Duplicity Soundtrack Review
Jazzy, Catchy Score from one of Hollywood's Most Versatile Composers
Apr 24, 2009 David Abraham Dueck
Although well-respected for his amazing versatility in the film scoring world, James Newton Howard is most recognized for his traditional, orchestral scores to blockbuster films as I Am Legend, The Water Horse, Blood Diamond, King Kong, and Defiance, not to mention his animated film projects and his celebrated collaborations with director M. Night Shyamalan.
But his work truly spans all genres of film, with many romance, comedy, horror, ethnic dramas, and action movies to his credit. Despite his incredibly diverse discography, however, his latest score to Duplicity breaks out in yet another new direction, in the form of jazzy, trippy suspense, with a stylishly contemporary attitude and groovy retro instrumentation that makes this work at once unusually distinctive in Howard's career and infectiously enjoyable.
Contemporary Atmosphere as Duplicity's Defining Quality
Unlike most of Howard’s scores, Duplicity feature very little thematic statements or motif development. A short descending motif is utilized from time to time, but it’s not a very long-lined or malleable motif, and is not used often enough to give the score a melodic identity.
Instead, each cue receives its own distinct structure, rhythm and instrumentation, with only the overall atmosphere of style and classy flair to bind the entire score together. As such it can come across as largely disjointed and lacking in melodic unification, especially considering the short length of most of the cues on the album, but such a quality is not needed for such a score as this. It thrives instead on its sheer energy and catchy rhythmic creativity.
Heavy Jazz and Pop Music Elements in Howard's Score
Although a small orchestra does feature in many cues, it is not featured prominently, and the jazz elements are allowed to take center stage, with acoustic guitars, piano, violin, and various drum sets accompanied with some slightly exotic cultural instruments such as trumpet and accordion adding additional zest.
Again, there is very little consistency to the instrumentation, with a new solo instrument being featured nearly every minute. Perhaps the smoothest, most developed cue on album is “The Formula,” which features a lengthy exploration of rhythm and slight melodic ideas, along with a dynamic mix of both the jazz/pop elements and the full orchestra.
Musical Inconsistency in Duplicity Soundtrack
The opening cue “War” is a perfect example, beginning with frenetic looped samples and bass, building to electric guitar and drum pads, then to a violin solo of the main descending motif, then cycling back to drum pads and loop samples, then back to guitars, then adding big band trumpet punches. All in all it’s a catchy and very propulsive listening experience, but very busy and rarely dwelling on any single melodic, rhythmic or instrumental style for longer than half a minute.
Conclusion
All in all, Duplicity is impressive for its stylistic originality in Howard’s career as well as its ingenious and thorough saturation with modern pop elements: it will be quite enjoyable for fans of jazzy, pop-based film scores. But fans of more straight-laced orchestral scores with clear melodic and thematic development may wish to pass this score by: it is extremely upbeat and unrelenting in its trippy, contemporary atmosphere of style, and may give more traditionally-minded score fans a certain amount of frustration.
For admirers of James Newton Howard, though, it is an engaging and intriguing departure from his usual orchestral style that may well prove extremely enjoyable. Recommended!
See also: Defiance Soundtrack Review
James Newton Howard, Composer
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Duplicity Album Cover
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