Rob Price
Gutbrain Records
rob + gutbrain.com = email

2022 March 14 • Monday

David Cronenberg might have peaked with Videodrome. Either way, Howard Shore's suspenseful, brilliant and brooding music for it is the 717th Soundtrack of the Week.

Interestingly and probably intentionally, Shore comes up with a modern and classical hybrid theme, all long tones and arresting intervals, dissonances and resolutions, which is at first, in "Piercing" and "Got a Cigarette", mostly acoustic with just a few synthesizer touches.

Essentially the same musical idea, if not exactly the same theme, becomes more electric, in "Transformation" and "Cathode Ray Mission".

There are some startling electronic sounds and textures, ranging from percussive to gooey, in "Gun in Gut", "Videodrome Is Death" and "Grenade".

The last piece, "Condemned Vessel", has some crazy horror and sci-fi sounds, while "In Bed" is airier and ethereal.

"Whipping" has bright and light arpeggios dancing under strong slabs and slices of synth while "Nicki Inside" uses some electronic noises and heavy breathing as a contrast to the drawn out notes.

Also included are some source music cues: The spot-on "Cable 83" station ID music, the opening credits music for "Samurai Dreams No. 13" and the short bit of music for "Spectacular Optical".