October 2005
Knowing the power of producers, Fentons illustrious resume didnt prevent me from fearing the worst. I expected a score similar to the claptrap penned by Randy Newman for the Toy Story films. The opening title track immediately dispelled those fears, and each cut thereafter made it clear that Fenton had not sold out. His music for this story of heroic carrier pigeons during World War II is uplifting and immensely enjoyable. Fenton even resists the temptation to pen a forgettable pop song for the end credits; instead, with the help of the British pop group MisTeeq, he resurrects the doo-wop tune "Shoo-Shoo Baby." This energetic cut and the hip big-band cue "Arrival at Camp" show off Fentons affinity for classic swing arrangements. The sound quality fluctuates from bracing and dynamic to moderately compressed. The big-band swing tracks exhibit the most open sound and dynamic shading. The swelling energy of full orchestral cues falls victim to crushed dynamic peaks. You can feel how truncated dynamics can rob music of its emotional power when you compare Valiant to the extended and unrestricted dynamics of a recent reference recording like War of the Worlds. GO BACK TO: |