Clint Eastwood Albums (9)
What The Critics Say
Swelling patriotism meets haunting solemnity on the soundtrack to Clint Eastwood's directorial masterpiece about the iconic flag-raisers of Iwo Jima. In addition to earning him a Golden Globe nomination for the score of his film Million Dollar Baby, the actor/director's lifelong love of jazz and keen ability as a composer have traditionally made the soundtracks to his films musical events in themselves, and this collection is no exception. The score itself is a perfect blend of reflective but simple piano melodies, swelling strings, and muffled military drums. Eastwood also makes inspired choices of vintage '40s music, ranging from Dinah Shore's "I'll Walk Alone" to uplifting pro-America anthems by Irving Berlin and Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne and an Artie Shaw piece. And what would a combat-filled film be without a few John Philip Sousa numbers? Eastwood's son, popular jazz bassist Kyle Eastwood, co-composes and performs "Knock Knock," an original Django Reinhardt-flavored piece that sounds like it could have been written in the big-band era. Putting as much care into the soundtrack as he did into the details of the film, Eastwood conjures up the many conflicting emotions of the WWII era. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
'Mystic River'
Release Date 1/1/2003
Tracks 19
Label Warner Bros./Malpaso
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What The Critics Say
Like his film, Clint Eastwood's original score for Mystic River is an elegant, sometimes brooding, and often wistful meditation on nostalgia, loss, possibility and its absence, and ultimately, acceptance. Performed by pianist Brad Hatfield, the score's opening theme contains all the others. Voiced with an understated yet stylish piano, Eastwood's love of Bill Evans and Vince Guaraldi is obvious, but he uses space like Erroll Garner. Immediately upon its cessation, the dread-filled brooding of "Abduction" fills the speakers, where strings are almost swallowed by thin, swirling synth lines before emerging from the murk with a new picture of the theme, transformed, nostalgic, yearning for something previous. Eastwood's writing for this film is, much like his directorial achievement, single-pointed in its focus. Performed by the Boston Symphony and Tanglewood Festival Chorus, these ensembles are directed by Lennie Niehaus with orchestration by Patrick Hollenbeck. He knows exactly how to broach each scene, never overstating his intentions with bombast or drama when a simple trill will do, or a short, clipped series of keyboard chords that have just enough sustain on them to open onto what comes next cinematically. Musically that is all present, and one gets the sense of foreshadowing throughout. "Jimmy's Anguish" utilizes the theme once again; it is undercoated with the ambient orchestral sound of a coming thunder that never quite tears open the sky. It is one of the most moving musical sequences in the entire score. Likewise, "Orchestral Variation No. 1 on the Music of Mystic River" clocks in in at just over seven and a half minutes, making it the longest piece in the set. Its restraint lies within its intensity; it builds quietly and ambiguously, until the emotion in the center of it -- played by a full string section -- ceases at its apex, giving way to a piano line that seems to toy with silence before a startling harp swoop and strings take it out. The interaction between the piano and the larger ensemble is breathtaking. Elsewhere, such as on "Communion/Katie's Absence" and "The Morgue," Eastwood employs a full chorus that wordlessly intones those same emotions that have no name because they are so large. But there is no soaring, crashing, or bombast here -- just murky, pronounced sound without artifice that points to the swell of feeling beneath. The entire work is so moving it's a wonder it comes off so low-key in the film. The final two tracks on the set are by Eastwood's son Kyle. They are über modern, in contrast to the jazzy classicism of the rest of the score. They employ horn sections, electric bass, and keyboards playing funk and smoky blues jams that highlight barroom scenes; in their element, they too are quite remarkable. This is a score for listening, not background music; it will stimulate the listener toward reflection and reminiscence. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
'Real Clint Eastwood'
Release Date 4/6/1999
Tracks 14
Label Culture Press
See Album Tracklist and Review
'BBC Radio 1 in Concert'
Release Date 11/8/1993
Tracks 11
Label Windsong
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Tag-team DJ duos (as opposed to the more common and popular singer-DJ duo format) were quite unusual when this pair emerged in the late '70s, and they remain so today. But Clint Eastwood (younger brother of the legendary DJ Trinity) and General Saint proved that it could work, and if Stop That Train didn't achieve quite the success that Two Bad D.J. had, it was nevertheless a solid effort with several excellent tracks and filler that stopped short of being killer but was nevertheless perfectly serviceable for most dancehall needs. This reissue adds three discomix versions to the original program, as well as some interesting liner notes. Highlights include the duo's version of the classic rocksteady title track (the song for which the pair is still remembered) and a dark, edgy original number titled "Monkey Man" (not to be confused with the classic Toots Hibbert ska anthem of the same name). Less memorable are the awkwardly swinging "Stop Jack" and a slightly less awkwardly skanking take on Leonard Dillon's "Everything Crash." The backing tracks are by Inity Rockers, and are rock-solid throughout. Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
One of the young DJs at the forefront of the shift away from cultural concerns, Clint Eastwood is the younger brother of the equally celebrated DJ Trinity. It was producer Junjo Lawes' clever idea to pair the younger toaster with the British DJ General Saint, and the end result was a clutch of chartbusters and this stellar album (which features many of them). Built around some of the Roots Radics' heaviest rhythms, the DJs announced their arrival with "Tribute to General Echo," a hit which helped define their style. Simple sentiments echoed back and forth between the duo, which succinctly captured the disbelief and dismay that swept the island in the wake of Echo's unnerving and unexplained death at the hands of Jamaican police. The song was one of the few on Two Bad D.J. to tackle a serious theme. Instead, the duo quickly established a reputation as one of the most entertaining DJ teams around. From revising nursery rhymes ("Jack Spratt") to an informative lesson on bananas ("Banana Export"), chiding a former ghetto girl for deserting her old friends ("Sweet Sweet Matilda"), across to a clutch of cuts extolling nicer young women and the pleasures of the dancehalls in general, the pair's wit and exuberance were a winning combination. And that doesn't even include the mega-hits like the slacker-themed "Another One Bites the Dust," borrowing Michael Prophet's "Gunman" rhythm, and the fabulously funny "Talk About Run," where the DJs shame their namesakes when confronted with the living (and talking) dead. Clint Eastwood and General Saint's appeal stretched into the U.K.'s mainstream, and the album even snuck into the chart there. Not surprisingly, something this fun has a life all its own, and Two Bad D.J. remains one of the Greensleeves label's hottest sellers. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
