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If you've been even half
familiar about the developments of the late 2009 summer movie season, then
you are by no doubt aware that District 9
made one of the bigger impacts with audiences. The score by Clinton Shorter
has deservedly been given a release on iTunes, which is where you can buy it
for 8 bucks. The reason it's available at such a low price is due to the
fact that there is roughly 30 minutes of music on the soundtrack. In this
case, however, it's all about quality. Not quantity.
I enjoyed the film,
District 9, though I felt it fell short from
achieving greatness, which to be fair, is an unfair expectation of any movie.
Hype machine or not. Instead, it's a smart, entertaining bit of cinema that
should be rated above average as far as science fiction movies are concerned...
especially when compared to the current crop of today's offerings. Indeed,
director Neill Blomkamp deserves his fair share of accolades for it. And so
does composer Clinton Shorter.
When I viewed
D9 in the theater, I
did notice that Shorter's score asserted itself quite well within the fabric
of the picture. The music was skillfully placed and played at just the right
levels, particularly during some of the louder action sequences. However, it
wasn't until I listened to it apart from the movie that I realized just how
exceptional a score it was. Minimal running time or not, this one is a
rewarding soundtrack to listen to.
This score has personality.
It also has a very good pace to it. Leveraging beautiful, African-inspired
vocals, Shorter's music plays as a melodic, action driven score that has its
fair share of dramatic motifs to keep you connected to the characters. With
that, It's important to note that none of these elements felt contrived or
forced; you can simply let the music play and enjoy the ride. And when this
ride reached its end for me, I can say that I was quite satisfied by what I
heard. Standouts for me include the aforementioned vocals and Shorter's use
of percussion, each of which are a perfect fit for a sci-fi drama set in
South Africa!
Don't let the running time
of this disc scare you off. It honestly didn't feel short. In fact, this
soundtrack played like a highlight reel or compilation album; there is
something to take a liking to from every one of the 11 tracks. Bring on
District 10! |
