Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain
Joel McNeely
" Joel McNeely goes digging for gold "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
We know that these family child like entries would never happen in real life, even if you would try really 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 upon 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, and just like Iron Will and Wild America, it is as pleasing as the next.
Pleasing is clearly the highlight of the disc, namely "The Legend of Molly Morgan". This is so pleasing because there's unexpected Irish music, because it takes the Irish music and gives it a great brassy performance, because it reminds me of the Irish music a composer like John Williams has done in the past. The main theme is for "Bear Mountain" and its ala Wild America and White Fang 2 (of John Debney) lovely in its moves.
One of the 3 longest track is "Summer Adventures", which starts with the main theme, continuing with guitar and ending with with a nice string variation of the main theme. 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 simply put great, with the brass delivering us a great action theme that is repeated in "Glow Worms". But this track does it the best, simply because it explodes with the main theme at the end. Now this is the McNeely we want to hear. "Into the Lake" is back with the solo guitar and some rousing material while "Molly Morgan's Gold" signs off with the main theme of the score.
Gold Diggers is Iron Will, only less rousing and with different themes. But eventually they handle the same musical approach, that of good orchestral music that we don't that easy anymore today. Anyway, if you liked Iron Will and want more of the same, Gold Diggers will do no harm. In fact, it shows why Joel McNeely is missed so much. Not because he's got music ala John Williams but because it brings us back to orchestral good music in the end.
Tracklisting
1. Bear Mountain (3.38)
2. Exploring the Cave (1.25)
3. The Legend of Molly Morgan (1.49) Excellent track
4. Summer Adventures (5.09)
5. A Terrible Tale (2.25)
6. The Great Rescue (5.04) Excellent track
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)
12. The Flying Song: Colin Hay (5.00)
Total Length: 41.37
Pleasing is clearly the highlight of the disc, namely "The Legend of Molly Morgan". This is so pleasing because there's unexpected Irish music, because it takes the Irish music and gives it a great brassy performance, because it reminds me of the Irish music a composer like John Williams has done in the past. The main theme is for "Bear Mountain" and its ala Wild America and White Fang 2 (of John Debney) lovely in its moves.
One of the 3 longest track is "Summer Adventures", which starts with the main theme, continuing with guitar and ending with with a nice string variation of the main theme. 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 simply put great, with the brass delivering us a great action theme that is repeated in "Glow Worms". But this track does it the best, simply because it explodes with the main theme at the end. Now this is the McNeely we want to hear. "Into the Lake" is back with the solo guitar and some rousing material while "Molly Morgan's Gold" signs off with the main theme of the score.
Gold Diggers is Iron Will, only less rousing and with different themes. But eventually they handle the same musical approach, that of good orchestral music that we don't that easy anymore today. Anyway, if you liked Iron Will and want more of the same, Gold Diggers will do no harm. In fact, it shows why Joel McNeely is missed so much. Not because he's got music ala John Williams but because it brings us back to orchestral good music in the end.
Tracklisting
1. Bear Mountain (3.38)
2. Exploring the Cave (1.25)
3. The Legend of Molly Morgan (1.49) Excellent track
4. Summer Adventures (5.09)
5. A Terrible Tale (2.25)
6. The Great Rescue (5.04) Excellent track
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)
12. The Flying Song: Colin Hay (5.00)
Total Length: 41.37