The Mexican

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Man, Alan Silvestri can really rock when he composes something like The Mummy Returns. But the thing is, he also keeps scoring different genres. Serendipity is one and The Mexican is another, all in 2001. Now, I don't know what Serendipity might sound like (except for another romantic clash) but The Mexican surely sounds better then I first imagined. Of course who would think that a western sound would get that choral mass but surely it makes the score half more enjoyable. Decca Records presents here a good portion of music but when you examine things closer it might disappoint many people more. The album perhaps is overall 49 minutes long, the score of Silvestri nonetheless clocks in at 33 min 36 sec, so already 16 minutes of it is spend on songs. Next, we have 4 tracks (2 of them which are the same) that are scattered around on the disc that are co written by Abraham Laboriel and performed by a quartet to get that truly Western, Mexican feel. So solo Silvestri amounts up to 26 minutes. Perhaps this might disappoint the true fans but basically those will discover that the choir still adds something unseen and purely enjoyable to the score.

In vision, The Mexican sounds close to The Quick and the Dead and all the other Morricone / Clint Eastwood pastiches. But enough of that because Silvestri still adds his own style to it all. Like for instance someone whistling in 'Blame Shifting' and 'Want our Life Back' or a short rock performance during '10% Clint'. But still, what any person will like the most is the choral sound, first fully in 'The Mexican', later reprised in the next tracks 'It's Cursed, That Gun' and 'A Miracle'. There is also another theme, sort off love theme heard in 'Leroy's Morning' and 'Airport' which gives the listener a break from the expected returning sound. Yet, when it comes to the two tracks which rank the highest, it are 22 and 23. The first has the most spectacular use of the choral sound, and mostly when it swells up it is The Abyss revisited and next 'The Mexican / End Credits Medley' is a great compilation piece with almost any sort of theme reprised one last time. Basically, the last 5 tracks can sum up the score pretty good. Now over to the co written stuff which deals numbers 3, 9, 11 and 21. They are not that special and basically don't show any interesting sign for the film music fans.

And next we have the songs which again steal enough space on this disc. In the end I came to the conclusion: nr. 4 (classic), nr. 7 (enjoyable), nr.14 (decent if a different style at all), nr. 10 (boring), nr. 15 (childish). So there you have it, The Mexican is a short if pleasant release from Decca which again shows Silvestri doing his thing. But I'm afraid that much of it is a bit the same and mostly some tracks together can summarize it all for the score. But this isn't to say that it doesn't have special ingredients to offer, a choral sound mixed with Pastiche Western tones is always good for the human ear. Perhaps mainstream buyers who don't know a lot of the score nor the movie should perhaps first see the effect in the movie but it remains a worthy try for the knacks of the genre. The Mexican can surely steal your heart and your interest with an enjoyable portion of spaghetti western based music, if most for seeing Silvestri eat spaghetti with volume.

Score: ***
Songs: **1/2

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Titles (0.52)

2. Blame Shifting (0.58)

3. Oye * (1.34)

4. These Boots Are Made For Walkin': Nancy Sinatra (2.42)

5. 10% Clint (1.09)

6. Leroy's Morning (1.40)

7. Why Can't We Be Friends: War (3.50)

8. Want Our Life Back (1.31)

9. Frank's Dead * (2.51)

10. You're Nobody 'Till Somebody Loves You: Dean Martin (1.56)

11. Jerry & Ted To Pawn Shop * (1.25)

12. The Mexican (2.14)

13. Airport (2.21)

14. Safety Dance: Men Without Hats (4.32)

15. El Cable: Esquivel (2.16)

16. Margolese Compound (1.03)

17. Where's My Stuff (1.01)

18. Thieves (1.09)

19. A Good F'ing Reason (1.15)

20. It's Cursed, That Gun (3.24)

21. Oye, Oye * (1.30)

22. A Miracle (2.26)

23. The Mexican / End Credits Medley (5.02)

* Written by Alan Silvestri and Abraham Laboriel, Performed by Abraham Laboriel, Alex Cuna, Paulinho Da Costa and George Doering

Total Length: 49.26

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=== Link to Composer Site: Alan Silvestri ===