CD: Smallville (2001-2011)
Return to: Home / Soundtrack Reviews / S
.
Rating: Excellent
Label: La-La Land Records / Released: July 29, 2013
Tracks & Album Length: CD1: 21 tracks / (74:05) + CD2: 22 tracks / (74:35)
.
Special Notes: 28-page colour booklet with liner notes by Brian Satterwhite / Limited to 3000 copies.
.
Composer: Mark Snow, Louis Febre
.
.
Review:
Mark Snow may be one of the most prolific composers working almost exclusively in TV, but in each of his series – spanning cult classics such as The X Files (1993-2002), Millennium (1996-1999), Nowhere Man (1995-1996) – his writing is always connected to a series’ characters, in addition capturing moments of genuine strangeness and dour darkness.
Smallville ran for 10 years, and Snow stuck with the show’s first 6, leaving Louis Febre to handle the last 4. It may seem tough to imagine that so much of the show’s qualities could’ve been packed into a 2-disc set when Snow’s prior X Files and Millenium benefitted from multi-disc releases, but it’s perhaps a tribute to the set’s producers that good thematic and mood representations are fitted into the roughly 2.5 hours of disc time.
Fans of X Files will recognize many synth sounds, as Snow used much of the same gear to emulate strings and assorted percussion, but there’s an unusual level of tenderness that dominates the cues, even when the mood shifts to danger or something a little superhuman, Snow repeatedly goes back to his character material, making sure the scores are grounded to their characters.
There’s also a slightly tragic tone to the music: instead of sweeping cues evoking heroism and near-misses, Snow rarely allows for moments of singular joy, and any sections evoking peace or quiet meditation are quite fleeting. The decision seemed to have been made from the beginning that the music would not be a classic celebration of Superman’s heroism, even in its infancy. Snow’s take is to leave things unsettled, have chords infrequently come to a satisfying rest, and have his sounds flow and undulate as though a constant undercurrent of unease and insecurity flows around young adult Clark Kent.
Febre’s contributions tend to stick with a similar instrumental palette, but his writing benefits from more current electronic gear, and there’s a greater emphasis on covering drama, melancholy, light comedy (“Meet Cat Grant”), and danger in a more traditional orchestral style, which may surprise those familiar with Febre’s work in TV. He’s perhaps better known for handling an assortment of mystery and suspense tales (such as the grim Mr. Murder), and his knack for scoring action come through in a few kinetic cues, like the pulsing orchestral-electronic hybrid “Hawkman in the Desert,” with some great string figures and brass that very discretely harken back to John William’s own Superman score.
Those unfamiliar with the series have a 28-page booklet with stills and Brian Satterwhite’s liner notes to follow the show’s progression, as samples from a decade’s worth of episodes are neatly edited and arranged in this beautifully produced set. The quality of the music – especially the numerous soft character pieces – should prick an interest among listeners to seek out the series, and walk away with a deeper interest in the composers’ other work.
.
.
© 2013 Mark R. Hasan
.
External References:
IMDB: Mark Snow / Louis Febre — Soundtrack Album — Composer Filmographies: Mark Snow / Louis Febre
.
Select Merchants:
Amazon.ca
.
Return to: Home / Soundtrack Reviews / S
Category: Soundtrack Reviews
Connect