Marie Antoinette
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Free Music Notes for Marie Antoinette
Free Music Review: Marie Antoinette
Hit: 5 Stars
I received my item very quickly! I have nothing bad to say. :)Free Music Review: Uneven results for a historical film
Hit: 4 Stars
I like soundtracks. Over the years I've discovered that it's a great way to find new artists and styles in music that I would normally never give a glance to, much less sit down and actually listen to.
I've been interested in the tragic tale of Marie Antoinette, oh, since forever, I suppose. I've watched quite a few films, and read quite a few books, and even managed to get somewhat familiar with the music -- she was a quite a musician herself, very skilled at the harp and harpsichord, and acted in various private productions. Now Sophia Coppola has produced a film about her that takes a look at the Queen and her Versailles, the most splendid and magnificent court of its time. And I had heard about the music used for the soundtrack, and that it was rather -- different.
That's the least of it, I discovered.
With Brian Reitzell producing and overseeing most of this collection, I found the overall results rather scattered with the first disc being full of very modern cuts ? mostly remixes and revamps of post punk classics, and the second filled with more ambient and classical releases. Unfortunately, that makes the mix very uneven, and at times very jarring.
Looking back at the various tracks and styles, I have to say that my enjoyment of the various works really depended on what my mood was at the moment. If I wanted something modern, the first disc was all right. But the second one I found more tolerable, in the sheer fact that I prefer classical and jazz compositions over most things these days. It all really came down to the finesse of the performers and whether the track depended on music skill or loud amplification.
One thing I really hate about this cd is the utter lack of liner notes, and the truly dreadful design of the packaging. Besides several stills from the film and some of the set elements, there is absolutely nothing included about the film, and a listing of the songs with performers, original release date of the song, and suchlike spread out over several pages in the insert and a track listing on the back of the jewel case where there is nothing but a track listing of the two cds, with the performers, all printed up in day-glo fluorescent pink on white paper in very small type. To say that it makes your bleed is an understatement -- it is virtually impossible to read without having to use a magnifying glass and/or squinting.
That's bad, especially when it could have so easily been fixed with someone who actually knows what they are doing when it comes to graphic design and typography. Instead it screams Look at clever ME! I don't buy cds for that, I buy them for the music and the information in the case. That's it.
So, summing up, this is a fine cd if you're really into the post punk period of the '80's for the first disc, or enjoy ambient, electronic fare on the second disc. If you're really lucky, you'll enjoy them both, but I would wager not all of it. Learn the programming on your cd player so you can edit out what you can?t stand.
Over all, not quite a four star effort, but since I can only round up or down, let's say four stars.
Free Music Review: The notions of a rich, bi-polar teenager never sounded so good.
Hit: 4 Stars
I say "bi-polar" becuase this soundtrack alternates, like the mind of a young girl with too much time on her hands (yes, that's you Ms. Coppola), between giddy and rambunctious or contemplative and anguished. Music can tell a lot about the person who chooses to listen to it, much less include it on a soundtrack, and this soundtrack makes it abundantly obvious the tone of which the director was lend to take the film.
Setting aside the artistic choice to contrast a period-piece with new wave music, the songs on this CD stand out on their own as extremely good pieces of music. They have a rather timeless quality, so that more recent entries like The Strokes don't sound out of place next to the more traditional new wave sounds of New Order.
The first half of the disc is largely upbeat. It opens with a fabulous classical intro to Siouxsie and The Banshees' "Hong Kong Garden" and then moves into crazier territory with Bow Wow Wow's "Aphrodisiac." The Strokes' "Whatever Happened" is a common tune but one that grows on you with subsequent listens. Then one of the album's most delightful surprises, a showing by The Radio Dept. for a break in pace with "Pulling Our Weight." After this comes the pensive but bravely inspiring cover of Joy Division's "Ceremony" by New Order. Back at the palace ball, Gang of Four gets the masses riled up with "Natural's Not in It," followed by another Bow Wow Wow classic "I Want Candy" (I'll confess this is one that could have been left out, it's commercial and overplayed as it is; it does work given the context of the film, but not so much on this soundtrack). The party ends with Adam Ant's "Kings of the Wild Frontier" which is a take-it-or-leave-it track.
From there, the first disc turns largely into a contemplative atmospheric set. Anotnio Vivaldi's "Concerto in G" turns a corner with some lush classical, and then the final 3 tracks put us into a subdued melancholy coma. Windsor for the Derby's "The Melody of a Fallen Tree," The Radio Dept.'s "I Don't Like it Like This" and The Cure's "Plainsong" are some of the most reflective, introverted songs you're likely to find on any collection.
The second disc is nearly all mood and atmosphere. It includes unexpected quiet pieces from Aphex Twin and Squarepusher, more from Bow WoW Wow, The Cure, and the Radio Dept., as well as a large number of instrumental renditions and classical pieces by contemporary artists.
Overall this is one of the best soundtracks I've come across, largely lacking widespread commercial appeal but absolutely stuffed full of more obscure gems.
Free Music Review: Lush Life
Hit: 4 Stars
First, let me clarify that these comments refer to the soundtrack, not the film itself. When I bought the soundtrack I knew practically nothing about 80s alternative rock. The inclusion of recent pop music was one of the things that made the film quite controversial. A lot of people really couldn't handle it. After listening to both discs repeatedly --while I still don't know much about 80s alt-rock-- I would say the music has 'grown on me'. Words like 'atmospheric' and 'evocative' come readily to mind. Ultimately I think it is an odd but fascinating mix, an interesting melange of then and now. It's one of the few soundtracks I'm likely to continue playing rather often, just because I like the overall vibe.Free Music Review: A Soundtrack Surpassing It's Movie
Hit: 4 Stars
I must say that I enjoy the soundtrack to the movie. There are some good beats to be found and the use of modern music set to a pre-revolutionary/revolutionary France setting *was* intriguing. Unfortunatley, the film itself was a dissapointment for me. I suppose the great number of historical inaccuracies and the "chic flick" factor (remeniscent of a movie like the Princess Diaries) are what really put me off and ruined the intriquing factor of the soundtrack for me. The real story of Marie Antoinette is dramatic and scandalous enough so adding to it sent the movie "over the top" in a very negative way. I was expecting more of Sophia Coppola but, hey, the costumes were great and the soundtrack was good.