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Wall-E
is composed by Thomas Newman, who follows up his previous Pixar affair,
Finding Nemo, with this intergalactic
effort. Featuring a whopping 38 tracks, the soundtrack consists of the
original score, sound effects, and source music, including an new song by
Peter Gabriel. While the track numbers are impressive, many of the cues are
relatively brief, so you're not getting an exhaustive amount of score
material. The packaging of the soundtrack is rather unique as it is
presented in eco friendly cardboard material with the CD booklet nestled
inside. Kudos to the production hands responsible for this thoughtful
approach. Better yet, the recycled packaging material ties in nicely with
one of the themes of the film, so it's a win all around with this concept.
For those of you who are seeking a space faring epic, you will find the
score to Wall-E to be a bit different
than what you expect. That said, it's definitely in line with the composer's
style. Thomas Newman brings his usual low-key style to the scoring duties
for this one but couples it with a serious dose of playfulness that
certainly gives the music a personality. His use of strings and sci-fi
gadgetry are at the forefront of this creative score, offering a musical
journey that is quite personable if a bit frustrating. I was left always
wanting just a little bit more after each track. Throughout my listening
experience, I was hoping a stirring, definitive theme would emerge to take
this score to the next level but one never seemed to come along.
Wall-E does, on the other hand, showcase just how far Pixar scores have come
since the early days. This is, without a doubt, one of the more 'mature'
sounding works in their cinematic library, and that includes
Ratatouille. Never before had I heard such
offbeat music come across so gracefully. Indeed, Newman's steadfast nature
never wavers as he delivers an underscore that makes one conjure up a unique
image of the cosmos, though he doesn't ratchet it up enough to take the
listener on a bona fide adventure.
Some of the score's finer moments occur when the more synthetic elements,
thematically speaking, come to life. Though robotic "sounding," Newman
creates an interesting underscore that feels oddly organic and sweet, at
times. Indeed, if robots had hearts, this is the type of music that one
could imagine them to. Naturally, this is a perfect fit for a character like
Wall-E and I imagine that the music plays along wonderfully during the film.
Had their been just one sniff at a pronounced main theme, than this score
could have really taken off. The songs on the soundtrack didn't really do
much for me; even Peter Gabriel's new single failed to capture my interest.
However, there are enough score entries on the disc to keep one occupied, so
the songs were a bit of a non-factor for me.
If you're ready for a restrained galactic odyssey, then this one's for you.
However, if you prefer more of an old fashioned orchestral romp, this isn't
a recommendation that can be made. With those stipulations, I suppose you
can tell that this is a marginal recommendation from me, but it's a 'go' for
launch nevertheless.
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