Music from the Transformers Trilogy by London Music Works

Music from the Transformers Trilogy Composed by London Music Works Silva Screen (2011) Rating: 7/10 More soundclips below provided by AmazonMp3

Reinterpricons!
Review by Richard Buxton

The music of the TRANSFORMERS trilogy is probably not what one might expect to be given a re-recording and compilation treatment, especially seeing as the final part of MICHAEL BAY’S trilogy is merely months old. Yet here is LONDON MUSIC WORKS own interpretation of JABLONSKY’S music for the trilogy.

MUSIC FROM THE TRANSFORMERS TRILOGY consists 17 tracks in total, and those who have followed JABLONSKY’S work in the series will immediately notice that the tracks chosen are certainly the highlights of the three films’ musical offering. This is perhaps the greatest incentive for anyone deliberating over whether to purchase the album. The compilation stands as a useful overview of the music across the three films, enabling listeners to hear the high points and providing assistance in generating an overall opinion of JABLONSKY’S work should one be needed before taking the plunge into the trilogy’s individual soundtracks. Therefore it comes as no surprise that this album is perhaps unsuitable for those who have already experienced the previous three score albums in great detail. As pleasant as the recordings on the album are, they offer very little beyond JABLONSKY’S original recordings and are subsequently a concrete recommendation only for the most devout of Transformers music fans.

One of the pitfalls of re-recordings in film music is the failure to live up to the original. The recent release of HALO: COMBAT EVOLVED ANNIVERSARY is an example of the reinterpreting of a strongly established original musical journey that brings with it legions of dedicated fans. Such was the strength and iconic nature of the HALO score; it was always going to be difficult to live up to the original. This is not the case for MUSIC FROM THE TRANSFORMERS TRILOGY however. There are distinctive differences that are immediately noticeable, but the orchestral performances on offer are consistently sufficient in resurrecting vivid mental images of the Autobot’s clashes with the Decepticons.

The area in which this album is found most lacking is in the synthetic side of the tracks. JABLONSKY’S heavy use of electronic sources is a well-known facet of the TRANSFORMERS trilogy and is, despite many number detractors, done so in a very effective manner. MUSIC FROM THE TRANSFORMERS TRILOGY understandably puts heavy emphasis on the acoustic nature of the recordings, and the synthetic side subsequently has less impact. It is in this aspect that the album also finds its greatest strength however. From the anthemic opening track, “Autobots” (1), a spritely and almost celebratory texture can be heard. The prominence of the choir throughout the track serves the piece well in providing vitality not heard in the original recording of the piece.

The album continues to excel in a similar manner throughout the running time as individual elements within the orchestra shine out, as if given a stage upon which to perform that the original score had not provided. The deep aching strings that cry out in “The All Spark” (2) are echoed in breathtaking beauty, a beauty somewhat overshadowed in JABLONSKY’S original score. The gorgeous strings are soon joined by delicate vocals that are interrupted all too soon by the climactic percussive hits that round out the track. The individuality of each instrument focused on is truly emphasised in the early tracks on the album as “Optimus” (3) echoes the slow-burning beauty of the previous track with aching woodwinds playing out the theme of the immortalised leader of the Autobots.

The original film in the trilogy is quite easily the strongest musically, so it comes as a little disappointing that this album doesn’t place a greater emphasis on cues from it. This segment of the album is rounded out by the perpetually ascending “Bumblebee” (4), the memorable “Arrival to Earth” (5), and “Optimus vs. Megatron” (6).

JABLONSKY’S work for the trilogy has always been made up of duelling sides: One side being his gorgeous reflective and restrained compositions, and the other being brash and at times unlistenable. Thankfully, LONDON MUSIC WORKS has opted to place a great emphasis on the former, making the album a much more consistent listening experience that the previous score albums. Still, this does not magically raise the quality of the music on offer beyond the original film. Said dip in quality is made immediately apparent in the clearly not-meant-for-rerecording “Nest” (7), that does it’s best to sound horribly out of place amongst the other tracks.

The theme of action vs. reflection continues throughout the album, as the highlights of REVENGE OF THE FALLEN are rolled out. “Infinite White” (8) and its simplistic but beautiful vocal progression precedes the rousing “Tomb of the Primes” (9) before the album once again ventures into the weaker side of JABLONSKY’S work. “Forest Battle” (10) was one of the weakest points of the Transformers films, and is certainly no different here; if anything it has become worse. The repetitive percussion-driven rhythms begin to grate almost immediately, and break up the album’s so-far generally consistent tracklist. The same can be said, although to a lesser extent, for “It’s Our Fight” (15). “It’s Our Fight” is the third of four tracks lifted from DARK OF THE MOON and, like the original recording, is a repetitive and generally unfulfilling action piece that goes almost nowhere over its six-and-a-half minute running time. “Dark Side of the Moon” (13) also shows signs of its lack of suitability for such a re-recording, but does just enough to avoid the same fate as the two aforementioned tracks.

“Our Final Hope” is undoubtedly the highlight of the DARK OF THE MOON segment of the album, and despite its simplistic nature, is suitably rousing for the penultimate track on the album, and the final track to actually originate in the Transformers films. It is followed by “Prelude” (17), music heard in one of the trailers for DARK OF THE MOON. Like some of the lower points heard on the album, “Prelude” tends to stand out sorely despite a strong choral finish. It’s somewhat disappointing that tracks such as “Prelude” and “It’s Our Fight” were chosen ahead of the infinitely more suitable and superior “The Fight Will Be Your Own” heard in DARK OF THE MOON. The stronger element of this album is certainly the less-action packed side and the aforementioned track is tailor made for an orchestral performance that earlier pieces on the album were granted.

When listening to MUSIC FROM THE TRANSFORMERS TRILOGY, it might be wise to carefully deselect a number of tracks from the playlist should you wish to journey through the majority of the album. Without these tracks, the album admittedly becomes a little less varied in nature, but would be infinitely more satisfying as some elements of the TRANSFORMERS films are clearly not suitable for such an orchestral treatment. The tracks that remain are valiantly reinterpreted however and are certainly a worth a venture for both TRANSFORMERS and STEVE JABLONSKY fans alike.

Rating: 7/10

Track	Track Title	Track Time	Rating
1	Autobots	2:31	****
2	The All Spark	3:38	****
3	Optimus	3:12	****
4	Bumblebee	3:51	****
5	Arrival to Earth	4:08	****
6	Optimus Vs. Megatron	4:08	***
7	Nest	2:04	**
8	Infinite White	3:52	****
9	Tomb of the Primes	2:48	***
10	Forest Battle	2:00	*
11	Matrix of Leadership	3:51	***
12	Prime/ I Rise, You Fall	4:58	***
13	Dark Side of the Moon	3:47	***
14	Sentinel Prime	3:10	***
15	It's Our Fight	6:37	*
16	Our Final Hope	3:39	****
17	Trailer Music – Prelude (From Transformers Dark Side Of The Moon)	2:16	**
	Total Running Time (approx)	60 minutes