LONERS.

 

 

It never ceases to amaze me when a new composer or a composer I was not previously aware of produces a score that is just so good, this can be said of a score I was sent to listen to for an Amazon film entitled LONERS. The composer Marco Valerio Antonini has created a score that is filled with so many themes and entertaining musical passages, it has drama, comedy and a certain amount of quirkiness that makes it attractive and enormously interesting. Its been a long time since I have said that every cue on a score is good, but LONERS is, there is certainly something for everyone’s taste within the score, and although the composer is young in years his composing styles and talents are certainly not. The work has a polished and mature sound to it and for me personally evokes many of the scores as produced by composers such as Jerry Goldsmith and Elmer Bernstein. Right from the start we are treated to solid and robust themeatic material, ENTERING MIKE is a martial sounding piece which is probably very tongue in cheek considering the subject matter of the film, timpani and percussion, fuse with brass, woods and strings to fashion an addictive sound that is dramatic but at the same time has to it a comic air, very similar to what Bernstein achieved in movies such as SPIES LIKE US. The serious sounding strings and percussion being lightened using perky and mischievous sounding woods; however, the foundation of the cue remains martial sounding and purveys a mood and atmosphere that is urgent.

 

Track number two, MR TEESMAN is slightly more downbeat, and contains a moreover melodic air initially. The composer employing strings that are underlined and punctuated by subtle harp support to convey a mysterious yet melodious persona, which concludes rapidly via the introduction of a crescendo of brass. Track three SPIES is an entertaining piece, short lived but effective the composer utilises a dark and ominous sounding piano, which is laced with vibes and edgy pizzicato, this attention-grabbing combination introduces the cue before it erupts into brief action mode which is performed by brass and percussion. The remainder of the score is as entertaining if not more so, with clever use of strings and woodwind throughout, it is a score that I know I will return to and I also think that on each re-visiting I will find new and fresh sounds and styles. It is an inventive and vibrant work that I recommend you sample as soon as possible, the movie which I have not yet seen also sounds very interesting, so, check out this score and try and catch the movie on Amazon. The score will be available on I tunes, Spotify etc very soon. My thanks to the composer for allowing me to hear his work.