War Machine (2017 soundtrack)
| War Machine (Original Score from the Netflix Original Film) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Film score by | ||||
| Released | May 26, 2017 | |||
| Recorded | 2017 | |||
| Studios | Retreat Recording Studios, Brighton | |||
| Genre | Film score | |||
| Length | 51:54 | |||
| Labels | ||||
| Producers |
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| Nick Cave and Warren Ellis chronology | ||||
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War Machine (Original Score from the Netflix Original Film) is the film score to the 2017 film War Machine directed by David Michôd starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Michael Hall, Anthony Hayes, Topher Grace, Will Poulter, Tilda Swinton, and Ben Kingsley. The original score is composed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, and the album featured their score along with compositions of Hans-Joachim Roedelius and a song performed the chamber music group Rachel's. The album was released through Lakeshore Records and Invada Records on May 26, 2017 to positive reviews from critics.
Background
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis composed the musical score for War Machine.[1][2][3][4] Regarding the working experience, Ellis stated that it was a "geniune pleasure" to curate the score as Michôd was supervising the musical process on the very first day the duo worked one and considered it to be a learning experience, as Michôd provided several inputs and had a great attention to detail. Ellis further added that Michôd wanted to do something different from their usual scores, hence the inclusion of Hans-Joachim Roedelius' musical pieces were his idea and had a specific idea on what he wanted the score to underpin.[5]
The duo further stepped away from using the traditional instruments and did out of their musical experiences. Ellis considered the score to be both light and dark, as well as propulsive and meditative at the same time. The composer also admitted the use of spiritual electronics which captured "both the melancholy and the terrible absurdity of the Afghan war".[6] Cave and Ellis used ambient instrumentation along with analog synthesizers to produce the sounds of the 1970s, and vocal harmonies in some of the cues. Michôd further produced the score with recording and mixing engineer Jake Jackson.[5]
Release
The title track was released as a single on May 22, 2017.[7][8] The album was released digitally on May 26, 2017 through Lakeshore Records and Invada Records, as well as in physical CDs on June 30, and in LPs on August 4.[9][10][11]
Reception
Nick Roseblade of Drowned in Sound rated 8 out of 10 and wrote: "War Machine doesn’t sound like a typical Cave and Ellis score. It feels like they’ve fallen back in love with not only music, but scoring films. Every track feels epic, but understated at the same time. When listening to it at work, on the bus, or at home the music never dominates you 100%, as a John Williams or Alexandre Desplat score can do, instead it sits just behind the scene, or your life, and accompanies it perfectly [...] This is the work of musicians who not only understand how to craft incredible pieces of music, but totally understand the genre they are working with. Whatever happens with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds going forward, let’s hope that Cave and Ellis continue to create exquisite scores like this."[12]
Brendan Telford of The Quietus wrote "The underlying notion behind a Cave-Ellis score is the implicit lyricism evoked within the sounds and spaces they create. While much has been said about Cave’s esoteric linguistics, he has surrounded himself for years with those who speak volumes through the caressing of their beloved instrument. Ellis is a rare beast in that he has taken the violin and given it a voice well beyond what would be deemed possible or even acceptable in his Dirty Three guise. And with War Machine they have created a cyclical journey – one that starts light and familiar, before taking the listener down a river of minimalist self-discovery that is always in twilight, always in purgatory, always without end."[13] Simon Tucker of Louder Than War wrote "War Machine is not only one of Cave and Ellis’ finest scores but one of the best things the duo have ever created in all of their myriad of projects. It is a beautiful, twisted listen that has a real sense of perpetual motion. A sensational score made by two people who are at the top of their game. In time it will rank highly on fans’ and critics “best of” lists when discussing the work of the duo."[14]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ah America" | 1:14 | |
| 2. | "Humble Man" |
| 3:22 |
| 3. | "The Bubble" |
| 3:20 |
| 4. | "The Civilian Executive" |
| 1:58 |
| 5. | "In Liebe Dein" | Hans-Joachim Roedelius | 3:44 |
| 6. | "Badi Basim" |
| 1:24 |
| 7. | "Kamee" | Roedelius | 3:41 |
| 8. | "The Moon Landing" |
| 0:43 |
| 9. | "Our Noise" |
| 0:58 |
| 10. | "Fabelwein" | Roedelius | 5:05 |
| 11. | "Jeanie" |
| 1:28 |
| 12. | "NY Snow Globe" | Rachel's | 2:28 |
| 13. | "Thousands of Parades, All Over America" |
| 5:04 |
| 14. | "Marjah" |
| 3:18 |
| 15. | "Staunen Im Fjord" | Roedelius | 3:36 |
| 16. | "The Hand of Helping" |
| 1:57 |
| 17. | "Be Lovely" |
| 2:55 |
| 18. | "A Page in the History Books" |
| 2:36 |
| 19. | "War Machine" |
| 3:03 |
| Total length: | 51:54 | ||
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes:[15]
- Music composer – Nick Cave, Warren Ellis
- Producer – David Michôd, Jake Jackson, Nick Cave, Warren Ellis
- Piano, vibraphone, synthesizer – Nick Cave
- Violin, clarinet, viola, synthesizer, loops, alto flute – Warren Ellis
- Recording – Jake Jackson, Jon Bailey
- Assistant recording – Chris Blakey
- Mixing – Jake Jackson
- Mastering – Rob Kleiner
- Executive producer – Brian McNelis, Skip Williamson
- Art direction – John Bergin
- A&R – Eric Craig
References
- ↑ Wicks, Amanda (April 26, 2017). "Nick Cave and Warren Ellis Score New Netflix Film War Machine". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Gerardi, Matt (April 27, 2017). "Nick Cave and Warren Ellis will score Netflix's War Machine". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on January 21, 2026. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Rohrbach, Paul (April 27, 2017). "Nick Cave and Warren Ellis Will Score Netflix's War Machine". Paste. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Helman, Peter (April 27, 2017). "Nick Cave & Warren Ellis Score Netflix's 'War Machine': Watch Trailer". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- 1 2 Schweiger, Daniel (August 3, 2017). "Interview with Warren Ellis". Film Music Magazine. Archived from the original on February 15, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Reed, Ryan (May 22, 2017). "Hear Nick Cave, Warren Ellis' Ambient Song for Brad Pitt's 'War Machine'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Yoo, Noah (May 22, 2017). "Listen to Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' New Song for Brad Pitt Netflix Movie War Machine". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 25, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Jones, Damian (May 22, 2017). "Nick Cave and Warren Ellis share track from new Brad Pitt Netflix movie 'War Machine'". NME. Archived from the original on September 21, 2025. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ "War Machine (Original Score from the Netflix Original Film)". Apple Music. May 26, 2017. Archived from the original on March 6, 2026. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ "War Machine". Nick Cave. Archived from the original on March 17, 2026. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ "Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - War Machine OST [CD]". Invada Records. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Roseblade, Nick (May 26, 2017). "Album Review: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis - War Machine". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on May 9, 2026. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Telford, Brendan (August 1, 2017). "Nick Cave & Warren Ellis — War Machine OST". The Quietus. Archived from the original on March 13, 2026. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Tucker, Simon (June 21, 2017). "Nick Cave & Warren Ellis: War Machine OST - soundtrack review". Louder Than War. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Nick Cave; Warren Ellis. War Machine (Original Score from the Netflix Original Film) (Media notes). Lakeshore Records.