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COMPARE THE TRACKS [#7]: "Sévérine's Theme" (SF) vs. "Andrea Anders' Theme" (TMWTGG)
How does it work? Very simple. Out of tremendous respect for every composer and their contributions to the wunderful Bond franchise both tracks (from any random Bond score) start off with 1 POINT. But then the critical ear from every Bond fan needs to start working. You can either let one track win, or the other. You do that by adding 2 POINTS to your winner of this duel. Or if you really can't choose, you have the possibility to call it a draw and give both tracks 1 POINT extra. So you always have these outcomes:
LEFT track vs. RIGHT track
3 POINTS vs. 1 POINTS (left track wins)
1 POINTS vs. 3 POINTS (right track wins)
2 POINTS vs. 2 POINTS (it's a draw)
The rules are simple:
--> It's an ongoing topic, with no end to it
--> So there are countless rounds/duels
--> Once the maximum of 20 posters have voted in a duel, the next round kicks off
--> Points given to a duel after the max. of 20 posters has been reached, will not be added to the score
--> I try to make honest comparisons, so I will always try to put similar music styles against each other
--> The same counts for a given quality of a track, I try to find similar qualities
--> After a round, a ranking table will be added, so that in the end you will have high scoring winners, but also low scoring winners. Similarly, you will see high scoring losers and low scoring losers.
--> In a much later stage, we can also make a final ranking of the actual individual scores
Why do I do this? We have had so many discussions about each individual composer. But I think it's time we are going to listen better, to test our ears better, and to find the nuances within this subjective art of movie scoring (for Bond films). I also welcome lovely discussions about the style of each tracks? Which track is the better "mysterious Bond-goes-out-spying"-track? Which of two action-oriented tracks in a duel was better in supporting the story and the scene?
Anyway, have fun :-)! Off we go with round #1 --> "Night At The Opera" (QOS) vs. "Shanghai Drive" (SF)
LEFT track vs. RIGHT track
3 POINTS vs. 1 POINTS (left track wins)
1 POINTS vs. 3 POINTS (right track wins)
2 POINTS vs. 2 POINTS (it's a draw)
The rules are simple:
--> It's an ongoing topic, with no end to it
--> So there are countless rounds/duels
--> Once the maximum of 20 posters have voted in a duel, the next round kicks off
--> Points given to a duel after the max. of 20 posters has been reached, will not be added to the score
--> I try to make honest comparisons, so I will always try to put similar music styles against each other
--> The same counts for a given quality of a track, I try to find similar qualities
--> After a round, a ranking table will be added, so that in the end you will have high scoring winners, but also low scoring winners. Similarly, you will see high scoring losers and low scoring losers.
--> In a much later stage, we can also make a final ranking of the actual individual scores
Why do I do this? We have had so many discussions about each individual composer. But I think it's time we are going to listen better, to test our ears better, and to find the nuances within this subjective art of movie scoring (for Bond films). I also welcome lovely discussions about the style of each tracks? Which track is the better "mysterious Bond-goes-out-spying"-track? Which of two action-oriented tracks in a duel was better in supporting the story and the scene?
Anyway, have fun :-)! Off we go with round #1 --> "Night At The Opera" (QOS) vs. "Shanghai Drive" (SF)
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Comments
My preference goes to the Skyfall tune.
My appologies
QoB 1 - 3 SF
Night at the Opera is the superior track in my opinion.
I vote for draw.
2-2 from me :)
There are things I like in both tracks.
"NatO" is building tension, it tries to emulate the Barry sound somehow (it has the Bond-familiarity). However, it sounds predictable, the layers for the instruments sound too "layered", like the composer had no clear vision of a melody but just added flavors to get a generic Bond sound.
"SD" sounds clearer, more to the point, the composer had a clear vision for his composition, which I prefer. Unfortunately it lacks any resemblance to either title track or Bond motifs, nor does it incorporate anything that recognizably reappears thematically in the other tracks in SF.
Summary: I am torn, it is a draw: 2:2
QOS 3 - 1 SF
Then why voting. Or....why not discussing these two tracks?
QoS 3 - SF 1
One is a beautiful orchestral melody that perfectly accompanies its scene, the other is a bunch of electronic noises.
Yup! This is as good an analysis as you are likely to get.
The Quantum track is gorgeous. Lush and full of melody to accompany the scene, while still developing a sense of danger throughout that builds towards the end.
Shanghai Drive is an okay-ish establishing track but it doesn't really develop into anything interesting - unlike it's follow up track Jellyfish, which is much better at establishing the scene.
So it's 3 - 1
But it was close! I don't think "Shanghai Drive" is a bore....a piece of "electronic bore". It's just slightly too short I think. I like the build-up a lot. And opposed to Arnold's use of electronic music, I think Thomas Newman & Simon Rhodes do it way more delicately.
QOS wins for me: 3-1
Night At The Opera may be one of my favourite tracks from Arnold's Bond collection. Smooth and atmospheric, simple yet beautiful and enigmatic. I love the editing of the track, with the strings in the background and the electronics underscoring the whole thing. I like the mood it builds. This is one of the primary reasons why I'd want Arnold back for another Bond film. IMO, QOS is his best Bond score to date, with CR a close second. He has matured a great deal since TND.
Shanghai Drive is not a bad piece of music but it benefits from the beautiful images we see, not from the composition itself. The track is fairly one-note, not exactly leading to a satisfying musical conclusion. I'm not offended by it, it's just nothing special.
Night at the Opera
This specific track reminds me of two classic Barry pieces. The harp melody that opens the song is very reminiscent of "Capsule in Space" One of John Barry's finest tracks composed. The main melody of the song is also similar to "The Sniper Was a Woman" from TLD. It's ominous and mysterious. It carries the same suspense while being lighter in feeling. Rather than being tense it's rather soothing, The song takes you on a journey while complementing the visuals that the movie provides. Night at the Opera is one my favorite David Arnold tracks. It stays true to the standard John Barry set while not being a pastiche. I often listened to this song on my MP3 player while visiting my college library.
Shanghai Drive
This is a good piece of ambient music. But it leaves much to be desired melodically. And that isn't me bashing it. I like the song but it's simple ambiance. I could picture this in GoldenEye while Bond is visiting Monty Carlo. Actually a lot of Skyfall's score would work nicely in GoldenEye and I mean that as a compliment. It's use in the film works very well with it's visuals.
But when you pit both songs against eachother, Night at the Opera wins.
"Night at the Opera" is fantastic, and I agree with what others have said. "Shanghai Drive" is also great, but it sounds just a bit more generic.
QOS 3 - 1 SF
BTW, why 3-1 and 2-2? Why not 1-0 and 1-1?
Good, because I must confess, I can't remember either track!
the tracks have been acompanied by videos :).
Of course, but I couldn't remember the tracks from the films, but going from the videos alone, I would say 3-1 to Night At the Opera.