Search - Allan Wilson, Steve Bartek, Russell Shaw :: Fable

A Truly Wonderful Experience

Vince M. Pellegrini | the same place as Carmen Sandiego | 07/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Most the the times when a Soundtrack is produced from a video game there are two things that are to be expected that would turn off most people. First, that the music is synthesized and second, that the music doesn't stand up well enough on it's own except to those who have already played the game. The Fable soundtrack suffers from none of these. Every track is done completely by the Philharmonic of London. And though only the "Fable Theme" is composed by Danny Elfman, the other songs suffer no loss of quality. Each song stands out on its own with a sense of independence that many game soundtracks do not have. Having played the game, the music immediately provided the player with a sense of adventure and fantasy. Once you entered a town or a forest you gained a great sense of the situation just from the music alone. Currently the song "Summer Fields" has played over 150 times on my computer just because of the great atmosphere it creates. It almost reminds me of the playfulness of "Dawn is a Feeling" from Moody Blues' Days of Future Past. But at the same time a song like "Bowerstone" creates the sense of a bustling town and songs like "Darkwood" and "Lynchfield Cemetery" creates a sense of a dark foreboding place. The range and quality of this work has to be heard to be understood. I buy almost every RPG soundtrack I can get my hands on but this is the only soundtrack I suggest to anyone."

A Fun Listen

Gorilla | Boston/Vienna | 12/14/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This soundtrack is something that fits the bill whether you need some music to keep you awake while you work a late night in front of the computer screen, whether you want to relax and take an hourlong nap, or whether you simply want to listen to some cool music from a game you played once. It's NOT some kind of undeniable masterpiece, but there are some masterfully written/orchestrated twists and varations to be found.



Something has bothered me ever since I started listening to this: the prevalence of "Danny Elfman!!! Danny Elfman!" name dropping. Great, I'm sure it helps with the marketing, but Danny Elfman's part in the whole thing is completely blown out of proportion. The first track was composed by him (the Main Theme), and everything else is Russell Shaw's baby. Yes, there are many things found in Shaw's work that remind of a two-bar section here or there in Elfman's piece, but there is PLENTY of fresh, new stuff to be found. In comparison, the Main Theme sounds formulaic and uninspired. Don't listen to the majority of what you've heard about this CD. Heck, don't even take it from me, I could be just as full of it as the next guy. Anyways, that's what I wish someone had told me before I'd bought this CD.



Standout tracks include Oakvale (2), Summer Fields (6), and Greatwood (11)...but there isn't one track that doesn't offer something interesting that you'll want to skip back to and listen for again.



This is REALLY well done. Worth the price."

Great Video Game Score

Jacob Wenger | LA, CA | 06/09/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When I first heard that Fable was going to be one of the most involved and detailed RPG's ever, I was already stoked; but then I read that the opening title would be composed by none other than my favorite film composer Danny Elfman and I could barely contain my stoked-ness (?) until the game was released. As it turns out, the theme is quite exceptional and quintessentially Elfman, incorporating the best of his harmonic structures and orchestrations. Elfman's theme is heard behind the opening sequence, and is also used behind several of the cutscenes throughout the game. The rest of the underscore throughout the game, while not composed by Elfman, is very well written and cleverly builds off of Elfmans' themes. The music for Oakvale sounds very similar to "Edward Scissorhands," and the tense battle music for the arena sequence could easily be mistaken for any of Elfmans' heavy orchestral cues from "Planet of the Apes" or "Spiderman." Overall, the music made the game even more enjoyable to play, and is a great listen on its' own."