Black Rain - 2 CD Limited Edition Set - La La Land Records Review

So after about 23 years, it was La La Land Records who finally released Hans Zimmer's superb score for Ridley Scott's Black Rain.

This is one of Zimmer's finest scores, and one of his earliest efforts, and still considered one of his best.  The sound quality on this release is pristine, and has been very well mastered. Considering the only other sources for the score have been lower quality bootlegs, its fantastic to finally hear all the individual instruments so clearly.

Shirley Walker's orchestrations combined with Zimmer's synth work is pulsating, and laid the groundwork for most of his mid 90s efforts.

While Harold Faltermeyer seemingly left Hollywood at the start of the 90s, it seems Zimmer took over the role as the main guy for synth heavy scores.

This release contains the full complete score unaltered, and also includes additional versions of cues, including the movie version of the title song by Gregg Allman. All in all, this is a great buy and well worth it.

You may remember that this score contains a theme which was eventually reused for Zimmer's Batman Begins. The original version here is still superior, retaining the same strong percussion and urgent theme desired by the movies tokyo visuals and cinematography.

Definitely a great addition to any soundtrack score collection.  La La Land always deliver great quality releases, and seemed to have listened to many fan requests for these classic scores.
 

TRACK LISTING:
DISC 1

1. Sato Pt. 1/One-Way Glass (6:34)
   
2. Osaka/Phony Cops** (1:46)
   
3. You Gonna Be Nice?*/Sato Pt. 2** (5:21)
   
4. Sato Watching/Circling Motorbikes (1:59)
   
5. Sugai's Photo/Sato Pt. 3 (3:58)
   
6. Sato Pt. 4 (2:05)
   
7. Charlie Loses His Head** (8:22)
   
8. Sequins (2:42)
   
9. Masa's Reprimand / Sugai Pt. 1 (5:33)
   
10. The Steel Mill (2:45)
    
11. Steel Mill Chase/Airplane/Escape***(6:18)
    
12. Sugai Pt. 2 (8:50)
    
13. Arrival of Oyabuns/Sato's Arrival/Meeting (7:55)
    
14. Bikes**/Fight**/Nick and Masa** (9:29)
    TOTAL DISC TIME: 74:09
    
    DISC 2
    ORIGINAL EMI ALBUM

1. Livin' on the Edge of the Night -Iggy Pop (3:38)
   
2. The Way You Do the Things You Do -UB 40 (3:15)
   
3. Back to Life (Jam on the Groove Mix) -Soul II Soul (5:07)
   
4. Laserman -Ryuichi Sakamoto(4:48)
   
5. Singing in the Shower -Les Rita Mitsouko and Sparks (4:22)
   
6. I'll Be Holding On -Gregg Allman (5:38)
   BLACK RAIN SUITE
   
7. Sato (4:45)
   
8. Charlie Loses His Head***(7:03)
   
9. Sugai (6:55)
   
10. Nick and Masa***(2:52)
    
    BONUS TRACKS
11. Airplane Muzak (source) -Shirley Walker (2:05)
    
12. Charlie Loses His Head Pt. 1 (alternate percussion) (2:32)
    
13. Charlie Loses His Head Pt. 2
          (alternate with koto and oboe) (2:47)
    
14. Masa's Reprimand***(alternate) (1:49)
    
15. Bikes / Fight (alternate) (3:18)
    
16. Bikes (percussion only) (1:35)
    
17. Charlie Loses His Head (monks wild) (2:12)
    
18. I'll Be Holding On (main title version) -Gregg Allman (2:36)
    TOTAL DISC TIME: 67:48
    TOTAL ALBUM TIME: 141:57
    * not used in film
    ** contains material unused in film
    ***contains instrumental melody of "I'll Be Holding On"

You can get your copy direct from La La Land here:

http://www.lalalandrecords.com/BlackRain.html

Hans Zimmer's Black Rain Score to be released by La La Land Records

Good news for 80s soundtrack score collectors. La La Land Records will be releasing the full expanded score for Hans Zimmer's Black Rain sometime in 2012 or 2013.

Ridley Scott's Japan based cop thriller was an explosive action movie featuring a fantastic oriental based synthesized and heavy percussion score, along with orchestrations by Shirley Walker.

Until now, a bootleg has been the only way to hear this score, so this should be a good quality release.

Those with good ears will also recognise that Zimmer based his Batman theme on one of his Black Rain themes, with the theme virtually identical. Zimmer is not one to waste a great track, and reused it in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.