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This is a promo compilation containing the scores to THE PHANTOM EYE (1999) and WHITE BREAD (2000), along with a couple of extra tracks from various sources. The first track, "Garden Vows", is a composition that stems from a music workshop in LA, recorded at the renowned Fox Studios. It's a romantic piece with tinkling bells and woodwinds on a soft layer of strings. Charming. The soundscape takes a u-turn with THE PHANTOM EYE, a classical horror tale directed by Gwyneth Gibby. Starting off with a grandiose overture complete with atonal assaults and a menacing march rhythm, it moves into a long string of "sneaking-around" cues a la "Dead Storage" and "The Brides / Dracula", occasionally interupted by traditional stinger-sforzandos and eerie harp sounds. Tracks like "Usher Cellar" also include a moaning sampled choir. In this score, the sampled sounds blend neatly with the orchestra. I must admit that I've never been much of a fan of horror film music, but it is evident that Russell excels in this genre and dissonance in general. Russell displays versatily as we move into "The Shooting Gallery" from WHITE BREAD, a comedy directed by John Asher. This track is a catchy bossanova tune that trods along with distant kazoo and odd percussion effects. There's a hint of reflection and melancholy in "Argument in the Park" and "Dick's Speech" but then even this score turns "horrorey", as it musically depicts a Billy gone mad (glissando strings, moody drones). Highlights among the added bonus tracks (demo snippets) include the pensive "Mirror Looks Back" and the gothic "Dark Hero". It is, as I said, evident from this compilation that Russell leans heavily towards the "textural" aspects of film scoring, towards horror music with - arguably - few discernable melodies, but with a complex interweaving of harmonic material. Do we sense another Daniel Licht or Marco Beltrami, perhaps? Either way, Russell comes off as highly versatile and professional, and most certainly a safe bet for the future. |
