K-Pax Soundtrack CD

The soundtrack to Iain Softley's K-Pax, the feel-good tale of a man who may or may not be an alien named Prot from the titular planet, features a score composed and conducted by Edward Shearmur. Like the film itself, the score is arty yet non-threatening. Pieces like "Prot Missing," "Grand Central," and "Constellation Lyra" mix orchestral, electronic, new age, and world music elements into a whole that recalls the work of composers like Thomas Newman; the poignant piano theme "Bluebird" and the marimba-driven "July 27th" are especially reminiscent of his American Beauty score. The droning synths and vague twinkling noises on tracks like "Taxi Ride" and "Sarah" capture a spacy, otherworldly feel, but are so smoothly ethereal that they almost evaporate upon listening to them. Certain moments, such as "4th of July" and "New Mexico," give the score some contrast and diversity, but on the whole, K-Pax is so tasteful that it becomes pretty but bland background music. ~ Heather Phares

Edward Shearmur's score for K-Pax appropriately combines orchestral pieces with electronic music, so to match the fanciful tone of a film about a mental patient (played by Kevin Spacey) who claims to be from another planet and his psychiatrist (Jeff Bridges). But a solo piano-like sound, playing slow, introspective single-note melodies, is the primary musical element, the piano backed by haunting synthesized sounds on a cue such as "Good Morning Bess." The result is a soundtrack that works as an ambient new age album much of the time, as well as providing a souvenir to the film. ~ William Ruhlmann

Original score composed by Edward Shearmur.

Recorded at Music Grinder, Hollywood and Sony Pictures Scoring, Culver City, California.

Personnel: Melissa Kaplan (vocals); Lyle Workman (guitar); Chas Smith (percussion); Herwig Maurer, Jeff McIlwain, Bryan Carrigan (programming).

Audio Mixer: Chris Fogel.

Recording information: Music Grinder, Hollywood, CA.

Photographers: Ken Regan; Suzanne Tenner.

Music By:Edward Shearmur