Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

We know these family child like entries of things that never would happen, even if you would try that hard. Stuff like The Goonies, or in case of this one Gold Diggers will never happen because you just wouldn't find yourself that lucky, meaning stumbling on gold. Anyway, adventure awaits the 2 girls when they start looking for a myth, and orchestral composer Joel McNeely follows them on their path. Why I say orchestral is because Joel McNeely is that kind of composer for these efforts, and just like the one that sounds the most like it Iron Will and Wild America, its as pleasing as the next. He has got that orchestral heroic adventure tone insides his veins, and naturally people see in him the next John Williams, which has been said enough by now. Anyway, its clearly obvious one time there is some John Williams in him, when we hear 'The Legend of Molly Morgan' which is most of all the biggest pleasing track, solely because of the unexpected Irish jig we spot in it, supported through great wild and energetic orchestral tones. Only here do we spot Williams ala Far and Away and so you could forgive him for it. The main theme and the heroic pleaser is for 'Bear Mountain' and its ala Wild America and White Fang 2 (of John Debney) heroic in its moves, but its equally lovely all the same. The tinkling version is for the middle, and the more growing version near the end yet it never quite fully explodes ala Iron Will did for once. Playfully soft is 'Exploring the Cave' which is brief and short.

One of the 3 long track is 'Summer Adventures', which starts with the main theme, getting some guitar into it for the environment and the string version of the theme equally sounds lovely. That solo guitar returns in 'A Terrible Tale' and adds some soft emotion to the telling, but what we really want is some rousing adventure music and so we are delivered. 'The Great Rescue' is great, with the brass ala McNeely setting some pumping on the ground and it has a great action theme so to speak off, only to sign off with a brief main theme version. This is more the McNeely we want to hear these days. 'Into the Lake' is back with the solo guitar and equally with the more orchestral adventure when it suddenly shifts in some 50% Micky Mouse and 50% adventure music, with the themes of the film. 'Glow Worms!' has equally that explosive adventure music when it suddenly out of nowhere erupts with the action theme after 2 minutes, anyway great for a short while. 'Molly Morgan's Gold' which is the final track has got both the soft as louder versions of the main theme which evidently sign of the score. Gold Diggers is Iron Will, yet with different themes but eventually they handle the same musical approach, that of good orchestral music which lacks that special note to make it memorable. This isn't a complain to McNeely because that would do the fun experience of Gold Diggers injustice. Anyway, if you liked Iron Will and want more of the same, Gold Diggers will do no harm. More, it shows why Joel McNeely is missed, not because he's got music ala Williams but because it brings us back to orchestral good music in the end.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Bear Mountain (3.38)

2. Exploring The Cave (1.25)

3. The Legend Of Molly Morgan (1.49)

4. Summer Adventures (5.09)

5. A Terrible Tale (2.25)

6. The Great Rescue (5.04)

7. Into The Lake (2.10)

8. Crystal Cavern (3.42)

9. Glow Worms! (4.31)

10. Back From The Dead (2.09)

11. Molly Morgan's Gold (4.34)

Total Length: 36.37

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

=== Link to Composer Site: Joel McNeely ===