But I've always had respect for Daft Punk. I mean, you've got to respect any band that hires Leiji Matsumoto to do an entire series of music videos! Not to mention I always enjoyed their music when I saw their videos, starting with "Around the World" back in the 90's.
So when I heard they were doing the music for the new Tron, I was familiar enough with their sound to be very pleased. This was a move on a par with getting Wendy Carlos for the original, and I could see their trance sound working great with the Tron universe.
And now that the movie and soundtrack have been out for nearly two months and I've gotten to spend a good amount of time with both, I can honestly say that it looks like having not been a Daft Punk fan has actually worked in my favor. I went into the movie with few expectations of what the music score would sound like beyond having synthesizers. What I got is the kind of music I love best: a blend of different styles (in this case, synth and orchestral) and recurring themes. The opening music ("The Grid") grabbed me right out of the gate, I absolutely loved "End of Line" (and in fact all the music from the End of Line Club), and the end titles just blew me away.
After seeing the film a second time, I knew I had to buy this soundtrack. So I did, and for the next few weeks, I was hearing it in my head no matter what I did. In the morning when I was moving slow and trying to start my day I'd hear "Outlands" or "Armory" in my mind. When I was rushing to get something done, I'd hear "Fall." And when I was excited, well, then I'd really be jamming, so it would be the "End Titles."
I was also pleasantly surprised to hear Jeff Bridges' opening dialogue left in on "The Grid." His son's line, "You got in," and his reply, "That's right, man," are left out; while they're perfect for the movie, leaving them out so it goes "Until one day... I got in" gives it a better flow as a piece of music. It's the only vocal sample on the entire album, and it works great.
So I was playing this album a lot, and the more I played it, the more I had this itch to see the movie yet again. Now, I can't tell you the last time I saw a movie in the theaters three times, but I knew I couldn't wait for DVD. Every piece of music conjured up the stunning images of the film in my head, and it was an itch I had to scratch. I had to at least see this movie one more time, now knowing the music, so I could really let myself fall into both the visual and audio spectacle of it joined together.
I can't remember the last time that's happened to me. The last time that I've loved a soundtrack so much that I don't just grab the one or two tracks off of it for a playlist, but really just appreciated it as a complete musical work and can't stop listening to it. The last time I've loved a soundtrack so much that I've actually gone to see the movie again just to pay attention to how the music flows with the visuals. That is a remarkable achievement, and Daft Punk has created a remarkable work of art with this album.
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