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.

Love & Loss

   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. 

Firewatch

 

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.

How Well Do You Know...