James Bond Soundtracks 1989 to Today
After a six year wait we got a new film, "Goldeneye" (1995), a new Bond, Pierce Brosnan, and a new score by composer, Eric Serra. The producers wanted a different kind of sound to bring James into the 90's and well, that's what they got. Some of it is interesting, but fans weren't thrilled and apparently neither were the producers who had Serra's arranger and orchestrator, John Altman, rescore the entire tank chase sequence. Serra's version is on the CD (I swear I hear the Chipmunks in there). A cover version of Altman's is included on "Bond back in Action-Vol. 2"
"Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) brought us yet another composer, David Arnold, who combined a little of the old Barry style music with his own boom, crash, style of action movie scoring. AND we got two albums of music this time! (Only half of the music had been written when the first album was put together. Chapter III records put out a CD with the rest). Unfortunately, the best Bond theme in a long time, "Surrender", written by David Arnold and David McAlmont and performed by K. D. Lang was pushed back to the closing titles in favor of the almost unlistenable "Tomorrow Never Dies" theme by Sheryl Crow. (Another one for the "What were they thinking" list). We also got a great collaboration with the Propellerheads on the "Company Car" track and Moby's take on the James Bond Theme during the closing credits.
Mr. Arnold was back for "The World Is Not Enough" (1999) with a title song performed by the band Garbage. Another good action score although more to the techno side. While this works well in the type of action movies the Bond films have become, it leaves the listener wishing for a just a little something more.
"Die Another Day" (2002) by Arnold again with Madonna performing what may be the worst Bond title song ever! That track and a Bond theme remix (yawn), by Paul Oakenfold along with some interactive computer nonsense take up space better filled with music. Blame whoever put the CD together because there was plenty of good music in the film. There is some exciting opening chase music on the CD and a couple of near thrills in the snow scenes when the OHMSS bass line kicks in and the trumpets start to blare, but that only lasts a few bars before it switches to the standard action fare.
"Casino Royale" (2006) is supposed to be a "Bond Begins" film so the Bond theme doesn't show up till the very end... and there are only a couple of snippets that we'd recognize as Bond music scattered throughout the score. It's a great accompaniment to a great film, but without the familiar Bond goodies it's a little like any other Arnold action score. Perhaps, learning a lesson from the last CD, they jammed 75 minutes of music onto this one (and 13 extra tracks from the i-Tunes site), but without the guitar riffs and blaring trumpets to look forward to it becomes a bit monotonous. The film theme, "You Know My Name" by David Arnold and Chris Cornell isn't on the CD. Hopefully, now that Bond is Bond again we will get another 75 minute score and extra i-Tunes tracks for the next film, "Quantum Of Solace" (2008). (How're they going to work that into the lyrics?)
- Check out the David Arnold web site for a few unreleased bond tracks.
James Bond will return!
