Artist: Daft Punk Title: Tron Legacy (Original Soundtrack) Release date: December 7 Label: Walt Disney Records
I'm a little surprised by the buzz surrounding the release of a soundtrack to a Disney movie. I understand that the kids love the helmeted French house duo Daft Punk and that said act hasn't released a studio album in more than a half-decade. But, still, it is just a score to a movie and not necessarily a collection of Daft Punk songs. In fact, you have to wait nearly 30 minutes before you reach two pieces that resemble the Daft Punk music we've come to know and love, the beat-driven "End of Line" and "Derezzed."
Beyond that, the record sounds like what it is -- a moody orchestral score (aided by some synths, of course) to a futuristic and sort-of-dark-in-a-PG-13-way movie. In that respect, it's only mildly interesting (though not bad to have as background as you work). I suspect fans of Daft Punk will be disappointed (no matter how much they tell you how much they love it) by the repetitive musical figures, which I'm sure will sound awesome on the big screen and provide the necessary aural emotional cues to what is happening in front of your eyes but will not make for good listening at home.
Side note: Why would Disney, in the track listing, tell us that one of the pieces near the end of the record is called "Flynn Lives"? Isn't that kind of a spoiler? Oh, sorry, did I spoil it for you now?
Daft Punk - Tron: Legacy OST Preview by eugenekhan
Best song: "Derezzed." Rotation: Low. Deja vu: The Blade Runner soundtrack meets The Dark Knight soundtrack. I'd rather listen to: The Repo Man soundtrack. Or maybe the Desperate Teenage Lovedolls soundtrack. Grade: C
Nothing Not New" is a yearlong project in which New Times editorial operations manager Jay Bennett, a 41-year-old music fan and musician, will listen only to music released in 2010. Each Monday through Friday, he will listen to one new record (no best ofs, reissues, or concert recordings) and write about it. Why? Because in the words of his editor, Martin Cizmar, he suffers from "aesthetic atrophy," a wasting away of one's ability to embrace new and different music as one ages. Read more about this all-too-common ailment here. The "Nothing Not New" Archives:
December 6 -- The Parting Gifts: Strychnine Dandelions (B)
December 3 -- Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (D+) December 2 -- Sharon Van Etten: Epic (B) December 1 -- OFF!: First Four EPs (A-) November 30 -- Robyn: Body Talk (B+) November 29 -- Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3: Northern Aggression (A-) November 16 -- Stereolab: Not Music (B-)November 15 -- The Fresh & Onlys: Play It Strange (C+)
November 4 -- Salem: King Night (B+)
November 3 -- Matt & Kim: Sidewalks (C-)
October 27 -- The 88: The 88 (B)
October 26 -- Warpaint: The Fool (B+)
