#sos 2

[idontknowreallywhy]

Just chucking my rambling about the soundtrack of SOS2 in a separate post rather than buried in the showdown reblogs… mostly because I’m impressed by how many things there are to say even though I don’t feel like I mentioned half of them!!

🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵

Musically (which is my particular obsession, especially as I also listen to the episodes a lot in the car so don’t have the picture to tell the story)… SOS2 though is next level.

It has all the themes, plus the new ones from Calypso/Braman but it shifts and develops them.

We have Four launching to the theme in 5/4! That’s so clever, it really sets me on edge as it makes it clear something is OFF. The scene before when they are discussing Braman adds to this edginess because the quiet tremolo strings in the background just tip it off comfortable.

The search / chase / trap cues are brilliantly executed… the chaos crew themselves could have been written a lot better, but the theme is a very clever and flexible one (much like the mechanic’s was - the Fosters clearly love a baddie) and it’s well incorporated here, especially in how it is blended with the ‘underwater’ soundscape and then with the tension music as the choir backing happens and the pulse increases… your high panic from the upper voices, strings and solo trumpet… the sense of inevitability and hugeness from the lower end of the orchestra… till it all culminates in what is effectively a musical scream… and then the strings give us quiet pain.

Then the silence.

Oh the silence.

There is no musical background as Fuse approaches. It’s just water and rocket noise. Which in such a musically rich episode is jarring, it makes me hold my breath.

Then when he sees Gordon and we hear the start of the string and horn backing for the elegy… I like to think it’s a turning point for Fuse, him realising this is bad, having regrets at the same time the audience are desperately worried for Gordon. But they are brave - they start the mourning song but they stop it! When it cuts back to the Chaos Cruiser and the Hood deserves no music.

It’s only when Fuse asks whether Gordon will be ok that we get the music back and… oh my.

THAT ELEGY.

Look I know I have raved about this before but holy moley it’s beautiful.

But but - notice - where the hood got only engine noise & no music, once the chaos cruiser is gone and it cuts to Thunderbird 2 we have all music no sound effects. I believe it’s the only time in all 3 seasons where the soundscape is entirely bare but for music. The Fosters talked about what a privilege it was to be given sole charge of what the audience hears at that key emotional moment. Thunderbird 2 silent??? The Tracys silent - they communicate only by looks. The music speaks their agony for them. The rockets on Thunderbird 2 fire but there is no sound from them. Virgil says Thunderbird Two is Go but we don’t hear it fly overhead.

The Thunder is gone.

The theme develops as FAB 1 is in shot and the sound effects coming back is another little shock - like you’re waking from a bad dream to find out it’s real.

The Rescuing Gordon cue gives us part of the elegy theme with Gordon’s launch again, back it’s back in a slow 4/4. Because Two is there and Two is safe and stable. BUT… it’s still not quite right - listen to the strings… not the semiquavers in the bass but the single broken notes over the top - slowly rising and then falling - they aren’t on the beat! Every time the note starts just a little sooner than it feels like it’s supposed to. They have a plan, they know what to do, but agh they are also in a rush and there’s a sense of fumbling desperation. So. Flipping. Clever. I didn’t notice it until maybe the 30th time of listening.

The strings climax at the point the pods lock on and we hold our breath… and as Penny cuts Gordon free so does the music - they really play around with the speed here, the new string tune that comes in… with too many notes to fit into the 4/4 pattern it’s like the beat pauses but the melody continues until with a *gasp* she has him and the pulse restarts.

When they get him into Two’s med bay it seems like the music is gonna stop, like it does on the Chaos Cruiser but no. There is a single, quiet, sustained note… the orchestra doesn’t let Gordon go.

I mean I could go on all day… Shadow V Chaos, wonderfully scored too… the fact the Braman’s Sacrifice theme (from when he steered the Calypso into the sea) soars in and combines with Kayo’s theme as she gives up her advantage over the Chaos Cruiser to turn and save him. Lush. The soft family theme at the hospital… aaah.

But one final thing…

The ending.

Because I have listened to this hundreds of times and STILL the goosebumps.

Brains brings up the data - We have the insistent pulse of the familiar theme but then a slow minor key string version of Braman’s sailing sailing song. Then as they start to realise what’s going on that fades and Jeff’s theme starts! Are we going to get it? It’s not totally clear… as Brains is trying to decrypt the hidden message the notes are held but as we see FAB we get the end of the melody! At last! JEFF TRACY! And it all rises and climaxes into the main theme at the end. PERFECT! BRAVO! *leaps from chair and dances*

[macdenlover]

it came to my realization that 99% of my fandom related headaches would be cured if everyone understood this

[greykolla-art]

Yeah I think you’re in the right place, Al.

[prontaentrega]

the vaticans multicultural anime girls are wearing the racism rosary 💀

[butchfalin]

the funniest meltdown ive ever had was in college when i got so overstimulated that i could Not speak, including over text. one of my friends was trying to talk me through it but i was solely using emojis because they were easier than trying to come up with words so he started using primarily emojis as well just to make things feel balanced. this was not the Most effective strategy... until. he tried to ask me "you okay?" but the way he chose to do that was by sending "👉🏼👌🏼❓" and i was so shocked by suddenly being asked if i was dtf that i was like WHAT???? WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?????????? and thus was verbal again

[starridge]

puppet hour was brutal

[batbrainrot]

he's just a little guy

The Boy Wonder (2024) #2 by Juni Ba

[luxwing]

Congrats to the TF2 community for finally getting a cosmetic into the game with the trans pride flag hidden on it. About damn time

[allagashed]

whenever i say “screaming crying throwing up” this is what i mean

[gumy-shark]

made a beautiful google slides infographic in 60 seconds on why u should Fucking Vote

[xamitras]

For many of years I had this tradition of drawing Wirt and the beast once a year to see how much I have improved, then depression hit in 2023 and couldn't continue, but it left so really amazing art in the process

[beetlejuce]

CHAPPELL ROAN winning Best New Artist at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards

[brown-spider]

Hey remember how Noir is an anti-fascist from 1933

[crumb-crumblet-s-crumbington]

bumblebees first day out of sublevel 50

[lostonmyroad]

jessica really said “god forbid women do anything” and doomed an entire people to war by installing her twink son as a false prophet by stealing her cult’s 10,000 year old breeding program propaganda

[hinamie]

to moving forward