Taken

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Nobody saw a series expand the motion picture scope yet but today we witness that Television is becoming as important as the large production brother. The X-Files on small scale, 24 capturing cinema tension and then Taken, a big budget tale of 3 families experiencing their take on alien abductions received the largest budget ever assembled. With Steven Spielberg as producer, the special effects didn't lie about the scale of the project and the cast belonged to talented if unknown actors that presented the 3 families encounters with the aliens to the utmost precision. If a bit long at times, the series did take a good beginning and a better ending since the middle at times went a bit too fast with the years, but nonetheless it presented a somewhat different take on alien abductions and ufo's. The composer for the whole proceeding was as unknown to many as most of the cast. However, what Laura Karpman achieved was no small scale score either, even if the Studio Symphony Orchestra wasn't as fleshed out as it normally is in other scores. The brass, percussion and violins were not fully encountered as they normally are, but the great thing is, you wouldn't notice it if you weren't seeing the performing musicians on the credit list. Like Michael Giacchino, Karpman and her mixing engineers have the ability to flesh it all out and make it sound larger then actually presented. And this is most important since it does have to take the scope of the series serious, and Karpman's music is presenting it with equally big ideas and performances. It is testament to Laura Karpman's abilities that she performed a piece of music so different then we are used to and still make it as powerful as possible.

The score opens with the wonderful if short 'Main Title', a slice of warm Americana that would later appear more powerful in the score. Karpman's musical ideas didn't have the power of the orchestra to create action, horror or tension and so she took various instruments to create it with instead. 'Spaceship' moves a bit forward like John Williams, with piano, flutes and percussion setting the pace, its a dissonant form of scoring but never unmelodic to not appreciate its appeal. Same for the strange but equally intriguing 'Implant Mania', where whistling flutes almost make it eerie while strange vocal effects create the mayhem with it backing rather emotional soft music. How strange it may sound, the effect is tantalizing in its effect. There is actually a bit of everything to hear on the CD, great action scoring in 'Romans', with returning brass statements making it as large as a Williams score would do. Or the main theme appearing most fully emotional and grand (almost conclusive) in 'To the Rescue', a track actually heard in the final episode. The magical and mysterious music signaling the wonder of ufo's is witnessed in 'Mothership Arrival', but it was heard more powerful in the first episode and here it somewhat loses its magical qualities, how good it sounds altogether. 'Tom's Revenge' and 'Truth Kills Owen' brings things darker, edgier but equally powerful in orchestral sound, with the whistling effect of the mania track in 4 signaling back the nature of humans while the powerful collision of brass and strings create most powerful sounds near the end of track 10. There is also an Alien motif, performed by a high piccolo and used more in the series then here on disc but it appears in the begin of 'Artemis' and continues with lovely piano for about a minute. Its a strangely fitting motif the aliens receive and altogether, it are these instruments that create the charm of Taken.

The last tracks bring more the wonder of the strings and brass to the fore, 'Mary's Dream' brings first some great magical mystery music but it are the conclusive final tracks which made the effect in the series and actually, also on CD. 'Allie's Miracle' is a terrific track, bringing strings and brass together performing a variation on the main theme almost but in such pleasing form that its a joy to hear. And the final track 'Allie is Gone' is a beautiful soft piece that grows near the end with its main theme sounding so full of hope, it ends the score just on the right note. Laura Karpman was unknown to me but not anymore since her music is different from all the rest of the composers yet so good. Its a bit like Joe Hisaishi, the styles are different then what we hear in most films, but it also makes the music more intriguing, effective and enjoyable. At times I found the music unfitting when I heard it in the scenes, but now I understand the meaning behind it all, because it didn't capture the scope of the ufo's or the aliens but the scope of the emotional struggle and experiences. And that is especially what I like about the listen of Laura Karpman's Taken. Its a very infectious score, with basically touches of brilliance in each track. Whether it is the implant mania cue leading to strange dissonance or the growing magic conditions of discovery cues, it all works one way or another. I'm pleased to find music like this from Var鋊e since its better then Collateral Damage or Joy Ride releases they often throw at us. It goes to show that Television music, like Video Game music is often underrated. A right kind of attitude, a powerful orchestra or mixing job and the right composer on the job goes to show that scores are made successful before they are released upon us. Trust me, you better take Taken seriously since its music with more then 1 heart.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (1.00)

2. Spaceship (1.42)

3. Artemis (2.38)

4. Implant Mania (2.42)

5. Romans (4.05) Excellent Track

6. Mothership Arrival (2.47)

7. To The Rescue (4.07) Excellent Track

8. Ride (2.28)

9. Tom's Revenge (2.33)

10. Truth Kills Owen (2.39)

11. Allie's Fire (2.15)

12. Lift Off (4.36)

13. Mary's Dream (3.01)

14. Allie's Miracle (3.33) Excellent Track

15. Allie Is Gone (4.53) Excellent Track

Total Length: 45.43

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