Album: American Beauty
Artist: Thomas Newman
Label: Dreamworks Records
Year: 2000
Rating: 5/5
Summary: Unusual sounds and beautifully understated piano melodies.
The score to American Beauty features the kind of beautifully
understated piano melodies and sappy, bittersweet strings that Thomas
Newman has used in other films to good effect. Like many artists,
he's found a good formula and he's sticking to it. I can't say I
blame him, and Tracks like Mental Boy and American Beauty aren't any
less emotional just because he's written similar pieces for other
films.
Despite this familiarity, the score stands out from the composer's
other work due to the unusual choice of instruments, which includes
tablas, udu drums, an Appalachian dulcimer, and various flutes and
guitars. From the playful percussion to the sparse portamento slides
of deep bass that you can feel in your stomach, this eclectic array
of instruments makes the score feel like a breath of fresh air.
Pairing these unconventional instruments with the more traditional
piano works well, contrasting the interesting with the familiar. As
a result, the score can change from being playful to haunting while
maintaining a unique identity. I'd recommend this soundtrack to
anyone who appreciates music that doesn't conform to the rigid
structures of pop, even if they haven't seen or didn't like the film
it was written for.