Depending on how strongly you feel that this film is a racial-healing melodrama by definition, this lack of consistency in the styles of the songs and score may be disturbing. Instead of making much of an attempt to incorporate any rhythm or any blues, Horner revisits frighteningly familiar territory. He scores Radio with the same attention to Americana as he did with his early 1990's dramatic efforts, including Searching for Bobby Fischer and The Man Without a Face. It is often a gorgeous pastoral sound, with lush strings, repetitive thematic development, and easy harmony at every turn. It smoothly flows with the kind of heartening melodic tone that attracts so many listeners to Horner's music. But when critics blasted the film for being too syrupy, then Horner could very well be responsible for that result. He doesn't borrow from his previous scores in lengthy segments, drawing few direct comparisons during specific sequences, but the entirety of the structures and instrumentation goes through familiar motions. The most evident Horner technique at work in Radio is the statement of a theme followed by the low rumble of a bass-region whole note to complete the final chord (often led by a piano) a measure later. It's Horner's trademark way of emphasizing a synchronization point in the film, and this method of conveying dramatic weight does get tiresome in its perpetual application (unless it's whipped into a frenzy, as in A Perfect Storm). There is nothing in Horner's easy-going work here to distinguish Radio from his other, lengthier projects of a similar heart. In the "Night Game" cue, he does let rip with several blasts of electric guitar and snare drum, taking inspiration from high school marching band enthusiasm, but the majority of the underscore is held in place by pleasant strings and the omnipresent piano. If you're searching for truly inspiring music (especially in the sports arena), then Radio is the wrong place to look, because this score was never meant to inspire audiences in the same way as Jerry Goldsmith's landmark sports score for Rudy. The soul vocals by India.Arie are enjoyable, although their simplicity is compounded by the mundane end credits song (an adaptation of Horner's theme) that is labeled as the primary attraction of the soundtrack. On album, the brief 26 minutes of Horner material is probably not worth the investment when considering the general lack of originality offered in his undemanding, but bland presentation. In the list of the composer's works of the 2000's, Radio remains among those that generate the least amount of interest.  **   @Amazon.com: CD or Download