Another day, another enticing and evocative McCreary score! The man doesn't get enough love round these parts. His latest, I Still See You, was just released digitally. A brief description from his Sparks & Shadows FB page:
"What would a score sound like if it were a collaboration between late 80's Elfman, late 90's Björk, and late 70's Williams? This question was on Bear McCreary's mind as he composed his newest score, "I Still See You.""
If that doesn't demand your attention, what will? Fans of choral beauty will want to give this one a ride around the block. Melodramatic high strings, lush orchestra, Ed Scissorhands-esque choral cooing, and a bank of unobtrusive rhythmic synths.
Maybe no one cares. While this score is wildly different in tone and approach to McCreary's new score for Hell Fest, released only weeks ago, not one single person showed up to that thread party. I may very well be continuing my infamous unbroken reign as "Guy Who Likes the Largest Amount of Movies and Scores That No One Would Give the Time of Day"
PAY ATTENTION, PEOPLE OF FSM! I command it thusly!
Brilliant! Thanks Dep. The choral stuff recalls his work on CLOVERFIELD PARADOX, one of my favourite new scores in years. I doubt this score overall will eclipse CP for me, due to the horror subject matter, which can be limiting for composer's these days, but it's on Spotify so I will give it a full listen right soon.
It's really beautiful. I'm glad that the film gave Bear the opportunity to double down on the choral bliss. The electronics are a little distracting but not enough to be a dealbreaker.
Brilliant! Thanks Dep. The choral stuff recalls his work on CLOVERFIELD PARADOX, one of my favourite new scores in years. I doubt this score overall will eclipse CP for me, due to the horror subject matter, which can be limiting for composer's these days, but it's on Spotify so I will give it a full listen right soon.
Absolutely Kev! I hope you enjoy the rest. I certainly have been.
I haven't heard Cloverfield Paradox yet, but it's coming up on my New Music playlist, along with McCreary's Everly score which I also have not yet heard. While I prefer his darker, edgy, and electronic-heavy stuff the most (TWD, Defiance (vg), Revolt, Hell Night, Wrong Turn 2) I do like what he's done with vocals on I Still See You. His work on DaVinci's Demons also ranks among my favorites...gorgeous.
Is that a *prominently-mixed english horn* I heard around the middle there?!?!?! Someone call Jerry Bruckheimer, he'll be sure to sick his armada of music supervisors on McCreary in order to set him straight!
Sounds... Somewhat promising. Nice choral arranging for sure. I don't hear a lick of "late 70's John Williams" but maybe elsewhere in the score those mannerisms and gestures will emerge. The electronic thumps felt needless, like obligatory gesture to please a tone-def client, and doesn't gel with the rest of the ensemble at all.
I'm cautiously weary, maybe even pessimistic, about McCreary overall. I do recall him making the ingredients for 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE sound really promising in his description of the resources he employed, but then the end product... Well... The end title was kinda neat but that's about it. CLOVERFIELD PARADOX certainly had some very strong (even excellent) moments but for every shining set piece there was an annoying, grating electro-centric Steve Jablonsky-style horror cue of disheartening length just around the corner to cheapen things.
I fear that someone like McCreary has grown up in an environment so unfriendly to the kind of creativity or musical freedom his heroes before him enjoyed that he'll never be allowed to truly spread his wings in the way they did, and thus possibly never give us a masterpiece of lasting power even if the talent and desire might be there.
Loving Cloverfield Paradox! Wow! Very lively, lol. Really exciting. Epic sci-fi music hall-of-fame in some moments, really takes the breath away.
I'm making my way through the final third of the album, and boy it does not let up! One incredible track after another, each one very lengthy with wonderful development.
