There Will Be Blood OST [Soundtrack]

Over the past decade original film scoring has found itself increasingly unrewarding for prospectors hoping for genuinely great scores. Films require more music than ever before (the average score is now around 70minutes) written in less time than ever before (usually less than a month and often as little as two weeks) and it's become increasingly common for composers to adhere to the temp track of cues from other films put together to give the composer an indication of the kind of score they want. The only difference with Jonny Greenwood's much acclaimed `original score is that in this case the temp track seems to have been made of classical pieces rather than cues written for other films - albeit classical pieces that have seen service in other films. My first thought on hearing it was "Hmm, somebody really likes Pendereki." And my second thought was: and I bet he got hooked on the pieces they used in The Exorcist and The Shining since he seems obsessed with copying them.

It's always rather suspicious when something that's so acclaimed wears its 'influences' quite so obviously, especially since much of what Greenwood brings that's `new' to the table actually derives from his BBC composition Popcorn Superhet Receiver (causing the score to be ruled ineligible for an Oscar nomination, though it's unusual for them to be quite so observant about the lack of original music in the Original Score category). Nonetheless, as a score it has to be said it works rather well, creating a harsh and often alienating soundscape - the things that work against it for many casual listeners on CD - which does make it stand out from much contemporary `comfort' scoring. But for all the hype, there's little here that's new or groundbreaking.

Generally, I was quite excited about by this CD. I had thoughts of mesmerising tracks from Gladiator that are themselves enduring pieces that are worth a listen in themselves. The problem with There Will be Blood is that, overall, this belongs as part of the movie. Whilst certainly atmospheric, it does not stand-alone as an orchestral piece.

I won't say it's bad or boring just not worth listening to as music, only as part of a film.

Having said that, its well produced and a good example of its type. This will be a good test of music that's either "your sort of thing" or not (personal taste). Some people may give it five stars but I would never buy this nor would I actively listen to this hence only 3 stars.

On first listen, I was prepared to write it off with "go find some Bartok instead". It reminded me of various 20th-century composers but nothing original. But it's growing on me on a second listen (as I'm making these notes). Short at 33 minutes, but that way nothing goes on too long.

Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike Radiohead (not even Treefingers!) In some places, some of the higher lines remind me of sustained guitar. But (in case it's not otherwise clear) JG does not perform here - it's all either orchestral or small chamber groups (trio (tracks 3,4) or quartet (7,9-11)).

1. Open Spaces
Two low notes, two high, repeated for a while, with occasional twirls and embellishments. Sonorous film music.

2. Future Markets
Marcato strings, low notes, higher pizzicato lines; joined by longer high notes. Sense of urgency and menace. Slows down at the end for more Portentous Film Music.

3. Prospectors Arrive
Low piano chords, slow, high string lines (almost like sustained guitar in their treatment). Could almost imagine Thom Yorke joining in! But still many, many miles away from Radiohead. Later the piano speeds up in a sad little counterpoint. (This isn't a cheerful film, I suspect.)

4. Eat Him By His Own Light
A bit of a fugue here, I think, individual string lines and piano. Melancholy chamber music. Becomes more frenetic near the end.

5. Henry Plainview
Disturbing "bee-buzzing" strings (or maybe dense traffic?), glissando slides, but not much else happening for the first couple of minutes. The sound becomes richer, more intense, but it's still basically an atonal drone.

6. There Will Be Blood
Another drone to start, but starts to break up - long low chords suddenly bowed-off. That appears to be about it for this piece.

7. Oil
Slow string chords over a quiet low pulse. Reminds me of (4) and perhaps (3) a bit too. Fragments of melodic lines again!

8. Proven Lands
Very percussive, lots of bow-on-string bashing, urgent clock-ticking but in an odd meter, and a mid-range pizzicato melodic line. Far more driven than any of the previous tracks.

9. HW / Hope of New Fields
Back to slow strings, a fairly sweet start, soon develops hints of darkness again, but somehow sounds more hopeful than the rest.

10. Stranded the Line
High string harmonic lines, almost painful to the ear! Almost thankfully, it soon develops into more standard string-quartet slow-movement fare. The counterpoint is quite well-developed here, there seems to be a lot going on.

11. Prospectors Quartet
Low pulse, mid-range slow phrase (again, can almost imagine Thom Yorke's voice). Slow waltz quality becomes more apparent. Really, just a two-chord melody, but quite moving all the same.

Overall: I think that the more melodic pieces work better than the atonal ones. After the first listen, I wasn't keen to listen again, but felt I owed it at least one more go; now I think I'm likely to listen to it again, at least in part.

The string arrangements behind many Radiohead songs (e.g. How To Disappear Completely) have always been interesting and different from what's usually heard in rock music, so I was expecting something different here as well. But though JG hasn't taken any easy options, and thankfully this doesn't sound like a "rock star" having a go at writing some classical stuff, I think that there's nothing here that's new in (contemporary) "classical" music. It's not bad, but it's not earth-shattering either.