Timeline

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Everybody's a Brian Tyler fan. When it was announced that Jerry Goldsmith's score for the failed Richard Donner movie was rejected after it was recorded and performed by a full symphony orchestra, half of the film music community was disappointed and angry about it. When they heard rising composer Brian Tyler was writing the replacement score, they were in a way happy it was him and not somebody else. Now, we film music enthusiasts are awaiting the rejected score by Goldsmith, also to be released by Varèse Sarabande since they of course released Tyler's score. Funny that the same label can release 2 scores for the exact same film but what's true is that Tyler's remained in the film and Goldsmith's didn't. The question will be, which one will be the most interesting? That question will be answered when Goldsmith will receive his own Timeline. But now, its Brian Tyler and once more he wrote a score that blazed the public early and good. I on the other hand have been paying attention to his work and figured out that he has yet to write the really good score. Now, only Darkness Falls is considered in that category. And while nothing of the same genre, Timeline has lots in common with the dark horror score that thundered like never before. Timeline also has that energy and in several moments, the tracks could easily swap from CD because of their close style. Meaning, the Brian Tyler style is very close at hand here and signals already this composer's own voice. However, what Timeline fails to do is do to it really good. I consider the main themes of Timeline to be good and enjoyable but not more and that for above all, this score repeats too much the same after a while. Meaning the highlights or best moments are heard but also repeated in their exact same version at the end. People forgive all Brian Tyler for this, and I'm definitely not against him, but in the end it doesn't come close to Darkness Falls's potential.

The main problem of Timeline is that the great asset itself is not expanded. It opens but it repeats the same ideas but not expanded. In the end, the score sounds somewhat the same after the 12th track. Tyler's own Darkness Falls could cover this up because it had more softer passages and occasional bursts, here the action is more on the line and the soft passages don't inspire much to change. However, its once more the signature sound of Tyler that opens the score, the energy in 'Main Title' states the main theme that will be repeated too much for its own sake. Its good and the energy fruitful but it never expands to the heights of Darkness Falls, considering that this score comes closest to sounding like that one. The secondary theme that occasionally reveals itself is good too, 'Galvanize the Troops' has it and while in the end perhaps simplistic, its catchy and amusing and receives a very faint vocal accompaniment. 'Battle of La Roque' has basically Children of Dune based themes and the appearance of the love theme. Its a nice theme but again not truly memorable, however the tension building and the evil four note motif ala Horner appearing states back the energy and punch of Darkness. While the main theme appears with growing darkness in 'Troops in the Fog', the true style of Tyler is heard in '1357 France', a textbook example. 'Enter the Wormhole' begins with the theme of the second track hidden while 'Lady Claire and Marek' states the flute and string love theme. 'Night Arrows' shows somewhat a small change with guitar through it, however the brass clusters are typical for Tyler nonetheless. And by then you start to notice that the ideas don't change much from their original version. Basically it all stays well but the same. Whether this has got to do with Tyler's vision on the film, Donner's intentions of the score or basically the time constraint itself is a mystery but personally, the composer needs to change the tone because in the film he can hide this, on album you can't. A Jerry Goldsmith could change that and who knows what his Timeline could produce instead?

So, basically expect the exact same replica of the first track in 'Storming the Castle' but longer, the love theme as you heard it in 'Eternal' followed by some action music and the main theme as you spotted its versions in 'History Will Change'. Basically the more furious but short finale of 'Past and Present' does more in the end. Altogether, Timeline proves many things. For instance that Tyler has got his own style and an abundance of energy, that Tyler is hot and many people forgive him of his faults and that Tyler is still not there to replace the masters of composing when it comes to actual quality. Brian Tyler's Timeline is a good score and an enjoyable one in the end but where on earth do people get the ideas of giving it so much respite. Its thunderous but Darkness Falls delivered twice the thrills and above all, the originality or basically variety is lacking after 30 minutes. Varèse truly loves Tyler and they seem to score which each album they unleash but that doesn't make Timeline that good. Even his long Children of Dune had main theme action statements that delivered more then this in the end. I guess Brian Tyler's main problem is that for instance Timeline and Darkness Falls has so much in common, tracks could simply be swapped without failing in the context of the film, and when this considers to be horror and action, then you've got issues. I don't hate Brian Tyler, far from it but many people simply give him the benefit of the doubt. Fine by me, but Timeline is basically good without being great. His own Darkness Falls has so much more in the end and even Children of Dune had highlights better then overall the entire score. And who knows that Richard Donner will fall flat on his face when fans will hear Goldsmith's version to be released soon. The soundtrack just doesn't mark the line when it comes to the full explosion of Tyler in the music department, despite his assets to the community. I guess only time will tell when he crosses that line.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (2.14)

2. Galvanize The Troops (0.45)

3. Battle Of La Roque (4.13)

4. Troops In The Fog (1.39)

5. Battalion (0.48)

6. 1357 France (2.53)

7. Enter The Wormhole (2.49)

8. Timeline (1.29)

9. Lady Claire And Marek (1.38)

10. Night Arrows (2.51)

11. Transcription Errors (2.05)

12. Storming The Castle (4.11)

13. Battlefield Revealed (1.07)

14. Interruptus (2.51)

15. Mysterioso (2.45)

16. Eternal (2.25)

17. Village Burned (1.17)

18. Descent (2.42)

19. History Will Change (2.12)

20. Past And Present (2.23)

Total Length: 45.41

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: Brian Tyler ===