For his second go-around with the 4, Ottman shoots for grandiose classic symphonic stylings which are blazingly apparent on the opening track, "Silver Surfer Theme," which reverberates with swelling strings and emphatic percussion. From there the momentum is continued, the orchestral elements wavering from quiet intensity to flash flood bravado, striving for a somewhat more eerie and ominous tone on "Galactus Destroys/Opening."
"Pursuing Doom" begins with a somewhat playful tone, woodwinds and flutes creating a gyrating sense of irritation. The piece never really escalates to the point of feeling like chase/pursuit music, though it does buzz and swirl at times and changes pace about halfway through to become more forceful and aggressive. In complete juxtaposition to this, however, is "Wedding Day Jitters," which slows things down to a romantically furtive lull thanks to piano and strings.
Yet another chase/pursuit suite emerges in "Chasing the Surfer." Whereas "Pursuing Doom" was all over the map, this cue kicks right in and keeps the energy high, mimicking the action one would find themselves immersed in were they chasing a silver cloaked alien hell-bent on destroying civilization as we know it. Meanwhile "Camp Testosterone/Meeting the Surfer" begins quietly enough, belying the rage and machismo the title suggests. Strings draw back into an almost black void while percussion slowly builds up with militaristic cadence only to shift back into the void with augmented bits of clacking and white noize. This is one of the most slowly burning bits of music on the album, growing in intensity with each passing moment and creating an awkward sense of tension.
"A Little Persuasion" is one of the most aggressive numbers on the album, coming out the gate with punching precision as horns and strings clash in a battle of symphonic wits. This is as bombastic as the score gets, thrusting and parrying with verve. The movement slows down a tad in the middle, with Ottman injecting electronic elements into the mix as the orchestration drives along with muted energy. This leads into "Botched Heroics," a section that begins humbly enough with filtering strings and sauntering woodwinds. Electronic percussion wavers underneath, building up a sense of dread and devastation that fully boils over with the surging horns and driving drums that soon bleed in without hesitation.
Ottman continues to mine the more introspective avenues of sound on "Someone I Once Knew," which feels like a forgotten romantic movement awash in loss and decay. Meanwhile "The Future/Doom's Deal" begins with an almost playful element, relying on flutes and strings to create a deceptively calm and serene atmosphere. Of course as the title reveals it quickly dissolves into ominous orchestration, complete with rippling harp, spiraling strings, and hauntingly detached voices. The energy is taken even higher on "Sibling Switch," which starts out with a blast and then turns into a fractured fairy tale of dread.
For "Outside Help" Ottman continues the themes of dread and demise, using strings to keep the listener on edge and then shaking things up with bursts of percussive power, augmented by strange buzzing sound effects and shifting realms of ambient toneology. "Springing the Surfer" has an almost vintage Mission: Impossible (the TV series, thank you very much!) vibe, creeping and crawling along in a motif that inspires conspiratory actions. Elsewhere "Doom's Double Cross" goes for a more traditional orchestral approach, primarily utilizing strings to create a swelling swirl of ominous intent, dipping into creepy piano for a few brief instances, then extorting the listener with blasts of intensity.
"Mr. Sherman/Under the Radar" more or less follows suit with what has come before, making excellent use of strings augmented by strange pings and pangs to create an ethereal sense of detachment. Ditto for "Four In One," which more or less feels like an extension of the former. "Silver Savior/Aftermath" continues the transition, strings and assorted bells intermingling for a mutated fairy tale sense of surreality. "Gunshot Wedding" has a very slight Eastern Asian influence at the beginning, then slides into creeping string pulsations, eventually melting into a sweeping surge of jubilation. The final track on the soundtrack is "Noren Radd," which centers around a haunting vocal chorus buffered by strings and other orchestration. It's majestic and mysterious all at once.
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is filled with energetic examples of classic Hollywood film scoring, proving that Ottman has studied the masters with precision. Intense at times, sublimely quiet at others, the score is one that sounds perfectly suited for lending a film like FF:RotSS a grandiose sense of action and adventure. Yet as such, the music is more often than not much better suited to be heard in the theater via Dolby Surround and accompanying Tim Story's action packed visuals than as a stand-alone venture. For the most part this album will appeal to diehard Fantastic Four buffs and those who absolutely must yield to their cinematically driven sonic fetishes.
Definitely Download:
1. "Botched Heroics"
2. "Springing The Surfer"
3. "Mr. Sherman/Under the Radar"
4. "Gunshot Wedding"
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John Ottman - Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
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