Buy it... if you seek an very intelligent modernization of Ennio Morricone's famous style for the Spaghetti Westerns of the 1970's, one that will leave an impression on you with its distinct textures and rhythms.

Avoid it... if you demand flowing romanticism, obvious thematic consistency, or a gracious attitude from your Western scores.

Beltrami

3:10 to Yuma: (Marco Beltrami) With an appropriately violent script by Elmore Leonard, 3:10 to Yuma shoots its way to respectability with a dark sense of humor and believable characters, a rare success story in the post-2000 Western genre despite its relative obscurity. Director James Mangold revives much of the spirit of the Spaghetti Westerns of the 1970's while also improving upon the original concept already adapted to the screen. Sometimes intense in its violence, 3:10 to Yuma is a pleasure of pure style, and its inherent "coolness" is extended significantly by Marco Beltrami's score. As Mangold admits, Beltrami's assignment to 3:10 to Yuma was one giant trap just waiting to snap on any slight move by the composer that might define his music as cliched. There is no doubt that Ennio Morricone's Spaghetti Western style was the primary target here, but how would Beltrami adapt that sound for a new generation while also touching upon the romanticism more conventional to the genre? Both American and Italian sensibilities were in play, and Beltrami's direction was to take the best from both aspects of the seemingly incongruous Western sounds and pay slight homage to them while also invoking his own hip, stylistic mannerisms. Whether you can tolerate listening to the resulting score or not, no film music collector can deny that he succeeded admirably in his task. It's so rare that a composer nails an assignment so thoroughly in such difficult circumstances (and with the composition and creative recording finished over six weeks, in this case). This is undoubtedly the sound that Ry Cooder was trying to achieve with 1996's Last Man Standing, but he miserably failed in his attempt. The reason Beltrami triumphs with 3:10 to Yuma is because he strikes the perfect balance between rhythm, texture, and theme, all of which well-explored. The first two elements should come as no surprise, for Beltrami has often produced outstandingly enjoyable results when rolling a decent rhythm on acoustic or electric guitar (or any other bass element), and his employment of non-traditional percussion and other specialty instruments has defined several of his more effective scores.

The composer's ensemble for 3:10 to Yuma consists of the two guitar variants (sometimes doubled up), mandolin, trumpet, an orchestral string section, mouth harp, piano and organ (in unconventional ways), and a variety of percussive effects. These elements may be typical to a mariachi band, and at times, Beltrami doesn't try to force the music away from that definition. Many of the more subtle moments of the score, however, feature the instrumental creativity that provides the third dimension to the score. This texture is aided by an extremely intimate mix, very dry and at the forefront; this technique sometimes ruins scores, but in 3:10 to Yuma it's a valuable asset to the score's unique attitude. In terms of rhythm, all of the highlights of this score involve one of a few propulsive guitar and percussion movements that often set the pace for a thematic statement. The strumming and slapping rhythms, raw in their performances, are perhaps the score's most defining element, manipulated by Beltrami with such skill as to occasionally replace a theme. The primary and forceful minor key rhythm explodes in "Ben Takes the Stage," "Chinese Democracy," and the final three cues on the album. Beltrami establishes the role of the rhythm with such keen attention that all he needs to do in the more subtle cues is slightly mention a variant of this rhythm and you, as the listener and audience, know that something significant is about to happen. In short, it produces its own gravity. It holds together well harmonically, too, with the exception of the dissonant "Flight of the Princess." In terms of themes for 3:10 to Yuma, Beltrami does establish a primary identity for the film, but his employment of theme (and related ideas) is often altered in cues as to let them wander in various directions seemingly at will. The most coherent title theme performances exist in "Ben Takes the Stage" and the concert arrangement of sorts, "The 3:10 to Yuma." An ambitious and sparsely slapping treatment in the former track is more primal than the romantic edge given to the theme by trumpet, strings, and guitar (among the specialty instruments) in the finale. The single timpani strike at the very end of this last cue, signaling a sudden end to the fun, is a stylish exit.

	Only $9.99

Outside of these two obvious statements of the title, which may or may not be memorable enough to stick around after the album is finished (though the last cue is difficult to forget), Beltrami's handling of the themes is murky at best. This lack of clarity is likely intentional given the composer's habit of establishing a haze in the score and developing the themes slowly in that obtuse environment. In both "Man of His Word" and "One for the Road," Beltrami uses several instruments to create a harmonic fog --a somewhat non-descript but pleasant atmosphere in and of itself-- and states his themes with various instruments each slowly contributing notes or fragments. Fans who need instant gratification will likely be bored by these sequences, especially compared to the more flamboyant thematic bursts. Even outside of these murky moments, however, Beltrami throws several secondary themes at you without obviously stating his attention. A secondary theme of heroic stature is stated by trumpet in "Chinese Democracy" and "One for the Road." A variant on this idea seems extended by trumpet in "Bible Study," which is a shameless mariachi highlight. Soft acoustic guitar meanderings form their own progressions in "Dan's Burden" and "Hotel," but are difficult to tie to any of the larger ideas. Another singular moment of surprisingly heroic thematic development accompanies the main theme's rhythm in "Who Let the Cows Out?" Overall, there are between twelve and fifteen minutes of the memorable rhythmic flavor that most clearly resurrects the style of Morricone's classics in the genre. The more edgy, modern texture inherent in Beltrami's writing helps translate that sound for current audiences, and there's just enough thematic coherence to attach listeners to the score. If the score has a weakness, it resides in the somewhat messy situation with its secondary themes, but each performance of an alternative motif stands well enough on its own to merit praise. Beltrami's approach to 3:10 to Yuma is impressive, and a sense of humor in cue titles always helps. Academy voters surprisingly but appropriately awarded Beltrami with his first Oscar nomination for this score. High demand for the music allowed for a belated album release to follow an initial download-only option. Despite potentially turning off a large segment of the film score community, 3:10 to Yuma is a refreshing experience because of the lasting impression left by its distinct character. ****   Amazon.com Price Hunt: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Marco Beltrami reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 2.75 (in 20 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 2.87 (in 14,767 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.