December 29, 2014

  • SOCOM VG Scores Released

    Continuing in their series of video game score releases, La-La Land turns to a double-disc set featuring music from a third-person shooter series, SOCOM 3.  SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALS was the first to appear in 2005 and featured 14 different scenarios where Navy SEAL teams were sent around the world to battle different enemies (Poland, North Africa, South Asia).  In the follow-up game, Combined Assault, the action moves to a fictional region in Central Asia akin to Afghanistan/Pakistan.  The music for both games is by Jim Dooley who at the time was one of Hans Zimmer’s assistants and had worked on a number of high profile projects (Pirates of the Caribbean, Black Hawk Down, Hannibal) and thus had some experience in being able to craft a contemporary Hollywood score for the backdrop to the game.  He has since gone on to score a number of television series (Pushing Daisies, Wilfred) and films (Daddy Day Camp,Obsessed) as well as video games.  Sony actually auditioned music from several composers at Remote Control and it was Dooley’s theme that they liked the most, and which La-La Land has included as a little bonus on disc two.  To create a more interesting listening experience, music from both games are integrated across both discs, with those for Combined Assault marked.  The review will try and focus on highlights from both these scores separately, but by combining the music this way, the resulting listening experience  works quite well.

    The opening “Fanfare” has an almost Goldsmith-esque quality with its brass and syncopated rhythmic support.  We are in firmer Remote Control Zimmer style though for the heroic opening “Main Titles”.  As the game moves into different regions of the world, Dooley provides some nice ethnic touches for flavor.  Drumming ideas provide a backdrop for churning strings for musical texture in tracks like “Highway of Death”.  Bent pitches lend flavor in “Morocco” that are then combined with a Zimmer-esque action style.  A more Middle Eastern sound is also inferred at times (“Hunting for NAPF”).  In “Poland Reconnaissance”, the music has a somewhat Eastern European feeling appropriately in slowly laid out lyric thematic writing, and some choir adding color as well, sometimes within some great action music in contrast (“Local Influence”).  “The Fist and Fire” adds some Indian musical color with sitar sounds against the established big orchestral sound.  The last couple of cues on disc one are good standard Remote Control action cues (“Polish Breakdown”, “Ambush”) with more to come on disc two (“Out of the Caves and Into the Forest”).  Some cimbalom and ethnic winds also put in an appearance (“Strait of Gibraltar”) and provide additional sound variations for action sequences (“Mahmood Indigo”).

    Most of the cues for Combined Assault appear on disc two.  “Entering Adjikistan” appears on disc though early on and features an energetic orchestral cue with added chorus creating an epic feel to the music.  There are some nice harmonic shifts in this music with the added big horn thematic ideas.  The choral overlays are an important component in this second score overall and help provide some lyrical contrast to disc one, often feeling almost Russian in their musical quality.  They also lend a nice sense of heroism to the music (“U.S. Navy SEALS Honor”) and seem to have good emotional punch.  “Securing Badger” is an interesting cue that provides some tension building musical approaches that can loop well.  There are some good action cues from this score as well (“Hunting Mongoose in the Snow”, “Liberty”) many held back for disc two where the integration of electronics, choir, and orchestra has a hybrid Goldsmith/Zimmer feel at times.  Ultimately, it is Dooley’s strong thematic writing that helps keep the music interesting throughout.

    Dooley’s style here is very much like that one would hear in any number of Remote Control projects.  His thematic ideas are very good and well-scored making this a fairly effective and exciting listen on its own.  Fans of Zimmer’s epic scores will find much to enjoy here and this is essentially a significant release of two early scores by Dooley featuring some great music.  The release has 1500 copies available in this limited edition.