A musical ostrich nugget ... from fool's gold

That the musical staging of the epic would congenial to the richest duck in the world ultimately bear the unmistakable signature of the top night Wünsch moth, had come in sight. As a big fan of the comic book (s) I saw the publication of this counter without great expectations. Neither one can expect the multifaceted characterization of the protagonists, or the detail of the illustrations, even the intelligent Plotmischungen of fantasy and history in a soundtrack adequately represented later on. But the fact that anyone seriously produced a soundtrack to Don Rosa's Scrooge-cycle, justifies a fan already buying. Since Mr Holopainen has basically a talented knack for mood music and also as chairman of the currently leading Gothic-Metal Manufactory today again lands still there and a direct hit, I was expecting the worst, with a solid composition that tries within its capabilities , increased to refer to one of the greatest comic book series of all time.

After the first hearing came the disillusionment and after a few more runs, the realization that the project "Life & Times of Scrooge McDuck" can not meet all my already scaled down in advance expectations.
Biggest gripe is here by my side from the lack of lyrics. That a soundtrack usually no extensive vocals ascends course. But his few strengths plays the album precisely there where a reference to the template is understandable and the handset the melody with the rudimentary Stories can connect to the rise of the infamous cylinder duck. As the composer decided during production, but to enrich the originally purely instrumental work still to vocals, this aspect seems to be probably been as aware of him.
These vocals but unfortunately still constitute only a very small part of the whole album. The vast, purely instrumental or sparsely peppered with fragments of sentences pieces sound thereby arbitrarily, so it is difficult for them to connect any kind on the events within the respective template.

The opener "Glasgow 1877" is herfür a good example. Besides the spoken intro nothing this Allerwelts Folklore standards sounds almost by Bertels childhood. A little more pep and from the piece would at least have become a dashing opener.
Something better is the following "Into the West". The bedroom voice of the singer at the beginning of the piece stands out positively from the Gefiepse still following pieces from the banjo and also brings a little variety in the song. Can carry both the song but not over the entire length.
The quite interesting "Duel & Cloudscapes" begins massive and can for a relaxing central part towards the end and again to build a little pressure.
"Dreamtime" but shoots the Platypus from, the track is predestined as Skip-song and a pure nuisance on this anyway weak equipped with audible material disc! Apart from a little didgeridoo he merely provide minutes long, monotonous Gedängel which strained the patience even during the first pass, each time following skipped mandatory.
With "Cold Heart of the Klondyke" album takes the first right to drive. The gold rush is indeed discussed here mainly sentimental and I miss the typical gold digger sounds that could have been better here than instead to place in "Into the West", the bottom line here but first makes a song on the album to really hear fun.
And the say the least, brilliant "The last Sled" shows the album what it could have been. Here almost everything is right: The composition is phenomenal and rousing, the poignant lyrics present theme and atmosphere of the original almost better than they themselves and the song actually manages to evoke goose bumps while listening. Although the squirrels voice of the singer annoying little and the song marshy unfortunately in the last quarter in many La-La-Las, of pieces of this caliber I would have 2 or 3 required more on this record to me, then the album would actually a masterpiece can be!
With "Goodbye, Papa," the album drops, however, returned to his bad habits. The piece is quite nice, nothing more, and it is difficult to determine to what reference the sounds are now available here on the events of the original.
"To be rich" is merely a small intro for the then following piece, without any self-selling.
"A Lifetime of Adventure" which some probably know from the accompanying music video, is symptomatic of the most quiet and partially überkitschte style of the album. Who loved this song, can not go wrong with the album nothing. I can, however, start with the much too sugary little voice of the singer (NEN) and the quiet and unexcited composition not much. A nice hook line that was about it. Like a life of adventure that sounds at least not more like a spa night at A and B Croissant Croissant.
"Go Slowly Now, Sands of Time" has an equally shallow conclusion without highlights. Alan Reid speaks to Scrooge again quite well, but the lyrics are sentimental and appearing attached. When should Bertel have ever been profound thoughts about Scottish poems by himself? If you already nowhere near exhausts a part of available options, then you should certainly not instead purely should invent such inappropriate references from personal preference.
As a bonus, again following the lead single in a version with even less music. Thus, the squeaky singing falls here on more negative.

I know many listeners seem to be satisfied or even enthusiastic about the plate. But I think with a bit more effort this record could have been much better. The album seems to have been built around the two highlights Cold Heart of Klondike and The Last Sled. Everything runs previously, only a mediocre Intro to these two pieces. And whatever comes after, loveless place filler can be reached by the end of the CD. Especially "The last Sled" stands here as a positive example out far from the sentimental Klimpersuppe Album.
As a fan and / or collectors of original one is still well served with the album, pinch the disc looks just next to the comics on the shelves look good.
When Nightwish fan or lowbrow impulse buyers should first listen and decide whether this score comes not too shallow and / or too cheesy.

My last gripe is towards marketing. Sure, it has now become naturalized, a double CD version to produce low, by simply omitting the vocal track and as an instrumental version of the album has quickly created time as a bonus CD. But an instrumental bonus version of an album, which has already been instrumental at least 90%, borders on impertinence.
The booklet of the Collector's Edition, it does not tear out also, here would be to empty and nearly empty pages still a lot of space for interesting information have been. The surcharge for the double CD is not worth it in my opinion.

Conclusion:
1 star for the interesting "Cold Heart of the Klondyke" and a very strong rating for the famous "The Last Sled". More anomaly would go in there with the best intentions. An additional grace yesterday I admit but for the brave and risky idea, actually set to music a Scrooge comic and throw on the market.