Soundtrack Review: Outlander (2009)
This is a review of the motion picture score Outlander by Geoff Zanelli.
“An excellent score despite the initial disappointments. It does reach the absolute top level, but not in the way I had foreseen.”
So this is the score I have been raving about in various posts. Yes it’s finally here and I couldn’t listen to it fast enough. After I first saw the movie I was very impressed with the sound of the score. It sounded very epic and the samples found on various websites only seemed to back up that statement. Luckily, I should say, not everything is what it appears to be, but I know what Geoff Zanelli can do. This sci-fi epic with a little silly storyline could well be that score which put Zanelli on the big map, at least for me. Did Zanelli succeed? Let’s find out!
Track List
- Setting The Trap (*****)
- Gunnar’s Raid (*****)
- The Moorwen Genocide (*****)
- Tell Me About Your Dragon (*****)
- Gods Be With You (****)
- Crash Landing (****)
- Kainan’s Capture (****)
- Interrogating Kainan (****)
- Herot Town – 709 A.D. (*****)
- Now You Look Like A Viking (*****)
- It Was A Bear (****)
- That Was Not A Bear (****)
- Into The Moorwen Lair (****)
- Killing The Beast (*****)
- Kainan Becomes King (*****)
Never Judge A Score By Its Samples
I never seem to learn that you should never judge a score by its samples. It’s such an easy lesson to learn as well. I get too excited sometimes, but it’s so great when expectations are met in full. In Outlander, I must admit I put the bar a little too high after watching the movie and listening to the samples. The good thing is that expectations usually settle when I listen to the score a few times. I can then listen to the score on its own merits.
It didn’t sound quite like I had expected, except perhaps for a few cues. I wonder if a lot of music was left out because when I watched the movie I could hear more than what’s here. The first cue ‘Setting the Trap‘ certainly deliver in spades with all that I hoped for. Of course that didn’t help when I was going to listen to the rest of the score. The main theme is simply great. It sounds epic and that’s the impression I wanted this score to have all the way through. In a way it was, but not quite to my expectations.
No Weak Cues
It is a very strong score with no weak positions. It’s like a sports team with only good players and a few great ones. It might not be enough to win the title, but it will kick ass, that’s for sure.
I already mentioned the opening cue which has the brilliant main theme and its epic sounding notes. It really sounds like a true epic at times and easily ranks near the top of all cues. ‘Gunnar’s Raid’ is another great cue which I didn’t like at first, but after a few listens, I now love it. It has some great action sequences with the drums firing in all directions and epic sounding strings to match.
I just like the sound of this score. It’s great to hear such an epic sounding score once in a while. The chilling voice that starts the cue ‘The Moorwen Genocide’ is brilliant and gives a feeling of doom and remorse which is the case for the main character. It’s a definite “What have I done!” moment and the music really works. It has some interesting electronic instruments in the mix as well, which only makes the whole package smell that much sweeter.
Conclusion
There isn’t much wrong with this score at all and hard to pinpoint any immediate flaws. I’ve listened to it so many times and it feels strong and solid all over. Perhaps I would like more; since I’m 100% sure there is more to it than this. I wouldn’t mind some more heart pumping action cues either, but it’s ok. It feels to me like another score on the Transformers scale which culminates in a massive 8 minute cue in ‘Killing the Beast’ which contains action and emotions all mixed together. An excellent score despite the initial disappointments. It does reach the absolute top level, but not in the way I had foreseen. I had a hard time deciding the final score, is it a 9 or 10? I landed in the middle as sometimes when I listen to it, it is a 10 and sometimes a 9. All in all a superb score by Geoff Zanelli and Outlander delivers pure gold!
Listen to Outlander by Geoff Zanelli below:
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(9 votes, average: 8.67 out of 10)
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Comments
this score took me a few listens to really get into, but once i did, i really rather liked it and have been listening to it rather heavily ever since.
the ‘subtleties’ imo are pretty much the main body of tracks, which i liked rather a bit more than the original reviewer — they are atmospheric and moody and suit the nature of the movie very well, imo. the ‘heroci’ themes that sort of bookend the disc have a sort of MV vibe to it, sure enough, but also a little bit of brian tyler as well. still, i feel it stands on it’s own far better than ‘transformers’ did (which still was a pretty good score in my book also, despite making me think ‘it’s zimmer lite.’)
anyway, i think the original reviewer has it right — thiswill be pretty much a guilty pleasure only — since only 3000 copies of the disc were made, chances are it won’t exactly be a runnaway sales success (though i’m sure it’ll get torrented a lot.)
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
May 15th, 2009 at 4:51 am
Maybe a lot of people don’t know this exists. I think there wasn’t planned to make a score release of Transformers but due to heavy pressure from fans it was made and sold a lot. With Outlander, there’s no promotion and the movie is a limited release so I don’t think there’s need for more than 3000.
You never know, maybe in the future it will be a sought after cult hit, sold on eBay for $500.
There’s definitely music missing. There’s about sixty four minutes on the CD and roughly a half hour more than that was written.
Oh, and the track order on the disk is really odd, since it doesn’t follow the film order at all.
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
May 16th, 2009 at 8:02 am
That’s a good point. Not many scores do this, but it makes you wonder what their reasons are.
I’m glad the score is finally out and available for purchase.
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This score was derivative and samey, and it all sounded just a bit too cheap in the recording style for me. Few scores have produced such a jolting negative reaction from me. The subtleties its supporters mention were drowned out of my ears by the blatant Media Ventures similarities. Different strokes, I suppose.
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Jorn Tillnes Reply:
May 14th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Yes I think it was the blatant MV similarities that got me on this score. I just love to hear such a score again, a proper “guilty pleasure” like Transformers was for me in 2007.
This could possibly be my guilty pleasure for 2009, although I’ve yet to hear the new Transformer score coming out this summer.
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