Michael Small's score to the 1971 Alan J. Pakula drama Klute remains one of the great lost soundtracks in American film. A proposed Warner Bros. LP was scrapped, and while bootleg copies surfaced in the years to follow, this 2006 Harkit set represents the first official release the music has received, albeit some 35 years into its existence. What's frustrating is that Klute demands consideration among the finest soundtracks of its heady era. Eerie and portentous, Small's melodies weave together elements of funk, psychedelia, and jazz to create a kaleidoscopic portrait of post-counterculture downtown New York. Themes like "Bree's Abandon (Take It Higher)" and "The Tape" employ daring arrangements and exotic instruments that underscore Small's mastery of texture and mood. The music is liberating but claustrophobic, perfectly capturing the tenor of its times. ~ Jason Ankeny
