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Over the course of the ten years covered by this retrospective, Craig
Armstrong has established himself as one of Britain's premiere soundtrack
composers, one to rival current darlings Thomas Newman and Howard
Shore. However he has a crucial edge on these two in his willingness to
incorporate electronic drum tracks into the mix, bringing a pop sensibility
that no doubt appealed to Massive Attack, the fruits of their
labours two tracks on the Protection album.
Neither appear here of course, although the 'film works' umbrella
doesn't prevent the compilers from slipping in an advert at the end,
Armstrong's lush arrangement of Debussy's Clair De Lune a home
banker for Chanel No.5.
In fact a fair proportion of Armstrong's music is heavily perfumed,
which is where the only true criticism lies on this album, in a tendency to
lay on the strings like thickly sliced butter, such as the main theme to
Orphans. After several numbers in this vein the texture cloys, and
it's a relief when the more economical setting of New York City from The
Bone Collector takes over, a good example of his subtle way with
percussion, supporting the large-scale theme. A much bolder dance track
dominates The Ball from Plunkett and Macleane, a driving force that
sweeps all before it.
Having noted Armstrong's way with string arrangements, it is to be noted
that his track record for romantic films is excellent. Baz
Luhrmann's Romeo And Juliet is chief beneficiary, along with
Love Actually and a romance with a twist in Cruel Intentions
- all expertly done, unhurried and genuinely moving. Romeo And
Juliet, however, has far more dramatic impetus in the post-Verdi choral
rush of O Verona, a shot of adrenalin with which to open, and a piece of
music used by Adam F at the start of his KAOS album.
Moulin Rouge, another of Armstrong's Luhrmann successes, features
in the Bond-like pretensions of Nature Boy and the big budget orchestration
of One Day I'll Fly Away, the composer just about getting away with an
overindulgence, the orchestra arriving in a big whoosh for the final
chorus. Meanwhile The Quiet American is the more economical side of
Armstrong, a soft piano line retaining a most impressive tension as it
holds above the strings.
A most impressive canon, then, from a man held justifiably in high
regard. It would now be interesting to hear him try some genuinely comedic
music, or to break fully with an understandable reliance on string
textures, given his aptitude in writing for them. With two previous pop
albums in the bag, not to mention classical works, it's quite clear that
genre is no issue for this extremely versatile composer.
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INTERVIEW
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