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•	2000 Album

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2011 Set

More subtle performances in this sequel score, including appropriate insertions of the underpowered, though effective choir, offer a less epic, but more thoughtful tone than its predecessor. The performances for this recording aren't quite as accurate in the brass section as in the previous game. The noble title theme for the series is left by the wayside (due to the lack of the primary character or his American forces in this entry), though the Nazi motif returns for the sequel (including a performance in the first thirty seconds). With fewer bold elements in "Medal of Honor: Underground," the listener is reminded less of Williams' music, though there still exist several stylistic references to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, among other 1980's works by the master. Giacchino's inclination is still to steer close to the rhythmic patterns of Williams' layering of brass and timpani, but it is not as readily obvious this time around. For those who greatly enjoyed the original "Medal of Honor," this may come as a disappointment, but then again, Giacchino does paint more of his own emotional canvas for the sequel. To represent the French culture and location, Giacchino introduces an accordion in the opening cue, a loving gesture towards the romantic elements of the story's premise, though the instrument sadly disappears thereafter, missing an opportunity to further enhance that personality and distinctiveness of this score over the others in the series. The subtle early cues develop into more ambitious, recognizable action music in the latter half of the album. On that release, a generous hour of Giacchino's music is presented, followed by a decent, original period song performed by female voice. The album once again offers some specialty tracks at its conclusion, with a radio broadcast complete with sound effects and a hidden one-minute track of dialogue and music from the game. The original, 2000 Dreamworks CD was limited in its commercial release, though it eventually found its way to low prices on the used market. In 2011, La-La Land Records assembled all of the existing "Medal of Honor" game soundtracks by all of its three composers at the time and released them in one massive, 8-CD set. That impressive collection, aside from remastering the sound and making all of the scores available again as part of a 2,000-copy pressing for $60, presents additional material from the later entries. The contents for "Medal of Honor: Underground" on the set's second CD are identical to those of the original product. Overall, "Medal of Honor: Underground" is a refreshingly different listening experience compared to the entries that came before and after, but it maintains a standard of quality that outshines nearly all others in the video game genre.  ****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Michael Giacchino reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.5 (in 36 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.21 (in 18,145 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.