RUSH - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2013)

Hans Zimmer is back yet again for another high profile piece of work – this time for Ron Howard’s formula one drama, Rush. Having scored all of Ron Howard's films since The Da Vinci Code, it's no surprise that Hans Zimmer is back in the driver's seat for this one. He's had a prolific year thus far, creating the controversial new sound for the Man of Steel and helming the so-so Disney flop The Lone Ranger, and he'll finish it off with another assured Oscar lock, Steve McQueen's unflinching 12 Years A Slave.

His score for Rush is expectedly high-octane, fast-paced, and even exciting, though avid fans of the composer may find it often a little too familiar. 

The score opens with “1976″, sound effects gradually fading before a subtle piano figure with sampled strings and eventually a synth organ creating a distinctive, colourful sound world which screams that excitement is coming; this leads, surprisingly, into a soulful cello theme. This leads directly into “I Could Show You If You’d Like”, which is where the rock begins – for now fairly laid back, electric guitars and drums rolling forward initially in pretty languorous – and very attractive – style.

Elsewhere, “Loose Cannon” is a more subtly dramatic interlude before the pounding percussion and wailing guitars of “Car Trouble” and then the soulful “Glück”.  ”Nürburgring” ushers in the final act, and it’s another tremendous piece of music, a passage of desperately strained emotions being wrung from the simplest of keyboard patterns introducing the piece before the drums come back, now accompanied by a very simple sampled string and brass figure that again brilliantly captures the tension and danger. 

The album features classic period songs by the likes of Steve Winwood, David Bowie, Mud, Thin Lizzy and Dave Edmunds that really add to the films' setting and perfect backing of Zimmer's score. This is a very solid album which does exactly what it's supposed to do: thrill. Hans Zimmer's score works perfectly and has to be one of his best efforts of the year.

ALBUM RATING:

Recommended Track: (1) 1976

Review by John Li