The soundtrack was released by Walt Disney Records on November 10, 2010, followed by a vinyl edition that was released on March 21, 2014.[5] Apart from being critically acclaimed, the soundtrack received several awards and nominations, including the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media for the track "I See the Light". Menken and Slater wrote three new songs for the series, apart from reusing the original tracks for the stage adaptation Tangled: The Musical.[6]
The soundtrack (particularly Menken's musical score) in general was technically praised, however the songs mostly received some mixed reactions for being quite derivative to most of Menken's previous works (particularly the 1990s renaissance ones). Bill Graham from Collider praised them for their variations to the tempo and tone, memorable lyrics, and "blending old with new," However, he also stated that "the film’s constant mixture of tones can feel a bit off-putting for some."[8] Roth Cornet from Screen Rant was positive towards them, saying that "Alan Menken’s music is as catchy, uplifting and effecting as one would expect."[9] Scott of The New York Times positively reviewed the music, saying that it "takes you back to a charmed world of swoony longing and sprightly mischief," with a slick and efficient atmosphere and grace notes of self-conscious classicism.[10] Corliss from Time was also positive to the songs, noting that though "don't sound on first hearing like top-drawer Menken," the songs still "smoothly fill their functions." He described the opener, "When Will My Life Begin?," as the "heroine's 'I wanna' song," a Disney tradition that stretches back to Snow White's "Some Day My Prince Will Come." "I See the Light" was described as "a generically tuneful love ballad, which is sure to be nominated for a Best Song Oscar."[11]
James Berardinelli, on the other hand, negatively commented the songs as "neither catchy nor memorable."[12] Tim Robey from The Daily Telegraph gave a negative review, saying that they were only "OK—there’s nothing you want to whistle on the way home."[13] Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian, who gave the movie two out of five stars, described the songs as "sporting a laboured selection of Broadway-style show tunes," and hence are actually added for profit.[14]
^Though Menken had composed for the 2007 film Enchanted, it is a live-action-cum-animation film, hence it cannot be considered as a full-fledged animation feature.[2]
^"TANGLED Review". Collider. November 23, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2014. (Mother Knows Best) Catchy and dark, there are a number of variations to the tempo and tone throughout the film while the lyrics, nailed by Murphy, will stay with you. One can easily see the parallels that Menken and the directors went for in blending old with new, and there is an interesting result. Mother Gothel’s songs feel as ancient as she is, while Rapunzel’s songs have a truly youthful exuberance and feel.
^"'Tangled' Review". Screen Rant. December 19, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
^Robey, Tim (December 25, 2013). "Tangled, review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved June 29, 2014. and the serviceable songs, by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, are only OK – there’s nothing you want to whistle on the way home.
^Bradshaw, Peter (January 27, 2011). "Tangled – review". The Guardian. Retrieved June 30, 2014. and sporting a laboured selection of Broadway-style showtunes – signalling that someone, somewhere clearly wants to turn this into a lucrative global franchise on stage
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