Search - Various Artists - Soundtracks :: Spaghetti Westerns, Volume Four (Film Score Compilation)

Fantastic trip through the sounds of spaghetti westerns

Marcello | Murmansk Russia | 09/26/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was the great news for me that DRG have issued Spaghetti Westerns Vol.4. I was really ill till I received this CD all the more that I knew that this issue dedicated mostly to Francesco De Masi. And this new compilation didn`t disappoint me. Good cover is in stile of BEAT records. All tracks are under BEAT license too. DRG always had a good taste for selecting their albums, and this one isn`t exception. Every previous issue of S.W. was some kind of tribute to any composer. It was Franco Bixio on Vol.1, Luis Bacalov on Vol.2. Ennio Morricone dominates on Vol.3. And this new is of course legendary Francesco De Masi tribute. (Almost a half of scores on this double CD). The scores are arranged from pre-Leone Era (IL SEGNO DEL COYOTE 1963) till even the end of spaghetti epoch (TUTI PER UNO, BOTTE PER TUTTI 1973). The sound journey from adventure to comedy.De Masi of course is great composer and his stile is very original. The best examples are: excellent songwith legendary Raoul`s vocal o TEQUILA JOE; MEXICO WESTERN with spanish guitar from VADO L`AMMAZZO E TORNO; marvelous track from RINGO IL CAVALIERE SOLITARIO; magnificent MAYBE SOMEWHERE, MAYBE SOMEBODY song, and organ on ECCO HOMO from SARTANA NON PERDONA; great TITOLI from C`E SARTANA, VENDI LA PISTOLA E COMPRATI LA BARA. But I have to say that real surprise for me was two scores by Bruno Nicolai from BUON FUNERALE AMIGOS, PAGA SARTANA 1970, and GLI FUMAVANO LE COLT,LO CHIAMAVANO CAMPOSANTO 1971. It was nearly the end of Morricone-Nicolai long cooperation time. And the resalt is fantastic. These cues remind me the best examples of Morricone spaghetti stile like MUCCIO SELVAGGIO from IL MIO NOME E`NESSUNO, or famous IL VIZIO D`UCCIDERE from PER QUALCHE DOLLARO IN PIU. What else. Ennio Morricone is great as always with mysterious-melancholy VIAGIO from IL GRANDE SILENZIO, and MUERTE DENDE VAS from UN ESRCITO DI 5 UOMINI. Great epic title song from E DIO DISSE A CAINO by Carlo Savina. Pierro Piccioni wrote his unique stile easy listening for QUEL CALDO MALEDETTO GIORNO DI FUOCO. To say the truth all tracks are cost to listen and listen again. And my special thanks to DRG for Lallo Gori. It`s hard to find his soundtracks, and i hope that the next DRG`S.W.Vol.5 ! would be opened by his BACK HOME SOMEDAY from Fulci`s TEMPO DI MASSACRO."

Beautiful

Martijn13Maart1970 | Husavik Iceland | 06/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have a very extensive music collection, and was looking for something missing: that beautiful but haunted and lonely sound of Ennio Morricone's music: spaghetti westerns!

I was simply looking for all the soundtracks from those countless obscure Italian Westerns that where made in the 60s and 70s. But how to find them, or worse, the titles?

This collection, as well as Part 2, 3, and 4, hosts them probably all. It also has an extensive booklet with very good info on the music, as well as the movies that made them, or is it the other way around? This set is simply the best Italian Western music money can buy, and should be famous and sold-out!

I recommend to buy all 4 sets!"

The Last Ride

Colin "The Ninja Guy" | LA, CA | 04/11/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"There are only four CD sets in the Spaghetti Western Music collection, which showcased the lesser known music from lesser known films. And, to be perfectly honest, I'm not completely unhappy it's over. It has been fun, and I will miss it (I even held off writing this review); but this CD makes it clear that we're scraping the bottom of the Italian Western cinematic barrel here.



Although it does fit in nice enough with the other three CDs (particularly the first two; it picks up the old practice of two CDs per album), on its own, the fourth volume of the Spaghetti Western Soundtracks does not bode too well. It's pleasant enough, but half the tracks you've essentially heard before. The other half are downright weird.



Perhaps the best example of this is a medieval minuet from "The Man Called Apocalypse Joe," which sounds more like it came off a Jethro Tull album than out of a Spaghetti Western. Another track, from "Buckaroo," opens with a man la-la-la-ing the tune. Yes, this is the "strange album" of the lot.



I am pleased to say that there are still plenty of tracks on this album also found in the video game Red Dead Revolver. Players will no doubt recognize music from "Ranch of the Ruthless," "Coffin for the Sheriff," "Ringo the Lone Rider," "Bullet for a Stranger," "Pray to Kill and Return Alive" and "Lo Chiamavano Tresette, Giocava Sempre Col Morto" (that last one wasn't easy to type).



And as usual, I picked a personal favorite CD. The second one has more interesting, intricate stuff. But of course, there's plenty of good music across this album. It's just that none of it is as striking as anything on the other three. Even the Ennio Moricone tracks are a bit underplayed. Although, I've got to admit, Maya from "No Room to Die" is perhaps the most stirring final track we've had since the very first album's closer from "Fistfull of Dynamite." It is a bit sad, therefore, that the final tracks of the series (obtained from "The Three Musketeers of the West"), are largely disposable.



In the long run, if you've bought the three previous albums, you might as well finish the series off and purchase this. For two CDs with over two hours of music, it's a good deal. But if you didn't like either of the first two albums (with their shifting themes style), or you're not a real big fan, you might as well ride past this one. End of the line, pardner."