|
 |
| 11/29/07
- | A Civil Action: (Danny Elfman)
- All New Filmtracks Review, Replacing a Donated Review |
|
|
| |
Buy it... |
if you are among the group of Danny Elfman fans that enjoyed the quirky rhythms and
unconventional instrumental usages in the composer's late 1990's efforts.
| |
Avoid it... |
if an Elfman score that treads dangerously close to Thomas Newman territory (of the same era)
doesn't fit your desire for thematic and harmonic resonance.
| |
| Rating: | ***
Read the entire review
|
|
|
| 11/27/07
- | Greatest Sci-Fi Hits IV: (Compilation)
- Expanded Review |
|
|
| |
Buy it... |
only if you dig the fascinating perversion of hearing electric guitars and keyboards perform
your favorite orchestral science-fiction themes.
| |
Avoid it... |
if any album containing a rock song named after soundtrack record producer Ford A. Thaxton
throws up a red flag for you.
| |
| Rating: | *
Read the entire review
|
|
|
| 11/25/07
- | Lonesome Dove: (Basil Poledouris)
- Expanded Review |
|
|
| |
Buy it... |
if you enjoy the folksy rhythms behind many of Basil Poledouris' dramatic and western-styled
themes, and are interested in what's widely considered to be one of the top television scores
of all time.
| |
Avoid it... |
if you have difficulty appreciating conceptually large scores performed by small ensembles or
you don't care for the subsequently related score for Quigley Down Under.
| |
| Rating: | ****
Read the entire review
|
|
|
| 11/23/07
- | Wag the Dog: (Mark Knopfler)
- Expanded Review |
|
|
| |
Buy it... |
only if you're a fan of Mark Knopfler's standard, extremely easy-going guitar performances and
don't care about the other music in the film.
| |
Avoid it... |
if you, like most people, are seeking any of the witty and clever Willie Nelson songs
performed in the film itself.
| |
| Rating: | **
Read the entire review
|
|
|
| 11/18/07
- | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King :
(Howard Shore) - All New Review of Complete Set |
|
|
| |
Buy it... |
in the complete set if you are an audiophile or keep the original album in the front row of
your collection.
| |
Avoid it... |
in the complete set if you are satisfied with the 16-bit stereo sound of the original album
and see no need for additional material or sound quality.
| |
| Rating: | *****
Read the entire review
|
|
|
| 11/15/07
- | Transformers: (Steve Jablonsky)
- All New Review |
|
|
| |
Buy it... |
if every variation of Hans Zimmer's proven summer blockbuster sound pumps you up, for Steve
Jablonsky's Transformers score is built on that extremely familiar foundation.
| |
Avoid it... |
if you expect any connection between this music and the theme song and associated motifs heard
in the classic cartoon and 1986 film score.
| |
| Rating: | **
Read the entire review
|
|
|
| 11/13/07
- | The Velocity of Gary: (Peitor Angell)
- Expanded Review |
|
|
| |
Buy it... |
only if you took particular notice of an individual cue in the film or are specifically
seeking a demo sampler of Peitor Angell's music.
| |
Avoid it... |
if you detest 1970's blues, soul, and dance music, or expect a film score to have any sense
of cohesion whatsoever.
| |
| Rating: | **
Read the entire review
|
|
|
| 11/10/07
- | Fields of Freedom: (Trevor Jones)
- All New Review |
|
|
| |
Buy it... |
if you might enjoy measured variants of Trevor Jones' rhythmic styles from Dark City and Last
of the Mohicans underlying the composer's typically respectful themes of broad scope.
| |
Avoid it... |
if you maintain only a limited collection of Jones' scores, for most of the ideas in Fields of
Freedom have been explored with more ambitious results in other efforts.
| |
| Rating: | ***
Read the entire review
|
|
|
| 11/5/07
- | The Simpsons Movie: (Hans Zimmer, Various)
- All New Review |
|
|
| |
Buy it... |
if you seek a musical souvenir from the concept, adapting Danny Elfman's theme into a parody
style consistent with the current techniques of John Debney.
| |
Avoid it... |
if you expect to hear much, if any, of Hans Zimmer's trademark sound.
| |
| Rating: | ***
Read the entire review
|
|
|
| 11/2/07
- | Evan Almighty: (John Debney)
- All New Review |
|
|
| |
Buy it... |
if you can forgive the temp-track following tendencies of John Debney and enjoy his massive
religious overtones without analyzing their origins.
| |
Avoid it... |
if Debney's more procedural scores, favoring predictability over creativity, don't provide
enough entertainment on their own merits.
| |
| Rating: | ***
Read the entire review
|
|
