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Filmtracks Editorial Review:
Of the three songs, two of them are quite enjoyable. The Ben Vereen song, "He's Back," is a regrettable big band piece that breaks up the consistency of the rest of the score and songs. However, Florence Warner Jones and Michael Crawford both perform songs that are classically consistent with the rest of the score on the album, and those who are overexposed to Horner's typical score writing in the genre can take refuge in these songs. Jones teams up with a full children's choir for the opening and closing themes (which are very similar performances, if not identical), and their Christmasy feeling establishes several similarities to John Williams' sensibilities for the Home Alone scores and songs. Jones' solos weave in and out of the tracks, and with the lower ranges of her outstanding voice, she makes up fully for the lack of dramatic power on the part of the choir. Michael Crawford only performs on one track, but it serves as a remarkably lovely combination of The Phantom of the Opera and The Land Before Time; Crawford's voice is also very low in its range, and his performance in "Please Wake Up" stirs up ideas of even grander, potential collaborations between Crawford and Horner, though such a thing has never occurred again. Although it's a rather subdued and short piece, the song is a goosebump-inducing highlight of the album. Of the score tracks on the album, only "The Journey Begins" has the same complexity and classical influence that was evident in The Land Before Time, and while their depth is greatly welcomed, it's easy to get the impression that the London Symphony Orchestra may not have been necessary for this recording. They do offer a local dance-like piece reminiscent of the finale of Willow in the same cue. As in his other scores, the "Flying" cue embodies the best adventuresome spirit in the score, spurring light percussion and bold brass with The Rocketeer at heart. Regardless of Horner's repetitious habits, Once Upon a Forest is an enjoyable (though out of print) album, especially with the inclusion of the film's songs as a highlight. ****
* Performed by Florence Warner Jones ** Performed by Michael Crawford *** Performed by Ben Vereen
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