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Kasatochi: The Original Trilogy
To be fair, this is not a franchise that’s short on awesome video game music, but with this release, Kasatochi rolls the tape back a bit and beeps up the music of the three movies of the original trilogy, with an emphasis on the first one. Yes, there will be a prequel trilogy album; no, I’m not sure exactly when just yet.
Go grab it from the dedicated Kasatochi page; you can see the track listing after the jump. … Read more
When I embarked on my little musical joke a little over a month ago, I wasn’t anticipating that it’d gain the kind of traction that it has. And here’s the proof: between Facebook, Twitter and e-mails I’ve received, you have here in your little virtual hands an entire EP of listener requests. And believe me when I tell you that I had no idea how this was going to turn out. 😆
dialogue required to understand it. I think it’s actually a cracking good little high-concept science fiction piece that got snuck in the back door in the packaging of a kids’ movie (nicely done, Pixar!). And the soundtrack by Thomas Newman is just this side of brilliant – with the long, dialogue-free stretches of the first half of the movie, Newman has the responsibility of cluing the audience in on the implications of what’s going on.
I really hope that it was the former, because the movie score (and its frequently budget-addled nephew, the television score) is an art form I love dearly, and I’d love to share my knowledge (and sheesh, my library) with him. He’s showing signs that he may just be “getting” music on the same gut-feeling level as his old man, who couldn’t sight-read sheet music to save his life or sing well enough for his supper. If this is an Area Of Interest, maybe some more intensive edumacation – more than what I’ve ever gotten – is something he’d be up for.
As noted in the site’s news section today, a new CD of music from the third season of Doctor Who is due in about a month. Now, as much as I’m looking forward to that, I had to fess up that the music was yet another aspect of season 3 that just underwhelmed me a bit. It seemed to me like about 3 pieces of action music were written, and a few variations on Martha’s theme, and some other bits…and then all of the above were recycled relentlessly throughout the season. I’ll still be happy to pick up the CD, because at least all of this stuff was decent music, but on the tenth reiteration, it loses a little something. At this point, it’s almost like the more recognizable music from the original Star Trek – it’s kinda like “cue the Corbomite Maneuver cube music, there’s something sinister out there!” I love that they’ve got a whole orchestra on this show, but I am starting to wonder if perhaps Murray Gold shouldn’t rotate with someone else to do the writing. Even Dudley Simpson took a break once in a blue moon.
Alan Parsons Project remasters. I really haven’t had much to say to the major labels lately unless they throw stuff that I already know is good at me, this time with bonus tracks and other goodies. The Alan Parsons Project remasters aren’t quite up to the level of the ELO remasters for real live new/newly-discovered material, but I’m loving them all the same. I Robot, Eye In The Sky, Vulture Culture and Tales Of Mystery And Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe are out, and so far I’ve pick up all but Poe (it’s a double-disc set, and apparently import only, so it’s kinda expensive). Yet to come this year: Ammonia Avenue, Eve, Gaudi, Pyramid, Stereotomy and The Turn Of A Friendly Card. If they really want to score points with me, patterning future remasters after the new release of Eye In The Sky is not something I’d kick someone out of bed for.
Jason Falkner: I’m OK You’re OK. I’ve been waiting years for this. Literally years! After his 1998 album, Jason’s only given us a six-song EP as a solo project, and has been involved in a variety of side projects (TV Eye, Logan’s Sanctuary, Bedtime With The Beatles), all of which I’ve liked, but man, I love the music this guy makes on his own. There’s nothing quite like it. If you want someone who just “gets” that ’70s power pop vibe, with strong hints of ELO, Todd Rundgren, Argent, etc., and yet it’s brand new music, you simply cannot go wrong with some Jason Falkner. Again, this one’s import only thus far, and from Japan no less (why, God, why?), so…$$$.
Royksopp: Back To Mine. I remember a time when I insisted that I just don’t “do” club music. Being exposed to quite a bit of good stuff in that genre since then has helped me to get the stick outta my ass regarding that genre, and one of my consistent favorites is Royksopp, a duo from Norway which makes downtempo sound epic and majestic. Back To Mine sounds like a really interesting and probably fun listen, in which the guys take the songs that they cite as key influences on their style…and proceed to remix the heck out of ’em. So it’s not a new original studio album, but I’m interested enough to give it a listen.
Idle Race: Back To The Story. This 2-CD set containing the complete recordings of Jeff Lynne’s first band was released quite a few years back, and then went out of print. For me to have tracked down a copy on the ‘bay would’ve meant choosing between this and a house payment, so a reissue is a dream come true. Even though it’s an import, it’s a pretty budget-priced import, and again, I’ve been waiting years for this. I’ve heard some of the songs before, but haven’t heard the Race’s third and final (and only post-Lynne) album before. Listen up for “The Lady Who Said She Could Fly” and ask yourself why, if ELO was up for covering “Do Ya”, they never revisited this song. Just gorgeous stuff, and some of Lynne’s early songwriting is up there with the best of his later works.