Wild Rovers (Silver Age Classics)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

In the road to discover more Jerry Goldsmith scores, my eye was fixed on the wonderful ratings and words concerning Wild Rovers, and naturally my ears had to investigate further the evidence of whether or not it is the honest truth. Unfortunately, I find that Wild Rovers doesn't remain in the same league as his other western scores, and therefore it comes more as a disappointment because of all the wonderful words that were written about it. Wild Rovers might cover a theme played happier when presented that way, and the quality is not abandoned but actually left on the experimental side. As many have said, they love the theme and considering the theme is put through many different versions show perhaps the exaggerations on this fact. Wild Rovers indeed has a good theme, but barely does it expand on the larger scope because most versions are fun and lovely, but simply too soft to warrant any large praise upon it. And the Silver Age Classics release of Film Score Monthly doesn't help either in bringing a score that present perhaps 20 minutes the same material repeated twice, while others being a little longer or played somewhat differently through that instrument. In fact, more and more you near the end you start to belief the praise was perhaps pointed out at another Western, because again to equal this score with so many other Goldsmith classics is a pure sign of taste. Yes you read it, taste, the personal taste and my personal taste says 40 minutes of it is more then enough, and unfortunately it lasts 30 minutes longer then that taste. 'Main Title' covers the main theme softly, first rather dark and then lightened up by soft strings, nice but not earth shattering. Variations on it in 'Friendly Advice', eclectic moody and comical instruments create 'A Sleepless Night / Checking Up' while the main theme is lovely repeated in 'Snow Country'. All sings of rather normal to lovely background material.

Getting on the forefront is when the themes are displayed louder, and 'Wild Rovers' and 'Bronco Bustin' are better signs of the main theme receiving orchestral praise throughout the strings and horns. The funny piano work is a bonus to that. Sadly, there is also a lot of dark material, 'Cattle vs. Sheep' is an angry piece for brass, 'The Cemetery / Red Snow' is placing bells in a very moody despair while 'The Knife' is a sign of Goldsmith's creativity as wicked humor, and throws the main theme through darker versions, crazy versions and folksy style all the same. Real dark music is for 'Final Destination' and 'End Title', while the lovely string theme in the second mentioned track makes so much color after so much darkness. The album recording is then presenting the same material, often with 10 seconds of extra material, or with different recordings for the film intended or not, 'Wild Rovers' still remains the highlight because it captures fun Debney like music covering that main theme. The rest throws in vocal performances of the theme (by Goldsmith's daughter in 'Early Morning / The Wild Rover') but basically the same material and basically not much extra bonus music that surpasses that dark mood or soft touch. Vocal pieces at the very end round out the entire album. Wild Rovers stood for the best Western music that Goldsmith composed, or so I assumed to get when considering all those reviews, now I know more and more its all about taste, and my personal taste takes the westerns that were composed before Wild Rovers. That is my impression, my taste on the Goldsmith bandwagon of Western scores. Again, the theme is nice and Goldsmith throws in again the creativity that spices 90% of his scores, but altogether Wild Rovers doesn't capture that bright Americana this score stood for, or basically the class that equals it with his ultimate classics. Because the same rating should stand for the same class, not the difference between class and taste.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Main Title (4.53)

2. Friendly Advice (2.01)

3. A Sleepless Night / Checking Up (3.20)

4. Snow Country (1.14)

5. Wild Horses (3.31) Excellent Track

6. Bronco Bustin' (revision) (1.58)

7. Bronco Bustin' (original version) (2.00)

8. Cattle Vs. Sheep (1.10)

9. Quiet Thoughts (2.36)

10. The Cemetery / Red Snow (1.58)

11. The Knife (3.20)

12. Old Times (3.40)

13. Final Destination (2.14)

14. End Title (1.55)

15. Main Title: Sheb Wooley (3.31)

Album Recording

16. Early Morning / The Wild Rover: Ellen Smith * (4.26)

17. Friendly Advice (1.58)

18. Wild Horses (3.47) Excellent Track

19. Snow Country (2.05)

20. Old Times (4.01)

21. The Knife (3.38)

22. Bronco Bustin' (2.03)

23. Sleepless Night (2.58)

24. Saturday Night (2.26)

25. Final Destination / Texas Rangers: Ellen Smith ** (6.03)

26. End Title: Wild Rovers (2.00)

Bonus Tracks

27. Little Purple Poppy: Betty Wand (1.36)

28. Ballad Of The Wild Rovers: William Holden (1.50)

* Lyric by Ellen Sheldon

** Traditional arranged by Jerry Goldsmith

Total Length: 79.14

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Jerry Goldsmith ===