New CD puts mission to music

Pick up the soundtrack to "The Best Two Years," and you'll find it contains more songs than were in the movie.

This is music not only from but also inspired by the film, said Michael McLean, who, with his son Scott and colleague John Batdorf, wrote and performed the music. "Our job was to enhance the movie," McLean said.

They tried to do that with songs that captured the spirit and flavor of the show — but it's not a musical. "We took the songs, and we had about half an album. So we added other songs that represent the characters. With the liner notes, we walk you through the film, but we also hope you get a sense of the characters and their development."

And a sense of shared experience. "We wanted the songs to be timeless," he said.

The McLeans decided from the start that they wanted the songs to be duets. After all, missionaries go out in pairs. That was one reason they brought in Batdorf to sing and write. "We also wanted one of those Simon and Garfunkel-kind of musicians," said McLean, adding that Batdorf fits the bill.

The songwriters got involved in the project because they know filmmakers Scott Anderson and Michael Flynn from episodes of the TV shows "Touched By An Angel" and "Promised Land," among others. Film work, he said, is always a bit of a gamble because you're never quite sure how the finished product will turn out. But he's pleased with the reviews for "The Best Two Years."

"I think we bet on the right horse this time," McLean said.

He found Anderson and Flynn "great to work for. They respected the talents and gifts of their people and created an environment where those talents could work well."

"It was fun to be a part of it," said Scott McLean, who, as a student at New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts, has actually studied acting more than music. "Writing songs was just a hobby." But the experience with the film has inspired him to do a CD of his own. "Four Letter Words" will be out soon, he said.

Michael McLean thinks that acting helps Scott with his music. "He has a great singing voice. But because he's an actor, he doesn't sing his voice, he sings the song. He takes on the feeling and the depth of the song so that the message comes through, not just how great he can sing. Hey, do I sound like a dad?"

Both McLeans are currently living in Malibu, Calif., where they are working on a number of different projects, among them an off-Broadway production of "The Ark" and a film version of "Forgotten Carols," two of Michael's musical-theater shows. But Michael said he "still has a foot in Utah." He has a home here and makes frequent trips back and forth.

It's a busy, exciting time, Michael said. And the "Best Two Years" experience has made him appreciate it even more. It was more than just capturing the spirit of the movie in music. "It was a chance to musically remind myself that every moment does count, and how important it is to never lose sight of why we are here."

---

E-mail: carma@desnews.com