Tony Banks - Soundtracks (1986/2019)

A compilation of the material Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks recorded for two mid-'80s films, Quicksilver and Lorca and the Outlaws, Soundtracks is very similar in instrumentation to Genesis' Invisible Touch. Keyboards and drum machines dominate the album, which, in addition to the instrumental suites, includes three pop songs. "Quicksilver Suite" tends to rely too much on the recurring theme to "Shortcut to Somewhere," but the breathy keyboard theme that opens the piece is quite touching, and Banks has a flair for building interesting layers of synthesizers. On "Redwing Suite"'s opening segment, Banks' keyboards seem to mimic ethnic instruments to nice effect, but the piece could use some more melody without the film to provide any action. The pop songs have little to recommend them. While "Shortcut to Somewhere," with vocals by Fish, is somewhat catchy, "You Call This Victory" and "Lion of Symmetry" are overlong and rather hookless.