Let Them All Talk (soundtrack)

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Let Them All Talk (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the film score for Steven Soderbergh's 2020 movie Let Them All Talk. The music was composed and orchestrated by Thomas Newman, and WaterTower Music released the soundtrack on December 11, 2020. The score runs about 20 minutes. This was Newman’s fourth collaboration with Soderbergh, following Erin Brockovich, The Good German, and Side Effects.

Newman began work after finishing the score for 1917 in London. He chose a 1960s jazz sound to match Soderbergh’s taste for something different and to emphasize the sensual impact of music on image. He brought in keyboardist John Beasley to arrange and perform the score with his Monk’estra band. Beasley also played the B3 organ to evoke 1960s jazz. The core ensemble included guitarist George Doering, flutist Steve Tavaglione, drummer Peter Erskine, bassist Benjamin Shepherd, and percussionist Dan Greco. Newman also used processed samples to create wordless voices inspired by The Swingles.

Soderbergh asked for music that would not be a traditional underscore; instead, cues are short pieces used mainly during transitions. The goal was breezy and outgoing rather than loud or driving. Newman has said that the score supports the drama, adds color and tone, and does not push the story.

Critical responses highlighted its jazzy, retro feel. The Hollywood Reporter praised its teasing, 1960s-style vibe; Movie Wave called it a pleasant, short album that feels like source music; The New Yorker suggested the jazz fits Soderbergh’s storytelling; CNN called it jaunty; Vanity Fair noted its lively energy. Deadline Hollywood also praised the score, and That Shelf highlighted its improvisational charm.

Regarding awards, the score was not longlisted for Best Original Score at the 93rd Academy Awards because only part of the film’s music was original. A later change to the rules lowered the required percentage to 35% for eligibility, effective with the 94th Academy Awards.