"Aegis"
Score Composed by Trevor Jones
MP3 Audio Clips: Prologue - The Thesis | The Courage To Survive

Trevor Jones has been making interesting assignment choices lately. On one hand he'll choose to do a television mini-series like "Dinotopia" and on the other, a Japanese produced battleship movie like "Aegis." Perhaps it's his way of straying away from the mainstream Hollywood system which seems to be producing less and less appealing opportunities for composers. Whichever it may be, these soundtrack releases are becoming very difficult to track down. Such is the case with "Aegis", which is available as an import but is very much worth the effort if you are a fan of Trevor Jones.

Jones has always been able to construct scores that have their own identifiable thematic styles, which is very much appreciated by me since I believe that every effort that any composer produces should stand on its own independently. "Aegis" maintains Jones' thematic voice, but definitively is its own boss.

The score opens with a main theme that is very simple in its brevity, but effective in pacing the album out. What makes the theme work is its dramatic shift in tempo which gives it a fairly unique sound. Jones employs this as the glue of the album, the centerpiece that all other music flows around. It's not grand nor is it an anthem that someone will hum, but it sure works effectively. It gives the score an unmistakable tone.

Throughout the soundtrack, Jones is able to shift the tempo. There are varying moments of anticipation, drama and straight on action. For those who are familiar with his work, it very much has a pacing that is similar to scores like "13 Days" and "Cleopatra." There are not many moments of idle and slow underscore though there is an element of repetition that surfaces by the end of the album. Thankfully, Jones is able to keep the underscore creative, giving the often used theme a varied enough feel to keep it fresh.

There's quite a bit to like about this score. First, it gives us new material from Trevor Jones in a genre he is more than capable of handling. Second, there is a good number of tracks on the soundtrack (14) and all are decent in length.

Overall, this is an enjoyable album and one I would duly recommend if it were easily accessible. As it stands, I primarily suggest it to Trevor Jones fans only, simply due to the price that many retailers charge for imports of this kind.

Final Score: If you're a Trevor Jones enthusiast, seek this one out for vintage material from the veteran composer. "Aegis" is a very solid, enjoyable effort!