So far, the one score that seems to stand out has been Lalo Schifrin's "Abominable" (and this is a stretch since the film is technically from last year). Every time I hear music from it, I have to check to see who wrote the music.

Though not in the same class, Nathan Barr's score to "Hostel" is also one of those times when the music is certainly better than the film for which it was written. And my guess is it will not make my final top ten cut for the year.

Also of tremendous note is Howard Shore's SUN: Soul of the Ultimate Nation. Although not as thematically-existing as his LotR scores, it's still worth every listen I put that disc through (and still continue to do. Here's a list of what I've bought this year from best to most mediocre (thankfully I haven't bought anything too sh!tty this year).

Also of tremendous note is Howard Shore's SUN: Soul of the Ultimate Nation. Although not as thematically-existing as his LotR scores, it's still worth every listen I put that disc through (and still continue to do. Here's a list of what I've bought this year from best to most mediocre (thankfully I haven't bought anything too sh!tty this year).
<HR size=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey Nutso I'm suprised to see Omen so far up on your list. Everywhere I go, except this site, all I see is people trashing it. I haven't gotten a listen in of it yet, but I've had it for..a couple of weeks. Also, Beltrami is awesome and I have to check out that Three Burials score. Beltrami's score for Hellboy is one of my favorite scores (although unfortunately there's an annoying clicking sound that is always heard whenever the music gets loud..a real shame,) with such beautiful and catchie themes at the same time. You say the Underworld Evolution score is good? I wanted to pick it up..but heard very little about it from any of you so I figured I'd wait. I can tell you one thing about it, I can't stand the track titles. =P And to continue inyour fashion..here is what I have bought this year in a list as well!

1. V for Vendetta
2. X-Men: Last Stand
3. Da Vinci Code
4. Mission Impossible III
5. Abominable (Released this year, as explained earlier..)
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (I'm torn on this one..I love some of it, but hate other parts of it..but it's not the worst I've gotten this year.)
7. Lost (I was disappointed..It seemed like a lot of the action music was left off.)
8. Poseidon

But yeah, I recommend all of Beltrami's stuff this year. :P

[Message edited by nuts_score on 07-09-2006]<HR size=1></BLOCKQUOTE>

What's weird is how good that analogy works...I will definately look into Underworld: Evolution now.

The year so far...

Superman, Pirates, X-Men, Da Vinci, M:I:3 and V for Vendetta.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mark Olivarez:
I'm still waiting...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by sketch:
I'm surprised to see people mentioning Battle Star Gallactica since it's a lot of boring thumping and ethnic noodling. Maybe people like it because McCreary is a young film music fan and a sci-fi nerd. If Richard Gibbs had continued writing for the show it'd sound exactly like this and no one would care about it because he's Richard Gibbs.]

---

Heck, you can call me stupid if you want Seany! You don't have to be afraid. Maybe it's true. But hey, I'm not the one who thinks Bear McCreary is the future of good film music. Look out composers. Here comes Bear!

You so clearly have no idea what you're talking about, though, with Battlestar Galactica; you wouldn't (from what you've shown) be able to comment seriously or give a good level of criticsm of the score: "boring thumping" means nothing.

quote:

---

Originally posted by sketch:
I'm surprised to see people mentioning Battle Star Gallactica since it's a lot of boring thumping and ethnic noodling. Maybe people like it because McCreary is a young film music fan and a sci-fi nerd. If Richard Gibbs had continued writing for the show it'd sound exactly like this and no one would care about it because he's Richard Gibbs.

[Message edited by sketch on 07-10-2006]

---

Sketch, I'm wondering if you've actually heard any cues from either season of BSG? Because your arguement lacks a little thing known as validity. You need MP3 samples?

Just so that I don't completely stray the topic. After checking the new release list on this wonderful site there didn't seem to many scores that could enter the "best score of the year" category..though they may. Who knows!

Wow, you've cut me to the quick Sean! Watch this, I'm going to discredit your argument: "Boring thumping" means EVERYTHING. This approach to the action music was demanded by the producers of the show (who hate film music) and is the lowest common demonator of film scoring. The easiest possible way out. Anyone could write this music, even you. Bear knows this but has played it smart and is running with the notion that he's somehow reinventing the wheel by writing music that takes no talent whatsoever to write.

>>Yeah, you're new, so sharpen your skills a little better when you try and slam a score you don't even know. Or better yet, don't even comment on it, because you have no clue what you're talking about.<<

I'm not new. I've been listening to movie music for around 30 years longer than you have.

Boring thumping.

No, I've seen several episodes and whenever the spaceships fly around I hear the same monotonous percussion writing. It's so monotonous that after awhile you can pretend it's not there, so it doesn't actually hurt the show. But it's nothing I'd ever want to hear on its own.

quote:

---

Originally posted by sketch:

No, I've seen several episodes and whenever the spaceships fly around I hear the same monotonous percussion writing. It's so monotonous that after awhile you can pretend it's not there, so it doesn't actually hurt the show. But it's nothing I'd ever want to hear on its own.

---

Point taken. I will keep an ear out for the quieter stuff.

quote:

---

Originally posted by sean:
Also highly anticipated, IMO, is Goldsmith's season 3 score to Stargate Atlantis (July 14 isn't coming soon enough)!

---

Bagtatta, its clear from those comments (the music is "boring"; McCreary doesn't even rate as a composer; Richard Gibbs sucks; and later he even slams percussionists: "Anyone could write this music, even you... writing music that takes no talent whatsoever to write.") that he isn't fishing for any sort of constructive conversation over the merits of the music on Battlestar Galactica. You're right, though, maybe I shouldn't have responded to him in kind, the way I did, and should have took a more measured approach. As for your comment on nuts_score: more often than not, I'll write what he'd like to for individuals like sketch, but doesn't because I'm there to do so, uncaring and unafraid of what people like yourself think of my comments. But you see, I think you have a point, and I love the music from Battlestar Galactica, so I'm willing to defend it seriously.

sketch, I think you should check out the CDs for seasons 1 and 2 before commenting on the score the way you have; if "boring thumping" and "ethnic noodling" is what you've heard on the "several" episodes you've seen, than you haven't watched the best of them. From season 2, Home Part 2 (207) "Allegro," Pegasus (210), Resurrection Ship Parts 1 & 2 (211 and 212), and Scar (215) all have fully orchestral elements and standalone pieces, with the Pegasus / Resurrection Ship arc dominated by orchestra over the scenes "whenever the spaceships fly around" (your words) for the massive and visually/musically impressive "Battle For Resurrection" and "Galactica Attacks" sequences: on the season 2 disc you can find this stunner on track 17, "Prelude To War." Also, "Escape From The Farm" (The Farm [205]) and "Martial Law" (Fragged [203]) both have well integrated orchestral elements, strings for "Escape..." and brass for "Martial Law," over the percussive drive of those cues, though its an orchestral drive in the latter piece concluded with a percussive statement. And on season 1, you can find a handful more: with music like "The Shape Of Things To Come" (rightfully dedicated to McCreary's mentor, Elmer Bernstein) and the beautiful opener to Kobol's Last Gleaming (112), "Passacaglia." This is all just skimming the surface, but briefly those are some of the strongest pieces to be had from the show.

Just to clear up a few inaccuracies with one of your posts, sketch:

The musical approach to the show was pushed for by the 2003 Mini Series (and the show's best) director, Michael Rymer, and not the producers, Ronald D. Moore and David Eick; they may have wished it to continue, which it has, and gone further, to greener pastures. Also, Richard Gibbs did score two episodes from season 1, Water (102) and Bastille Day (103), so his music went beyond the Mini Series. And where-o-where did you get the idea that Ron Moore and David Eick "hate film music"? That doesn't make sense, since their own commentary and praise of not only McCreary's score, but film music generally, says otherwise. (One easy test for this is to listen to Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga discuss Jerry Goldsmith on their audio commentary for Star Trek: First Contact; another great film and score! Or any number of the podcasts for BSG, available on iTunes, or from the official Sci Fi Channel website.) That's pure conjecture on your part: so, please, clear that one up.

nuts_score, I would argue against your comments on the sound mix given to shows like Battlestar Galactica, or other Sci Fi Channel programming (like Joel Goldsmith's music on Stargate Atlantis). BSG has a consistently loud mix where the music is concerned, cutting through the muted sound effects the show is given for its "quiet" space sequences. Some episodes, like The Captain's Hand (217), for example, could have used a bit of a boost in volume where the music is concerned (especially for the awesome "The Pegasus Jumps" battle sequence), but more often than not McCreary's music is given the limelight. But compared to DVD, TV loses in both picture and sound quality.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kris:
Why? Is the score going to be released?

---

Most likely. Goldsmith is planning several Stargate releases, from both SG-1 and Atlantis.

quote:

---

For the most part, the music is formed on a synthetic base, with live elements dancing around on top - guitars, duduk, wailing female vocals - Dead Can Dance for outer space, perhaps. It's all been done countless times before (though not for televised science fiction, I must admit) and I'm sure you already know whether you'll like it or not.

---