Many years ago, while pondering his place in the world, a man once asked a very timeless question: “Why, oh why didn’t I take the blue pill?” Yes, the character of Cypher (played by the incomparable Joe Pantoliano) is very much like all of us. Life threw him a choice, and after choosing a path he’s not sure it’s the right one. Buyer’s remorse if ever there was a cinematic equivalent. And I’m sure we all feel that when a film just doesn’t move the mercury for us. Similarly, we probably wish we could take steps to remake our choice. Last year, we got to plug back into The Matrix…
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Music Review…’Spider-Man: Miles Morales’ Swings and Soars on Vinyl
Erich Wolfgang Korngold once said that “music is music whether it’s for the movie theater or the concert hall or a video game.” We might have paraphrased a little at the end, but he’s right. Moreover, it’s long been understood that a good video game score can help make any game memorable. It can also have a wondrous life outside the pixelated adventure as well. Today’s music review focuses on Mondo and Hollywood Records’ vinyl release of the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Miles Morales. However, before we dig in, here’s a sliver of transparency: this review was done as a stand-alone listening experience. I’ve not played a Spider-Man game since the…
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Music Review…’Avengers: Infinity War + Endgame’ Behemoth Box Set
Alan Silvestri is one of our very favorite composers, and his contributions to film are nearly unparalleled. When it was announced that Mondo and Hollywood Records would be releasing the complete scores to Infinity War and Endgame on vinyl, the only thing better than that would be to have the Time Stone so we could actually get it sooner – good news is that it was well worth the wait. We are thrilled to review this box set as Silvestri’s music spins on our turntable, and, trust me, these albums are not to be missed! One of the reasons we love Silvestri’s work is that he has an absolute knack…
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Music Review…’Dolemite Is My Name’ is Positively Groovy
Mondo is the premiere vinyl soundtrack record label and destination for all sorts of palette-expanding music. Pretty sure that no matter what your appetite is, they’ve got something to whet (and satisfy) it. Case in point. How many times have you asked yourself, “why aren’t there more blaxploitation revival albums out there?” The short answer is that there are. And thanks to these purveyors of acoustic awesomeness, you can easily get your hands on it. Luckily, they didn’t have to dig through obscure catalogs to unearth this glorious title; you can thank Eddie Murphy and Netflix for giving the gift of Dolemite Is My Name to the world just last year. A pet project…
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Interview…Nathan Johnson on the Lush Orchestral Score to ‘Knives Out’
One of our favorite composers, and one we’ve been fortunate enough to speak with several times over the years, is Nathan Johnson. With each film score, he’s continually gained an audience with a signature and stylistic approach to his work. That’s partly because he and his cousin are a package deal. Nathan and long time collaborator, Rian Johnson, go way back…even before Brick. The two grew up on the East Coast bringing their stories to life any way they could, hoping to one day break into the biz. Well, they did, and in a very big way. Thanks to titles like Looper, The Last Jedi, and now Knives Out, the…
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Music Review…’Metal Gear Solid’ on Vinyl is Simply Solid
In 1998, Metal Gear Solid took the world by storm with its story, and genre-bending gameplay. Even by today’s standards (standards it defined, let’s be honest), it is still tough to top. Really, everything about MGS raised the bar for continuing entries in the series as well as video games across the board. One major component helping cement Metal Gear Solid as a modern classic was the music which gave the entire adventure a cinematic presence. It was persistent, driving, ominous, and helped make it feel like the stakes were high, with danger literally around every corner. The music is a tapestry of bright and steely synths, complimented by a…
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Music Review…Mondo’s Stellar Release of Justin Hurwitz’s ‘First Man’ Score
In the span of just three scores, composer Justin Hurwitz has taken tremendous steps forward covering new ground in his musical career. The soundtrack to Damien Chazelle‘s First Man is tailored specifically to the film, but not necessarily the literal narrative beats. The film follows Neil Armstrong, and as such, it’s less about NASA as an organization and more about the titular “first man.” We get to witness all the mental, physical, psychological and spiritual tests that lead to his historic steps on the Moon. The film opens on a period in Armstong’s life that doesn’t really define or explain his demeanor and drive, but it sure focuses it. Some of the…
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Interview…Brian McNelis Discusses Vinyl Releases at Lakeshore Records and Experiences in the Music Industry
Thanks largely to a trip to Record Store Day in 2014, I have become an increasing fan of soundtrack releases on vinyl…and I’ve never looked back. You may have your own go-to retailers, and while a significant portion of my collection is comprised of Mondo titles, Lakeshore Records (the independent music division of Lakeshore Entertainment) remains a notable force that issues some of the most vibrant, stunning, and downright bad-ass releases you’ve ever seen. We spoke to the company’s Senior Vice President of Music and Soundtracks, Brian McNelis, about his day-to-day with Lakeshore. As you might expect, after scanning through the hefty number of releases on the Lakeshore Records website,…
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Music Review…Mondo Goes the Distance with Limited Edition ‘Creed’ 2XLP
There is a well-known proverb that states, “In the warrior’s code, there’s no surrender.” Is that aged wisdom from hundreds of years ago? Not at all. That’s from Rocky IV, and it’s worth noting that film marked the first time in the Rocky saga that a torch was passed to a new composer. The film was an entirely macho and pugilistic allegory of Cold War tensions, sure, but it was also pretty awesome from a musical sense, both score and song. Picking up on that departure, Ryan Coogler’s Creed is a fantastic step forward in the saga while also serving as a quasi-remake of the iconic 1976 property. The series may…
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CONTEST CLOSED – Win A Copy of the ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children‘ CD Score from La-La Land Records
Attention: CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. Winners have been notified. Thanks for your interest in MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN. ———————————————————————————————————————————— Just in time for Halloween, GoSeeTalk and La-La Land Records are offering lucky fans a copy of the spooky, whimsical, and thrilling score to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, the latest film from visionary director Tim Burton. The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, was released on CD this month exclusively from La-La Land Records. Click this link to check it out at La-La Land’s website and then read below to find out how you can win a copy from us. La-La Land Records and Fox Music and 20th Century Fox present the original…
