You know, I’ve spent countless evenings bathed in the warm glow of my turntable, letting vinyl wash over me like some ancient tide. And I must tell you about this magnificent pressing of Howard Shore’s score for “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” on double black vinyl that’s just arrived.

Shore’s composition for The Two Towers isn’t just film music – it’s a bloody revelation. The way he weaves Tolkien’s world into sound is nothing short of extraordinary, creating these massive emotional landscapes that somehow feel both ancient and immediate. On vinyl, these textures breathe in ways digital formats simply cannot capture.

If you found yourself moved by the film, this record amplifies that connection tenfold. The Rohan themes swell with a newfound warmth, while the darker Mordor passages become almost tactile in their menace. There’s something deeply satisfying about dropping the needle and hearing those first notes of “Foundations of Stone” rumble through your speakers – like reconnecting with an old friend who’s grown more interesting with time.

This pressing reminds me of when I first encountered Shore at a peculiar little gathering in Toronto years ago. He was surprisingly soft-spoken for someone who creates such thunderous soundscapes, describing how he constructed Middle-earth’s musical language by imagining how different cultures would evolve their own sonic identities over thousands of years. “The music had to have history,” he said, nursing what I recall was a rather suspicious-looking herbal tea. The depth of thought behind every motif makes this soundtrack remarkably rewarding with repeated listens.

The GRAMMY win for Best Score Soundtrack Album was thoroughly deserved, though awards hardly matter when something connects this deeply. What matters is how Shore’s composition continues to evolve throughout, building upon themes established in Fellowship while introducing new motifs that would later find resolution in Return of the King.

This double vinyl edition is ideal for anyone who appreciates film music as an art form in its own right, rather than mere background decoration. It is also essential for vinyl collectors who understand that some recordings simply demand the ritual and resolution that only analog playback provides.

So put your feet up, pour something comforting, and let Howard Shore guide you back to Middle-earth. In these strange times, there’s something reassuring about music that reminds us that even the smallest person can change the course of the future – or at the very least, improve your evening considerably.