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Player Piano as a character in Westworld

HBO’s 2016 series Westworld creates a visual and physical space for a musical instrument, the player piano, in a story that is not about music, but about humanity and what consciousness really means. Music by itself can tell a story, themes and motives returning can represent characters, but creator Johnathan Nolan and composer Ramin Djawadi allow the player piano in Westworld to tell both a musical and visual narrative. Usually a soundtrack parallels the visual story but here music has space to becomes part of the narrative, with characters reacting to it. But we’ll get back to that. Spoilers ahead, folks.

Though there are interesting storylines happening within the park - love, loss, betrayal, and cowboys - the most interesting story is the struggle for control and power that happens in the corporation headquarters that are both outside and inside the park. One of the creators of Westworld and robots, or hosts, Robert Ford, clashes with several others who believe they are in control of their situation, their understanding of the park or the future of the hosts. In reality, Ford is really in control the whole time - the story, the hosts gaining consciousness, over the board, and his own legacy. The player piano in Westworld is symbolic of that control. It’s placement as entertainment within the park, Ford’s interactions with it, and it’s calming effect on both the guests and the board members show that music has just as much control as Ford does.

The audiences’ first introduction to the player piano is in the opening titles. The second shot - of the whole series - is the piano strings being built, which is then compared to the muscle fibers and tendons of the hosts. There is the same amount of screen time for the unfinished host and the player piano in the opening titles - about 28 seconds each. This, before we even know anything about the world, shows how important the role of the player piano is. Also we see in the opening titles that the piano is finished before the hosts - when the piano continues to play as the unfinished arms of the host move away. This shows that Ford’s ideas for the atmosphere and entertainment of the guests is very complete.

And we do not even need to see the location or even the whole instrument of the player piano in the first episode, as the timbre (and and the out of tune-ness) of the instrument is enough to remind of the opening titles. The player piano plays under Teddy’s arrival into Sweetwater, but the second time we see the piano roll start is a spectacular moment. The player piano starts playing the main theme again and we see the characters’ days begin again and it becomes clear that all of the hosts are on loops - storylines that play over and over - and that they, along with the guests, are monitored in a laboratory. The orchestration of the theme changes as we are shown more of the lab, the piano fades out to a synthesizer with reverb. Thus we see the player piano as equal to the hosts, and it helps to create the atmosphere of westworld. They both are created by Ford to entertain the guests.

This equality between the way the player piano and the hosts entertain the guests can be seen through Ford’s interactions with both. He uses voice commands to control and turn off the hosts, just like he snaps his fingers to stop or start a piano playing. At the end of the first episode we are treated to a shot that shows the location of the player piano within the Sweetwater saloon in the main town of Westworld. We learn later that there are multiple player pianos, one in Ford’s office and another in a saloon on the other side of the park. There is a moment  in this other saloon when he meets with Teddy that Ford is able to control the piano without physical or vocal cues, it turns back on as soon as he leaves the saloon. In the piano in his office is played by a host named Frank who seems to be a simple a mechanism as the player piano. This equality between the hosts and the player piano shows just how much control Ford has over both the entertainment of the guests as well as the plot of the park.

The player piano isn’t only used for entertainment in the park, it is used to calm both the hosts and guests. Ford created the ultimate turn-off switch for the hosts that uses Debussy’s Reverie to turn off emotions and pain. This is shown in Episode 8 when Maeve seems to be going against her programming, and she reverts to the most basic version of a host. Debussy’s Reverie plays again under the flashback to the first failed version of the park and the hosts, though this time it reflects Arnold’s control over the ending of that narrative. The player piano’s calming effect comes into sharp focus in the last scene of season 1. I said there were going to be spoilers! The board members gala is not in a office building or somewhere fancy, but instead, inside the park where the hosts can still be used as entertainment (and more?). Ford continues this atmosphere as the player piano plays under his speech. He is uses the music to lull the board into a false sense of security, because really Ford, like Arnold, is in complete control of the situation, his death and the legacy of the hosts after he is gone.

The player piano in Westworld is a musical character within the story that combines hosts, guests and creators all fighting for control. The player piano, created before the guests as seen in the opening credits is symbolic of Ford’s control of the entertainment within the park and the emotions of the guests and hosts. One moment that goes against Ford’s control through the player piano is when Maeve slams the piano lid. This simple act changes the atmosphere drastically in Sweetwater and shows Maeve’s rebellion against Ford’s storyline. Though it seems from the end of this season that Ford was aware that the hosts would rebel, but Maeve’s closing of the piano lid goes against Ford’s plan to maintain the normal atmosphere of the park so the guests remain unaware. I’m hoping that the piano player piano still continues to be a character as the setting of Westworld expands in season two, perhaps representing Ford’s legacy or again paralleling the hosts’ purpose.

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Music Technology Holiday Gift Guide

Still looking for the perfect present for the musician or music lover in your life? First, check out my Music Books Gift Guide. Oh, they don’t read because they are so absorbed in their music, you say? Well tech gifts are always a great option, and can fit most any price range (though they tend to be more expensive than books). Because I’m not a tech reviewer, I don’t own every single possible option of these gifts - that’s why with this gift guide I’m giving ideas, not specific items.

Headphones

Every audiophile could always use more headphones. There is literally nothing worse than breaking your in-ear pair or wearing out your over-the ear. There are lots of different options for headphones, from braided cable in-earbuds, over-the-ear, on-the ear and bluetooth. Different headphones are better for certain things too - don’t get your producer/mixer friend Beats headphones as they will likely complain about them being too  bass heavy. If this is a gift for a child/teen a great place to start would be a mid price range pair of over the ear Sony or Panasonic headphones.

Midi Keyboard/Interface

This is a great gift only if you know exactly what kind/brand of keyboard the musician wants and told you specifically about. There is so much more to take into account with the specifics of the midi keyboard that musicians can be picky about.

Subscription Service

A gift card or pass to several months of a subscription service is a great gift for any music lover or musician. Whether they already are a premium member of that service or not, a subscription pass is a pretty harmless gift. I currently used my Spotify premium every single day, but other options are Apple Music, Tidal or MoivePass or Netflix if they are a film music lover.

Little Gadgets

There are some great stocking stuffers that fit in this category, like electronic tuners or metronomes. A handheld microphone is a useful tool for capturing rehearsals, or listening to jam-sessions or practice over and over. The most basic handheld mics can be pretty inexpensive, but very practical, try a Tascam or Zoom. I would even love to see a nice quality XLR cable in my stocking.

I know this list wasn’t very specific at all, but from my personal experience musicians and music lovers can be set in their ways about what they want from their tech. If you have any specific questions, maybe about one pair of headphones better than another, feel free to put your query in my ask.  

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Chamber Film Scores with a Big Impact

I mentioned in my film music review of Lady Bird, I mentioned how I impressed I was with Jon Brion’s ability to create a new sound with a small selective group of instruments. Since this week has been a lull (for me atleast) watching new films, so in lieu of a film review, here’s three of my other favorite chamber film scores. What I didn’t include on this list were any films that had a noticeable electronic element, though that might be another list.

The Way of the Gun - Joe Kraemer

The Way of the Gun is has become a cult classic, but Kraemer’s score on a shoestring budget is an iconic part of that. Though not the score is not all chamber, the use of the string orchestra is minimal. The iconic sound of the film is a combination of guitar, timpani and castanets. Including a catchy bass line this a score I could listen to over and over.

Birdman - Antonio Sanchez

Antonio Sanchez made a big splash with the improv jazz drum score to the Birdman. Sanchez adds tension and release in the right places with solely rhythmic elements, There are also a couple of really inventive moments where the non-diegetic soundtrack drums become diegetic when drums appear on screen, such as a player outside on the sidewalk.

The Man from UNCLE - Daniel Pemberton

I had not heard Pemberton’s music before The Man from UNCLE, but his use of a chamber group and while fitting in the musical era was impressive. Daniel Pemberton uses a lot of percussion, piano and bass as well as a percussive (as well as melodic) bass flute. The chamber score for the Man from UNCLE manages to be just as effective and exciting in the many action scenes in the film.

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Holiday Music Book Gift Guide

As much as I would love to be a full-time composer, I currently work at a used book store to earn money. The holidays are fast approaching, and a book is always a great present especially now that CDs and even itunes gift cards have gone the way of the cassette. Here are some book recommendations for the musician in your life.

For the budding pianist:

Do you have a child, niece or nephew or friend who is just learning piano and loves to play the same songs on repeat? Are you currently going cross-eyed hearing Fur Elise for the twentieth time today? For the holidays, give them the gift of some new, accessible music. The La-La-Land sheet music book is easy enough for beginners, and different from the usual beginner piano music. They can learn new jazz chords and play along with the soundtrack!

For the frazzled music teacher:

You have a loved one who teaches music, has every reference book possible on music as well as sheet music and batons scattered everywhere. They probably want more books about music but where to start? My suggestion - a pocket-sized fingering chart (for all instruments). My favorite is the Handy Manual Fingering Chart for Instrumentalists by Clarence V. Hendrickson (seriously, I lost my copy recently and this list is making me order another). It’s an everyday useful tool for the music teacher, instrumentalist and composer alike.

For your dad who loves Bob Dylan:

The winner of the Nobel prize in Literature of 2016, Bob Dylan, has a book! Chronicles Volume One by Bob Dylan has been out for a while but you can also find hardcover editions of his Nobel Speech.

For the organizer of your folk jam session:

Or really for anyone into the history of folk music, Fiona Ritchie and Doug Orr wrote a wonderful book about the history of Appalachian folk music’s origins with Scottish and Irish immigrants. I had the chance to hear them talk about the book and it was enchanting. American folk music has been a melting pot for just as long as we’ve had that term. Check out Wayfaring Strangers by Fiona Ritchie and Doug Orr.

For the film music composer:

It’s hard to find the perfect gift for the film music composer, they have their own peculiarities in choosing their software or sample packs, and no one writes on manuscript paper anymore. I personally enjoyed Film Music: A Neglected Art by Roy Pendergast and Score: the Interviews. Both don’t feel too preachy, and while the Pendergast book isn’t up-to date, there is still much to be learned from the notated examples he includes.

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Film Music Review: Lady Bird

What some are calling the best film of the year, Lady Bird has impressed reviewers and hit records in per-theater numbers but what stunned me the most was that I haven’t heard anything from the composer before. Jon Brion wrote the music for Lady Bird, and has written music for films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Step Brothers and ParaNorman. It is interesting to note how many comedy films Brion has scored, which calls for a different style of music than what is seen as the norm in drama and action films. Though Lady Bird will likely be called a drama film when we get around to awards season, there were plenty of moments of lightheartedness to get a full theater chuckling.

Jon Brion embraces the comedy and overall tone of the film perfectly with his music for Lady Bird. I think it would have been all too easy to accompany a teenager complaining about boys or the school play with a heavy handed string orchestra, but all the music in the film is light, hopeful and moving. Speaking of, the orchestration choices were odd enough to be of note. Happier(or comedic) music can certainly step away from normal orchestration choices and use instruments in usual ways for effect. But in Lady Bird, Brion creates a new orchestra for himself and keeps his timbre consistent. Bassoon, flute, guitar, piano and percussion all feature heavily, within the sound world Jon Brion has created for the film. Lady Bird covers many teenage emotions and I think Brion’s music, which leans towards the light and hopeful side is the perfect fit for this film.

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Weekly Film Music Review: Mid-November

I was planning on doing a normal film music review this week, likely for Murder on the Orient Express. I had some opinions on the film but not really enough for a full length review and I’ve put off this blog post long enough to watch Justice League, so I figured why not try a different format? This week was a heavy film watching week for me, I just got my moviepass card and daylight savings and colder weather means more time inside watching movies.

Murder on the Orient Express

In general, I like Patrick Doyle’s music. I think that his soundtracks have been expressive and thematic in an interesting way. That being said I wasn’t super impressed by the Murder on the Orient Express soundtrack. The orchestration was great, and the Orient Express theme had a great pace to it. But most of the music was too slow and emotionless. The Armstrong theme did no justice to the main criminal, a repeated piano fragment is not enough to represent the complexities the story Christie imagined. When the theme returned at the climax it felt as if someone had temp-ed in Pachelbel's Canon and liked it so much they asked Doyle to imitate. There was not musical climax to accompany the action of the flashback to the murder scene shown in full when Poirot figures it out. Overall - not impressed.

Happy Death Day

This wasn’t a film that I ever planned on seeing or seeing in theaters, but I really wanted to try out my MoviePass and I was waiting to Murder On the Orient Express with a friend. Though I don’t generally watch a lot of horror films, I but I’ve liked the comedy spin that Get Out and Happy Death Day have put on the genre. (Almost reminiscent of the cornetto trilogy which made Zombie and Police flicks better with comedy). I really liked that all of the music in the film was played as straight horror even when the scare was meant for comedic effect. I normally check who the composer is before I walk into the theater but this was such a spur of the moment watch that I spent most of the film trying to figure out who the composer was. I got pretty close, something about the very on-the-beat synths with string fragments felt like TV music but I didn’t guess correctly as it was Bear McCreary. Overall - better than I expected.

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

I started watching the Punisher show this week, but I can’t watch that violent a show right before I go to bed so I watched the new live-action Beauty and the Beast over two days. When the movie started, my first thought was that this would be a great orchestration study. There were so many subtle changes from the animated score. From the harpsichord playing in Be My Guest as well as in the fight in the castle to french horns adding riffs to mob scenes. A few orchestration changes really made the film feel like it wasn’t a poor imitation of a broadway musical, but a grand, sweeping big budget spectacle. Of course the first line of Emma Watson’s singing caught me off guard, as the pitch correction distortion is ridiculously obvious. Overall - robotic voices over beautiful new orchestration.

Un peu, Beacoup, Aveuglement (Blind Date, 2015)

This is a cute french rom-com about a couple that have apartments on either side of a hollow wall and can hear everything the other one does. It starts hilariously with them annoying the hell out of each other and they fall in love having discussions without even seeing each other. The woman is a professional pianist, so there are some great underrepresented Chopin and Mendelssohn selections as part of the soundtrack. The score by Guillaume Roussel is playful, almost jazzy, with pizzicato strings just to emphasis comedic or cringe-y moments. Overall - very cute.

Justice League

And last but not least, I literally just got back from seeing Justice League. It was almost exactly as I expected it to be, save for the weirdest villain in a superhero film. Danny Elfman’s music was great, and fit well with the action. Wonder woman’s theme continues to be hard to fit into other music, and the first transition to her theme felt awkward. There were spare uses of the Superman and Batman themes and gosh I had forgotten the new Justice League theme about 2 minutes after it played over the DC logo. Overall - as expected.

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How to Network at a Film Festival

I recently attended a film festival in my hometown with the intent of finding my next film scoring project. While this festival is not as widely recognized as the TIFF or Sundance, it’s the largest in my state and it’s given me a chance to improve my networking skills over the couple years I’ve attended. So these are some of my thoughts, some of the things I’ve learned, things I’ve seen other people do well (or not) to market yourself at a film festival.

Have a business card. This might seem like a too obvious place to start but let me continue. The first time I went to a film festival as a composer I took the advice of a teacher and burned some demo CDs. What a great idea! They have my face and my email address and it’s so easy for people to listen to my music (wow!). This was only 3 years ago. I didn’t get any contacts from those CDs I handed out and I spent way more money than I did on my business cards in combination with a youtube demo on the front page of my website. As I handed out business cards this year I noticed how few film-makers had business cards to hand back. I received exactly 2 business cards back and 1 flyer for their film.

Mingle aggressively but be nice. There are two settings for mingling/marketing at a film festival: film screenings and parties. Mingle aggressively at parties. By that I don’t mean go up to a group, interrupt, handshakes all around and start monologuing your elevator speech. I’ve found that the easiest way to mingle at parties is to get there early, by yourself, have a drink in hand and walk up to a group, wait for a pause in the conversation and say “I’m here by myself so I’m just wandering around chatting, finding cool people.” Cue introduction, what you do and small talk. Some people are great at recognizing that you are in mingling mode and will be quite business-like, and others are college students who are at a party. The “be nice” part of mingling is something that comes with practice. The best way for a stranger to find you pleasant is for you to ask them questions, but that is not the best way to market yourself. There needs to be a balanced conversation. I have no easy pointers for this because it takes practice, and mingling is an art, but going to parties early works because mingling is even harder when you have to yell over loud music.

Q&As are the BEST. Now every film festival is different and this is not going to work with actual celebrity directors, but the festival I attended was originally created to highlight short films. After almost every shorts block there was a question and answer section. Ask questions then meet the filmmakers immediately after the Q&A session. If you ask questions while in the audience, the directors/producers will recognize your interest when you go up and talk to them after. Be specific when giving compliments about the film and ask questions about their choices. When you catch them in a one on one conversation, make sure to ask them what their next project is, what you do and that you too are look for your next project. Be very clear. They are still running off the high of their screening and a Q&A.

Know yourself. If this hasn’t become clear from the previous paragraphs, I am an introvert. But I recognize that and I know my limits. This might sound clinical, but I set goals for what I want to accomplish at parties and a day of screenings. I can judge when I am small-talked out or just done with sitting in a dark movie theater all day. Your goals might be completely different than mine. It feels better to be tired but happy that you handed out so many business cards instead of tired and unhappy because you didn’t talk to every single director. I would also advocate you not abandon your normal responsibilities just because you’re at a film festival. Because I didn’t have to travel I worked at my day-job three of the five days I attended the festival. Even if I am traveling, instead of replaying how conversations could have been better it’s nice to have something else I can concentrate on. I personally wouldn’t treat a festival as a vacation to just watch films (which someone at the festival definitely told me they were happy to be doing).

Follow up. This is something I’ve been doing this week, sending emails and following people on social media to remind them that you are still interested. It’s important to write down names after a mingling conversation (especially if they didn’t hand you a card). After the festival is over, send short emails, including details from the conversation you had. Follow their film or them on social media (without being a stalker). This is one of the most important parts of the whole process. You are not just a business card that lingers in their wallet, or is lost already. You are an active participant and you want to be involved in their next project because you’re so excited about what they screened this week. (Can you tell I’m psyching myself up to write more of these emails?)

I really hope I don’t sound like I’m preaching because I certainly still have lots to improve. I am horrible at ending mingling conversations and moving to the next group without feeling like I’m hurting someone’s feelings. I still have not figured out the perfect method to ask for someone’s contact information when they don’t have a business card. I also have to improve my follow-up skills, as I know it’s the most important, but it’s definitely the least fun part. Anyways, those are some of my thoughts and advice from my most recent film festival where I was on the prowl for my next project. Best of luck for all of you trying to mingle your way to the oscars!

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Five Soundtracks to Test Your Headphones

Looking to test those new headphones you ordered? Get ready to compare your in-ears to your studio monitor headphones with soundtracks that will test the dynamic and sonic range of your new cans. No one soundtrack could be perfect for this. You should listen to a range of music to fully test your headphones, but these will show bass range (and EQ) as well as clarity of sound.

Inception - Hans Zimmer

As I have mentioned before Hans Zimmer may not be my favorite film composer but that doesn’t mean that the world will forget about the ‘BWONG’ sound of Inception anytime soon. A great sound to annoy friends and test headphones. (To easily listen to the Bwong sound in context, try the trailer music, Mind Heist by Zack Hemsey) Inception has a good range of sounds that highlight the introspective elements of dreaming as well as the chaotic action in the last act of the film.

Godzilla - Alexandre Desplat

To fit the huge monster on screen, a big score in necessary. In the action scenes this score is almost only low-end instruments, lots of low winds, basses and a great sub-bass synth. That sub bass can rattle the whole theatre, but is also noticeable with great headphones or home speaker systems. For an immediate test, try “Airport Attack”.

The Big Short - Nicholas Britell

This soundtrack has the greatest musical range of any film recently. For that reason, it’s a great test for your headphones. The soundtrack starts with a bright orchestral track that has some interesting filters. Britell then combines funk tracks like “Lewis Ranieri” Vegas with short modern, repetitive piano tracks. Don’t forget to listen to the “Mouseclick Symphony Mvmt 1” which is exactly what it sounds like. The Big Short tests a different sonic range than the other action scores I’m recommending.

Nerve - Rob Simonsen

Nerve is a great action film score that isn’t your typical action film score. It’s pulsing electro-pop. A electronic soundtrack tests different aspects of your headphones than the hollywood orchestra (with a sub-bass). Listen for the EQ, the clarity between the upper and lower parts as well as filters, wahs and slow evolutions.

Sicario - Johann Johannsson

Sicario is a favorite of mine. The combination of heavy percussion, orchestra and distorted synths lends a wide range of sounds and textures. This was the first score I played on the vintage Marantz speakers I got a year a half ago. For action music with heavy bass that glissandos very low, try “Night Vision” and “Tunnel Music”

This list was inspired by an article on The Verge. In addition to testing your headphones, these soundtracks are powerful enough to out-bass the thumping hip-hop in the car next to you.

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Film Music Review: mother!

Mother! Is the first film directed by Darren Aronofsky that doesn’t use the music of composer Clint Mansell. We could speculate because it’s both possible that Aronfosky didn’t like the music in his previous religious film Noah or that Mansell had too much on his plate to work on a task as large as Mother. Along with everyone else, was excited to see what Johann Johannsson could bring to Aronofsky’s film. Johannsson’s music differs great for each film each he done so far and his work in Mother! is radically different from anything he’s done before.

Notice how I haven’t used the phrase “Johann Johannsson’s score” like I would in a normal film music review? That’s because there isn’t really a score. Johann Johannsson wrote a whole score for the film that was eliminated in favor of a very minimal soundscape. (source) I understand having a firm artistic vision, but it seems that Johannsson’s talent was underutilised in Mother. I did however, think that Craig Henighan and Johann Johannsson did a great job creating a cohesive soundscape for the house the film took place in.

The soundscape created was reminiscent of Carter Burwell and Skip Leivy’s work in No Country For Old Men. Similar to mother!, the soundtrack was not released commercially as it was so minimal. In mother!, the soundscape is ringing and echo-y bell like effects that emphasis sound effects on screen as well as the created heart of the house. The musical aspect of the soundscape comes out in the anxiety attack scenes of Jennifer Lawrence. All normal sounds are distorted and amplified, every noise triggering her even more. While those moments were extremely effective, there was not much of the musical side of the sound design during the climax and chaotic third act. Would a build in the soundscape have been too overwhelming? Or if the music had focused solely on Jennifer Lawrence’s character of the mother, emphasizing her anger as well as love would the chaos be more meaningful? I would love to hear Johannsson’s original score to hear his interpretation of how the music should add to the film. In the end, Johannsson talent wasn’t allowed to shine through in the final version of mother! and for all the work he did, probably wasn’t the right choice to fit the changing artistic vision Aronofsky had for the film.

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Film Music Review: Thor: Ragnarok

In the Marvel cinematic universe, there is no reason to fit in with what has already been done. In Thor: Ragnarok, Mark Mothersbaugh takes his own stance on what super-hero music should sound like - an enhanced orchestra.

Look anywhere on youtube and you’ll find analysis videos explaining the problems with the Marvel movies’ music. When everyone else is continuing the tried and true rhythmic orchestra and rock drums, but there is still no continuity to the franchise, why follow in their wake? Mark Mothersbaugh has crafted his own sound for Thor Ragnarok. One that combines his knowledge of pop music from his Devo days with his newer film scoring background. Mothersbaugh sneaks a synth element in the most of the cues in the film. Whether it is a filtered whooshing sound that is barely noticeable in theaters, a ostinato more perfect that human players could ever create or a doubling of the brass melody line, the synthesized sounds add a depth to the hollywood orchestra. The synths become more evident on the brightly colored trash-planet of Sakaar. A difference is made in the score to emphasize the comedy of Hulk and Thor’s situation on Sakaar, where most of the cues are only synthesized sounds, whereas on Asgard the orchestra reigns. This futuristic version of action scoring, whiring, bright synths over bass and sub bass, works well and slowly increases the tension as Thor attempts to return to fight the important battle.

Though I enjoy the original use of synthesizers and the electro-acoustic combination that Mothersbaugh has created for this film, the score does fall short in one area. That is, that any scene that requires dramatic tension, and is written for a standard film score orchestra, lacks the originally of the rest of the score. Any time Hela is on screen, the music almost sounds like it’s composed by someone else. Maybe Mothersbaugh was asked to tone down the eccentricities of his music in favor of dramatic tension, but it doesn’t work. It ends up sounding like cookie-cutter score.

Overall, I enjoyed Thor: Ragnarok. I don’t go to the theater expecting a Marvel film to blow my socks off, but rather to enjoy myself. I could feel Mothersbaugh enjoyment though the electro-acoustic and synthesized elements in the film score, as well as a boredom with the typical Hollywood orchestral sound.

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Pop Music in Film: Take Me Home, Country Roads

I have never been a huge John Denver fan, but we have to talk about the fact that “Take Me Home, Country Road” was in three major Hollywood films this year. That is, (for those of you who might have missed one) Alien: Covenant, Logan Lucky and Kingsman: The Golden Circle. I’m just going to talk about the last two as I still haven’t delved into the Alien franchise.

Logan Lucky starts with John Denver’s “Some Days Are Diamonds” under the studio logos, and this turns out to be playing over a radio while Jimmy Logan (played by Channing Tatum) is repairing his truck with the help of his daughter Sadie. They talk about the story behind the song Take Me Home Country Roads without mentioning it by name. At the pageant, near the end of the film, Sadie changes her song choice when she sees Jimmy enter the auditorium. Sadie sings Take Me Home Country Roads in a wavering, thin, un-practiced way that by the end of the song has the crowd at the pageant singing along and the audience in the theater blinking away a tear. This use of Take Me Home Country Roads was very effective as it bookended the heist action in the middle with the care and love of Sadie’s character, and the song itself was not overdone.

For contrast, Kingsman: The Golden Circle used the melody from Take Me Home Country Roads throughout the film. Over the studio logos and the camera move into the Kingsman shop the music starts with a bagpipe rendition of part of the John Denver song, which transitions surprising well into the heroic kingsman theme. The tune is not heard again until the characters have to follow a doomsday protocol where they find a bottle of Kentucky whiskey. Merlin (played by Mark Strong) drunkenly sings the chorus of Take Me Home as Eggsy discovers the Statesman whiskey company is the Kingsman’s American cousin. From then the orchestrated version of Take Me Home Country Roads is associated with both Merlin and the Statesman. Take Me Home Country Road is also sung in full by Mark Strong at the emotional climax of the film. Unlike Logan Lucky this rendition not wavering, but strong and accompanied by a full orchestra and then a chorus, but is also very emotional for very spoiler-y reasons. This use of the song felt almost Bond-like, combining a pop song and a heroic movie theme in an action context and I wouldn’t be mad if they did something similar on the possible third Kingsman film.

So why did this happen? Well it seems that the rights to John Denver’s music are changed over to a different company that seems to be more open to using his music in film. There were obviously some savvy music supervisors who love John Denver and wanted to take advantage of this change. I think that in both of these films Take Me Home, Country Roads works very well, both within the story and emotionally. That being said, it can be hard for a director to compromise their ideas about pop music and what it means to them with the interpretation of the general public. I don’t know if this coincidence (and opportunity) to have one song work this effectively in three major hollywood films in the same year will ever come around again.

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Film Music Review: Suburbicon

I don’t read reviews before I go to the theatre, but I did see the metacritic score as I bought my ticket for Suburbicon yesterday. After seeing the film, I do agree with the reviews I’ve read since, Suburbicon is tonally all over the place. Sadly, this includes the music by Alexandre Desplat, which might have been perfect in another film.

I think only one musical cue fit into place with the film - the very first one. Suburbicon opens with the advertisement for the neighborhood and a happy, child-like music accompanies. The ad fades away and though the eyes of the mailman we see the (first/only) African American family that has just moved in, and the music ends funnily as the neighbor across the street accidentally backs in a lamp post in shock. After that, the film moved away from comedy and I expected the music to turn more somber as the drama of the two central families played out. The music continued but with more melody and an magical/mystery tone. While Alexandre Desplat did write the score for the last two Harry Potter films, Surburbicon is not that mysterious. The drama is mostly seen through the eyes of the Matt Damon’s character’s son - Nicky (Noah Jupe). And as I could tell from the retirees talking loudly during the matinee with me, the next “dramatic” reveal was obvious to everyone. The music played for a film that wasn’t there.

About halfway through I thought maybe the music could be what brings it all together - soothes over the sore spots, the writing and editing. But even the best can’t cover up a bad film. In suburbicon the music is just as tonally off as the rest of the movie. Sometimes the music felt noir-ish when a character died, a stabbing jazz chord with the shadowy action on screen and sometimes there was beautiful, flowing melodies over expressionless conversations. In general, I listen for music that is timed well with emotion or action, and that happened once more (after the first cue) as Nicky was hiding under the bed. The orchestra stabs dark chords on the first two footsteps into the room and then continues to attack offbeat chords that don’t match up with the action onscreen. The music feels more like a shostakovich symphony than film music at all.

What initially intrigued me about Suburbicon was the editing and placement of the music in the trailer. I know that it’s not Desplat music and that a full length film will not be edited in the same way. In the trailer there was an outburst of frustration from Matt Damon, he slammed his hands against the steering wheel to the beats of the music. In the film however, that frustration which was only shown in a few choice scenes was glossed over, no crescendo or melodic high point or anything really. Also in the trailer, the music stopped abruptly as the camera switched angles and we see that Matt Damon is pedaling away from a burning car with only the squeaking sound of an ungreased chain for a dark comedic effect. In the actual scene there is hymn-like music, not victorious, but stately over the whole car burning scene as well as while he bikes away. Somehow the music is both too potent and not enough. Just like the film, Alexandre Desplat’s score for Suburbicon is tonally a mess and doesn’t cover up the film’s flaws.

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Pop Music In Film: Andra Day - Marshall

Since the first all jazz film score in the 1951 classic, A Streetcar Named Desire (by Alex North), popular music has contrasted the symphonic hollywood sound. Pop music has been used as advertisement for blockbuster movies, catchy themes stay with us for decades and in some films there was an artistic choice to do away with the classical score in favor of pop. In this series, I’ll examine some new films use of popular music.

Released on October 13, Marshall is a film about lawyer Thurgood Marshall working for the NAACP in the 1940s. With a strong jazz score by composer Marcus Miller (with several solos by Wynton Marsalis), the music is used to add to the atmosphere of the era. In addition to Miller’s tone-setting jazz there is the striking voice of Andra Day. Her debut album, Cheers to the Fall was nominated for Best R&B in the 2016 Grammy Awards. Day shows a wide range of styles from “Rise Up”, a slow building pop song to “Only Love”, a with bond-style jazz accompaniment and vocals that sound like Duffy; all of her songs show her impressive range and control.

Marshall starts with informational text about Thurgood and the NAACP’s beginning, and this text is accompanied by Andra Day wailing over heavy percussion, “It all means nothing if you don’t stand up for something.” And unlike most films that feature pop artists or songs, Andra Day appears on screen. She fits in well in the jazz club where Marshall is joking around with friends. In “Trouble in Mind” Andra Day sings into a chunky microphone with a small jazz combo. In the jazz standard (written in 1924), Day riffs as well as singing the refrain line, “sun is gonna shine in my back door someday.” The hopefulness that comes from the lyrics is something only pop music can provide, and in Marshall, Andra Day’s marvelous voice adds depth to a moment of doubt for the main character.

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My Top 10 Film and TV Soundtracks of 2016

So I realize this is hella late. But I’ve had this list sitting on my computer since the beginning of 2017, and some of these films might get an in depth analysis in the future so you might as well know they’re my favorites first.

To get it out of the way, here are some of my honorable mentions: Luke Cage, Jason Bourne, Rogue One, Deadpool and Moana. I loved a lot of movies (and TV) in 2016 and technically my favorites list keeps going, so the music in these mentions was amazing, just not as impactful as my top 10. Also, my least favorite film music of 2016 was in Fences. It was poorly mixed and not timed well with the action or emotion on screen.

10. Nerve

Last but not least - inventive action flick, Nerve, directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schuman with original music by Rob Simonsen. Simonsen added a fresh electronic pulse that sounds like 80s synth keyboards with a remixing taste that takes this soundtrack to present day.

9. The Neon Demon

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, this arthouse film is also full to the brim of electronica. But this tops Nerve because Cliff Martinez’s electronic world is just as lush as the bright blues and pinks of Refn. There is a breadth to his music, an intimacy to a single wavering note or a heavily reverbed music box melody, which is contrasted by a beating, full sonic spectrum experience matching the laser show on screen.

8. Hidden Figures

So I wouldn’t normally include a film score with Hans Zimmer’s name in my top ten (I might explain this point at a later time), but Hidden Figures earns this high spot for the work of Pharrell Williams, with Janelle Monae and Alicia Keys. The timing of the inspirational and happy pop music in the film makes Hidden Figures feel like a documentary: the audience paid attention to the important dialogue and then rejoiced with Pharrell’s catchy tunes as the strong women stride forward.

7. The Secret Life of Pets

This score by Alexandre Desplat felt like a return to a more classic style of animation, a Mickey Mouse era where music was considered more important than dialogue or sound effects. In The Secret Life of Pets the music perfectly hit every leap and laugh, without feeling overdone.

6. Jackie

This doesn’t happen often enough. Female composer, nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA. You bet I was there opening weekend to hear the music of one of my favorites, Mica Levi. Jackie is a subtle and intimate film and her music reflected that with beautiful, close mic-ed chamber strings.

5. Kubo and the Two Strings

Among top Hollywood composers I think that Dario Marianelli as the widest range of styles. In opposition to Secret Life of Pets very happy score for a children’s movie, Marianelli’s music in Kubo and the Two Strings shows that an animated film can be just as serious and dramatic as any other film. Most of the score centers around Kubo’s magical instrument, and the lush accompaniment Marianelli creates around it. The inclusion of both Japanese and Western instruments and melodies and the combinations they create in the score gives a new musical color to an already colorful film.

4. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Want to return to the land of witchcraft and wizardry, but have all the Harry Potter movies and soundtrack memorized? Fantastic Beasts and James Newton Howard’s score will fill your Potter-void. A blend of Patrick Doyle’s Goblet of Fire score and Aaron Copland, perfect for the new American magical adventure. My favorite moment of music and visuals coming together was when we are first introduced to the awe inspiring Macusa building. Amazing.

3. Westworld

Ramin Djawadi’s score for Westworld manages to carry the emotional weight for all the complex story-lines that happen in Westworld. I loved the show and I very much loved how intricately the score wove in and out. The score fits well using recurring, repetitive themes that change as characters discover their own storylines. Ramin Djawadi used more synthesized sounds in the control room areas and more orchestra, western sounds out in the park. And the player piano!

2. La La Land

So I will 100% admit that I wrote this list while I was still swept up in the La La Land craze. I will not admit to how many times I saw La La Land in theaters because it’s outrageous. I will say that after many months of time away from the craze, Justin Hurwitz’s music stands up as a musical for the young creative. The music is catchy without being formulaic, and the lyrics are extremely emotive. My favorite song is “Audition (Fools Who Dream)”. I know there are many naysayers who wanted something else from this movie, but for me it was exactly what I needed.

1. Arrival

The up-and-coming combination of director Denis Villeneuve and composer Johann Johannsson can’t do much wrong in my book. Johannsson’s music for Arrival is more synthesized and ethereal than his music for Sicario, a better fit for the stand alone sci-fi. Also the use of a small chamber choir with many different melodic lines mirrors the importance of language in the film. Johannsson is really in his element with the combined electronics and live chamber groups, orchestrates both together beautifully and his synthesized sounds are equally expressive. Arrival’s score perfectly matched the impressive and interesting cinematography.

Well there you have it, a very late list. My last thought as I wrote out all these descriptions was how most of these do not have the full Hollywood blockbuster orchestra. I’m more fascinated by great uses of electronics/synthesizers chamber groups and pop (in the case of Hidden Figures and La La Land, kinda). There certainly were plenty of films out in 2016 with full orchestral scores but will there be a shift in the Hollywood sound? If so, I’ll be here commenting and analyzing.

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A Quick Intro

So, first blog post. Should be an introduction, right?

I am a composer, not a big name one by any means. Don’t think that this is some hidden blog by some hollywood insider that’s going to reveal all the secrets about the new upcoming Star Wars scoring session (or whatever). I love film music, and I want to write music for film (or hell, at least be involved in some way, pay my dues copying parts and orchestrating). But this blog is not going to be a personal blog or me whining about networking in my hometown while I try to save money to move to LA (though there might be something when I actually move to LA). And…I’m getting sidetracked.

This blog will be dedicated to what I love about film music. I’ve got so many ideas! If you look at my VERY empty youtube page you’ll see I was initially inspired by Every Frame A Painting, Nerdwriter and Sideways. All great youtube channels, if you’re looking for film or music analysis. I wanted to put in my two cents because I noticed that almost all film analysis youtubers (especially the crappy ones who feel the need to explain the ending of La La Land) were men. My 1 cent from being a women, my other 1 cent from wanting to focus solely on film music. And though I technically have the video editing skills to make long-form youtube videos about film music - I do not have the time. So here’s me skipping several steps, getting on my soapbox and shouting into the void about film music.

Also a note on the title - Acousmetre is a film term for a character than has been voiced but not visualized. Think the wizard in the Wizard of Oz before he is revealed. So you’ll hear me but not see me, a great title for this blog!