Check it out... if a modern romantic score that approaches its subject matter with complete sincerity is something you desire
Skip it... if you seek a score that is as meaty in regards to thematic material as it is charming in general aesthetic
PART OF "2ND QUARTER WRAP-UP: PART 2"
The lyrical quality of Rob Simonsen's style strikes one as wholly appropriate for the context of The Age of Adaline; a 2015 romance feature centred around Blake Lively's titular Adaline. She is a woman who, through a miraculous natural event, is capable of never aging. Various romantic exploits add tension to this tale of drama and passion and all the good things that modern romance sorely misses. Simonsen's ethereal, quaint little score provides an aptly compelling sonic background for the visual content, and helps to flesh out the drama of the feature. On its own terms, the work is dreadfully endearing and constantly compelling. The album, fifty-eight minutes in length, is positively gorgeous, beguiling and generous, and is an easy product to get lost within. The central motif, explored chiefly within 'January 1st, 1908', is a captivating arrangement, the chord progression, whilst relatively simplistic in nature, proving dreadfully evocative in ultimate execution. Simonsen's fluctuating strings are sincere and, alongside the twinkling piano, somewhat melancholic, and it instills an underlying pain within the phrase. Despite the lack of action within the visual context, the composer never holds back on providing riveting emotional turmoil, underscoring the discoveries and mistakes made by the protagonist with complete conviction. There is no self-indulgent awareness to be found here; Simonsen approaches the work with wholehearted candour, and it bolsters the poignancy of the album ten-fold. From rousing cello swells to soothing piano melodies; trepid tremolo string passages to gorgeous woodwind arrangements, Age of Adaline rarely fails to impress. It isn't the most unique romance composition of the year, nor is its thematic material particularly inventive nor weighty, but it does possess a substantiality in terms of sheer emotional force that many of its contemporaries lack. Worthy of a look, if only for the absolutely gorgeous low-register string writing. You can purchase The Age of Adaline on Amazon or iTunes, here and here.
7.8
Additional notes about release: the iTunes purchase comes with a digital booklet.
The lyrical quality of Rob Simonsen's style strikes one as wholly appropriate for the context of The Age of Adaline; a 2015 romance feature centred around Blake Lively's titular Adaline. She is a woman who, through a miraculous natural event, is capable of never aging. Various romantic exploits add tension to this tale of drama and passion and all the good things that modern romance sorely misses. Simonsen's ethereal, quaint little score provides an aptly compelling sonic background for the visual content, and helps to flesh out the drama of the feature. On its own terms, the work is dreadfully endearing and constantly compelling. The album, fifty-eight minutes in length, is positively gorgeous, beguiling and generous, and is an easy product to get lost within. The central motif, explored chiefly within 'January 1st, 1908', is a captivating arrangement, the chord progression, whilst relatively simplistic in nature, proving dreadfully evocative in ultimate execution. Simonsen's fluctuating strings are sincere and, alongside the twinkling piano, somewhat melancholic, and it instills an underlying pain within the phrase. Despite the lack of action within the visual context, the composer never holds back on providing riveting emotional turmoil, underscoring the discoveries and mistakes made by the protagonist with complete conviction. There is no self-indulgent awareness to be found here; Simonsen approaches the work with wholehearted candour, and it bolsters the poignancy of the album ten-fold. From rousing cello swells to soothing piano melodies; trepid tremolo string passages to gorgeous woodwind arrangements, Age of Adaline rarely fails to impress. It isn't the most unique romance composition of the year, nor is its thematic material particularly inventive nor weighty, but it does possess a substantiality in terms of sheer emotional force that many of its contemporaries lack. Worthy of a look, if only for the absolutely gorgeous low-register string writing. You can purchase The Age of Adaline on Amazon or iTunes, here and here.
7.8
Additional notes about release: the iTunes purchase comes with a digital booklet.
Track Listing
| 1. | Adaline Bowman | 1:51 |
| 2. | At Home | 1:58 |
| 3. | January 1st, 1908 | 3:56 |
| 4. | First Resurrection | 2:24 |
| 5. | No Scientific Explanation | 1:10 |
| 6. | Never Speak a Word of Her Fate | 3:00 |
| 7. | Ellis Brings Flowers | 2:45 |
| 8. | Sunken Ship | 2:11 |
| 9. | Another Death in the Life | 2:27 |
| 10. | Tired of Running | 1:55 |
| 11. | Adaline Apologizes | 0:56 |
| 12. | Constellations | 2:09 |
| 13. | William Recognizes Adaline | 2:48 |
| 14. | He Named the Comet Della | 1:50 |
| 15. | A Near Miss | 2:54 |
| 16. | The Scar | 2:52 |
| 17. | Twisted Around the Truth | 3:28 |
| 18. | No More Running | 2:01 |
| 19. | Second Resurrection | 3:40 |
| 20. | Coming Back to Life | 1:30 |
| 21. | Hospital Confessions | 5:15 |
| 22. | To a Future with an End | 1:41 |
| 23. | Start Again (with Faux Fix, feat. Elena Tonra) | 3:27 |
| Total Album Time: | 58:08 |
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