Blood Diamond [SOUNDTRACK]

James Newton Howard (Composer), Maya Beiser (Performer), Youssou N'Dour (Performer), Djivan Gasparyan (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Maya Beiser, Youssou N'Dour, Djivan Gasparyan
• Composer: James Newton Howard
• Audio CD (December 19, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B000KP62SE
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,439 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Blood Diamond Titles

2. Crossing the Bridge

3. Village Attack

4. Ruf Kidnaps Dia

5. Archer & Solomon Hike

6. Maddy & Archer

7. Solomon Finds Family

8. Fall of Freetown

9. Did You Bury It?

10. Archer Sells Diamond

11. Goodbyes

12. Your Son Is Gone

13. Diamond Mine Bombed

14. Solomon's Helping Hand

15. G8 Conference

16. Solomon & Archer Escape

17. I Can Carry You

18. Your Mother Loves You

19. Thought I'd Never Call?

20. London

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Like the movie it accompanies, this score feels very much like an "Africanized" regular Hollywood production--but not too much, so as not to throw off timid viewers/listeners. James Newton Howard wrote his cues for a standard large orchestra, augmented here and there with touches such as exotic instruments, the African Children's Choir, and superstar Senegalese musician Youssou N’Dour. N'Dour contributes vocals to the first track, "Blood Diamond Titles," but for a long stretch after that, it's pretty much business as usual: swelling, portentous strings (almost every track); a syrupy romantic theme ("Maddy & Archer"); pounding action cues ("Diamond Mine Bombed," "Solomon & Archer Escape"). Things pick up again with the three songs tucked away at the end of the CD. The Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars and Sudan's Emmanuel Jal and Abdel Gadir Salim, in particular, deliver a shot of genuine energy that's sorely lacking from the rest of the CD. This soundtrack--and the film--would have been livelier had there been more of that music. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars James Newton Howard's Score for Blood Diamond a Gem, January 25, 2007

By	G M. Stathis (cedar city, utah USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

James Newton Howard wrote two of the best scores of 2006, and "Blood Diamond" may indeed be the very best score of that year. At once dramatic, romantic and poignant, with wonderful, and not overdone, African choral and instrumental motifs this is an outstanding work. As has been written before, Howard always produces at least one main theme which becomes the outstanding centerpiece of his film scores, and he does it again here whether it is with solo piano, chorus, full orchestra or with African effects he excells with his music on this recording. The theme, and its variations, and the score entire all come to a marvelous climax in the last four score cues on this soundtrack album (note "London" particularly). Beautifully produced, and nicely packaged by Varese. Sadly, this work seems to have been overlooked by the Academy of Arts and Sciences, but this has happened so many times before.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible soundtrack for incredible movie!!!!, January 6, 2007

By	Kent Iglehart "bigcheez5307" (bigcheez5307) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This soundtrack is absolutely amazing. James Howard does a wonderful job creating a passionate and moving soundtrack. I loved the movie, saw it in theaters twice, and the soundtrack is an absolute must have. The track Solomon Vandy is one of the best ever, the whole CD is expertly done.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really great soundtrack, January 30, 2007

By	Golden Adam (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

I really enjoyed this movie, and just came away from it just completely moved and blown away by the soundtrack.

Once I finally got the soundtrack, and found out that the composer is James Newton Howard, I'm not surprised. He has also done outstanding work on all of M. Night Shyamalan's films, notably "Lady in the Water."

The first reviewer really hit on the essence of this soundtrack of having a moving and beautiful theme arch the entire soundtrack.

If you are a soundtrack fan, this is really one to get.