Buy it... if you are an enthusiast of BT's style of electronic experimentation, because the audience for this score on album is squarely aimed at those who appreciate the romantic side of his sensibilities.

Avoid it... if you expect anything about Transeau's music to adhere to even the most basic conventions of film music structure, for this is a score that plays more like a solo album than a soundtrack.

Monster: (Brian Transeau) The story of American serial killer Aileen Wuomos was not destined to be pleasant in its adaptation to the big screen, but actress Charlize Theron's highly acclaimed (and almost unrecognizable) performance of the 1980's prostitute who went on to kill seven men into the 1990's carried the production to resounding fiscal success beyond the arthouse target initially set by writer/director Patty Jenkins. The lead performance alone put 2003's Monster on the mainstream map and, despite its ultimately depressing reflection of the real life woman's crimes of passion and necessity, has earned long-standing respect. The brutality of Wuomos' life is countered by her affection for her lesbian lover (played by Christina Ricci), protecting her even as she testifies against Wuomos in the court case that would eventually lead to her execution. The style of the film was intimate in each of its production values, and an understated score by famed producer and electronica/trance artist Brian Transeau (known as BT professionally) is integral to that appeal. Transeau has never been known first and foremost for film scores; he is better recognized for his production for famous singing artists, a steady stream of solo works as an electronic pioneer, and, while not his intent, a DJ. His dabbling in the movie industry began in 1999 and reached its most active in the early 2000's, with projects ranging from The Fast and the Furious to Stealth (sometimes overlapping with David Arnold on some of his assignments) before returning his independent projects in the second half of the decade. At the height of his film scoring period came Monster, a soundtrack that likely represents more time spent on its creation and recording than any of his other scoring endeavors. Restricted to a minimal acoustic and electronic ensemble, Transeau decided to take advantage of improvements in technology and cost to record his entire work for Monster in DTS 5.1 surround mixes and eventually provide those recordings to the public on a commercial DVD release of the score. Of all of Transeau's film scores, Monster has by far received the best and most lasting treatment on album, including a strong push for awards consideration at the end of 2003, though the material on these products (featuring some of the composer's well known stutter-edit technique) will likely attract infinitely more attention from his own fanbase than traditional soundtrack collectors.

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It's safe to say that the majority of Transeau's approach to Monster resides comfortably in the realm of electronic sound design. His music has always been more listenable than that his contemporary peers who have made the same shift to film scores (Cliff Martinez in particular), and Monster reinforces this stance. While predictable band elements make up the bulk of the depth in the score, the composer adds a Hurdy Gurdy for an other-worldly sound throughout the work, as well as piano and manipulated string and guitar techniques for occasional accents. Together, the small handful of performers keeps the score inexpensive and contemporary, and while the Hurdy Gurdy was considered the centerpiece of the score's unique approach to the topic, the overall work sounds quite conventional. The tone of the score is where the surprise exists; instead of formulating extended sequences of droning to represent the morbid and depressing nature of the plot, the composer instead, at the urging of the director, established a more hopeful tone to reflect the main character's desire for a better future. As such, the majority of Monster is remarkably pleasant, producing long cues of easy listening during the performances of the score's love theme. That primary thematic identity also helps shift focus to the positive, highlighted by "Ferris Wheel." Only in the rape and killing scenes, as well as the conclusive courtroom material (in which the love theme has been boiled down to its most stark performances), does Transeau apply uncomfortable dissonance of a simplistic nature. The rest of the score almost seems too free-flowing for the demeanor of this film, though there are times when a little pizzazz in solo performances pulls this score from atmospheric haze. Both "Turning Tricks" and "Job Hunt" (the latter an interesting keyboarded stab at Thomas Newman territory that instead curiously sounds like Basil Poledouris' Wind) are worth revisiting. Ultimately, the score is fine for a casual background listening experience, but it never adheres to any of the characteristics of structured film music that some will expect; it thus plays like a solo compilation effort that never reaches too high or low on the scales of volume and passion. A 70-minute promo from the composer in late 2003 was adapted into a 75-minute official CD release in 2004 that also included extended versions of the complete score on a DVD with the aforementioned 5.1 sound. Of all the scores that need DTS 5.1 treatment, Monster isn't anywhere on the list, but it's a nice perk. BT fans will rejoice with this safe pick. ***   Amazon.com Price Hunt: CD or Download