PRINTER FRIENDLY VIEW
(inverts site colors)

The somewhat generic instrumental blend in The Life List isn't done many favors by Bates' lack of thematic focus. The melodic narrative in this score is not tight at all, the first ten tracks on album all introducing different themes before only some of them recur. The more nondescript cues along the way, such as "Something That Scares You," "Subway Story," and "The List," don't advance story much at all. What's a shame about the narrative inefficiency is that some of the Bates ideas that do linger throughout the score are somewhat compelling. A family theme is pretty, meandering, lonely at times, and often on piano. Debuting tentatively at 0:30 into "I'm Back" and recurring near that minimal cue's end, this theme returns with more volume on piano early in "He Didn't Show" and then marginally anthemic brass and strings. Its underlying chords meander at the start of "No More Goodbyes," the piano theme finally arriving. A theme likely for the young attorney, Brad, is mostly a rhythmic figure, more contemporary with brass and breathy female vocal accents. This idea occupies "Four Questions" in friendly, unassuming tones, the sax exploring the melody late. It emerges again with the same character at the end of "A Staring Contest," is barely alive in the subtle "More Than a Friend," and drops the vocals and focuses on brass layers in "A New Year." A third idea, this one seemingly for Alex's past, is elegantly falling, the score's defiant identity. Thumping under electric guitar in "Sweet Home" with the melody carried by piano, the theme is hinted in "Adjoining rooms but fully developed on piano with style in "Sad Alex" for the score's sentimental highlight. Another recurring identity is a more dramatic, string based, five-note melody that wafts throughout "You're My Whale" on cello, acoustic guitar, sax, and the string section before a stripped-down version leads to an increasingly atmospheric presence in "Full Moon in Brooklyn." One unique melody of note is the one on keyboards 0:31 and 1:35 into "Gowanus," two descending pairs followed by a rising answer and nicely diverse secondary phrasing. The underlying chords for this idea can appear alone, and its lack of major presence elsewhere is a disappointment. Together, these themes buoy their individual moments but don't illuminate Alex's journey with any clarity. The score is sufficiently pleasant but totally unremarkable as a result, its instrumentation not bringing any distinction to the equation, either. On album, 34 minutes of score material is joined by a cover of the 1970 song "Our House," a decent fit with the personality of the score. Don't put this soundtrack on your own list unless you loved the film.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Total Time: 38:30