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Bite the Bullet |
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Music Composed and Conducted by Alex North Orchestrations by Hershy Kay Release Date: 1999
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Alex North mainly sticks out in my mind as the
ill-fated composer of 2001: A Space Odyssey. While that was certainly
a dark spot in his career, he firmly established himself with such works as Spartacus,
Cleopatra, Viva Zapata, and Rich Man, Poor Man. Arriving at the height
of his career, he was contracted to compose one of the last great scores for
a fading genre: the Western.
Prometheus Records triumphs again with another terrific presentation of this score similar to their well-produced Contract on Cherry Street album. Along with a great selection of the original score, and the extra selections of source music, there is an abundance of information in the expansive linear notes. The sound quality is really good, with just a small trace of extraneous noise. Though there are some little problems here and there, it doesn’t detract from the listening experience. The score is generally light in tone, but there are some darker tracks that keep it balanced. The opening track pretty much sets the stage, but it is a little too bright to completely reflect the nature of the score, especially since the next track is a far more subdued romantic piece. Still, it doesn’t jump around badly, and the main overture is often utilized throughout the score, but usually more in feeling than in exact notes. There are some interesting tracks that demonstrate North’s style for certain tense moments. The Badlands track stands out to me because it sounds like a kind of intertwining of music from Mission: Impossible and Planet of the Apes. After the run of the score there is a bunch of source music tracks tacked on. Only two of these nine tracks contain original Alex North music, and while it’s nice to have them, they are not that great, and the Mexican tracks can be annoying at times. I’m not a big fan of Western scores, but I was impressed with the way North handled the music. I’m sure that fans of this genre, and especially North followers, will be very pleased with this release. ***
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Track Listing 1 - Overture (2:45) 2 - The Foal (2:26) 3 - The Race (1:53) 4 - Badlands (4:39) 5 - Miss Jones (2:03) 6 - Desert Ride (2:20) 7 - Night Pause (3:05) 8 - Old Timer's Horse (1:32) 9 - Fun Ride (2:08) 10 - Respite (2:10) 11 - Carbo and Luke (2:40) 12 - Sand Dunes (3:47) 13 - Bite the Bullet (2:17) 14 - Final Lap (2:43) 15 - The Winner (2:48) 16 - Clay and the Mexican (2:04) 17 - Prisoners (2:49) 18 - End Title (1:28) 19 - Ole, Ole (1:25) 20 - River Medley (2:44) 21 - Mexican Dance #1 (1:22) 22 - The Tooth (0:23) 23 - Xalxoco Xochitl (1:16) 24 - Stars & Stripes (1:54) 25 - National Emblem March (2:12) 26 - Drums & Bugles (1:34) 27 - The Caissons Go Rolling Along (1:11) Total Running Time: 62:33 |
