SON OF A WANTED MAN

In the thrilling radio serials of yesteryear, the momentum of the tale kept listeners from imagining actors in a studio reading scripts. Not so with this selection. The acting is noticeably awkward, possibly because, unlike "live" radio, this classic western was recorded out of sequence for budgetary reasons. The sound effects, however, outshine the acting: they are so sharp that the listener may look up when hearing incoming footsteps or try to duck a rifle shot. But the music, composed and recorded for this presentation, is inappropriate. Imagine John Tesh on New-Age, echoing guitar. More fitting would have been old-style music from that era, or even the swelling organ from the serials of yore. The ring of authenticity that this production lacks arrives only after the story is over, when listeners are treated to an archival interview with L'Amour himself, who grew up skinning cattle and talking to folks who knew real gunslingers. This last disc also contains "The Making of Son of a Wanted Man ," which is educational, fascinating and a bit sad when one considers how the best-laid plans run awry. Based on the Bantam paperback. (Jan.)