By Breanne Brennan There was a plethora of interesting scores released this year, and these are my picks for the best of 2017. Worth a Listen: DOWNSIZING (Rolfe Kent) “The World is Amazed” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Goj0Lt8ETVI GET OUT (Michael Abels) "Sikiliza Kwa Wahenga (Main Title)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_EBKLTvNtg A GHOST STORY (Daniel Hart) “Little Notes” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4yhtLdH5I0 HICKOK (Andrew Joslyn) “Every Man Has His Demons” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaM3E3PZINE MOLLY'S GAME (Daneil Pemberton) “Staring Down a Mountain” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJJRyzgbFUo MULLY (Benjamin Wallfisch) “Finding Water” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3CdTd4Z84 PHANTOM THREAD (Jonny Greenwood) “House of Woodcock” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT_XjcdgT6g REBEL IN THE RYE (Bear McCreary) “Innocence” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DnfWU6ZQbg VICTORIA AND ABDUL (Thomas Newman) "Glassalt Shiel" https://open.spotify.com/track/4NbZjpHRGLzKY5Is3LxbAy WONDERSTRUCK (Carter Burwell) “Little Girl, Big City” https://open.spotify.com/track/2G1c74QPfeIZYTV6rY367S Runner Up THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI (Carter Burwell) Burwell’s no-nonsense twangy score almost sounds like one that would’ve worked as an alternate for TRUE GRIT. Its “justice is coming” tone is matched with some more melancholy solo piano melodies. I almost wished the score was longer, given its mere thirteen less-than-three minute tracks on the soundtrack itself. Top Ten 10. THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US (Ramin Djawadi) A mostly restrained effort for Djawadi, who is often stuck in GAME OF THRONES territory with some of his action-oriented scores of late. Here, he creates a beautiful sweeping piano/strings theme that helps contrast some of the score’s more dissonant, wintery motifs. https://open.spotify.com/track/3XMjWpGgB1aUOTwQZQjEpM 9. THE SNOWMAN (Marco Beltrami) This could have easily fallen into Reznor and Ross territory with more atmospheric and low-key instrumentation, but Beltrami instead goes for something much more unique and unsettling. His suspenseful blend of atmospheric strings, piano, and carillon bells makes for an evocative listen, and a prime example of a score being much better than the actual movie it accompanies. 8. ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD (Daniel Pemberton) If a bass-heavy string ensemble could personify a steely human being, then look no further than Pemberton’s classically-inspired score. He plays with several different motifs here, including a pompous and diabolical waltz, a solitary flute, operatic chorales, and his trademark driving percussive sounds. While there’s a lot going on in this score that might not make it sound appropriately cohesive, it’s still one of the more fascinating listens of this year’s soundtrack offerings. 7. MARSHALL (Marcus Miller) This score could have easily been a by-the-books dissonant “legal movie” score. Instead, Miller’s emphasis on the film’s Harlem jazz-stylings and swing music make this a great listen, and he still gives an emotional edge to several of the score’s more tender and dramatic moments. 6. WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (Michael Giacchino) Giacchino’s certainly been busy this summer, and his latest APES score is arguably one of the best action movie scores of the year so far. Deep, rich chorales from the previous film are carried over and enhanced with driving animal-like percussion. The orchestrations are relatively restrained for an action score, and the main waltz-style theme shines in delicate piano sequences, offering perfect emotional contrast to its more forceful renditions. 5. THOR: RAGNAROK (Mark Mothersbaugh) One of the best action scores of the year. Mothersbaugh goes far afield for a Marvel score, which have often been trapped in regal heroic throw-away motifs that tend to get stale over time. Yet, given the lighter, humorous tone of the latest THOR installment, the choice to have Mothersbaugh tap into his techno roots was an incredibly apropos. 4. KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD (Daniel Pemberton) Pemberton has been busy this past year, but his ARTHUR score is one that’s a knockout. He blends modern-sounding percussive elements with harsh, scrappy human breath instrumentations to make for one of the year’s most unique and original scores. 3. STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (John Williams) It felt sacrilegious to not include a John Williams score on this list, and, well, his latest entry in the STAR WARS canon is a great effort. I’ve gone into the prequels expecting the same-old-same-old from Williams, however, with these last two installments, I’ve been rather satisfied. Rather than the sound of a mash of brass and string orchestrations, Williams keeps his recognizable themes in check. He revives the “Luke and Leia” theme with great effect here, and it also gives the score a nice bit of emotional nostalgia. 2. THE SHAPE OF WATER (Alexandre Desplat) It’s trademark Desplat poetry found in previous scores like BENJAMIN BUTTON and LUST, CAUTION, but still a good thing. He creates a dreamy and suspenseful score with wavery whistling, punctuated by a romantic little accordion and fluttery flute that feels reflective of the film’s gilled subject and time period. But what Desplat seems to have effortlessly achieved here is giving life to water in his melodies. Whether it’s the ebb and flow of waves or the feeling of floating underwater, these feelings can be found in a number of themes of this tender score. 1. THE LOVERS (Mandy Hoffman) Were you to listen to the score before seeing its associated movie, you might think it was something out of an old Hollywood romance or a fairy tale, given its lush, lilting Golden Age-style orchestrations. This most underrated soundtrack of the year is worth repeated listens for anyone looking to escape the blare of Summer action movie scores. Hopefully we’ll be hearing more of Hoffman in the future.
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