MUPPETS MOST WANTED (SCORE)

Walt Disney Records/Intrada co-brand presents dynamic original score CD from Disney's second Muppet movie, directed by James Bobin, featuring ever popular Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Great Gonzo, Rowlf, many others. Lending support for these Muppets Most Wanted are Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey. World tour, jewel heist, Kermit imposter all inspire Christophe Beck to create rapid-fire symphonic soundscape that races with virtuoso orchestral ideas coming from all sides. Chorus adds rich eastern Europe color. Beck balances between high energy, sentimental warmth but gives weight to the former in stunning, crisp recording made by Casey Stone at Sony Scoring Stage. Composer displays masterful flair for retaining coherency of style while hurtling forward at frenetic pace. Highlights are many but deserving spotlight is rousing, aptly-named "What An Action sequence". Terrific "bonus" features Beck's equally rousing orchestral score for initial Disney installment, The Muppets, released in 2011, also directed by James Bobin, starring same beloved characters with support from Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper. Here Beck visits variety of musical styles from wildly symphonic to impressively Vaudeville. As with Muppets Most Wanted, overall tone of music for The Muppets is serious, exciting, giving weight and emotion to famed critters that came from the mind of Jim Henson. Tim Davies conducts. Grab on!