RICHMOND SMOKES A JOINT

The good cops are two-timing the grifters and bad cops in this homage to the golden age of 1940s detective and sci-fi radio. Ducking wonderfully silly tough-guy dialogue and achingly bad puns, Patricia Tallman (“Babylon 5”) leads an enthusiastic cast on an interstellar search of the Sacred Plate of Marange. Anytime the word “marange” is used, things can’t be too serious. Tying the whole goofy plot together are state-of-the-art sound effects of spaceship interiors, crowded bars, and dripping cavern walls. Angelo Panetta’s musical soundtrack is punchy and vibrant throughout, especially when Tallman, as the sexy Jeannie Richmond, sings the blues. Atmospheric, entertaining, and technically dazzling. B.P. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2014]