"...First The Knees, Then The Names..." - The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by THOMAS NEWMAN (Soundtrack CD)

The CD Soundtrack To 

"The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" 

by THOMAS NEWMAN

"...First The Knees, Then The Names..."

Thomas Newman's knack at taping into our deepest emotions via his gorgeous and emotive movie music stretches back to 1994 to his magisterial work on the mighty "Shawshank Redemption" - a film and soundtrack CD that still sends chills up my spine ("Little Women" from the same year is beloved too by fans).

2015's "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" is a clever meeting of Eastern Rhythms meets Western Moodscapes - both musical cultures jostling alongside each other in lovely compliment. One moment it's all delicate keyboard fills and plucked harp strings - the next you're doing the neck jerk and donning a Sari for the Modern Indian Dance Funk of "Ye Ishq Hai" by Shreya Ghosha. The mixture of contemporary Indian pop with his short instrumental passages of mood and sway (28 tracks, 61:39 minutes) works beautifully. In fact I remember as I watched the film in the snazzy new Empire Cinema in E17 thinking how pretty the interlocking weave was - a properly lovely Soundtrack winner.

US released 2015 on Sony Classical 88875031972 (Barcode 888750319722) - the booklet is an 8-page basic affair with Director John Madden quite rightly waxing lyrical about Newman's contribution to the whole upbeat mood of the film. There are credits, photos of the cast - the usual stuff. The audio is exemplary - beautifully recorded and produced - a genuine pleasure to listen to (UK even saw a Music-On-Vinyl 2LP set for this film). Which brings us back to the music. 

For instance Track 3 is called "Knees Then Names" - it's only shy of two minutes - yet Newman crams in more subtly and prettiness and emotive chords in those 180 seconds than most do in 10-minute passages. The 1:28 minutes of "Nimish & Abhilash" mixes his rhythms with Indian vocalists and the short result is hypnotically brilliant. And of course there's that fabulous multi-cultural feel to the whole shebang.

Another lovely listen from Thomas Newman - buy and enjoy...