Dave Porter creates a landscape of sound for Better Call Saul (Photo courtesy AMC)
Dave Porter’s music for the first two seasons of AMC’s Better Call Saul will be released by Madison Gate Records and Sony Classical on April 7, available digitally and on CD.
Porter, who also scored Better Call Saul’s predecessor, AMC’s Breaking Bad, said his Saul sound was inspired by that earlier show, but stands its own with a more blues-funk vibe. “I’m excited to release my original score from the first two seasons of Better Call Saul, which see the re-introduction of two characters beloved by Breaking Bad fans,” Porter said. “We get to meet Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) as Jimmy McGill long before his transformation to Saul. And Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) long before he ever worked for Gus Fring.”
Completely remixed and remastered, the score is presented chronologically in order to follow their journey musically along with the show. “Included are two pieces that I am most often asked about: the opening teaser from episode 208 and a new extended version of the Better Call Saul end credits — which is itself derived from a song we created with country artist Junior Brown as a promotion for the show’s debut in 2015,” Porter added.
Los Angeles-based Porter created the iconic theme and scored all 62 episodes of Breaking Bad, for which Better Call Saul is the prequel. Bryan Cranston said of Porter’s work, “With his music, Dave Porter has created another character for Breaking Bad. Evocative and meaningful, Dave’s work is an essential part of the storytelling.” Before he was Saul Goodman, Walter White’s fashion-forward “criminal” lawyer was Jimmy McGill, a small-time attorney hustling to champion his underdog clients, build his practice, and make a name for himself. The season one finale found McGill walking away from a lucrative job offer, vowing to that his days of playing the game straight are over. The show’s 10-episode second season premiered on February 15th, 2016. It follows the twists and turns of McGill’s journey toward becoming his Breaking Bad alter ego, soaring to new heights and sinking to new lows along the way. The show’s first season earned seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations including Outstanding Drama Series, and a pair of Critics’ Choice TV Awards.
Porter began his classical musical training at the piano at age five, but it was his interest in electronic music as a teen that led him to start composing his own music. He studied both classical and electronic music composition at Sarah Lawrence College under John Yannelli and started his professional career as an assistant at Philip Glass’ studio in New York City.
Porter was awarded the inaugural ASCAP Composer’s Choice Award by his peers as Best Television Composer of 2013 for his work on Breaking Bad. Currently, in addition to Saul Porter is scoring two additional dramas: Preacher, from executive producers Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Sam Catlin, and The Blacklist, starring James Spader and in its fourth season. On the big screen, Dave recently finished James Franco’s The Masterpiece (based on the 2013 book The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell, which chronicles the creation of the 2003 cult film The Room). Porter also scored last year’s Universal Pictures release Term Life, starring Vince Vaughn, Hailee Seinfeld, Terrence Howard, and Bill Paxton. Previous credits include the indie horror film Smiley and the Sundance Festival feature documentary Bigger, Stronger, Faster.
The tracklist for Better Call Saul (Original Score from the Television Series):
- Shared Smoke
- Ass Over Tea Kettle
- One Leg Each
- Sex Robot Voice
- Payphone Dilemma
- Billboard Stunt
- Chuck’s Theme
- Elevator Exchange
- One Last Grift
- Jimmy’s Choice
- Davis & Main
- Pretend I’m Not Here
- Deliberations
- Magic Hands
- Weary Mike
- Border Crossing
- Watching and Waiting
- Reciprocating Saw
- Three Movies Ahead
- M40
- Better Call Saul End Credits
Madison Gate Records is the in-house, independent record label of Sony Pictures Entertainment. The label was founded in 2010 to create, distribute and market music and related products from today’s top films and television programs. For more information go to: www.MadisonGateRecords.com. Sony Classical is a division of Sony Music Entertainment, one of the world’s leading music companies. Sony Classical is responsible for the production and worldwide marketing of classical music. Its three labels- Sony Classical, RCA Red Seal and deutsche harmonia mundi- together produce numerous new recordings and reissues drawn from a large catalogue that looks back on a long and distinguished tradition (Sony Classical, RCA Red Seal, dhm, Eurodisc and CBS Masterworks), as well as producing film soundtracks, Broadway recordings and Jazz CDs.
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