CD Reviews: Cats and Dogs and Baby Boy
Cats and Dogs *** 1/2
JOHN DEBNEY
Varèse Sarabande 302 066 278
13 tracks - 33:56
Scoring comedy can often be a thankless job -- so imagine how much more
so it must be for those called in to score children's comedy. Both cases
are no doubt an under-appreciated art that can reach great heights. Note
Jerry Goldsmith's work for the likes of The Secret of N.I.M.H. (even
as it's more adult-oriented) or Mulan, Alan Silvestri's Mousehunt,
or John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams' score for Chicken Run
to name a few -- and not to mention Carl Stalling. John Debney is no stranger
to the field of animated and live action children's films. Cats and
Dogs provides ample opportunity for him to mouse around, so to speak.
Debney's "Main Titles" are a wondrous parody of Schifrin's Mission
Impossible theme, right down to its asymmetrical meter. With "The Neighborhood,"
we get a delightful blend of Mancini "English-style," with Elfman's rhythmic
drive, and a little of Goldsmith's mickey-mousing technique from Dennis
the Menace. The Goldsmith is hinted at by the added harmonica (played
by Tommy Morgan) and a similar mischievous melody-line. It's the recurring
Mancini-esque melodic style that most listeneres will find most appealing.
There is much to smile at in this score which must over-emphasize the
obvious and direct the attention of the average child. It works. "Kung-Fu
Kats" has its share of Asian-fu and orientalisms. There is also a tendency
here as in other action cues to draw from the sound world of recent Bond
films. All of this is to say that Debney has done his job well. There is
much musical humor here and it is served well by short cues that average
about two minutes in length. It must have been as fun to perform as it
is to listen to.
Sadly, this album may not be the sort of thing often recognized by most
folks as something worth their time. The real fun comes in guessing which
composer-homage will appear next, especially in cues like "Tinkles Plots/Limo
Ride/Flocking Factory." That is indeed the mark of great comedy writing
because in the midst of all of this is still a distinct musical voice.
With his recent assignment to the Mummy prequel, Debney's efforts
of the last decade may begin to become those sought-after scores of a major
film composer's early years before the big name projects appeared. Cats
and Dogs does its job well and turns out to be one of the better efforts
of a rather droll summer. The only carp is a rather abrupt ending to the
disc's final cue which suggests that the film is closed out with pop songs
and no end credits music.
The score is wonderfully recorded by the Hollywood Studio Symphony and
beautifully mixed by Shawn Murphy. Perhaps a few others will also take
notice of this charmer.
-- Steven A. Kennedy
Baby Boy *** 1/2
DAVID ARNOLD
Varèse Sarabande 302 066 280
19 tracks - 41:06
John Singleton's latest film, Baby Boy, was released as summer
counter-programming. While I missed the director's last film, Shaft,
I was impressed by the historical Rosewood. The latter featured
an outstanding score by John Williams (who stepped in at the eleventh hour),
used sparingly in the final film. From what I have heard, David Arnold's
work in Baby Boy also spotted with great care.
It's a strange soundtrack-world when big budget films like Godzilla
and Shaft do not receive score releases, while something like Baby
Boy does. I guess Arnold fans must give thanks to Varèse for
this one. The Baby Boy album lists what appears to be an urban jazz
ensemble along with the amazing Shirley Caesar, so, even though I wouldn't
consider myself an Arnold completist, my interest was peaked. Plus, a full
string orchestra is listed in the accompanying booklet (incidentally, Arnold
is credited as one of the guitarists).
A late-night jazz sound opens the CD in "Waiting" and is expanded upon
in the following cue, "Meet Melvin." It's a "cool" sound akin to the jazz
fusion stylings of Bob James in his early 1980s Taxi days. A good
portion of the score rests in this mode, bolstered by an occasional addition
of orchestra. "Jody's Nightmare" is an exception, offering something more
orchestrally grounded, sounding like an extension of Williams' Rosewood
score. That's not meant as criticism. The real problem is that the
cue is simply too brief to go anywhere musically -- probably more a sign
of production costs than any compositional deficiency. This same music
is revisited in extended form in "Drive By," but it still could have used
more development. "Jody and Yvette" brings in the string ensemble (sounding
a little thin in the violins) accompanying the smaller ensemble. The rest
of the CD focuses more on the jazz-stylings.
There are small themes woven throughout each cue, but nothing like the
more extended ideas one gets in Arnold's action-adventure scores.
I'll guess that Arnold's score matches perfectly the evocative urban
setting and style of the drama. Of course there are plenty of places to
look for roots in 1970s non-orchestral scores, especially David Shire's
(without the 12-tone technique). [A comparison perhaps made more because
I had just finished enjoying FSM's Raid on Entebbe release
before popping in this score!] "Jumped" comes closest to recalling Shire's
urban scoring style and may even remind some of music from Arnold's Bond
scores. It is an interesting piece of layered music over a bass guitar
ostinato with various electronic samplings and strings. As the violence
must escalate on screen, Arnold's score becomes more primal as well in
cues like "Finish It."
The CD ends rather abruptly, making for a jarring conclusion to an otherwise
welcome and unique outing in David Arnold's ouevre. If you enjoyed scores
like the recent Brothers (Joe Hisaishi) or even some of Terrance
Blanchard's work for Spike Lee, you should find something to like in Baby
Boy. Fans of Arnold's trademark scores for Stargate, Last
of the Dogmen or Independence Day may not be as impressed.
-- Steven A. Kennedy
Comments regarding these reviews can be sent to: stev4uth@hotmail.com.
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