Dragonball Evolution Score Tracklist / Impressions

[xzero]

Just as a warning, I guess this might contain some spoilers.

1. The Legend
2. Dragonball Evolution
3. Fulums
4. Kaiou Samma
5. Goku
6. Gohan's Special Gift
7. Master Roshi
8. The Journey Begins
9. Lighting the Torches
10. Vengeance
11. Chasing Dragonballs
12. Lord Piccolo
13. Mai vs. Chi Chi
14. A Higher Calling
15. Body Work
16. I Dream of Chi Chi
17. Grime Vinyl
18. Unwelcome Strangers
19. Bulma and Yamcha
20. Things to Come
21. The Final Battle
22. End Game
23. Dragonball Evolution Main Titles

Apparently it runs 1:00:46

[xzero]

Okay, so today a friend of mine received a copy of the score (I think it was through an online retailer that shipped it early) and I got to take a listen. These are my initial impressions.

First and foremost, I haven't seen anything from the movie besides the trailers, so my comments are based solely on the music as a standalone product. This means that it could be better or worse in the proper context obviously. I don't know what I was expecting from this. I'm very familiar with 2 unique takes on the Dragonball - DBZ world, the Japanese BGM and the Faulconer score, but of course neither of those were going to be used here.

Brian Tyler provides a decent action movie score to DB Evolution. Orchestral, sweeping, choral, and epic. Here's the problem, and it might be one of expectations. The music has a lot of elements that would clearly fit the hollywood blockbuster genre, but it doesn't scream (or even whisper) Dragonball at all. In fact, just listening to it, there don't seem to be a lot of memorable thematic developments going on. The soundtrack actually reminds me a lot of the 1989 Batman, with some Dark Knight (and other comic book scores thrown in for good measure), and even a little Metal Gear Solid 2. For example, track 18 (Unwelcome Strangers) is stylistically reminiscent of the main theme of Metal Gear Solid 2.

The sweeping orchestral approach is juxtaposed against some rock/techno tracks as well. "Chasing Dragonballs," "Grime Vinyl," and "Body Work" tend to fall into this category. These are where the Metal Gear style really comes forward. "Body Work" in particular reminds me of boss battle music from that series.

Overall, the soundtrack isn't bad. I personally don't find it memorable at all, but I have to imagine that in the context of the movie it will work. The Final Battle track is really epic, certainly one of the better orchestrated battle songs I've ever heard. I think my impression would be more enthusiastic if Piccolo's theme appeared just once, even as a small cameo reference. Something from the series (in my humble opinion) should have been there, even if they had to pay for it. From what I heard, unless I missed it somewhere, there is neither a song nor a reference to the series in any sense, which is probably the most disappointing aspect of it. We naturally have to wait about a month to see if it delivers in the context of the movie, but for now, I'd have to say that the soundtrack is generic epic action movie fare - good music, but generally non-memorable. For a good representation of the best the CD had to offer, I'd recommend at least buying the Final Battle track from iTunes when it is released.

[Chrono Trigger]

This was an interesting read. I think it's disappointing the movie won't have a memorable/recognizable theme (like The Dark Knight, XMEN, and Spider-Man) but as long as it's not terrible. It's a shame they didn't even try to use Makafushigi.

[The Tori-bot]

Really, the only thing that catches my attention is "Kaiou Samma". What the heck is he doing there (and so grossly misspelled)?

[VegettoEX]

Really, the only thing that catches my attention is "Kaiou Samma". What the heck is he doing there (and so grossly misspelled)?

Well, the only "misspelling" would be the extra "m" in "sama"...

[The Tori-bot]

Really, the only thing that catches my attention is "Kaiou Samma". What the heck is he doing there (and so grossly misspelled)?

Well, the only "misspelling" would be the extra "m" in "sama"...

Yeah, I guess so, but this is an official soundtrack; why shouldn't it be spelled properly?

And, I suppose, if one is so used to seeing and using "ō", "ou" just looks wrong, even though it is technically correct.

And isn't there usually a hyphen between a name and an honourific? And honourifics shouldn't even be capitalised. So there.

[Arcwave]

I'm listening to the soundtrack right now. I got it through a friend at Varese Sarabande. xzero is right, I am hearing a major resemblance to Danny Elfman's '89 BATMAN score (most notably on track 02 at approx 01:30) while 01:51 (of the same track) echoes Hans Zimmer (or anyone from the Media Ventures school-- which is now Remote Control Productions). Track 12, Lord Piccolo, immediately reminded me of the final dual piece from RETURN OF THE JEDI, but only the first 5 seconds of the track. At around 1:00 we can hear yet again a common Jablonsky/Zimmer/James Newton Howard sweeping strings melody. But yeah, not much memorable themes here at all. But a fun listen nonetheless.

[Ex-Dubbie369]

I am hearing a major resemblance to Danny Elfman's '89 BATMAN score (most notably on track 02 at approx 01:30)

I'm glad I'm not the only one hearing this. It's seems like the overarching motif in the movie is the old Batman theme with a bit of rhythmic variation.

[xzero]

I am hearing a major resemblance to Danny Elfman's '89 BATMAN score (most notably on track 02 at approx 01:30)

I'm glad I'm not the only one hearing this. It's seems like the overarching motif in the movie is the old Batman theme with a bit of rhythmic variation.

That's where it was! I typed my little commentary several hours later and couldn't remember where I heard the Batman reference when I went back to listen again. I also agree with the Return of the Jedi reference from Lord Piccolo for the first 5 seconds.

[Ramoro-san]

Hey all, I'm new to the forum, although I've been a frequent visitor to DaizenshuuEX for some time now. I bought the DB:E soundtrack on Tuesday because I love movie scores, and I typed up a little review, so I thought I'd pop in here and share it. It's just an opinion, of course. You'll notice a few of my comments are very similar to some of yours...

Dragonball: Evolution
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Composed by Brian Tyler

Track & Grade
1. The Legend: B
2. Dragonball Evolution: B+
3. Fulums: B
4. Kaiou Samma: C+
5. Goku: B-
6. Gohan’s Special Gift: C-
7. Master Roshi: C+
8. The Journey Begins: B
9. Lighting the Torches: C
10. Vengeance: B-
11. Chasing Dragonballs: A-
12. Lord Piccolo: C+
13. Mai Vs. Chi Chi: B-
14. A Higher Calling: C
15. Body Work: B+
16. I Dream of Chi Chi: B-
17. Grime Vinyl: A-
18. Unwelcome Strangers: B-
19. Bulma and Yamcha: C+
20. Things to Come: C-
21. The Final Battle: B+
22. End Game: B
23. Dragonball Evolution Main Titles: B

Average/Overall Grade: B-

I’m not the first one to say this, but Brian Tyler’s score for the upcoming Dragonball: Evolution may very well end up being the best thing about the movie. Granted, he won’t be winning any Oscar for it, but composer Brian Tyler managed to put together an exciting and dynamic score that is a decent accomplishment independent of the disastrous film project for which it was written.

The score begins with a bang, featuring loud, riveting percussion and rich strings in (1) “The Legend” and (2) “Dragonball Evolution.” These tracks essentially introduce the two or three main themes that will feature throughout the score, and serve as an effective overture that sets the tone of Tyler’s work: it’s big, it’s loud, it’s fun. However, the themes themselves are nothing special and consist of rather short and familiar melodies; indeed, the central theme’s melody distinctly reminds me of Danny Elfman’s original Batman theme, while other parts of the soundtrack have a certain James Newton Howard vibe. However, these musical coincidences are pretty inconsequential, and I think it’s safe to say that just because the score is a little generic, that doesn’t mean it’s not at least good.

Moving on with the score, tracks such as (3) “Fulums,” (13) “Mai Vs. Chi Chi,” and (18) “Unwelcome Strangers” embody the dynamic action music that Tyler employs throughout Dragonball, featuring intense percussion—both electronic and orchestral—broken up by quieter moments with the string section that effectively build-up the emotional tension and an eminent sense of danger. And for good measure, Tyler threw in some electric guitars here and there, such as in (7) “Master Roshi”.

The score also has some lovely, softer moments, blending romantic violins/violas with what sounds like acoustic guitar, chimes, bells, and even a touch of piano—as in (16) “I Dream of Chi Chi” and (19) “Bulma and Yamcha”—but these moments are all too brief and lack any memorable melodies. A few tracks on the album are only about one minute long, such as (8) “The Journey Begins” which I feel is actually a good piece although it is very short. The song certainly gives the sense of a fantastical adventure.

Still, I must say my favorite tracks include (11) “Chasing Dragonballs,” (15) “Body Work,” and (17) “Grime Vinyl,” which stand out because they are almost exclusively comprised of synthesized music and electric guitars. Actually, when the first of these tracks, “Chasing Dragonballs,” started playing, I was taken by surprise because the bouncy night-club vibe was a significant departure from the orchestral sound of most other tracks on the album. I couldn’t help but dance to the catchy techno beat. It’s really cool stuff. That’s not to say I favor electronic music over a traditional orchestral score, because I definitely don’t. It’s just that these three songs spice up the album a little bit, and add an eclectic sensibility it otherwise wouldn’t have.

All the excitement is topped off by the last three tracks, including (21) “The Final Battle,” which is pretty epic (towards the end it literally recycles the music from track 2—not such a bad thing, if you ask me). The slam-bang orchestrations and the themes used in these tracks really sum up the whole Dragonball: Evolution musical experience with a sense of triumph, even if it’s not exactly an overwhelming sense of triumph.

In sum, Brian Tyler is just too good for James Wong’s Dragonball: Evolution. Despite the fact that the score isn’t particularly memorable because the score’s themes are familiar and its overall sound is generic, it still proves to be a pretty good listen for those of us who love movie scores, and a small consolation for those of us who will undoubtedly be disappointed with the cinematic fiasco that is Dragonball: Evolution.

[KaiserNeko]

Funny thing... I listened to the soundtrack before seeing the movie. When I heard Bodywork, I instantly knew they'd use it for the scene when those punks are trying to beat up on Goku and end up hurting themselves instead.

I was right! As well, it's one of the best scenes in the movie.

[VenomSymbiote]

I was very much impressed with the score. I listen to lots of movie scores, so I am pretty picky to impress, but this ended up being pretty good. I can't wait to hear this music in conjuction with the movie. My own favorite track? No contest, "Chasing Dragonballs". So freaking awesome!

[ShinRogafuken]

This is just an average score in my opinion. You can tell they were trying to make it grand and epic, and in some cases it did, but this isn't going to be anything we remember in 20 years.