Cartoon Medley
If you took a several-hour spread of music heard on the Cartoon Network, captured the pieces in their original lengths, and filtered out the images, you'd have what appears on this CD. Most of the 38 tunes are instantly recognizable, from "Scooby Doo, Where Are You?" to the melodramatic "The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest." The traditional cartoon themes rule, standing well above the network's attempts to integrate its own spots amidst Hanna and Barbera classics, but that's largely a function of time. If "Huckleberry Hound" sounds superior, it could well be merely its age. In other words, kids in the 1990s might consider the network's compositions on a par with the oldies, even considering the elaborate orchestration of the old-time themes. While these tracks are blips--adding up to a mere 33 minutes--they've got elaborate elements that will delight the ear and tease it with complex musical arrangements delivered in sweet, small packages.--Andrew Bartlett