Batman: Gotham Knight music composed by Christopher Drake, Robert J. Kral and Kevin Manthei
01/09/2008 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: La-La Land Records LLLCD 1074. 63 minutes 26 tracks. Price: $16.98 (US), £14.50 (UK). Buy Batman: Gotham Knight music in the USA - or Buy Batman: Gotham Knight music in the UK  check out website: www.lalalandrecords.com
The animation film 'Batman: Gotham Knight' is essentially six stories of the Dark Knight as he goes about his way sorting out crime in Gotham City. Rather than have one composer do all the work, producer Bruce Timm decided to split the material between three composers, Christopher Drake, Robert J. Kral and Kevin Manthei, with no collaboration. If this matches the novelisation I read a few months ago, it probably makes sense, allowing each to make a different mark on the material.
'Have I Got A Story For You', the opening suite by Christopher Drake is a spirited life into this animated world. Kevin Manthei's 'Crossfire' suite is more like hitting an literal anvil and goes more for mood. Robert J. Kral's 'Field Test' suite goes for a more deeper tone.
Oddly enough, when I stopped paying attention to the CD notes and just listed to the music, each composer's tracks did compliment each other and you could be forgiven for thinking they are one. I think that might inevitably be because anything related to the Batman is hardly going to be light. You have to be true to the bases and dark chords to give a more sinister feel to the music. This doesn't mean that the music is depressing. Far from it. There is a rich tone overall that tends to grab you as it moves across the night sky.
The end credits suite by Christopher Drake also contains material he did as his try-out which Bruce Timm said at the time was perfect but had to be altered to match the beats in the final animation.
The twelve page booklet really does proud here with comments from each of the composers regarding their interest in Batman and how they approached each of the stories. There might not be much detail about what the stories are about but I expect outside of this reviewer, you'd be buying your copy of the soundtrack after you've watched the film itself.
GF Willmetts
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