Back Lot Music has released a soundtrack EP for the DreamWorks Animation short Bird Karma. The EP features the film’s original music composed by Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum (Stockholm, Pennsylvania, Regarding Susan Sontag, Grand-Daddy Day Care). The soundtrack is now available to download on Amazon, where you can also check out audio samples. Bird Karma is directed by William Salazar and tells the story of a long-legged bird’s journey of blissful joy, inescapable greed and the accidental discovery of the consequences when too much is not enough. Watch the full short after the jump. The film has recently been shortlisted in the Animated Short category for this year’s Academy Awards.
Author: filmmusicreporter
‘Minuscule: Mandibles from Far Away’ Soundtrack Announced
Music Box Records has announced a soundtrack album for the French animated sequel Minuscule: Mandibles from Far Away (Minuscule – Les mandibules du bout du monde). The album features the film’s original music composed, orchestrated and conducted by Mathieu Lamboley (Return of the Hero, I Kissed a Girl, Odd Job, Lolo) and performed by the Orchestre National d’Île-de-France and the Children Choir of Francis Bardo. The soundtrack will be released digitally on January 25 and will be available to download on Amazon, where you can also check out the track list and listen to audio samples. A CD version is available to order on the label’s official website.
Terence Blanchard to Score Kasi Lemmons’ ‘Harriet’
Terence Blanchard is reuniting with director Kasi Lemmons on the upcoming biographical drama Harriet. The film stars Cynthia Erivo in the title role, alongside Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, Jennifer Nettles and Clarke Peters. The movie tells the story of iconic freedom fighter Harriet Tubman and centers on her escape from slavery and subsequent missions to free dozens of slaves through the Underground Railroad in the face of growing pre-Civil War adversity.
‘Bilby’ Soundtrack Released
Back Lot Music has released a soundtrack EP for DreamWorks Animation’s short Bilby. The EP features the film’s original music composed by Grammy Award and Golden Globe nominee Benjamin Wallfisch (It, Blade Runner 2049, Hidden Figures, Annabelle Creation, Lights Out). The soundtrack is now available to download on Amazon, where you can also check out audio samples. Bilby is directed by Liron Topaz, Pierre Perifel & JP Sans and follows a lonesome Bilby who, threatened daily by the deadly residents and harsh environment of Australia’s Outback, finds himself an unwitting protector, and unexpected friend, to a helpless baby bird.
Justin Hurwitz Wins Critics’ Choice Award for ‘First Man’
Justin Hurwitz was honored with the Critics’ Choice Movie Award in the Best Score category for his music for Damien Chazelle’s First Man at tonight’s 24th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards ceremony in Santa Monica, CA. He previously received a Critics’ Choice Award for his score for Chazelle’s La La Land in 2017. The other composers nominated in the Best Score category were Kris Bowers for Green Book, Nicholas Britell for If Beale Street Could Talk, Alexandre Desplat for Isle of Dogs, Ludwig Goransson for Black Panther and Marc Shaiman for Mary Poppins Returns.
Weekly TV Music Roundup (January 13, 2019)
Premiering tonight is the National Geographic original series Valley of the Boom created by Matthew Carnahan and starring Bradley Whitford, Steve Zahn, Lamorne Morris, John Karna, Dakota Shapiro and Oliver Cooper. The show’s original music is composed by Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (Stranger Things, Butterfly, Native Son). Sony Classical has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score from the project (click here for the full album details), as well as a separate album featuring a selections of songs from the series (click here for more information).
Premiering tomorrow, January 14, is the Fox drama The Passage developed by Liz Heldens based on Justin Cronin’s book series and starring Saniyya Sidney, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Caroline Chikezie, Henry Ian Cusick, Vincent Piazza and Emmanuelle Chriqui. Jeff Russo (Fargo, Legion, Star Trek: Discovery, The Night Of) and Jordan Gagne (The Rookie, Waco) are composing the show’s original music. Check out our previous news article to learn more about the series, which will air Monday nights on Fox.
‘Drug$’ Soundtrack Released
A soundtrack album has been released for the documentary Drug$. The album features the film’s original music composed by Asaf Sagiv (Last Summer, Who Shot the Sheriff). The soundtrack is now available digitally on Amazon, where you can also check out audio samples. Drug$ is directed by Jonathan Marshall Thompson and explores the mystery of modern medicine’s skyrocketing price tag in the U.S. and how it affects people struggling to stay alive. The movie narrated by J.K. Simmons features interviews with academics, patients, advocates and political leaders, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Congressman Elijah Cummings.
Songs from National Geographic’s ‘Valley of the Boom’ Released
Sony Classical has released a soundtrack EP featuring a selection of songs from the new National Geographic original series Valley of the Boom. The 5-track EP includes tracks by Blondfire, Justine Bennett, Theron “Neff-U” Feemster, L.B.C, Langston Theard & Colton Fisher. The soundtrack is now available to download on Amazon, where you can also check out audio samples. As previously reported, the label has also released a full soundtrack album featuring the show’s score by Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein. Valley of the Boom is created by Matthew Carnahan and stars Bradley Whitford, Steve Zahn, Lamorne Morris, Dakota Shapiro, John Karna and Oliver Cooper.
Weekly Film Music Roundup (January 11, 2019)
Three new movies are opening in theaters nationwide:
Opening in most theaters is the family drama A Dog’s Way Home directed by Charles Martin Smith and starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Ashley Judd, Wes Studi, Alexandra Shipp, Jonah Hauer-King and Edward James Olmos. The film’s original music is composed by Mychael Danna (Life of Pi, Moneyball, Capote, Little Miss Sunshine, On the Basis of Sex). Sony Classical has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Check out our previous news article for the full album details.
Also opening wide is the 
comedy drama The Upside directed by Neil Burger and starring Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston and Nicole Kidman. Rob Simonsen (Love, Simon, Foxcatcher, Nerve, (500) Days of Summer) has composed the film’s original score. A soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score is in the works and will be announced soon. The movie, which follows a recently paroled ex-convict who strikes up an unusual and unlikely friendship with a paralyzed billionaire, is being released by STX Entertainment. Visit the official movie website for more information.
Marco Beltrami to Score James Mangold’s ‘Ford v. Ferrari’
Marco Beltrami revealed in a recent interview with Next Best Picture that he is currently scoring the upcoming biographical drama Ford v. Ferrari. The film is directed by James Mangold (Walk the Line, Girl, Interrupted, Cop Land) and stars Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Tracy Letts, Caitriona Balfe, Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe, Paul Sparks and Jack McMullen. The movie follows an eccentric, determined team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary Carroll Shelby and his British driver, Ken Miles, who are dispatched by Henry Ford II and Iacocca with the mission of building a new automobile with the potential to defeat the dominant Ferrari at the 1966 Le Mans World Championship in France.