Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones

The most rewarding track on the CD is Zam The Assasin and The Chase Through Coruscant. For all eleven minutes the tension is held and keeps building through William's trademark skill, dissonace. The inclusion of classic 'chase music' instruments like the bongo drums, various other percussion and an electric guitar, shows his ability to bring old fashioned styles into his own. Look back at Lalo Schifrin's work, a master of the funky chase music of the 60's and 70's. Williams' experimentation with these instruments has given us on of the best pieces of chase music I've ever heard. It's obvious he still has his skills from writing the music to 60's show Peter Gunn along with jazz composer Henry Mancini.

Other tracks on the CD feature a new love theme which pours a tragic melody, much like Anakin's Theme from Episode I. We see the return of some of the main themes from Episode I and the Imperial March used to represent Count Dooku and his 'Confrontation.'

In whole, this score is much like The Empire Strikes Back than any other. With a mix of dark, and impending danger music, and a love theme. Like ESB, there is much incidental music to carry themes along. It's quite surprising this isn't a double CD.

An excellent work on it's own and the most exciting of all scores so far.
Roll on Episode III!

DEFINITELY NOT A DISAPPOINTMENT-just as good as the movie
Review date: 2002-05-24 Rating: 10 out of 10

I am only a recent Star Wars fan but music is a passion of mine and i have been totally swept away by the music of star wars. i just love it and john williams fifth installment is far from falling aground. The 'across the stars' love theme is beautiful, really portraying the love padme and anakin have for each other and continues to repeat in various other tracks, like the duel of the fates did for phantom menace. zam the assassin is a interestin track, with williams searching new ground but a bit a long if you ask me. yoda and the younglings is so adorable bcos the scene in the movie is so adorable. i also like the arena piece, and for those who've seen the movie , u can just imagine our heroes battling against those awful three nonsters here. in track 10, return to tatooine, we hear the all too familiar the force music and the duel of fates makes a come back, reflecting anakin's anxiety and track 11 does well to show his greif. and of course, who cannot be blown away by track 13, confrontation with count dooku and the finale, where the much loved imperial march makes a full come back. i seriously doubted williams could do better than episode 1 but he's done it again. HIGHLY RECOMMENEDED.

John Williams does it again!!!
Review date: 2002-05-22 Rating: 10 out of 10

Where to start??? How about at he beginning, that's usually the best place.

The opening credits everybody knows and they will for always be an institution of film music. Did you know that the first 32 bars are the same in every film? How can he get away with it everytime? who knows? who cares? If it works why change it?

Now, how can anyone fail to be moved by the love theme for this film? My brother (a confirmed John Williams obsessive) played this CD non stop and for once I didn't attempt to stop him. Even before I had seen the movie I couldn't help but stop and listen everytime I heard this theme(which is quite a lot on this CD as most of you will know), no matter what I was doing. And I must admit that it is my very favourite piece and I happen to hum it to myself almost all day every day. And now I have seen the film it moves me even more.

I don't have enough space to write here about all the movements, but I have just got to say how much I admire John Williams for always trying something new. A perfect example of this must surely be Zam the Assassin. Who would even think about using an electric guitar with a full symphony orchestra, let alone use one?... well... John Williams obviously, and to great effect!!!

All the way though this CD I think to myself it surely can't get any better, and it's almost as if John Williams can hear my thoughts for he appears to say "You Bet? Listen to what's coming" and then he again proves to me why he is the best composer of film music that we will ever see. History proves it, and the best directors continue to look to him to make their films from great to absolutly awesome.

Again I have to limit what I write, but I have to urge you that if you want a CD that fills you with passion and a sense of belonging, then this is the CD for you. Also, a sense of something new and energetic then again, this is the CD for you. You have the timeless classics like the opening and ending credits, also the introduction of the Imperial March, which I would say the best version of it ever.

But you also get the new movements, which will forever go down in Star Wars history!!

This is got to be the very best John Williams music that I have ever heard, and will probably be there for a very long time to come in my list, and I eagerly await the sound track for Star Wars III (and dare I say it the forth coming Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)!!

This is a MUST HAVE CD for all.

A must for all the legions of Star Wars fans out there
Review date: 2002-05-18 Rating: 10 out of 10

It is hard to believe, having heard the music for Episode I that the music for Episode II could get any better. Believe me it does - MUCH better.

The spine tingling Across the Stars love theme, first heard after the usual glory of the opening titles is nothing short of a masterpiece. Far from being mushy as many love themes are these days it is a beatiful mixture of rich texture and harmonies that complement the sweeping melody. Reacurring in subtle forms throughout the soundtrack you can really feel Anakins and Padme's agony as they fight there forbidden love for each other.

With John Willians choosing to explore new techniques with this soundtracks I admit I was a bit dubious. However it is a feat he pulls off SO well with the musical experiment that is Zam the Assasin. Complimented with some prominent solo drum features and distorted electric guitar riffs this is a track to remember. I was fully captivated for the whole of the 11+ minutes this track lasts.

These are the first landmark tracks but there is one not mentioned so far - the splendid confrontation with Count Dooku and Finale. This masterpiece completely does justice to a resurected and very slighly adapted Imperial March which appears in it's full glory. Probably the best recording of it EVER with a trumpet fanfare now interjecting the two playings of the main melody and percussion providing the drama as you hear it for the second time. The march then leads into a fantastically dramatic rendition of across the stars and onwards into the all to familiar ending credits with the violins frantically working rising notes before rejoining a slower across the stars and various other themes to draw the album to a close. Anakin's theme is heard near the end and just as you think it's all over the main theme for the imperial march appears VERY slowly in the double basses - listen out for it.

The album obviously does consist of other tracks and they are ALL excellent providing the right balance of beauty and tension. Showing once again how beautiful the combination of film and music can be - a beauty that neither can achieve on there own.

I have over 20 of John Williams soundtracks (including his beautiful music for Schindlers List and Seven Years in Tibet as well as his outstanding score for Harry Potter) and I can tell you that this beats the lot, putting him once again at the top of the list of film composers - quite easily the best.

Any fan of Star Wars or John Williams must buy this soundtrack and roll on Episode III - lets see what John Williams brings us then.