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Releases - CD - Justice League: Limited Edition


Original Release Date
: July 26, 2016
Number of Discs: 4
Label: La-La Land Records

Description:
JUSTICE LEAGUE: LIMITED EDITION (4-CD SET)
LLLCD 1393
Music by Lolita Ritmanis, Michael McCuistion & Kristopher Carter
Limited Edition of 3000 units
RETAIL PRICE: $59.98

La-La Land Records, DC and Warner Bros. Animation present the original score to the acclaimed Warner Bros. Television Series JUSTICE LEAGUE. Finally, the soundtrack from one of the most celebrated animated series of the new millennium has arrived, assembled in a deluxe 4-CD set worthy of its titular, legendary superhero team. When JUSTICE LEAGUE ramped up for its 2001 debut, the composing team of Lolita Ritmans, Michael McCuistion and Kristopher Carter (BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, BATMAN BEYOND, SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES) answered the call in super-heroic fashion, creating two full seasons of wondrous music that captured all the series’ action, drama, suspense and fun! Music from more than 20 episodes is featured in this stellar collection, produced by John Takis and mastered by James Nelson. Exclusive, in-depth liner notes by album producer Takis take you behind the show and the score, with comments from the composers, while Dan Goldwasser’s spirited art design springs the packaging into action. This is a limited edition of 3000 units.

Track Listing:
Disc One
1. Main Title (Lolita Ritmanis) 1:02
SECRET ORIGINS, PART I (Michael McCuistion)
2. Teaser/Discover Chamber 1:23
3. Solution for Peace 1:14
4. Telepathic Message 1:35
5. Metropolis Under Attack/Military Intervention 3:20
6. Superman Finds J’onn 1:43
SECRET ORIGINS, PART II (Lolita Ritmanis)
7. Breaking Her Promise 0:50
8. Curtains for Batman 3:16
SECRET ORIGINS, PART III (Kristopher Carter)
9. Uneasy Allies 1:42
10. Batman to the Rescue 5:01
11. Imperium Retreats/The Justice League 2:40
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, PART I (Michael McCuistion)
12. Flash Catches Truck Thieves 4:02
13. Gorilla on the Loose 2:05
14. Flash-Back 1:39
15. Search for Grodd 2:54
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, PART II (Michael McCuistion)
16. Justice League Attempts Escape 2:33
17. Grodd Deceives Everyone 0:42
LEGENDS, PART I (Lolita Ritmanis)
18. Enter the Green Guardsman/Roll Call 2:08
19. When I Was a Kid 0:33
20. The Decoder Rings 2:33
21. Chill Out 1:13
LEGENDS, PART II (Lolita Ritmanis)
22. Battle Scars 1:26
23. Through the Gateway 0:52
24. They Gave Their Lives for Us 0:36
ECLIPSED, PART I (Kristopher Carter)
25. Soldiers Find Gem 3:19
ECLIPSED, PART II (Kristopher Carter)
26. Mophir Jumps Princess/Man vs. Snake 3:30
27. Green Lantern Has Diamond 2:15
28. AFD Hits Sun* 4:04
29. Flash Goes for Gold/Mophir Gets Job 3:45
THE ENEMY BELOW, PART I (Michael McCuistion)
30. Justice League Saves Crew/Offer to Negotiate 2:59
31. Destiny of Atlantis 1:11
32. Batman Saves Aquaman 0:48
THE ENEMY BELOW, PART II (Michael McCuistion)
33. Orm Takes Control/Orm Captures Justice League 3:29
34. The Ultimate Sacrifice 2:03
35. Arctic Battle 2:46
36. Aquaman’s Legacy 0:37
Disc 1 Total Time: 79:06

Disc Two
1. End Credits (extended) (Lolita Ritmanis) 0:49
INJUSTICE FOR ALL, PART I (Lolita Ritmanis)
2. When Money Talks 2:50
3. Test Results 0:56
4. A Cast of Characters 2:56
5. A Party Without Me? 1:53
INJUSTICE FOR ALL, PART II (Lolita Ritmanis)
6. Recap (Injustice for All, Part II) 1:01
7. He’s Still Alive 2:07
8. The Key to Our Victory/Luthor’s Grand Entrance* 2:54
PARADISE LOST, PART I (Kristopher Carter)
9. Returning Home 4:18
10. Diana Fights Statue/Diana Saves Girl 3:29
PARADISE LOST, PART II (Kristopher Carter)
11. Recap (Paradise Lost, Part II) 0:59
12. Journey to Tartarus 1:18
13. Faust Frees Hades 2:34
14. League Fights Hades 3:29
15. Diana Banished 1:17
A KNIGHT OF SHADOWS, PART I (Michael McCuistion)
16. Batman Talks With Jason 1:21
17. Morgaine’s Psychic Spell/The Demon Intervenes 3:44
A KNIGHT OF SHADOWS, PART II (Michael McCuistion)
18. Jason’s Destiny 1:28
METAMORPHOSIS, PART I (Lolita Ritmanis)
19. Stagg Finds Volunteer/Stagg Visits Saph 1:47
METAMORPHOSIS, PART II (Michael McCuistion)
20. Stagg’s Monster 1:17
21. Metamorpho Returns 0:53
TABULA RASA, PART I (Lolita Ritmanis)
22. Almost Like a Brother/Let Me Tell You a Story 1:40
TABULA RASA, PART II (Lolita Ritmanis)
23. Recap (Tabula Rasa, Part II) 1:03
24. You Missed Me 1:35
25. Pivotal Moment 1:40
26. A Real Hero 2:48
THE SAVAGE TIME, PART I (Kristopher Carter)
27. Meet Der Furhrruhhr/Diana Saves Steve*** 3:04
THE SAVAGE TIME, PART II (Lolita Ritmanis)
28. Where’s Green Lantern? 1:55
29. Blackhawks Arrive 2:27
30. Lay Down Our Lives/We’ve Got a War to Fight 2:21
31. A New World Order** 2:25
32. Enjoy the Moment*** 1:07
33. Blackhawk Island/It’s a Trap 1:41
THE SAVAGE TIME, PART III (Michael McCuistion)
34. Justice League Attacks Base 1:19
35. Savage Invasion/Defeat**/**** 7:15
36. Reunited**** 1:30
Disc 2 Total Time: 78:27

Disc Three
TWILIGHT, PART I (Kristopher Carter)
1. Steppenwolf Steps Out/Highfather’s Warning* 2:40
2. Heroes Find Orion* 5:25
TWILIGHT, PART II (Lolita Ritmanis, Kristopher Carter & Michael McCuistion)
3. Highfather’s Lesson (L. Ritmanis) 1:00
4. Darkseid’s Doublecross* (K. Carter) 2:19
5. Search for Superman (L. Ritmanis) 0:26
6. Supes Means Business*/Darkseid Gets Hotfoot* (M. McCuistion) 3:16
WAR WORLD, PART I (Lolita Ritmanis)
7. No Sign of Them/Give Him to Draaga 1:16
WAR WORLD, PART II (Lolita Ritmanis)
8. I’ll Take My Chances 0:44
9. Stuck on Garbage Planet 0:43
10. No One Touches Our Stuff 1:11
ONLY A DREAM, PART I (Michael McCuistion)
11. Parole Denied/Prison Break 4:03
12. Dr. Destiny 2:07
13. Destiny Lullaby 1:14
ONLY A DREAM, PART II (Michael McCuistion)
14. Superman Returns to Smallville 2:13
15. Green Lantern’s Decision 1:44
HEARTS AND MINDS, PART I (Lolita Ritmanis)
16. Alert 1:16
17. I Was Lucky 1:33
18. I Am Radocko 1:03
19. Turn up the Heat 2:31
HEARTS AND MINDS, PART II (Lolita Ritmanis)
20. Ancient Drawings 3:21
21. As a Friend and Equal 0:42
22. Take Out the Flame 1:29
23. Aftermath 1:23
WILD CARDS, PART I (Michael McCuistion)
24. Joker Goes Nationwide 1:17
25. It’s the Joker Show/Royal Flush Gang Revealed 3:13
26. Poor Gifted Children/Green Lantern Saves Hawkgirl 3:25
WILD CARDS, PART II (Michael McCuistion)
27. Baby Ace 1:50
28. A Man and a Woman 1:52
HEREAFTER, PART I (Kristopher Carter)
29. Villains’ Pact/Supes Zapped*/Death of Supes/Live Coverage 4:19
30. Supes’ Funeral 1:32
HEREAFTER, PART II (Kristopher Carter)
31. Supes Begins Journey 1:17
32. Supes Forges Sword/Supes Fights Wolfpack 2:20
33. Supes Meets Savage/Supes Smacks Savage 3:36
34. Supes Snoops 1:09
35. Supes Regains Powers* 3:48
36. Supes Rejoins League*/Savage Redemption 2:23
JUSTICE LEAGUE
37. Main Theme (extended) (Lolita Ritmanis) 2:03
Disc 3 Total Time: 79:05

Disc Four
A BETTER WORLD, PART I (Michael McCuistion)
1. Smallville University Demonstration/Batman Discovers Alternate Universe 3:50
2. Justice Lords Cross Over 2:23
A BETTER WORLD, PART II (Michael McCuistion)
3. Dueling Batmen/Green Lantern Rescues Hawkgirl 2:36
4. League vs. Lords 6:31
THE TERROR BEYOND, PART I (Lolita Ritmanis)
5. Where Are We? 1:34
6. I Must Be Allowed to Concentrate 1:43
THE TERROR BEYOND, PART II (Lolita Ritmanis)
7. Recap (The Terror Beyond, Part II) 1:03
8. The Price Was High 1:50
9. Soul 2:09
MAID OF HONOR, PART I (Kristopher Carter)
10. Parisian Eve 0:27
11. Museum Party Source 1:39
12. Thugs Crash Party 1:23
13. Laboratory Caper* 2:10
14. Audrey Leaps From Tower 1:21
15. Space Station Hijacking 2:10
MAID OF HONOR, PART II (Kristopher Carter)
16. Recap (Maid of Honor, Part II) 1:03
17. Audrey & Diana Catfight 1:00
18. Flash Payback/Audrey Ends on Top 4:06
COMFORT AND JOY (Lolita Ritmanis)
19. Like a Child 1:29
20. Home for the Holidays 1:53
21. Feeling More Festive/The Source 2:31
22. Christmas Eve/Merry Christmas*** 2:43
STARCROSSED, PART I (Lolita Ritmanis)
23. Any Sign of Trouble? 0:40
24. Mortal Enemies 1:08
25. Talak/Spoken For 3:08
26. Surrender or Die 3:11
STARCROSSED, PART II (Kristopher Carter)
27. League on the Run 1:31
28. Hawkgirl Pleads for Earth 2:40
29. Hawkgirl Helps Heroes*** 1:46
STARCROSSED, PART III (Lolita Ritmanis & Michael McCuistion)
30. Mind Reading/The Flame (L. Ritmanis) 1:41
31. Tell Me (L. Ritmanis) 0:39
32. Watchtower Reclaimed (M. McCuistion) 3:28
33. Talak vs. Green Lantern (M. McCuistion) 5:07
34. In My Eyes (L. Ritmanis) 1:59
35. Farewell Hawkgirl (L. Ritmanis) 2:22
JUSTICE LEAGUE
36. End Credits (Lolita Ritmanis) 0:31
Disc 4 Total Time: 78:41
TOTAL SET TIME: 315:19

* INCLUDES THEMATIC MATERIAL BY SHIRLEY WALKER
** INCLUDES THEMATIC MATERIAL BY KRISTOPHER CARTER
*** INCLUDES THEMATIC MATERIAL BY MICHAEL McCUISTION
**** INCLUDES THEMATIC MATERIAL BY LOLITA RITMANIS





Review by Paul Outram:

When La-La Land Records announced the long-awaited second volume of "Batman: The Animated Series" in 2012, no-one could have guessed that it was just a taste of what was to come. That second volume had been out of reach for so long that the idea of having any other DCAU releases to look forward to would have seemed like a pipe dream. Only a day or so after the grand unveiling of that title, however, La-La Land made their intentions clear: not only were we going to see further releases for "Batman: The Animated Series" and its animated films, but Justice League and Justice League Unlimited were also going to get their due. Now, four years on (and 15 years on from JL’s debut on TV!), it’s Justice League’s turn to get a mouth-watering 4-disc soundtrack, bolstered with superb liner notes from John Takis and awesome art design from Dan Goldwasser. In a departure from the style of "Batman: The Animated Series", JL’s scoring was all-synth, but the Dynamic Music Partners (Lolita Ritmanis, Michael McCuistion and Kristopher Carter) utilised the synth masterfully, often creating the impression that they had a live orchestra at their disposal.

The set is a spectacular compilation of many of my favourite musical moments from the series. I jumped ahead to the third disc straight away, knowing that it contained a few treasured scores, and was immediately in awe of the space opera themes of Twilight – especially the grandiose Brainiac theme in 'Darkseid's Doublecross' (a cue written by Kristopher Carter that feels as though it carries more than a touch of Shirley Walker's influence)! You've got to love the sense of scale that the choir brings to that cue, just as it does for 'Steppenwolf Steps Out' and the final moments of 'Darkseid Gets Hotfoot.' I'm a huge fan of the music in Only a Dream as well, so I could scarcely wait to hear the cues for J'onn's interventions in Superman and GL's dreams ('Superman Returns to Smallville' and 'Green Lantern's Decision'). The former contains a sublime reference to the Smallville music from Superman: The Animated Series’ The Last Son of Krypton part 2, while the latter features a wondrous statement of the GL theme from STAS’ In Brightest Day… Needless to say, I love those cues and it's a dream (not sorry at all) come true to finally own them!

The serene closing cue from Lolita Ritmanis's Hearts and Minds ('Aftermath') is another highlight of disc 3, as is the stupendous theme for the Royal Flush Gang in Wild Cards ('Royal Flush Gang Revealed'), which I am ecstatic to have at last! It's one cue that has always had me in the mood to 'rock out' whenever I've watched part 1, and you're really missing out if you haven't heard it yet. A small amount of recycled material from within that same cue has been cut - as a consequence of the discs being packed to the brim with music, no doubt - but I guess there's no room for repetition when you're cherry-picking from an embarrassment of riches! Under the circumstances, I can't really blame La-La Land for the cut they've made here, and it's more than made up for with the inclusion of 'A Man and a Woman' - the unforgettable cue which brings GL and Hawkgirl's romantic tension to a head. This piece was performed live in Krakow just a few months ago, and it's undoubtedly one of JL's most sensational - even breathtaking - cues. To top it all off, the heroic Superman theme from Hereafter frequently recurs at the end of this disc, preceding the profoundly moving 'Savage Redemption' - all of which serves to bring both the aforementioned arc and the disc to a memorable close.

But the other discs are pretty damn good too…

Disc 1 takes us through the Secret Origins arc, spotlighting Michael McCuistion's creepy theme for the Imperium’s ‘White Martian’ race and bombastic music for Superman and Batman's desperate battle with the aliens in Metropolis (‘Metropolis Under Attack’ and ‘Military Intervention’). It also has the glorious 5 minute cue from part 3 when the tide turns and the heroes defeat the invaders ('Batman to the Rescue'). This theme is a joy to hear coming out of those CD speakers - it's uplifting and exciting, plain and simple. Additionally, it dovetails into the theme for the League's formation very nicely, making for a wonderful listening experience.

Secret Origins’ jubilant finale is a tough act to follow, and its successor in the track sequence has the daunting task of sustaining the celebratory mood of those cues. So does the next track manage it…? The answer, of course, is a resounding yes; 'Flash Catches Truck Thieves', from The Brave and the Bold, is more than up to the task! This cue marks the exhilarating debut of McCuistion's Flash theme (which would later play a prominent role in episodes of Justice League Unlimited like Flash and Substance), and there is so much to love about it. It's been about 10 years since I last watched this two-parter, and I had forgotten just how much fun the music was! ‘Justice League Attempts Escape’ and the brief statements of Grodd's theme are quite nice as well. Ritmanis's Legends is noteworthy, too, for the feeling of nostalgia that pervades the score when it's focusing on the members of the Justice Guild ('The Decoder Rings'). I also appreciate disc 1 for its inclusion of a large chunk of the second part of Eclipsed - particularly Flash's race towards the sun ('Flash Goes for Gold') and the eerie Eclipso motif. And there's great drama interspersed with wonder in the cues from The Enemy Below - the euphoria of 'Arctic Battle' (one of several buoyant cues) really underscores the League's might, as they take on the Atlanteans!

The stellar scoring continues on disc 2. Lolita Ritmanis's Injustice For All includes a dash of mystique as the Injustice Gang assembles (‘A Cast of Characters’), not to mention a cheeky theme for the Joker ('A Party Without Me?'), which becomes quite menacing as he subdues Batman for the villains. There's also a very pure statement of Shirley Walker's Batman theme at the end ('Luthor's Grand Entrance'). Kristopher Carter's mythical Paradise Lost score is a welcome addition to this disc too, mainly for the supreme (yet foreboding) air that the Felix Faust theme carries ('Returning Home') and the heartfelt rendition of his brilliant Wonder Woman theme ('Diana Banished').

A Knight of Shadows seems to foreshadow McCuistion's Time's Up! score with its lovely interlude to the imagined setting of a restored Mars, as Morgaine Le Fay tricks J'onn into believing that his wife and children are alive ('Morgaine's Psychic Spell' and 'The Demon Intervenes'). This track revels in the happiness of J'onn having what he wants most - at least until the part where Etrigan arrives and shatters the illusion! There are some other emotionally affecting touches towards the end of this disc too, one of which is J'onn coming to his senses in Tabula Rasa ('A Real Hero') after spending much of the score in turmoil from questioning his faith in humanity. Ritmanis handles his epiphany very well indeed, and the set seizes the chance to build on her triumphant scoring with its showcasing of the Blackhawks’ theme from The Savage Time (‘Blackhawks Arrive’). The Wonder Woman/Steve Trevor love theme is hot on its heels, in 'Enjoy the Moment' and 'Reunited', and the latter deserves a special mention for being one of a handful of cues that made me cry.

For all of that though, I think disc 4 is my favourite of the four discs. Michael McCuistion's A Better World brings home the grandeur of the Justice Lords' power in its opening track ('Smallville University Demonstration'), as well as the lingering feelings of doubt concerning whether their abilities are being used for good. Lord Batman's debate with the other members about whether to cross over to the League's universe (‘Justice Lords Cross Over’) is included here too, and it's a cue that has a very cosmic feel. It's just epic. And speaking of epic, the entire 'League vs. Lords' cue is just so exciting to hear with dialogue and SFX removed. From that moment when the penny drops that 'Luthor' is really J'onn, to Superman raising the American flag and Luthor being interviewed by the press, it just delivers all the thrills and chills. But McCuistion isn't the only composer who really gets to show off on disc 4. What about Lolita Ritmanis's tearjerker theme for Grundy's death in The Terror Beyond ('Soul')? It's understated, gentle and bittersweet, capturing the complexity of Hawkgirl’s dawning respect for faith in a time of tragedy.

Next we have Maid of Honour, which for me at least is Kristopher Carter's most impressive contribution to this set. The opening cues are charismatic and elegant as they set the scene for Wonder Woman's encounters with Bruce Wayne and Princess Audrey in Paris. Diana's defence of the latter ('Thugs Crash Party') offers the chance for an amazing showcase of the Wonder Woman theme. The excitement continues to build with the recap theme before we're treated to the last few minutes of music from part 2 ('Flash Payback' and 'Audrey Ends on Top'), which include a snazzy, pulse-pounding James Bond-esque theme for Savage's meteorite - a huge action track for sure! Then it's on to Comfort and Joy for the divinely beautiful 'Christmas Eve' and 'Merry Christmas' cues (J'onn observing the Christmas celebrations in Smallville and Flash treating Ultra-Humanite to a Christmas present). These cues ought to make listeners very happy - I know they manage it for me, and I think the soft chiming is what achieves this effect, ensuring that they're able to tug at the heartstrings. And finally, Starcrossed... I have wanted the last 10 minutes or so of music from part 3 ('Watchtower Reclaimed', 'Talak vs. Green Lantern', 'In My Eyes' and 'Farewell Hawkgirl') for so long, and it really feels like a big deal to me that's it's finally available. The music is the perfect complement to both the high-octane drama of those scenes and the sadness of a beloved character leaving the team. It's a dynamic finish to the set and the series - but would you really expect any less of the Dynamic Music Partners?

I hope that fans all over the world buy this set and enjoy it immensely. It's hard to believe that these 4 discs cover a range of scores from more than 40 of the series' 52 episodes, and yet it all flows so well! It’s evident that a great deal of care was taken in arranging these series highlights in a sequence that honours the shape and flow of the series whilst distributing the big character theme moments fairly evenly across the set. Not only does La-La Land’s release accomplish all of this, but its almost comprehensive coverage of the entire series also manages to chart a journey: the journey of three composers who were once under the tutelage of the late Shirley Walker and who here can be seen (or rather heard) spreading their wings. It’s a pleasure to follow the progress of that journey with this collection! I would love to get my hands on a second, 2-disc volume of further highlights from the show someday. Secret Society needs to be covered sooner or later! This compilation is great though - it does justice to the League and its 'Trinity' of super-composers (who are indeed worthy of the Bats/Supes/WW comparison) at long last.

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