Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... only if you prefer the darker, more atonal and atmospheric music from Mark Snow for the first three seasons of the show. Avoid it... if you expect any of the more dynamic, humorous, harmonic, or strikingly beautiful music from the show's later seasons. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
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. ** Track Listings:
Total Time: 48:36
(English translation included after each track) All artwork and sound clips from The Truth and the Light: Music from The X-Files are Copyright © 1996, Warner Brothers Records. The reviews and notes contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Filmtracks Publications. Audio clips can be heard using RealPlayer but cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 11/8/98, updated 6/11/07. Review Version 4.1 - PHP (Filmtracks Publications). Copyright © 1998-2005, Christian Clemmensen. All rights reserved. |
