Bad Company (Promo)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Trevor Rabin is the kind of composer who gets easily work these days. Typically assigned for when it comes down to action suspense films that cover the stamp of Jerry Bruckheimer, Bad Company is one of the latest to follow the line in Rabin's career. Whether or not people liked the movie, I thought it was as ever a slick action suspense film which at the end delivered riveting pace and an unusual if working relationship between cool cold and veteran Anthony Hopkins and the more bold, funny if loud Chris Rock. At times I found Rock's interference somewhat annoying (like when he doesn't shut up during the chase scene) but overall it worked, and Bad Company has a lot to thank them for. The score by Rabin follows the slick line of an MV score though, there is always a soft and beautiful rendition of the main theme in it that could flow into an action statement like that and even if people don't see eye to eye about their work, you have to compose just a theme that works both ways. So Bad Company was never released as a score album (though the suite on the song album has a good if short presentation) and as a promo there were too examples, one of 70 minutes and one of 30. This one of 30 minutes covers the most important musical scenes and can offer somewhat a bit of the same music after a while. But when the car chase starts, the music flows energetically through the speedy curves and then we have the music where Rabin stands for, a slick rollercoaster listen which is not terrifically brilliant, but fun overall.

It opens a bit in the vein Edelman's score opened for Triple X, namely in Prague with a violin dominated main theme performance. This performance is lovely and couldn't be further away from the action statements in either 'Chase' or in 'Moving Mr. Hayes / Arming the Bomb'. The first track is the rollercoaster I talked about, with its bizarre samples of techno music (sort of bouncy comedy also in a techno sense) before the fast and the furious statements of the theme are heard, weaving its way fully through the rhythm. The second track is a 10 minute action suspense track ala Enemy of the State had but shorter, it contains the suspension tones, the action tones, the themes from the second track and an overall slick tone. But from then the score somewhat shows the same, in 'We Did It' we hear the more relieving statements of the main theme, in 'Hotel Attack' more action rock riffs ala Gone in 60 Seconds before the better action moments start to appear, this all until more background score is noted (underscoring when they are dangling from the laundry shaft). 'Night Exercise' has a bit of rock music before again main theme statements are heard in the last tracks. And this is it, 30 minutes of typical but fun Rabin music. It is much more cohesive then The One, much more riveting then Gone in 60 Seconds and so forth, its basically your typical melodic action score not composed by Zimmer. Its actually a bit like Enemy of the State but with more energy because of the pace of the film. I think its a recommendation for the fans of the genre, because it does possess moments I like returning to. Simply make sure you follow them in order and you'll do fine.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Prague Main Titles (1.41)

2. Chase (6.35) Excellent Track

3. Be On Time (1.20)

4. Moving Mr. Hayes / Arming The Bomb (10.32)

5. We Did It (1.21)

6. Hotel Attack (4.25)

7. Night Exercise (1.26)

8. Welcome To Prague (2.16)

9. Device Proff (1.35)

Correct Order: (1 - 3 - 9 - 7 - 8 - 6 - 2 - 4 - 5)

Total Length: 31.17

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Trevor Rabin ===