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1M1 Records Newsletter
September/October, 2003
Contents
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- Welcome
- Recent Soundtrack Additions to the Website
- The 1M1 Records Website
- New and Upcoming Releases
- A Selection of Review Excerpts
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Welcome
1M1 Records' latest release is the double film score pairing of "Tom Sawyer" and "The Last of the Mohicans", composed by Simon Walker. These two classic novels, by Mark Twain and James Fenimore Cooper, have received an exciting Americana treatment by the composer, which has delighted recent customers.
This month we are making available: Paul Grabowsky's scores for Paul Cox's "Innocence", "Molokai", "Lust and Revenge", "Exile" and "A Woman's Tale"; the score for the current hit Australian film "Bad Eggs" (David Graney and Clare Moore); and "Better Than Sex" (David Hirschfelder).
In the next few months we will also be adding recent orchestral Australian film scores by Nigel Westlake and Roger Mason. 1M1 Records is working on its next two releases, "Bliss" (Peter Best) and "Grendel, Grendel, Grendel" (Bruce Smeaton). These are slated for release before the end of the year.
Your feedback is always welcome. Please email me at info@1m1.com.au. We look forward to having you back here for updates in the November 2003 Newsletter.
Philip Powers
info@1m1.com.au
Recent Soundtrack Additions to the Website
New additions this month include Paul Grabowsky's scores for "Innocence", "Molokai", "Exile", "A Woman's Tale" and "Lust and Revenge"; the score for the hit Australian film "Bad Eggs" (David Graney and Clare Moore); and "Better Than Sex" (David Hirschfelder).
"Ned" (Gerry Hale and Willy Zygier); "Welcome to Woop Woop" (Song Score); "Walking on Water" (Antony Partos); "The Craic" (Ricky Edwards) and "Whale Rider" (Lisa Gerrard) were added last month.
The 1M1 Records Website
Current Releases; which are still being manufactured.
http://www.1m1.com.au/current.html
More Soundtracks; previously released titles which are still available, including titles previously released by 1M1 Records which are no longer being manufactured, and brand new CDs of other soundtracks which 1M1 has in its stocks. New additions this month include Paul Grabowsky's "Innocence", "Molokai", "Exile", "A Woman's Tale" and "Lust and Revenge"; the score for the hit Australian film "Bad Eggs" (David Graney and Clare Moore); and "Better Than Sex" (David Hirschfelder). Numerous scores are available by Australian film composers, as well as scores by such international composers as Delerue, Donaggio, Williams, Horner, Goldsmith, Morricone, Rosenman, Bernstein, Snow and Broughton.
http://www.1m1.com.au/more.html
Collectors Items; rare 1M1 CDs priced in the premium range because of the difficulty in sourcing them, containing 1M1 CDs like "Roadgames / Patrick" and "The Missing", items which have very few soundtracks left in stock and are quite unlikely to become available again in the foreseeable future. Also to be included soon are rare items like "Vibes" (original Varese limited edition release). Titles such as "Ocean Girl", "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad", "Dragonslayer" and "Rent-a-Cop" are currently also available in this section.
http://www.1m1.com.au/collectors.html
Secondhand Titles; soundtrack releases from anywhere in the world which 1M1 currently has in stock, containing quite a few bargain-priced excellent condition soundtrack CDs for sale, including several Australian film soundtracks.
http://www.1m1.com.au/secondhand.html
New and Upcoming Releases
1M1's July 2003 release was 1M1CD1027, a double film score pairing of "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Tom Sawyer" by Simon Walker.
http://www.1m1.com.au/1M1CD1027.html
The previous 2 releases were "The Coolangatta Gold" by Bill Conti; and a double film score pairing of "Eliza Fraser" and "Summerfield" by Bruce Smeaton.
A special edition of "Bliss" (Peter Best) is in production, as is "Grendel Grendel Grendel" (Bruce Smeaton). Both of these are planned for release before the end of the year.
A Selection of Review Excerpts
1M1 Records' Australian Soundtrack Releases
THE COOLANGATTA GOLD (Music by Bill Conti)
http://www.1m1.com.au/1M1CD1031.html
"I was, in short, knocked out... If you love what the composer did for such films as the ROCKY series, THE RIGHT STUFF and ESCAPE TO VICTORY, you're going to lap this score up, as it's full of heroic and exciting music, lead by the triumphant main theme... Unquestionably one of the film music releases of the year."
- Jeff Hall, Film Music Bulletin (London), Issue No .19, January 2003
"The opening cue 'The Coolangatta Gold' is a glorious, stirring march that is an inspirational cross between the composer's fantastic theme for 'The Right Stuff' and Dvorak's 'New World'. This cue is full of pride and triumph, and is one of those cues that is an instant favourite… As the training intensifies and the film moves into the big race finale the music grows more like the big band, heavy beat music used in Rocky, increasing in power until breaking into the glorious orchestral 'Gold' theme once again for the 'Finale'. If that were not enough, most of the best cues receive a reprise, either in their LP versions or as alternative versions, in the eleven extra tracks included at the end of the album.
For fans of Bill Conti's work in the 1970s and 1980s this score is heaven, full of long exciting orchestral cues and dynamic big band exhilaration with every cue an absolute delight. A highly recommended score."
- Andrew Keech, Music From The Movies, January 2003
"(W)henever the composer directs his attention onto what Powers calls "the emotional relationships between the characters in the film, and the tensions involved," he replaces the dance floor hooks with symphonic arrangements that swell, contract, soar and fall gracefully. On "Finale," for instance, he presents an exciting, four-part march with brass, violins and percussion. "Family Competition," perhaps the prettiest track on the album, is a waltz that slides along like water over glass. And in "Kerry and Steve - Love Theme," Conti combines a piano melody with hushed strings to create an emotionally complex sound that pays passing homage to Beethoven's "Sonata Pathetique."
"In addition to the original score, One M One packs this album with alternative and extended versions of the film's main themes, making 40 minutes of previously unreleased music available; and with its clear, clean sound and informative liner notes, this comprehensive collection should delight Conti's devotees."
- Stephen Armstrong, Film Score Monthly, March/April 2003
THE MISSING (Music by Bruce Smeaton)
http://www.1m1.com.au/1M1CD1024.html
"Throughout the album, the main thematic idea provides something to anchor the listener and offers nice contrast with the fascinating aleatoric outbursts in tracks like "Nightmare and Visions." Other highlights include the "Opening Titles," where a theremin teams with an organ, and "A Killing Ground," a truncated orchestral scherzo.
The Missing recalls some of the best orchestral writing of the 1970s while adding contemporary ideas and strange combinations of instruments. It's not often one finds a score that makes fluent use of everything from full orchestra to theremin, and piano to didgeridoo. This album is a fine representation of Smeaton's work, alternating between the slower, sometimes dissonant but often gorgeous thematic materials and the more exciting action cues. The beautiful waltz, "Dancing on the Sand," is a fine take on the form, in the same league as the great waltz from Murder on the Orient Express. In fact, if you are a fan of that score, you're sure to appreciate The Missing."
- Steven A. Kennedy, Film Score Monthly, 2002
THE TRUE STORY OF ESKIMO NELL (Music by Brian May)
http://www.1m1.com.au/1M1CD1030.html
"Up first is the late Brian May's THE TRUE STORY OF ESKIMO NELL, a film about the gold rush in colonial Australia. May's music is all very lighthearted and suitably comical in style, but does boast some catchy pseudo-western tunes; some lush-stringed romance; and even a dash of Arabian for the "Camel Trek" sequence."
- Jeff Hall, Film Music Bulletin (London), Issue No .19, January 2003
THE GREAT MACARTHY (Music by Bruce Smeaton)
http://www.1m1.com.au/1M1CD1030.html
"The standout score on the disc though is Bruce Smeaton's Ennio Morricone-influenced THE GREAT MACARTHY. Any Morricone fan will enjoy this score, which is full of the maestro's trademark touches for thrillers and comedies of the period. The main theme is a splendid honky-tonk piano tune."
- Jeff Hall, Film Music Bulletin (London), Issue No .19, January 2003
ELIZA FRASER / SUMMERFIELD (Music by Bruce Smeaton)
http://www.1m1.com.au/1M1CD1032.html
"'Eliza Frazer' is an adventure romp starring Susannah York and Trevor Howard… Bruce Smeaton's music has a wonderful merry feel and the opening sequence entitled 'The Chase' could easily have come from a Henry Mancini 'Pink Panther' score. This light and airy theme is used as the basis of many of the scores cues.
"'Summerfield' is a mystery [film]... The first eight cues comprise a beautiful suite of music that exhibits the same suspenseful tones that makes the neck hair stand on end in Bernard Herrmann's 'Cape Fear'. However, the delightful images of oriental harmony prevail throughout the score and the additional cues of theme variations and additional music added at the end of the album.
"'Eliza Frazer' is fun and light-hearted and an excellent example of Bruce Smeaton's lyrical style. The music for 'Summerfield' is full of tension and mystery with an oriental feel and a contrast to the frivolity of the first score. These are two interesting examples of Bruce Smeaton's work and ably demonstrate his flexibility."
- Andrew Keech, Music From The Movies, March 2003
CELLULOID HEROES (Music by Nigel Westlake)
http://www.1m1.com.au/1M1CD1025.html
"The score plays like a large-scale symphonic suite, and taken as such it makes for a varied and enjoyable listening experience. Unlike many releases that feature brief scores cues, Westlake's superior ability allows him to shape each cue successfully. Westlake is also adept at working with the variety of styles needed for the project and brings a touch of class to the proceedings. There are also quotes from other works that should bring a smile to your face (not that I'll give them away here).
"1M1 should be commended for its dedication to presenting this score for its many Australian and, perhaps soon, worldwide fans ."
- Steven A. Kennedy, Film Score Monthly, 2002
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