Slow/Half Speed Orchestra bundle #1 update

   

Added art for the other three tracks in this week's release: "Black Lodge Rumble", "Danger Theme" and "Unease Motif". Looking forward to bundle #2.

New Archive release: Slow/Half Speed Orchestra bundle #1

   

Here's a great companion to last week's release of "Owl Cave". After last week, I was thinking it would be nice to get some more of the darker tracks from the series, and this week's fantastic release from davidlynch.com presents us with six of them!!

I have to say once again how amazing it is to be getting all of this music after so many years. I never dreamt we'd be seeing these released. Anyway, on to the release itself: All of this week's tracks were used in the series at a slowed-down speed, and are presented here at the speed they were heard in the series. This was actually done quite a lot in the series, including times where they used slowed-down versions of tracks that were normally heard at regular speed ("Night Bells", "Audrey's Prayer", "Laura Palmer's Theme", etc.)

The tracks in this bundle however, were only heard in their slowed down versions, giving them a bit more of an otherworldly feeling. First off is "24 Hours". Portions of this track are heard throughout the series. Many times mixed or layered with other elements. Here we get the full 8 min+ version. Most fans will remember it from the beginning and end of episode 16 where Cooper requests 24 hours to solve Laura's murder.

Next is "Unease Motif/The Woods". This track is actually the "clean" version of "Night Life In Twin Peaks" from the original soundtrack (without the additional elements heard there). The version on the original soundtrack used the track and then layered on additional elements to create a new mix. This new released version is just the original track- BUT it is actually reversed (so its a slowed-down and reversed track). Like "24 Hours", portions of this track were used throughout the series. And both the original version AND the reversed version were used.

"Black Lodge Rumble" had me a bit confused at first. I thought it was going to be the track heard in episode 8 when Cooper is laying shot (and many more places in the series) because fans had called that track "Black Lodge Rumble". But it actually turns out to be the track heard in episode 16 when Leland confesses. And also heard in the "Hobgoblins, Dale" scene where Cooper gets the envelope from Earle in episode 22. Hopefully we will get the other track in bundle #2.

"Stair Music/Danger Theme" is one of the more often used pieces of music in the series, showing up many, many times throughout and as early as the Pilot. The release version seems to be missing the end section, instead repeating the opening motif. Perhaps another version with this section will follow. They did actually use the normal speed version of "Danger Theme" in the series once- in episode 29 when Doc Hayward throws Ben into the fireplace wall. Only the slowed down version is included with the bundle. 

"Dark Forces" is a track used many times in the latter half of the series. It was often linked to Windom Earle, and after "Windom Earle's Motif" and "Earle's Flute" became sort of a third theme for him. And speaking of Earle, we finish off the bundle with "Windom Earle's Motif". This is the full version which includes the interlude that was heard in episode 19 when Andy imagines Little Nicky in Devil garb. I believe this portion was only heard in that scene, with the rest of the track being used in all other instances. A portion of "Windom Earle's Motif" can be heard in the "Dark Mood Woods/Red Room" montage track from the second soundtrack.

Like "Owl Cave", many of these track names originated with fans.

Amazing release- with the promise of more to come (bring on bundle #2)! Throw in "Dark Mood Woods" and "Owl Cave" and take a trip to the darker side of Twin Peaks. Check out my artwork for three of the tracks. The rest will be forthcoming.

New Archive release: Owl Cave

This week's welcome release from the Twin Peaks Archive is the atmospheric and mysterious "Owl Cave". Definitely one that fans have been waiting for.

The track made its debut in the second season premiere (episode 8) in the scene with Jerry and Blackie (with some added elements). After that it became linked to the more mysterious and supernatural elements of the series. The Giant returning Cooper's ring (episode 16), Colonel Riley talking about Project Blue Book (episode 19), and many times during the final five episodes, mostly in connection to Owl Cave and the Petroglyph. Often heard mixed with other elements/tracks, we get the full-length clean version here.

One interesting thing is that the name of the track itself most probably came from fans, as they had dubbed this track as "Owl Cave" on the Dugpa forum and elsewhere.

New Archive release: Dr. Jacoby bundle

   

I'm feeling a bit psychic right now because I had spent time earlier this week creating artwork for both of this week's Archive releases- just by pure coincidence! Very weird. "Fellas, coincidence and fate figure largely in our lives."

And the release is: Three Dr. Jacoby-related tracks, all heard at the beginning of episode 7 when Donna and James break into Jacoby's office. First up are the two short hawaiian tracks "South Sea Dreams" & "Hula Hoppin'". "South Sea Dreams" can be heard again (extended by looping it) in episode 10, when Cooper & Truman visit Jacoby's hospital room. (This scene is also notable for the one and only appearance of Jacoby's Hawaiian wife, Eolani.)

Next is the "Piano & Rhodes" version of Laura Palmer's Theme/Love Theme. It's a fantastic version that is actually only heard for about twenty seconds in the entire series. I'm very surprised that it wasn't used more. It's great to have a full version of it. There are a few audio imperfections in the track, but one can't complain.

Anyway, I had fun creating the art this week. Hope you like them. Keep the Archive releases coming!

My updated Archive wish list

In the two months since I posted my last “Archive” wishlist, many tracks on my list have been released. It still seems amazing that these are seeing the light of day! Anyway, I thought I’d post an updated version. Of course, I hope they eventually release all bits of unreleased TP music that they have. But these are the ones I’m looking forward to the most:

New Archive release: Sycamore Trees (Instrumental) from FWWM

   

Under the sycamore trees... When the FWWM soundtrack was released in '92, there was a special treat on it for fans of the series. Even though it wasn't heard in the movie, the soundtrack included the vocal version of "Sycamore Trees" featuring the amazing vocals of Jimmy Scott. The track was showcased in Lynch's mesmerizing series finale, with Scott himself singing the tune onscreen. It was our (and Cooper's) entrance into the Red Room/Lodge of his dream. It became, and remained, the only track released from the second season until 2007(!) when the second soundtrack was released.

The film itself featured a (mostly) instrumental version of the track. At this point (after the other FWWM tracks that have been released on both the second soundtrack and from the TP Archive) this version was probably the biggest remaining part of FWWM's unreleased puzzle. So fans will be happy to see its release from davidlynch.com this week.

One thing listeners will notice is that this is not a "true" instrumental version, as Scott's vocals can be faintly heard throughout the track. This is actually true in the film itself (although with additional sound mixing and sound effects, its less noticeable/audible in the film). I had often wondered if a true instrumental version existed- and the write-up from davidlynch.com accompanying the release (see below) explains that this is due to the way the track was recorded. Basically the musicians and Scott all performed "live", with Scott's vocals being picked up on the mics in the room where the musicians were performing and being recorded.