Amazon.com had said that it was released yesterday, I went to Best Buy to pick up my copy. After traveling all around the area trying to find the Brother Bear soundtrack the day it was released, I finally found that at Best Buy. Best Buy had copies, not in the new releases, but in the soundtrack section.
What do I have to say about it?
No one denies the fact that Alan Menken is a Disney Legend, an incredible songwriter, and much of the success of Disney's Second Golden Age of Animation is because of him, and his music for Home on the Range is really no different. If it has any weaknesses, they only lie in the hands of Disney management and those that decided not to make this film a full-fledged characters singing every song musical.
The definitely highlight of the soundtrack is Alimeda Slim's Yodelling song, mostly because it seems to be the only song sung by a character in the film. The Opening track Home on The Range is also great because it is a song that may or may not be actually sung by any characters in the film (we'll see after we watch the movie) but the song and singers of it have a lot of character themselves. The only other song that seems like it could possibly be sung by a character would be "will the sun ever shine again" by Bonnie Raitt. It seems possible that this song could be sung by Pearl in the film, but most likely no. If it is sung by Pearl in the Film, then it will just seem a lot better.
All of the other songs are very, very good, and Alan Menken shows us he can write just about any kind of music. Ballads, Gospel, Show Tunes (to name a few) are now met with great Country and Western-ish tunes. They're not too country to shove those away who hate country, but the flair is undeniable. He really shows talent in his score of the Film, which has some really wonderful moments.
Anyway, if you like Alan Menken, and maybe like a little country once in a while, then be sure to pick up Home on the Range, you won't regret it!
