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Among the secondary motifs, the "badguy" theme uses a construct that would eventually be expanded upon in Edelman's theme for 1996's Daylight. It consists of pulsing, bass-heavy electronics that provide the suspense necessary to convince audiences of not only the evil persona of the film's nasty criminal (and his mother from Hell), but also the toughness of Schwarzenegger's no-nonsense, occupational (party-pooping) attitude before he tackles the classroom. The opening cue of the film (moved to the "Stalking Crisp" in the fourth position on the album) may not be completely flawless in its representation of a terminator-like cop with a serious weapon under his coat, for Edelman keeps the weight of the cue rooted in the comedy genre. Two themes represent the kindergarten class itself, both of which drenched with cuteness and enthusiasm. The marching theme in particular, offered in the suites at the outset of the album, is central to the film because of its prominent mixing as Schwarzenegger teaches the kids some necessary discipline. The other primary theme for the achievements of the class comes as Schwarzenegger finally succeeds with his little troopers, watching them perform the Gettysburg Address with resounding pride. There exists nobility in this synthesized theme that would interestingly resurface a few years later in Edelman's best known score, Gettysburg. Some listeners may find the pastoral nature of the theme somewhat deflated by the fact that it is presented by Edelman's usual synthetics (which, like Gettysburg, are counter-intuitive for the feel of the genre). The richness of the wet, green atmosphere of beautiful Astoria, Oregon seems well suited to Edelman's comfortable, semi-synthetic themes, however, serving as testimony perhaps to the success of the "keep it simple" philosophy. The moderately-sized orchestra's performances are appropriately upbeat, often swinging in movement with considerable energy and gusto (orchestrations by the talented Greig McRitchie and Mark McKenzie likely helped). The sound quality of the fuller performances is very good as well, with the ensemble accompanied by a well-recorded piano, which is elegantly performed by Edelman himself during several softer moments. Overall, Kindergarten Cop is a delightfully pleasant and effective score without a worry in the world. Don't expect any intellectual element to it, and if you find yourself typically frustrated by Edelman's often underdeveloped ideas, then pass it by. But its sensitivity is remarkable, and it's hard to imagine a better sound to represent a confused Arnold in a school-yard of little brats.  ****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Randy Edelman reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.05 (in 20 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.15 (in 29,225 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.

Total Time: 38:15