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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Interview…Composer Will Bates and Director Mike Cahill Discuss ‘Bliss’
Will Bates is an award-winning composer, multi-instrumentalist and founder of music production company Fall On Your Sword. As a solo artist and multi-instrumentalist, Bates has recorded and toured around the globe. As a saxophonist, Bates has collaborated with legendary artists ranging from 60’s icon Lulu to techno legend Marshall Jefferson. Bates works frequently with director Mike Cahill, and the two weave mind-expanding narrative magic for TV and film. Cahill (Another Earth, I Origins) wrote and directed the new film, Bliss, which is being distributed by Amazon Studios and the soundtrack will be released by Milan Records. It tells the multi-layered story of a man whose life lacks purpose, and he…
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Interview…J.C. Chamboredon On the Legacy and Future of Milan Records
Founded over 40 years ago by Emmanuel Chamboredon, Milan Records has released the soundtracks to renowned and critically acclaimed classics such as Ghost and Backdraft. Scan your shelves – it’s a good bet that a sizeable chunk of titles bear the fanciful logo of the winged man with a heart-shaped head. Fitting image as that’s how I feel whenever I listen to a soundtrack. Since 2004, Jean-Christophe Chamboredon continues the legacy for his father who started Milan in 1978. In this week’s podcast, we got to speak with Chamboredon about the iconic company which was recently acquired by Sony Music Masterworks. This business venture offers even more opportunities to put…
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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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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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Exclusive: Mo Shafeek Shares Stories as Mondo’s Record Label Production Manager
Mondo employees are a rare breed of cinephiles and artisans – chalk it up mostly to each of them having seen certain films way too early in their lifetime. Having watched those titles countless times, movies are not just a means of entertainment, they are part of their DNA. Who else could make/understand a “little too Raph” joke on a daily basis without missing a beat? In short, certain films defined their tastes for years to come. One such individual is Mo Shafeek. We got to speak to him for over an hour regarding his role as Mondo’s soundtrack production manager. Based in Austin, TX, the Mondo bunch (Mo included),…
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Interview…Richard Kaufman on John Williams and Being A Session Musician on ‘Jaws’
Richard Kaufman is, and has been, a good friend of the site. Thanks to our contacts at the Dallas Symphony, we always get to catch up with him when he’s in town for a show as their Pops conductor laureate. Richard has had an amazing career being a session musician (violin) on many classic film scores as well as being MGM’s Music Supervisor for 19 years. He’s seen incredible things behind the gates of major Hollywood studios. You’ve seen those Dos XX commercials with “the Most Interesting Man in the World” right? Well, it should actually be Richard they’re talking about. Seriously, name any filmic presonality and Richard either knows them,…
