Listening to my new CDs
chrisno1
LondonPosts: 3,598MI6 Agent
THIS POST WAS CALLED 'REGURGITATING' BUT I'VE DECIDED THAT'S A SILLY WORD!
I have just purchased a few of the soundtracks on CD. I have never owned a soundtrack of a Bond film before (I like to listen with pictures) but I have found them strangely listenable. I actually thought they would be quite dull.
I only have 5 (YOLT, DAF, LALD, TSWLM, MR) but its a good selection. I was particularly impressed with the DAF soundtrack, which really brought back memories of watching the film. Its a quirky film and Barry matches his music to this so well. Even the bits that annoy me when I watch the film (like the moonbuggy chase) sound fresh and fun on the cd. The extra tracks are good too (e.g. Airport - On the road - Slumber Inc)
By contrast YOLT, an ost I really enjoy on screen, felt a bit flat. Although the space capsule music is haunting it occurs too often and the Japanese jingles are too prominent, while in the film they seem to rest in the background more. The extra tracks don't help much here because they emphasise the repetitions.
Well, anyway, there you go.
I have just purchased a few of the soundtracks on CD. I have never owned a soundtrack of a Bond film before (I like to listen with pictures) but I have found them strangely listenable. I actually thought they would be quite dull.
I only have 5 (YOLT, DAF, LALD, TSWLM, MR) but its a good selection. I was particularly impressed with the DAF soundtrack, which really brought back memories of watching the film. Its a quirky film and Barry matches his music to this so well. Even the bits that annoy me when I watch the film (like the moonbuggy chase) sound fresh and fun on the cd. The extra tracks are good too (e.g. Airport - On the road - Slumber Inc)
By contrast YOLT, an ost I really enjoy on screen, felt a bit flat. Although the space capsule music is haunting it occurs too often and the Japanese jingles are too prominent, while in the film they seem to rest in the background more. The extra tracks don't help much here because they emphasise the repetitions.
Well, anyway, there you go.
Comments
Welcome to the world of Bond soundtracks then, chrisno1. There's a whole lot of pleasant listening ahead of you!
Moonraker would benefit if it allowed the James Bond theme, for instance on the freefall pts, which is punchy and cool! But I understand that would mean money into Monty Norman's pocket. Also it lacks the wonderful approach to Drax's castle, which is superb. TSWLM is good but the film itself is buffed up by some classical interludes eg the song when the women gets eaten by the shark, the pyramides stuff and even Lawrence of Arabia, to make up for the otherwise thin orchestration by Marvin Hamlisch.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Curious selection. DN was dreadful,although it had some nice tunes, but it was ever so reliable on repeating them. I didn't like GE at all, though my memory was it worked quite well on screen. TMWTGG was a bit twee. It had its moments. I liked the Grisly Land sequence and the Jazz Sequence, but the Fun House bits were just plain awful. Best of the lts, curiously, for such a terrible film, was AVTAK. It still wasn't a patch on some of Barrys other stuff, but it was very melodic and at times quite romanticly whistful. It didn't sound like a 007 soundtrack,which was a nice change.
The best is yet to come: OHMSS, GF, and TB await!
I think it was the original CD as it was an MCA publication and the sleeve was different to the other copies I have.
It didn't save the OST.
This was dreadful. It sounded like any other '80s action movie soundtrack; a host of forgettable songs threaded with some instumentals.
The worst thing was the instrumental tracks didn't have any flavour of the film. I didn't detect the main LTK theme in them at all and, even worse, it has the lightest wispish revamp of the Bond Theme I ever heard.
I am not a fan of LTK anyway, but this listening has just dulled my senses to the movie even more. What a horrendous disappointment.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
For sure...couldn't face watching the movie again !
I tracked own a few more cds in Kingston and listened to FRWL and GF.
I was very impressed with the GF o/s that really surprised me. I always found the score a little jokey when I watched it on screen (you have all the character cues and stuff...) but it sounded very fresh and alive. I particularly enjoyed Bond Back in Action, when I could envisage the PTS sequence as the music played out, it was very familiar. Gassing the Gangsters also offered notable restraint as it rose to an (almost) cresendo.
I thought it was odd that two of IMO the best pieces are in the extras, The Golden Girl and particulalry Laser Beam were both very good takes, the latter especially had a real sense of urgency and tension in it. I could hear the makings of Barry's later YOLT spacewalk in this tune.
Can't leave the review without mentioning Miami which for me sums up the success of GF perfectly. A sweeping jazzy tune that sets up the action and catches the audiences attention.
FRWL I didn't find so successful. Some section (like The Golden Horn) felt out of place. I hadn't realised quite how much music there was in FRWL, I always saw it as a 'quiet' film. The Bond Bongo's was an interesting take on the main theme, but there were only a few bits that really stood out: St Sophia was haunting, with those church bells reverberating like the later train wheels, and Bond Meets Tania was a lovely romantic piece. Best of all was the opening 3-tiered theme, which shows that you don't need words to excite an audience.
I think it's about time we had a pure theme for a change. The producers missed a trick when Moby revamped the Bond theme for TND and I even think Another Way To Die might have been improved without the vocals and more focus on the orchestration. Still I can only dream.
a thoroughly pleasant listen. It captures the memory of the movie really well, I was especially pleased with the early tracks, which lay out the template of the soundtrack. It was great to hear the Chateau Escape in its entirity and the underwater stuff was very atmospheric, although I realised (for the first time) Barry uses the same theme for Bond's nighttime prowls around the Spa. Disappointing Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is only featured as an instrumental. I know it never featured in the film, but it has subsequently become very closely identified with it. The main problem was the length of the CD. Including the extra tracks it runs to just under 80mins and like the movie itself, becomes a trifle repetitive and long winded.
OHMSS was a dramatic highlight, almost every theme is an apex and there were moments of beauty as well as drama. Flight to Blofeld's was probably the standout moment, Gumbold's Safe was equally fine (can't see why that never made the original LP) and Over & Out a tension builder. It didn't stop there, the PTS and the casino theme Try recalled the wonderful opening scenes to this movie. Most out of place was the Christmas Tree thing by Nina. Can anyone offer me any explanation as to why this piece of Eurovisionpop (pap?) was included in a James Bond movie???
Two very good soundtracks I thought.
When remastering the Bond OSTs back in 2003, Lukas Kendall had to work within certain guidelines from the record company EMI. Among these were preserving the original track order and only then adding extras, and having no budget for double albums, The vocal MKBBs were unavailable "for artist clearance reasons". Bearing in mind that there were two vocal MKBBs and a small number of still-unreleased cues (most prominently 007's car ride with Fiona), Kendall could have fashioned an outstanding double CD by altering the running order, judiciously slotting in the vocal tracks and cutting down on the repetition. Creating this would be an entertaining project for some Bond music nut with too much time on his hands... ;%
"Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown?" was written as source music, and heard briefly during the film when Bond meets Irma Bunt and later at the ice rink. It was quite popular in Europe, translated into German and French. It's far from being a personal favourite, but it's not the worst song that's ever been in a Bond film!
(Dan Same if you're reading this- how about a "Worst Bond song" contest?
Experience of Love is definitely the worst Bond song ever. Even though I may hate others more, it is just beyond awful.
Generally I found the best OSTs are still the golden period from 1964 - 71,with curt nod to MR. Strangely (or not) I thought the best ones were all by Barry, although someof TSWLM and FYEO is excellent too.
Not strange at all!
Indeed not - his scores for OHMSS and Thunderball are 2 of the best of the series.
A View to a Kill and Living Daylights are cracking as well.
Would love him to score a Daniel Craig Bond film.
Duncan
7. LALD 8. TWINE 9. Skyfall 10. AVTAK 11. CR 12. TLD 13. YOLT
14. TMWTGG 15. Moonraker 16. TSWLM 17. Thunderball 18. FRWL
19. Dr. No 20. DAF 21. LTK 22. DAD 23. QoS 24. Spectre 25. NTTD
There's a name I haven't heard--well, seen--in a while!
--- Just been looking though my old posts and I found this
Reply by Christmas Tounes 13th Jul 2002 19:41
Re: Izabella Stuff (2,380 replies, posted in Off Topic Chat)
Nah, CT, can't let you do this--it's one thing to have links to pics of girls in bikinis, but naked pics is something else! What's more, those pictures look a bit fake. Sorry. --HB
7. LALD 8. TWINE 9. Skyfall 10. AVTAK 11. CR 12. TLD 13. YOLT
14. TMWTGG 15. Moonraker 16. TSWLM 17. Thunderball 18. FRWL
19. Dr. No 20. DAF 21. LTK 22. DAD 23. QoS 24. Spectre 25. NTTD
Yep, that was the old Bond20-dot-com site. Before Clint closed it down Simon came to it and invited us to join AJB--I was one of several who made the move. Wow--nearly eight years ago! And you were posting nekkid pictures? Shame, shame! Those are for PRIVATE messages, not PUBLIC consumption! (J/K)
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I picked a lot of mine up like that, Napoleon! Brosnan and Craig not included in the deal yet, which is why I only have GE.
Incidently, Barry, I write a lot in my spare time and find the creative juices flow much better with Bond in the background. GF, TB, YOLT, OHMSS, DAF and MR are the best to concentrate my mind!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
If The Cat was still around he could tell you. I did a little digging on my own, but couldn't find what you are looking for.
I thought we all knew that there has been a new music maestro on AJB for a few years now ?
I reckon this could a job for Barbel - what he doesn't know about Bond music (and music in general) really isn't worth knowing
Send him a PM - or he may find the answer and post it here -{
The two pieces of music in question ARE legally available- in cover versions. Still, they're good versions which should satisfy all but the most obsessive of Bond music collectors (ie The Cat and myself!).
Nic Raine (who worked with John Barry as orchestrator on his last two Bond soundtracks) has recorded many Bond tracks with the City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra on the Silva Screen label- I've written an article on this which may be of some interest- including the "Freefall" and "Arrival At Chateau Drax" cues from MR.
These are available on the following CDs (and box sets)-
"Bond Back In Action Again"
"The James Bond Collection"
"The Ultimate James Bond Film Music Collection"
"James Bond The Gold Edition" ("Freefall" only)
A quick check on Amazon or eBaY should uncover at least some of these.
The soundtrack versions are officially unavailable and I can present no information on the availabiltiy of these for obvious reasons....
On most, bizarrely, Arrival at Chateau Drax seques into Freefall.
Barbel, you say The Gold Edition doesn't have Drax Chateau but it seems to here*:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/James-Bond-Prague-Philharmonic-Years/dp/B001EQPCTI/ref=pd_sim_m_h__3
Or is it listed wrongly? *Though on the actual back cover it's only got Freefall. It's certainly on the James Bond Collection with the gunbarrel and red background, which seems to have mostly the same tracks when I quickly perused it. Edit: Not true, JB Collection has a lot more. Gold Edition has the better cover, and I'm a sucker for that...
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Chateau & Freefall are sequed because that's the way it's done on these releases- many of the unreleased (although some of the originals have since appeared) pieces are quite short so linking them together makes sense, and the suites and medleys allow the producer to cram in more. Yup, I missed that Chateau is on that album because it isn't listed on the cover or the slipcase (though it is mentioned inside).
I'd go for the Ultimate version (well, I'm a mug, er, completist so I've got them all) since it's the most complete. A lot of Bond music, some of which has still not appeared on the official albums, for a reasonable price. They're still cover versions, of course, but acceptable until the real thing comes along.
And no, I'm not on a percentage from the label!