The (Outdated) Zune HD for Today?

During my early days of soundtrack discovery, I used to think that composers were in deep competition against each other. Now it seems they are like a community that loves something and they are all friends. Composers meet each other at events, talk music, and have a blast. Other times they are too busy so they recommend an alternative composer for the job, or bring someone on to collaborate in order to give the score greater depth. 

I was definitely wrong, but that shows how shallow my understanding of things was. That was back in 2009 when I was 12, I had some excuse!

This is also when I purchased my first mp3 player. Does anyone remember what it was called? That greatly anticipated media player that died 2 years later? Come on, it's...it's...

The Zune HD!

Actually, it was the entire product line that Microsoft killed off. I still have mine, but unfortunately it is looks very sad. I did not respect it despite spending $200 on it, but then again, remember I was 12! It was one of the cool Zune Originals with a custom engraving of the solar system on the back and colored in a very nice green. That thing looks terrible. 

Well, I wanted to visit the olden days, so I grabbed one off eBay about a week ago that happened to be still sealed in the box. This got me excited, giving me the chance to start anew with this little device. When I opened the box I soon realized "dang, this thing is tiny!" 

At the time it was the rave. The Zune media players (Not just the HD model) were praised for their superior audio quality over anything else available. The newest Zune HD had amazing specs (at the time). 3.3 inch OLED display, custom Nvidia CPU: 65nm with 6 cores (cores for each task, i.e. audio, video, 3D graphics, etc.), 128 MB RAM. It was said that the graphics were "amazing."

Okay, it is no longer 2009 and Qualcomm just announced a 7nm CPU, and concidering most CPU's out there are 14nm, this tech is seriously outdated, like by 14+ tech years. Anyway, the point is, with these Zunes so cheap, should you pick one up?

I grabbed a 16 GB model to test it out. I wanted to see how it holds up to today's music needs. I figured I would use it just for music, nothing more, because I feel it doesn't do so well at everything else (including web browsing, wow it's terrible). 

First, I needed to install the latest software, which requires a small hack that involves virtual servers. Contact me for details on this. 

I started ripping some of my CD's in wma lossless which can reach bitrates of up to 960 kbps I believe. 

Uncharted Reimagined

Probably the very best videogame score I have ever listened to yet is Henry Jackman's work on Uncharted 4. With the beautiful graphics of the modern age and thrilling yet deep and emotional story, it achieves a cinematic sound and captures everything that was established in the previous installments. The delicate piano theme that highlights the very special bond of Nate and Elena as well as Nate's bond with his brother Sam and their difficult past. Yet, throughout the entire score, it is as hopeful and uplifting as the story. The beautifully crafted main theme captures the familiarity of the well-known original while adding a complexity, more sophisticated ring to it.

I always knew film composers wrote the best game music. Not once have I been disappointed. Lorne Balfe announced on Twitter a new project he is working on. But until then, enjoy some of my favorite tracks from Henry Jackman's masterpiece.

Two Steps From Hell Online Store

Popular trailer music company Two Steps From Hell recently opened up their own online store with official merchandise. My favorite by far has to be the Unleashed t-shirt.

If you are willing to go real crazy, there are even pillows. Although the wall posters are nice, for one who has the money and wall space for them. What do you think?

New Single by Thomas Bergersen

Thomas Bergersen is a rare and gifted composer. His music is so powerful and uplifting, full of magic that transports us to endless worlds and instantly fills me with courage I thought I didn't know existed. His music is very close to me and I am very blessed to have discovered him.

His new single You Are Light, featuring Felicia Farerre, is nothing short of extraordinary.

In the Days of Pirate Knockoffs

How many versions of Hans Zimmer's Theme for Pirates of the Caribbean have you heard?The trailer music industry are the biggest culprits. I must say though, they all have done an excellent job in making it unique, but it still screams PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN!!

Okay, now for the list. To begin, let's just go back to the beginning with Gore Verbinski's 2003 film that introduced us to Captain Jack Sparrow. Despite the score giving the main credit to Klaus Badelt, it was Zimmer who wrote the theme. It was Badelt (and several other top composers) who took the sketches and ran with them. 

There are two variations to this theme, which you can listen to below.

First we come to the version that everyone remembers. This takes place at the end of the film, but I feel it is the easiest and most effective way of representing the theme.




Next is the alternate version that takes place just before a ship battle.

After listening to both of these, you will get a basic, well rounded understanding of the theme. Now, the first artist that I am going to mention is Two Steps From Hell. One of the most popular names in the trailer music industry. The song Racketeers, which debuted in their industry album Dynasty, has shown incredible similarity to Hans Zimmer's theme. This piece is composed by a lesser known name: Troels Folmann. I find his piece exciting and still somewhat unique despite the similarities. It is the closest to the original theme that I have found. Listen to it below.




Buccaneer Island by Brand X Music sends us thinking about Pirates of the Caribbean, but not in the same way as Racketeers. I feel it projects us further into the future of the series. It is more like Dead Man's Chest (the sequel) in that the theme is not so heavy and intense but lighter. The inclusion of a choir creates At World's End vibes (the third installment) since it is a more vocal score in general when compared to the previous ones.




Now, are you ready for a bonus?

I was listening to a film score one time and was thinking "Woah, this sound like Pirates of the Caribbean." It is so similar it is crazy. The funny thing is it is written by the same composer as Pirates of the Caribbean. Take some time, don't scroll all the way down, see if you can guess the film.


The 2000 film Gladiator saw a spectacular theme written by the infamous Hans Zimmer, but wait, it seems he revisits this theme years later in POTC? Okay, I will give him credit, he was working on this while working on another project, and it is ever so slightly different that it is justified. Plus, who doesn't like the theme for the Jack's adventures?

Forget the beginning of this post and just focus on the music and remember it came first. If you don't care to listen to the entire 10 minutes, skip right to 5:50 and you will hear the theme loud and clear. It is as if Zimmer took the skeleton of the theme and updated it. Here is the track.




Do you have any other songs that come to mind that are similar to this theme? I'm sure there are a few more out there somewhere. 

Brief Continuity in Assassin's Creed

One of the best things that can be brought to a game or film series are the various aspects that connect them all. While the idea of a continuing story counts to a certain level, it goes (and should go) much deeper than that. When I think of Star Wars or Indiana Jones, John Williams comes up. He created the incredible continuity of both of the franchises, and he continues to work on them.

This continuity helps immerse us, draw us closer, and allows the audience create a special bond with the film or game. The consistency of the writing the script is just as important as themes. When some writers may get replaced, someone else takes one a new role, etc. there is risk of falling away from the original project and stray from the path intended and paved from the beginning. 

While my experience with the Assassin's Creed series of video games is lacking, I have noticed that there has been some amount of continuity. Ubisoft created a whole world that attempts to tell a story that took place from the beginning of time and progressing through history until present day. While interesting, it is a bit far fetched. 

One of Ubisoft's most recent installments to the franchise is a trilogy that is deeply integrated into the story. The first begins in China, resumes in India, and ends in Russia. They are so well connected, yet take place several years apart from each other. 

There are subtleties found in the games. The original Assassin's Creed theme written by Jesper Kyd appears in Assassin's Creed Chronicles China, but it is possible to miss. It is heard during one level, but instead of an instrument playing it, you hear on of the guards whistling the tune while you sneak past him. This same theme is re-composed as the theme for Assassin's Creed Rogue. It is fairly simple, but is very catchy and memorable. 

Listening to the most recent soundtrack release to the series, Assassin's Creed: The Best of Jesper Kyd, I noticed the theme appearing frequently. Having never really heard the scores for the first few installments I was unaware of this theme. The first time I heard it was during the score for Rogue, then in Chronicles China by means of whistling as mentioned above. 

Since Jesper Kyd scored the first bunch of games in the series, he had plenty of time to solidify this theme in the series enough to make it significant. It makes sense for Ubisoft to have this theme mentioned in the Chronicles Trilogy since they take place around the same time as the first few games where it first appeared. 

There have been several composers that have broken up this continuity, writing their own unique themes and sounds into it. For this reason The togetherness of the games fades away the closer they are to present day. 

The Assassin's Creed series has been a product of excellent music, and with all that said, I must say that it features some of the best game music I have heard. What is your favorite Assassin's Creed soundtrack?

The Monuments Men, Heartbreaking Yet Uplifting

Usually when a theme gets stuck in someone's head it is the main theme, but oftentimes I realize that the more I listen to scores the less this applies to me. I am beginning to find that even small, intricate themes can easily plague my present thoughts in a continuous manner. Thus, this brings me to today's score: Alexandre Desplat's beautiful score for WWII film The Monuments Men. 

Since this is a film during the Second World War, military sounding techniques and instruments are not scarce, but aside from the heroic main them, there are a few smaller parts that offer more delicate, smaller themes. The one I have an incredible memory of at this moment can be heard in "The Letter."

I have yet to listen to a Desplat score that isn't just pleasantly extraordinary. The Monuments Men is full of references to the main theme which is played in several different ways. Certain areas of the score produce a mysterious sound, and during the military inspired parts there is a sense of intensity which is both delicate and strong. These parts are usually when they are being chased, have little time, or are in danger in general. The more emotional scenes are very clear and obvious, as I believe that Desplat does these parts most excellently. 

The album ends with Nora Sagal singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," which I personally think is a creative way of wrapping it all up despite inconsistencies in the order when compared to the film itself. 

While this film is heartbreaking yet uplifting, and ends in an exciting victory, wherever you are today I truly hope that you can find peace despite life's junk. Take a listen to Alexandre Desplat's score and forget it all!

The Technical Aspects of a Music Collection

What does your collection look like? Are you very particular when it comes to track titles, or do you just care about what the music tags are? If you use iTunes for either your iPod or iPhone then I would expect no less for you to expect your collection to look nice and organized, but not everyone has the time to go through it all. Some of us have more than we can fit onto our mobile devices. 

Regardless, if you spend an amount of time everyday with your collection, I encourage you to organize it so that it doesn't cause more harm to your well being. I have a love/hate relationship with iTunes. Since I have an iPod, it is necessary for me to use it (I'm not particularly interested in dabbling around in third party options, though I know they exist). Regardless, I have come to enjoy and take advantage of the simplicity and powerful tools that it has to offer. 

While it may cause some headaches, others might never experience my issues. Some including sorting issues like Brian Tyler in the artist pane being at the very bottom as if it were a number, even the same composer in the composer pane appearing anywhere between 5-20 times in a row. One fix for the composer issue is to directly edit the files in iTunes, changing the composer. I feel iTunes has difficulty reading tags that it hasn't created itself. Now, a suggestion for the artist sorting, try to convert the file to another codec, OR turn on iTunes sorting which copies everything you drag-and-drop in the iTunes Media folder so that iTunes can automatically organize it all. 

Anyway, there are some tips. If you are having issues with iTunes, send me a message and I might just be able to help, or you could hit the Apple Support forums. 

Recently I started a thread that asked users how they managed their collection. Many use third party players, others said they are very interested in editing everything from tags down to the file names. Some were set on perfectly square album art (which is not at all unreasonable), others didn't really care too much about all that. Audiophiles I feel are more concerned with the quality of their collection, but then again some are but are not so obsessed with having everything in FLAC. 

Is it time for some spring cleaning in your collection? Even if it is 5 albums a day, or 10 each Saturday, I would say that this is progress. I do suggest allowing iTunes to manage the files automatically if you use it the most, but the sorting and tags are all on you. 

The Greatest Instrument: One to Rule them All

There are some amazing sounds that can be produced through instruments. Some are very unique and interesting. Hans Zimmer, to name one, is excellent at manipulating the instruments to get a specific sound that he wants. While I cannot say that I have a favorite instrument, I always find that I enjoy the strings in general above all. A great bass and brass section is also an excellent pair that I enjoy, but the strings have always captured my attention.

Despite all of this, there is but one specific sound that I love above all else. It is a more natural sound: the human voice. There is nothing like a good choir, but to break it down even further, I have grown to love the female voice. I am always at awe when both male and female can have such accurate pitch. It is the most extraordinary sound. Listening to The London Voices in several scores has been a treat.

The male voice has such a great depth and can reach incredible lows and sound very bold and strong. A young boys choir can be more lighthearted, pure, and innocent. Still, I believe that nothing is quite like the sound of the female voice. They can reach startling highs while still maintaining remarkable control over their voice. I am not a huge fan of opera, as sometimes it annoys me. Some of the most impressive displays of this beautiful sound have been found in music from Really Slow Motion and The London Voices, to name two that come to mind.

I have a copy of Handel's Messiah at hand that I have really appreciated hearing recently due to the stellar performance of a range of voices from both male and female. A high quality copy of this concert piece is a highly recommended classic from this amazingly gifted composer.

Do you agree? What are some of your favorite instruments?

Presently the Past in Battlefield 1

Battlefield 1 is an impressive masterpiece from EA. This beautiful, cinematic game that offers an amazing and unforgettable experience that is both visually and audibly stunning. EA selected a new set of composers this time around in order to get away from the modern electronic scores produced for Battlefield 3 and 4. Ultimately, this allowed them to return to their early roots in the series in terms of sound, which was much needed for this game since it goes several years into the past. 

The explosive opening sequence gives the player a sense of loss, offering them a realistic view of the "war to end all wars" where both sides experienced countless casualties. 

I was pleasantly surprised to hear the return of the well-known Battlefield theme, bringing roots from the original appearance allowing us to hear it in a way that it hasn't been played in several years. Yes, Battlefield wouldn't be the same without that old tune (and it seems they will never omit it), but I almost didn't expect to hear it this time (what was I thinking?). It is such a rewarding experience to hear it come up each time throughout the series. Throughout several different variations, I definitely find that the London Philharmonic's performance of the theme in The Greatest Videogame Music is by far my favorite. 

The Battlefiled 1 score overall brings back those classic fps vibes from the early days when Call of Duty 1 was still a thing to be reckoned with. Coupled with the graphical enhancements of the modern age, this game almost feels like they remastered an all-time favorite, bringing with it renewed excitement. 

Whether you have played this game or not, I highly encourage you to check it out. If you are a film score enthusiast, this might just please you as it did me. The line between film and game music is being blurred as scripts become more complex and captivating. 

Greatest Game Music of 2016

There are several games that have been released this year. My favorite would definitely be Nathan Drake's last adventure found in Uncharted 4. Henry Jackman created an incredibly moving score that perfectly matched the equally moving, character-driven story. While there are several scores to choose from and such a large audience, it is truly impossible to create a master list.

To start, the DOOM reboot has had significant praise, listed as number 10 on Factmag. While this horror game is bloody and disgusting, I would never dream of playing it. After a listen, I can't stand it and must say that it is terrible, so it will not be making my list.

I thought that Stardew Valley made a much bigger impact on me. It was simple, mesmerizing, and fun. The album doesn't disappoint in terms of length, featuring over 2 hours of music across 70 tracks. I would agree with the placement of this title.

I find that I agree completely with Andrew's list over at ClassicFM.com. He mentions excellent scores, from Ramin Djawadi's surprisingly effective score for Gears of War 4, to the exquisite, complex masterpieces heard in Final Fantasy XV. The moving strings from The Last Guardian and Austin Wintory's surreal and atmospheric work on ABZÛ. Being the superior list, I recommend you visit it so see what Andrew has already written. He also included some videos in his list as well as samples of music from each pick.

Chris Remo's score for the indie title Firewatch is another one worth recognizing, one that I have actually written about earlier this year. Also Gears of War 4 by Ramin Djawadi is probably one of my favorites from the series and from Djawadi in general. There are many 4th-iteration games out, most of them have better music than their predecessors (i.e. Uncharted 4, Fallout 4, Gears of War 4 to name the ones that come to mind). While there has been countless game releases, I must say that I have listened to less than half of those released so far.

I must say that out of all these, The Last Guardian is one of the best game scores that I have heard. It is just astounding as to how good it is. Coming from what I believe is a Japanese composer, I almost expected this. Those composers over in Japan have a beautiful way of incorporating captivating themes that sound very classical, but still maintain a slight modern ring to them. The Last Guardian does not disappoint.

This year is not yet over, but when it eventually will be we are surely in for a good ride. 2017 will be an excellent year for music, both game, film, and trailer. In the meantime, Merry Christmas eve, eve!

Not That Again!

Do you have a song that you fell in love with that you almost hate now because repeat killed it? Most likely it is the main theme from a film or game. Trailer music can do this as well, but slightly easier than film or game music.

I cannot say that I have a song or album that I can't stand anymore because I purposely create variety in what I listen to. But when you encounter that "this is so epic, I can't imagine life without this" song, you are hopelessly repeating it over and over. Does it ever get boring?

This happens sometimes to me, mostly with trailer music. When I first started getting interested in soundtracks I would play only the main themes from albums instead of taking each album in as a whole. This does increase the longevity of your music, but at the same time there isn't anything wrong with listening to just the themes.

I haven't encountered the issue in a while because of my vast library. I bounce from trailer music, to game, then to film, and repeat. After all, music that fits your mood is much more enjoyable, right? Audiomachine and Two Steps From Hell for physical work to push through the pain, Alexandre Desplat and/or John Williams for a relaxing weekend, or maybe a long drive with exciting game music.

One thing that I noticed when I was using my 3 months of Apple Music was that I really missed my personal library. Those 3 months were spent catching up on all the newest releases and artist discovery. I stayed away from albums I already owned. I know what albums I have and I know which ones to match with my current mood. I was actually excited to end the trial and come "home" again, even though I had listened to an album a few hundred times.

Still, nothing beats the experience of listening to a new score that you haven't heard before. What do you think? Are you attached to your library as I am with mine? Do you find a song or album tedious due to constant playback?

Divide by Chris Tilton

Divide is a new game that will be arriving on January 31, 2016 exclusively for the PlayStation 4. I do not want to go into too much detail to promote the game since my goal is the music, but I can say that the game looks very intriguing. You can learn more at the PlayStation Blog.

While Chris Tilton has been composing for many years, I only just discovered his music when I first heard the score from Assassin's Creed Unity. I instantly fell in love with it. It is definitely one of the best game scores I have listened to. You can hear his music from Volume 1 of the score. I felt that Ryan Amon (the Bonus Tracks) and Sarah Schachner (Volume 2) did an excellent job, but it easy to say that Chris Tilton's Volume 1 is easily far superior.

The EP for Divide is out and ready to listen to. If you are subscribed to a streaming service, I highly recommend you look for it (I guarantee it is available to you). If you enjoy it, it can be purchased through Bandcamp, which will allow you to access a lossless copy of the music. It is currently $2.99.

The Divide EP is also available on Bandcamp if you prefer some hi-res audio - https://t.co/fQRNln3Cb7

— Chris Tilton (@christilton) December 8, 2016

In Tilton's new score for Divide, you definitely get the same feel and similar sound from Assassin's Creed Unity. Unfortunately this is an EP which is very short. I am hoping, along with others I would expect, that we will eventually see a regular release of the score that is more full of content. As of this time I have not found anything that points to a release of this kind.

Let me know what you think of this score in the comments. Are you hoping for an extended version as well?

The Return of... Alice: Through The Looking Glass

   What is your favorite kind of music? Do you prefer the lighthearted Randy Newman, intense Brian Tyler or Hans Zimmer, classical John Williams, or maybe the strange and bizarre Danny Elfman? These are obviously just a few of the thousands of gifted and noteworthy composers out there. I cannot say for certain which type I am most inclined to listen to, I hear it all! There are times where I feel in the mood for a specific kind of music, but how does one go about discovering that type of music? There are several services out there that offer mood-based radio, but I'm not a big fan because they mix all genres instead of isolating scores.

   What genre is your favorite? Are you a soundtrack/score aficionado, or are you a mix of a bunch of genres? My family does not understand why I don't like their "preferred" music, which mostly includes classic rock from the 80's. I have a wide range of music appreciation and interest, but it all lies in the orchestral genres, covering games, films, trailers, etc. even classical music. Whatever kind of music you love wholeheartedly, don't let anyone convince you otherwise. I still have a mixed opinion of rock, but if that is what you love, nothing can change that except for experiences and time. 

   Now, let me get back to the topic for today, which was...

   Alice: Through The Looking Glass did not do so well opening week. I wasn't sure what to think of the film initially since it seemed like a bit of Déjà vu with recurring themes of "Where have you been Alice, it's been a long time?" from the previous film. Regardless, I have not seen it, therefore I cannot give an accurate review, but I can attest to the fact that the score is far superior to the first. This usually doesn't happen, especially in the case of John Powell's How To Train Your Dragon. The first blew us away, and while the second is excellent and consistent with the series, it did not come close to the original. 

   Danny Elfman's new score is interesting, bizarre, and similar enough to the first in order to continue the main theme and overall feel. Alice's theme is nearly unchanged and the instruments remain the same (take note of the organ in the theme), but there are more interesting themes and sections that I found to be much more interesting. 

Happy Holidays!

Christmas is just around the corner! Now where on earth did this year go? Wait, a little bit of Déjà vu here. Don't we all think this every year? This has been an excellent year, and I want to mention a few things about what is coming up in the world of scores.

To begin, I want to finally present to you some of my favorite works from Alexandre Desplat. Though it may be a little dated, it is open for the picking until February 28 (nope, not a leap year). Click on sir Desplat's name for details.

Finally! With all the amazing releases that Two Steps From Hell gave us all in 2015, they just spoiled us again in another epic album: Vanquish. If you haven't been following Thomas Bergersen on Facebook, you might want to check out his most recent post. Apparently we are expecting "A LOT" of music from Two Steps From Hell in 2017. Who's excited! Don't forget to check out the recording sessions video of what is probably the best track in the album Vanquish: High C's.

Now, the scores that I am personally excited for this December are Rogue One, Assassin's Creed, and Hidden Figures. I also was able to discover that Silva Screen Records has put up a Christmas album for pre-order. It is a nice white vinyl edition featuring music from the film Elf. Unfortunately it does not include any music from the score, but it sure to give you some Christmas spirit, in case you have doubts you may not be gifted this year. You can pre-order it on Amazon. If you are one of those Limited Edition fanatics, you may also want to know that only 500 of these exist. 

On December 12, Varese Sarabande will reissue Agnes of God. This is also limited to 500 copies to don't be slow to grab it if you are a fan of Georges Delerue. On the same day Star Trek Beyond is going deluxe (limited to 5,000 copies) through Varese as well. 

Ah, and that just about summarizes things, briefly. What are some of your most anticipated releases?

Some Thoughts on Trailer Music

    During my journey exploring new artists and music with Apple Music, I have finally turned to what I just classify as "trailer music," which is basically independent music not composed for anything in particular.

    Erik Ekholm is one that I would like to mention. I found that his music was not to my liking. I am one who listens to a lot of audiomachine, Thomas Bergersen, abs Two Steps From Hell, which is top notch in terms of quality. The works of these three artists are well composed and are three kings of epic trailer music.

    Erik Ekholm is not one I would spend money on. While initially his scores are very orchestral and interesting, I find that he relies too heavily on the electric guitar. It always overpowers the orchestra, and always at the same point in nearly every song.

    The orchestral parts of his music is decent, I just wish that he used the electric guitar to compliment the orchestra rather than be the dominant instrument. I believe that the three artists mentioned above have mastered the technique of using perfectly blending and balancing the electronics sounds with the orchestral sounds.

    If you are into this type of music, then do not let me stop you. Other great alternatives would be Epic Score and Future World Music. Epic Score sounds really bad with Apple's EarPods though when it comes to the treble and the bass is so intense they can barely take it. This is one reason why I would never pay $30 for a pair, but then again, cheers to you if you love them. I think they are fine and use them regularly anyway.

And what about that Alexandre Desplat link I promised? I totally forgot. I am working on cleaning up some unnecessary cloud data to make room for the link, to stay tuned.

The Great Return

     It has been quite a while since my last post. Currently I am writing a novel and soaking in all the music I can listen to through the relatively new service Apple Music. I do not consider myself a huge fan of Apple in general due to various reasons, but I will say that their new music streaming service is exceptional. I have had the iPod touch 6th generation for almost a year now and have finally accepted the invitation for a 3-month trial.

     Firstly I want to point out that Apple is still the best in terms of dedicated music players for those who do not want to shell out hundreds of dollars on alternatives like Fiio or Astell & Kern. I have encountered some trouble with the software because my albums are all custom tagged because Apple does not know how to tag soundtracks albums (in my opinion) and a good amount of my music is not even in their store. I still am happy with my purchase though. Microsoft Groove and Google Play Music are still excellent app alternatives since those services are more forgiving with customized music.

     Now, Apple Music is a good service that I have been enjoying for the past month or so. My subscription expires on the 9th of December, but I am already convinced to continue with the $9.99 per month. It was an excellent marketing technique to give the user 3 months, that way they can't imagine their life without it. Now, this may not be so appealing to those who are deeply invested in complete scores since they are not sold anywhere, but there is an excellent selection of scores. New scores are usually available, and though some albums are available for purchase only, the majority of what was available from each artist on iTunes was open for streaming.

     I am definitely open to paying for the plan, but I will cancel it at the end of my trial because it is not the best time for me to spend money like that. If you are interested in trying this out, I must warn you to not accept the use of iCloud Music Library if you intend on not using the music in your own library unless your entire library can be found in the iTunes library. iTunes has a tendency to mess things up a bit. I am currently not using iTunes to manage any of my library right now.

     If you are interested or have already reached the end of your trial and would like to continue with the plan, I must advise you to go out and purchase one of the gift cards from Best Buy or wherever you can find them. They are $99 for an entire year, which means you save $20 instead of paying $9.99 a month through iTunes.

     Lastly, I have a complimentary link coming soon. I am in an Alexandre Desplat mood right now, and two of my favorite scores that he composed will be available for one week total. Keep a look out!

The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Commemorating James Horner

First impressions are not always the most reliable and accurate source of opinions. When the score for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 came out, I was so excited. I snatched it up and skimmed through the score as I used to do in the day (yeah, it wasn't that long ago). My impressions: "this sucks!"

Okay, now don't go on ranting to me. There are some who would agree with me and others who absolutely love it. It is an acquired taste, and for those who have actually seen the film, there is an extra plus. I believe that one more easily falls in love with a score once they have seen the film because they understand it more. "Why did he do this? Why didn't he do that? What is that?"

I can say that I have listened to this score all-the-way-through! You may think that I'm crazy that less than half the scores I have are from films that I have actually watched. I just love music, and that is why.

When listening closely to the music by the amazing Hans Zimmer and The Magnificent Six, I did actually end up enjoying it. I found it very fascinating with some resemblances to Zimmer's previous work on Inception. There is much more electronic music here, but it gives an epic feel that probably fits what is happening on the screen. I must say that this is very different from James Horner's score from the original film.

Oh, and while I am on the subject, I would like to take a moment and commemorate James Horner. On this day in 2015, James Horner was killed (61) in a plane accident. As one of the most influential film composers of the century, I found it very sad when I heard of this incident. So if you are a fan, listen to the first Amazing Spider-Man today, and the next one tomorrow. I recommend it anyway, since it gives you a good understanding of how different these scores are.

Now, whether it be the captivating Harry's Suite, or the loud and restless Electro Suite, Hans Zimmer and his friends did an excellent job on this score. I would not say that it is my absolute favorite, But I enjoyed it very much. It took me a whole 3 days to listen to it through! I need some alone time. Anyway, if you do not have this score already, Check it out on YouTube or Amazon below.

Welcome To Africa: African Safari 3D

   Do you ever dream of traveling? I grew up with a grandmother who was always telling me about her travels across the world and her experiences facing death at nearly every turn, surviving only because of one "fortunate coincidence." I thought that she was so awesome and wanted to travel with her. I still dream of traveling.

   When you listen to Ramin Djawadi's score, close your eyes and just imagine the beautiful landscapes of Africa. It is so peaceful and simple, no worries. Imagine the graceful animals in their natural habitat, or maybe you see that beautiful orange sunset that resides over the grasslands. 

   African Safari 3D is a documentary with beautiful, soothing music that gives you a moment of true peace. I have wanted to visit Africa for a while, just to experience the beauty of that continent. At this moment, I can only dream, so dream with me. Let Ramin Djawadi's music flow through you and help you forget for a moment why you are so tight and stressed. 

A Quiet Return

Hello everyone! Despite how quiet it has been here at Soundtracks Gizmo, we've really been working quite loud these few weeks. Summer is finally here, and I know that you need a lot to get yourself through these busy months, or is it that you have a very free schedule? Either way, I hope you have a great summer.

The amount of weekly posts will be cut back through the summer due to our busy lives. If you have a passion for music as much as we do, and would be interested in writing about it, we would be happy to welcome you aboard our team. Just navigate to the "Contact" page and let us know.