Rach’s Musical Brain - October Download

I know! I know! Rach, come on, it’s October…! Well, it’s been busy okay. But despite forgoing September, only having to do this once a month is much better, because I will always be able to deliver on my promise of downloading my musical brain in 15 songs.

I suppose you may not necessarily believe that this is all I’ve been listening to over the last month, and you would mostly be correct, but seeing as all of these tracks feature in various others of my frequently played lists, they do pop up a lot.

As it’s 15, we have a truly random selection today. Film ones, yes, but also some throwbacks and even some non-soundtrack ones! I do sometimes listen to things other than film soundtracks, I promise, and I can assure you that This Is What It Feels Like (spoilers!) is featured prominently in ’frequently played’ as the tune is so goddamn catchy!

But anyway, please enjoy my October download of music, and as ever, you can find the new playlist HERE, as well as any of the old tracks HERE. I did have a good listen to some of the ’old‘ ones the other day and I can confirm I still love them!

So without further ado… October…

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NUMBER 15.

Superman Rising, Pt. 2 / Immovable - Hans Zimmer, ft. Junkie XL

Proof that an epic soundtrack has the power to make or break a movie. Junkie XL really did do a fantastic job with the soundtrack with Batman vs Superman, and then, with the original version of Justice League I was so disappointed with the music. To me Danny Elfman does Tim Burton movies, not Superhero blockbusters (although I must admit, he did do Avengers: Age of Ultron and that was very good, so maybe I am being a tad harsh!!).

This track - spoilers ahead, please look away if you haven’t Zack Snyder's Cut - sounds when Superman makes his reappearance in the final fight against Steppenwolf. Just as you think it’s all over and Cyborg’s about to be axed (literally) in steps Supes, dressed in a new (awesome!) black suit to help save the day.

NUMBER 14.

Marche - Agincourt - Nicholas Britell

It’s a great speech from Henry V. And I absolutely loved this film, I don’t know about anyone else. It’s the scene where he is rallying his troops to fight at Agincourt, and its quite eerie and quiet to start with. But what I’ve found with the entire soundtrack is that it all sounds very medieval… I know that sounds a bit odd to say, but I think what I’m getting at is, if you listened to this soundtrack with no context, you would be able to work out what period of time it's from. I actually need to add this to the list to rewatch, as I watched it when it first came out in 2019 (although that isn't actually that long ago!) and haven’t watched it since… but that doesn’t take away from how good it was. Nicholas Britell hasn’t done a lot compared to some composers (his most recent work is Cruella) but if this is anything to go by, we’ll be seeing a lot more from him! Also Timothee Chalamet really strangely suits this haircut... although I do love his flowing, unruly mane a lot more.

NUMBER 13.

The Call - Regina Spektor

The Narnia series just reminds me of my childhood. I have a friend I went to go see it with about 5 times, and we were just as excited about Prince Caspian as we were with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Even if it was a bit of disappointment film wise, it's. the same composer as the first, with the tracks of a very similar, which is good for a series of films like this. But what stood out to me was this one, not one of the scores. The Call. It’s played in the final scenes - I don’t think I’m spoiling it for anyone by saying it’s played when Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are saying their goodbyes to Narnia for a second time, with Peter and Susan leaving forever, remembering Narnia fondly as they had been told they wouldn’t return. It’s soft, and most importantly its in my range… which means I can sing it often and I can sing comfortably (and that is becoming a hard thing these days as my voice has somehow got lower over lockdown!!) so I often revisit this one.

NUMBER 12.

This Is What it Feels Like - Armin van Buren

This is one of those bangers that was around for a year or so, and dropped off the radar, but everyone remembers. It’s so catchy, and I LOVE singing to the tune, drumming along to it with my fingers. I’m fairly certain I listened to this on repeat for a few weeks when I first came across it, I seem to remember getting it stuck on repeat whilst on holiday and the entire family telling me to turn it off!

NUMBER 11.

By the Boab Tree - Ophelia of the Spirits

It’s funny how soundtracks just come back to you randomly. This one, plus Waltzing Matilda, both came back to me when Australia appeared on Disney+! Although the film depicts the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese, along with how the aboriginal children were treated - sent to Mission Island, taken away from their families, and abandoned as the Japanese hit Northern Australia - the film is mainly quite lighthearted, fun and comedic. Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman are hits, Brandon Walters as Nullah is outstanding, and the dynamic fluid story (it doesn’t sit still!) means you really don’t notice its length until you turn it off. This song is mainly in the credits (the score is centred around it) and I remember being one of the only ones to sit through to listen to the whole thing (much to the annoyance of Dad, who was sat outside waiting for me at the time!). It‘s soft, and flowing, and it captures the love between Drover (Jackman) and Mrs Boss (Kidman) perfectly. Love, love, love!

NUMBER 10.

Forbidden Friendship - John Powell

The friendship between a boy who doesn’t fit in and a dragon who is the last of his kind. Forbidden, but fierce, and one of the greatest animated friendships there will ever be. The scene this music follows is beautiful. Hiccup and Toothless are just getting used to each other, with Hiccup oh so slowly making Toothless comfortable with his presence for a few scenes before this. After trying and failing a few times, Hiccup takes himself off and is drawing in the sand when Toothless comes over curiously. Inspired by Hiccup’s drawing of him, Toothless then draws a map in the sand, ending at his feet, which Hiccup has to follow. Stepping on a line, Toothless growls, when he lifts his foot, he softens, so Hiccup soon gets the gist of the game. The song then builds and follows Hiccup as he twists and turns, mapping his way, round and round, twisting and turning, making sure he doesn’t hit the lines as the music continues before, finally, he makes it to Toothless, just as the music softens. Reaching out his hand, he lets Toothless make the final move, and as the song comes to end… hand touches nose. God, I got goosebumps listening to that.

I say again, and I will always say, that the How To Train Your Dragon films were the best animated films I’ve ever seen, and that will obviously include Disney films. The story, the animation, the fact Toothless is THE CUTEST THING EVER and the beautiful ballads of John Powell, this film wins. Literally.

NUMBER 9.

When Can I See You Again - Owl City

I was actually pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Wreck It Ralph. And I was equally surprised to find a certain singer who I hadn’t heard sing in a very long time. Owl City. I love that his songs have no point or meaning, and that the lyrics are so random. Whenever I put Owl City on, Josie groans because she hates that the songs have no point, or that it doesn’t build to something, but I think that’s why I like it. Because it’s different.

NUMBER 8.

Turn to Stone - Ingrid Michaelson

Izzy and Alex’ wedding is both beautiful and sad at the same time. Alex is one of my favourite characters in the Grey's Anatomy universe, and although he's a bit of a douche to start with, he is amazing. He's very closed off, but when he cares about someone the way he cares about Izzy, you can really see it. In this season, Izzy gets a very rare form of cancer, and in this scene, instead of Meredith and Derek getting married, Izzy and Alex do. The song plays as Izzy walks down the aisle, and I love how wide Alex' smile is when he sees her. Makes me cry, and I know that isn't saying much because everything makes me cry these days, but it's beautiful. And in a horrible moment where one of the main characters has had awful news, you get this moment of beauty, and it's exactly the right song for the moment.

NUMBER 7.

Pensacola, Florida (Godzilla Theme) - Junkie XL

What an introduction to a film. It's one of the first clips of music you hear properly in Godzilla vs Kong, and it sure sounds evil. You're led to believe Godzilla (spiky dino on the left) is the bad guy, but somehow... you need to follow that gut to realise he isn't. It's an ominous track, that makes you think about why he's acting out - the mysterious strings in the middle help with that thought process - but as the city is left screaming and running for your lives, you're thinking that maybe he has just gone bad. Junkie XL, again, has created a great theme for the hulking beast, finally a theme deserving of him as I feel like Bear McCreary let him down last film (as much as I love Bear's tracks in Outlander, somehow he's not built for monster movies) and it sets up the movie perfectly... one you know will be filled with a lot of destruction. Poor Earth.

NUMBER 6.

The Gift - Angels & Airwaves

This is the first Angels and Airwaves songs I ever heard, and I heard it in the pilot of Gossip Girl of all places. Dan, Serena and Jenny are walking out of a club, after a heroic rescue of Jenny by the two of them from Chuck, and Dan smiles and offer Serena his hand. I don't actually know why I like Angels and Airwaves so much. I think it might be because they have a style that's similar to Owl City, one where the words don't necessarily have to make sense, but the song hits all the right notes anyway. They don't release that much music these days, but what they do release is still pretty good. I've put one in the playlist before, and I'm sure there will be more. Putting these in playlists helps me remember others, and I feel a spot of reminiscing is about to happen...

NUMBER 5.

Waltzing Matilda - Ophelia of the Spirits

Another one from Australia! Waltzing Matilda is considered the unofficial national anthem of Australia (the country, not the film) and is a kind of bush ballad, Australian folk music. From the voice and the pipe and flutes, backed with the brass, you can hear the folk side of it. Although the normal words aren't used here, you can hear the tune of the chorus loud and clear, bringing a beautiful end to the film as the credits continue to roll.

NUMBER 4.

Romantic Flight - John Powell

The beauty and softness of this song can be heard throughout this, as Hiccup takes Astrid up on Toothless into the sky, to show how amazing dragons truly are. Although they don't know it yet, it strengthens their bond, and I love the little look Toothless gives them, as he knows. The cinematography of this scene is so beautiful, as the two of them float across the sky, and with the soft tones of the choir as well as the strings, it literally gives me goosebumps. They're out of hours - this picture shows them about to go through the clouds, with it transitioning to darkness as the appear out the other side - and it's seriously cute! <3

NUMBER 3.

Hoppipolla - Sigur Ros

I need to find the piano score of this... and I need to learn it, because it's one of the most beautiful piano tracks. I had the version from Penelope before I found this version, but this one is so much better than Wes Templeton's cover, as Sigur Ros (who also sings in the How To Train Your Dragon soundtrack too) is the only person who can make the piano track sound even better. I have no idea what the words are, they're definitely a different language, but its beautiful nonetheless. Again the epicness of piano and strings shines through...

NUMBER 2.

Only the Beginning of the Adventure - Harry Gregson-Williams

I feel so sorry for this film sometimes, because this one was one of the best fantasy, children's book adaptations I've ever seen, and then the second and third ones of these were truly awful. Well, maybe not awful, but just NOTHING compared to this one. It's the first film I saw more than once in the cinema - Charlotte and I went to go see it 5 times - and bearing in mind this is before I had my unlimited card where I go for free, I spent nearly £60 of hard-earned pocket money on those tickets. See... worth it.

Only the Beginning of the Adventure sits at number two (after Fairytale from Shrek) in Harry Gregson-Williams repertoire, and its at about 2.5 minutes that you hear my favourite part of the track. It accompanies Aslan's naming of the Pevensie family as Kings and Queens of Narnia: Lucy the Valiant, Edmund the Just, Susan the Gentle and Peter the Magnificent with 3m13s being when Peter gets his flourish, being the eldest. Again, goosebumps.

NUMBER 1.

Girl (Acoustic) - SYML

This track is at the end of Season 14 of Heartland. After Amy's husband Ty dies tragically at the beginning of the season, the 10 episodes are centred around how each family member deals with the loss, Amy's most of all. Throughout the season, she trains up a wild colt, Shadow, and in this final scene, she says to Ty that she'll jump again, on the course that he built her all those years ago (in season 1). It was probably one of the most powerful seasons of the series, and although there is still plenty of the season where Amy is working with horses, its a much more emotional journey. As such a huge part of the series, Ty wasn't just going to be a character that is suddenly forgotten about, where everyone moves on, and I feel like this is the perfect song to end the series on. As she jumps over each fence, you hear the words 'I want you to see this' in the song, its as if Amy is showing Ty how far she has come. I look forward to being able to watch Season 15 soon.

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And so that FINALLY brings us to the end of music for October. And I'll be honest, there won't be one in November, but with my studies finishing on November 23rd, I can finally dedicate some me time, which will most certainly include some music choices for you all to enjoy in December.

15 tracks, all different, all beautiful in their own way.

Remember the links for things are here for the new one, and here for the old one!