But Im curious how the rest of the score fares in itself.

I havent heard many people talk about this one.

The other western by Goldsmith that I have is is Rio Conchos the Intrada re-recording.And I realy love this one.

Im in particular in terested in detailed reviews of the best cues (just to whet my appetite till it it arrives)

and DAINEL2 please let me know me know what u think.Specailly how the sound recording is and the packaging etc.!
best

on the whole, I think I like Rio Conchos a bit more, but Hard Ride is an excellent score. lots of harmonica, that rousing theme.

you'll love it!

Here are a few phrases taken completely out of context from the liner notes, just to get you all worked up:

"A highlight of Goldsmith's western adventure work!"

"Full-blooded!"

"Lovely melody!"

"Exciting duet for the string and brass sections!"

"Rapid-fire adventurous take on the title theme!"

"Propulsive action motif!"

"Explosive brass chorale!"

"Spirited Coplandesque episode!"

"Exquisitely lyrical and plaintive theme!"

In my opinion the presentation/booklet is first-rate (you'll know what I mean if you have other FSM releases), and, whilst I'm not really an audiophile, the sound seems just fine too.

In fact, I've just had another listen to this, and much of it is ripsnortingly good.

I agree with JJH, it's got a fantastic theme!

the FSM distortion is mildly annoying, but the only flaw I can find in an otherwise boffo CD.

I’m afraid I have never seen TAKE A HARD RIDE, and I do not own the album. Though I will add this soundtrack to my collection in time (assuming it is available or I can find it), I am not fuelled by an overwhelming compulsion to purchase this score at present.

Owing to the fact that many of today’s film composers are producing unprecedentedly sophisticated and appropriate film scores and that there has been a precipitous decline in the inventiveness and quality of Goldsmith’s scoring during the ‘90s, this composer’s output is becoming of less and less ‘positive’ interest to me these days. Add to that my belief that Goldsmith’s dozen or so Westerns comprise just about the weakest element of an already mediocre body of movies, and the fact that Goldsmith’s scoring of westerns has generally been poor and unimaginative. In my view, the only ‘good’ Western score that Goldsmith composed was for BREAKHEART PASS, but here the genres were blurred, we had a western/thriller which certainly would have appropriately influenced Goldsmith’s approach.