Film & Television Music Compilation - Volume 3

When it was released last year, Michael Giacchino\'s score to the computer game \"Medal of Honor\" was lavished with praise from the various film music critics (myself included) for it\'s large sound, and John Williams-esque stylings. It surprised many of us because we simply didn\'t expect that such a good selection of music would be written for a computer game! Now, Giacchino reminds us why we were so impressed by tackling the sequel to the game: \"Medal of Honor Underground\".

The opening track, \"May 10th, 1940 (Main Theme)\" references the powerful Nazi theme from the first MOH album, but then transitions into an almost \"stereotypical\" French accordion, but the orchestra quickly takes over with a powerful and optimistic theme, performed by French Horns and choir. As with the previous album, Giacchino writes deeply emotional and well-planned themes that give some of Williams\' best scores a run for their money. The dark creepiness of \"The Streets of Paris\"; the tension in \"Fleeing the Catacombs\"; the powerful brass walls in \"Panzer Blockade\", and the soft ominous themes in \"The Road to Tobruk\" all help back the claim that Giacchino truly knows how to play with the orchestra. The performances are energy filled, and the repeating thematic motifs in \"Escape From Casablanca\" and \"Returning to Paris\" are just wonderful to listen to.

If I had to make a comparison, I would say that this album is a cross between the first \"Medal of Honor\" album, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (well, the Nazi themes). Giacchino\'s understanding of structure and flow are apparent to anyone who listens to this score. In fact, there\'s a song on here that he wrote the music to: \"The Night He Came Home To Me\" is a touching song about a woman who is visited by her lover\'s ghost. With lyrics by Scott Langteau, it reminded me of the songs you would hear in the 1930s Berlin cabarets. In fact, the German version of the song (distorted to sound like it was playing during an old radio broadcast - complete with DJ banter) is also included here. Bonus tracks include the \"trailer\" to the game as well as an alternate version of the Main Title cue.

Running about 66-minutes long, this is a solid album of orchestral candy. If you haven\'t heard Giacchino\'s work before, go get the first album (and pick this one up as well). If you have any of his other works, then it should come as no surprise that this is one of the better scores this year - and again, it wasn\'t even for a film. Available exclusively through Amazon.com, this album is a must-have. Now if only he would score a high-profile feature film…