[Thor Joachim Haga]

I had a listen to this yesterday.

I have to be perfectly honest and say that it was not quite what I had expected. I mean, it’s fine, but not on the level I had expected (perhaps based on what I’d heard of GARP on the old Film Music promo, and Shire’s general styles on that album).

KRAMER VS. KRAMER was a pretty nice chamber orchestra score. Not brimming with themes, but cautious colours for the intimate drama. I think I can sorta understand why they decided not to go for it, and use existing classical music instead.

The selection from THE DEFECTION OF SIMAS KUDIRKA was somewhat stark, but it has the best cue on the album in the brief, but excellent “Finale and End Credits”. Some cool rhytmical figures there.

I had the highest expectations to THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP, both because I have a fond nostalgic memory of the film, and that single cue on the promo. Well, I didn’t expect those carneval-esque waltzes and idioms; in my inner mind, I somehow remembered more downkey, lyrical writing with lots of woodwind.

Anyways, a pretty decent album. Not spectacular, but decent. But very cool choice by Caldera, as always, and an important release, historically.