The Bottom Line
Thomas Newman's movie scores, though different on the surface, possess the same quality that makes them wonderful. Like a person's signature, there's something in his writing style that makes his music unique. Once you figure out what that is, I guarantee that you'll be able to identify Newman's music as soon as you hear it. His work for WALL-E is modern, somewhat edgy, but orchestrally lush and fluid. If you are a fan of Newman's work, I know you'll love this album. If you have no idea who Newman is or what his music sounds like, then WALL-E will be a great place for you to start.
Pros
- A "Newman" score that is harmonically and rhythmically rich
- A variety of tracks without losing its coherency
- Music is whimsical but down to earth
Cons
- A con for some, many of the albums tracks are under a minute in length
Description
- Released: June 2008
- 1 CD, 38 Tracks
- Total Play Time: 1 hour
Guide Review - WALL-E - Thomas Newman
Newman does it again. Another Oscar nominated, terrific film score. What makes this soundtrack standout from the other Newman scores is his instrumentation. Throughout the album Newman blends classic harmonically lush strings with modern computer synthesized sounds, keeping true to the movies futuristic content. Though the album features over 30 tracks, there are a few that are more memorable than the others - "2815," "Eve," "Fixing WALL-E," "Define Dancing," and "M-O." These tracks implement the same instruments, but Newman writes them in such a way that each piece sounds different. Many of the works on the album are less than a minute long, so to fully appreciate them, they'll need to be listened to in context. My problem is that some of the short tracks I wish were much longer - I just don't want them to end!
