 |
Title |
| Udon
- Original Soundtrack |
| International Title |
| Udon |
| Music By:
Toshiyuki Watanabe |
| Record Label:
Toshiba EMI |
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| Running Time: 67:25 |
Discs: 1 |
| Release: August 2006 |
CD Number: TOCT-26062 |
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| Comments |
 |
Anthony
Romero |
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First, thanks goes to Jessica Stan for sending this in for review!
This is the original soundtrack to the 2006 comedy Udon by Rebirth of Mothra (1996) composer Toshiyuki Watanabe. The score is a bit off beat, mixing 19th century classical music with original compositions, but the soundtrack as a whole is good even taking into account a rather sporadic tone.
The themes for Udon are a mix of original music and motifs from French composer Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen". Mixing classical work within a score can be nice, such as Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" in the Negotiator: Mashita Masayoshi (2005), but its odd to see it make up the "Main Title" here and be featured so prominently. Regardless, despite the oddity of having the center piece theme be an existing classical tune, the mixture works with tracks like "Irresponsible Man of the Heisei Era" and "Udon Adventure" being very nice infusions with Bizet's themes.
In all, the score has enough going for it for a recommendation, with unique tracks like the nicely serious "A.D. 21XX Sanuki" and the elegant violin led cue "What My Father Left Behind". The downside is that a number of cues here are forgettable, especially the eight minute track "Symphonic Poem for Noodles and Dashi" that actually starts off really nice with sweeping violins for the first 30 seconds before going into a march that drags for its overly long runtime. Finally, the disc also has one of those 'frantically trying to find the skip button' tracks in the form of "Banzai ~ Pleasant Fondness" that feels like a total misfire from an awkward vocal level that drowns out the instruments to a singing voice that sounds a little grating. It's not as bad as some of the songs for There's Always Tomorrow: The Movie (2002), but its definitely skip worthy.
Now in terms of this original release versus its later reissue in 2013 (TOCT-11617), both are on par in terms of sound quality. The only real difference is the OBI, which on the re-release is red, and the CD number. The price between the two is drastic, with the reissue being much cheaper, so unless you are a collector or happen to find the original at a reduced rate the choice is easy: go with the reissue.
Bottom line, not a great disc, lacking in the realm of a truly, floor stopping memorable cue, but its enjoyable for those who like their music on the soothing side with a slight flavor of comedy-like themes.
Rating:  |
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| Tracks |
- I Love NY
- Udon Main Title
By: Georges Bizet
- Dreadful Sanuki Udon
- Irresponsible Man of the Heisei Era
By: Georges Bizet
- Older Sister's Gentleness
- Goddess of No Direction
- Infestation Warning!
- Eating Outside on a Fine Day
- Mentsu-dan
- Son and Father: Memory
- Udon Adventure
By: Georges Bizet
- Boom Coming
- A.D. 21XX Sanuki
- Noodle Power! - Captain Noodle Visits
- Elder Sister's Desire
- A Full Greeting
- Our Dreams
- Banzai ~ Pleasant Fondness
- The End of the Festival
- What My Father Left Behind
- Symphonic Poem for Noodles and Dashi
- Fate of Food Sampling
- Son and Father: Conversation
- An Udon Induced Smile
- That Miracles Exist
- Ending
By: Georges Bizet
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