and there in the more poignant moments of the score; as well as the romantic "Becky and Dave on Rooftop;" but these are few and far between. Whilst a touch of whimsy is never far away, as in the lighthearted antics of "Classroom" and "Walk in the Rain."
All-in-all, there's nothing very original about the score, but it is nevertheless a highly entertaining offering from Rabin, whose National Treasure: Book of Secrets is still sadly awaiting a decent soundtrack release. It would be great if an anniversary edition, pairing and expanding both NT scores could be considered down the line.