Niki N. Phaser

As the image indicates, this review is about the Music from and Inspired by The Jackal soundtrack of the 1997 action thriller, starring Bruce Willis and Richard Gere. This “discrimination” doesn’t mean that the other album, containing Carter Burwell’s score should be disregarded. In fact, some of the tracks from there would fit inconspicuously on this album, Burwell being one of the most versatile film composers of the last two decades. His slick combination of electronica and a traditional score creates the real sonic trademark of the movie. That and, of course, the opening track, Massive Attack’s Superpredators, which sets the tone for the violence that is to follow and creates a memorable title sequence in the process.

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After more than a month ago we had an article about The Prodigy’s future single, Take Me To The Hospital. Well, the video is finally here, for the actual release of the single you’ll have to wait till August 31. The video was made available through the band’s official website on August 5, after premiering on the PlayStation 3 application, VidZone (like U2′s latest single). The video for Take Me To The Hospital was directed by Paul Dugdale, who fans might know as the author of the frequently updated mini-movies documenting The Prodigy’s tour. Surprinsingly, it was filmed at the Pinewood Studios and not some old, abandoned… something. To achieve a more grainy picture, Dugdale went for VHS and the result really does look like some old video you had stashed somewhere in the garage. After a Noel Clarke video, a live video and an animated video, it was about time for the band to make an effort and shake it a little bit for the camera. With some shots reminiscing of the Firestarter video, Take Me To The Hospital it’s pretty simple and dirty and also ant-logo-free. However, whenever the chipmunk voices kick in with the chorus, we do see an army of little vandals wearing… chipmunk masks.

SEE THE VIDEO HERE

From all the other arts, music could best be compared to painting. A painter is able to communicate emotions through the images he creates. Sometimes, these are very complex, filled with all sorts of details, shades and colours and sometimes, they are very simple, just a few lines and yet they are still as strong, if not even more. In this respect, songs are very similar to paintings. Some are multilayered, with all sorts of sounds an instruments filling the sonic space, while others are very minimal, played on one instrument or composed of one melodic episode. The music of Vangelis is a good way of exemplifying this theory. He has plenty of tracks that use dozens of sounds and create an universe which offers something new to discover at every listen, but he also has very simple compositions which are very effective in creating moods.

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