Soundtrack Review: Surf’s Up by Mychael Danna (2008)
Let’s be honest, penguins have been waaay overused recently and this is another one of those animated movies featuring penguins, although surfing penguins. This is not a movie review however, but a review of the recently released score by Mychael Danna. I always expect these scores to animated movies to be a little cartoony (Beowulf excluded of course), and judging by the cover art, I was expecting just that. Boy was I surprised! Here’s the track list of Surf’s Up:
- Legends
- Sports Network Presents
- You’re In
- Big Z’s Shrine
- Taking On Tank
- The Geek
- Stuck With This Guy
- I Don’t Have A Way
- Log Roll
- The Board Shack
- Cody Struggles
- Lani And Cody
- Waterfall
- In The Tube
- Training
- The Has Been
- The Big Z Memorial
- First Round
- Shredding
- Winning Is…
- Boneyards
- Losers
- Pointed The Way Back
First of all, 23 tracks, yeay Mychael Danna, but what is this? Total playtime: 28:15!? Boo! The tracks are really short, especially the surfer cues, where Mychael Danna imitates the Beach Boys (in a great fashion I might add). So I started this thing up expecting a lame cartoony score and the first cue totally surprised me with an amazing theme featuring a wicked piano with added reverb. Then it goes onto an awesome cue where it pays hard on guitars and the occasional surf sounding guitar we all know from those classic surf songs. All in all, it is really a great mix of “serious” songs and fun songs which you just want to play again and again and again.
I don’t know if this is just me being bored of the scores so far this year, but this is so different, so refreshing and just great to listen to. The piano theme used throughout is top notch, and it makes for an amazing listening experience. I was debating to myself whether to give it 5 or 4.5, that’s how good this score is. Surprising, refreshing and just damn fun! Surf’s Up by Mychael Danna is the best score so far this year. Listen to Surf’s Up below:
http://soundtrackgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/surfsup.flv
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(8 votes, average: 9.75 out of 10)
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Comments
Hehe, yeah it’s pretty much close to a 5, no shame in admitting that. I haven’t seen the movie, so this was totally unexpected judging by the premise and what I know about it. I have a feeling this is going to be one of the biggest surprise scores of 2008 for me and I am happy to admit that I love it!
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I love it! I hadn’t even noticed the music watching the movie, I was so constantly surprised to be liking a surfing penguin movie. Thanks for posting the music link. I’m glad you liked it and why not - go ahead and give it a 5. It’s what you liked. Don’t be ashamed! =)
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