The brilliant minds behind Two Steps From Hell have defined the meaning of epic music. There is just no going back, and although it may not initially suit the taste of some listeners, There is some amazing music that is better than some film music. Their vast catalog of compositions has so much uniqueness. First you find a rough, loud piece that has some rock components, but another is light, orchestral, and beautiful.
Love & Loss is one that I will be focusing on. It is composed by none other than Thomas Bergersen. Being the end of the work week, this will wrap things up perfectly. Its victorious tune gives us the feeling of accomplishment, the climax is over and the resolving sequence has arrived. A modern sound is derived from the synth which produces some interesting sounds. Still, the strings are the center focus on this, giving the brass the role of quiet introduction and blending throughout. A choir comes in about halfway when the buildup begins.
Every time I hear this I keep thinking of how perfectly this would end a film with a modern take on storytelling. The victory and resolve is clear and precise, and so is the joy from the end of the tiresome adventure. It also leaves us with one small bit that something isn't over. There is something else wrong that is soon to come up. A perfect place to leave off where a sequel would pick up.
There are two games out currently: Firewatch and Overwatch. I kept hearing so much about Overwatch, thinking that it was Firewatch, but I just mixed them up and forgot one of the titles. Today's score comes from the Steam game Firewatch.
Firewatch is a very interesting take on the first-person point of view. You are stuck in the wilderness of Wyoming trying to solve a mystery and communicating through a walkie talkie as the only way of breaking the silence and loneliness. The graphics are that beautiful and simple/complex type that modern games often have. For being released only about three months ago, it has over 12,000 reviews that give it a very positive score.
To match the visuals and story, the Chris Remo gives us a very interesting and somewhat minimal soundtrack. The piano in the beginning of Prologue sounds similar to the Fallout theme with all of the chords. This score was given a unique feel that brings it away from that similarity by adding some artificial sounds and eventually an electric guitar in track 2. This simple music is exactly what was needed, because a score too good can distract from the type of graphics in this game, and it does.
Beartooth Point introduces an acoustic guitar which helps give the feel of the countryside. Some parts of this score remind me of Monument Valley's score, which was very simple to go with its simple yet complex, mind-bending architecture. Without the guitars in this score, it would be too much like Monument Valley.
This score is a great representation of a composer creating something enjoyable with limited resources. By this I mean that there is no orchestra or expensive instruments. They are very basic, yet the composer was still able to use his imagination with the artificial sounds. The official soundtrack is only 33 minutes long, which makes me guess whether the demand for quantity of music was low or there is a significant amount cut out. I haven't come to actually playing this game yet, though I highly recommend it. The game can be found at the Steam Store. The soundtrack is also available there for $5.99
Track 15, An Unfortunate Discovery arrives as a surprise, as it introduces something new. There are violins. They sound somewhat artificial though, which could be that they are generated, but it sounds more natural in the next track. Catching Up returns to the prominent piano and its captivating, deep chords. The final conclusion comes with Ol' Shoshone. An acoustic guitar defines a resolving tune while Sean Vanaman sings calmly.
One thing that I will start doing is posting a high quality copy of the artwork for each album, because I know how hard they can be to find. If you haven't already, my recommended resources section offers some very useful links to high resolution artwork that is hard to find.
There has been a lot happening here, so I thought that a template change would shake things up. I understand that some users prefer dark templates, while others prefer bright ones. I decided to go with a lighter and more simple template. If you are having any troubles with loading, please let me know and I will update things a little.
I understand how frustrating it is to be on a website and have it clogged with ads. My promise to you is to never do that. While there may be a few around the place, they shouldn't impede loading times or a positive experience. If they do, I would appreciate it if you would let me know and I will update things.
I would also love to hear any thoughts on what you think of the new design. Remember to enter the Captain America: Civil War soundtrack giveaway! You can find my tweet HERE or at the right sidebar.
Jerry Goldsmith is a legendary film composer and one who will always be remembered. He scored Air Force One in twelve days, and what came out of those days is one of the greatest and most memorable film themes. It gives the film excitement and the feeling of victory. One of the tracks is even featured in the Soarin' wait line.
Randy Newman was the original composer who was rejected a week before the deadline. This is where Jerry Goldsmith came in and went about what he was most excellent at. I cannot go about this without giving credit where it is due, so I must also commemorate Joel McNeely's work in assisting Goldsmith. McNeely's compositions are marked as "additional music" which is not featured in the public soundtrack, but can be found in the Rejected and Unreleased album.
Being a Disney and Pixar film composer who has a natural tendency to write light and fun themes into his scores, it was obvious that Randy Newman would not succeed the way he needed to. His work on his accepted music is very good, and I believe that he has a certain style that he should stay with.
While listening to Randy Newman's music for Air Force One, it isn't all that bad, generally speaking. It just felt like, a cartoon, or a Disney film. Some of the music is just outright horrible and unbearable to listen to, but most of it is fine. It wasn't a total loss for him though. Randy Newman was able to recycle some for his score for Toy Story 3.
Jerry Goldsmith, with the assistance of Joel McNeely, wrote an unforgettable score that shines a bright light on patriotism. He did exactly what the director was seeking. Firstly, the music was much darker which made it feel like an adult film. When the action came, the intensity felt realistic, like something was really wrong. This gave the victorious sections greater power as they released the tension.
The snare drum and brass are the most dominant sounds during the action sequences. The strings create a good shape in theme, but the brass are the source for much of the intensity and the main instruments used for the theme. During the quieter sections the mysterious bass and the piano's lowest keys flood the scene with a sound that leaves us on the edge of our seats, expecting something but not knowing when it will appear.
Among all this intensity, there are sweeping themes that return you to a state of relief from the buildup. The strings are the main focus during these parts with the brass coming in prominently at times. The strings have a beautiful way of giving you a soft sound that just sweep you away and immerse you in their themes. I can say this of all the instruments when played in harmony, but I personally enjoy the strings just a bit more.
I have only seen the TV version of Air Force One, a long time ago. I do not remember all those cues in the score, just the basic story line.
When Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was announced back in 2011, it was called "The most anticipated game of the year." I'm not sure if it lived up to the hype, but the music sure was pleasing. As the final concluding chapter in the series, I believe that it did.
The reveal trailer features Audiomachine's Akkadian Empire, but you will not be able to hear it very well unless you have previously heard the song yourself. Watch the trailer below and see if you can pick up the basic theme.
Did you hear it? The music that is playing is in fact from Akkadian Empire, but the catch? The percussion stems are the only thing that is present from the original track.This is an interesting way of going about this campaign, which seems to fit the trailer perfectly. The increasing intensity and simple sound are a good match for what is going on in the video. After all, this is just a reveal trailer.
Now listen to the master mix with all of the stems combined (below). When you watch the video above again, you can almost hear the choir where it used to be.
I suppose this track is simple in nature to begin with, and very short, but with a good level of intensity. The drums truly are epic and fun to listen to, so here it is once more. The same stem that is used in the reveal trailer, but without all of the extra sounds. Just pure percussion.
It is very interesting to see how the advertising company manipulates the music to fit their needs in trailers. This is the least amount of music from the original mix that I have come across when it comes to trailers. I admire creativity, and that can come from original work, or how someone can take that work and change it up. Do you know of some instances where the music is changed significantly?
Brian Tyler scored 2011's most anticipated game, and the concluding chapter to the (arguably) greatest Call of Duty games ever made. The epic story just doesn't compare to later releases. Today's score, Modern Warfare 3, is almost too good for the game. Don't get me wrong, the game was fantastic, but the music is just so good.
The beginning theme starts things off very slow with an intriguing percussion and soothing string melodies. While it begins to build up, the intense music to come is foreshadowed. Brian Tyler wrote one of the best video game scores that I have ever listened to. MW3 is an orchestral masterpiece that occasionally gives us some electric guitar, but mostly focuses on the natural orchestral sounds.
Prague Hostilities is a new take on the once peaceful sounding theme from the beginning and adds a feel of unresolved conflict and dark bass. Intense action is frequently heard due to the game's setting and subject, but that intensity is toned down with slow build ups and moments that are mysteriously calm.
I admire the use of the viola in the beginning of I Stand Alone because it has a very unique and unusual sound at times. The viola gave this track an interesting sound to start it off. The ending is equally enjoyable, featuring the main theme that rises and gives a somewhat victorious feel before ending with the brass and percussion hitting a note that does not sound like a resolving victory.
Hamburg invasion introduces the electric guitar as we enter deeper into this war that spans the globe. Once again, the main focus is the orchestra. Now, when you reach Battle For New York, there is an exception. The excellent orchestral representation of the war is intense, a little victory medley in the middle before reaching a quiet, calm state. Just when it seems nothing is going to happen, you wait, before you suddenly get slammed in the face with the electric guitar. Were you expecting that?
Interestingly, two excellent film composers worked on the previous title, giving this series a true cinematic feel and sound. Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe scored Modern Warfare 2, but Brian Tyler was much needed for Modern Warfare 3. This is the last chapter where everything gets crazy and the final confrontation and resolve is met. This requires much more intensity in the music.
I admire creativity, and I almost believe that this is one of Brian Tyler's most creative and original work. Consider the brilliantly placed electric guitar so that it actually sounds good. Also, the occasional synth appearances are welcome additions. The various percussion techniques and instruments used help give each track a sound different enough to distinguish from each other, but consistent in overall sound.
Paris Siege is an epic five minutes of unrelenting tension that stands out as one of the most interesting pieces throughout the score. Special Forces brings back that electric guitar experience from Battle For New York, but at a much lighter scale. It gives off an epic feel that seems to sound like things are going good for the right side.
The main theme for Modern Warfare 3 is one of the most memorable, so I am glad to hear it brought up frequently, but not too frequently. It can sometimes get annoying hearing the same theme over and over again, but there is a perfect balance. You are actually excited to hear it when it shows up.
One thing that Brian Tyler wrote into this score is some quieter parts that tone down the action so that we are not always racing toward the goal. There is some sneaking that goes on, but sometimes you get caught and you have no choice but to shoot your way out of the situation.
MW3 End Credits is an epic conclusion to this great score, presenting the main theme once more. The strings give you a huge performance that bring a close to this adventure and leave you with a satisfying ending. What are your thoughts? Do you have a favorite game score?
How was your Mother's Day? Did you do something fun, sit around playing video games, stuck at work? Anyway, if you haven't seen Marvel's latest Captain America film, promise to not to spoil anything if you haven't. The track names are vague, so no spoilers there either.
Marvel took the world by storm. Captain America: Civil War was a good film that released just three days ago, yet managed to gross $678,391,000 total as of this writing. Henry Jackman returns, giving this film an intense score similar to his from Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
In this score, you will find that bizarre, electronic sound which is the theme for The Winter Soldier. This is carried from the previous Captain America. Brian Tyler's Marvel Fanfare theme composed for Thor: The Dark World and used in all previous films when the Marvel logo appears in the beginning has been dismissed and replaced. Henry Jackman has given us a good "alternate" version. This makes sense because over time the Avengers are changing throughout the films, so themes will also change.
I enjoyed this score more than the one written for The Winter Soldier because of its greater orchestral qualities rather than a more electronic and ambient take. Civil War feature some interesting spiccato patterns like in the ten minute suite for Captain America in the previous film. It seems simple, but is somehow complex enough that we all love it.
Boot Up has a strange, electronic drum beat type sound in the beginning that I found distracting in the film, but the build up of this lengthy track made up for it. We hear The Winter Soldier's theme further on and it becomes mysterious with "simple complexity" is how I will refer to it now. Henry Jackman's specialty.
A version of the Avenger's theme from Age of Ultron appears to come up, which hopefully will not replace the classic theme from Alan Slivestri's The Avengers when Infinity War is scored. If you go back to when the Hellicarrier rose out of the ocean in The Avengers, focus on that string pattern. That is another one of the themes that is briefly and alternatively heard in Certain Parts. Despite these themes, Civil War has its own unique theme. Standoff, Civil War, and Larger Than Life utilize it noticeably.
Revealed is a well written example of the more orchestral nature of this music when compared to the second film. You hear a nice array of instruments and a choir while the track goes from a sense of sorrow to building intensity, to a victory.
Clash is very interesting with appearances of solo technique (vibrato) heard from the violin and cello giving this a modern sound. This blends right into Closure, which presents a mysterious setting and nears us to the conclusion. There definitely are some regrets about what they had to do, but the somewhat victorious feel in Closure gives us the conclusion that also leaves us hanging. Cap's Promise enlarges this victory theme and makes it more satisfying. We are also treated with a brief theme from the Captain America suite and a version of the Avengers theme from the original film.
The soundtrack runs for 1 hour and 9 minutes, leaving us with one important question: where is the rest, given the film is about 2 1/2 hours? This always happens, and people always get all worked up about missing cues and important parts missed. Please, do not tire yourself out from this lack of music. This is just the way the music industry works, unfortunately.
Well, I'm off to a late start today, but in time for lunch you will listen to the best trailer music from 2015. Audiomachine treated its fans with not on official release, but three! I have yet to listen to Magnus: B-Sides.
Today is the source of inspiration for this week's Abbey Road series. Decimus is filled with epic themes to jump start your adventure, rejuvenate your strength, and push you forward. Now go kill that monster!
The Lion's Heart sets the mood for the album and presents a good start. Today I will be mainly focusing on Unbroken. I love this song so much.
It is a beautiful representation of the strings, blending spiccato and arco, which shapes the theme. Coming in at the perfect time, the choir adds to the mix, but does not overpower the dominant sound of the instruments.
Faint percussion in the background and some accompanying brass. Being a string player, you may have already guessed that I always prefer the sound of the strings, which are the main instruments in this piece. If you listen for it, you will hear the brass near the end when the climax is reached.
My favorite part in this piece begins at 1:24 when everything ceases except for the violin and the choir. The violin, playing in spiccato, takes a short pause before returning using much higher notes to increase the intensity and eventually reaching the final climax.
What are your thoughts on this beautiful piece? If you like this track as much as I did, you should also look into Voyage of Dreams.
I hope you have an excellent Friday. See you again next week!
Following my series this week on scores recorded at Abbey Road, today's score comes from the popular PlayStation exclusive Uncharted 3. The Uncharted series is an epic adventure that follows Nathan Drake as he chases after the greatest treasures on earth. This is also the game that is known for consuming 24.2 TB of storage with all of its assets during development.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, the final chapter, is due for a release on May 10 of this year. According to soundtrack.net, the official release for the soundtrack is May 17, will be limited to 3,000 copies, and interestingly will see a change in composer. Henry Jackman will be replacing Greg Edmonson, who scored the first three games.
The third installment is what my main focus is on today. Greg Edmonson has spent a good amount of time with this series. This gave him time to evolve the main theme for Nathan Drake. The title for the theme in the second game in given a "2.0" tag at the end, and the third a "3.0". Although they tend to generally sound the same, there is definitely some uniqueness given to each take. In Nate's Theme 3.0, you really feel the epic adventure that is to come. The brass is more profound and the percussion has a "darker" sound to it in the beginning.
The score is not like any other game score that I have previously listened to. It has a more unique feel. I also love how there is a combination of a victorious sound (as heard in Nate's Theme), action, and other music that incorporates the style of music in the particular region that Nathan is in.
At certain parts it sounds quite like some traditional classical guitar, especially in Small Beginnings. The traditional orchestral sounds create an interesting Middle-Eastern style of music with the sharps planted to produce a sense of mystery. There are some Middle-Eastern vocalists and instruments as well that are heard occasionally.
I keep thinking of Jerry Goldsmith's score for The Mummy when I listen to this, just from the musical feel of the sandy places, not from copying. This is heard throughout the majority of the score. Now, if you are afraid of spiders, then Arachnophobia could make your skin crawl. Just imagine a bunch of spiders crawling up your body and across your face. Did you feel them?
Nearing the end, there is some brief and faint electric guitar heard in the background in Boarding Party. Second-Story Work introduces some Spanish sounding guitar. By this time, there is mostly action and intensity since the end and conclusion is finally nearing.
When the conclusion arrives, you get Something Better, a beautiful track that brings in the resolve and leaves you with that sense of victory and accomplishment on a massive scale, thanks to the strings. Just like the latest Uncharted, this score is limited in its CD release, so if you are fortunate enough to own it, kudos to you! The rest of us will have to settle with the digital copy.
Abbey Road is the most famous recording studio in the world. It is a very historical building in the music industry. This week I will present to you some music that was recorded at Abbey Road Studios.
The first installment of the Hobbit trilogy was the last film based on J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world that Howard Shore conducted and orchestrated. He did an excellent job giving us beautiful music. It is easily some of the best music in the film score world. The Lord of the Rings trilogy along with the first Hobbit film was all recorded at Abbey Road.
Doug Adams, a film music journalist, was brought on my Howard Shore to document the work and final product of the music from the Lord of the Rings. If you own the Special Edition of the score for each Hobbit film, you will find that there is included a little notebook with some brief insight on each score as well.
There is such great depth to Howard Shore's music that I could never explain to you. Shore perfectly maintained the unforgettable themes from The Lord of the Rings, but also managed to bring to the table new music, yet still keeping the same feel and sound. If you do not have the score already, track back to my first post to see the booklet pages. I highly recommend adding this to your collection. I always am not sure about writing about scores such as this one because of my limited knowledge.
