It's funny how certain soundtracks take a few listens for me to warm up to.  This is the case with Harry Gregson-Williams', Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.  Initially, it played out as a traditional Hollywood blockbuster score with traditional middle-eastern influences associated with it.  After having a few more listens (and seeing the movie), I now have a greater appreciation for the music than I did with my first listen.  This is indeed an above average score.

 

The soundtrack starts off with high energy.  It can be argued that the first two cues are the best of the disc.  There is more than that to the Sands of Time, however.  In my subsequent listens, I grew fond of the main theme that Gregson-Williams composed for the Prince of Persia.  It's a theme that doesn't really impress itself until one has had repeat occasions in which to digest the entire score, and, more importantly, hear it within the context of the film.  Summer blockbuster or not, intelligent music like this sometimes needs the root context in which it was constructed for to really be appreciated and seeing the film helped me make that association.  In turn, it also enabled me to enjoy the score even more.  Perhaps that's how it should be.

 

The middle-eastern flair, while not fully exotic, offers enough of a respectable presence to give the score some authenticity.  When this cultural touch is executed with a sense of humor (The Ostrich Race), it is even more impressive.  With Kingdom of Heaven, and now Prince of Persia, Harry has distinguished himself as a composer who is comfortable working within the middle-eastern spheres of filmmaking and has done so in a commanding way.  Certainly, this type of output from the composer is a lot more enriching than a Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3 autopilot score.

 

Ultimately, I don't expect each of you to listen to this score countless of times to enjoy it at the level I do.  Time is precious and in this fast paced world, it is difficult to devote blocks of time to just one product.  I do, however, encourage you to return to it every once in a while to see if you gain a bit more enjoyment from it than your first encounter with the material.  I think you'll find that it will methodically climb up the ladder of your depth chart.

Final Score: Prince of Persia is a listening experience that requires a bit of leg work to get the full potential out of it, but in the end, it succeeds in delivering an intelligent and eventful journey across the Sands of Time.