The best of the Deep South sub-genre of music from Newman remains Fried Green Tomatoes from 1991, a score saturated with Southern flavor and exuding a substantial amount of defiant attitude. Gone from The Help is that overt flair for the dramatic (including, most notably, the vocal element), but some of the underlying temperament carries over. There is no doubt that Newman's role in the finished product is a purely supporting one, because his stance is ethnically atmospheric rather than melodically wholesome. He does reach for expressions of optimistic lyricism at times, but somber and restrained beauty in minimalistic ranks is the order of the day. As usual for a Newman score of this variety, the instrumentation and its incorporation into rhythmic phrases are key to defining the character of the music. While the composer can sometimes allow his intriguing instrumental colors to negatively dominate his works, The Help receives the same extensive intelligence but maintains restraint in their mixture with the more common piano, string, and woodwind performances. A perfect balance of this whimsical Newman environment over strings and piano exists in "The Help," a cue highlighting the more exotic woodwind tones in the ensemble. Likewise contributing familiar tones in several cues, led by "Jim Crow," are acoustic guitar and harmonica. But, as usual, you can't really get the appropriate feel for a Newman score of this kind without a partial list of specialty instruments: 8-string ukulele, hammered Appalachian dulcimer, pluck zither, cavaquinho, dulcigurdy, aeolian windharp, crystal baschet, processed hang drum, guiano freeze, holo shimmer, bell/vox grunge, distant whistle, copper and bronze vases, cymbals with brushes, clay marimba, kim kim, wave drum, vibraphone, and shaker. As bizarre as this list may sound to some (especially with the absence of brass and traditional symphonic percussion), many of these items are usual Newman contributors and are heard here only in supporting roles. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of their applications in The Help is that a fair number of them could probably have been synthesized without much notice, a result of their tepid placement in the mix.

Those longing for vintage Newman techniques will enjoy a few slightly jaunty, plucked string rhythms, led by the musical representation of the main antagonist in "Miss Hilly" and "The Terrible Awful" (the latter exhibiting a slightly humorous tone for the famous "feces in the cake" story). The finale cues of "Amen" and "Mile High Meringue" contain deeper string ensemble orchestrations that hint at the rich symphonic side of Newman's writing as well. As you might expect, some of the most alluring moments of this mostly understated score are those during which Newman allows solo woodwinds to express themselves over the ensemble, another trademark of the composer's best works. Outside of bright cues like "Heart Palpitations," "Deviled Eggs" (highlighted by a wholesome interlude for full strings in its latter half), and "Gripping Testimonials," the score is content to wrestle in the background with the implications of the story. The tandem of "Mississippi" and "Celia Digs" represent the darkest corners of the score, akin to ambient synthetic droning but still conveying melodic ideas to some degree. The lack of strong thematic development in The Help is its most obvious impediment. Newman introduces his melodies immediately in "Aibilene" and very casually touches upon them thereafter, but it's not until the fuller expressions in "Ain't You Tired (End Title)" (highlighted by the slight twang in the piano performances of the main theme and reprise of the exotic woodwinds) that you can truly be satisfied with these identities. That final cue is a decent summary of the score's highlighting thematic and instrumental usage, despite its unfortunate dissolving into droning ambience in its final third. Overall, The Help is an effectively competent score that once again proves Newman a master of expressing convincing tones for America's Deep South. It doesn't have the infectious personality or melodic exposition of an enduring benchmark like Fried Green Tomatoes, but its respectful sense of restraint is admirable. The hour-long album presentation is absent source material and is a mostly tonal, effortless listening experience that will be a pleasure to appreciate for those seeking to hear Newman return to his early 1990's sensibilities, even if it does manifest itself in the form of somber, atmospheric grace.  ****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download