New Archive Release: James & Evelyn bundle

I've been waiting for this release for a while now. The James and Evelyn story line is certainly one of the least liked among TP fans. Although I've actually never disliked it nearly as much as others. For one, I think many of the scenes are stylishly shot. And also because the great music tracks "Night Bells" and "James & Evelyn" were heavily featured. I've been waiting for the original version of "James & Evelyn" since the archive releases started. And here we finally have it.

James & Evelyn (3:29)

Episode 19: Stormy night at Evelyn’s; James hears Evelyn & Jeffery fighting, talks to Malcolm

Episode 20: James and Evelyn get it on on her car in the driveway, Malcolm watches from afar

Episode 20: Evelyn leaves James sleeping after they’ve made love, kiss Malcolm in hallway

Episode 22: After Malcolm knocks out James, he tells Evelyn (on couch), “you got your gun & you shot James…”

Episode 22: Evelyn shoots Malcolm, Donna cries, Evelyn repeats, “I got my gun…”

When the second soundtrack was released, the montage track (identified only as) "I'm Hurt Bad" actually featured a different, unheard version of "James & Evelyn". That track was made up of:

- Only the first 35 seconds of "I'm Hurt Bad"

- About 15 seconds of the original "James & Evelyn"

- And about 1 minute of (slightly edited) "James & Evelyn (Trail Mix)"

I was pretty disappointed with the track at the time because unlike some of the other soundtrack montages, I didn't feel the montage aspect worked very well with these two tracks. And more importantly, it shortchanged both. I did, however, love this unheard "bass" version of "James & Evelyn" and wished for a full version.

Well I got one of the biggest surprises of the Archive releases this week because that full track has been released. And its an amazing 9+ minute version that goes right into my top ten TP tracks of all time. It really surprises me that it was never used on the show, especially in the James and Evelyn story. Amazing that even at this late date in the Archive releases, such a surprise can pop up.

James & Evelyn (Trail Mix) (9:27)

Unused

Next up we have the piano track "Evelyn's Mourning". Oddly, instead of releasing either of the two unaltered original versions of the track, they made a mix as in episode 22 which ends with part of "Laura Palmer's Theme (Solo Piano)". Not sure why they did it this way. Both unaltered original versions popped up among the tracks that were leaked years ago (in not-great audio quality).

Evelyn’s Mourning (1:47)

Episode 19: James & Evelyn in her car; Jeffery arrives

Episode 22: Evelyn in veil after Jeffery’s death, interviewed by cops (segues into Laura Palmer’s Theme (Solo Piano))

The fourth and final track in this release is also a surprise. The Opera track that is heard in episodes 1 & 22. I had no idea this was actually a Badalamenti track! But apparently it is. I wonder who the vocalist is? Or if it is based on an actual opera track.

La Speranza (1:38)
Episode 1: Major Briggs talks to Bobby at the dinner table, strikes Bobby when he puts a cigarette in mouth
Episode 22: Donna and James meet at Wallies, talk about James' situation with Evelyn, Donna calls Ed

Anyway, thanks again to Dean & the Archive. What a shame it would have been for something like the "Trail Mix" to remain unreleased and unheard. The 3 biggest (and most welcome) surprises of the Archive releases so far (for me) are:
1. Dark Mood Woods (Studio Version)
2. James & Evelyn (Trail Mix)
3. Fire Walk With Me (Saxophone)

New Archive Release: Love Theme (Dark)

This week's new one-track release is the version of the Love Theme that's heard in episode 12, in the memorable scene where Donna tells Harold a story for his "Living Novel". Its an extremely beautiful version of the track, and its surprising that it was only used in one episode of the series.

Love Theme (Dark) (2:28)
Episode 12: At Leland’s hearing, Truman speaks in Leland’s defense 
Episode 12: Donna tells Harold the story of her, Laura, Josh, Rick, & Tim

 I also added an "Unreleased List" above.

New Archive Release: Black Lodge bundle

   

   

Those waiting for the remaining slow speed orchestra tracks will be delighted with this week's new "Black Lodge bundle" release. FWWM fans will find a couple of treats as well.

First up we get an extremely interesting track. Only the first quarter of "The Culmination" was featured in episode 16 in the Leland/Bob/sprinkler scene. And after that only the very first segment of the track was used in episodes more like a sound effect. The last three quarters of the track are heard here for the first time, and feature distorted elements of "Sneaky Audrey" & "Laura Palmer's Theme".  The latter even briefly re-imagined as a waltz. Very interesting.

The Culmination (4:17)
Episode 16: Sprinkler system turns on, handcuffed Leland/Bob smashes head against door, Cooper and gang unlock door and rush in
Episode 16: End of episode- POV shot through woods
Episode 20: Shot of leaky sprinkler
Episode 23: Josie dies
Episode 25: Owl Cave; owl turns to look at camera
Episode 27: Old lady’s hand shakes
Episode 27: Cooper’s hand shakes
Episode 27: Pete’s hand shakes
Episode 27: Bob reaches out from Black Lodge

Next we get the three remaining half speed orchestra tracks found in the Archives.

Dugpas (Half Speed Orchestra 4) (1:29)
Episode 12: Ben (and Cooper) receive ransom instructions from Jean
Episode 20: Briggs’ memories (or lack thereof) of his abduction
Episode 27: The tape of Earle talking about the Dugpas & the Black Lodge
Episode 27: Very briefly when Earle injects Briggs with drug

Bob’s Dance/Back To Missoula (Half Speed Orchestra 6) (1:11)

Episode 14: Bob dances with Maddy

Episode 14: Leland smashes Maddy into picture

Episode 20: Cooper discovers the body of the vagrant at the end of the episode

Episode 21: In the mix at the end of the scene that starts the episode where Cooper and company examine the body of the vagrant (mixed over Windom Earle’s Motif)

Episode 23: Josie turns into drawer pull

The final half speed track was most probably unused. Although it may be buried in a mix somewhere- I'm not 100% certain. It was released from the Archive without a title (just HSO7), but a member of the Dugpa forum christened it "Through The Darkness", so I'm going with that as well.

Through The Darkness (Half Speed Orchestra 7) (1:27)

Unused

The final series track in this release is the stand-alone version of "The Red Room". This track was featured in its entirety as part of the montage track "Dark Mood Woods/The Red Room" on the second soundtrack. The television version runs much longer, but is actually just extended by looping sections of the track several times. The released version is the complete track.

The Red Room (5:34)

Episode 29: Cooper's time in the Red Room/Lodge (looped)

Return to FWWM

   

We round out this week's release with two of the last remaining tracks from FWWM. "Distant Train" heard when Leland sits and cries on his bed. A very cool ambient track- I'm honestly not sure if its an actual sound recording of a train, or a created track. Not sure if having Angelo's name on there makes sense(?)

And finally the stripped-down version of "Laura's Dark Boogie" that accompanies Leland's flashback of Teresa, "You look just like my Laura". I actually prefer this version over the other.

The FWWM soundtrack is mostly complete now. The version of "The Pink Room" heard in the film is slightly different, so we may get a "Film Version"(?) And there is one unreleased slow speed orchestral track that plays before, and then under, "Night Bells", when Laura tells Bobby, "You killed Mike".

Distant Train (1:35)

Laura's Dark Boogie (5:04)