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•	2007 Album

•	2015 Album

•	2007 Album

The ensemble collected by Beltrami and associate Buck Sanders for 3:10 to Yuma consists of the two guitar variants (sometimes doubled up), mandolin, trumpet, a small 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 an outright melody in purpose. The primary and forceful minor key rhythm, eventually tied closely to the farmer's theme, 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 identities for both the two lead characters and a secondary one, but his employment of these ideas is often altered in cues as to let them wander in various directions seemingly at will. Their presentation in "Main Title," for instance, is almost inaudible in how sparsely deconstructed they can be. The most coherent thematic performances exist for the Dan Evans farmer played by Christian Bale, heard initially in "Ben Takes the Stage" and developed through the concert arrangement of sorts at the end, "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. For some listeners, however, even this theme may not be memorable enough.

Outside of the farmer's main theme in 3:10 to Yuma, Beltrami's handling of his themes is murky at best. The identity for Russell Crowe's outlaw is tactful but not obvious. This lack of clarity is likely intentional given the composer's habit of establishing a haze in his music and developing the themes slowly in that uncertain environment. In both "Man of His Word" and "One for the Road," Beltrami uses several instruments to create a harmonic fog, a somewhat nondescript 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, and the murky moments may take many listens before the composer's intent in attribution becomes clear. Most collectors will return to the more accessible, starkly heroic performances extending out of the farmer's theme as stated by trumpet in "Chinese Democracy" and "One for the Road." A variant on this idea is extended by trumpet in "Bible Study," which is a shameless mariachi highlight. Comparatively, 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 obtuse situation with its secondary themes, but each performance of an alternative motif stands well enough on its own to merit praise. Ultimately, Beltrami's approach to 3:10 to Yuma is impressive, and a sense of humor in cue titles always helps. High demand for the music, especially following the surprising Academy Award nomination, allowed for a belated CD album release to follow an initial download-only option. In 2015, La-La Land Records re-issued this same, highly rearranged presentation by Beltrami and Sanders with 15 minutes of largely muted and unnecessary additional material. While the score is certainly strong, it was an odd candidate for such official, expanded treatment. 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 stylistic character.  ****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Marco Beltrami reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 2.75 (in 28 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 2.8 (in 19,011 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.