Pops Roundup presents a Walt Disney view of the west in which soaring strings and horns evoke images from western movies rather than the actual west. The dynamic music features all-new arrangements of classic western songs as well as themes from television, films, and Broadway shows. Woodblocks create the clippity-clop of horses' hooves, and other uncommon (for an orchestra) instruments such as harmonica and accordion crop up in places. An array of odd sounds, from whistles to gunshots, add to the strong visual quality of the music. Two long medleys of western television themes and fiddle reels bookend the album, with the latter receiving a positively whimsical interpretation.
Pops Roundup is a soundtrack in search of a motion picture, and will give western film enthusiasts a serious case of deja vu. The CD reissue adds six bonus tracks. ~ Greg Adams