Thomas Newman's scored a few strange films in his time, and one of them is Josh and Sam, a kind of road movie in which two boys try to escape to Canada to avoid living in Florida with their father.  The elder one, Josh, tries to convince his younger brother that he is actually a genetically-altered mutant called S.A.M. and that if he doesn't get to Canada then he'll be forced to go to Africa and fight in a war.  Yes, well, an everyday tale.

Needless to say, Newman's eclectic and unique style works like a dream.  And "dream" is a really good word to use - listen to the album from start to finish and it really does sound like some sort of weird accompaniment to a dream.  Newman's trademark off-kilter rhythms, stabbed pianos, twinkly bells and array of unusual percussion is there from start to finish, along with a couple of trademark Newman themes for strings and oboe ("In Her Care", "Bus to Canada") which are breathtakingly beautiful.  He has never become conventional or traditional, but the composer was arguably going through his most experimental phase during the early 1990s and this was one of the first scores he wrote in this now-familiar manner.  The lengthy "Brothers" is quiet and unassuming but very moving.  Newman's deft use of various solo wind instruments is inspiring.

This is one of those Thomas Newman scores that seems to take hold of you without you quite realising it.  Despite the few highlights listed above, there's nothing that truly reaches out and grabs you, but taken as a whole the album is put together so well that Newman somehow manages to weave some magic and cast its spell on you.  It's certainly a score that benefits from a lot of repeated listening, but I'm sure that any fan of Newman - particular his quirkier side - will love it.

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