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Superman: The Animated Series - Original Soundtrack from the Warner Bros. Television Series
Street Date: January 28th, 2014
Label: La-La Land Records

DETAILS:

SUPERMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES - 4 CD SET
MUSIC BY KRISTOPHER CARTER, HARVEY R. COHEN, MICHAEL McCUISTION, LOLITA RITMANIS, AND SHIRLEY WALKER
LLLCD 1276
LIMITED EDITION OF 3000 UNITS
RETAIL PRICE: $59.98

PRODUCED BY JOHN TAKIS AND NEIL S. BULK
MASTERED BY MIKE MATESSINO
LINER NOTES BY JOHN TAKIS
ART DIRECTION BY JIM TITUS

Up in the sky - it's a bird, it's a plane - it's Superman: The Animated Series - Original Soundtrack from the Warner Bros. Television Series!

Warner Bros and La-La Land Records are proud to announce the world premiere release to one of the world's finest soundtrack's ever written for an Animated TV series - Superman! In the mid 90's, as a companion piece to the wildly successful Batman: The Animated Series, producers Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett and Paul Dini brought to life another DC Comic's favorite - Superman. Faster than speeding bullet, renowned composer Shirley Walker and her composing family hoped aboard the man of steel's cape and gave a musical identity to Metropolis' favorite boy-scout. This four-CD set includes:

* More than 5 hours of music on 4 CDs.
* 20 full episode scores, including the epic 3-part Batman crossover "World's Finest."
* Includes the Emmy-nominated score to "Little Girl Lost" by Lolita Ritmanis.
* Features Shirley Walker's original, unused ending for the series finale, "Legacy."

Big, bold orchestral scores were one of the highlights of this magnificent animated series. Liner notes by John Takis take the listener inside the great city of Metropolis with exclusive interviews with some of the composers. Art direction by Jim Titus is nothing short of super!

TRACK LISTING:

DISC 1 (78:59)
1 SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES-Main Title (Shirley Walker) 1:07
THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON, PART I (Lolita Ritmanis)
2 Krypton Opening/Monster Attack 2:37
3 Family Theme 1:12
4 Earthquake/Jor-El Appeals* 1:59
5 Brainiac Confrontation* 2:14
6 Jor-El Escapes Arrest/Jor-El Outside 1:52
7 Decision to Send Kal-El 3:01
8 Brainiac Leaves Krypton*/ Kal-El Leaves Krypton*/** 1:43
THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON, PART II (Michael McCuistion)
9 Recap (The Last Son of Krypton, Part II)* 1:07
10 Kal-El Lands on Earth/Couple Find Kal-El 2:09
11 Clark's Abilities/Clark Meets His Parents 3:19
12 Clark's First Flight*** 2:24
13 News Program Source :32
14 Industrial Film Source 1:10
15 Superman Rescues Lois*/ Missile Hits Airliner* 3:13
THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON, PART III (Harvey R. Cohen)
16 Recap (The Last Son of Krypton, Part III)* 1:00
17 Superman Saves Airliner* 2:39
18 Clark's Identity Crisis* :56
19 Lois Abducts Bibbo/Lois Meets John 1:46
20 Clark Recognizes Ship*/Orders to Kill Lois* 2:05
21 Robot Loose in City* 2:08
22 Lois Gets Story* 1:03
MONKEY FUN (Lolita Ritmanis)
23 Family Pet 2:00
24 Titano Lost and Found 2:06
25 Monkey Business/Babysitting With Fleas/Bacteria Attack* 2:07
26 Jimmy Runs Away* 1:01
27 Monkeys on the Loose*/Superman Cages Lions 1:54
28 Titano at the Dock 1:53
29 Titano/Amusement Park* 1:37
30 Superman vs. Titano 1:39
31 Pop Goes the Weasel (Traditional, arr. L. Ritmanis) :37
32 Titano Relocated 1:13
TOOLS OF THE TRADE (Kristopher Carter)
33 Tank Attack* 3:04
34 Meet Kanto/Mannheim Gets Gloves 1:22
35 Train Wreck/Train Robbery 1:31
36 To the Rescue* 1:44
37 Turpin Resigns 1:11
38 Prisoner Turpin/Superman Finds Turpin/Turpin Saves Superman* 3:55
39 Superman Thanks Turpin*/ Planet Apokolips* 1:20
TOOLS OF THE TRADE-Bonus Track (Kristopher Carter)
40 Train Wreck/Train Robbery (Alternate) 1:51
41 SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES-
Video End Credits (Shirley Walker) 2:37
THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON, PART III-Bonus Music-And-Effects Track
42 Superman Destroys Robot* (H. Cohen)/Superman Spurns Lex* (M. McCuistion)/Brainiac Returns* (L. Ritmanis) 3:07

DISC 2 (78:59)
1 THE NEW BATMAN/SUPERMAN ADVENTURES-Main Title (Shirley Walker) 1:05
WORLD'S FINEST, PART I (Michael McCuistion)
2 Closing Time*/Joke in the Box Source*/ Batman Takes Evidence* 1:37
3 Terrorists on Plane* 1:11
4 Lois Talks to Superman/Lois Beats Herself Up :58
5 Joker Abducts Lex 1:20
6 Lex & Joker Make a Deal/Lois Meets Bruce 1:42
7 Joker Undoes Carlini 1:27
8 WayneLex T-7 :52
9 First Dance 1:11
10 Batman Shows Up/Binko's Bad Night*/Batman Bugs Superman* 3:29
WORLD'S FINEST, PART II (Michael McCuistion)
11 Recap (World's Finest, Part II) :38
12 Bruce and Lois Go Out/Joker Crashes Date/Joker's Plan 2:23
13 Batwing Takes Off*/Superman Meets Joker* 1:39
14 Batman Saves Superman* 3:08
15 Batman Makes His Exit :29
16 Harley Cheers Up Joker/Lex Meets With Joker 2:01
17 Batman Pays Lex a Visit/Superman Flies By* 1:14
18 Jet Pac Transportation*/Joker Uses Robot 1:12
WORLD'S FINEST, PART III (Michael McCuistion & Lolita Ritmanis)
19 Recap (World's Finest, Part III) (M. McCuistion) :35
20 Ship in Distress (M. McCuistion) 1:45
21 Batman Drops In/ Batman Unmasked/ Superman Stops Robot (M. McCuistion) 1:30
22 Batman Has to Leave/Lex Sets Up Joker (M. McCuistion) 1:28
23 Arrival at Lab*/Robots Battle Superman*/Batman Gets to Lexwing* (L. Ritmanis) 6:04
24 Lexwing Crashes* (M. McCuistion) 2:22
25 Bruce Returns to Gotham* (M. McCuistion) 1:08
MXYZPIXILATED (Harvey R. Cohen)
26 Stopping Traffic/Reading the Comics/The Statue Moves 2:43
27 Chickens/Setting the Rules 3:23
28 A Close Shave*/Proofreading/Apartment Source 3:52
29 Building Battle Suit 1:54
30 Clark's Calendar/Office Menagerie/Aerial Chase* 4:50
31 Why Am I Eating This? :56
FATHER'S DAY (Shirley Walker)
32 Scream Machine Lands/Superman vs. Machine 3:56
33 Desaad's Tricky Plan 1:26
34 Kalibak Comes to Earth/Kalibak Trashes Minerva 1:56
35 Kalibak Ambushes Superman :48
36 Superman vs. Kalibak/Fight on Train Track 2:04
37 Battle Continues/Power Struggle 3:25
38 Darkseid Beams Superman 2:21
FATHER'S DAY-Bonus Track (Shirley Walker)
39 Restaurant Source 1:07
40 THE NEW BATMAN/SUPERMAN ADVENTURES-End Credits (Shirley Walker) :35

DISC 3 (78:36)
1 SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES- Twenty-Second Promo (Shirley Walker) :26
IN BRIGHTEST DAY… (Michael McCuistion)
2 Kyle Catches Thief :58
3 Abin Makes Ring Choose/Ring Chooses Kyle* 3:27
4 Kyle Is Green Lantern :32
5 Superman Finds Abin/Sinestro Wants the Ring 2:22
6 Superman Meets Guardian :44
7 Kyle Saves Little Girl/Fight Continues 3:02
8 Superman Helps Council/Fight for Power/Kyle Wins Battle 4:05
9 Kyle's Their Man 1:16
A LITTLE PIECE OF HOME (Kristopher Carter)
10 Break-In at the Museum* 2:14
11 Lex Sees Superman Weak*/Waiting for a Reaction :51
12 Lois Gets a Phone Call/Steal Treasury Plates*/No Deal with Lex* 5:31
13 Lois Visits S.T.A.R. Labs/Superman vs. Dinosaur*/Superman Throws Rock* 4:26
LIVEWIRE (Harvey R. Cohen)
14 Wake-Up Source 1:30
15 Construction Crane/Prevents Crane Accident* 2:42
16 Centennial Park Source 1:15
17 Leslie Becomes Livewire* 1:37
18 Livewire Checks Out :59
19 Metamorphosis Complete 1:07
20 She Turns Off the Light/Tower of Power Is Back 1:31
21 Superman Averts Planes* :59
22 Livewire Gets Recharged*/Caution Sign 3:41
APOKOLIPS…NOW!, PART I (Kristopher Carter)
23 Maggie Brings Cash :51
24 Hovercraft Steals Truck/Superman Fights Craft/Superman & Broken Glass 2:56
25 Darkseid Arrives*/Orion Arrives 2:10
26 New Genesis & Apokolips* 2:55
27 Air Base Battle/Orion Zaps Hovercraft/Orion Wins at Air Base* 3:20
28 Mannheim at Power Plant :33
29 Orion Goes Back 1:24
30 Power Plant Explodes*/Superman Sees Explosion 1:20
APOKOLIPS…NOW!, PART II (Kristopher Carter)
31 Recap (Apokolips…Now!, Part II) 1:00
32 Hamilton Has Bad News 1:06
33 Meet Steppenwolf :26
34 Steppenwolf Arrives*/Missiles Bring Down Superman 2:11
35 Demons Take Over City/Attack of the Demons* 2:01
36 Superman Puts Out Fire* 1:44
37 Darkseid Appears* 1:00
38 Dan Fights Demons* 1:39
39 Apokoliptic War Machine/Darkseid Takes Control* 1:14
40 Orion to the Rescue*/Dan's Funeral 4:42
41 THE NEW BATMAN/SUPERMAN ADVENTURES-Twenty-Second Promo :26 (Shirley Walker)

DISC 4 (79:00)
1 SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES - Ten-Second Promo (Shirley Walker) :16
LITTLE GIRL LOST, PART I (Lolita Ritmanis)
2 Journey Through Space 2:43
3 Superman Enters Chamber/Kala's Story/Superman Finds Kara 3:02
4 Kara Flies 1:17
5 Intergang Interest/Intergang Arrives :28
6 Gang Fights Superman* 2:38
7 Granny Knows Best/Kara Joins Jimmy :48
8 Following Gang Into Building :45
9 Granny Takes Control**** 2:52
LITTLE GIRL LOST, PART II (Lolita Ritmanis)
10 Recap (Little Girl Lost, Part II) :53 11 Surrounded 1:53
12 Superman Is Captured*/Kara Leaves for Apokolips 3:23
13 Kara Arrives on Apokolips**** 1:18
14 Kara Escapes Parademons**** 2:00
15 Superman Kneels*/Darkseid's Prediction/Get Back Home* 3:31
16 Stop Comet*/Superman Catches 2:50
17 Supergirl's OK 1:07
FEEDING TIME (Michael McCuistion)
18 Toxic Waste* 2:28
19 Rudy Becomes Toxic/Goo on Superman's Finger* 1:24
20 Parasite Saps Police* 1:16
21 Parasite Visits LeBeau*/Parasite Saps Superman's Energy* 2:23
22 Parasite Can't Rob Bank :32
23 Parasite Attacks Clark/His New Meal Plan* :49
24 Jimmy Gets Idea 2:19
25 Superman Saves Jimmy/Saved by a Bug* 2:25
LEGACY, PART I (Shirley Walker)
26 Planet Attack 2:20
27 Leader Revealed 1:27
28 Kal-El's Dream 1:20
29 Brainwashed 2:01
30 Supergirl Chases Robot 2:01
31 Lex Knows :34
32 Ready for Battle :49
33 Kal-El Attacks Earth :57
34 Lex Kills Kal-El 3:53
LEGACY, PART II (Shirley Walker)
35 Recap (Legacy, Part II) :28
36 Taken Prisoner 1:37
37 Superman Tries to Escape 2:09
38 Lois Springs Superman*** 3:47
39 Lois Comforts Superman*** 2:08
40 Return to Apokolips 1:20
41 Superman vs. Furies 1:01
42 Superman vs. Darkseid 2:16
43 Darkseid Prevails 2:07
44 Lois and Superman :46
45 SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES-End Credits (Shirley Walker) :35
Total 4CD Time: 5:15:34

* Includes thematic material by Shirley Walker
**Includes thematic material by Michael McCuistion
***Includes thematic material by Lolita Ritmanis
****Includes thematic material by Kristopher Carter


Production Art

Review by James Harvey
At long, long last, Superman: The Animated Series gets a little more love and, thanks to La La-Land Records, gets an excellent four-disc set collecting a host of excellent scores from the fantastic animated series. Showing clear progression from their work on Batman: The Animated Series, Shirley Walker and her crew create a more majestic, richer sound for the #1 hero around. Matching the epic scope of the beloved Man of Steel and his world, the music created here flies high and reaches heights only hinted of in Batman: The Animated Series.

What's probably most surprising for me about this collection is how, over all four discs and the twenty-odd episodes included, how remarkably consistent it all is. There seems to be this natural flow from episode to episode. It builds up from the first score, for the three-part series opener "Last Son of Krypton," and just builds up until the epic multi-part Darkseid finale episodes. The scores keeps steady even with some thematic breaks here and there. The collection wisely gives us a little break during the three major Darkseid-themed episodes - by throwing in "Feeding Time," for example. But what's more amazing is how seamless things are even when things get really wonky. Look at "Monkey Fun," which is full of King Kong-esque big notes and circus-type tunes, but it doesn't sound an inch out of place alongside the darkness of "Legacy," for example. Hell, look at "Mxyzpixilated" and, given how insane that episode is, the score manages to capture all of that without letting it get away from itself which, honestly, is amazing.

Personally, my favorite score in the entire collection belongs to the three-part "World's Finest" arc. The way it revives some of those classic Batman: The Animated Series themes and really takes them to the next level, bridging the gap between that series and this one, is actually quite inspiring. The composers here really, really show their stuff as they move from Superman's more heroic theme to Batman's darker tone without skipping a beat, bringing them together without making it feel forced or awkward. That modified theme they came up with for the Joker is incredibly haunting and a little bit unsettling.

And who doesn't love that church bell at the end of "World's Finest, Part 1"?

Now, a few episodes are left out that, to me, seemed like no-brainers to include, such as "Speed Demons" and "The Late Mr. Kent." Ideally we'll get those in a future volume, but it's still puzzling. But I get why they were. This collection really emphasizes the variety that Superman: The Animated Series offered. Be it epic, bizarre, or intimate - this collection hits all of those notes, even at a cost. That being said, this collection is still a must-own.

Shirley Walker, Lolita Ritmanis, Michael McCuiston, Harvey Cohen, and Kristopher Carter create real gems here, work that not only equals their contributions to Batman: The Animated Series, but occasionally surpasses it. I don't think DC Animated scores get mroe epic than what we hear in "Apokolips...Now!" for example. Just listen to the selection which covers the origin of Darkseid and his feud with the New Gods. It's rivieting stuff and, quite frankly, far beyond anything that's done for television. Live-action prime-time shows have nothing on this. Hell, most movies can't even scratch the surface with ten times the budget.

All of this stellar music is wrapped up in a fantastic package from La-La Land Records. The label gives this show the attention it sorely deserves, creating a four-disc package that's well put-together and fantastic to thumb through. The liner notes by John Takis make for a great read and compliment the music nicely. It's obvious that a lot of work and care went into the creation of this set, and you see every bit of it here in this thorough collection. And nothing encapsulates that more than the last track on the second CD. I guarantee you'll get a little bit misty when you get a small, small taste at the love, hard work, and appreciation that went into creating scores for each and every one of these episodes. It's fantastic to see Superman: The Animated Series getting some much-deserved appreciation for such an under-rated animated series and, arguably, one of the best cartoons ever made (and the beautiful music here is a testament to that). Must-Own.


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