Bombshell Baby of Bombay: Bombay Connection Vol. 2 (2006)

Bombshell Baby of Bombay: Bombay Connection, Vol. 2 - Bouncin' Nightclub Grooves From Bollywood Films 1959-72 (2006)

It's always interesting to see the ways in which western musical styles manifest themselves in non-western countries. The first volume of The Bombay Connection explored Hindi funk music featured in Bollywood films of the 70's and 80's, and it's an understatement to say that the results were unique. They were also a breath of fresh air to a genre that has not seen much innovation since...well, the 70's and 80's. One needed to look no further than the world's second most populous country for fresh ideas in funk music.

In volume two of The Bombay Connection -- Bombshell Baby of Bombay -- expert crate digger Edo Bouman has again collected an esoteric mix of Bollywood music, this time focusing on swing and rock and roll music created in and around the 1960's. As with volume one, western listeners shouldn't expect anything completely familiar sounding. The sound is laced with various elements of traditional song and instrumentation that have been a staple of Bollywood film music since the advent of "talkies", but it's no less energetic than its western complement.

The most accessible song of this collection is given to us by Mohammed Rafi -- "the voice of Indian rock n' roll". "Jan Pahechan Ho" has already been brought to the attention of western listeners through the movie Ghost World, which is why it's better known to some as "the song that Thora Birch's character was rocking out to during the opening credits". With a memorable surf riff and an absolutely killer brass section, it's easy to see not only why it was chosen to open the film, but also why it's included on this compilation. Rather than give more of the same, Bouman goes for variety. "Ek Bottle Hogal Mein", Kishore Kumar's drunken ode to booze, incorporates a mildly middle eastern feel to the mix, while Asha Bhosle's "Sambhalo Sambhalo Apna Dil" brings a bit of a Latin flavor.

There's something about Bollywood movie theme songs that are just more fun and appealing than those of Hollywood. Perhaps it's nothing more than the fact that the western-style compositions are familiar to me and their Hindi counterparts are not. Either way, it makes me want to familiarize myself with the films more so than the five minute "Indian Superman" clip I've seen on Youtube.


Score: 8/10


"Jan Pahechan Ho" by Mohammed Rafi (composed by Shankar-Jaikishan)


"Pretty Pretty Priya" by Anand Prayag & Chorus (composed by Kalyanji-Anandji)

Angelo Badalamenti - Twin Peaks (1990)

Angelo Badalamenti
Twin Peaks (1990)

Ah, Twin Peaks. Brainchild of cult weirdo David Lynch (and the lesser acknowledged Mark Frost). Widely considered one of the greatest television shows of all-time despite only having ran for two seasons, 29-episodes total, and only about 17 of those 29 episodes worth watching. But it's still somehow deserving of its classic status because sheeeeeiiit those 17 good episodes were really fucking good. Great music, that show had. Yeah, most of it was dominated by the constant repetition of that all-purpose "Laura Palmer's Theme", which was used for everything from serious dramatic scenes to uplifting emotional scenes to scenes with nothing but simple exchanges of dialog. But you didn't really notice most of the time, and if you did, you didn't mind, because it was a good theme. And plus the show, it was one of the greatest television shows of all-time. You were too engrossed.

It wasn't until listening to this soundtrack that I realized that there were indeed more than three or four songs that played throughout the series. There's the simple fingersnap melody ("Freshly Squeezed") that drives the more quirky scenes. The wild, free-form sax of Dale Cooper's prophetic dreams ("The Bookhouse Boys"). Even a few dreamy vocal tracks featuring the angelic voice of Julee Cruise. And most surprisingly how could I have overlooked "Audrey's Dance"? With it's sleek keyboard keys and a bass line as sultry, mysterious, and sexy as the character herself. Has there ever been a television character as intriguing as Audrey Horne, before or since? If Twin Peaks' following could be described as "cult", hers was pure obsession, plain and simple. The Audrey Horne hardcore band can attest to this, I'm sure.

You can't help but come away from this soundtrack without a newfound appreciation for Angelo Badalamenti's compositions. Even after your memory of the plot points have faded -- you can't remember who killed Laura Palmer without giving it some thought, or can't recall how the convoluted Windom Earle plot even came about -- you still remember the feel of the show and the mood of the characters and how much of a role the music played in establishing it. And then you wonder why Bohren & der Club of Gore and The Necks have been the only bands to make careers out of this sound.


Score: 7.5/10


"Laura Palmer's Theme"

Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight (2008)

Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight (2008)
I can't help but find it a little amusing that the common complaint/compliment/comment about this soundtrack is that it fits the movie. For a big budget summer action flick as anticipated as The Dark Knight was, a notable chunk of that budget was sure to go to composing the soundtrack, and rightly so. The music of a scene in a film is often as important as the acting, directing, or cinematography, arguably more so. It plays its part in drawing the emotion out of its audience, letting you know how you should feel about the situation, view certain characters and/or actions. Hearing that The Dark Knight soundtrack fits the film, I can't help but recall that famous Chris Rock joke where he berates people who brag about things they're supposed to do. "I take care of my kids." "The music fits the movie." To paraphrase Rock: "[It's] supposed to, you dumb motherfucker!"

That being said...this music fits the film really well. The dark, brooding, sometimes intense feel of the film owes a great deal to the compositions that Zimmer and Howard created, which make excellent use of aggressive string sections, forceful drumming and, as my fiancèe brilliantly put it, "epic brass". The back-to-back combo of the opening track, "Why So Serious?", and "I'm Not A Hero", is such a jaw-dropping 15-minutes of music that the middle of the album seems to drag in comparison. This isn't helped by the fact that some sections throughout the album tend to build up only to transition suddenly (read: drop out entirely) to nearly inaudible sections of delicate horns and violins. It screams for corrective equalization.

The album as a whole though, played in one sitting and making indiscriminate use of gapless playback, is quite an experience. But the dilemma continues. That being that I find myself again reviewing yet another soundtrack for a film that I loved and wondering if my feelings would be the same had I either hated or not seen the film. Maybe an objective stance on the quality of this music is beyond my abilities to provide, but really, is any music review completely objective?

The bottom line is that I think that this would be a great listening experience even if it weren't attached to a film. In fact, it reminds me a lot of last year's fantastic A World In Their Screams album by the French neo-classical group Elend, which wasn't attached to a film but felt like it should've been. With both albums, the music is powerful and controls the mood effectively. The only difference between them is that one allows you create your own images in your mind and the other has already done it for you. But if the music has done its part, the source for the imagery doesn't much matter.


Score: 8/10


"I'm Not A Hero"


"Watch The World Burn"

Jonny Greenwood - There Will Be Blood (2007)

Jonny Greenwood - There Will Be Blood (2007)

Many soundtracks, be it for a movie or a game, fail to garner the same emotion when the listener isn't familiar with the visual element. Therefore, opinions of the music can vary based on ones fondness of the media that the music accompanied. Of course this isn't always the case. I quite enjoyed Curtis Mayfield's Superfly soundtrack though I've never seen the movie in it's entirety (judging by the few parts I have seen here or there, I'm not sure I ever want to see it in it's entirety). But that's Curtis effing Mayfield we're talking about there. Other scores by lesser artists don't always bode as well. Having already seen the modern masterpiece that is There Will Be Blood, it's nearly impossible for me to separate the music from the drama and the gorgeous cinematography that these songs highlighted, so I can only speak hypothetically when I say that I probably would've enjoyed this soundtrack without having seen the movie.

"Prospectors Arrive" is the standout moment by far. I loved the song in the movie and I love it even more coming out of my stereo. The string arrangements here create the most achingly beautiful piece of music I've heard since, well, "Reckoner". Though I hate to bring Radiohead into the mix, I can't help but wonder how much more awesome this song would've been with Thom Yorke's vocals. But as it is, it's still one of the best songs of the year so far. "Henry Plainview" is an intense piece of music, the cello and violins melting together to create a feeling of darkness and uneasiness that accurately defines Daniel Day-Lewis' Oscar-winning character. The last half of the album is pleasing even if no other songs are as commanding as "Prospectors Arrive". The only problem being that they are almost too short to have an immediate impact. At a scant 33 minutes long, the album can come to an end before you know it. That's not to say that the songs are lacking, but I can miss them entirely if I so much as let my mind wander.

Still, there's some pretty powerful music to be found here. An enjoyable listen, I'm sure, even for those who have never seen the film.


Score: 7.5/10


"Prospectors Arrive"


"There Will Be Blood"

Alain Goraguer - La Planète Sauvage (1973)

Alain Goraguer - La Planète Sauvage (1973)

Has anyone coined the term "dream funk"? [ed. note: A quick Google search reveals some death metal band in the UK goes by that name, as well as a Japanese techno artist on MySpace, but they're unsigned, so screw them] If not, then I'd like to officially apply that term to the music of Alain Goraguer. This album is the soundtrack to an animated French sci-fi film called La Planète Sauvage (Fantastic Planet). I've never gotten high on any sort of psychedelics, but if the YouTube clips tell me anything, then this seems one film to avoid watching while on an acid trip.

The surrealistic animation fits extremely well with the music, and vice versa. Effects-laden guitar and synthesizers establish the dreamlike atmosphere, and combined with the flute and rhythmic bass riffs, the album is also groovy at times. The result is a sound that's sounds equal parts Curtis Mayfield and Robert Wyatt: unique to the point that it deserves to be considered a genre all its own. A genre in need of a name. Might I recommend Dream Funk? No? Well...fine then.

Score: 8/10


"Déshominisation I"


"Maquillage de Tiwa"


"Les Fusées"

Mike Patton - A Perfect Place (2008)

Mike Patton - A Perfect Place (2008)

Well, there's no mistaking it: this is definitely a Mike Patton record. Even if you ignore such dead giveaways as his name being printed all over the digipak or his distinctive singing voice on a handful of the albums' fifteen tracks, it's clear to anyone familiar with his past work that this has his fingerprints all over it.

A Perfect Place is Patton's first official film score, but he seems to be perfectly at home working in this medium. His music has always had somewhat of a theatrical quality to it, acting almost as a soundtrack for a movie that only exists inside his head. The collaborative work that he's done with film composers Kaada (Romances) and John Zorn, as well as his admiration and emulation of Ennio Morricone -- 2005's Crime & Dissonance, compiled by Patton, is one of the best Morricone collections out there -- have also prepared him for this task, and he's able to make it all his own. A Perfect Place is dripping with his personality and works well as a stand alone album (I've yet to watch the actual short film, which comes packaged with the CD). I wouldn't be surprised if this opens the door for future film scores for him. It does seem to be his calling, after all.

Score: 7/10

"A Perfect Twist (Vocal)"


"A Little Poker Tomorrow Night"