Argo: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (album review)
Providing the score for Ben Affleck’s ‘Argo’, the critically acclaimed tale of a CIA plan to remove six diplomats from Iran during a hostage crisis in the 1970s may be a daunting task to some. However, for Alexandre Desplat who has a remarkable pedigree of soundtracks on his resume, including ‘The Queen’ and ‘Girl With A Pearl Earring’, it’s not a problem.
The tense thriller is beautifully balanced out with relaxed Middle Eastern stylings. Nominated for an Academy Award, the soundtrack also boasts the unique talents of Iranian vocalist and composer Sussan Deyhim, whose haunting voice is prevalent throughout.
Some of the tracks do seem a little out of place compared to others on the album, such as ‘The Mission’, which serves to remind you that this is an American tale. While tracks like ‘Held Up By Guards’ convey perfectly the seriousness of the situation without becoming cheesy, something Desplat said he was keen to avoid when scoring this film. Although when hearing final track, ‘Cleared Iranian Airspace’, one has to wonder if there was some compromise made for the ‘happy ending’.
There has been some criticisms that the soundtrack doesn’t contain tracks that were used in the film but these are songs that can be found elsewhere, what you have here is the music written specifically for ‘Argo’ and to add the others in would just jar and confuse. Perhaps some new edition will have all tracks that appear in the film at a later date for those who can’t manage to find them themselves.
This is a stirring soundtrack that is the perfect accompaniment to the hit film.
Aidan Fortune
February 2013
(pub: WaterTower Music. 16 tracks, 55 minutes. MP3/CD: £ 8.99 (UK) $ 8.99 (US). ASIN: B009I9W6II)
check out website: www.watertower-music.com/
