KIN (OST)

To start with, the only thing that can be said about this album is that it is magnificent, and you don't need to see a film to appreciate its beauty as a CD. The music, its moods and designs are really well (either) thought out or designed, and the music flows well ... and some things seem to go together (not in the film) like "Funeral Pyre" and "Donuts" both excellent and simple in their design ... but the feeling is really well developed within it, and the film would not be able to show these in their entirety, however, it was used very nicely ... although when you hear the CD, you will find the music itself is really nice to follow and get into. But it is really easy to say that the film clarifies a lot of the music, and for me it added the visuals ... although that might be difficult with just the CD and not seeing the film, but you end up with a more complete "story" that the film can not exactly execute in its entirety.

The album starts with a very simple piano opening that one might think has some far off and weird bits behind it ... but it never takes away from the main theme of this film. It is "Eli's Theme" and it might be considered how the kid feels in the story of the film ... and it might have been written that way, which would be very different from a simple rock song based on a beat.

Continuing with the story of the film, "Scrap" adds a little more to the main theme and it seems to suggest that something is about to happen. This is also a magnificent piano based piece, and beautifully developed and realized. And we to "Flee", where we see Eli and his brother getting in a car and running away to escape ... something that is not clear as yet. This piece expands into a rock song, with really good development and its mood enhanced each and every second ...

For me, the two pieces that really make this outstanding for me, is "Funeral Pyre" and the follow up "Donuts". "Funeral Pyre" has a haunting suggestion that makes you think ... and it leads to "Donuts" which is a sumptuous affair with beautiful keyboards and soaring leads over it, that just stands out all over the album, though we can not hear all of it in the film.

It's difficult to try and explain so much of this material ... I think it is strictly designed to be visual and not just "music" and specially "rock music" feelings, and I found it lovely to be able to close my eyes and just fly with it. I had not even seen the film at that time, and this piece alone already had my imagination so fired up it was crazy. Of anyone creating music, specially film, I can only think of Vangelis as the true one ... although it is very difficult to leave behind so many folks that added so much to the film, as was the case with David Lean and others, who loved to use music.

The rest of the songs in this album, are a part of the film, and it might be difficult to expand and express their design and connection ... I have to watch the film again to see when "Miscreants" and "Guns Down" are, which would be around the last half or third of the film ... and then if you did not have enough, you get the title of the film and is "big" with a slight rock beat accompaniment ... which is something that this whole album seems to not want to fall into ... which makes it one of the great albums of music ... even without the film.

Seeing the film, will likely help you enjoy the music even more, because you will see how well it was used, and how well designed the music was!

A great album ...

5 STARS

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This is the film review I have for this film and its soundtrack.

A very nice film, not usually the kind that I see, but somehow one thing got my attention ... the album of music by MOGWAI is massively great and beautiful, and immediately sent me chasing the film to see it ... and no sooner I got the DVD ... son of a gun ... I watched it twice, back to back, just because ... just because ... I don't know ... for once an "action" film, was not shot to be clever for its tricks and stuff ... but it used these things really well within the context of the story and made the film nice to watch ... and its music moments are magnificent, and not over done by film that make it look like music is so important to make this moment greater than it really is ... this film is already "alive" and the addition of the music in some parts, is extremely well done, and adds the right amount of feelings that your stomach and mine might have for the moment ... the music is not used for sentimental values and ideas ... it's used as a part of the film itself ... and that makes this film, special in many ways!

And for once, you do not get involved in this film for its clever, and science fiction styled details ... they just seem to be nicely setup maybe, just maybe with one exception towards the end, that I am not sure is necessary, but the film maker has the right to feel otherwise and show us the story as he sees it.

The story itself is probably open to interpretation but a kid, one that we would otherwise consider a "loser", finds a package that he takes home, and eventually learns it is some kind of weapon that does some serious damage ... and he learns to use it once or twice ... and then we come to the part that makes is a bit of the sci-fi thing ... the weapon was lost and there is a group trying hard to find it, and they finally locate it, and it helps (I think?) that it ends up clearing up the story of the kid ... and his apparent confusion and occasional lack of ability to make a decision, but when the time comes, somehow it appears to work just fine.

But he learns all this during what seems to be a cross country trip making an effort to escape ... and the only thing we know is that his brother is being pursued by bad guys and somehow the brothers are joined up by a dancer ... and Eli almost accidentally learns to work the big package.

And at the end, it is returned to its rightful place and the bad guys are done in. Eli has grown up a little, and the dancer goes her own way! No love story here ... just friends that meet on the way to .... and this is how the film feels ... and I think this is the part of the film that is far out ... we don't think of it as some sci-fi thing ... and we just hope that the bad guys all go away ... etc, etc ...

For me, a very enjoyable film, and seeing the music used properly in the film instead of just a background a la Hollywood ... shows some serious maturing and understanding from the brothers that wrote and directed this film.

It is a wonderful exercise ... a low key film, that works ... and doesn't have to show off its clever tricks to gain an audience.

4 GIBLOONS

Band Members: Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals) Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals) Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar) Martin Bulloch (drums)

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