Taking Woodstock Soundtrack Review

Groovy, Authentic Retro Folk-Rock Score by Danny Elfman

Oct 9, 2009

After his bombastic score for "Terminator Salvation" and his majestic themes for "9", Elfman delivers a completely unexpected score for Ang Lee's "Taking Woodstock."

Despite a long and successful compositional career highlighted by magnificent orchestral fantasy, densely tragic gothic overtures and offbeat, quirky musical mayhem, it must be remembered that Danny Elfman began his musical career as the front-man for his hit band, Oingo Boingo.

With Ang Lee's historical drama Taking Woodstock, however, Elfman finds a chance to return to his rock/pop roots, with an authentic guitar-driven score which successfully resurrects the popular folk and rock styles of the 1960s, raising memories of musical idols from an era now past.

Although hints of his mainstream beginnings have found their way into much of his film music (most recently in 2008's Wanted, for which Elfman wrote and performed the excellent song “The Little Things”), Elfman's base sound for the better part of three decades has been rooted firmly in the orchestral spectrum, with only a few wild tangents from that sphere (Midnight Run, To Die For, and the oddball songs for Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).

In Taking Woodstock, however, Elfman uses an almost entirely mainstream approach to his score. Gone are his typically dense orchestral sounds, for there is no orchestra present (and thus, as a consequence, this is one of the few Elfman albums to not feature the name of Steve Bartek, Elfman's trusted orchestrator).

Limited Instrumental Palette in Danny Elfman's Score

Instead, Elfman relies almost solely upon guitars, both acoustic and electric, for the body of his score, with only a few peripheral instruments appearing now and then: oozing clarinet performances by David Krakauer in “Titles”, “Get the Money” and “Life Goes On.” A slow, slurring cello appears on occasion as well, providing the score with a strangely lazy sense of gravity.

But when Elfman kicks into high gear, the score begins to shine in its innocent, retro authenticity. The easy highlight of the score is the delightful “A Groovy Thing,” which introduces a drum set and has all the necessary elements of a hit, vintage rock song – except that it contains no vocals. The piece is incredibly upbeat, and introduces a delightful theme for guitar which is reprised in a surprisingly affable variation for solo acoustic guitar in “Groovy Thing (Guitar Solo)”. Other old-fashioned mainstream instruments, such as a Hammond organ in “A Happening”, appear on occasion as well.

Summary

But for the most part, Taking Woodstock is a series of short, guitar-centered compositions, featuring mostly folk and light rock sounds. The acoustic pieces are remarkably soothing, and the album as a whole has virtually no cues that break up the hazy, vintage smoothness of Elfman's stylish and inspirational, yet rather understated approach.

The album is fairly short at only a half an hour long, but the length is ideal for the style of music presented. In a discography which continues to amaze in its immense diversity, Taking Woodstock is a highly recommended backward glance at Danny Elfman's musical roots.

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