Blow-Up: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Soundtrack]

Blow-Up: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Soundtrack]

ASIN: B0000033VF

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The 1997 film Austin Powers did more than create a new sound-byte lexicon for radio personalities and strip-club commercials. It also took nostalgia to a new comic plateau. Almost every element of Mike Myers's composite title character is rooted in some obscure enigma from the annals of swinging-'60s film. Powers's fashion-photography fetish and his vamping sidekick, Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley), for instance, are obvious nods to Blow-Up, the first English film by Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni. Likewise, much of the music on this soundtrack would find campy camaraderie in the music of Austin Powers. The true quality of these performances, then, is a matter of context. Herbie Hancock's original compositions--much more pop-friendly than his previous work--are either supple or dated, depending on your perspective. One thing's for sure, though: the contributions by the Yardbirds (featuring Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page), and Tomorrow (featuring a pre-Yes Steve Howe) sound as scorching today as they did decades ago. --Matt Hanks

Tracks:

Main Title (Blow-Up)
Verushka (Part 1)
Verushka (Part 2)
Butchie's Tune
Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?
Bring Down The Birds (Outtake)
The Naked Camera
Jane's Theme
The Thief
The Kiss
Curiosity
Thomas Studies Photos
The Bed
Stroll On
End Title (Blow-Up)
Am I Glad To See You (Outtake)
Blow-Up (Outtake)

Amazon.com

The 1997 film Austin Powers did more than create a new sound-byte lexicon for radio personalities and strip-club commercials. It also took nostalgia to a new comic plateau. Almost every element of Mike Myers's composite title character is rooted in some obscure enigma from the annals of swinging-'60s film. Powers's fashion-photography fetish and his vamping sidekick, Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley), for instance, are obvious nods to Blow-Up, the first English film by Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni. Likewise, much of the music on this soundtrack would find campy camaraderie in the music of Austin Powers. The true quality of these performances, then, is a matter of context. Herbie Hancock's original compositions--much more pop-friendly than his previous work--are either supple or dated, depending on your perspective. One thing's for sure, though: the contributions by the Yardbirds (featuring Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page), and Tomorrow (featuring a pre-Yes Steve Howe) sound as scorching today as they did decades ago. --Matt Hanks

Customer Reviews:

Terrific indie feel with an unbelieveable lineup!.......2002-06-26

This is one of Herbie's best albums. With an all-star lineup and a terrific independent movie to go along with it, this is one of my favorites. It goes from funky jazz-pop like "Bring Down the Birds" to raw rock and roll from the Yardbirds back to super-chill lounge straight out of that wood-paneled rumpus-room your parents had in the finished basement.

If you're already a jazz buff and you think you have everything, you need this album. Just the personnel on this one should be enough for you. If you're new to jazz, this is a good place to start, too. It's extremely accessible and stays closer to earth than some of Herbie's more popular work from the 70's.

Either way, this is a must-have for any jazz collection, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

I hate to use this word but...it's groovy.......2001-04-27

This is one of the most enjoyable soundtracks I've heard. Many of the songs have a bluesy-jazz feel, with a few cuts going into an either more jazzy or more poppy style. It's great for relaxing, as background music, or to get in a groovy mood. I hate the word groovy (probably Austin Powers' fault), but I guess it's the best word to describe the music on this album. The sound of the recordings is incredibly clear and crisp, especially for a 35 year old recording. Like the two other reviewers, I would have to disagree with the Amazon editor who believes Hancock's compositions are dated and the pop tunes are the highlights; I have a completely opposite opinion - the pop tunes, especially those by Tomorrow, sound much more dated than Hancock's compositions. I have no problems with The Lovin' Spoonful song (credited to its writer John Sebastian) and the Yardbirds song which are both great and fit in well with the rest of the album; it's the two Tomorrow songs that just aren't very good, and don't really fit in with the rest of the album. Luckily, they are at the end of the album, which means you can stop the cd before their songs begin. Don't get this for the Tomorrow songs (which are unavailable elsewhere), but get this for the great music by Hancock, etc. that were actually used in the film.

Swingin.......2000-11-21

Great mod movie, great make-out music, and Hancock's a fab jazz genius, but I just have to take issue with the Amazon editor who had the cheese to mention Austin Powers in the review above. Yea yea yea, Austin Powers borrowed from Blow-Up, and a hell of a lot of other sixties sillies, but please baby, don't even try to compare a parody to the real thing. Blow-up has so much more to offer in the way of fashion photography and bad British teeth. Mod on!

A Must for Acid-Jazz and Film Score Fans.......2000-08-07

The Amazon review does a great disservice to this score by putting the focus on the pop cuts by the Yardbirds and Tommorrow, and I much prefer the original vinyl release that deleted Tommorrow altogether. It is Hancock's sassy, melancholic piano and organ tracks that fuel this CD, and jazz and acid-jazz fans would do just as well to program 'out' the pop cuts for a seamless experience of cool, dark blues. Cuts like "The Bed" and "Thomas Studies Photos" rank high, and the title cut has been heavily sampled by mixmasters already (DeeLite's "Groove is in the Heart" stole the opening bass line). At the risk of sounding like a druggie (which I'm not!), BLOW-UP is the consummate opium CD: dreamy, disjointed in a coherent way if that makes sense, and certainly not confined to its 60s origins. It's neither camp nor kitsch, but a form of organ-based jazz that has finally come around to appreciative ears again. It's almost a must for any music fans who favor the 'Easy Tempo' soundtrack lounge series, and my favorite relic of pre-synthethic Hancock.

Herbie Hancock knows what he's doing.......1998-11-13

For those of you who are fans of old Blue Note and Verve records, the music in this film will really groove for you. Hancock is a great composer, and the music not only fits into the film, but stands on its own tremendously. And the song by the Yardbirds is built around a catchy riff that foreshadows Jimmy Page's later work with Ledd Zeppelin. This is an all-around great set of music.

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music