This is a long one, guyses.
Yes, my friends, the moment you've all been waiting for. Oops. I just realized I sounded like McCain right there. OK, no more lame political jokes, I promise. Just feel like being a bit nerdy today. Which brings me back to my reason for posting--the song-by-song analysis/review of the not-so-recently released Torchwood soundtrack! Note: I shall not be giving star reviews, as all of the tracks, in my mind, (and my iPod) were given 5/5's. Heh heh.
Everything Changes--Though not as long as the "Everything Changes Suite" in Torchwood Unreleased, it gives the same amount of suspense and eeriness to portray Gwen's first impressions of the mysterious team.
The Chase--Heavy beats and and underlying guitar and drum rhythm give this song the elements of Torchwood, basically, in a hurry. Portions are in cut time to give a driving tone, while others are in 7/4 to give the song a bit of a tenuous feel, and I love the soaring string melody near the end. This is Torchwood saying, "Yeah, it's all part of the job."
Ghosts--The mystery from "Everything Changes" reappears. There's not an actual beat to this track, just a very dark, upsetting feeling given by clashing strings. They're ghosts! You should be scared.
Sleepers, Awake!--The beginning of this seems like a continuation of "Ghosts", but, instead of suspense, something BIG is going on. Yeah, this song is for the baddies. Is it from the finale, when the Weevils all come out to wreak havoc? I don't recall, but "Sleepers" fits that moment perfectly.
Toshiko and Tommy--A love song, tinged with sadness. I mean, c'mon! Tosh knows she can't be with Tommy, ever. Mostly strings in this one, with a recurring melody that can't help but be *cringes at the word* poignant. Note "The End" theme coming in with the strings and piano; I LOVE that theme. And foreshadowing...that too.
Into the Hub--Whenever this song comes up on my iPod, I always mistake it with "Violet Hill" from Coldplay. Seriously, they have the exact same first six seconds. The song's in a minor key, giving it Torchwood-style creepiness, and when the piano and bells come in, it becomes so mysterious I want to *squee*. It's like, the hub's a magic fairy castle, that is...in the Twilight Zone. And then--what's this?--once you think the song's over, the pace doubles, and the team is on another mission!
The Mission--It's a mission. What can I say? Strings and guitar mix to give it that obviously Torchwood feel, and low brass gives both melody and rhythm. "The Mission" goes well with "The Chase". I always love a strong drum beat, too...this song is one of my favorites from the soundtrack.
Gray's Theme--I'm not too big on "Gray's Theme"...and it's not just because he's a traitorous, murderous, lying, Tosh-killing punk. I think I keep subconsiously comparing it to the Doctor's Theme, which is just a lot more catchy. However, I did say everything on the album got 5/5 stars, and this one barely made it because....I'm not too sure. It's depth, possibly. It gives a song to how Gray must have felt, being tortured all those years.
Jack's Love Theme--Again with the Coldplay confusion! The first three seconds of this one sound like 42. I am dead serious. The song's beautiful, but I honestly don't understand how it could be Jack's love theme, as he doesn't exactly take that kind of thing very seriously. Maybe that's why it sounds so bittersweet--Nobody understands that he might love someone, for real. *cough* Ianto *cough*
Another Day, Another Death--Tragic. The kind of music that one imagines when one is laying bleeding in a gutter in the pouring rain. It seems that bad luck has struck the team once again--who is next to die? A pounding, yet faraway bass sounds every other beat to give the song some form, but other than that, it's free-flowing, with an amazing piano line playing backround to the haunting string melody. Can I mention--I'm not sure what it is, maybe a synthesizer--that scary Torchwood-y noise that comes in near the end?
Look Right, Then Leave--The only track from "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang". It's...funky. That's the only word I have here. There's a repetitive tune that circulates around instruments that one can't help but get stuck in one's head for a week. This is definitely one of the least serious tracks here, being surprisingly dance-able! It gets a bit redundant, and I think a minute or so could have been left out, but the last couple seconds totally make up for that.
Welcome to Planet Earth--Yes, we are issuing an ironic welcome to the giant alien emo whale. There's a soaring string melody that would definitely be described as 'calming', until about halfway through--then it hits a tragic note, and continues on in this way, becoming hopeful even later on. It's really cool how it's able to switch moods like that!
The Plot--Heh heh...plotting. There's an interesting mix of driving guitar and percussion with a kind of slower, smoother string melody. Later on, there's a very strong, heroic melody that, for some reason, reminds me of National Treasure.
Out of Time--It's so...sweet! This was the first time Owen had really loved someone since Katie, and Diane could never stay with him. Why does everything good that happens to him always end up sucking?
The Death Of Dr. Owen Harper--Ugh. I can't believe I had to type that. Note: This was played when he "died" died, not the second time. Another moving track, but I especially love how Owen's theme reaches a final note, an end. Symbolism in music is amaxing.
King Of the Weevils--We know, we know, he was joking when he said that, but it is true. Owen is, in a sense, the king of the weevils. It's pretty friggin' sweet. I'm terribly sorry, but I cannot tell what string instrument is which; I'll just say that the solo is excellent. Very otherworldly. It's as close as music can come to having a question mark at the end, as in: What happened to Owen?? In one section, there is only noise--no discernible instrument is playing, further underlining the point that what was done to Owen has never happened before. Basically, there's no conventional music that can describe that.
Owen Fights Death--The "Doomsday" of the soundtrack. This. One. Is. Fantastic. I could listen to it for hours on end! It begins with bass and piano (as does "Doomsday"), with Owen's theme playing alone. Then, seemingly from nowhere, the full ensemble comes in. Strings join piano on the theme, the guitar and drums keep the beat--then the fight ensues. Owen taking on Jack's role as hero is signified by Jack's theme cutting in, which blends into a fast tempo version of Owen's theme once more. It speeds up and takes on a victorious tone as Owen ends his fight with Death, and wins.
The Woman on the Roof--Another element of "Doomsday" is taken in this track--a strange, high whistle plays incessantly above the music, giving the impression of tension: Will she jump? Owen enters the picture of this despairing woman, and the whistle seems to fade out--not entirely; she hasn't entirely recovered--just enough for the mood to become a bit calmer. There are moments of tension, but this song is like "Boe"--a reminder to be happy.
Owen's Theme--What can I say? It's perfect. One cannot comment on perfection.
Pearl and the Ghostmaker--Ugh. Think "Blink", but ultimately much, much more frightening. It gives the sensation of a carnival at night, when the oddities and mystery take a turn from entertaining to horrifying. Just imagine carnies from an era long gone coming to life, coming at you from out of the shadows; out of the rain. Wait. You don't have to imagine. You've seen the episode.
Flat Holm Island--One of the more conventional songs on the soundtrack, but no less--I have to say it again--poignant. The strings portray the tragedy of the island's residents through a recurring melody and a terrific use of dynamics. Hope comes and goes, but does not return as the song ends on a tension-filled note.
A Boy Called Jonah--Pretty much a zoomed-in version of "Flat Holm Island". It definitely feels like a large-scale movie soundtrack here, which is very impressive. I enjoy the melody of this one; very haunting and tragic. I can just see Gwen going, "I found your son, but oops, there's really nothing we can do."
Toshiko Sato--Betrayal and Redemption--Awesome, awesome bassoon. It does the same for this song as it did for "Blink". The action further on is terrific, as the strings lead with--strangely enough, "The End" theme--, a bassline loaded with amazing, and pounding drums. A spy-movie mysteriousness enters, which fits Tosh's story to a tee. Definitely one of my favorites.
Gwen and Rhys--Unfortunately...Until I realized that the album would be unperfect if I gave this one a 4/5, I had to change it to a 5. I kinda cheated. Sorry. I think it's just that I don't really care too much for Rhys. I'll call it indifference.
Jack Joins Torchwood--The sound of the era is perfectly captured in this one, but with the Torchwood theme running throughout. The bassoon is used to illustrate captivity once more (Which I LOVE: Go symbolism!!) and Jack is forced to help out. Good thing he did!
Captain Jack's Theme--Jack eats awesomeness for breakfast, that's about all I can say here. Eh, I guess I'll add a bit of a note to this one: It is IMPOSSIBLE to listen to this and sit still, the beat is so pronounced.
I Believe in Him--This one isn't one of my favorites, I'll admit. There's not too much to it, and I'm honestly not entirely sure who "him" is. I do know that "The End" theme is prevalent here, but that's about it. I need to do some more research...
Memories of Gray--Again, not the greatest. Nothing more is 'said' here that wasn't said in "Gray's Theme", but it seems that the song is more varied here. More knowing, can I say? Upsetting? Yeah, we now know that he's the baddie. That sucks.
Goodbyes--"Owen's Theme", "Tosh's Theme", and "The End" theme, all interwoven and taking center stage to a backround of driving percussion. I can easily picture this being played during that tear-jerking conversation between Owen and Tosh at the end of their lives. (I haven't actually gone back to check if this is indeed where it's from, but I think it would fit perfectly there.) Another favorite.
Death of Toshiko--Gah, all this death is killing me. "The End" theme is worked in with something new, and hopeful. Tosh is OK with her death; she did good in the world. There's an awesome call-and-response, sort of, but the whole song flows so smoothly that it's hard to tell where one 'idea' ends and another begins.
The End is Where We Start From--The final note of the second season. The theme that runs through here runs through the entire soundtrack in some form or the other, and that's one of my favorite thing about it--everything is connected. Of course it's huge, and moving, and beautiful, and sad, and hopeful, because we all know that Torchwood can recover from anything.
Torchwood Theme--Yes!! You know you wanted to hear this. I shall not admit that the "T-o-r-c-h-w-o-o-d" sounds kind of weird, cos it ABSOLUTELY adds to the whole thing. Constantly driving forward, if not upbeat. There's an entirely new section that I don't believe was ever played in the credits with a Halloween-ish bell theme, which is pretty dang cool. This is Torchwood, yo.
As for the soundtrack as a whole, I believe it far surpasses the two Doctor Who soundtracks that have been released so far. To recap, it takes on about the same mood as Schubert's Unfinished Symphony--Please don't think I'm an orchestra nerd, I just happen to know this because we're playing it in LYPM this year.
Although it is a little lacking of fast-paced, 'chase' music--and I'm disappointed that none of the amazing guitar themes from "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" even made it on the album--the overall mood and musical quality, innovation of the mix of orchestra and modern music, and not to mention Foster and Gold's genius together makes it well worth buying, and listening to over and over. Hope you liked my review! Actually, scratch that: You BETTER have liked it. It took me damn long to do all this.
Everything Changes--Though not as long as the "Everything Changes Suite" in Torchwood Unreleased, it gives the same amount of suspense and eeriness to portray Gwen's first impressions of the mysterious team.
The Chase--Heavy beats and and underlying guitar and drum rhythm give this song the elements of Torchwood, basically, in a hurry. Portions are in cut time to give a driving tone, while others are in 7/4 to give the song a bit of a tenuous feel, and I love the soaring string melody near the end. This is Torchwood saying, "Yeah, it's all part of the job."
Ghosts--The mystery from "Everything Changes" reappears. There's not an actual beat to this track, just a very dark, upsetting feeling given by clashing strings. They're ghosts! You should be scared.
Sleepers, Awake!--The beginning of this seems like a continuation of "Ghosts", but, instead of suspense, something BIG is going on. Yeah, this song is for the baddies. Is it from the finale, when the Weevils all come out to wreak havoc? I don't recall, but "Sleepers" fits that moment perfectly.
Toshiko and Tommy--A love song, tinged with sadness. I mean, c'mon! Tosh knows she can't be with Tommy, ever. Mostly strings in this one, with a recurring melody that can't help but be *cringes at the word* poignant. Note "The End" theme coming in with the strings and piano; I LOVE that theme. And foreshadowing...that too.
Into the Hub--Whenever this song comes up on my iPod, I always mistake it with "Violet Hill" from Coldplay. Seriously, they have the exact same first six seconds. The song's in a minor key, giving it Torchwood-style creepiness, and when the piano and bells come in, it becomes so mysterious I want to *squee*. It's like, the hub's a magic fairy castle, that is...in the Twilight Zone. And then--what's this?--once you think the song's over, the pace doubles, and the team is on another mission!
The Mission--It's a mission. What can I say? Strings and guitar mix to give it that obviously Torchwood feel, and low brass gives both melody and rhythm. "The Mission" goes well with "The Chase". I always love a strong drum beat, too...this song is one of my favorites from the soundtrack.
Gray's Theme--I'm not too big on "Gray's Theme"...and it's not just because he's a traitorous, murderous, lying, Tosh-killing punk. I think I keep subconsiously comparing it to the Doctor's Theme, which is just a lot more catchy. However, I did say everything on the album got 5/5 stars, and this one barely made it because....I'm not too sure. It's depth, possibly. It gives a song to how Gray must have felt, being tortured all those years.
Jack's Love Theme--Again with the Coldplay confusion! The first three seconds of this one sound like 42. I am dead serious. The song's beautiful, but I honestly don't understand how it could be Jack's love theme, as he doesn't exactly take that kind of thing very seriously. Maybe that's why it sounds so bittersweet--Nobody understands that he might love someone, for real. *cough* Ianto *cough*
Another Day, Another Death--Tragic. The kind of music that one imagines when one is laying bleeding in a gutter in the pouring rain. It seems that bad luck has struck the team once again--who is next to die? A pounding, yet faraway bass sounds every other beat to give the song some form, but other than that, it's free-flowing, with an amazing piano line playing backround to the haunting string melody. Can I mention--I'm not sure what it is, maybe a synthesizer--that scary Torchwood-y noise that comes in near the end?
Look Right, Then Leave--The only track from "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang". It's...funky. That's the only word I have here. There's a repetitive tune that circulates around instruments that one can't help but get stuck in one's head for a week. This is definitely one of the least serious tracks here, being surprisingly dance-able! It gets a bit redundant, and I think a minute or so could have been left out, but the last couple seconds totally make up for that.
Welcome to Planet Earth--Yes, we are issuing an ironic welcome to the giant alien emo whale. There's a soaring string melody that would definitely be described as 'calming', until about halfway through--then it hits a tragic note, and continues on in this way, becoming hopeful even later on. It's really cool how it's able to switch moods like that!
The Plot--Heh heh...plotting. There's an interesting mix of driving guitar and percussion with a kind of slower, smoother string melody. Later on, there's a very strong, heroic melody that, for some reason, reminds me of National Treasure.
Out of Time--It's so...sweet! This was the first time Owen had really loved someone since Katie, and Diane could never stay with him. Why does everything good that happens to him always end up sucking?
The Death Of Dr. Owen Harper--Ugh. I can't believe I had to type that. Note: This was played when he "died" died, not the second time. Another moving track, but I especially love how Owen's theme reaches a final note, an end. Symbolism in music is amaxing.
King Of the Weevils--We know, we know, he was joking when he said that, but it is true. Owen is, in a sense, the king of the weevils. It's pretty friggin' sweet. I'm terribly sorry, but I cannot tell what string instrument is which; I'll just say that the solo is excellent. Very otherworldly. It's as close as music can come to having a question mark at the end, as in: What happened to Owen?? In one section, there is only noise--no discernible instrument is playing, further underlining the point that what was done to Owen has never happened before. Basically, there's no conventional music that can describe that.
Owen Fights Death--The "Doomsday" of the soundtrack. This. One. Is. Fantastic. I could listen to it for hours on end! It begins with bass and piano (as does "Doomsday"), with Owen's theme playing alone. Then, seemingly from nowhere, the full ensemble comes in. Strings join piano on the theme, the guitar and drums keep the beat--then the fight ensues. Owen taking on Jack's role as hero is signified by Jack's theme cutting in, which blends into a fast tempo version of Owen's theme once more. It speeds up and takes on a victorious tone as Owen ends his fight with Death, and wins.
The Woman on the Roof--Another element of "Doomsday" is taken in this track--a strange, high whistle plays incessantly above the music, giving the impression of tension: Will she jump? Owen enters the picture of this despairing woman, and the whistle seems to fade out--not entirely; she hasn't entirely recovered--just enough for the mood to become a bit calmer. There are moments of tension, but this song is like "Boe"--a reminder to be happy.
Owen's Theme--What can I say? It's perfect. One cannot comment on perfection.
Pearl and the Ghostmaker--Ugh. Think "Blink", but ultimately much, much more frightening. It gives the sensation of a carnival at night, when the oddities and mystery take a turn from entertaining to horrifying. Just imagine carnies from an era long gone coming to life, coming at you from out of the shadows; out of the rain. Wait. You don't have to imagine. You've seen the episode.
Flat Holm Island--One of the more conventional songs on the soundtrack, but no less--I have to say it again--poignant. The strings portray the tragedy of the island's residents through a recurring melody and a terrific use of dynamics. Hope comes and goes, but does not return as the song ends on a tension-filled note.
A Boy Called Jonah--Pretty much a zoomed-in version of "Flat Holm Island". It definitely feels like a large-scale movie soundtrack here, which is very impressive. I enjoy the melody of this one; very haunting and tragic. I can just see Gwen going, "I found your son, but oops, there's really nothing we can do."
Toshiko Sato--Betrayal and Redemption--Awesome, awesome bassoon. It does the same for this song as it did for "Blink". The action further on is terrific, as the strings lead with--strangely enough, "The End" theme--, a bassline loaded with amazing, and pounding drums. A spy-movie mysteriousness enters, which fits Tosh's story to a tee. Definitely one of my favorites.
Gwen and Rhys--Unfortunately...Until I realized that the album would be unperfect if I gave this one a 4/5, I had to change it to a 5. I kinda cheated. Sorry. I think it's just that I don't really care too much for Rhys. I'll call it indifference.
Jack Joins Torchwood--The sound of the era is perfectly captured in this one, but with the Torchwood theme running throughout. The bassoon is used to illustrate captivity once more (Which I LOVE: Go symbolism!!) and Jack is forced to help out. Good thing he did!
Captain Jack's Theme--Jack eats awesomeness for breakfast, that's about all I can say here. Eh, I guess I'll add a bit of a note to this one: It is IMPOSSIBLE to listen to this and sit still, the beat is so pronounced.
I Believe in Him--This one isn't one of my favorites, I'll admit. There's not too much to it, and I'm honestly not entirely sure who "him" is. I do know that "The End" theme is prevalent here, but that's about it. I need to do some more research...
Memories of Gray--Again, not the greatest. Nothing more is 'said' here that wasn't said in "Gray's Theme", but it seems that the song is more varied here. More knowing, can I say? Upsetting? Yeah, we now know that he's the baddie. That sucks.
Goodbyes--"Owen's Theme", "Tosh's Theme", and "The End" theme, all interwoven and taking center stage to a backround of driving percussion. I can easily picture this being played during that tear-jerking conversation between Owen and Tosh at the end of their lives. (I haven't actually gone back to check if this is indeed where it's from, but I think it would fit perfectly there.) Another favorite.
Death of Toshiko--Gah, all this death is killing me. "The End" theme is worked in with something new, and hopeful. Tosh is OK with her death; she did good in the world. There's an awesome call-and-response, sort of, but the whole song flows so smoothly that it's hard to tell where one 'idea' ends and another begins.
The End is Where We Start From--The final note of the second season. The theme that runs through here runs through the entire soundtrack in some form or the other, and that's one of my favorite thing about it--everything is connected. Of course it's huge, and moving, and beautiful, and sad, and hopeful, because we all know that Torchwood can recover from anything.
Torchwood Theme--Yes!! You know you wanted to hear this. I shall not admit that the "T-o-r-c-h-w-o-o-d" sounds kind of weird, cos it ABSOLUTELY adds to the whole thing. Constantly driving forward, if not upbeat. There's an entirely new section that I don't believe was ever played in the credits with a Halloween-ish bell theme, which is pretty dang cool. This is Torchwood, yo.
As for the soundtrack as a whole, I believe it far surpasses the two Doctor Who soundtracks that have been released so far. To recap, it takes on about the same mood as Schubert's Unfinished Symphony--Please don't think I'm an orchestra nerd, I just happen to know this because we're playing it in LYPM this year.
Although it is a little lacking of fast-paced, 'chase' music--and I'm disappointed that none of the amazing guitar themes from "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" even made it on the album--the overall mood and musical quality, innovation of the mix of orchestra and modern music, and not to mention Foster and Gold's genius together makes it well worth buying, and listening to over and over. Hope you liked my review! Actually, scratch that: You BETTER have liked it. It took me damn long to do all this.