Lakeshore Records release Chris Bacon's score for Bates Motel. The show is a contemporary prequel to the genre-defining film Psycho, which explores Norman Bates's continued downward spiral and the effect it has on the family...

This release is a little confusing, as Varèse Sarabande Records released Bates Motel: Music from the A&E Original Series back in 2014. While it's obviously music from the latest series, this is not indicated anywhere on the cover, nor in the sleeve notes. So, goodness only knows which season it's from.

This time around Chris Bacon appears to be channeling the spirit of Bernard Herrmann throughout this score ('Women Seem To Trust You' being one of the most obvious examples) something that I'm assuming is planned to become more and more prominent as the series progresses. Bacon's music for series one was very different. There he focused on the bond between Norma and Norman rather than foreshadowing the coming horror.

It's pretty much a textbook example of how to write atmospheric horror/suspense music, but it doesn't always make for a comfortable listen. The album contains 26 tracks (1 hour, 11 min, 58 sec).

It's an interesting score, and if you're a Herrmann fan then you'll find much here to enjoy.

7

Darren Rea