Men of Honor

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

In all his honor and glory, Mark Isham is one of the profound composers who can add a touch of human heroics in a composition, and for that he is known by most people in the music business. His trumpet, a known sound in his scores is what drives any heroic, adventure or war / navy laden score, like Rules of Engagement or Miracle, its a distinct sound that crosses over from the subtlety and marks the defining moment the score is reaching at from the beginning. In a way, you can say the same about the Navy true inspired story of Men of Honor, in that Isham makes the climax at the end happen, but that the trumpet is always there to lead the way. The 40 minutes on the album still start with 3 songs, but its nice to know at least the score wasn't forgotten after that. The first song, 'Win' by Brian McKnight is the best of the three, perhaps because it also connects the best to the score of Isham, and not the 2 classics by The Temptations and Marvin Gaye which connect then best to the era of the story itself. 'Win' however is the best influenced to the score and the reason is because Isham co wrote the music for the song, based on the love theme for Jo and making nice attention with the piano and flumpet (hybrid blending the musical qualities of trumpet "more strident" and flugelhorn "more mellow", especially build for him in 1995). Then Mark Isham's score takes over, and the first 'The Navy Diver' has already swellings of the more noble fanfares we would hear during the score, and that would mark the score's sound. This heroic main theme or theme is heard then completely the opposite like in 'A Son Never Forgets' when its heard softly over the flowing music. 'Bounce Dive' adds then the first thrills of the album upon us and the frenzy of the trumpets is most definitely heard, but especially the orchestral growth is welcomed by fans who always saw Isham just as a jazzy film composer, something he of course still is in moments.

However, no jazz would come to mind when you hear 'Fouled!', its a very orchestral tour de force that takes suspension music first but strong orchestral music later to signal the danger and frenzy of the action, with again the trumpets and the drums laying down the law. Its perhaps not fluently and therefore not totally enjoyable, but it at least sets the tone down. 'Gwen' returns to the soft tone and this with piano. 'The Breath Holding Contest' is the beginning of the good finale music, this one is again a builder but here the music much more fluently takes its action at hand, with a variation on the theme and leading to a good and firm climax. The actually wonderful love theme heard in the song is here more soothing but impressively heard in 'Jo', over first the piano and later vocalist Carmen Carter adds her depth to it, reminding me of something like Radio or even Apollo 13 but then better then Radio but not as good as Apollo 13. And the finale in 'Men of Honor' is the way I described it, Isham leading his already heroic score to the finish with the drums (perhaps even at times reminding us of the build up in again Apollo 13), fanfares and the nobility the story deserves, letting the heroic theme finish the way its heard in the 4th track, but then just better. Its a good 7 minute piece that confirms Isham's abilities, later showing us more of these tricks in Racing Stripes, he's not just a jazzy composer but also a strong family adventure composer. Men of Honor is especially pleasing the last 13 or so minutes, and above all shows his more orchestral voice at work here, and while not as electrifying as his orchestral crowd pleasing music in Racing Stripes, its another sign I neglected his better works just a little too easy, and Men of Honor is among his short but better efforts.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Win: Brian McKnight * (4.11)

2. I Wish It Would Rain: The Temptations (2.51)

3. Say When: Marvin Gaye (2.36)

4. The Navy Diver (1.46)

5. A Son Never Forgets (3.27)

6. Bounce Dive (2.44)

7. Fouled! (4.55)

8. Gwen (2.43)

9. The Breath Holding Contest (2.55) Excellent Track

10. Jo (4.28)

11. Men Of Honor (6.51) Excellent Track

* Orchestra arranged and produced by Mark Isham

Total Length: 39.41

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=== Link to Composer Site: Mark Isham ===