Hans Zimmer: The British Years (Compilation)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

It was around the late '80 that Hans Zimmer was noticed seriously as composer, after he wrote the appreciated A World Apart and the compelling Rain Man. It wasn't until Backdraft and The Lion King that Zimmer became the influence to many composers and the god to many fans. As it usually happens, gods too fall from their shrine the moment controversy happens, I'll let you decide which ones defied that. Anyway, while Zimmer was the man of the early '90, he was scoring already heavily in the mid '80 alongside his then partner Stanley Myers, co writing music for various productions along the way. In the early 2000 that partnership ended after they formed together Media Ventures, the now famous composing structure that formed and guided the talents as Steve Jablonsky, Harry Gregson-Williams, Klaus Badelt and John Powell including others. However you have to think of a time when no name as that yet formed a duo, no MV existed and Hans Zimmer worked alone. It sounds now almost unbelievable but in the '80 he was plain Hans Zimmer and nobody else formed a line alongside him, except as said Stanley Myers. That time, that solo career has now seen the light of day by Milan Records. They have released 2 albums: Good Morning America (covering his more gun ho approach ala Broken Arrow and The Rock) while his past and influence is discovered here in The British Years. And for fans of Zimmer especially this album will appeal the most because it covers mostly unreleased material, at least commercially speaking. Except for A World Apart, all the remaining cues will be new to most ears. And considering A World Apart is just 5 minutes from a 70 minute album, this sounds plain intriguing. Perhaps plain intriguing, but also not that easy for the fans who know his work from the last couple of years. Zimmer had a more unconventional style where he tested and mostly succeeded in what he tried to do, taking risks. And perhaps this album is a risk but its a risk the die hards will accept no matter what.

Starting the 5 track album is 'Suite' of Burning Secret, a suite of 24 minutes long. You have to accept sometimes these long suites and while Zimmer can paint 18 minutes full of action together, drama is tougher. Nonetheless some moments do stand out, the flute theme ala Lion King, the synths shining through around 10 minutes and the piano suspense of Point of no Return. However this is all heard in too many minutes and by so the moments will have to suffice. My Beautiful Laundrette is the only project on this disc co written by Stanley Myers and you hear the beat effect in the song that separates itself from the rest of the musical set tone. The Fruit Machine is a nice addition however, again 20 minutes in a formed suite and with eerie suspense ala Bird on a Wire but the emotional moments do bring a feeling, the vocal especially in the beginning. However his dark eerie strings and percussion pounds is more the acceptance factor in the entire piece, and takes up most of the material. There are however the moments where Zimmer unleashes a waltz of sorts in his typical sound. Or the compelling moment around the 8.00 minute, or the Zimmer clash of suspense and vocal around the 11.00 minute which is purely his. Sadly the 14 to 15th minute isn't that pretty. However A World Apart is, and its a Zimmer synthesized ethnic piece namely 'End Title'. 'The Island' of Fools of Fortune will please again Zimmer fans, for it holds a moment where Zimmer amazes us again with his brilliance, around 1.40 and 14.10. The most is more brooding darkness with a couple of nice dramatic theme statements. As said most of the music will be new to the ears and unlike Good Morning America, Hans Zimmer: The British Years won't win awards nor attract new fans. Its made to give the die hard fans a taste of where Zimmer actually got his flavor from, his flavor alone. The flavor we at times miss in his scores, the bold risk taking, the style that was his and his alone. Maybe this album doesn't show it all, and maybe we're not gonna hear the best from that bold style, but its a risk the Zimmer fans are willing to take.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Suite (Burning Secret) (24.00)

2. My Beautiful Laundrette (My Beautiful Laundrette) (3.42)

3. Suite (The Fruit Machine) (20.08)

4. End Title (A World Apart) (5.01)

5. The Island (Fools of Fortune) (17.58)

Total Length: 71.02

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=== Link to Composer Site: Hans Zimmer ===