James Nguyen’s Birdemic: Shock and Terror has been hailed as one of the most entertaining indie films ever made… albeit perhaps not for reasons the filmmaker had in mind. When I was presented with opportunity to write some music for the sequel, how could I say no?

This drum-and-guitar-driven cue accompanies the film’s perhaps tragic, perhaps confusing, but definitely avian finale.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	The Birds Depart (Again)

This week’s selection is victory music from the video game Empire Earth 2. Said strategy game gives you the ability to play as one of several nationalities; this particular passage plays upon completion of the Korean campaign. While the other nations’ victory music cues are more martial and brassy, I thought that the “land of the morning calm” deserved something more lyrical and serene.

As with most of the music in that game, performance credit goes to the Budapest Film Orchestra.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Land of the Morning Calm

One instrument that doesn’t get enough credit is viola, which despite having a lovely distinct* tone is typically buried in the inner voices of an orchestral texture. Sound aside, violists are so grateful for the limelight than writing for them is unusually gratifying. I remember one session where I’d written a solo for the principal viola, and between takes hearing a lone voice shout, “Thank you!”

In this week’s moody suspense cue, I gave first foreground melody to the violas and put the violins on support duty with a high keening pedal. The flavor of the tune is a little more subtle and mysterious than if I’d assigned it to violins or celli.

* (And to my imagination, kind of dark orange.)

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	The Audit

This week’s music selection is an elegiac passage for strings, flute, and harp. Get the hanky.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	A Heartfelt Speech

This week’s music selection is some 40s-esque big band jazz, originally written for a poker video game. We recorded with a dynamite horn and rhythm section, including some longtime musical collaborators.

The march of music technology has frequently left the studio drummer by the wayside, and I’m just as guilty as the next composer of laying down fake drum tracks via keyboard in the name of a project’s budget. Recordings like these remind me that there is no substitute for the musicianship of a real drummer!

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	Poker Night