The only genre that is truly American is the Western. If you think about it, an action film, drama, or comedy can take place anywhere and in almost any time period. But, when dealing with the genre of Westerns, it must – by definition – be set in the Western United States. Though some of the best Westerns ever created have been filmed elsewhere and by non-American filmmakers, they are always about one place and one era. Because no other genre has such a constant instilled in it, I find the Western – whether it be film, music, or game (or combination) – to be the most fascinating.
Naturally, Ennio Morricone’s iconic soundtracks – particularly those of the Man With No Name Trilogy (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and the legendary The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) – provide the template to which other Western soundtracks since adhere. The soundtrack to Red Dead Redemption wisely does not deviate very far from the tried and true methods of the great Morricone: whistle, strings, harmonica, acoustic and electric guitar, and simple percussion. All of these make up the aesthetic that evokes images of tumbleweed, high noon, and six-shooters. You know, the really good stuff.
In the end, the music behind Rockstar’s latest smash hit, Red Dead Redemption (composed by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson), should scratch that Western itch. Could it survive a showdown against your wallet and/or other great Western soundtracks? You’ll have to wait till high noon for that (or click the jump). (more…)
