David Housden – Thomas Was Alone Original Soundtrack – Black Screen Records

FourScore

The companion album to the quirky, minimalistic independent videogame is as quirky and minimalistic as the game itself. With spare piano/string combos, evocative synth lines, and special remastering for the vinyl edition, this set is a perfectly balanced ambient standout that compels from the aptly titled opener, “Where Are You?,” to album closer, “Gravity.” Even if you’ve never played the game, these mesmerizing sounds will surely set a unique atmosphere for whatever you’re doing. *** ½ 

Various Artists - The Greatest Showman Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Atlantic
Starring Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams, this ode to the birth of show biz (a la PT Barnum, as played by Jackman) is a colorful, energetic spectacle that’s also reflected in the film’s soundtrack. If you’ve seen the Nicole Kidman/Ewan McGregor movie Moulin Rouge, that’s a hint; you’ll find plenty of top-hat level glitz with a little bit of grit thrown in. Particularly notable tracks include the rollicking “This is Me,” the diverse “Never Enough,” and the beautiful “Tightrope.” *** ½

Daniel Pemberton - Molly’s Game Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Sony Classical
Accompanying this dark offering about the Olympic skier-turned-ruler of an underground poker empire is this dramatic score by Pemberton, who perfectly captures the vast range of happenings in the storyline — from the pensive “Molly’s Dream,” which relies on not much more than a piano, to the heavier and powerful “Raided” and “Play Your Hand.” Pemberton has an innate ability to shift his tunes into any variety of moods at the drop of a chip, and that suits this movie well. *** 

Alan Howarth – The Thing (Music from the Motion Picture) – NoteForNote
Reproducing Ennio Morricone’s original score for the 1981 John Carpenter movie is no easy task, but Howarth and Larry Hopkins do a solid job on these suspenseful and scary tracks. This score set the groundwork for future horror movie and game soundtracks to follow (think: Resident Evil, the game, and all of the Alien movies) as it marries tension, trepidation, and thrills into a serious audio experience. (Also available for the first time ever on vinyl.) ** ½

 

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