I was never a fan of Tom Hank's lumbering buffoon Forrest Gump. The film was a little too whimsical for my liking but I felt that the soundtrack was well researched and included a good few classic popular songs from the period of history in which the film is set.
A nice compilation of tracks featuring classic songs from the sixties by The Byrds, Beach Boys, The Doors and Dylan.
Gripping drama needs a gripping soundtrack. From what was a promising start to a trilogy (that now seems to be developing into a larger multifilm series) comes John Powell's tense soundtrack.
I think the composer did very well to capture the various nuances of the film with these soundtracks and it often drowns out the dialogue in the film. However, this is forgivable for without the soundtrack the excitement wouldn't build as well as it did. Take track 3 of the first album, Treadstone Assassins; it definitely builds the tension, adds a little bit of "here comes a film that can even have it's own spin-off TV series" and tickles the auditory senses with "wow, bet you didn't expect that".
Furthermore, the cold wet European locations used in the film are also depicted aurally in these soundtracks. Powell is definitely a composer to look out for. Maybe not akin to John Williams or Danny Elfman, but certainly on the same bus….
Here I'd usually include a youtube video relating to the albums but it appears that the Youtube Copyright Nazis have been blocking access to most of the best ones. I really don't know why copyright holders (like SONY) are such blanket fascists when it comes to digital media. I guess you'll just have to watch the film….
The soundtrack to my favourite childhood film as composed and performed by John Barry.
This is a strange piece of work. It's very militaristic in many respects. All trumpets and snare drums. But it works well alone or with the film in its original setting.
The first track, the overture, is a bit cringe making but once that's out of the way you've got the music from the film in its orchestral splendour.
Ah coffee table albums. Bit like coffee table books. The kind of music brought out at middle class dinner parties to wow and seem hip and in touch with culture.
Like me ,you've probably got several coffee table albums in your own personal collections. Such as David Grey, Buena Vista Social Club, War of the Worlds and anything by Adele. Brian Eno is the reigning emperor of coffee table music.
This album consists of music and soundscapes that wouldn't be out of place in a chapel of eternal rest or that place they send off Edward G Robinson in Soylent Green.
Not for me. It's a little too hip for my liking and pigeon holes the listener into the 30+ bracket. Kind of like how your grandparents were probably listening to James Last around the gramophone.
Tired overplayed coffee table tosh.
Absolute Beginners is one of those films you've either seen or not. But nearly everyone knows the title tune as performed by David Bowie.
I saw the film many years ago, some time in the mid-nineties when it was already old. The young plastic surgery free Patsy Kensit looking very tasty, the fresh faced Eddie O'Connell acting his socks off and even a bit part for good old Lionel "Give us a Clue" Blair. All mixed together by jazz and soul with a light dressing of British humour. It was no wonder it was a flop.
With artists such as Sade, The Style Council and even British stalwald Ray Davies popping up, the soundtrack is a rather good old toe tapper.
Whenever I listen to it I'm immediately transported back to my vane efforts to restylise myself as an independent batchelor in my crumby bedsit in the Wavertree suburbs of Liverpool.
I didn't grow a soul patch. Nor did I start poncing around in berets and lounge about looking moody. So I guess I got off lightly.
A Thousand Roads is a film by Chris Eyre released in 2005. This is the soundtrack for it.
I'm very fond of soundtracks and there are many in my collection. Mostly they are of films that I have seen but this is one of 2 film soundtracks of films I've not seen.
I'm also very fond of Lisa Gerrard's music including Dead Can Dance (but more about them in a later post).
So there's two things: Lisa Gerrard and Soundtracks. What more could I want? Well there is a third thing. World music. I first got into World Music as a teenager when I was taken on a school trip to see the Gamelan at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool. Initially I was resistant but an hour into the performance I began to recognise repetitions, subtleties and changes in rhythm which none of my classmates seemed to appreciate. On the back of that experience I embraced World Music and, over the years, have collected some interesting music (again, more of that in a later post).
A Thousand Roads is a lovely mix of etherical wailing, tribal chants and haunting synths. A rare treat for travellers and explorers of the musical soundscape.