Search - Trevor Rabin :: The One: Original Motion Picture Score

Subpar

Fetus Frank | Broccoli Bob's Tower of Tumors | 12/19/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"When Filmtracks.com published the latest of a series of reviews thrashing Trevor Rabin's music mainly on the grounds that he operates with fake orchestras and low-budgets, the rabid composer himself(supposedly) responded. His inspiring comments contradicted Filmtracks.com, stating that he used "high budgets" and "fine orchestras." To mock Filmtracks.com, the inner booklet for his latest action caper THE ONE included a full name listing for The Hollywood Symphony Orchestra. This in istelf is a surprise: there is 3 times the stuff in the jacket that Varase Sarabande usually releases. The 42-minute playing time is also a pleasant switch. But I think Trevor Rabin missed the point. THE ONE is like a kid who did his math problems too quickly: he gets the idea but the work is rough around the edges, and some of it is just wrong. One might also say that this is like a good idea for a creative essay, but he just jotted it down and turned it in in rough draft form. But Rabin is usually a good student. His previous successes have ranged from mostly orchestral (DEEP BLUE SEA) half-and-half orchestra to synthesizer (AMERICAN OUTLAWS) to largely synthesized music (THE 6TH DAY). All have been wonderful. But the whole point of having an orchestra is that you use it. Perhaps while wallowing in his own cynicism and laughing about how Filmtracks.com was going to pull its foot out its mouth, he forgot this. Occasionally, the music is genuinely inspiring. THE RITUAL is a good example of the sleek integration of rock, orchestra, and synthesizer. PAULIE'S MEMBER is a good track for pure rock and guitar music, which is fine on its own. Track 9, whatever that is, is a prime example of how an aspiring bit of orchestra is suddenly pounced upon and axed to death by mind-spearing rock music. While listening to this, I kept checking to see if my CD player had caught fire. Track 10 is another sad story. Trevor Rabin could have done some prodigious things with that woman's beautiful and surreal voice, real or otherwise. The lack of large, propelling finale score is also missing. By this, I mean tack 5, 15, and 17 of AMERICAN OUTLAWS, 9 of DEEP BLUE SEA, 8 of THE 6TH DAY, and 6 of ARMAGEDDON. The CD isn't bad. The score isn't all 3 stars. Most is a mix of 5 star and 1 star, with some 3 and 4 for good measure. For this holiday's action masterpiece, check out Harry-Gregson Williams's SPY GAME."