I'll have more comments later today, but for now, I must get to sleep! I've gotta wake up in 3 hours! LOL.

Alan Silvestri is awesome! That's all I have to say!

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From Steve Hughes' review:
If you like your scores big, then it doesn't come much bigger than this. Highly recommended!

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Well put, Steve! I'm about to head off to school... can't wait to pop the disc in.

Silvestri is a composer who continues to surprise and expand his range of sounds.

It's definitely in the tradition of Goldsmith's score (which was also a fine score), but Silvestri puts his own spin on the sequel score.

Gotta love that Silvestri pounding percussion

Dan (UK)

But anyway here goes my non-biased opinion. The score sounds good, real good. Its well composed and full of action, but its alot different than Goldsmith's score. In The Mummy theres some horror and suspense stuff to the action music. In this the action is a very swashbuckling hero type of sound without any type of dark egde. Hinting that the good guys are always winning throughout the movie. There is also less ethnic music used.
On my first listen I didn't find any villian music either. Except for the Imhotep theme used in track 1. The other themes aren't as good as Goldsmith's. I remember a theme for the Medjai, and swashbuckling action theme. Both are good but not really impressive. And I don't even remember what the love theme sounds like.
But overall I think its the action that sells the CD. There are too few large symphonic action adventure scores these days, so its always nice when one pops up. Alan Silvestri who has always been great with melody and action music, writes his most largest score to date, and its sounds really great despite the fact the themes fall a little short. I really got a kick out of "My First Bus Ride". Then agian I only listened to the score once so far, so I know I will love them later. The CD ends with a horrible rock song thats sounds rather evil in my opinion. Its placed right after "The Mummy Returs" the final score track which is a suite of all the major themes and parts of the score, I think its the End Titles. I don't think the song will appear in the film. But it sure doesn't belong on the CD either. I give The Mummy Returns ***˝. As a first impression, it did empress me, but somehow I expected just a little more.

NP- The Dish **** (Edmund Choi)
I know noone got this, but its good.

Pete - The score runs about 70 minutes. It easily held my interest the whole way through, but I can imagine some people saying it is too long.

As to the song... I have not listened to it, nor do I intend to.

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Originally posted by TimT:
But anyway here goes my non-biased opinion.

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Anyone who opens a review with the above statement has a biased opinion about himself.

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Anyone who opens a review with the above statement has a biased opinion about himself.

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I disagree, since I don't think very highly of myself.

NP- The Dish (Edmund Choi)

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Originally posted by TimT:
I disagree, since I don't think very highly of myself.

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You may not think very highly of yourself, but you surely think you have a non-biased opinion about things and stuffs - which is something quite ludicrous to start...

1. Marvelling at the size of Hoover dam.

2. Marvelling at that vomitous smell of the restroom of a McDonald's at 6:31 a.m. in Kingman, Arizona

3. Marvelling at the Painted Desert, such as it is at 85 mph in gusting crosswinds.

4. Marvelling at the wasteland that is Gallup, New Mexico, home of Highway 666

5. Marvelling at the immense annoyance that is driving through Albuquerque....

6. Marvelling at the sheer stupidity of a New Mexico county sherrif in stopping me for going 80 in a 75 and taking 5 minutes to come after me.

7. Marvelling at my restraint when he read back to me what I just told him: "My insurance expired in February."

8. Marvelling at his inability to justify giving me, a unemployed waif with an expired insurance card a ticket (I got a warning instead! woo-hoo!).

9. Marvelling at the fact he asked me if I carried narcotics -- like I'm gonna tell him?

10. Marvelling at the fact that so many have been hoodwinked into buying a Horner CD. egads people. I kid cuz I love.

11. Marvelling at the fact that all of you were out buying & enjoying a fine new Silvestri score while I was driving my booty off across the majestic American West.
Vegas to Amarillo in 12 hours baby!

You all missed out on the fun

It definitely was much better than I was expecting, by being equal if not better than the original. So, which score do you all like best?

BTW, on track 18 at about (5:53), I hear some sort of noise. Upon my first listen of the album I thought it was just one of the instruments. Now, it comes across more like an skipping/popping sound. Just wondering if anyone here has noticed it as well? The disc is fine and both copies I have, have it. The problem is, with so much different instrumentation and the way composers use them nowadays, it is hard to know when it is an actual defect or not. Arabian Nights, notwithstanding!

A wonderful start to what I think might be one of the best summer score seasons ever.

Dan (UK)

I don't know, Quill. I think Silvestri's score is quite ambitious and incredible, but I don't think it's as much fun as Jerry's. Goldsmith's score has more heart- more spirit. I'll have to see THE MUMMY RETURNS, though, before I can really back up that statement. Silvestri's score might just be perfect for the film. All I know is that the first one had a real light-hearted tone and Goldsmith did a great job of playing that up. Silvestri's score is much more dark and violent and chaotic.

Me's in same boat (not literal) as Dan. Pete wansa hear it now!!

I've got it on order (along with Aliens). But it could be more than a week before it arrives.

Still, things could be worse:

Kindest person in the world (Jeron) has sent me a suite, oh man, I LOVE THIS.....Argh need CD now!!!!!

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Originally posted by sabbey:
BTW, on track 18 at about (5:53), I hear some sort of noise. Upon my first listen of the album I thought it was just one of the instruments. Now, it comes across more like an skipping/popping sound. Just wondering if anyone here has noticed it as well?

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It's on my disc, too, Sean. My totally unqualified opinion is that it not a problem with the disc, simply because it doesn't quite sound like an electronic or digital problem to me, especially after listening to it with headphones. I think it's one of the percussion instruments.

I could be wrong, however. Perhaps someone who's better at telling the difference will chime in...

NP: The Mummy Returns (Silvestri) ***/*****

Dan (UK)

Oh...and wouldn't expect much from a board entitled "Rotten Tomoatoes"...

I put the CD in at work and I don't think I got any work done at all! I just sat there and wanted to kick the snot outa mummys.

I am going to listen to it over and over and over while I play EverQuest tonight!

dave

Anyways- not as good as Goldsmith orignial (which is a classic I think), Silvestri's score is still probably his best action his Judge Dredd. Its loud, interesting, energetic, and has a long running time- what more could you ask for in a summer action movie score!
After reading all these great reviews I just had to run out and buy it tonight (sadly, this meant I had to go clothes shopping my my gf as part of the deal). So far its the best score of the summer! hehe

BobaMike

Definetly check out the film if you haven't seen it.

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Originally posted by James:

It's on my disc, too, Sean. My totally unqualified opinion is that it not a problem with the disc, simply because it doesn't quite sound like an electronic or digital problem to me, especially after listening to it with headphones. I think it's one of the percussion instruments.

I could be wrong, however. Perhaps someone who's better at telling the difference will chime in...

James
NP - The Mummy Returns

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Normally, unless it is a really bad or a blatant noise, I don't hear these so-called imperfections. In fact, I did not even think it might be anything other than an percussive hit, until my second listen. I was wearing my headphones both times. But, they are rather low quality and make quite a lot of extraneous noise as it is.

Seeing that many here have way better ears than my own, I thought I should ask. In any case, it is not a problem. It just makes for a sort of distraction is all.

As for which score I like best, that would still be Goldsmith's. But, Silvestri's is not that far behind. I am biased towards the original though. So, what do I know?!

Regards,
Sean Robert Abbey

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Originally posted by Richard:
I've got nothing to say about The Mummy Returns, but I will say that I've owned the non-Varese edition of The Dish since last year and despite the fact it's Edmund Choi ripping off the Apollo 13 score, I still really enjoy it.

Definetly check out the film if you haven't seen it.

NP - The Jackal ***/*****

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I have the Varese version of The Dish, I don't know if its the same version you have but I really enjoy the last few tracks.
Does your version have more score than Varese's version?
Btw the I found Choi's take on Aollo 13 not too offensive, since since he did capture the Horner feel (which was on purpose) but without doing direct lifts. Like Horner would have done to himself. I see it more as a homage.

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Originally posted by Dan Brecher:
Pete, get out of my boat, it'll sink!

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Oh no, Oh no!

I Can't Swim!!!!

Why is it the bomb?

Because it is written in a symphonic style (which I love), kinda connects and complements Jerry Goldsmith's original score without copieing it and yet being different and expanding on the take.

The orchestration is phenominal and the overall feel is ole' style Hollywood film making.

Great effort. Money well spend. Not dissapointed at all.