Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Outbreak


Outbreak (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Music by James Newton Howard

Renovatio Records presents the score for Outbreak, composed by the great James Newton Howard in 1995. The film, directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Patrick Dempsey, Donald Sutherland and Kevin Spacey, involves an outbreak of a fictional deadly virus called Motaba that originates in Zaire and finds its way in the form of a smuggled monkey to Cedar Creek, a small town deep in the United States. The plot focuses on the efforts of a group of doctors (led by Hoffman) in trying to find a cure to the disease, while the military is willing to go as far as necessary in order to contain the spread of a deadly contagion.

The film score landed on James Newton Howard, who had already proved to be able to provide music for action thrillers, having scored The Fugitive two years earlier. For Outbreak, Howard merged a robust symphonic ensemble along with performances by African vocalist Lebo M., synthesized sequences, and the L.A. Master Chorale, resulting in a enjoyable and interesting score, highlighted by its instrumental creativity and thematic progression. In Outbreak, you'll hear a tender and hopeful passage for the two main characters' love arc, cool and eerie suspense cues, African percussion backed by robust brass and choral overlays, frenetic action sequences and dissonant crescendos in which strings whine resembling the cries of monkeys. Furthermore, Howard manages to provide a solid main theme which he adapts to different scene requirements, as well as a frightening motif for the virus itself. And that's not all! Howard also introduces a magnificent yet heart-breaking choral performance in "Casey Rips His Suit" that will make you shiver!

The score was issued twice by Varèse Sarabande. First, in the form of a rather short 1995 album containing a few of the best moments of Howard's work, but also lacking many others, and later, in 2015, as a Deluxe Edition, containing the complete score along with alternate tracks. Though this edition was better received than the regular release, it contains several cues that act as a filler; this results in a lengthy 2 CD album that fails in providing an enjoyable and fluent listening experience. Renovatio Records proudly presents a new edition of the score, with the best highlights of the score and improved sound, in an effort to offer the listener one of the most influential scores James Newton Howard has written in the 90s.


Track Listing:
1. Main Titles (3:22)
2. Motaba River Valley (1:02)
3. Examining The Virus (3:13)
4. Sam & Robbie (2:51)
5. Jimbo Gets Sick (1:43)
6. Cedar Creek ER (1:28)
7. Military Arrives (2:35)
8. White Flags (2:41)
9. Cedar Creek Exodus (2:02)
10. Casey Rips His Suit (2:21)
11. Finding The Ship (1:42)
12. Final Authorization (2:54)
13. A Little Resistance (2:54)
14. They're Coming (7:51)
15. Robbie's Cured (2:13)

Running Time: 40:46







Cover Artwork:




Saturday, August 15, 2015

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End


Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Music by Hans Zimmer

Renovatio Records proudly presents the score for the third entry in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise: At World's End. The film brings together the same cast and crew from the previous installments and follows the events of Dead Man's Chest. The plot has  Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, a resurrected Captain Barbossa and the crew of the Black Pearl joining forces to free Jack Sparrow from the underworld to battle East India Trading Company chairman Lord Cutler Beckett as he uses Davy Jones and his vessel, the Flying Dutchman, to wreak havoc on the Seven Seas of the world and extinguish piracy for once and for all.

For this entry, Zimmer and his Remote Control team returned and provided one of his most solid works to date, in which he incorporated new motifs, while experimenting with older ones, and using a wider orchestra and chorus, taking the music to a whole new level. While both previous entries stand in the "guilty pleasure" ground, At World's End definitely stands out as the most intelligent score in the series, as it has Zimmer and co. moving away from their comfort zone and introducing fresh ideas and new sound palettes, most notably for the Singapore and Brethern Court sequences. Throw in some magnificent and thematic crescendos for heroism, some cutting-edge synthesizer works, awe cues for magical beauty, a notable collection of instruments such as woodwinds, accordions, dulcimers and mandolins for cultural color, incredible intricate action sequences, and an outstanding new love theme that will definitely send shivers down the listener's spine, and you have Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End!!

Walt Disney Records issued an album release for the score in 2007, which was an improvement over the two previous disastrous album scores, though it still failed to fully represent the music as heard in the film, leaving many outstanding tracks out of the package, most notably an incredible amount of excellent music for the final battle sequence. Renovatio Records stands in and brings you a new presentation of Zimmer's score, including a lot of previously unreleased music and a new arrangement that will surely make the listener's experience more fruitful and pleasurable. Enjoy it over and over again, lads!

Track Listing:
1. Singapore (2:58)
2. At World's End (8:51)
3. Jack In The Locker (5:14)
4. The Pearl Returns (1:46)
5. Up Is Down (2:42)
6. Souls At Sea (5:28)
7. Escape From Beckett (6:12)
8. The Brethren Court (2:37)
9. Parlay (2:12)
10. Calypso (4:22)
11. What Shall We Die For (2:09)
12. Maelstrom (5:22)
13. I Don't Think Now Is The Best Time (5:51)
14. The Dutchman Must Have A Captain (2:19)
15. It's Just Good Business (5:04)
16. One Day (4:11)
17. Drink Up Me Hearties (4:41)

Running Time: 72:10






Cover Artwork:




Friday, June 26, 2015

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest


Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Music by Hans Zimmer

Renovatio Records goes into open waters once again and brings you the original score for the second installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. The film reunites the cast and crew from the first film and follows the new adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow and co., while incorporating new characters, most notably the amazing CGI character Davy Jones, new story arcs and new and astounding action sequences.

The score was once again helmed by Hans Zimmer (this time actually being listed as the composer) and his regular team of collaborators, who together produced a much more experimental score than the music for the first film. With the help of pipe organs, musical boxes and electronic beats, Zimmer introduces entirely new motifs and visits old ones, expanding the thematic content for the franchise. While many film music critics blame the score for its apparent lack of originality, it cannot be argued that it is even far more enjoyable than the previous one and a success in terms of blockbuster entertainment.

The score received an soundtrack release in 2006 by Walt Disney Records. This album proved to be a frustrating listening experience caused not only by the same volume issues that were detrimental for the first film soundtrack, but also by the inclusion of a misplaced and unbearable trance remix track and suite rearrangements, moving away from actually presenting many cues as they were heard in the film. Therefore, Renovatio Records aims at presenting Zimmer's score in the form of an album that includes several previously unreleased cues and in chronological order. Hopefully, this album will provide the listeners (even those who rejected the score from the beginning) a chance to appreciate Zimmer's work as it should have been presented from the start. Enjoy!

Track Listing:
1. Jack Sparrow (Captain!) (6:04)
2. Beckett's Arrival (1:57)
3. Jack In The Box (2:29)
4. A Ship With Black Sails (2:09)
5. Isla De Pelegostos (3:00)
6. Escape From Cannibals (3:06)
7. Tia Dalma (5:43)
8. Tortuga (2:19)
9. Davy Jones (4:32)
10. The Kraken (5:01)
11. To Isla Cruces (2:41)
12. Three-Way Swordfight (4:06)
13. Wheel Of Fortune (6:44)
14. Attack On Black Pearl (3:49)
15. Hello, Beastie (6:30)
16. Fetch Back Witty Jack (4:01)

Running time: 64:13






Cover Artwork: