Customer Reviews

The Departed (Score)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most motion picture scores, unfortunately, are bland when removed from the visual stimuli of the movie images. Not so for this magnificent Howard Shore penned masterpiece. Like the movie for which it was written, the score is spellbinding and provocative. Each individual piece is complete unto itself, never failing to deliver its unique impact. The score in its entirety takes the listener on a fantastic and passionate journey emotionally and aurally. What sets this artistic work apart from countless others is the unique styling offered by Howard Shore and the stellar guitar playing by Grammy winning classical guitarist Sharon Isbin. Her subtleties on "Billy's Theme" evoke the anguish and deep emotional conflict that Leonardo DiCaprio portrays onscreen. Such a powerful performance is rare on any recording, unheard of on a soundtrack or score. G.E Smith's slightly processed electric guitar adds yet another dimension. I generally do not buy "movie" music, but this is a CD that I do own. It is a fabulous recording and worthy of critical listening.

It's beautiful - not much more I can say - Howard Shore wrote a wonderful score - sorry about the rhyme!

Comparable to the case of the Goodfellas soundtrack, this is missing quite a bit of material. Why is it so hard to make a thorough compilation that has few, or no, omissions? I don't get it. I won't buy this based on the fact that it has absolutely none of the NYPD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums compositions on either of the two disks released. If this is the score, then where are the scores? Not putting the "Theme from Symphony No. 5 in E Minor" Dvorak (performed by NYPD E.S.P.&D) is simply inexcusable. That was a very poignant moment in the movie, the funeral scene at the end, and is near impossible to find. Anyone know where to find this?

About the time this album came out, I had just started learning classical guitar. It really geared me up for the instrument and the theme from The Departed Tango is still one of my favorites. The score does an amazing job of communicating at so many levels. The range of emotions and events of the story come through. Excitement, desperation, brutality, gentleness; it's all there.

Even if you never see the movie, you'll enjoy this music. The score stands on it's own pedestal in my mind.

I am an avid soundtrack listener and a huge fan of Howard Shore. His Lord of the Rings scores are among the first soundtracks I owned. After being a rather disappointed by "History of Violence", I wasn't expecting much from this. Boy was I wrong.

Shore proves himself as a master composer. For this score he worked almost strictly with guitars. There is some percussion, and also what I think is synthetic string (but you use a guitar for that too I think...if anybody knows for sure please correct me in a comment). What amazed me was that despite the "limitations" of using only guitars, Shore achieved a richness and depth that many composers can't get using an entire orchestra! Apparently Shore doesn't have to be commanding the London Philharmonic to produce exceptional music.

Billy's Theme and The Departed Tango are my favorites. I also recommend "I'm Shipping Up To Boston", the song by Dropkick Murphys that also is used in the film.

i purposely titled this for a reason. you hear in the departed the songs like "comfortably numb," "gimme shelter," and "sail on sailor" (2 of those three on the other disc). then add in howard shore to compliment the rest of the music.

have you ever watched a movie and liked the music, but can't really point out if it really is score or just something scorsese picked to thumb in the flick. this is one of those cases where you should buy this CD with the other to get the full effect. there's not too much difference in mood for the music in the movie.

i loved the really layered use of electric instruments (i speak of guitars here), and the other musical instruments put together. then there are the tracks where you can figure out they just have to stand alone from everything else.

by the way, two tracks are also on the other disc, but that's no big deal, some continuity doesn't hurt.

so in the end, you have one CD that has a trail mix of songs, then there is the score that uses a blend of sounds that mesh like gears in a clock to make a soothing mix out of the score. but when you come down to it, what difference does it make when either one comes from the same movie?