Ender's Game (Soundtrack) by Steve Jablonsky - Review

Oh Bugger.

Review by Edmund Meinerts

It’s taken long enough, but Orson Scott Card’s classic sci-fi novel ENDER’S GAME – about a school where gifted children are trained to become ruthless commanders in a war against an alien menace – has finally made the leap to the silver screen. The film has had to struggle through a thicket of production problems, not to mention controversy over the author’s, shall we say, less than enlightened politics. One thing you often see when a film is going through issues like this at a late stage is a rejected score, simply because it’s one of the last things to be completed on a film and is therefore one of the only things that can still be changed. And that is apparently what happened with ENDER’S GAME, with JAMES HORNER leaving the project (ostensibly before he was able to record any material) and being replaced with one of the film score community’s favorite whipping boys, STEVE JABLONSKY. Reactions to this news were, to put it mildly, rather displeased.

Not all of the criticism heaped on JABLONSKY has been entirely fair – he is undoubtedly a talented composer, as his outstanding score to STEAMBOY continues to prove – but he is so rarely allowed to use the full extent of his musical muscles. He is the epitome of hit-and-miss, and with each score he puts out, you simply have no idea whether it will be a hugely enjoyable, thematic guilty pleasure along the lines of TRANSFORMERS, or rather a vicious, noisy, intellectually bankrupt assault on the ears a la BATTLESHIP (we can take STEAMBOY out of the equation as it looks less and less likely that JABLONSKY will ever revisit that sort of writing, sadly). ENDER’S GAME exists somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum, but unfortunately it resides far, far closer to the latter than the former.

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Pain & Gain (Soundtrack) by Steve Jablonsky - Review

Not Much to Gain Here

Review by Edmund Meinerts

Having spent most of his career creating big-budget explosion clotheslines, director Michael Bay’s latest is a surprising downscale in scope and budget: PAIN & GAIN, a crime film based on the exploits of a group of real-life bodybuilders-turned-organized-criminals. The film (and in particular its stab at dark comedy) has received mixed reviews, which by Bay’s standards is like being nominated for half a dozen Oscars, and along for the ride for the fifth BAY film in a row is STEVE JABLONSKY, whose disappointingly hit-and-miss career path is one of the most frustrating phenomena in recent film music. Unfortunately, PAIN & GAIN is another one to add to the rapidly growing pile of misses.

JABLONSKY’s previous scores for the director, led by the power-anthem-laden TRANSFORMERS trilogy, have generally been extremely derivative of his mentor HANS ZIMMER, but still memorable and thematic enough to stand as viable guilty pleasures (the first in particular). PAIN & GAIN takes a very different route, however, scrapping the orchestra almost entirely in favor of a modern, all-synthetic soundscape a la CLIFF MARTINEZ. Like MARTINEZ’ scores, it is no doubt sufficient as a mood-setter in the context of the film but on the excessively generous 65-minute album, most of it is simply dull.

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Quick-Click Reviews: Volume 24

Volume 24 of our Quick-Reviews is the first in nearly 10 years!  We figured you'd waited long enough.  With the re-introduction of these "straight to the point" reviews for the busy, multitasking, soundtrack-geniuses out there, we bring your four brand new reviews.  All four reviews are conveniently contained on one page.  One click...four reviews.

Here's what you'll find in Volume 24:


BATTLESHIP by Steve Jablonsky
Review by Richard Buxton
5/10

"Guilty pleasure is an apt way of describing many a JABLONSKY score in recent years, and for some, BATTLESHIP is possibly the guiltiest of them all."

BRAVE HEARTS UMIZARU by Naoko Sato
Review by Richard Buxton
8/10

"SATO’S music for the series is of a more of a Retro Remote control variety, favouring bold and exciting themes reminiscent of the 90’s Media Ventures scores. "

ELYSIUM by Jo Blankenburg
Review by Christopher Coleman
8/10

"Elysium features the sort of music that is all too rare, because fewer and fewer feature films allow such unabashed emotion to be demonstrated in their associated scores. "

ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT by John Powell
Review by Helen San
6/10

"The kinetic punch isn’t in enough tracks to overcome the more pedestrian and quirky listening experience in the rest of the album."

MAKE ONE CLICK, GET FOUR REVIEWS

Music from the Transformers Trilogy by London Music Works - Review

Reinterpricons!
Review by Richard Buxton

The music of the TRANSFORMERS trilogy is probably not what one might expect to be given a re-recording and compilation treatment, especially seeing as the final part of MICHAEL BAY’S trilogy is merely months old. Yet here is LONDON MUSIC WORKS own interpretation of JABLONSKY’S music for the trilogy.

MUSIC FROM THE TRANSFORMERS TRILOGY consists 17 tracks in total, and those who have followed JABLONSKY’S work in the series will immediately notice that the tracks chosen are certainly the highlights of the three films’ musical offering. This is perhaps the greatest incentive for anyone deliberating over whether to purchase the album. The compilation stands as a useful overview of the music across the three films, enabling listeners to hear the high points and providing assistance in generating an overall opinion of JABLONSKY’S work should one be needed before taking the plunge into the trilogy’s individual soundtracks. Therefore it comes as no surprise that this album is perhaps unsuitable for those who have already experienced the previous three score albums in great detail. As pleasant as the recordings on the album are, they offer very little beyond JABLONSKY’S original recordings and are subsequently a concrete recommendation only for the most devout of Transformers music fans.

One of the pitfalls of re-recordings in film music is the failure to live up to the original. The recent release of HALO: COMBAT EVOLVED ANNIVERSARY is an example of the reinterpreting of a strongly established original musical journey that brings with it legions of dedicated fans. Such was the strength and iconic nature of the HALO score; it was always going to be difficult to live up to the original. This is not the case for MUSIC FROM THE TRANSFORMERS TRILOGY however. There are distinctive differences that are immediately noticeable, but the orchestral performances on offer are consistently sufficient in resurrecting vivid mental images of the Autobot’s clashes with the Decepticons.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Soundtrack) by Steve Jablonsky (Review)

A Cold Serving
Review by Richard Buxton

2007 saw the release of TRANSFORMERS but to the dismay of many a film score fan, its arrival did not bring with it an original score, but instead merely a soundtrack release of barely relevant material. Yet, thanks to persistent clamour from fans, STEVE JABLONSKY’S score was eventually let loose to a fanfare of excitement, at least from those who had asked for it. 2009’s sequel, REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, was not to suffer the months of suspended animation between film and score and fan fervour was subsequently significantly subdued. Was this purely a case of skipping the period of anticipation towards the release, or did it stem purely from a sense of disappointment in how the music sounded alongside the film? Critical and fan reception would suggest a sentiment resembling the latter. Sales-wise the score outperformed the original, but it was met with significantly less excitement post-listen.

With the third TRANSFORMERS film’s release in June 2011 came the apparent end of MICHAEL BAY’S involvement in the franchise, rounding out his trilogy of contributions to the war between Autobots and Decepticons. While the first film in the series failed to set any particularly noteworthy benchmarks in areas other than visual FX, it is undoubtedly the most critically favored of the three. REVENGE OF THE FALLEN however was met with almost universal derision for being “a horrible experience of unbearable length” (Ebert, 2009), an understandable criticism for a summer blockbuster that runs for a total of 150 minutes. Regardless of the film itself, surely such a long running time would allow JABLONSKY the time to craft a deep, enriched and fleshed out listening experience that would surpass the original? Sadly, not.

JABLONSKY’S work for the first film was never more than a simple and entertaining listening experience, and it never pretended otherwise. His themes for the Autobots, their arrival, and the Decepticons were memorable in that they were simply pleasing to the ear and refreshed the memory of the various key moments in the film. Unfortunately, his score for the sequel bizarrely discards almost all relation to the stronger moments of the first score, leaving the listener to navigate their way through a largely forgettable array of action music in order to find anything repeatedly listenable.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

Win Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Original Score) by Steve Jablonsky

You've stayed up late. You've waited in line. You've seen the movie. Now, Tracksounds and Reprise Records want you to win the original score for TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN by Steve Jablonsky!

You could win 1 of 5 CDs. Simply enter your name, email address and tell us which Transformer you wish you could be and why! All too easy.

Enter the contest here

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Teaser

If you don't want to wait for its release during the SUPER BOWL today, that take a gander at what MICHAEL BAY and company have in store for us this year. All I can say is, "Oh My!" And I mean that in a good way. STEVE JABLONSKY will have come through again to match the insanity of these visuals! Make sure you pre-order your soundtrack now...so you too can capitalize on its scarcity 6 months later. ;)

Sumthing Else Releases Fable II Soundtrack

Mark down the day, NOVEMBER 25, 2008, for it will be a good one! That day, Sumthing Else Music Works will be releasing 3 game scores from three highly successful game franchises. The score for FABLE II was composed by RUSSELL SHAW and features the title theme by DANNY ELFMAN. Joining this soundtrack release will be GEARS OF WAR 2 by STEVE JABLONSKY and BROTHERS IN ARMS: HELL'S HIGHWAY by ED LIMA and DUNCAN WATT. Not only are there too many epic games to try an afford these final months of 2008, but there are a bevy of game soundtracks to work into the budget, too. Well, do your best. Below is the full presser for Fable II.


MEDIA RELEASE
SUMTHING ELSE MUSIC WORKS ANNOUNCES
RELEASE OF FABLE II ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK


Feautring Original Music Score by Russell Shaw and Fable Theme by Danny Elfman


New York – Nov. 6th, 2008 – Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc., through its licensing relationship with Microsoft Game Studios, proudly presents Fable II Original Soundtrack featuring the original music score by Russell Shaw and the “Fable Theme” from Danny Elfman. The original soundtrack from the Xbox 360™ roleplaying adventure video game will be released on Nov. 25, 2008 to retail outlets through Nile Rodgers’ Sumthing Else Music Works record label www.sumthing.com, and for digital download at www.sumthingdigital.com and iTunes®.

Fable II Original Soundtrack features the rich and musically diverse Fable II score composed by Russell Shaw (Fable, Black & White) as well as the Fable Theme by GRAMMY® award-winner Danny Elfman (Spider-Man, The Simpsons, Big Fish.) The Fable II score was recorded with 90 musicians including the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra at the Slovak Radio Concert Hall in Bratislava, as well as celtic instrumentalists with the Tiffin School Boys Choir and Pinewood Singers Adult Choir at Pinewood Film Studios in London, England.

”We had a lot of music to record, covering many different styles including chamber, celtic, classic, quirky, pure pizzicato, atmospheric and dramatic,” said Russell Shaw, Head of Music and Composer at Lionhead Studios. “Music for the game was broken down into four distinct categories: regions, script, combat and incidentals. Each region has its own orchestral theme which changes with the seasons in each chapter. Scripted moments have orchestral cues relevant to what is happening at that point in the story – sad, dramatic, mysterious, tension and danger. The final result is a very rich, Hollywood style score covering many genres.”

Track Listing:

1. Fable Theme - Russell Shaw (Music Box Theme – Danny Elfman)
2. Old Town - Russell Shaw
3. Bowerstone Cemetery - Russell Shaw
4. Bowerlake - Russell Shaw
5. Wraithmarsh - Russell Shaw (Music Box Theme – Danny Elfman)
6. Fairfax Castle - Russell Shaw
7. Westcliff - Russell Shaw
8. Oakfield - Russell Shaw
9. Bowerstone Market - Russell Shaw
10. Shadow of Evil - Russell Shaw
11. Howling Halls - Russell Shaw
12. Marcus Memorial - Russell Shaw

Fable II is the sequel to the wildly successful original that sold more than 3 million copies, offering even more choices and building on the core gameplay theme of Fable, where a player’s every decision continually defines who they become. Fable II is an action role-playing game (RPG) that truly allows players to live the life they choose in the newly expanded open world of Albion. Set 500 years after the original, Fable II provides gamers with an epic story and innovative real-time gameplay, including a massive amount of freedom and choice to explore a vast collection of dungeons, catacombs and taverns in the world of Albion. For more information, visit www.xbox.com/Fable2.

Gears of War 2 by Steve Jablonsky is Sumthing Else

"Big games draw big names." The first Gears of War game has sold well over 3 million copies, spawned a book and the development of a feature film. As one of the Xbox 360's biggest sellers, a sequel game was a foregone conclusion long ago. That sequel is due in stores this month. While KEVIN RIEPL's score for the first game was certainly good enough to warrant him being brought back for part deux, the game's producers elected to go with composer STEVE JABLONSKY. Even though Jablonsky has done his share of game scores in the past, he is fast becoming a popular choice for big, budget feature films these days. Still, the big-name-allure of GEARS OF WAR 2 must have simply been too huge to pass up. With the immiment feature film, it would make sense to lock him up to pull double duty here, but perhaps that makes too much sense. In any case, here is the full press release on the soundtrack.


MEDIA RELEASE
SUMTHING ELSE MUSIC WORKS ANNOUNCES
RELEASE OF GEARS OF WAR 2 THE SOUNDTRACK


Original Music Score by Hollywood Composer Steve Jablonsky
and performed by the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra and Chorus


New York – Oct. 27, 2008 – Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc., through its licensing relationship with Epic Games, Inc., proudly presents Gears of War® 2 The Soundtrack. The original soundtrack from the highly anticipated blockbuster Xbox 360™ action video game will be released on Nov. 25, 2008 to retail outlets through Nile Rodgers’ Sumthing Else Music Works record label www.sumthing.com, and for digital download at www.sumthingdigital.com.


Gears of War 2 The Soundtrack features a new original music score composed by Hollywood composer Steve Jablonsky (“Transformers”, “The Island”, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”) and recorded with the Skywalker Symphonic Orchestra and Chorus at the world famous Skywalker Sound
.

Epic Games wanted every aspect of Gears of War 2 to be “bigger, darker, and crunchier” than the original game, including the bombastic orchestral soundtrack. Drawing on his extensive experience scoring big budget action films as well as a unique musical repertoire and Hollywood production values, Jablonsky was the perfect match for creating the adrenaline-pumping, emotionally charged Gears of War 2 score.

“It’s been a real treat working with Steve on the score for Gears of War 2. We have a tremendous amount of confidence in him, and believe the Gears community will embrace the new sound," said Mike Larson, Audio Director of Epic Games. "We’ve designed Gears 2 to impact players on a deep emotional level, and much of that connection is made with music that grabs their attention and makes them feel personally involved with the game universe. We have aimed to create something a bit more serious, cinematic, and refined with a harder-hitting approach toward composition and production.”

“Epic gave me a blank canvas, which was really great,” said Steve Jablonsky, Composer for Gears of War 2. “I experimented with a lot of hybrid organic/electronic elements, and combined them with the power of a large orchestra and choir.”

Track Listing:

1. Return Of The Omen

2. Hope Runs Deep

3. Green As Grass

4. Expectations

5. Finally, A Lead

6. Armored Prayer

7. Hold Them Off

8. Derrick Chase

9. Building Thunder

10. Hell Breaks Loose

11. Bedlam

12. Breakneck

13. Landown

14. Racing To Extinction

15. If They Can Ride Em

16. Hollow

17. Unexpected Changes

18. March Of The Horde

19. Highway

20. Denizens Of The Deep

21. With Sympathy

22. Insurmountable Odds

23. Bump In The Night

24. Frenzy

25. Outpost

26. Finale

27. Autumn Of Mankind

Gears of War 2 tells the story of humanity's last stand against the nightmarish, underground Locust Horde, and is the follow-up to one of the most popular Xbox 360 games in history. Gears of War 2 blends best-in-class third-person shooter action with unsurpassed high-definition visuals, all layered on top of an engaging story of survival, loss and retribution. Gears of War 2 will be available worldwide on Nov. 7 exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. For more information, visit http://gearsofwar.com.

About Epic Games

Epic Games, Inc., based in Cary, NC and established in 1991, develops cutting-edge games and cross-platform game engine technology. The company has created multiple million-selling, award-winning titles in its Unreal series, most recently shipping Unreal Tournament 3 for PC, PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360. Epic’s breakthrough game, Gears of War, sold 5 million copies and won over 30 Game of the Year awards. The highly anticipated sequel, Gears of War 2, is scheduled for release this November. Epic’s Unreal Engine 3 is the current holder and three-time consecutive winner of Game Developer magazine’s Best Engine Front Line Award. Additional information about Epic can be obtained through the Epic Games Web site at www.epicgames.com.

About Nile Rodgers

Award winning record producer Nile Rodgers is one of the most prolific music producers in history. Nile’s production accomplishments include such diverse artists as Diana Ross, Madonna, David Bowie, Duran Duran, The B-52’s, David Lee Roth, Grace Jones, Mick Jagger and top selling game soundtracks such as Halo® 2 Volume One. Records produced by Nile Rodgers have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. As a founding member of the perennial Rhythm & Blues dance band Chic, Nile co-wrote all of their big hits including "Le Freak" and "Good Times", as well as "We Are Family" for Sister Sledge. In addition to records, he has also scored or produced music for numerous films including "Coming to America", "Thelma and Louise", "The Flintstones", "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Rush Hour II," as well as a variety of television shows and commercials. Nile is a board member of several organizations including the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).
About Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc.

Since its creation in the late 1990’s by the world-renowned song writer, musician and record producer, Nile Rodgers, Sumthing Else Music Works has become the acknowledged industry leader in licensing and distributing video game soundtracks. Possessing full in-house services worldwide, from creation of original video game soundtracks through physical distribution, Sumthing is partnered with the world’s leading video game developers and publishers including BioWare, Bungie Studios, Capcom, Crytek, Eidos Interactive, Epic Games, Gearbox Software, Microsoft, Mistwalker, Rare, SEGA, Silicon Knights, Sony Computer Entertainment and Ubisoft. Their catalogue of titles includes the best selling video game soundtrack of all time, Halo 2: Volume One, as well as award-winning titles including: Crysis, Advent Rising, Fable, Gears of War, Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 Volume Two, Halo 3, Hitman: Contracts, Hitman: Blood Money, Jade Empire, Kameo: Elements of Power, Mass Effect, Red Steel, Unreal Tournament 3 and many others.

For Sumthing’s full catalogue please visit www.sumthing.com and their digital download service at www.sumthingdigital.com.

Epic, Epic Games, Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Marcus Fenix, Unreal, Unreal Engine, and Unreal Tournament are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. All rights reserved. Sumthing Else Music Works and Sumthing Distribution logos are copyright of their respective companies. All other names of products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Steve Jablonsky Scores The Sims 3

According to the good folk over at 1up.com, composer STEVE JABLONSKY will be writing thematic music for the upcoming game, THE SIMS 3. Seems he is getting more and more involved in the gaming world of late - most notably landing the big-to-do, GEARS OF WAR 2. Suffice it to say, GEARS OF WAR 2 will likely be a little more dramatically engaging than THE SIMS.


You can get the full story here at 1up.com

Music from Transformers introduces the Lakers at NBA Finals Game 4

What was that music used during the introduction of the LOS ANGELES LAKERS before the start of Game 4 of the NBA Finals? That was none other than STEVE JABLONSKY'S score from last year's TRANSFORMERS. The cue used was "Autobots," so guess who that makes the BOSTON CELTICS.

If the Lakers have any shot at winning this...they better also adopt the Witwicky motto, "No Sacrifice, No Victory!"


If you are dying for it, you can get the soundtrack here!


or Download the Album from AmazonMp3

D-War: Dragon Wars (Soundtrack) by Steve Jablonsky

Big Snake Moan
Review by Christopher Coleman

...Now D-WAR (DRAGON WARS), when compared to most film's of this type produced in the West, is not a great film. In fact, in terms of story and screenplay, it is one of the worst I've seen in a while. If there is one thing we are NOT short on in Western cinema...it's feature films overburdened with look-what-we-can-do-computer-generated-shots and look-how-poor-our-writing-is-screenplays. So another one, even an import from South Korea, isn't going to make too big of a splash with audiences here. While many of the scenes in D-WAR were leaps and bounds ahead of any Korean film before it (if you doubt me...just look at Shim's own film REPTILIAN (2001 Yonggary)), there were still few "wow" moments in the film. And if there were, and I somehow missed them, they were ruined by plastic acting, wobbly writing, and a plot with enough holes for a herd of giant snakes to fall through.

STEVE JABLONSKY's score is certainly one of the better elements of the film. He develops a solid main theme, which we are immediately introduced to in "Imoogi" (track 1). This theme seems to build off of a familiar musical pattern, which I cannot help but associate with James Newton Howard (Signs, Lady in the Water). Under girding the whole thing is this repeating four-note motif, which provides the mysterious, otherworldly feel. The theme's backbone is this circular pattern which continually builds to a powerful and determined crescendo. This Imoogi/Title theme can sit alongside his theme for The Autobots in TRANSFORMERS quite well...and might even be considered superior by some. "Yeouijoo" track 5, is actually a more beautiful instance of this main theme. Being that this "Yeouijoo" is central to the plot of the film, almost as The Force is to Star Wars (but let's not get too crazy here), it makes sense that this is the central musical theme as well. The film's love theme (track 4) is rather mediocre with all the standard elements yearnful strings layered with simple piano and light vocals accents. Even though it is in the same family as The Last Samurai, it doesn't evoke the same level of emotion. You'll hear further connections to THE LAST SAMURAI (and other Zimmer scores) throughout the many, many action sequences, but most clearly in tracks 2 and 3.

Read the Full Review

Transformers (Score) by Steven Jablonsky

“Transformers” Rolls Out!
Review by Steve Townsley

I was thinking of titling this piece “Jablonsky Lights Our Darkest Hour”, but the heavy-handed esoteric reference combined with the implications on the state of film entertainment seemed a little too much (especially when it refers to a Michael Bay film.) But even that trumped my other title, “Film Score is the Right of All Sentient Beings”….even if it feels true, from time to time.

Well, as a giant-robot loving kid, growing up, you never thought it would happen, but here it is: “TRANSFORMERS” – the live-action movie. And was it everything you dreamed it would be? Hmm…well, maybe not *entirely*, but HOLY FREAKIN’ COW, it was pretty cool regardless. Ok, so our human hero is “Sam” and not “Spike”, his girlfriend is “Mikaela” and not “Carly”…and it’s now the “All-Spark”, and not “The Matrix” (lest we wonder why Laurence Fishburne doesn’t put in an appearance.)

The animated version killed Optimus Prime, and it’s a little hard to not get nostalgic when listening to Vince DiCola’s “Death of Optimus Prime” on the 1985 soundtrack album. The 2007 version brought him back to life, though, and that’s evident from the first knock-out track. The goosebumps will rise when you hear the power anthem for “Autobots” building. Chilling, also, is the almost anti-demonic choir of “Decepticons”, which is appropriate in its relentless ominous pulse!

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE

Two TRANSFORMERS sequels in the works?

EVEN MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE?

According to a story posted by DIGITALSPY back in May 2007, there may be two sequels coming for the new TRANSFORMERS franchise. Perhaps by the release of the sequels Steve Jablonsky's score from the FIRST movie will actually be made available.

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"Studio bosses have given early approval for two sequels to the Transformers remake due out in July.Director Michael Bay has also told how his version of the 1980s cartoon classic is heavy on the special effects and has cost some £50 million. "

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