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CD Reviews Secret Weapons Over Normandy and Ennio Morricone Remixes Volume 1
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| Posted By: Nick Joy, Steven A. Kennedy on May 2, 2004 - 10:00 PM |
CD Reviews Secret Weapons Over Normandy and Ennio Morricone Remixes
Volume 1
Secret Weapons Over Normandy ****
MICHAEL GIACCHINO
La La Land 1013
Disc One: 16 tracks - 68:57 Disc Two: 14 tracks -
14:02
Michael Giacchino is a name familiar to many video game fanatics. His
scores for the Lost World
game and other Lucasfilm/Spielberg collaborations have been very
successful. His big break came with TV's Alias, but an even bigger one may
be around the corner with next fall's Pixar release of The Incredibles. In the meantime,
let's take a step back and look
Secret Weapons Over Normandy, for which Giacchino returned to
Seattle to record with the Northwest Sinfonia, a 25-piece choir, and a
Taiko drum ensemble.
The first disc consists of the 15 primary scenarios and the main
overture. The second disc features abbreviated bits and pieces that
appear throughout segments of the game, plus supplements including
Quicktime composer interviews playable on your PC or Mac. The opening
"Main Title" is impressive and reminiscent of John Williams' Americana
score (as featured in his recent "American Journey"). Giacchino's score
goes even further back, reaching for the kind of 1941/Midway feel that makes it
instantly accessible. Many of the orchestral gestures are out of that
Copland/Harris/William Schumann school of Americana. There are a lot of
action music to keep your blood pumping. These ideas are effectively
offset by many longer, lyrical themes. Gorgeous moments in "Zauara" and
"The Rescue of Pauline" are reminiscent of some of the love music in the Indiana Jones series.
It's hard to believe that this music is relegated to the video gaming
industry, but at least that market allows access to a fairly wide
audience. Highly recommended to Giacchino and John Williams
fans. -- Steven A. Kennedy
Ennio Morricone Remixes Volume 1
***
Mixes by INTERNATIONAL PONY, KABUKI, SWELL SESSION, etc.
Compost CPT 150-2
14 tracks - 70:43
While purists will be spitting blood at the prospect of El Maestro's
music being sampled, re-mixed, deconstructed and generally
played-around with by a group of European DJs and electro-meisters,
those with broader tastes will find much to enjoy here in the first of
Compost's eclectic compilations.
Clearly aimed at the dance crowd (there's a version in vinyl for those
who can't wait to spin it on their decks) the criteria by which a film
music fan will judge these cover versions will clearly be different to
that of dance room reveler. As such, any review in this magazine might
miss the nuances that the target audience will identify. But what can't
be ignored is how much the artistes love their composer. At no point
are we under any illusion that these are variations on well-established
classic themes. A snippet from "Leroy Langhofer" admits that "Every
remix attempt of a pop-producer on Morricone's music is in fact an
outrage...every attempt to interpret one of his works has to end
inevitably in a ragged disaster." Perhaps a little harsh, but it shows
the honor and respect that the performers show towards their idol. To
all intents and purpose they are the eager children, trying to please
their father. So, what we have are a series of re-imagined tracks that
don't try to mimic the originals but rather put a new spin on them
(literally).
Raw Deal's take on Cat of Nine Tails
is a fresh fusion of Morricone and Goblin, while Swell Sessions' The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
drifts too far away from its source material. International Pony's "We
Love Ennio Mix" is a delightful '80s-style pop song that can't fail to
make you smile and Temporary Soundmuseum's "Epitaph for James Coburn"
is chilled-out take on Sucker's Finale from A Fistful of Dynamite.
Those who enjoy John Zorn's work or the Morricone RMX remix album will
find much to enjoy -- diversity truly is the key to life. It's a great
testament to Morricone that he can influence the modern music scene in
a way that his American peers cannot. Volume 2 is released early in
2004. -- Nick Joy
MailBag@filmscoremonthly.com
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Today in Film Score History:
December 2 |
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| Aaron Copland died (1990) |
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| Artie Butler born (1942) |
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| Cyril Ornadel born (1924) |
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| Eddie Sauter born (1914) |
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| Francois-Eudes Chanfrault born (1974) |
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| Gerald Fried's score to the Star Trek episode "Shore Leave" is recorded (1966) |
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| Harry Sukman born (1912) |
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| John Williams begins recording his score for Midway (1975) |
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| Lennie Hayton records his score for the Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea episode “The Monster from Outer Space” (1965) |
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| Michael Whalen born (1965) |
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| Milton Delugg born (1918) |
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| Richard Markowitz begins recording his music for the three-part Mission: Impossible episode “The Falcon,” his final scores for the series (1969) |
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