Michael Giacchino – Spider-Man: Homecoming Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Sony

FourScore

By Kristi Kates | July 22, 2017

Michael Giacchino – Spider-Man: Homecoming Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Sony
Starting with the Spider-man theme from the original TV series was definitely a good choice, with Giacchino amping up the vintage melody with a more modern sound. From there, the score is immersive and carries out several different themes, which adds a nice cohesion especially (if you’ve seen it) within the context of the movie’s storyline. Tracks like “Monumental Meltdown” and “Stark Raving Mad” play upon the comic-book aspects of the film, while “Vulture Clash,” a nod to the current villain, offers a darker sonic preview into Spider-Man’s future. ***

Various Artists – Music from the American Epic Sessions – Columbia
The intriguing feature-length PBS film helmed by Jack White (The White Stripes) and eminent producer T Bone Burnett tells the story of the very first (now restored) music recording system developed in the 1920s; that same equipment was used to produce this album, which features 20 of today’s musicians. It’s a cool concept, and it’s executed beautifully, with everything recorded live. The vintage gear captures these performances with a warm, direct sound, putting musicians like the Avett Brothers, Steve Martin, Beck, Elton John, Nas, and White himself into an intriguing new audio light. *** ½

Various Artists – Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Original Soundtrack – Europacorp
Combining one disc of proper film score (by French composer Alexandre Desplat, known for his work on films like Benjamin Button and Grand Budapest Hotel) with a slate of existing popular songs was an interesting decision for this soundtrack, especially within the nostalgic futurism of the movie itself. Desplat’s music is a constant thread throughout the film, with tracks like “Big Market” and “Arriving on Alpha” setting the scenes nicely. The pop selections include David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” which scores the opening montage of the movie, plus tunes by Wyclef Jean and Julien Rey. ** ½

Brian Tyler – The Mummy Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Back Lot Music
It’s a little tough to separate this soundtrack from the overblown train wreck that was Tom Cruise’s attempt to reboot the original The Mummy movies (Brendan Fraser, where are you?), but we’ll try. Fortunately, the album at least has Tyler’s talent; he takes a b-i-g, vivid approach to his score that definitely works for this epically overambitious fantasy-thriller film, with standout tracks like the suspenseful “A Warning of Monsters,” the harrowing “The Sands of Wrath,” and the ruthless sounds of “Unstoppable” churning out of the screen. As a matter of fact, the soundtrack might be only decent thing about the movie. ***