Carnivāle (Soundtrack from the Original HBO Series) [Soundtrack]

Jeff Beal (Artist), Lisa Coleman (Composer), Wendy Melvoin (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: Lisa Coleman, Wendy Melvoin
• Audio CD (December 14, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B0006J2GA2
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,038 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Carnivāle End Title (Ben's Theme)

2. Dora Mae's Funeral

3. Carnivāle Main Title Theme

4. Meet Samson, Ben's Dream

5. Justin at Mr. Chin's (Justin's Theme)

6. His Name Was Michael

7. Storm's Coming

8. Ben Heals the Girl

9. Rita Sue and Jonesy

10. Lodz and Ben

11. The Carnivāle Convoy

12. We Can Be Saved

13. The Mark of the Beast

14. The Silent Film

15. Fix Up Dora Mae

16. Black Blizzard

17. Ben Heals Kerrigan

18. Justin Calls Iris

19. Management's Advice

20. You're the One

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

HBO's pioneering series takes the dark carnival gambit of Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes, drops it in the bleak heartland of Dust Bowl-era America and jolts it with a compelling undercurrent of Biblical apocalypse. That's no easy dramatic flux to musically evoke, but veteran TV composer Jeff Beal graces the show with cues that seamlessly fuse Appalachian folk traditions with a brooding, goth-inspired ambient gloom. The anxious solo fiddle of the show's theme is a repeating motif, one the composer uses to variously evoke melancholy ("Dora Mae's Funeral"), bittersweet romance ("Rita Sue and Jonesy") or supernatural wonders ("Ben Heals the Girl"). Beal's use of mournful solo horn (as on "Mark of the Beast") often heralds the show's undercurrent of Biblical doom, while his hesitant, haunting piano passages seem to hang in the air for eternity. The evocative cues here stand in stark contrast to the oft-quirky jazz cool of the composer's Emmy-winning work on Monk, ample tribute to Beal's masterful abilities to channel his musical instincts into even the most diverse dramatic material. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: CARNIVALE
Title: TV SCORE
Street Release Date: 12/14/2004
Domestic
Genre: SOUNDTRACK

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of late 2004: Fascinating Soundtrack, March 10, 2005

By 

Manny Hernandez "@askmanny" (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Carnivāle (Soundtrack from the Original HBO Series) (Audio CD)

As much as there is a certain resemblance in Jeff Beal's work for the music of the HBO Series "Carnivale" to the work of other top-notch composers such as James Newton-Howard or Howard Shore, I keep on being reminded more of the goth-based and medieval-sounding bands like Dead Can Dance as I go through the album. There is not a single weak spot in the entire 20 tracks.

All in all, comparisons aside, this is a fantastic and highly "visual" album, that can perfectly stand alone, but it also makes me want to see the series even more. If you enjoy this album, you will also like: "The Insider", "Baraka" and "Whale Rider".

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Soundtracks I have ever heard, January 3, 2005

By 

Adam Hunnicutt "A.H." (Remember to vote!! Click my name to read more reviews. Send me an E-Mail to review your product.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Carnivāle (Soundtrack from the Original HBO Series) (Audio CD)

Jeff Beal and his crew have created something very special; something which rises above the rest.

There has only been two other times in my 22 years of living, where I have listened to a cd all the through twice, then purchased it on the spot. This makes three.

Carnivale will take your mind on a deep journey of imagination, and if you are like me, a writer, you will quickly get the urge to spray your creations on the written page. It echoes with familiar tones with the likes of Thomas Newman (The Green Mile, Fried Green Tomatoes, The War) and no doubt fans of his will love this rising star. Jeff Beal is also known for his works on the tv show Monk and the soundtrack for "Pollock".

What a work of art this is. The sweeping, haunting, mood's in tune will last with you for quite a while. I have allowed several friends and family members to listen to it, causing them to immediately want their own copy.

Carnivale is a hidden treasure. It is never too dark, but never to light. A wonderful blend of imaginative fuel. ~saos~

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accompanies the series very well..., August 2, 2005

By 

perfecto (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Carnivāle (Soundtrack from the Original HBO Series) (Audio CD)

The fact that Jeff Beal won an Emmy for his work in Carnivale speaks for itself. Carnivale has a superb storyline and fantastic acting, but the music is something that greatly attributes to the success of this show as well. Just like the series, the music sets the tone for an environment of depression and decay superbly. Jeff Beal has a talent for composing amazing music, haunting and beautiful. Some of the tunes still send chills down my spine, and I recall the scenes so very clearly. From the main title theme of Carnivale, Jeff Beal astounds us with music that represents the show...layered and eerie, good and bad, soothing and disturbing all at the same time. If you love Carnivale, this will make a nice addition to your collection, I believe that the show cannot be seperated from the music, thus making it a very worthwhile investment. Trust me on this.