SOUNDTRACKS
Soundtracks are a lot more than movie music...

...or so I'm ready to argue as a 30 year devotee of this sorely under appreciated genre.  So, in an effort to do my part, each week
I'll be making recommendations of soundtracks current and vintage, make a fuss over long awaited soundtrack scores finally getting
a well deserved release, and in general, make some noise about this often overlooked category.  Beyond my long experience as a
listener and as a pianist and songwriter, both of which I've put to use in writing a quarterly soundtrack column for the
Chicago
Tribune, I can only offer my recommendations.  You'll discern my taste soon enough and upfront I'd like to make it clear that I'll
focus most heavily on SCORE soundtracks.  In the end, all criticism is subjective but if I can point a listener toward a little heard
soundtrack or strongly advise you to either ORDER IMMEDIATELY or SKIP ALTOGETHER, all the better.
It's been almost 30 years in the making but the film version of Sweeney Todd is almost
here.  Though the soundtrack won't be released until December 18th, I've had a chance to
preview it as part of my quarterly soundtrack roundup for the Chicago Tribune.

The score has been boiled down to the essentials, these are almost Cliff Notes versions of
the songs and fans of Stephen Sondheim's masterwork may cry "foul."  I'm on the
bandwagon - having had the pleasure of seeing the original touring production with Angela
Lansbury, George Hearn and cast - but I also have the pleasure of the DVD of that amazing
production to replay as often as I want and c'mon, Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd?  Could
there be more perfect casting?  So, I'm not all atwitter about the cuts in the score.  It's a
movie and not the stage, after all.

Basically the movie soundtrack comes to this: one sings, the other doesn't.  Depp is the one
who does, Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett does not.  Or rather, does but with a very
thin, whispery voice.  But at least she's not one of those off-key foghorn leading ladies (Ms.
Bacall and company you know who you are).  I'm not thrilled that the factory whistle is gone,
that the opening number isn't sung - even more so because Jonathan Tunick's lush
arrangement is thrillingly played and a vocal version would have been thrilling as well.  But
let's be realistic: this is the FIRST Sondheim movie since
A Little Night Music in 1977.  That's
30 years!  So, unlike Neely O'Hara, I will settle for crumbs.  But really, these don't taste too
badly.  Certainly not as bad as Mrs. Lovett's meat pies, pre-Sweeney that is!


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Next Recommendation:  TBA
Johnny Depp as demonic Sweeny
Todd, Helena Bonham Carter as his
murderous partner in a long overdue
adaptation of Sondheim's
masterwork