Perhaps "romantic" classical music has run its course, and the story telling that Beethoven or Berlioz once implied in their complex and detailed symphonic fabrics has now derailed into John Williams or Danny Elfman soundtracks of insipid predictability. So how much worse can it get? Video game soundtracks. Here's one.

This CD is the soundtrack to a game about the legendary wars of Troy. The game didn't cut it, and the company went out of business. Perhaps Gunner Madsen should have cut his losses as well and held back on the CD - without looking at any of the promotional material first I listened to this bland release, thinking: this sounds like a predictable soundtrack... yawn. Madsen is a competent composer, but this is not music to listen to, it's music to accompany detailed game play, and it sounds like it. Face it, game players aren't oohing and ahhing over the music when they wipe out the Trojan forces, and I'd be surprised if many even notice the music over the clashing of swords and shields and the death groans of soldiers. That's how it should be. Madsen has an extensive resume of acapella music and music for stage and dance. He should release music in those listening genres and leave the background music to the background.