Believe it or not, this is the first CD of Warbeck's that I have gotten, and I'm nothing less than amazed. What I like most about this score is what so many have mentioned already, it's "Mediterranean", soothing atmosphere. I rarely hear scores like this. In fact, the only other soundtrack I own that really matches this style is Yasunori Mitsuda's video game score Chrono Cross, and just like that score, I feel that this music is just plain good, enjoyable, and heartwarming. The level of the music's effectiveness does go all over the scale during the course of the album, and I'm not so sure that I like the classical peices of music simply tossed in with the rest. I've never been the biggest fan of aria, and I especially find it to be annoying here. Also, the score itself seems to get darker and darker as the album progresses, but I suppose that's only natural.

Since it's in the title itself, the mandolin is used extensively throughout the score. I understand that this instrument is not for everybody, and I should warn you about that. It is not just used to enhance the orchestration, it's use is very "up-close and personal", and by the end of the album, people who have never even heard the mandolin before will be well aquainted with its sound. I've never cared for Spanish classical guitar, but the guitar sounds of further south are something else entirely. I think that it proves that guitar can be incredibly lovely when used the right way (though I'm sure that fans of Spanish classical guitar feel that way about their music too :-)).