Soundtrack Review: Speed Racer by Michael Giacchino (2008)
Welcome back! Have you subscribed to my RSS feed yet? Make sure you don't miss anything by getting all Soundtrack Geek posts by Email. Also check out Soundtrack Fans, a new social network for soundtrack fans. Thanks for visiting!
This is a review of the motion picture score for Speed Racer by Michael Giacchino.
“Once I started listening to it, I could immediately hear that it’s really fast paced and sometimes even silly”
This is the score the awaited Wachowski Brothers movie Speed Racer. There’s been a lot of hype about this one and naturally the soundtrack. By watching the trailers, I had some idea of what to expect and I also know what Michael Giacchino is capable of. He was nominated last year for his excellent score to Ratatouille and hopes to build on that success this year with Speed Racer and Star Trek later this year (or possibly next). This is the track list of Speed Racer:
Track List
- I Am Speed
- World’s Best Autopia
- Thunderhead
- Tragic Story Of Rex Racer
- Vroom And Board
- World’s Worst Road Rage
- Racing’s In Our Blood
- True Heart Of Racing
- Casa Cristo
- End Of The First Leg
- Bumper To Bumper, Rail To Rail
- The Maltese Ice Cave
- Go Speed, Go!
- He Ain’t Heavy
- 32 Hours
- Grand Ol’ Prix
- Reboot
- Let Us Drink Milk
- Speed Racer
Road Runner?
The soundtrack is nicely filled with 19 tracks and has a total play time of 58:39. The thing with Michael Giacchino is that he repeats himself a lot. In some eyes, that is not a bad thing. If you are a fan, you will no doubt love everything he does. After all, Thomas Newman has a “sound”, Trevor Rabin has a “sound” etc. and it hasn’t done them any harm. It seems to have escaped Michael Giacchino too because he get a lot of work and recently nominated for an Academy Award. Once I started listening to it, I could immediately hear that it’s really fast paced and sometimes even silly, like a Road Runner cartoon. Nothing wrong with that though, since it probably fits the movie quite well.
The Incredibles Part II
However, if you have heard The Incredibles by Michael Giacchino you have heard this soundtrack. It is strikingly similar and if The Incredibles get a sequel, they might just copy this CD and slap The Incredibles II cover on the front. This is the problem with Michael Giacchino though, he repeats himself too much and doesn’t know how to repeat well. What I mean by that is that if he is going to repeat himself, then at least do it with style like Thomas Newman. Maybe I’m not a big fan of Giacchino’s work, but I believe this is a valid point. John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, they all repeat themselves, but it’s always done well and I hope Michael Giacchino isn’t too set in his ways to tweak his style a little.
Negatives:
- Too similar to The Incredibles
- A bit too silly
Positives:
- Fast paced, in sync with the movie
Listen to Speed Racer by Michael Giacchino below:
http://soundtrackgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/sr2.flv
Other articles of interest:
Loading ...If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
Scott, if you are a fan of Michael, then you won’t be disappointed I’m sure. If I were you, I would definitely get Lost Season 3 soundtrack though. Review of that one is coming up tomorrow I think. It was due tonight, but something else dropped in my mailbox 
Having played this soundtrack all over the summer, I must say Mr Giacchin is one of the most imaginative and whimsical composers of all time, and after Ratatouille and Mission Impossible III, he has delivered another infectious soundtrack from which I can never tire.
The above review was unfair especially since many highly rated composers produced many mediocre soundtracks in which they tried to imitate themsleves.
I have found Giachino’s soundtracks to be far more listenable than some of the big hitters’ efforts mainly because he transmits an enthusiasm and respect for the music he composes. For me, this was one of the best soundtracks of the year (better than at least one big composers major work on a film sequel he wrote one of his most famous themse for).
With Star Trek in the can, if this soundtrack is any indication of things to come, I am looking forward to the music more than the film (and I AM a Trekkie). Michael Giachino, you have nothing to be ashamed for, and thanks for the excellent guitar solo at the end of the last track. What a sound!!
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
November 20th, 2008 at 3:35 am
Really? You think Giacchino is imaginative? Fair enough, many do 
I think he has gotten the case of repeating himself far too often as most composers does. I guess it comes down to whether you like Giacchino’s style which you definitely do.
As for Star Trek, I am worried. I am a Trekkie too, and I hope he does the franchise justice. It’s a bold move hiring him for that movie, but then again it’s J.J. Abrams and they go hand in hand these days. Really hope he doesn’t mess it up as the music of Trek is both brilliant and imaginative.
A brilliant soundtrack of an underrated movie. The brassy score is full of excellent momemnts, and there is a great dealof excitement on tracks such as Casa Cristo and Grand Ol’ Prix. The Speed Racer theme at the end of the CD is seriously cool, as it mixes reverb electric guitar, brass and the ‘Mach go go’ and ‘Go Speed Racer Go’ words into the track. This soundtrack is definitely one of the highlights of the year, I don’t know why the critic on this blog trashed it, since it is a lot better than a lot of Jerry Goldsmith’s and John William’s scores. Both made far more samey mediocre music, especially at the end of the 80s, beginning of the 90s. I also agree that the Star Trek music should be great especially if Giachino remains as faithful to the classic Star Trek music as he has remained with the Speed Racer theme. The movie was also cool, and the critics trashed it, which is why critics are always wrong since audiences will evaluate these works and probably end up wondering what was so bad.
Go Speed Racer GO!!!
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
November 20th, 2008 at 3:38 am
Glad you liked it David. I enjoyed the movie a lot better than I did the music. Main theme aside, I wish Mr. Giacchino had chosen a different route with this one, a more substantial and heavier route, but he went the light and silly route. It didn’t sit well with me, however, after reading all these positive comments I want to re-listen to it and see if my views has changed since I did the review. Thanks for your comment!
Amazing music. I work in a shop where this has played over the last few weks (I work in a sci-fi shop), and it sounds very busy and fun. I have not seen the mvie, but if it is half as good as the music, it will be a masterpiece. I also agree with the above two commentators that Giachino is a commendable artist and the review above was harsh. Did the critic not listen to Rataouille? I also think his three soundtracks, from Mission Impossible 3, Ratatouille, to Speed Racer are very different, and if the critic found this similar to The Incredibles, maybe a listen to Ratatouille will show that these two albums sound so different in tone and character. This is grandiose, like the cartoon, and Ratatouille is Romantic and very French. I think the critic has been harsh here. It is also true that may composers repeat themselves but not everything Williams or Jerry Goldsmith did was exactly mind-blowing. People just remeber their famous themes, and everyone forgets the ones that were utter piles of crap. working in the shop we always play soundtracks from action/ sci fi movies and film scores in general and the amount of crap from Williams and Goldsmith is actually surprising. In fact, it is good that they got Giachino to do Str Trek since he may honour Goldsmith and come up with something that sounds good and very complementary to Star Trek. As it is, Michael Giachino should win an Oscar for the Speed Racer score – it IS that that good!!
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
November 20th, 2008 at 3:49 am
It certainly is busy, but don’t know about the fun part. If fun means silly and annoying I am with you . The movie is visually quite amazing, and as a whole a lot better than the score in my opinion. Not a fan of the original Speed Racer though and that might have colored my review a little. Ratatouille I liked a lot and was so happy to see it get the awards which it did this year, but it’s a completely different kind of movie and setting. I felt Ratatouille was Giacchino’s most original work in a very long time as he does seem to repeat himself a lot. It is The Incredibles Part 2 don’t you think? I think this is also Giacchino’s problem as he does it over and over again usually.
Williams and Goldsmith repeats themselves a lot too, that’s true, and I’m not their biggest fans either. That being said, it all depends if you like the style of the artist. Take Thomas Newman for example, a great composer in my mind, but he has developed a “Thomas Newman” sound to almost all of his scores. Still, if you like that sound, then you will probably like most of his scores. I just don’t like the Giacchino sound very much. Call it personal taste, but that is what reviews are all about.
Giacchino and Star Trek scares me, but I’ll give that guy a chance. I know he can produce some good stuff, and I pray he does the franchise justice.
Speed Racer? Oscar? Really? I think you know my opinion on that one
good film, very fun music. i like the racing music, which reminds you of all the cool special affects from the fil. highly recommended. i hope they make speed racer 2. music cd misses some things from film but still quite good, and nice to play.
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
November 20th, 2008 at 3:51 am
Thanks for the comment Masoto. I feel the film was better than the score to be fair.
Terrific Score. Good adaptation of the spe racer music, and excellent emotional overdone and triumphant track ‘Let Us Drink’. Michael Giachino is God and one of the only musicians makng film music today who is actually worth lisening to. It sure makes a change from listening to Hans Zimmer on every film!! I think it is unfair o say that Giachino repeats himself since this is nothing like Ratatouille in terms of instrumentation, flavour and musci genre. This does sound a bit like The Incredibles, but not like some of his other soundtracks so perhaps the critic here just doesn’t like Giachino. Generally speaking most music fans have embraced this soundtrack, and that does not neessarily make it great. Listening to it does!
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
November 20th, 2008 at 3:55 am
I am not a big fan of the original Speed Racer, but to be fair I should mention that Mr. Giacchino is faithful to it. The problem with Giacchino is that most of his stuff sound the same. Ratatouille was a very pleasant exception. You can say that about most composers however, so it all comes down to personal taste. Sounds a little like The Incredibles? Come on! 
Yep, you got me there. I don’t like the Giacchino sound. The exceptions are Ratatouille and MOH series. This one was back to his old sins I’m afraid. Really pray that he does Star Trek justice, although I fear the worst.
You don’t like Giancchino. So, you’ll never be able to give this soundtrack a fair review. I’m glad to see so many people are disagreeing with you. I thought the soundtrack was fantastic.
I see that you’re also not a fan of the original anime. I have to wonder why you think you could ever give anything related to it a fair review.
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
January 18th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
I am also very happy to see so many people disagreeing with me. The more the better in my opinion. Most people seemed to enjoy this score even though I didn’t.
Nothing is “fair” when it comes to reviews. It’s a highly subjective matter and views will no doubt change from reviewer to reviewer. Is it fair that I review this instead of a fan? Of course it is. I don’t want to review just scores that I like and I think most would agree with me on that.
I may not be a Giacchino fan, but I highly recommend the excellent Medal of Honor scores he did and also Lost Season 3 which was a spectacular release.
Soundtrack Seek
I’ll be picking this soundtrack up at some point. Michael is one of my favorite composers. I’ve been a big fan of his well before his movie score days. His Medal of Honor scores are some of my favorite soundtracks of all time.
Reply