Paul Giovanni: The Wicker Man (Original Score)
Silva America SSD 1141

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Though low budget, The Wicker Man is generally considered one of the greatest horror films of all-time. It had a checkered history and never reached the screen in a version sanctioned by its creators, having been cut and chopped to length by insensitive hands. Its music was thought lost, but Silva has turned-up most of the original master tapes and they are excellent in quality. Much of the score consists of bawdy, folk-like songs concerned with the sexual rites of spring. These are particularly well preserved. The elaborate booklet contains many photos, poster reproductions, and a complete history of this cult-favorite movie and its music. A restored version of the film can be found on Anchor Bay DVD.

Weinacht der Romantik (Romantic Christmas Songs)
RIAS-Kammerchor; Uwe Gronostay, conductor.
Harmonia Mundi 901794

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The 30-year revival of Baroque holiday music has finally planed to the point that this CD of 19th-century holiday music by Mendelssohn, Reger, and others seems quite original and refreshing. The 35-voice unaccompanied chorus sings with good tone, impeccable pitch, and clear diction. The chorus was recorded at Jesus-Christus-Kirche in Berlin, which apparently has a warm, resonant acoustic. The engineers have captured its sonic characteristics without sacrificing any detail.

Coldplay: A Rush of Blood to the Head
Capitol 40504

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It’s tough finding good pop music that is both deeply moving and musically interesting. But good fortune found me when I picked up Coldplay’s second studio effort. Soul is what A Rush of Blood to the Head is all about -- plus exquisitely arranged guitar and piano, wrapped in a stark but shimmering recording. Vocalist Chris Martin sings as if the future of human happiness has come to rest on his shoulders. Sparkling choruses and breathtaking melodies support his falsetto’s grip on the listener, whether it is the simple buildup from a lone, desperate piano in "The Scientist" or the rock-driven, punk-peppered catharsis of "Politik." Some say that good music comes through the wisdom of having experienced life. If that’s the case, then this 20-something band has just scratched the surface of its talent.

Peter Gabriel: Long Walk Home: Music from the Rabbit-Proof Fence (Original Score)
Real World 12238

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I have yet to see the film Rabbit-Proof Fence. But listening to Peter Gabriel’s score Long Walk Home only adds to my anticipation of this independent Australian film. This is a very dramatic piece of work in the same vein as Gabriel’s contributions to Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ and Alan Parker’s Birdy. As on those previous soundtracks, Gabriel weaves the sounds of world culture into a very dense sonic tapestry. This time Aboriginal influences serve a story about three girls who make their way back home after being captured for slavery. If you enjoyed Gabriel’s Passion and Security albums then Long Walk Home should play right up your alley. The recording is a bit muddy at times, but the emotional impact it delivers in tracks like "Gracie’s Recapture" and "Running in the Rain" transcends any apparent lack of fidelity. 

Howard Shore: Panic Room (Original Score)
Varese Sarabande 066346

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Fresh off his Oscar-winning effort for The Lord of the Rings, the talented Howard Shore revisits the unsettling sounds of Seven and The Silence of the Lambs. Panic Room isn’t a groundbreaking effort by Shore standards (in fact, much of it will sound familiar) but it does express why I enjoy his music. Shore has a gift for building unbearable suspense. His use of massed strings and layered brass on tracks like "Fourth Floor Hallway" and "A Very Emotional Property" does enough to heighten tension alone, but Shore adds unearthly metallic and re-recorded sounds that push a listener’s anxiety level over the edge. More desperate cuts like "Castle Keep" use oboes and cellos to build an ever-increasing sense of dread, hopelessness, and foreboding. With the exception of a rather brief running time, this is a well-recorded CD and a must for fans of this innovative and always affective composer.