Columbia's release of the soundtrack for the 1980 Taku Sugiyama and Osamu Tezuka animated feature Space Firebird (called Phoenix 2772 here). Like other discs in this line, this is actually a re-release of an LP to the CD format. In this case the subject matter is the original 1980 LP, which is long out of print. To Columbia's credit the CD is reasonably priced, or was at the time of release, having a price tag of under $15.
In terms of the score, it's slightly mixed. Many of the cues could best be described as classical music, feeling more like they were written for a concert setting rather than for use in a movie. Having seen segments of Space Firebird, one does get the impression Yasuo Higuchi wasn't overly fixated on matching the onscreen action. This is obvious out of the gate with the ten minute track "Prologue ~ Birth". It's actually a pleasant track, other than a weak ending, but features a wide range of styles that make it feel more like a suite.
In fact, an inconsistent tone is one thing that's a hallmark of this score. Tracks like "Adulthood" demonstrate the same thing, starting out almost child-like before becoming a more soothing piece. "Love and Suffering" is probably the most extreme example, starting out very dour with some unpleasantly sharp string work. It then transitions to an over-the-top whimsical style, before going to something more majestic. It then gets menacing and finally frantic… and all over the course of a four minute track. The quickness of the transitions is jarring at times.
Overall, this score is good to okay. When I initially reviewed this soundtrack back in 2004, I gave it a very harsh review. I don't think it's that bad, in fact I think I was pretty offbase, but the tone changes can be jarring and it does lack cues that are great from start to finish. "Prologue ~ Birth" and "Destruction" are probably the stars here, but each has weak moments to them. All in all, a score that's best suited for those that enjoy classical music or have fond memories of the 1980 animated production. |