This 2004 collection from Cherry Red Records covers music made by living legend composer Ennio Morricone for films in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. It’s a wild, trippy mix of music for thrillers, erotic comedies, and crime films.
It starts with three tracks from one of the best giallo films ever made, Dario Argento’s The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. The theme, “Plume di Cristallo,” begins the journey into a dark, shadowy world with creepy, child-like vocals, tinkling crystal bells, and acoustic guitar that’s both warm and chilling at the same time. The lovely, almost waltz-like “Non Rimane Piu Nessano” and the jazz freak-out “Corsa Sui Tetti” (which sounds like a fight inside a dark club) follow.
After that we get two from another Argento film that Morricone scored – Four Flies on Grey Velvet – “Come Un Madrigale” (which reminds one of a winter stroll through a bleak yet beautiful city park) and the film’s main theme – which incorporates both gospel and circus music elements…because Morricone is a bad ass.
Up next are tracks from the film One Night at Dinner – “Sauna” (which is luxurious as you’d hope with sparkling xylophones), “Alla Luce Del Giorno” (with plenty of psychedelic keyboard work, meaningless vocal sounds, and psych-pop guitar), and “Uno Che Grida Amore” (in which you can hear touches of his spaghetti western soundtracks – the piano – and lush strings mixing with jazz drums).
We’re off to the film Forza G with the smooth and lush (Those strings!) “Sospeci Fra Le Nuvole” and the film’s main theme with its sweet jazz drumming. “L’assoluto Naturale” (from She and He) follows with haunting French horn backed with simple acoustic guitar chords to produce a haunting effect. The short, action sequence-ready “Studio Di Colore” (also from She and He) could fit into nearly any bank heist scene.
The main theme to “Indagine Su Un Cittadino Al Di Sopra Di Ogni Sospetto” (Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion) is track on this record most like one from Morricone’s spaghetti westerns with its mouth harp, quirky piano chords, and clockwork percussion. “Terazza” (from the 1977 comedy Il Gatto / The Cat) has poppy lounge organ mixed with sexy, slithering beats and slightly Latin horns. The closer is another track from Il Gatto – “Mariangela e la Seduzione” – which belongs on your next make-out mix tape because it’s practically the sounds of a woman having a long orgasm while lounge jazz plays behind her.
This is a must for film score buffs, fans of Morricone’s work, or psychedelic jazz. Morricone is a true maestro and his influence on music and pop culture is phenomenal.
Keep your mind open.
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