After November 5, roughly half the country can console themselves with the soothing sounds of this accessible jazz soundtrack from the 1972 Peanuts cartoon, in which Linus Van Pelt hamstrings his race to become class president by proselytizing for the Great Pumpkin. The tones and style of Guaraldi’s acoustic and electric piano-based arrangements for songs including the sparkling “Incumbent Waltz” will be familiar to those who adore “Skating” from 1965’s A Charlie Brown Christmas and Guaraldi’s other Peanuts work. “Oh, Good Grief!” is a relaxed swing featuring Guaraldi’s deft touch at the piano, accompanied by Glenn Cronkhite’s brushed snare. Seward McCain’s walking bass leads the way during “Blue Charlie Brown.” The soundtrack’s title cut is a brief Sousa-styled march. The familiar “Linus and Lucy” theme is reinvented as a samba. The ensemble work includes updates appropriate to a new decade. Vocal track and soundtrack centerpiece “Joe Cool” is a soulful R&B number celebrating anthropomorphic beagle Snoopy’s hip alter ego. The song features McCain’s solo flute while Guaraldi’s guitar covers wah-wah rhythm and bluesy leads. Reprise tracks include a lively Dixieland swing through “You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown” featuring a brass trio and a caffeinated but more familiar version of the beloved “Linus and Lucy” theme. Bonus tracks include alternate takes of the groovy “Cookin’ Snoopy” and unused “African Sleigh Ride.” The eco-friendly release is produced with materials including BioVinyl and sustainable paper products.
