Something's Gotta Give (Promo)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Whenever Hans Zimmer scores a drama / romantic picture, meaning not a bombastic action movie, then he feels the most comfortable at all. Don't know why but I think it has to do with the fact he doesn't have to proof himself or reinvent himself time and time again. And basically, these drama's don't demand that in the first place. Now Something's Gotta Give comes after As Good as it Gets and before Spanglish, and it are just those 2 scores it listens like. Of course, its difficult to tell how much Hans Zimmer scored of it in the first place, since noted as co composers are his usual colleagues of the ex MV school and even strangely yet true Christopher Young. What this disc delivers of Hans Zimmer material is not entirely sure, but it for one listens Zimmer like (of course his consorts can ape the tone well and who knows what they composed of the other 2 drama scores), but I'm not sure if Christopher Young's written material is here on this disc, at least it doesn't sound to be. Still, it sounds as anyday likable Zimmer, and in fact much doesn't change from his tone of the 2 mentioned scores As Good as it Gets and Spanglish, in fact the main theme which crops up a lot in the short promo is a mixture between the 2 themes of those scores. It opens in 'Remember Me', on guitar (directly the Spanglish sound) and later develops as a pleasant but normal guideline throughout the entire score. The theme reprises itself in 'Beachbonding' or on piano in 'Me and Myself', and here you notice the only flaw of the album. While it is represented as a promo album, I'm thinking this is a true DVD rip, since in several tracks, amongst them track 3 several background SFX are heard, this goes from soft voices, cricket noises or beach waves, meaning this doesn't sound like a promo at all. However, the SFX don't bother that much, more you even flow through them without at times noticing a thing. But of course from time to time you pick them up easily, but they never get too loud or as loud as the score itself, so from that point of view I've had worse copies.

Anyway, back to the score, 'Don Juan' is the first track where the theme alters a bit its tone, with a more light jazzy approach, saxophone and laid back piano. 'Beautiful Mom' on the other hand changes more, here the only time a nice soft choral effect is reached, when it adds ethereal beauty to the piano play, again this track briefly has some sound effects, but again these don't bother much. 'Discover' has a mood ala As Good as it Gets with the theme getting a piano variation, while the strings give it a lighter air. Basically the score barely shifts musical approach, basically letting the theme do its work or altering it, just from time to time you get a new tone, 'Is my Place' (apart from the new ocean waves hehe) we get a brief but interesting ending to the track, with a more rhythmic cello ending, which is expanded more interestingly in 'Together' and 'Still Remember', using a more playful rhythmic approach to signify something new as score, in the first track even an accordion is heard in what seems like a playful variation on the theme. 'Seduction' has a nice As Good as it Gets version of the theme on strings while the same can be heard lovely in 'You Love Someone'. In fact even the brief 'Time to Back' has got better and more charming string work then most other tracks. 'In Home' has the guitar and light strings returning with a laid back piano for the theme and as expected, the same concert version of the theme is for 'End Credits (Something's Gotta Give)', basically ending the score the way it began. Frankly, if you heard As Good as it Gets and Spanglish you heard the better efforts of Zimmer for his comedy / dramas. But that doesn't mean Something's Gotta Give is not charming or dull. In fact while perhaps just enough time is spend on the entire score, it remains a charming affair to hear. His brief moments of diversity are perhaps more worth it in the end and luckily the SFX don't bother much at all. Where the music of Young is, how much was composed by Zimmer and how much by the 10 extra additional composers and why there are SFX, are questions for the real die hards, I just like it as once in a while musical score.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Remember Me (1.55)

2. Beachbonding (0.56)

3. Me And Myself * (0.44)

4. Don Juan (1.52)

5. Beautiful Mom * (2.28)

6. With You * (1.25)

7. Discover (2.17)

8. Nice Time (1.02)

9. Is My Place * (1.43)

10. Together * (1.23)

11. In Love (1.29)

12. Seduction (2.01)

13. You Love Someone (0.53)

14. Still Remember (1.34)

15. Time To Back (0.31)

16. In Home * (2.27)

17. End Credits (Something's Gotta Give) (2.01)

* Contains minor SFX

Total Length: 26.48

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

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