CD REVIEW - Carambola/Carambola Filotto...Tutti in Buca


Carambola/Carambola Filotto…Tutti in Buca
Music by Bixio, Frizzi, Tempera
Digitmovies CDDM054
27 Tracks 73:07 mins

Attempting to cash in on the success of the Terence Hill/Bud Spencer pairing, director Ferdinando Baldi teamed the clone-like Paul L. Smith (Popeye) and Michael Coby in a couple of comedic Italian Westerns dating from 1974 and 1975. Here Digitmovies present the complete scores, in fine stereo sound, from both; the former being scored by Bixio and Tempera, with Frizzi joining them on the sequel.
Both scores are typical of those found in these kinds of westerns, being overall infectiously tuneful. Carambola opens with the Oliver-Onions-styled song "You Can Fly" by Dreambags, who also perform the song "Sky's Motor Bike" in similar fashion for the sequel. Both songs are given instrumental treatments throughout the scores, some for live instruments, and others with synths taking the lead. Both scores also feature a Deguello, the sequel's being longer and the best, due to the irritating presence of electric guitar doodlings against the fine trumpet playing in that for Carambola. Both scores also feature plenty of Mexican-styled dance tracks, marches and comedic chases, and there are offbeat cues like the New Orleans-styled jazz of "Western Jazz," the bluesy electric guitar of "Blues for Trinity and Carambola" and the rather unusually bluesy keyboard of "Saloon," a cue one would normally expect to be scored for honky tonk piano.
The whole album makes for a delightfully toe-tapping experience, with the sequel score just shading it for me, thanks largely to the fast moving "Coby and Len," which is extremely catchy with Dreambags adding vocal support.
As always, a colourful booklet accompanies the CD, featuring stills and poster artwork, as well as a synopsis for each film and Claudio Fuiano's notes on the films and their scores.
If you like your Italian Western scores of the light-hearted, tuneful variety, you should definitely seek this one out.