Rookie of the Year (Club Release)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Apparently, there are things like dreams. When you want something bad enough, with Varčse you ultimately get what you desire. After Predator and Ghostbusters now comes Rookie of the Year, apparently one of the most requested soundtracks ever for the label. While this perhaps is a sign we're running out of material to request (there are many other fine scores out there who deserve a re release or a better treatment), Rookie of the Year nonetheless came on the Varčse Club sheet as part of their limited club releases, along with 2 other Conti soundtracks, A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon and Bushwacked, not the 2 most known scores of his career. But its a nice gesture to bring 3 scores on 1 CD, it justifies the price we're paying for it and the room is there to use, so why let it go to waste! With Rookie of the Year, the trio of Conti starts. With a full brass fanfare laden march 'Main Title March' it all basically explodes, bringing more life into the whole orchestra then Escape to Victory for me ever unleashed. And in this march Conti unleashed the heroic theme, which will receive the one airing after another. In 'Miracle Throw' comical, in 'The River' with a nifty guitar and piano version, in 'Jack's Big Mistake' sweet and emotional on piano and in 'Mound Advice' in pure heroic bombast which is utterly divvying. 'A Great Summer' has more main theme statements, yet again in different outings (how would you have guessed?) and in 'Henry's Got a Plan' the classical scherzo of fun brings us serious fanfares of amazement. 'Float It!' as ever is the full optimistic fanfare and ending of the main theme, with an added Right Stuff heroism to it to make it truly fly, with fanfares that ever recreate the stylish heroic blazing of that score and theme. Altogether, being a short score its also got pure sports heroism and charismatic fanfares to it that truly mock the ones I've heard in Escape to Victory, which goes to show how we all think different in the end. Nonetheless, its was over requested for a reason and the reason is simple, its Conti fair and that says it all.

Whether the other 2 are known or not known, its the fact Conti throws his own voice into the recording that matters, with A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon we reach his kiddy teenage flick attitude and that is clear in the way he uses the synthesizers and bouncing electronics. Its not persé a fine score but a listenable one more the same, with flutes and bouncy tunes setting the tone alive. 'Go Around Back' has the 2 themes in a teenage like sweet setting while 'The Flood' adds some drum loops to full effect, creating a light suspense. 'The Note' and 'I Want it Know' has the nice love theme setting down a breezy performance (due to the flute ala Karate Kid) while the bouncy theme and attitude is very much alive in 'Jimmy's Theories'. The wackiness of 'Atmosphere' ever puts us into teenage mood before 'Heredity' signs off the middle part with again the themes of the movie in nice effect. While being fun and sweet on occasions, none of the trademark fanfares are present to put life into the music. However, this also works to the advantage that the score is a Conti experience, and a new one at that. With Bushwacked we get the trademark fanfares and while its also a lot less serious, at least the fun is ever-present on occasions. The electric guitar or the harmonica shows all kinds of comical twists ('Whacked!', 'The Fire', 'The New Girl') that are forgettable but the fanfares do sound remarkably similar to Sister Act. While most of it is pretty standard and foolish, the end is rather fun with again the Right Stuff like attitude, and in 'The Hike' its militaristic, in 'Our Leader' its a fast repertoire of action, of suspense and of heroism until 'Big Finish' brings a Right Stuff ending with whirling strings, which is breathless to sing with. So basically as bonus pieces you get the non Conti style and the all Conti style, but in general these are bonuses that bring a nice fluent experience and bring more Conti for you to enjoy, even if they aren't his best at all. But when you get 3 scores for the prize of one, and one being the requested top 5 soundtrack of them all, who are we to criticize Conti or Varčse? Perhaps its not the best Conti has to offer but fun they most certainly are.

Rookie of the Year: ***1/2
A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon: ***
Bushwacked: ***

\ľľľ1/2/

Tracks

Single Disc

Rookie of the Year

1. Main Title March (6.19) Excellent Track

2. Miracle Throw (2.10)

3. The River (2.07)

4. A Great Summer (4.11)

5. Mound Advice (2.48) Excellent Track

6. Jack's Big Mistake (1.30)

7. Henry's Got A Plan (2.44)

8. Float It! (3.58) Excellent Track

Total Length: 27.17

A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon

9. Desperation (1.18)

10. Reality (1.16)

11. Go Around Back (3.22)

12. Hawaiian Dreams (2.37)

13. The Flood (2.54)

14. The Note (1.57)

15. Jimmy's Theories (2.39)

16. I Want It Now (1.15)

17. Atmosphere (2.12)

18. The Bad "L" (0.45)

19. Heredity (3.32)

Total Length: 23.47

Bushwacked

20. Whacked! (1.48)

21. The Fire (2.44)

22. The New Girl (1.27)

23. Max Meets Kids (1.48)

24. Devil's Peek (1.05)

25. The Swat Team (2.18)

26. Danger! (2.22)

27. The Hike (1.11)

28. Mad Max (1.39)

29. Palmered (1.11)

30. Our Leader (3.14)

31. Big Finish (4.17) Excellent Track

Total Length: 27.26

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: Bill Conti ===