Settling the Score: a Movie Score Podcast

Rule number one...never leave a fellow settler behind. We're going uncorked on this one as the bros bring on a special guest and Crashers extraordinaire to help settle their first ever R-rated comedy.

Al's score: 6.8

Ky's score: 8.0

Chuck's score: 7.6

Musical term: Pentatonic scale

Instrumental Instrument: Irish bouzouki

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Ev takes the boys back to the “best year in film”, when Sam Mendes’ directorial debut captured the zeitgeist of late 90s suburban America. It swept the awards circuit then...but how does it hold up 25 years later?

Ev's score: 8.6 / Al's score: 8.5 / Ky's score: 8.6

Musical term: Vertical Time

Instrumental Instrument: Tabla

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The boys set out to make some core memories by diving into Michael Giacchino’s emotional :) score for Inside Out.

Ev's score: 8.3 / Al's score: 8.7 / Ky's score: 8.5

Musical term: Pastiche

Instrumental Instrument: Glass bowls

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We're thinking differently on this one Settlers as Ky changes the game by bringing us our first ever sports film. On the eve of a trip to our hometown ballpark Camden Yards we're taking a listen to Mychael Danna's 2011 hit Moneyball.

Musical term: Ostinato

Instrumental Instrument: Cello

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"Earn this...earn it." On the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the boys and their uncle—former UNSECNAV Tom Modly—pay homage to Spielberg's Second World War epic, and to all who have served and sacrificed.

Ev's score: 9.5 / Al's score: 9.1 / Ky's score: 9.4 / Tom's score: 9.8

Musical term: Rattenuto

Instrumental Instrument: Trumpet

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Check out Tom's podcast here!

00:00 Special Guest Announcement

01:27 Tom's Book and Podcast

04:00 D-Day Anniversary Quiz

05:11 Opening Scene Analysis

07:21 Spielberg and John Williams Collaboration

15:20 Cinematography and Awards

23:22 Exploring Solemnity in the Soundtrack

24:24 The Role of the Choir and Human Voices

26:17 The Emotional Weight of the Score

30:21 Rattenuto and Restraint

34:33 Scoring the Score and Final Thoughts

Come on! The boys dissect modern cinema’s most equilateral love triangle, and the Reznor/Ross techno masterpiece that propels it.

Ev's score: 9.2 / Al's score: 9.1 / Ky's score: 8.9

Musical term: Electropop

Instrumental Instrument: Synthesizer

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00:00 Flashing the Settler Signal

00:47 A Cinematic Experience in Mexico City: Snacks, Sights, and Sounds

01:51 The Musical Journey of Ross and Reznor: From 'Social Network' to 'Challengers'

08:32 Exploring the Heartbeat of 'Challengers': A Techno Score Analysis

20:34 The Emotional Core of 'Challengers': Classical Music and Its Impact on the film

31:45 Final Thoughts and Settling the Score

One. Way. Out. The rebellion is brewing in this one as Ky celebrates May the 4th with the best body of work to come out of the Star Wars universe in the last decade.

Musical term: Diegetic music

Instrumental Instrument: Beskar Bell Basement Pipes

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Without a good rock, a garden is just a place of growing. Without a good score, a show is just a place of mediocrity. Ev leads the boys to the shores of feudal Japan, exploring how the Ross brothers turned traditional Japanese instruments into modern tools of emotional and psychological expression.

"You are not prepared for what is to come." The boys dive deep into the sands of Arrakis, discussing the old and the new in Dune: Part Two. Ky feels the sand on his face, Ev obsesses over unconventional instruments, and Al hits us with his best Loire Cutler impression.

Ev's score: 9.7 / Al's score: 9.7 / Ky's score: 9.4

Musical term: Double Harmonic Major Scale

Instrumental Instrument: Duduk

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00:00 Kicking Off with a Banshee Cry

00:12 Hoverboard Sandworms and TikTok Trends

01:07 Diving Deep into Dune Part Two

02:12 Skipping the Intro Course: Advanced Dune Only

04:22 The Power of Pure Image and Sound

04:54 Drafting the Top Shots of Dune

12:56 The Unique Soundscape of Dune

28:21 Hans Zimmer's quest for love

34:48 Final Thoughts and Scores

Hollywood’s biggest annual awards event is upon us, and the race for Best Original Score is tight! The bros entertain the idea of an STS emcee, give their takes on the nominees, and build a podium of their own. 2023 gave us some strong candidates, but there can only be one…

Ev's pick: Killers of the Flower Moon / Al's pick: Killers of the Flower Moon / Ky's pick: Oppenheimer

If you like what you hear, follow us on Spotify and opt-in to get notified when we drop future episodes. Better yet, get in touch and keep up with our score-settling antics on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠.