Marc SHAIMAN
Ghosts of Mississippi
Columbia CK 67914
[61:28]
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The most important reason to own this disc is to remind yourself that Shaiman
doesn’t just do big band arrangements for comedies. Since the early
days of Misery and The Addams Family, it’s been easy to pigeonhole the
guy as such. But this particular Rob Reiner collaboration bore much more
interesting fruit.
This racial politics historical thriller covers the assassination of Medgar
Evans and the subsequent court drama that ensued. Shaiman’s response
to this material is sensitive without spilling into sugary sweetness. A sense
of place and time creeps through every so often with a lick or two of Delta
guitar. Principally though this is a well orchestrated portrait of sadness.
What has to be covered in this review however is the ill-conceived sequencing
of source songs. Contributions from Tony Bennett ("I Will Live My Life For
You"), Muddy Waters ("Mannish Boy"), or B.B. King ("The Thrill Is Gone")
really shouldn’t be popping up in the middle of the score. All pace
and atmosphere is thrown apart by their intrusiveness.
So long as you’re happy to be skipping tracks or re-programming, this
really is worthwhile. The touching piano-led cue "Witnesses For The Prosecution"
contrasted with the suspense of "Bomb Scare" are a wonderful reminder that
there’s more to the guy than South Park’s "Uncle F***er"!
Reviewer
Paul Tonks
