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Review Summary: Softer/Worse/Slower/Weaker. On paper it’s a match made in heaven; the enigmatic techno-bods Daft Punk scoring the soundtrack to the sci-fi geek’s paradise of Disney’s long-awaited sequel to Tron. In practise however, it’s a partnership that promises a lot more than it has actually delivered. Disney must be commended in some way for having the foresight to enlist Daft Punk instead of opting for a faceless conductor or agoraphobic studio bod. Whether or not the limitations on this LP are the result of Disney’s interference or Daft Punk’s unwillingness to go full throttle is not evident and could provoke some interesting debate.
Those of you expecting a coherent, catchy and more traditional LP will be disappointed, the album being pockmarked with unfulfilling one minute orchestral tracks that fulfil an official soundtrack’s obligation to navigate the events of the movie in question. With the majority of a movie score designed to nestle comfortably into the background, like an aural pillow, while the action takes place on-screen, it tends to a situation out of the hands of the creators. Not even the experienced and revered Daft Punk can be seen to upstage the film itself.
One of the drawbacks of an official OST release is the titles. Sometimes an OST tracklist can be punctuated by meandering songs with names like "Man Walking Down Corridor And Through A Door". Aesthetically it’s never pleasing nor does it tend to fill the listener with a sense of trepidation and excitement. Luckily, Daft Punk have avoided such inanity by keeping their titles consistent with both their back catalogue and the theme of the film, combining the two to suitably enigmatic effect. Here, we’re left with the mysterious selection of track names like "The Game Has Changed", "Armory" and "Arena" which, incidentally, happen to be three of the weakest tracks on the album.
A lot has been made of Daft Punk’s foray into a more overtly orchestral sound this time around but a lot of it has gone to waste. Only the soaring "Adagio For TRON" lifts its head above the water with the rest of the orchestral tracks sounding both alarmingly similar and completely uninspiring.
Inevitably, it’s when Daft Punk fall back on tried and tested methods that the album is kickstarted into life. "Derezzed" is a minefield of beeps, bloops and other electronic wonders and despite the track in question being criminally short, does wonders overall for the LP. Penultimate track "TRON Legacy (End Titles)" is much in the same vein, relying on that trademark Daft Punk sound to boost an LP that has, by this point, stuttered and slalomed its way to an unsatisfactory conclusion.
The more casual fan would do well to trim this down into a lean and spirited six track EP, whilst only the most ardent fan could sit through the LP in its entirety repeatedly.
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Album Rating: 3.0
The review is well-written (in prose), and the summary is win. For these two reasons alone I pos-ed, BUT I have a significantly huge problem with this review: it sounds like you're rating it harshly and giving it a 2.0 only because it's a soundtrack.
Here:
Those of you expecting a coherent, catchy and more traditional LP will be disappointed, the album being pockmarked with unfulfilling one minute orchestral tracks that fulfil an official soundtrack’s obligation to navigate the events of the movie in question.
Were you seriously expecting anything else?
Aesthetically it’s never pleasing nor does it tend to fill the listener with a sense of trepidation and excitement. Luckily, Daft Punk have avoided such inanity by keeping their titles consistent with both their back catalogue and the theme of the film, combining the two to suitably enigmatic effect. Here, we’re left with the mysterious selection of track names like "The Game Has Changed", "Armory" and "Arena" which, incidentally, happen to be three of the weakest tracks on the album.
This is the logical progression: dull song titles are bad -> Daft Punk stayed clear and named their songs somewhat interestingly -> but those songs are still bad. Lines like those leave me scratching my head, go "Wha...?", and confused as to what I should make of things.
The difference between this particular review and the other two that have been made for the Tron: Legacy soundtrack is the fact that the other two focused on the worth of the music relative to a.) its purpose as an accompanying piece for a theatrical release, and b.) Daft Punk's previous work, understanding that it has been a while since the French outfit released an LP.
You've definitely got some serious writing skills...I guess just a bit more care has to be put in making your reasoning be/sound more convincing, for half-way through this review I half-expected you to blame Daft Punk for Tron: Legacy being such a shit movie too.
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Can't really follow your reasoning, are you rating this down because it's a soundtrack?
| | | Album Rating: 2.0
Irving - Thanks for the prompt reply and constructive criticism.
1. "Were you seriously expecting anything else?"
I wasn't, but some people might have different expectations.
2. Logical progression, confusion etc.
I can certainly see your point, and reading back I admit I could have well have phrased it a tad more eloquently. I tried to compliment Daft Punk on jazzing up their titles, but concluded that it's a cosmetic application only; the songs/suites/pieces/what have you are still boring.
I understand the role of the OST in films etc. I tried to review it from the perspective of somebody (i.e. me) who isn't actually interested in seeing the film and was more keen on hearing the music, particularly from a group I have a lot of respect for.
| | | Album Rating: 2.0
Tyraelxy - Not at all, though I do personally find OST releases to be excessive and generally unnecessary. I suppose this review is trying to 'warn' people who perhaps don't know what to expect (of which I'm sure there are a few knocking about) and save them their time and money.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
your reasoning blows my mind in a bad way. Track names have absolutely nothing to do with the quality of an album, and yet you spend an entire paragraph on them and then two smaller paragraphs on the actual music. Nobody really goes into an OST with the same expectations as an LP, and if they do it's their only bloody fault for being surprised.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
am i really going to have to write the positive review. really
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
we can do it together adam
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
You really should
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Do it Electric + Adam.
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This album's greatest flaw is that it sounds too much like a typical soundtrack at points. I really wish they played more to their electronica sensibilities and shied away from the grandiose orchestrated stuff. It's far too overdone and its theatrical novelty wears off after a while.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
^this
| | | Album Rating: 2.0
maybe like 2 or 3 tracks that are good on this. and outta 22, this is not good.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
The summary is so cool
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
this review reads more like a vague 3 than a 2 but i didn't write it
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I dunno, it definitely has "soundtrack-ish" moments, but when you think of it as a film score it's a pretty big feat that it's getting so much attention and praise. I also think that the orchestral arrangements added to Daft's signature sound, makes for a more interesting soundtrack than had it been only one or the other. It's also a testament to the score that for every time music played, it added to the images on screen-rather than take away from them. Is it a Daft Punk album? No. But it doesn't really claim to be and I think it should be praised for all it gets right.
But I do always appreciate a POV different than what most people are saying.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
yeahhhh
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"Luckily, Daft Punk have avoided such inanity by keeping their titles consistent with both their back
catalogue and the theme of the film, combining the two to suitably enigmatic effect. Here, we’re left
with the mysterious selection of track names like "The Game Has Changed", "Armory" and "Arena" which,
incidentally, happen to be three of the weakest tracks on the album."
Staff Reviewer
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
No doubt this is a classic.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
i laughed for various reasons at each of the 4 latest posts here
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One of the drawbacks of an official OST release is the titles.
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