So, I'm confused. If the Sony Classics CD was indeed cancelled, then how are all these secondhand marketplace sellers on Amazon selling the CD? Was the CD released elsewhere, not on Amazon, and Amazon is not selling it? Are the marketplace sellers burning the digital version onto a CD-R and passing it off as a legit CD, not advertising it as such, which of course is totally illegal, right under the noses and totally obvious on Amazon? What's going on?
I just don't get this. I thought the internet was supposed to be a tool for information. I've searched high and low for info on the status of the CD and come up with nothing, and then the CD shows up on Amazon UK but not Amazon US which shows no signs of releasing it so far. Sony Classics has no website ("coming soon") and any simple search via a search engine comes up with zero results. Can't understand why the CD would be ready to go in the US, then be pulled two days from release, but still be ready to go in the UK.
Oh well, there are things in life that are just not meant to be understood. I've got my iTunes digital album and thankfully that's good enough to make me happy -- will be listening soon. It will wash away all this silly confusion which really doesn't mean anything in the end...
So.. has anyone actually heard it? Is it any good or just another anonymous score JNH has been producing over the past 10+ years?
Nothin special. Generally low key score with strings dominating. There is some generic synth suspense music that crops up but overall slow burner with some ok quieter orchestral moments. Theme hasn't grabbed me yet but usually enjoy JNH so may warm to it after a few plays.
Didn't that article about all the potentially Oscar-worthy scores mention this one as being James Newton Howard going big? Am I remembering wrong, or did that guy just not hear the score?
What a great score! Anyone else enjoying this? I'm guessing not, James Newton Howard is (always to me, surprisingly) such an underrated and underappreciated composer around this forum -- I'd bet most fans and listeners haven't even heard this score, but people really should give it a chance. It really is wonderful. It is much more than low-key, ambient suspense -- it has some very moving, delicate, beautiful passages and some very exciting cues as well, with great thematic writing. A very well-rounded, well-written release with a generous runtime and lots of excellent cues.
Another JNH triumph!
High-intensity (esp. the second half!):
Uplifting and moving (check out the solo piano @ 2:35):
Pretty sure James Newton Howard used to be very well-regarded, but his heart is clearly not in it as it once was and many of us just lost interest. Obviously there are some exceptions, but a new JNH score is hardly an exciting prospect these days. It's a huge bummer.
so the Amazon UK one is a real-pressed CD and not a CD-R like the US one?
Yes it's a pressed CD from Sony Classical.
After some consideration I picked it up from HMV on Friday. First listen left me a bit cold. But second and third listens revealed a subtle beauty that's quite affecting. It's once again coated in his trademark soft, string-heavy orchestration that either relaxes or bores (depending on my mood) but it's the best I've heard from him in quite some time, and it's very nicely recorded.
It's worth checking out if you're looking for something soft but intelligent.
After some consideration I picked it up from HMV on Friday. First listen left me a bit cold. But second and third listens revealed a subtle beauty that's quite affecting. It's once again coated in his trademark soft, string-heavy orchestration that either relaxes or bores (depending on my mood) but it's the best I've heard from him in quite some time, and it's very nicely recorded.
It's worth checking out if you're looking for something soft but intelligent.
So very cool to hear something -- anything -- in reaction to this score. Glad that you warmed up to it, spymaster. I hope others will give it a chance as well as I think people would quite enjoy it, there really is some beautiful music here and some rousing, exciting stuff as well, you just have to enjoy the way Howard packages that kind of thing these days.
In my opinion, his passion for writing music and emotion shines through in scores just like this one, and I think it's a great example of why he's still one of the best in the business, and at the top of his game.
Apparently, most on this site disagree, but then again this is just one microcosm, one corner of the film music listening realm, and I don't expect the 'snapshot of opinion' on one website to be symbolic of film music fans' opinions as a whole...so hopefully there are others out there in the world who are enjoying Concussion and other contemporary JNH scores as much as myself! Or maybe they are here and they are just very shy!
