General Description
Artist/Band: Joe Hisaishi
Album Title: Joe Hisaishi Meets Kitano Films
Year: 2001
Scores o’ emotions! (ouch, bad pun alert..)
How I Got Into This Music
Well, during one of my early visits to the International Film Festival of Rotterdam I was lucky enough to go see one of Takeshi Kitano 
’s movies and I liked the stuff very much. When I saw the “Hana-Bi” movie it dawned on me that it’s not only the visuals: the score is incredible!
Around the same time, I also started watching movies by the excellent director, mister Hayao Miyazaki . And then it really, really hit me: I recognized the score as being from the same composer, but who was the composer?!?
Some quick scanning on the Net gave me the answer: mister Joe Hisaishi .
And by another coincidence I came across this album.
Tracks that got my attention:
Intro Office Kitano Sound Logo
Short Sweetness: not the type to use a gimmick ringtone, but this one would be the first I’d consider..
Summer
From the Kikujiro movie, a great theme to make your gloomy day a bit lighter.. Even though one part reminds me a bit too much of Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day”. Love the typewriter tempo piano bit!
The Rain
Part of the package: a bit of cinematic drama with a very sad violin, begging for some Valium
Drifter… In LAX
A good score reminds you of the scenes of a movie or at least of the movie itself. This track from the Brother movie works..
Ballad
Typical JH, sets the mood for the scene, even though I can’t remember the specific scene ;o)
Brother
Main theme from the movie, confusing intro but perfect followthrough.
Bus Stop
Soundscape, landscape, no difference..
Play On The Sands
Haven’t seen Sonatine yet, but I do love this piece. It’ll be weird to see the movie now, I’d be like a big kid when this score is played: “Yep, that’s the one!”
Thank You.. For Everything
Ooooooooooo.. MAN!
This one’s so powerful, before the end of the track you get yanked back to the scene in Hana-Bi. One of my favorite scenes ever!! (hmm.. sounds like a great blog topic!)
Conclusion
It’s fun and kinda weird to review a movie score compilation album, but that’s okay ;o)
What I like about JH’s work is the great combo of sounds and images you get by listening his work. Now, I know that that’s what you kinda expect from a film score, but not every score accomplishes this seemingly simple task. Remember, most people know film scores that work with memorable scenes, like the first time That Shark Gets His Lunch or The Girl Gets Stabbed In The Shower. Ah, but does anyone remember the rest of the music? I wonder.. Not ultimately important for the movie-seeing experience, but still..
Some of this composer’s songs are awfully sweet and cliched, but the overall effect is, at least to me, a very memorable and pleasant experience. Love it!
Rating: 
(and hours of bliss..)
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