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The Truth and the Light: Music from The X-Files:
(Mark Snow) After nine seasons and countless hundreds of hours of music
written for the cult classic television series
The X-Files,
composer Mark Snow's library of material for the concept is immense. As
the composer for the vast majority of music heard in the series, his
contribution improved as the series reached its pinnacle of quality in
the late 1990's. He won the ASCAP Award for "Top TV Series" for the four
seasons spanning 1996 through 1999 and was nominated for an Emmy for his
music in episodes from five of the last six seasons (including the final
episode itself). Fans of the series continue to debate about which
distinct half of Snow's music for
The X-Files is better matched
for the series. His initial four or five seasons of music established
the edgy, often dissonant low range tones that defined the "sound" of
the series. In later years, and most notably starting in season seven,
Snow began to branch out into music that was not only more harmonic, but
also more humorous. From the powerfully percussive and somewhat
lighthearted rhythms in the episodes "First Person Shooter" and "Fight
Club" to the heartbreaking female vocals mixed to the forefront in the
"Within" and "Without" episodes opening the eighth season, Snow began
providing music for the series that stood distinctly in the forefront of
the episodes' sound mix. Casual viewers of
The X-Files were drawn
to the more conventional harmonic style that Snow graced the show with
in later years, though the hardcore fans still maintain a loyalty to the
bleak atmospheres of the show's earlier musical identity. Interestingly,
the only full album of music from the television series that was
released during its run (or in the five years after its finish) was a
1996 compilation of random cues heard in episodes from the show's first
three seasons. As such, the avid fans of the series seeking Snow's
darker, atonal music have for many years had a very representative
compilation of those sounds. But, in the larger scheme of the
The
X-Files production, the later score release of
The X-Files: Fight
the Future does not compensate for the mass of superior unreleased
music from the later years of the series' run.
Even hardcore fans will be able to find significant
cues from the first three seasons missing from this 1996 compilation.
Snow's choices for the album cover many of the motifs that would reoccur
in several episodes, including the hopeful, but restrained piano solo in
"Lamenta." The title theme, of course, is the most recognizable piece,
and its extended performance here offers secondary sections of the theme
that are far more enjoyable than its major statements. The more
listenable portions of the Snow's music for the show often accompany
individual moments of reflection by Mulder or Scully --that's true of
even the later seasons-- and in these solo performances of woodwinds,
strings, or piano, Snow excels. The majority of the music on the
compilation, however, is representative of the synthetic atmospheres
famous in their lengthy contributions to
The X-Files. When
compared to the vast variety in harmonic sounds later in the show, most
of these early cues are largely unlistenable apart from the album,
except, of course, to the most ardent fans of the show. Thus, in short,
unless you are among these most avid enthusiasts for
The X-Files,
this compilation will leave you wanting far more. The album's production
is somewhat controversial as well. Five minutes of music by sound editor
Jeff Charbonneau open and close the album, leaving only 43 minutes by
Snow. The product is littered with dialogue from the show, which is, in
concept, a good move, especially considering the relationship that
Snow's music has with that dialogue. The voices are mixed with an eerie,
wet mix, set back slightly from the music. In some cases, these vocal
mixes are brilliant, including the "Adflatus" and "Progigno de Axis"
cues, but at other times, they hinder the flow of one track to another.
At times, a shout or cry for help is used as a transition from one
musical cue to another, which is a nice touch given the unpredictability
of the show. But the inconsistent incorporation of dialogue hinders the
album's continuity. The use of Latin track titles, along with no
information about which episode each cue comes from (originally), causes
significant dissatisfaction with the album. While this compilation is a
good souvenir of sorts from the first three seasons of
The
X-Files, Snow's music from the later years of the show is far more
deserving of release on CD, and renders this product frustrating.
**
The insert includes notes by the show's creator, Chris Carter, with extensive credits (including vocal appearances in the dialogue).
