The Duchess by Rachel Portman

Now, I usually avoid movies set in the Georgian or Victorian era like the plague and my gut reaction to THE DUCHESS was no different. After watching the trailer and listening to composer RACHEL PORTMAN's unassuming but heart-felt score; however, I may just have to break with my somewhat narrow-tradition.

Seeing Keira Knightly in such garb is hardly groundbreaking (although I much rather see her in such a role than, say, Kirsten Dunst or Hilary Swank). What is surprising is that composer Dario Marianelli isn't penning the score, but the selection of Rachel Portman is a solid one. Mixed with some great photography and a decent script, THE DUCHESS may not end up being half bad, but don't expect me to make seeing these overstuffed-whig-laden-flicks a habit. The original soundtrack will be released by LAKESHORE RECORDS on September 16, 2008.

You can check out the trailer below or

Pre-order THE DUCHESS soundtrack here.

Three tracks from Death Race by Paul Haslinger

Jason Statham leads the cast of an action-thriller set in the post-industrial wasteland of tomorrow, with the world's most brutal sporting event as its backdrop. A penitentiary full of felons has inspired the jailers to create a grisly pastime ripe for lucrative kickbacks. Adrenalized inmates, a global audience hungry for televised violence, and a spectacular arena come together to form the Death Race.

Three-time speedway champion Jensen Ames (Statham) is an expert at survival in the harsh landscape that has become our country. Just as he thinks he has turned his life around, the ex-con is framed for a gruesome murder he didn't commit. Forced to don the mask of the mythical driver Frankenstein -- a crowd favorite who seems impossible to kill -- Ames is given an easy choice by Terminal Island's warden (Joan
Allen): suit up or rot away in a cell.

His face hidden by a metallic mask, Ames will be put through an insane three-day challenge. He must survive a gauntlet of the most vicious criminals in the country's toughest prison to claim the prize of freedom. Driving a monster car outfitted with machine guns, flamethrowers and grenade launchers, one desperate man will destroy anything in his path to win the most twisted spectator sport on Earth.

About The Score - Note From The Director:

I was determined that Death Race would look like no other movie in the summer of 2008 - tough, gritty and uncompromisingly hardcore. The difficulty was to match a sound to this vision. I needed a soundtrack that would reek of dirt and sweat, rust and blood.

Paul stepped up to the challenge and more than delivered. It is my favorite soundtrack - edgy, uncompromising and filled with invention. It really sounds like nothing I've heard before.

Take a listen and you'll see what I mean.

PAUL W.S. ANDERSON

Paul Haslinger
"Death Race Main Titles" (mp3)
from "Death Race Soundtrack"
(Back Lot Music)

Paul Haslinger
"Punch It!" (mp3)
from "Death Race Soundtrack"
(Back Lot Music)



Paul Haslinger
"A Chance for Something Else" (mp3)
from "Death Race Soundtrack"
(Back Lot Music)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Composers Jason Hayes and Gerard Marino contribute to THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN

CLIVE BARKER'S "MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN" SOUNDTRACK
INCLUDES SONG BY VIDEO GAME LEGENDS

Jason Hayes and Gerard Marino's "NACATL" remixed by Justin Lassen for the soundtrack to upcoming motion picture "Midnight Meat Train"

"NACATL" is an historic collaboration between World of Warcraft lead composer Jason Hayes and God of War lead composer Gerard Marino. The song is inspired by the Clive Barker short story "Midnight Meat Train," which gave birth to a major motion picture of the same name coming to theaters August 1st, 2008. The soundtrack album was created by visionary producer Justin Lassen, who assembled and remixed 14 songs from a diverse set of artists including Apocalyptica (Symphonic Metal), Iconcrash (Electro Rock), SLVTN (Electronic), ALU (Experimental Macabre) and Second Coming (Alternative Rock). The CD will hit stores July 22nd, 2008 and iTunes on July 15th, 2008.

You've Heard It - Now Rate The Force Unleashed!

Hundreds of you have checked out THE FORCE UNLEASHED tracks in the last 24 hours. Now that you've heard Mark Griskey's score, let's hear what you think of it. We've made it super-simple, just rate the score in our latest visitors poll below (or go here). If you haven't heard this score yet? What are you waiting for? Check it out now.

Variety Interviews Game Composers

VARIETY has just posted an interesting article regarding the state of video game music as described by some well-known game composers...and feature film composers. Mentioned in the article are composers such as: HOWARD SHORE, MICHAEL GIACCHINO, HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS, CHRISTOPHER LENNERTZ, LAURA KARPMAN and GERARD MARINO.

Some brow-furrowers from the article:

Music budgets have risen from $30,000 (in the early '90s) to $1 million in some cases today, execs say. Composers tend to be paid by the minute, but with games requiring 90 minutes-120 minutes of music each, the $1,000- to $2,000-per-minute rate quickly adds up to creative fees in excess of $100,000.

Debney committed to writing the music for the knights-and-dragons game "Lair," but has turned down subsequent projects because there are no provisions for backend payments for successful games (as composers receive, via ASCAP and BMI, for successful films and TV shows). "The game companies are extremely resistant," he says. "I don't know if it'll change. It's a big problem."

Gerard Marino, whose "God of War" games are among the most popular (and whose music is featured on "Video Games Live"), recently heard a fellow composer complain that "there is no middle class anymore." His response: "Well, I think there is. It's games."

Also mentioned is that CHRISTOPHER LENNERTZ will be scoring the QUANTUM OF SOLACE tie-in game.


There's more so check out the full article here!

Listen to 11 Tracks from THE FORCE UNLEASHED!

Tracksounds and LucasArts Ent. are proud to bring you all 11 tracks from THE FORCE UNLEASHED promo, featuring the epic score by MARK GRISKEY! In the game, Mark Griskey's score is combined with classic John Williams pieces from the feature films. The end result is a musical score in the true, classic, tradition of STAR WARS.

While everyone is downloading the demo for the Xbox and Playstation, you can go and get yourself a good helping of Griskey's work for the game.

Special thanks to Jesse Harlin (Music Supervisor) at LucasArts for making this happen!

Listen to THE FORCE UNLEASHED HERE!

X-Files: I Want to Believe Poster Winners

Did you believe you'd win? Well if your name is:

Amine Mouafik
or
Andy Patterson

Then you your faith was well placed! Congrats to them both. If that's not you, then take heart, because another contest is already underway for QUANTUM OF SOLACE!

Enter the new contest here

Interview with Composer Miho Nomura

Between long-distance jaunts across the Pacific Ocean, Tracksounds is able to catch up with composer/producer Miho Nomura and discuss her journey into new media music, the state of the music-business in Asia, her production of Stevie Wonder's 2007 tour in Japan, and the scarcity of Asians in the music-side of Hollywood.

Check out the full interview here

Hancock Soundtrack Winner Announced (Caption Contest)

" You won't like me when I'm sober. "
The winning entry was submitted by narmi05

Thanks to all who participated! You can see all the great entries here.!

Also, don't forget our current contest for Batman: Gotham Knight and Teen Titans original soundtracks is currently underway!

You can enter the contest here!

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Music Clips Online

Starwarsthemusic.com has recently posted clips form the upcoming STAR WARS: THE CLONES WARS feature film soundtrack. The site allows you to preview every track and even rate them. THE CLONE WARS score was composed by KEVIN KINER and clearly keeps in line with Lucas' desire to take the franchise in "new directions." There are certainly moments of the big, symphonic variety that IS Star Wars, but, at the same time, this music IS NOT what most have come to associate with the characters and story. Early on, there are a couple partial quotes and occasional variations of famous motifs, but the majority of the 32 track samples contain a decidedly "world-beat" edge to them. And if that doesn' t do it for you, perhaps sleazy jazz, or big band will.

Thus far the buzz hasn't been very good for STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS itself, but I'm even more curious as to what the reaction of SW fans will be over the re-inventing of the musical element. As it stands, the music is certainly "interesting," but far, far away from the galaxy we've been visiting for 30 years.

So what do you think about this music?

Check out the clips here

High Score: Version 2.0 Launched - The New Era of Video Game Music

New reviews, interviews, and streaming music!

August 2, 2008

I am starting off this update to HIGH SCORE talking about one of the video game world's most important locations - LucasArts Entertainment, which recently relocated from Marin county, California to San Francisco's Presidio (virtually the only spot in California not engulfed in the smoke of uncountable Summer fires). This incredible campus is also home to the effects company, INDUSTRIAL LIGHT AND MAGIC and a portion of LUCASFILM LIMITED. I start here because, if you haven't started talking about their next game release, THE FORCE UNLEASHED, you will. For some of you, this groundbreaking game's score will also be a popular topic.

Back in July, my gracious host for an afternoon's lunch and tour of just a small segment of "Lucas-Land" was Vice president of Sales for LucasArts, Mary Bihr. Props and costumes from the Lucas empire adorn the foyer (the only place photos are allowed) and within the halls and offices are gobs of original conceptual art pieces and models from countless ILM projects. Echoing off of the paintings, models, and sculptures was positive buzz over the recent worldwide launch of the new Indiana Jones Lego video game. Having just spent the day previous at "The Ranch," where the other half of LucasFilm remains located, as well as SKYWALKER SOUND, and seeing original props from the Indiana Jones franchise like "the fedora," "the whip," and newly added "Crystal Skull," I have to admit that I felt a little Indiana Jones buzz myself.

There, at Skywalker Sound, I met up with composer MARK GRISKEY where he recorded his score for THE FORCE UNLEASHED. Visiting the incredible scoring stage, it was bewildering to think that THE FORCE UNLEASHED was the first LucasArts video game to have its score recorded there! In the mixing room, I met Dann Thompson, audio engineer who mixed Mark Griskey's THE KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC: THE SITH LORDS score. While still in the mixing suite, I briefly met the Director of Recording and Scoring, Leslie Ann Jones, who worked on THE FORCE UNLEASHED with Griskey.

"LucasLand" is indeed "Disneyland" for the film and game geek in all of us. (Ok...in me, then.) A large portion of this update to HIGH SCORE revolves around the release of THE FORCE UNLEASHED. You'll find a full review of the promo soundtrack as well as an exclusive interview with MARK GRISKEY. In addition you'll find full reviews of KEVIN RIEPL's HUXLEY and WINIFRED PHILLIP's SPEED RACER: THE VIDEO GAME. Finally, we've added two new SCOREFRONT profiles: COLIN O'MALLEY and DUANE DECKER, both of whom have a number of significant video game projects under their belts. And don't miss the new music above from titles such as: PRINCE CASPIAN (Mark Griskey), SUPERMAN RETURNS (Colin O'Malley), HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC V (Paul Anthony Romero).

"Upgrade" yourself to High Score (Ver. 2.0) here!

Win BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT and TEEN TITANS: TROUBLE IN TOKYO SOUNDTRACKS

The latest Movie Caption Contest is up and running!

Smile! Here's your chance to win TWO original soundtracks! BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT by by Christopher Drake, Robert J. Kral and Kevin Manthei and TEEN TITANS: TROUBLE IN TOKYO by Kristopher Carter, Michael McCuistion Lolita Ritmanis! (Sponsored by La La Land Records) That's six composers for the price of one.

The contest will run through August 30.

Enter your captions here!