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•	2017 Album

Still, it's relatively depressing to realize that much of Talgorn's music exists in such wretched films, Robot Jox near the top. The Paris recording is dated and a bit sparse, but the intent of Talgorn to plunder the space opera craze of John Williams is yet undeniable. While there exist errors in the performances, the effort in this low-budget environment is what really counts. There is sure campiness in this diverse recording, to be sure, and half of the score consists of either solo percussionists or outright synthetics for the futuristic side of the robots. These portions will likely be discarded immediately by enthusiasts of the orchestral half, and rightfully so. Talgorn's usual strong development of thematic ideas is well utilized in rather simplistic fashion in this film, perfect for the contrasting characters and their underdeveloped dimensions. Three major themes exist, and all are given valiant treatment by the ensemble. Talgorn's main fanfare, heard first in "Can I Go Now, Dad?" and exploding four or fives in the score as the announcement piece for the duels, is a heroic affair for brass over a sharp, Western-inspired rhythm. A softer string theme is presented as an interlude to this fanfare in "Robot Jox into the Sunset." Sadly neglected throughout the rest of the score, this romantic string identity with noble brass counterpoint is the highlight of the work, possibly a general nod to the human side of the story. A third theme is presented for the Russian champion robot fighter, an entertaining, militaristic piece for brass culminating in "Achilles into Space" and "Achilles' Robot Transforms." Detractions from the score exist in two significant doses, however, and both involve Talgorn's use of synthesizers. He approached the female fighter's character with synthetics in mind, both in a conversational setting ("Achilles' Bedroom") and in her fighting fanfare ("Fanfare for Athena"). The source cue, "The Jock Strap Bar," is a highly annoying light 80's disco rock deviation from the rest of the score. After the film bombed, a score release was pushed back to 1993, when Prometheus pressed it (as "Robotjox") for a limited specialty audience. The enthusiastic performance by the Parisian ensemble is mixed with an ambient wet sound on this album that fits the larger-than-life subject matter well. That ambience is dried out a bit on a 2017 release by Intrada Records that restores the recording back to its original ordering and adds a few incidental extra cues. Some listeners will prefer the somewhat hacked and embellished presentation, including a fake "Overture" that was simply a copy of the finale, on the Prometheus album. In either case, Talgorn collectors and fans of 1980's high brass action will appreciate this flawed but fun capsule in time.  ****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download