2009 First Half Roundup Part 2: My Choice!
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Welcome soundtrack fans! Here is part 2 of my first half round up.
Yesterday was all about the critics, my peers. As interesting as that was I bet you are wondering how much my top 10 list will be different from that. Quite a bit!
2009 has been good to my ears and mind. So much good stuff has been released this year and still only half-way in.
So here’s my top 10 for the first half of 2009:
10. Heroes by Wendy & Lisa
I’ll start with a TV show that once was great. It’s true I don’t watch this anymore, but the music, or the real music I should say, is finally here. Last year the soundtrack to Heroes was released, but it was a various artists soundtrack that didn’t have much to do with the show. Finally the score is here by Wendy & Lisa and its great!
I don’t know why critics don’t like this… why!?
Best cues: Peter, Claire, Mohinder
Critics Say: 60/100 (27th best score so far this year). They are not happy!
My review: It’s coming!
09. Home by Armand Amar
A wonderful score to a great documentary by French composer Armand Amar. A great companion to earth, our home.
I highly recommend this and other work by Armand Amar. He is truly a unique and great composer.
Best cues: Home Part I, Home Part II, Home Part IV
Critics Say: Not much! I’m the only one who has reviewed it so far…
My review: Home Soundtrack Review
08. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 by Harry Gregson-Williams
Hated by critics (I think…), loved by me. I don’t know if it’s the awesomeness of the sounds or the subtle but extremely tense cues that gets me. It’s Harry Gregson-Williams at his action/thriller best.
Best cues: The Train Leaves the Station, The Lights are all green, Manhattan Bridge
Critics Say: Don’t know! I’m the only one who has reviewed it to my knowledge, but I bet it won’t be a pretty sight when the critics sharpen their knives…
My review: The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 Soundtrack Review
07. Outlander by Geoff Zanelli
A limited release by La-La Land records swooped in and grabbed my heart and mind. I kind of cheated since I watched the movie a long time ago and pleaded for its release. For a small release it sounds pretty epic! It has those sweeping moments, great action cues and wonderful themes.
Best cues: Setting the Trap, Killing the Beast, Kainan Becomes King
Critics Say: 73/100 (11th best score so far this year). The critics are pretty pleased as it almost got into the top 10.
My review: Outlander Soundtrack Review
06. Terminator: Salvation by Danny Elfman
Oh Danny boy… Where have you been hiding these skills? Don’t get me wrong, Danny got skills, in the fantasy genre, but this is a whole new can of whoop-ass. A simply awesome action score from start to finish, well-polished and delightful.
Best cues: Opening, Marcus Enters Skynet, Final Confrontation
Critics Say: 68/100 (17th best score so far this year). Not a bad score by something so un-Elfman’ish. Some hated it, but most seem to like it.
My review: Terminator: Salvation Soundtrack Review
05. Angels & Demons by Hans Zimmer
Hans you did it again! I know most people disagree, but I think Angels & Demons is a better score overall than The Da Vinci Code. So the marvelous theme Chevalier De Sangreal is hardly used at all, but so what? This score is more explosive and a bigger better package.
Best cues: I60 BPM, Black Smoke, Science and Religion
Critics Say: 66/100 (24th best score of the year). Ouch! Most critics don’t like this very much and I really can’t understand why.
My review: Angels & Demons Soundtrack Review
04. The Tudors Season 2 by Trevor Morris
Another wonderful TV score by Trevor Morris. The first one was of course season 1, but this is a better score overall. Mr. Morris took it up a notch integrating the main theme and added more drama and more bang for the bucks. Well done!
Best cues: And so it begins, The shape of things to come, Anne Dreams of her Childhood
Critics Say: Unfortunately no one seems to bother reviewing this marvelous score…
My review: The Tudors Season 2 Soundtrack Review
03. Star Trek by Michael Giacchino
I really love this score. Star Trek is back! At first, I was a bit disappointed, because I really love the Star Trek universe and its many scores. I’m glad I was proved wrong (to myself). This is an epic and wonderful score which embodies what s beautiful about the Star Trek universe. Great themes and the best bad guy theme in a Star Trek movie so far. It is the best Michael Giacchino score I have ever heard.
Best cues: Labor of Love, Nero Sighted, End Credits
Critics Say: 75/100 (8th best score so far this year). The critics agree. Inspiring work by Mr. Giacchino!
Jon’s Review: Star Trek Soundtrack Review
02. The Lazarus Project by Brian Tyler
What a super super score by Brian Tyler. I dare even to be so bold as calling it his best work so far. Yes even better than Children of Dune… or is it? In any case, this is extremely inspiring and has a nostalgic, but modern feel about it. I really can’t recommend this score highly enough.
Best cues: Jaybird, The Lazarus Project, The Lazarus Project End Title
Critics Say: 80/100 (6th best score so far this year). Critics love it, so do I!
My review: The Lazarus Project Soundtrack Review
01. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen by Steve Jablonsky
Like you didn’t know? I think I’ve almost broken my mp3-player which is now strangely avoiding this score in my random playlist. No wonder, because this has been going non-stop since I’ve first heard it. I love it so much, and I can’t believe Jablonsky bettered the original. It was a tough and bold decision to take away some of the thematic from the first cue and replacing it with bigger and bolder, yet somewhat experimental cues, but it paid off!
Best cues: Nest, The Shard, I Claim Your Sun
Critics say: 64/100 (25th best score so far this year). Pfff, what do the critics know anyway!
My review: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Soundtrack Review
Tomorrow I will do part 3 which will be called THE WORST!
Other scores I recommend you listen to:
Other articles of interest:
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Comments
As for me, I even don’t have even the top five, I have only top 2, although I listened to almost all the scores of 2009 
Angels&Demons for the 503 track, and Fast&Furious for it’s energy.
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:51 am
Hehe you are a hard one to please? Maybe I’m getting old, but I seem to enjoy more and more scores
Really loving CROSSING OVER and was glad to see it listed as an honorable mention. Isham’s best in a good few years I think and I’m hoping that the score doesn’t get as ignored by people as the film did.
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Yep, I quite liked Crossing Over. It’s a good score by Isham, certainly better than his 2008 efforts.
The only decent track listening to in Angels & Demons is 503.
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
July 7th, 2009 at 4:56 am
503 is just one of many. My favorite is Black Smoke
Loving Star Trek! I do remember the Heroes score music being good, but I’ve left that show, and don’t care enough to even get attached to the score music again.
I’ll admit on first listen, I was highly dissapointed with the Transformers score, but I think that was because I expected is to be the first score, just slightly different. Once I got over that, THEN I could fall in love with it. However, I have completely different favorites than you (Nest is pretty darn good though). My favs have to be Infinite White (although I still have no idea where it really is in the movie), Tomb of the Primes, and Matrix of Leadership (which just builds and builds and then – ARRIVAL TO EARTH! seriously epic). I also have a love affair with Forest Battle, but only because it’s the first time on the score you hear the Autobot theme. Wish the first half of the song was better.
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
July 12th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Same thing happened to me! On Transformers that is. I really appreciate this score on its own. It’s stunning.
[...] funny because I have been very positive this year and during my half-year roundup I had some very good words to say about the current state of film music. My average score from my [...]
Soundtrack Seek
I’m almost the opposite of you, I can’t stand to listen to the new Transformers score. Every time I try to listen to a track like Prime or the Forest Battle, it just disappoints me when the “Autobot” theme isn’t used like it was in the first score (“Arrival to Earth” and “Autobots”). The theme in this new score starts the same way but seems to end before it reaches it’s full potential.
Reply
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:14 am
What is your top 10? By the way, check out my top 5 worst tonight. I’m sure I can manage to get someone in there that you like
Reply
fargo Reply:
July 3rd, 2009 at 6:36 am
I have only bought three soundtracks that have been released this year, listed in order of enjoyment:
1) Star Trek
-Had many great action cues, but two things make this my favorite score, the first being the Spock/Vulcan theme, and the second being the Courage Theme heard at the end.
2) Angels & Demons
-It’s fairly enjoyable to listen all the way through, but mostly I only listen to the tracks “503″ and “Election by Adoration”.
3) Home
-Just nice, peaceful music. Good to play while I do my accounting homework.
I’m always looking for a new soundtrack to buy, and I’ve sampled many that have come out this year, including the new Transformer and Terminator movies, as well as Coraline and Knowing, but I just couldn’t really find a track that I liked enough to persuade me into buying the whole album.
Overall I would say this year has been sorta disappointing for me in terms of soundtracks that I like, and the only score I’m really looking forward to is the new Harry Potter score by Hooper (I have a bit of nervousness about this one though, considering the previous entry Hooper made).
Reply
Jorn Tillnes Reply:
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:57 am
Not a fan of the previous Hooper HP effort? Me neither. Still, the samples seems nice and the Hedwig theme is in. Here’s hoping!