Album Review: Howard Shore - The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug OST

The Hobbit soundtrack is essentially a remix of all your favourites from the original Lord Of The Rings trilogy, almost every track a variation on a theme. So it's not memorable or original, but it is dramatic. Howard Shore creates almost tangible visuals for Mirkwood – dark and haunting, while On The Doorstep has a distinct and hopeful tone with soaring choir parts and dynamic shifts. The long double CD ends with Ed Sheeran's I See Fire – an unlikely but appropriate fit for the credits that begin with timeless a cappella vocals.