Music Composed by James Newton Howard
Rating: *** 1/2

The Water Horse will probably not be remembered as one of James Newton Howard’s biggest hit films, nor his most popular score, but that’s more to do with his prodigious output then the quality of this particular effort. When you’ve recently written some of the best fantasy and thriller scores in recent memory (do I have to name them?) it’s easy for scores like Peter Pan and The Water Horse to look a little weak in comparison. However, there’s absolutely nothing second-rate about The Water Horse to speak of. It is a downright satisfying listen on album - comprised of equal parts majestic fantasy, earthy ethnicity and all anchored by a top-tier major theme. Perhaps this is what Albert Einstein’s younger brother felt like (if he had one…) — constantly overshadowed by his bigger, splashier more cosmopolitan brother. The Water Horse is still imbued with Mr. Howard’s unmistakable D.N.A., it’s perhaps just not certifiably genius.

James Newton Howard

There’s lots to like here — the warm orchestral JNH sound mixed with an ethnic palette courtesy of The Chieftains (admittedly the wrong region - The Chieftains are Irish, the Loch Ness is Scottish), sprinkles of shimmering electronics and celeste (”Angus Feeds Crusoe”, “You Didn’t Even Get Wet”, “Bathtub”), restrained use of the Metro Voices, and the intimate sound of an acoustic guitar (”The Workshop”, “Swimming”-an album highlight). The first half of the album is more about discovery, and is separated from the second half — focused, all-out action and adventure scoring (”Saving Crusoe”, “The Net”, “The Jump”) — by the somewhat swinging (and loopy) “The Dinner Party”, the scores only descent into tiny-tot musical shenanigans.

None of this sounds like it’s particularly difficult for Mr. Howard, but it certainly is what he does best, which is almost-effortlessly write polished and sophisticated film music imbued with his personal style. Speaking of which, if there’s one major gripe here it’s the Thomas Newman-esque first half of “Angus In Training”. A composer of Mr. Howard’s stature and price tag should surely move on from briefly visiting this very tired style.

The album opens with a contribution from Sinead O’Connor (with “Back Where You Belong”), a satisfactory ballad performed with O’Connor’s usual fortitude, and closes with “The Water Horse Suite”, from The Chieftains, which is essentially the band letting loose with moments from the score minus Mr. Howard’s orchestral parts. Hopefully the mis-use of Celtic music in films hasn’t totally destroyed it’s potent effects for you, as this final track closes on a very poignant note.

After a particularly dry year for film music - especially when it came to scores that stirred any kind of emotions - it’s nice to end 2007 with something like The Water Horse. For me it’s the first score in many months to register on a purely emotional level (i.e., tugging on those heartstrings). It is decidedly uncynical, innocent and, well, simply pleasant. While that no doubt sounds supremely uncool, I’m not worried a bit. As the film music fandom spotlight continues to move towards empty, effects-filled child fantasy films like those in the Harry Potter series and (the likely lonely) The Golden Compass, with their flat, faceless scores to match, it’s reassuring to know that you can still count of James Newton Howard to deliver the score groceries in familiar and favorite flavors.

Music Composed by James Newton Howard; Orchestrated by Jeff Atmajian, Brad Dechter, Pete Anthony, Jon Kull, Chris P. Bacon, Julia Newmann and Patrick Russ; Orchestra Conducted by Pete Anthony; Recorded by Geoff Foster; Mixed by Simon Rhodes; Produced by James Newton Howard and Jim Weidman; Label: Sony Classical, (19300-2); Availability: In-print; U.S. Release Date: December 4, 2007.

01. Back Where You Belong (Theme From The Water Horse) (4:29)
Performed and Written by Sinead O’Connor
02. The Water Horse Main Title (1:08)
03. Angus Feeds Crusoe (1:59)
04. You Didn’t Even Get Wet (2:58)
05. The Workshop (2:35)
06. Ann (1:27)
07. Bathtub (2:23)
08. Driving To The Loch (1:59)
09. Run Angus (1:19)
10. The Fishermen (1:37)
11. Angus In Training (2:52)
12. Swimming (6:34)
13. The Children Laugh (2:58)
14. The Dinner Party (3:03)
15. There’s No Monster (2:00)
16. Saving Crusoe (2:04)
17. The Net (4:22)
18. The Jump (1:40)
19. End Of The Story (3:03)
20. The Water Horse Suite (8:08)
Performed by The Chieftains

Total Playing Time: 58:38