Year-end Sounds Abound

As 2018 draws to a close, I wanted to highlight a diverse group of wonderful releases sure to please discerning listeners.

Title: Aquaman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (WaterTower Music)
You might like if you enjoy: Hans Zimmer, Rupert Gregson-Williams
Tell me more: With a thoughtful blend of instrumental music courtesy of composers Rupert Gregson-Williams and Joseph Bishara as well as two contemporary songs, Aquaman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is one of the year's best soundtracks. Whether it was because of the artistic power of the story and inspiration of the film's stunning locations, or primary composer Gregson-Williams' connection with the compelling superhero origin tale, the new soundtrack is an intoxicating mix of symphonic-draped romanticism and dynamic electronica that delights across its length. The sweeping "Arthur," propulsive "Kingdom of Atlantis," gorgeous "The Legend of Atlan" and romantic "Reunited" are among the dazzling tracks on the soundtrack penned by Gregson-Williams. Listening to the songs on the disc, Skylar Grey's poignant "Everything I Need" is particularly stirring; the relevant "Ocean To Ocean" from Pitbull and Rhea effectively addresses Arthur Curry's character arc with apt lyrics and weaves a dose of Toto's 1982 classic "Africa" into the sonic moodscape. Information: AquamanMovie.com.

Artist: Tom Brumley and the Buckaroos
Title: Steelin' the Show (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Buck Owens and His Buckaroos, Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen
Tell me more: Pedal steel player Tom Brumley was best known for his role in Buck Owens' '60s band the Buckaroos but his talents come to the fore across the 17-track "Steelin' the Show." Gathering tracks featured from nine classic Owens albums, the firepower featured on the collection will amaze those who have never heard Brumley's steel work (the acclaimed musician passed away at the age of 73 in February 2009). The speedy "Tom Cattin'," graceful "The Neosho Waltz," buoyant "Steel Guitar Rag" and Scottish-flavored "March Of The McGregor" showcase Brumley's virtuoso-meets-artful approach to playing his instrument. In addition to all the instrumental gems, the memorable country-western ballad "Together Again" (featuring Buck Owens and His Buckaroos) is featured on the essential set. The audio CD comes with a wonderful, fully-illustrated 16-page booklet that includes liner notes penned by author-Grammy nominee Scott B. Bomar. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Artist: Michael Simmons, Andy Reed, Cait Brennan, more
Title: White Lace and Promises: The Songs of Paul Williams (Curry Cuts)
You might like if you enjoy: Paul Williams, Cait Brennan, power pop music
Tell me more: Paul Williams is one of modern music's all-time great songwriters and that is displayed in spades via the terrific 23-track White Lace and Promises: The Songs of Paul Williams. Many leaders of the contemporary power pop genre are featured on this title that captures the diversity of Williams' song craft genius. The dreamy "Fill Your Heart" from songstress Andrea Perry, melodic rocker "Special to Me" (a choice song in the 1974 rock flick "Phantom of the Paradise") performed by The New Empire, the baroque pop ballad "Let Me Be The One" interpreted by Michael Simmons and lush "An Old Fashioned Love Song" from Cait Brennan are among the stellar cuts on this affecting tribute. Singer Andy Reed hits "Rainbow Connection" out of the park via a tender and wistful cover of the 1979 classic. Information: amazon.com.

Artist: Popdudes
Title: Maximum Rock Stupidity (Not Lame Media / Crab Apple Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Cheap Trick, Paul McCartney and Wings
Tell me more: An audio collection that comes as a bonus companion to Southern California-based author John M. Borack's new 414-page Shake Some Action 2.0: An Updated Guide to the 200 Greatest Power Pop Albums 1970-2017, the Popdudes' Maximum Rock Stupidity is a great collection featuring mostly-faithful covers of some of the most melodic tunes penned this side of the Beatles' "Abbey Road." The Popdudes (featuring Sparkle*Jets U.K. front man Michael Simmons and the aforementioned Borack) unleash rip roarin' takes on material ranging from a ferocious tear through a mini-medley of Cheap Trick's "Hello There" and "Top of the World" and sweet reading of Paul McCartney and Wings' "With A Little Luck" to a shimmering cover of ABBA's "Waterloo" and equally-rousing turn with the Turtles' 1968 hit "Elenore." One of this writer's favorites on the disc is a introspective version of Men At Work's "Overkill." Other classic songs covered include the Electric Light Orchestra classic "Xanadu," John Fogerty-penned "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" and Walter Egan's enduring 1978 Billboard Hot 100 entry "Magnet and Steel." Information: http://www.goodmusicguy.com/shake-some-action-2-0-book-200-greatest-power-pop-albums/




Robert Kinsler

MUSIC WORTH BUYING - Elvis Costello and Natalie Prass

On the latest episode of MUSIC WORTH BUYING co-hosts TJR and Robert Kinsler discuss Elvis Costello's Look Now and Natalie Prass' The Future And The Past:

(Sadly) We Will Not Get To Play Elvis Costello

On a special episode TJR discusses why tracks from Elvis Costello's latest album "Look Here" can't be included on an episode of MUSIC WORTH BUYING:

William Close with his "Earth Harp."

Elle King will perform at the 2019 NAMM Show in January.

Great news continues to come as the 2019 NAMM Show draws ever closer. Here is a media release as it relates to the high-profile performances coming to Anaheim...

Black Violin, The Yamaha All-Star Concert on the Grand and Elle King Set to Perform at The 2019 NAMM Show   -The Earth Harp, the world’s longest stringed instrument, to perform Sat and Sun at global event-

Black Violin / Photo: Colin Brennan CARLSBAD, Calif. – December 19, 2018 - With just over a month to go until the start of The 2019 NAMM Show, The NAMM Campus is set to come alive with a variety of Bands@NAMM performers, a Guinness World Record™-breaking instrument, and household names who will share their own unique mixes of hip-hop and classical, to blues and rock. On Thursday, The NAMM Foundation Celebration for Music Education will celebrate the advocacy and dedication of NAMM members with a performance from the duo, Black Violin. Composed of classically trained violist and violinist Wil B and Kev Marcus the pair combine their classical training and hip-hop influences with their DJ to create a distinctive multi-genre sound that is often described as “classical boom.” Black Violin has shared stages with top names including Kanye West, Aerosmith and Tom Petty, and has creatively collaborated with the likes of Wu-Tang Clan, Wyclef Jean, and Alicia Keys. The duo composed music for the television series Pitch which debuted on FOX in 2016, in addition to appearances on HBO’s Ballers, The Tonight Show, The Wendy Williams Show, The Kate TV, and The Ellen Show. The group’s most recent record, Stereotypes, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart and #4 on the Billboard R&B Chart.  On Friday, an all-star line-up from Yamaha promises an unforgettable multi-artist extravaganza with the Yamaha All-Star Concert on the Grand 2019 set to crank up the volume to 11. While the artist lineup for this year’s concert remains a secret, Yamaha has built an unmatched reputation for developing and producing the largest and most energetic concert events at past NAMM Shows. Last year’s concert featured star turns by celebrated artists Melissa Etheridge, Sam Moore, Michael McDonald, Butch Walker, Lindsey Stirling, Marc Broussard, and Sheléa. Past concerts have included such artist luminaries as Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, John Legend, Earth, Wind & Fire, U2 founder and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr., and many others. On Saturday evening at the annual Imagine Party, The NAMM Foundation and The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus presented by Other World Computing will welcome singer and songwriter, Elle King. King blends pop, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll into a sound that’s all her own After hearing the all-girl pop-punk band The Donnas when she was nine years old in Ohio, she decided she wanted to be a singer and musician.  By 13, she was playing guitar, and later learned to play the banjo.  After signing to RCA Records, she released The Elle King EP which featured the Mob Wives Chicago theme song “Playing For Keeps.”    In 2015, King released her debut album Love Stuff, featuring the hit single “Ex’s & Oh’s” which reached the top of Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart. She made chart history becoming the second female artist in 18 years to reach #1 at Alternative Radio, and “Ex’s & Oh’s” earned Elle two GRAMMY nominations. She was also featured on Dierks Bentley’s GRAMMY-nominated No. 1 Country Airplay hit “Different For Girls” (she performed it with Bentley at the CMA Awards and took home an award for “Musical Event of the Year”).  Her just-released follow-up album Shake The Spirit features the lead single “Shame,” which became her fourth radio #1 single and led Elle to become the only act in history to have scored number 1 singles on the Adult Pop Songs, Adult Alternative Songs, Alternative Songs, and Country Airplay charts. On Saturday and Sunday, the Arena Plaza will feature the Earth Harp, the world’s longest playable stringed instrument, that will reach from the balcony of the ACC North building to the Plaza. The harp will be played live by its creator William Close, the LA-based inventor who holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest stringed instrument in the world.  Close regularly tours the globe with his instrument, which has been performed at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, a cathedral in Portugal, at Festivals in Portugal, France, Mexico, Canada and more. Close will be on hand to offer educational facts about the cello-like instrument including the science behind it, how it was constructed and how it’s played. Live performances are set throughout the day for the instrument that includes strings extending 1,000 feet in length. Each Grand Plaza act will start at 6 p.m. on Thursday – Saturday and the Earth Harp will perform throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday.  The Grand Plaza and Earth Harp performances are just some of the musical acts performing at The NAMM Show. The Bands@NAMM schedule of performances feature emerging and established acts every hour on the hour on both the NAMM Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage and The NAMM Arena Plaza Stage Presented by Pioneer Pro Audio. View the complete schedule here: https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2019/events/schedule The 2019 NAMM Show is the global gathering of the music, pro audio and event technology industries, held January 24-27 in Anaheim, California. Learn more here: www.namm.org

Pistol Annies' new album 'Interstate Gospel' hailed as one of the best of 2018

With the end of 2018 clearly in sight, some clear favorites are appearing on many "Best Of" lists, including the latest album from the trio comprised of Miranda Lambert (Lone Star Annie), Ashley Monroe (Hippie Annie) and Angaleena Presley (Holler Annie)...

Pistol Annies' latest album, 'Interstate Gospel, is being hailed as one of the best of 2018

Featured on Year-End lists by Rolling Stone, NPR Music, Esquire, Stereogum, EW, Billboard and many more

 

NASHVILLE, TN - Country supertrio PISTOL ANNIES released their third album INTERSTATE GOSPEL last month via RCA Records Nashville. Since its first announcement early this fall, the album has garnered continuous critical acclaim and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart. Listen now on all streaming platforms and purchase the album HERE.

 

Penned by the Pistol Annies, the 14-track album showcases the group’s stunning harmonies, such as the "classic country tearjerker" (Stereogum) "Masterpiece"; "sly take on gender roles" (Variety) "Sugar Daddy"; "saucy, high-spirited" (Rolling Stone) "Stop Drop and Roll One“; "more irreverent than earnest” (NPR) “Interstate Gospel”; and “confession of dead-end desperation" (New York Times) “Best Years of My Life.” Moving from celebratory anthems, classic country storytelling and vibey swagger, the Grammy-nominated trio are back and sounding Annie-er than ever.

 

The Pistol Annies' very first single to go to Country Radio is "Got My Name Changed Back." Fans should listen for it on their local radio stations. The fun-spirited music video for the single is out now. Watch it HERE.

Year-End Praise for Interstate Gospel:

Rolling Stone - 40 Best Country & Americana Albums of 2018
"This supergroup is a true group, part of why the songs on their third set cut so deep."

NPR Music - The 50 Best Albums of 2018
"After their long hiatus, they deserved to be received like a trio of heroines this year."

Esquire - 10 Best Country Albums of 2018
"...the best country record to release in 2018 and one of the finest collections of the decade. It's a celebration of the female experience, scars and all, and a phenomenal ode to the ties that bind us."

Entertainment Weekly - The 20 Best Albums of 2018
“Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley— singular talents alone, fiercely formidable together—are the girlfriends we all need right now. Brimming with rich harmonies, sass, and sorrow, this album feels like the Gospel truth.”

Billboard - Best Albums of 2018
“Lambert, Monroe and Presley have, in a two-year span, each released damn good albums on their own, but the camaraderie on their third full-length together makes a strong case for keeping the band together, till death do them part.”

Stereogum - The 10 Best Country Albums of 2018
“The Pistol Annies are a respite from the memoiristic songwriting Nashville so often demands of its female artists: the supergroup as a creative outlet for three storytellers who understand that there’s strength in numbers.”

Uproxx - The 20 Best Folk And Country Records of 2018
“On their third collection of songs together as a trio, Miranda Lambert, Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe prove that country’s insistence on keeping women down is not based on any logical realities regarding talent or listeners.”

New York Magazine/Vulture - The 15 Best Albums of 2018
"Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley are all country powerhouses in their own right, and when they unite as the Pistol Annies, it’s like iron sharpening iron."

American Songwriter - Top 25 Albums of 2018
"Sweet, sister-like harmony, from badass galpals Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angeleena Presley, who share the Dixie Chicks’ lyrical honesty and playfulness."

The Ringer - The Best Albums of 2018
"Interstate Gospel is raucous and joyful even at its most scathing, with triumphant anthems about divorce (“Got My Name Changed Back”) and crushing ballads about the wonders of parenting. (“I picked a good day for a recreational Percocet,” begins an exhausted, unfathomably raw ode to motherhood called “Best Years of My Life.”)"

AV Club - Best Country Albums of 2018
“Talk about a welcome comeback: Pistol Annies’ refreshingly honest third album, Interstate Gospel, chronicles smart life changes and bad decisions alike, via a deft combination of winking wit and hard-fought wisdom.”

Taste of Country - 10 Best Country Albums of 2018
“It's the album fans wanted and the album Pistol Annies needed. A one-word review? Generous.”

About the PISTOL ANNIES: Combining the talents of acclaimed country forces of Miranda Lambert (Lone Star Annie), Ashley Monroe (Hippie Annie) and Angaleena Presley (Holler Annie), Pistol Annies deliver a high-spirited take on life the way real people live it. Songwriters/vocalists, the Annie collective allows the women the freedom to explore the genre (roots music) beyond their individual careers celebrating friendship, the rough patches and girl power. Having recorded with both the Chieftains and Jewel, their music has also been featured on The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond. They have released two albums, 2011’s Gold-certified Hell on Heels, which produced the Platinum single “Hell On Heels” and 2013’s Annie Up.
 

PistolAnnies.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

MUSIC WORTH BUYING episode: the Jimi Hendrix Experience's 'Electric Ladyland' 50th Anniversary edition

On the latest episode of MUSIC WORTH BUYING, TJR and Robert discuss the recently-released 50th Anniversary deluxe edition of the Jimi Hendrix Experience's Electric Ladyland, including the stunning 5.1 Surround Sound mix....

Last-minute Music Gift Guide

With Christmas less than a week away, here are some terrific music-minded gift ideas including a slew of deluxe editions...

Artist: The Beatles
Title: "The Beatles" White Album / Super Deluxe edition (Capitol Records)
Tell me more: This writer considers The Beatles' 1968 album best known as the "White Album" the greatest rock album of all time, so the release of the six-disc Super Deluxe 50th Anniversary edition earlier this year is likely an essential addition to any music lover's collection. The diverse and intoxicating range of brilliant songs include the eloquent "Blackbird," sweeping "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," blistering "Helter Skelter," poignant "Julia," and ethereal "Long Long Long." In addition, it features Ringo Starr's first solo contribution as both singer and songwriter, the wistful "Don't Pass Me By." The inclusion of the acoustic "Escher" demos is a revelation, showcasing early and sparse takes on many of the "White Album" classics. For more casual lovers of the Fab Four, a three-disc version is also available. Information: TheBeatles.com.

Artist: Elvis Costello & The Imposters
Title: "Look Now" / Deluxe Edition (Concord Records)
Tell me more: One of the greatest albums of 2018, Elvis Costello & The Imposter's highly-anticipated return Look Now is a true masterpiece. The Deluxe Edition of Look Now expands the original dozen-track run with four additional gems including the lovely "Isabelle in Tears," French language "Adieu Paris (L'Envie Des Etoiles)" and tender "Final Mrs. Curtain." If you have not picked up "Look Now" yet, get the Deluxe Edition. Information: ElvisCostello.com.

Artist: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Title: Electric Ladyland - 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Sony Legacy)
Tell me more: Released in early November 2018, the 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of the Jimi Hendrix Experience classic Electric Ladyland is simply amazing. Available as a 3CD/1 Blu-ray or 6LP/1 Blu-ray, the title features a newly remastered version of the original 1968 double album (which was the third and final album released by the Jimi Hendrix Experience), unreleased demos, an unreleased Hollywood Bowl concert recorded on Sept. 14, 1968, and a 5.1 surround sound mix of Electric Ladyland that will thrill any Hendrix fan. The collection also comes with a 48-page book. Information: JimiHendrix.com.

Artist: Bruce Springsteen
Title: Springsteen On Broadway (Columbia)
Tell me more: The audio companion to the acclaimed film currently showing on Netflix, Bruce Springsteen's Springsteen On Broadway features the complete audio recording of the Netflix special. Running the full length of two CDs (or available as a 4 LP vinyl set), Springsteen On Broadway is a mix of intimate performances and spoken stories leading up to the presentation of the songs. The winner of a Tony Award, Academy Award and 20 Grammy Awards, Springsteen brings the rich mix of songcraft and storytelling featured in his autobiography "Born to Run" to his performance captured at the Walter Kerr Theatre featured on Springsteen On Broadway. There is a mix of humor, wit and life's lessons that compel the recording at every turn. Songs include "Growing Up," "My Hometown," "The Promised Land" and "Born to Run." Information: BruceSpringsteen.net.

Artist: The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Title: Merrie Land (Studio 13)
Tell me more: Looking to pick up a really special gift for a modern music lover? The second release from The Good, The Bad & The Queen (featuring Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn and Clash bassist Paul Simonon) is titled Merrie Land and the recently-issued title also happens to be one of the best new albums of 2018. A deluxe edition of Merrie Land comes as a sensational package featuring a 56-page hardback book with the album on audio CD; the book itself features sheet music, lyrics and cool artwork. While the deluxe edition is wonderful casual fans can also pick up the album-only release as a single audio CD disc or digital download. Information: TheGoodTheBadAndTheQueen.com.


Robert Kinsler

TJR and Robert Kinsler discuss Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2019 Inductees

On a newly-posted episode, TJR and Robert Kinsler discuss the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2019:

'Aquaman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack' available now

I'm very much looking forward to seeing "Aquaman" when it is released next week, and will plan to get the soundtrack and review that in a column too...

AQUAMAN: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

NOW AVAILABLE

FEATURES NEW SONGS FROM SKYLAR GREY

AND PITBULL FEAT. RHEA

 

FEATURES ORIGINAL SCORE BY EMMY-NOMINATED COMPOSER RUPERT GREGSON-WILLIAMS

 

(December 14, 2018 - BURBANK, CA) – WaterTower Music is excited to announce today’s release of the soundtrack to Aquaman, the action-packed adventure film from director James Wan that spans the vast, visually breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas. The soundtrack is now available, and the film is in theaters on December 21. Aquaman features an original score by multi-award-winning composer Rupert Gregson-Williams (Wonder Woman, Hotel Rwanda, Hacksaw Ridge), includes a track by composer Joseph Bishara (The Conjuring, Annabelle) and debuts the new songs “Ocean To Ocean” by Pitbull Feat. Rhea, and the end title song “Everything I Need” by Skylar Grey.

 

To bring the film’s themes to life musically, Aquaman director James Wan turned to composer Rupert Gregson-Williams, who says, “Writing the themes for the different characters was awesome. Arthur Curry has such a strong character—he’s a real rock star—so I felt he deserved a big melody. He gets to rock out for certain intense moments too. Orm is Atlantean, and the score I wrote for Atlantis is in big contrast to the score for the surface world, epic and glorious. Black Manta inspired a more industrial, electronic feel. And, of course, there’s romance—two in fact. Atlantis and the entire world James created is truly amazing, giving me such a rich opportunity.” 

 

“James Wan has given me such a rare opportunity and I am so unbelievably grateful,” explains Skylar Grey. “James, score composer Rupert Gregson-Williams, as well as every person behind the scenes on this project has been a dream to work with...a team of extremely respectful and professional people who I’m now honored to call friends. ‘Everything I Need,’ written by myself and my fiancé, Elliott Taylor, was inspired by the forbidden love story that is threaded throughout the movie, and we are very passionate about this song.”

 

“The ocean, the sea and any body of water, to me, is true freedom,” said Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull), who was inspired by the film’s settings and themes, and especially by Aquaman’s struggle between his two worlds—the surface and the sea. “The ocean has always been the border from where my parents came from Cuba and the United States, which gives us freedom.  That’s why I respect water.  Bottom line: water gives us freedom.” 

 

The Aquaman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is now available for streaming and for purchase digitally and on CD.  The track list is as follows:

 

The track list is as follows: “Everything I Need (Film Version)” - Skylar Grey  Arthur  Kingdom Of Atlantis  It Wasn't Meant To Be  Atlantean Soldiers  What Does That Even Mean?  The Legend Of Atlan  Swimming Lessons  The Black Manta  What Could Be Greater Than A King?

Permission To Come Aboard  Suited And Booted  Between Land And Sea  He Commands The Sea  Map In A Bottle  The Ring Of Fire  Reunited  “Everything I Need” - Skylar Grey  “Ocean To Ocean” - Pitbull feat. Rhea  “Trench Engaged (from Kingdom of The Trench)” - Joseph Bishara

 

From Warner Bros. Pictures and director James Wan comes an action-packed adventure that spans the vast, visually breathtaking underwater world of the seven seas, Aquaman, starring Jason Momoa in the title role. The film reveals the origin story of half-surface dweller, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry and takes him on the journey of his lifetime—one that will not only force him to face who he really is, but to discover if he is worthy of who he was born to be…a king.

 

The film also stars Amber Heard; Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe; Patrick Wilson; Dolph Lundgren; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II; and Oscar winner Nicole Kidman.  Also featured are Ludi Lin and Temuera Morrison. Wan directed from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall, story by Geoff Johns & James Wan and Will Beall, based on characters created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger for DC.  The film was produced by Peter Safran and Rob Cowan, with Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Jon Berg, Geoff Johns and Walter Hamada serving as executive producers.

 

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a Peter Safran Production, a James Wan Film, Aquaman.  The film is being released in 3D and 2D and IMAX, and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.  Aquaman is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language. www.aquamanmovie.com

 

About WaterTower Music:

WaterTower Music, the in house music label for Warner Bros., has been releasing recorded music since 2001 and has released over 200 titles, including the film soundtracks and scores to Crazy Rich Asians, Wonder Woman, Interstellar, Game Of Thrones, Westworld, The Hobbit Trilogy, The LEGO® Movie, The Dark Knight Rises, Project X, Rock of Ages, Hairspray, Sex and the City, Elf, The Notebook, and Love and Basketball, among others.  
 

About Rupert Gregson-Williams:

RUPERT GREGSON-WILLIAMS (Composer) was born in England and educated at St. John’s College Choir School, Cambridge. The multi-award-winning composer works from his studios in both London and Los Angeles.
 

A truly versatile composer, Gregson-Williams has written the scores for a wide range of feature films, including the Oscar-winning “Hotel Rwanda,” for which he was awarded the European Film Award for Best Composer; the animated films “Over the Hedge” and Jerry Seinfeld’s “Bee Movie,” receiving an Annie Award nomination for his score for the latter; and the independent film “Love + Hate,” for which he was awarded the Reims International Composer Award.

 

Most recently, Gregson-Williams scored the blockbuster and critically acclaimed “Wonder Woman,” directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, which opened in 2017; the award-winning war drama “Hacksaw Ridge,” starring Andrew Garfield and directed by Mel Gibson, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and opened nationwide in 2016; and the international hit “The Legend of Tarzan,” starring Alexander Skarsgård and Margot Robbie and directed by David Yates.

 

For television, Gregson-Williams wrote the music for TNT’s “The Alienist,” starring Dakota Fanning, Luke Evans and Daniel Bruhl, which premiered in January 2018. He also wrote the score for the original Netflix series “The Crown,” created by Peter Morgan, which premiered on  Netflix in November 2016, with the second season having debuted in December 2017. He received an Emmy nomination in 2017 for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) for his work on the first season of “The Crown.” He has also composed the music for various other TV projects, including the Emmy Award-winning HBO series “Veep,” AMC’s “The Prisoner,” and Sky Vision’s “Agatha Raisin.” He received an Emmy nomination for the 2002 telefilm “Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story,” for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Dramatic Underscore).