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And where did you take the piss? Newcastle?
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Received my copy of "Empire of the Sun" today. (Thanks, La-La-Land, you're the best!) Will try to post a review after I play it, but have 4 hours of "Orange Is The New Black" to watch before I can start.
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This recording deserves greater attention and detail than I'm prepared to give it right this minute, but let me put down some thoughts that were going through my mind as I played Disc 1 over the past 75 minutes, and please forgive any superficiality that will follow.
(1) Suo Gân (extended version) -- lovely
(2) House and Hearth (extended version) -- also quite lovely
(3) Trip Through the Crowd -- haunting, and the piano seems a little reminiscent of Elmer Bernstein's "Mockingbird"
(4) Imaginary Air Battle -- very nice
(5) Japanese Infantry (previously unreleased) -- a very interesting cue -- I think my speakers liked it!
(6) Lost in the Crowd -- pulsating, and took me on an interesting ride and sounds sensational -- over 5 1/2 minutes
(7) Alone at Home (previously unreleased) -- had little reaction to this one
(8) The Empty Swimming Pool (previously unreleased) -- atmospheric cue
(9) The Streets of Shanghai -- an interesting ride, and good for showing off your speakers
(10) The Plane -- beautiful -- a welcome return of the wordless vocalises of the chorus
(11) Jim's New Life --playful, familiar John Williams territory and my speakers loved it
(12) The Pheasant Hunt -- very interesting, especially when played through very good speakers
(13) The British Grenadiers (traditional) -- will give your bass speakers a workout
(14) Cadillac of the Skies -- sounds like it should be played in a cathedral! -- quite good
(15) Mrs. Victor and James (previously unreleased) -- okay, but didn't really stand out for me
(16) The Return to the City -- chorus -- almost 8 minutes long, and I prefer long cues, though this does ramble a bit
(17) Seeing the Bomb (previously unreleased) -- perhaps a bit rambling, but is redeemed by the chorus at the end
(18) Bringing Them Back (previously unreleased) -- quite beautiful
(19) Liberation: Exsultate Justi -- a favorite of mine and is simply thrilling here
(20) Suo Gân -- also thrilling -- there's such a purity to James Rainbird's voice
(21) Exsultate Justi (extended version) -- for those who just can't get enough of this uplifting piece!
So what we have here, on disc 1, is 76.05 minutes of often thrilling music that should sound wonderful with good speakers or headphones with an amp, although earbuds probably won't do it justice. For those who aren't into soundtracks with chorus, there's a bit more than they'll want. But I loved it and, phonically, it sounds simply wonderful.
I'll be honest with you. While this soundtrack has always had a handful of cues that I love, I really was never a huge fan of it. Indeed, the night before this set was released I tried to listen to the CD and kept getting impatient, and I seriously questioned why I was even considering buying an extended release of it. But I've rarely been less than thrilled with what I've bought from La-La-Land and felt that in their hands it would be wonderful, and I think that it is. And I've only played the first of the 2 CDs!!! I'm impressed and they've brought John Williams' music alive for us.
And I'm lucky to live just a few miles from La-La-Land!
Addendum: I posted the following the next day:
Okay, a day later and I've finally found the time to play Disc 2, and even though I may have even less to write about each cue, here goes:
(1) Chopin Mazurka -- what can I say?
(2) Imaginary Air Battle (alternate) (previously unreleased) -- with chorus.
(3) Alone at Home (alternate) (previously unreleased) -- I got a bit impatient with it
(4) The Streets of Shanghai (film version segment) (previously unreleased)
(5) The Streets of Shanghai (alternate segment)
(6) Chopin Again (previously unreleased) -- repeat of the Chopin, but with orchestral accompaniment, which I liked
(7) The Plane (alternate) (previously unreleased) -- with chorus, the first thing I REALLY liked on Disc 2
(8) Cadillac of the Skies (alternate) (previously unreleased)
(9) The Return to the City (alternate) (previously unreleased) -- rambling, but has an ethereal quality near the end
(10) Exsultate Justi -- at 5.09 by far the longest version of this central piece of the Williams score (Jason corrected me)
I would have liked to have done an A-B comparison to the other versions of some of the above pieces, but will leave that to those here who are more familiar with this score. I do want to make the point that the 5.09 "Exsultate Justi" at the end of Disc 2 was quite thrilling and I turned up the volume and filled my house with it, and almost played it again. (I'll go back and re-play it later!) And I look forward to reading the booklet that comes with it!
As I wrote yesterday, this is a thrilling soundtrack, to some degree a revelation compared to the original CD release. Yes, with tax and shipping it's not cheap, but I don't resent a penny I spent on it, which I can't say about a LOT of soundtracks I've bought!
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Posted: |
Jun 25, 2014 - 5:47 PM
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By: |
henry
(Member)
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This recording deserves greater attention and detail than I'm prepared to give it right this minute, but let me put down some thoughts that were going through my mind as I played Disc 1 over the past 75 minutes, and please forgive any superficiality that will follow.
(1) Suo Gân (extended version) -- lovely
(2) House and Hearth (extended version) -- also quite lovely
(3) Trip Through the Crowd -- haunting, and the piano seems a little reminiscent of Elmer Bernstein's "Mockingbird"
(4) Imaginary Air Battle -- very nice
(5) Japanese Infantry (previously unreleased) -- a very interesting cue -- I think my speakers liked it!
(6) Lost in the Crowd -- pulsating, and took me on an interesting ride and sounds sensational -- over 5 1/2 minutes
(7) Alone at Home (previously unreleased) -- had little reaction to this one
(8) The Empty Swimming Pool (previously unreleased) -- atmospheric cue
(9) The Streets of Shanghai -- an interesting ride, and good for showing off your speakers
(10) The Plane -- beautiful -- a welcome return of the wordless vocalises of the chorus
(11) Jim's New Life --playful, familiar John Williams territory and my speakers loved it
(12) The Pheasant Hunt -- very interesting, especially when played through very good speakers
(13) The British Grenadiers (traditional) -- will give your bass speakers a workout
(14) Cadillac of the Skies -- sounds like it should be played in a cathedral! -- quite good
(15) Mrs. Victor and James (previously unreleased) -- okay, but didn't really stand out for me
(16) The Return to the City -- chorus -- almost 8 minutes long, and I prefer long cues, though this does ramble a bit
(17) Seeing the Bomb (previously unreleased) -- perhaps a bit rambling, but is redeemed by the chorus at the end
(18) Bringing Them Back (previously unreleased) -- quite beautiful
(19) Liberation: Exsultate Justi -- a favorite of mine and is simply thrilling here
(20) Suo Gân -- also thrilling -- there's such a purity to James Rainbird's voice
(21) Exsultate Justi (extended version) -- for those who just can't get enough of this uplifting piece!
So what we have here, on disc 1, is 76.05 minutes of often thrilling music that should sound wonderful with good speakers or headphones with an amp, although earbuds probably won't do it justice. For those who aren't into soundtracks with chorus, there's a bit more than they'll want. But I loved it and, phonically, it sounds simply wonderful.
I'll be honest with you. While this soundtrack has always had a handful of cues that I love, I really was never a huge fan of it. Indeed, the night before this set was released I tried to listen to the CD and kept getting impatient, and I seriously questioned why I was even considering buying an extended release of it. But I've rarely been less than thrilled with what I've bought from La-La-Land and felt that in their hands it would be wonderful, and I think that it is. And I've only played the first of the 2 CDs!!! I'm impressed and they've brought John Williams' music alive for us.
And I'm lucky to live just a few miles from La-La-Land!
Thanks for the review! Can't wait to get it, but still waiting for the shipping email.
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Posted: |
Jun 25, 2014 - 10:51 PM
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By: |
RM Eastman
(Member)
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"I can bring everyone back..."
hard to believe someone who loves Williams and the film cant remember this wonderfull (cinematicaly, photographically, musically... emotionally) scene from near the end of the movie.
oh well... here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19UROAIbtlw
I'm not at all enchanted with this Williams score as many are; it is overblown, obnoxious and overpowering, Williams heavenly choirs are downright laughable, completely pulling one out of the genuine dramatic scene.
I liked the film "EOTS" however Williams contribution to the film was annoying and made the film lesser than it should have been. Just another instance where Williams music is unjustly lauded for a putrid contribution
I tried to listen to the previous Warner version, and could barely get through the CD without a nice sleep, or an unintentional giggle. Really!!
I completely disagree and feel you're missing the point of the film, however you and Pauline Kael would have got on very well:
http://www.empireofthesun.republika.pl/kael.htm
You have every right and I understand your disagreement. Incidentally, I never liked Kael's reviews.
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"I can bring everyone back..."
hard to believe someone who loves Williams and the film cant remember this wonderfull (cinematicaly, photographically, musically... emotionally) scene from near the end of the movie.
oh well... here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19UROAIbtlw
I'm not at all enchanted with this Williams score as many are; it is overblown, obnoxious and overpowering, Williams heavenly choirs are downright laughable, completely pulling one out of the genuine dramatic scene.
I liked the film "EOTS" however Williams contribution to the film was annoying and made the film lesser than it should have been. Just another instance where Williams music is unjustly lauded for a putrid contribution
I tried to listen to the previous Warner version, and could barely get through the CD without a nice sleep, or an unintentional giggle. Really!!
Why bother to post in the first place...? We get it by now...you hate Williams'music yet you never let an oppurtunity slip to comment on 'how bad you think it is'. But dude, really?! 'Another instance where his music is UNJUSTLY lauded...', get over it. We know you belong to 'the cult of Jerry' and you worship every single note he ever wrote (even his mediocre stuff of the last 15 years) but your disdain for Williams is getting tiresome. Be critical but fair.
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Luc: Re: "I can bring everyone back..."
hard to believe someone who loves Williams and the film cant remember this wonderfull (cinematicaly, photographically, musically... emotionally) scene from near the end of the movie.
oh well... here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19UROAIbtlw
R.M. Eastman: I'm not at all enchanted with this Williams score as many are; it is overblown, obnoxious and overpowering, Williams heavenly choirs are downright laughable, completely pulling one out of the genuine dramatic scene.
I liked the film "EOTS" however Williams contribution to the film was annoying and made the film lesser than it should have been. Just another instance where Williams music is unjustly lauded for a putrid contribution
I tried to listen to the previous Warner version, and could barely get through the CD without a nice sleep, or an unintentional giggle. Really!!
And your response: Why bother to post in the first place...? We get it by now...you hate Williams'music yet you never let an oppurtunity slip to comment on 'how bad you think it is'. But dude, really?! 'Another instance where his music is UNJUSTLY lauded...', get over it. We know you belong to 'the cult of Jerry' and you worship every single note he ever wrote (even his mediocre stuff of the last 15 years) but your disdain for Williams is getting tiresome. Be critical but fair.
Luc: I like the above paragraph you wrote, and you were responding to what R.M. Eastman wrote. But when he's quoting someone, who may be quoting someone else, and it's all in italics, it CAN be a little confusing trying to figure out what one is actually responding to! (I put his comments in bold to clarify that point, and did the same for yours.)
I'm going to try to play Disc 2 later today and make an effort to add something to my ridiculously superficial "review" of the first CD. Don't hold your breath!
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Thanks Ron. I can see how it might confuse people.
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Glad people are liking the release so far!!
Mike Matessino has written a new article, somewhat of a companion piece to the essay he wrote for the liner notes of the release. It's available exclusively on JWFan.com. Check it out!
http://www.jwfan.com/?p=6871
He has also provided a complete cue list and information about the source music!
http://www.jwfan.com/?p=6800
Enjoy!
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Okay, a day later and I've finally found the time to play Disc 2, and even though I may have even less to write about each cue, here goes:
(1) Chopin Mazurka -- what can I say?
(2) Imaginary Air Battle (alternate) (previously unreleased) -- with chorus.
(3) Alone at Home (alternate) (previously unreleased) -- I got a bit impatient with it
(4) The Streets of Shanghai (film version segment) (previously unreleased)
(5) The Streets of Shanghai (alternate segment)
(6) Chopin Again (previously unreleased) -- repeat of the Chopin, but with orchestral accompaniment, which I liked
(7) The Plane (alternate) (previously unreleased) -- with chorus, the first thing I REALLY liked on Disc 2
(8) Cadillac of the Skies (alternate) (previously unreleased)
(9) The Return to the City (alternate) (previously unreleased) -- rambling, but has an ethereal quality near the end
(10) Exsultate Justi -- at 5.09 by far the longest version of this central piece of the Williams score (Jason corrected me)
I would have liked to have done an A-B comparison to the other versions of some of the above pieces from disc 1, but will leave that to those here who are more familiar with this score. I do want to make the point that the 5.09 "Exsultate Justi" at the end of Disc 2 was quite thrilling and I turned up the volume and filled my house with it, and almost played it again. (I'll go back and re-play it later!) And I look forward to reading the booklet that comes with it!
As I wrote yesterday, this is a thrilling soundtrack, to some degree a revelation compared to the original CD release. Yes, with tax and shipping it's not cheap, but I don't resent a penny I spent on it, which I can't say about a LOT of soundtracks I've bought!
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The version of Exsultate Justi on disc 2 is identical to what we've had for 27 years via the original OST. The version of Exsultate Justi on disc 1 is the new, longer version.
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