The western was around long before The Magnificent Seven; but it's almost impossible nowadays to think of a western without also thinking of Elmer Bernstein-style music. He basically took Aaron Copland's famous Americana and made it even more expansive and expressive - absolutely perfect for the movies in question. Bernstein will always be remembered for the John Wayne pictures he scored, and The Comancheros was the first, made just one year after the groundbreaking film and score combination of The Magnificent Seven.

The theme is pure Bernstein magic: an expansive, folksy melody over those famous bouncy rhythms conjures up just the right images. "Attack" is a thrilling action cue, with percussive music for the Indians, finally with the main theme bursting out in particularly heroic fashion. The score presents numerous classic western scoring moments; in many ways, this score is the equal of The Magnificent Seven - and I think I agree with Elmer Bernstein himself that this main theme is even better than that earlier, more famous one.

Sound quality throughout is impressive - in stereo, I'm pleased to report - and, as usual, we get two a little bonus material: a mono version of the main title (for no discernible reason), and the two worst songs ever heard. Nick Redman's notes are mostly as good as ever, though I'm not quite sure I agree that The Comancheros "is infinitely better than almost any movie made today". But really, it's the sort of album whose very concept - Elmer Bernstein score for John Wayne western - renders any review unnecessary.