April 2, 2014

  • Great Odds on New William Ross Score

    In 2009, the Kentucky Derby was won by a rather unlikely candidate, the racehorse Mine that Bird.  The animal, somewhat crooked-footed, was owned by a group of New Mexico cowboys who somehow managed to work their way through a series of races eventually ending up at Churchill Downs with 50 to 1 odds.  Jim Wilson’s (Whirlybird) new film captures this energy along with the New Mexico landscapes in 50 to 1 which received a limited release in March.  William Ross’ score works towards some great traditional orchestral underscoring with an heroic theme that pulls the score together along with a variety of place-setting country music-influenced styles.

    “Ten Years Later” begins the score presentation with a folk-tinged feeling complete with guitar and harmonica melody lending a nice gentle feel.  Ross’ melodic idea is certainly engaging here setting the tone well.  The light feel continues with a touch of mariachi in “Losing Streak.”  Country and country rock styles are also part of the mix (“Riding to the Ranch”, “Welcome to Roswell”).  Orchestral material appears as well providing the sort of race–like energy one would expect.  “The Breeder’s Cup” is one such highlight with ostinato strings adding excitement and great brass writing laying out a somewhat heroic theme that will be returned to for other race set ups with slight variation (“Borderland Derby”, “The Kentucky Derby”).  A bit of orchestral country writing also comes out in tracks such as “Bird Plays” (somewhat revisited in “Arrival at Churchill Downs”) which is a hoedown with seemingly comic undertones.  “Calvin’s Luck” is another of these somewhat comic moments starting off with a bit of jazz and switching to a violin-driven tango.  Of course, the tour-de-force it the final “The Race and Epilogue” which pulls together the heroic thematic material and sends it through a variety of dramatic variations while the race motif runs moves in and out of the texture masterfully.  The result is a wonderful set piece with moving musical narrative.

    The score is available as a digital download.  The eclectic mix of styles manages to work rather well as the score moves from uplifting orchestral music through a variety of appropriate country ensembles.  Always, Ross’ thematic ideas manage to make the score a very engaging listen.  He is able to make even the slightest of musical tracks work within often limited amounts of time emphasizing just the right level of emotional depth.  His warm string writing is along the lines of those great Williams swells whose music his own often resembles (especially in the race sequences).  All of this is wrapped up into a great listen of little over a half hour.  The score is available as a digital download with more information at: www.momentumrlp.com/50to1.