Miami Vice - Dark Publications

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Similar Items:

•	Miami Vice (Unrated Director's Edition) [Blu-ray]
•	Miami Vice (1984-89 Television Series)
•	Collateral
•	Revelations
•	Heat: Music from the Motion Picture

Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
Like the film itself, the soundtrack to Miami Vice is no 1980s retro-ride. Sure, it opens with "In the Air Tonight," but it's a cover by nue metal band Nonpoint taken from their 2004 album Recoil. Director Michael Mann's slick revisionist aesthetics are confirmed on two types of tracks. First, there are the dancefloor-friendly ones like "One of These Mornings" (a collaboration between Moby and Patti Labelle) and a house remix of Nina Simone's "Sinnerman" by Felix da Housecat. Then there are the more atmospheric offerings, such as a couple instrumentals by Scottish band Mogwai and the last four tracks, that suggest the kind of steel-blue ambiance Mann is so good at creating (especially John Murphy's "Mercado Nueva" and Klaus Badelt & Mark Batson's "A-500"). Odder is the lack of local flavor: there's only a pair of Latin-flavored tracks, Arranca and Emilio Estefan, for instance. Not to mention that if ever there was a soundtrack that should have included at least one Miami bass song, it's this one. As for those who still associate Miami Vice with pastel colors and the 1980s, they're better off checking out the soundtrack to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City--a video game that's actually more faithful to the spirit of the TV series than the movie that bears its name. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews: Read 34 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Mogwai and Mann finally together. Plus alot of great electro music too. July 25, 2006
117 out of 126 found this review helpful

There was strange thing that happened to me. Way back in 2004 after seeing Collateral, I discovered a band called Mogwai. For two years now I would traverse the empty city streets in the middle of the night listening to Mogwai thinking "Mogwai songs should have been the soundtrack to Collateral." Well, as Vincent in Collateral said, "we're good together, twists of fate, cosmic coincedence."

Now all of a sudden two Mogwai songs will appear in Mann's new flick, Miami Vice. Most of this soundtrack is electronic music, with the two Mogwai tracks and Nonpoint's cover of Phil Collin's "in the air tonight." There is also 4 tracks from the "original score" at the end.

Here is what i think of every track:

1. Nonpoint "in the air tonight" (4:33): I was never into this band, or nu-metal, at all. People may not accept this. But, however, I was surprised by it. It is good, but it gives itself away too quickly. The Phil Collins song was a cresendo that built up in atmosphere before climaxing. Nonpoint's version is a regular verse/chorus/verse/chorus setup. Still is pretty good and could've been alot worse. 3.5/5

2. Moby feat. Patti Labelle "one of these mornings" (4:01): This is a differant version of the same song on Moby's album "18." I've already seen the scene where this song plays and it fits so perfectly. Just the speedboat racing accros the sea. I've alway loved Moby's music because he combines electro beats with classical melody's. Typical Moby here. I can't pick if I like this version or the album version better. Mann used Moby in spectacular fashion in Heat. Moby...over the face of the waters, ironic huh? 4.5/5

3. Mogwai "we're no here" (5:38): I love Mogwai. Cinematic rock music. All post-rock is cinematic. This is the closing track from their 2006 album Mr. Beast. Excelent cd. I recommend it. This is one of their louder songs. If you know Mogwai, they cover alot of differant syles. This and Auto rock show how versatile they can be. 5/5

4. Nina Simone "sinnerman (felix da funky housecat mix)" (4:37): This is a trance/house remix of an old soul song by Nina Somone. The most catchy thing about this song is the piano and strings that are easily as "up front" as the pulsing house beat. If you like Moby's more trace stuff, then you'll like this song. I know I do. 4/5

5. Mogwai "auto rock" (4:19): The opener from their album Mr. Beast. Its strange listening to this song after "we're no here" considering where they are placed on the band's album. This has a piano lead with a deep pulsing bass drum beat with some electronics thrown into the mix (although electronics take the backseat here.) This song has a beautiful building effect. On Mr. Beast it climaxs into the next song. I wonder how Mann will use it. 5/5

6. Manzantia "arranca" (3:52): This is a salsa song. I'm not into it. Sorry. If your into salsa music you'll probably like it. Not me. 1/5

7. India.Arie "ready for love" (4:31): This is a folky/acoustic song. She has a good voice, but the song just doesn't do anything for me. 2/5

8. Goldfrapp "strict machine" (3:53): If there is any song that is a "kickback" to the 80's, then this is it. More of an industrial electronic beat with some heavy synth stuff, I like it. 3.5/5

9. Emilio Estefan "Pennies in my pocket" (3:52): This one is a heavily latin electronic song. Didn't do anything for me. 1/5

10. King Britt "new world in my view" (5:33): King Britt makes all kinds of music, from hip hop to club. But this is a surprise. Although it has Sister Gertude Morgan speaking over it, its mostley an electronic choral, where the voices create a beautiful ambience. Very hypnotic. 4.5/5

11. Blue foundation "sweep" (10:52): The biggest surprise of the album. I will definitly be looking for more of Blue Foundation. This 11 minute song covers everything. It starts off very classical, then before I knew it, a trip-hop beat formed. With the British accent speaking and the beautiful female singing just cried "Bristol," just like Massive Attack. Then they even add in some guitars as it move into the end. Fans of Massive Attack and Moby will like this one. I can see this song being chopped up for several scenes in the movie. 5/5

12. Moby "anthem" (3:28): This is the same exact song from his "everything is wrong" album. Michael Mann must love this album, considering "god moving over the face of the waters" was used so effectively in Heat. This is a great, fast moving trance song. Typical Moby again. 4.5/5

13. Freaky Chakra "blacklight fantasy" (5:11): This song is more of a dub/experimental song. Its good, but not the greatest on the cd. 3/5

14. John Murphy "mecado nuevo" (2:15): Now the "score" section of the album begins. This is a great song. Electronics flow around while some deep drums pound once in a while before guitars chime in. Then more electrinics come in while classical string arrangements are added. You can hear all four of these score songs at the offical Miami Vice movie website as backround music. 5/5

15. John Murphy "who are you" (1:35): Some ambient strings followed by piano. Very relaxing. 4.5/5

16. King Britt Tim Motzer "ramblas" (2:31): Some more beautiful ambience/strings with some spanish influenced guitar played by Tim Motzer. An slow electronic beat comes in at the end. Very moody. 5/5

17. Klaus Badelt & Mark Batson "A-500" (2:36): Very upbeat and driving. All kinds of string arrangements. The beat has a latin feel. Alot of electro drums in this one. 5/5

There its is folks! A very solid album for a Michael Mann film, yet again. If you not into electronic music, then this simply isn't for you. My only complaint would be that a lot of the "score" isn't on this cd. Hopefully a "score" cd with all of John Murphy's and Klaus Badelt's music will come out. But of everything on this cd, I was impressed.

2 out of 5 stars

Excluded Tracks - AudioSlave - Revelations July 31, 2006
50 out of 55 found this review helpful

Movie was nothing special.

But!! There were 2 killer tracks in the movie that are not on the soundtrack. Apparently they are from AudioSlave's upcoming release "Revelations".
The track titles are:
"Shape of Things to Come"
"Wide Awake"

2 out of 5 stars

Nothing memorable, doesn't have the movie's opening song July 28, 2006
18 out of 33 found this review helpful

Considering how much of a perfectionist and realist Michael Mann supposedly is, I was quite surprised in the first 5 minutes of the film when (a) the volume as Numb/Encore immediately hits you doesn't make you jump out of your seat; (b) the DJ in the club does an absolutely awful job of mixing one song to the next (I'm a mobile/party DJ in my spare time).

Now it turns out that the Linkin Park/Jay Z tune, the one ALL OVER the trailers and ads, isn't even ON the soundtrack (of course, those taglines about being afraid of violence and foreboding and badness happening right now didn't make the flick either).

Jan Hammer wasn't asked to provide any music for the movie, but composer Murphy attempts (feebly) to acknowledge the 80's icon's legacy (one piece lifts a couple of chords from "Crockett's Theme").

Mann abandons the success he had in marrying familiar songs to dialog-free vistas in the TV show (and in his movies - remember In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida), instead choosing fairly anonymous/generic (c)rap metal that adds little to the atmosphere of the film. This is summed up less by the inclusion of a bludgeoned cover of the series' most famous accompaniment ("In The Air Tonight") than by the name of the hack band performing it. Was there a POINT to the choice of this music? NON!

3 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable CD overshadowed by the notable omissions January 10, 2007
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I actually like this CD, I like how eclectic it is. It has something for every mood. However, my dissappointment about the omission of particular songs takes away my complete enjoyment. I couldn't believe they left out the signature song Numb by linkin park and Jay-z. That song played in the beginning and every trailer, amping the movie and setting the tone for the whole thing. I got excited every time I heard it, and then they leave it out! What's up with that? And, yeah during the movie I heard Chris Cornell twice and thought cool, never heard those songs can't wait for the soundtrack. Those songs, in addition to all the cool techno-electronica re-mixes, the great salsa song playing when they were in Cuba, and the love song by India Arie is what got me to buy it. The CD did not live up to its' potential for greatness. Had it had all the notable songs it would've been a definate 5 stars.

5 out of 5 stars

The soundtrack to "Miami Vice" is great! July 26, 2006
6 out of 25 found this review helpful

The soundtrack to "Miami Vice" is great! All of the songs on here are great! Michael Mann wisely put Nonpoint's version of "In The Air Tonight" on the soundtrack.

Track Listing
1. In the Air Tonight
2. One of These Mornings
3. We're No Here
4. Sinnerman
5. Auto Rock
6. Arranca
7. Ready for Love
8. Strict Machine
9. Pennies in My Pocket
10. New World in My View
11. Sweep
12. Anthen
13. Blacklight Fantasy
14. Mercado Nuevo
15. Who Are You
16. Rambles
17. A-500

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