Lakeshore Records releases the soundtrack to Little House on the Prairie: Season 1 featuring original music by Dan Romer. The evocatively orchestrated score is augmented with traditional American instrumentation that capture the pioneering spirit of the adaptation of the series based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved books. Part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, this fresh adaptation of the iconic semi-autobiographical Little House books offers a kaleidoscopic view of the struggles and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier...

Dan Romer's score for CBS' first season of Little House on the Prairie contains 27 tracks (44 min, 47 sec). Whilst most of the soundtrack consists of a standard score, there are traditional American instrumentation based songs designed to capture the pioneering spirit of the series. Personally, these weren't elements that I particularly warmed too, but their inclusion is obviously essential.

Romer delivers enough set pieces and themes to allow the music to cover all bases, whilst remaining a collection that works well as a standalone album of intricate and beautiful tracks. The opening track 'A Giant Sky' carries themes that set the tone of the show. There's mystery and suspense in pieces like 'River Crossing'. 'Not all Alone' carries a melancholic undertone, whilst 'The Beginning of Something' is more confident and positive; striving forward with gusto and real joy for life.

The score is predominantly made up of subtle, slow themes which build a beautiful picture of the Little House on the Prairie setting. It feels modern and invigorating, whilst still clearly evoking imagery of a bygone era.

Romer delivers a rich and overwhelmingly positive atmosphere with his lively, energetic themes.

8

Darren Rea