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My impressions
about David Newman's score for
The Spirit are complimentary; there is a
certain sense of artistic craftsmanship associated with the soundtrack and
it resonates well in its tone. Overall, the music is in line with that of a
vintage superhero concept but David further accentuates it by adding a film
noir touch that creates a mysterious and captivating atmosphere. The
saxophone and lone female voice, in particular, offer a key part in this
score.
The main theme for
The Spirit
provides a swirling string motif that is far from being over the top but
identifiable enough to hold its own weight. David found just the right
musical stroke to represent this character and the city itself. Lending
further color to this saga is the inclusion of the harmonica, an addition
that adds the flavor of a classic Western canvas to the film. With the old
West concept of good vs. evil in mind, thematically, the use of the
harmonica is all the more fitting and cool to hear. Not surprisingly, this
style certainly gives off a retro Morricone vibe (the film's trailer used
Ennio's music from The Untouchables).
To truly
embrace the The Spirit, you should
know that the soundtrack takes a bit of time to build up its energy and that
you should be aware of the atmospheric tracks that appear early on. However,
the music has a clear direction and ramps up toward being a fully dramatic
superhero score by album's end. The soundtrack picks up so much momentum, in
fact, that by the end of it, I was hoping it would continue on for another
half hour! For sure, leaving 'em wanting more is the sign of a good score
and The Spirit has such merit. The
highest praise I can offer David's work for this effort is that his music
tells a story; it's not locked down to the film for one to partake in it.
You'll find
a very pleasing and interesting time listening to the music from, The
Spirit. Perhaps refreshingly, it's unlike
other superhero scores in that David Newman's approach is well thought out,
less bombastic, and achieves high points for its artistic style. And given
that David Newman's score is such a unique and artistic effort, I would say
that Silva Screen did a good thing for soundtrack fans by granting this
soundtrack a proper release.
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