First things first. I love owning “physical media” when it comes to movies, music, and books.
Believe me, I tried to totally convert to the world of digital-only copies of my favorite media items. It just wasn’t for me. I like having a Blu-ray, CD, or hardcover book when possible.
The closest I ever came to making a full-digital transition was in the area of music. Like many of you, I became enamored with Apple’s iPod back in the early 2000s. I still have an iPod Nano around that I use when I'm out exercising.
Despite the convenience of purchasing music a song at a time from iTunes, I began to miss having a physical CD. Something about it felt transitory.
I was less inclined to purchase albums in full — which meant I wasn't discovering those odd tracks often found near the end of an album, and my music library had become a hodgepodge of “greatest hits."
Movie soundtracks are among my favorite recordings to own. I remember listening to the Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark soundtracks over and over again as a kid. The musical stylings of John Williams helped fans relive the movie — in an era when home video wasn't readily affordable for consumers.
I just picked up the new soundtrack for Star Wars: The Last Jedi at Target. The soundtrack was released on Dec. 15.
Walt Disney Records has done a nice job with the soundtracks for the new “Star Wars” trilogy. (I also own the Star Wars: The Force Awakens soundtrack that was released in 2015.) The sets come to us in handsome cardboard foldout cases — the design and cover art are reminiscent of the original Star Wars vinyl album released many moons ago.
Included inside is a booklet that has a track listing, photographs, concept art, and the album’s credits. This particular version of The Last Jedi soundtrack is a Target exclusive, and includes two linen cards with watercolor artwork. One of the images is of the Millennium Falcon on Ahch-To Island, and the other features AT-M6 walkers on Crait.
The Star Wars: The Last Jedi soundtrack brings back a number of themes heard in previous Star Wars movies. But that isn't cause for concern -- the score Williams composed for The Last Jedi feels less “incidental” than his compositions on The Force Awakens.
Highlights include “Ahch-To Island” (track 2), “Canto Bight” (track 9) and “The Battle of Crait” (track 16).
The theme heard in “Ahch-To Island” was first heard at the very end of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (the “Jedi Steps” track on The Force Awakens soundtrack). The sweeping score has a nautical tone and feels epic in scope.
“Canto Bight” features the music heard in the casino scenes during The Last Jedi. While that sequence in the movie might not be everyone’s cup of tea, the electronic calypso beat harkens back to the “Cantina Band” track in Star Wars: A New Hope.
“The Battle of Crait” is a rousing score that brings full force to the battle scenes in the climactic showdown of The Last Jedi. The orchestral score echoes combat sequences in previous Star Wars films.
Williams doesn’t bring us any new melodies with the gravitas of “The Imperial March,” “Duel of the Fates,” or “Rey’s Theme” (found in previous soundtracks). But it wasn’t necessary in this instance, since much of the soundtrack features cues from previous entries.
What I find inspiring is that John Williams keeps plugging away at 85 — that's rather amazing considering the saga has spanned 40-plus years.
I’ve only listened to the Star Wars: The Last Jedi soundtrack once so far, but look forward to revisiting it in the days ahead.
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