Brainstorm

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

It seems so long ago, yet it feels like yesterday James Horner was delivering us one unique score after another, the time that his melodies enthralled us, the feeling that he gave us non stop thrill from both the dramatic as the action side, the experience that wasn't brutally expanded due to score length's of insane proportions. In 1980 to probably 1999 it didn't matter in which length he gave us the score, and even if 31 minutes is nothing compared to the lengths now, Brainstorm is an inspiring listen from start to finish. Of course it doesn't listen exactly new since several things would crop up in latter scores, yet the beauty of it, there are other things that make this soundtrack worthwhile to get. First of all a vibrant performance of The London Symphony Orchestra, secondly a haunting combination of the Ambrosian Singers & The Boys Choir of New College and third and definitely the biggest asset, Horner delivering all the stops in an engaging if loud and dissonant score. Brainstorm is easily one of those few scores to get if you have basically everything of Horner there is to have.

And especially for a 31 minute album, it will not bore you out of your wits. This is an example of Horner giving us pure dissonance while at the same time thematic beauty and exhilarating action suspense. Brainstorm easily has it all. 'Main Title' starts freaky enough with choral music that leans so close to The Abyss, yet directly after that states the first dissonance outing of the orchestra. 'Lilian's Heart Attack' is one of the most exhilarating examples of pure dissonance in a most striking performance with brilliant fanfares of pure Horner magic. Easily a track that sets you on fire and if this doesn't work, simply pay attention to the evil four note motif Horner employs it in. Yes even then he was using it. 'Gaining Access to the Tapes' and 'First Playback' give us something of the sneaky suspense music Horner used so many times in his scores, like Star Trek II or III and Sneakers to a way, but it unleashes its awesome wings for 2 minutes of fantastic brilliance in 'Race for Time', one of those highlights where it doesn't matter that begin and end offer serious packs of dissonance. Yet the highlight of the score is a mix between utter beauty and gigantic spiritual magic in which Horner gives us both choral and orchestral delight.

'Michael's Gift to Karen' starts with the first part used in the trailer of Dragonfly until several minutes later the heavily choral touch is revealed, equally blessing the trailer (the choral music from the begin, not end). Then a little later Horner gives us such a lovely theme for a thriller, it is almost wacky to think it wouldn't fit but my god, it does. He ends when he performs the theme on piano during the magnificent spiritual orchestral play. And to top it off, Horner gives us small examples of everything in the final track 'Final Playback / End Titles', giving us pure dissonance, Abyss like choral music, several fanfares and the piano based theme of the score. This all makes Brainstorm easily a great score. It however stays great because it listens still after all this time fresh and perhaps that is the greatest compliment you could give to Horner. Sure, we have several things that return but that glorious theme he develops and the inspiring choral work hasn't been heard much by Horner in a way that it recalls memories and if worse rip-offs. So I recommend this score for any Horner fan and those liking a thick orchestral wall of both gigantic sizes of pure orchestral dissonance and beautiful melodies. In a way it was all what Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within packed and people liked that score equally so. And if you don't like it, you at least can not say that Horner doesn't stick close to the title. It surely gives your brain a storm of immense proportions. Recommended with the volume knob turned to those proportions.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (2.14)

2. Lilian's Heart Attack (3.17) Excellent Track

3. Gaining Access To The Tapes (2.45)

4. Michael's Gift to Karen (6.50) Excellent Track

5. First Playback (3.17)

6. Race For Time (4.50) Excellent Track

7. Final Playback / End Titles (6.50)

Total Length: 30.21

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=== Link to Composer Site: James Horner ===