Joby Talbot’s quirky and classical soundtrack to Gerald McMorrow's sci-fi thriller Franklyn is a wonderful blend of classically orchestrated scores with a slight twist of malice, as only Talbot can summon up...

I've been a fan of Joby Talbot's music since I first heard the dark and twisted theme tune to The League of Gentlemen. When The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse was released theatrically I wasn't so impressed with the actual film, but I loved the soundtrack.

If I had to compare this work to another composer, I'd say that it most closely resembles the work of Danny Elfman (most notably his score for Edward Scissorhands). This is most obvious in the movie's main theme which is central to tracks 'Gonna Kill a Man'; the middle and very end segments of 'Meanwhile City'; 'The Clerics' and many more of this albums tracks. If anything, this is my one complaint about this album; that Talbot relies so heavily on one central theme, even if it is a beautiful piece of music.

Again, on the Elfman connection, the conclusion to 'How Old Was She?' reminded me to the closing notes to Elfman's score for Batman Returns.

Talbot's soundtrack to Franklyn makes his previous scores look like practice attempts at greatness - with this album he's managed to achieved it and then some.

9

Darren Rea