James Bond music reimagined! When dreaming of progressive bucket list wishes, nothing can compare to reliving some of the greatest melodies from one of the supreme composers of our time in John Barry. Outside of “Smoke on the Water”, I cannot think of a more obviously memorable piece of music than the legendary “James Bond” Theme clanging guitar riff, a standard way beyond the classics. Even Bach and Beethoven would agree. Personally, “You Only Live Twice” is my favorite piece of soundtrack music ever, a sublime melody that will see me through to my last breath. As Arild states, “a soundtrack of my early youth”. Now, being a Bond fan helps in that every track here is immediately familiar to the point one can relive the scene in particular!
Multi-instrumentalist Arild Broter of Pymlico fame has amassed quite the talented Norwegian crew including Airbag guitarist extraordinaire Bjorn Riis and really put his heart and soul into making this album a must have! Think about it, a progressive remake that takes these pristine tracks into another dimension, a modern take that impresses from the very first seconds of the opener “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Suite -Part1” (where George Lazenby meets Steve Lazenby of Lazland fame), the standard JB guitar flicker shows up sprightly, aided by the spectral trombone and trumpets that decorate the main theme, we know so well. Close your eyes and you can feel the Swiss Alps in the valleys of your mind. Things get Harlem urban chic on “Bond Meets Solitaire”, you got to let live and die as Hakon Rasmussen wrestles Voodoo crocodiles on his bass guitar, echoing drumbeats, whooshing keyboards prevail, as the familiar tune takes the languorous route, laidback and sweaty. The trumpet elevates the mood to wicked heights. Where did I leave my Tarot cards, Miss Seymour?
“John Barry Suite” is a seven-part potpourri of delightful sonic tidbits from the master from Goldfinger, Russia with Love, Thunderball, to Octopussy and Golden Gun, with a terrific lead guitar solo from Ole Mikael Bjorndal, a panorama of sonic thrills that defy boredom into capitulation. “Journey to Blofeld’s Hideaway” pays homage to that evil Spectre villain, perfectly played by Telly Savalas (later known as the lollipop sucking Kojak), with a majestic guitar intervention from Riis, and Petter Lien’s trumpet blasts. Deliciously fun.
Michael Lonsdale ‘s portrayal of Hugo Drax on Moonraker was a crowning achievement, as “Space Laser Battle” also introduces us to Richard Kiel (Jaws), a Bond movie that actually was most enjoyable, though some critics snickered. Needless to point out, the atmosphere is more like ionosphere as the cosmic feel is celestially intense. “Secret Room /New Digs” is a Thomas Newman/Arild Broter composition that could easily fit in the next JB production, with a turbulent electronic piece that exudes mood, movement and moxie, three elements that are core to the Bond character. Oyvind Broter shines on the glittering keys as Stephan Hvinden tortures his guitar with nasty abandon. A View to a Kill on “Snow Job” and Moonraker again are featured on “Flight into Space”, a floating, gravitational and bridge-spanning melange of fast-paced action sequences that exude both flair and bravery, interweaving crisp guitar (Mads Horn) lines with churning Hammond (Oyvind). Intricate composition that packs quite the punch, just like a good old Walther PPK.
“Capsule in Space” comes from my previously mentioned favorite Bond movie, “You Only Live Twice”, an ominous, beastly almost heavy metal take on a bruising original piece, grandiose yet insistent. Diving for pearls in the galaxy? Why not, ninjas! The sweeping “007 Theme” is given entirely new weapons, no not from Q but rather an inspired performance from the band that throttles this into a new dimension, very contemporary, a wicker Horn guitar dealing the final blow.
The Las Vegas mood gets a twinkly Norse workover on “Diamonds are Forever”, a sulky orchestral impulse that is suitably dark and almost gothic, with massive, synthesized walls of sound, closer to John Foxx than John Barry, but just for a moment, before the familiar lilt rolls the dice of fate. Axeman Geir-Anders Haugen and Oyvind Broter keep the tone where it belongs, nice and “Blofeldian” (the Charles Gray version).
Homage to France is up next, as David Arnold composed this 2-part piece, with Tomorrow Never Dies as the inspiration for “Bond and Paris”, very romantic and ‘francais’ chic, that effortlessly segues into “City of Lovers” (well, its still Paris after all), showcasing the more amorous, and daresay carnal attributes that agent 007 and his willing conquests bring to the sliver screen. This is followed by French composer Eric Serra’s piece “We Share the Same passions”, found on Golden Eye, that maintains the sulfurous flirting with love and danger, often at the same time. Guitar solo by Andreas Sjo Engen is a …killer! “Her Majesty’s Secret Service Part 2” renews the juicy alpine crest as Bond wears a kilt, surrounded by a bevvy of beauties. Fast paced, grand slalom race to freedom, before the base explodes into oblivion.
The lengthiest piece is the sprawling 10 minute + epic dedicated to revisiting The Living Daylights, a way above-average Bond flick that did have a resolute Tim Dalton, a terrific Jeroen Krabbe and a lovely cellist in Myriam d’Abo, elevated by an absolutely brilliant soundtrack including the Aha lads (Norway). Broter turns this into a masterful prog-rock epic with stellar arrangements and impossible lead guitar from Stephan Hvinden, full of sensual bluesy notes, supremely attractive and memorable. The rousing organ flutter and the whopping orchestrations do the rest!
“Final Ascent” is a delightful Hans Zimmer composition, though it emanates from the very recent 2022 No Time to Die, it does come as an outstanding finale, an outright beautiful melody with a solemn feel, as the crying Mads Horn guitar dictates the painful end. The forsaken piano is crushingly gorgeous, a perfect way to finish off this fantastic sonic adventure. ‘This album does not include samples of the original music from the James Bond film series or any other work of art’. Prog musicians do not need sampling, they create their own…..for others to use.
5 shaken, not stirred martinis
