109 replies to this topic

[cvheady007]

I definitely also dig Pulp's "All Time High"...

[Dunph]

We Have All The Time In The World is the only single that's hard to get. The others are piss easy.

[ChickenStu]

It's a great CD, I like it. Some very interesting Bond cover tunes. I hope David Arnold does a follow up one day!

[Qwerty]

Would love him to, I love this CD.

[ChickenStu]

My favourite tracks are "Spacemarch" by Leftfield, "The James Bond Theme" by LTJ Bukem" and "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" by Proppelerheads!

[Flash1087]

Yeah, I love that Propellerheads song too. Didn't they do something for a Brosnan movie soundtrack?

[Qwerty]

Tomorrow Never Dies - Backseat Driver

[Hitch]

Following everyone's suggestions, I shall shortly be Shaken and Stirred.

The preciousss is mine.

[Qwerty]

Following everyone's suggestions, I shall shortly be Shaken and Stirred.

The preciousss is mine.

You will not be disappointed.

[ChickenStu]

It is a great album. I really really like it. Judging by some of the posts, I seem to be the only one who likes the LTJ Bukem track! I like it because, like the rest of the album, it's music you can chill too. I personally think that Leftfield's "Spacemarch" is the jewel in the crown of the album.
I'd really love to see David Arnold do a follow up, with new artists and different Bond songs.
"Shaken & Stirred" is superb. I love it!

[Renard]

Sticky question: Does anyone own some music videos from the album's tracks?

I ve only seen Propellerheads' OHMSS music video which absolutely rocks!!!

[Qwerty]

I recall a post (by Dunph, perhaps?) and I think he mentioned that one, one by David McAlmont, and one by Iggy Pop - not positive about the last one however.

I've seen the McAlmont one - it's available somewhere around here to view I believe.

[Hitch]

My thoughts on said CD:

1. Diamonds Are Forever - A pale version of the original. Harmsway's Nice Little Nothing Mix (with David Arnold on production) would have been much better, in my (not so) humble opinion.

2. Nobody Does It Better - still early days for me.

3. Space March - This is more like it. I've never seen much point in slavish cover versions; here, thank goodness, Leftfield have taken a classic Barry composition and tried something a little different. Excellent production, snappy, atmospheric - S&S is worth buying just for this. Hey, you can always sell the CD later.

4. All Time High - In which Jarvis Cocker makes a virtue of not being able to carry a tune in a bucket. I hated it. Tolerated it. Became rather fond of it. At least Pulp's version has a sense of drama, unlike the frankly dreary original. Again, a band that has tried something different, so a up from me.

5. Moonraker - So-so. If the cover version isn't going to try anything fresh then any singer will lose out in comparison to La Bassey.

6. The James Bond Theme - allegedly. If I heard this without knowing it was a re-working of cinema's best theme tune, I'd say how much I enjoyed the classy production values, though it's not the catchiest thing I'd ever heard. Knowing that Mr Bukem has not only thrown out the baby with the bathwater, but the bath too, gives me pause for thought. I bet there are any number of artists who would give their front teeth to work on the James Bond Theme with David Arnold. Sigh.

7. Live And Let Die - This has mananged to circumvent my ears on each hearing. It takes ages for any music to stick in my tired cerebellum, so the (my) jury's still out.

8. Thunderball - I adore the original's orchestration, but a little Tom Jones goes a long way (or so I've heard), but Martin Fry's version is pretty good. His voice is a lot less bombastic, but it's still full-blooded. The backing doesn't have quite the breadth and drama of the first version, but I'll probably listen to this more than the original. Sacrilege!

9. From Russia With Love - Never mind the music; where's the comma? I love this. Natacha Atlas's voice winds itself around the sinuous melody most delicately, and combined with the exotic percussion it gives FRWL a distinct "Bond in Istanbul" flavour. Excellent. If anything, I'd like to hear FRWL with a much heavier Turkish/Arabian flavour.

10. OHMSS - The Propellerheads take Barry's tune (Space March too) and shake it like a dog with a rag-doll. Just when you think they've had their fill, the Props keep adding more to it. It's absurdly epic and I love it. Another track worth the purchase alone.

11. We Have All The Time In The World - but none of the notes. I know some people at CBn love this, but to me it sounds like a tired pub singer crooning over a staid rock backing. I don't see much point in cover versions like this. God, I'm grumpy. If only Iggy had kept his Rock God persona and battered this song with a full-on rock workout. Don't just repeat the trumpet line (with an inferior sound) - get a guitarist to squall it out with plenty of feedback!

Anyway, that's the end of my homily. In case you have any doubts from my miserable ramblings above: I like Shaken & Stirred a lot, and recommend it to any Bond fans casting about for something to make their ears perk up.

Edited by Hitch, 14 November 2005 - 10:51 AM.

[Qwerty]

Interesting review, Hitch! The one thing I found with this album is how quickly many of the songs grow on you. For me it was specifically From Russia With Love, which I thought was rather boring at first. Now I love it.

[james st.john smythe]

ABC's martin fry with thunderball then pulps all time high

[Double-Oh Agent]

Interesting review, Hitch! The one thing I found with this album is how quickly many of the songs grow on you. For me it was specifically From Russia With Love, which I thought was rather boring at first. Now I love it.

Exactly. The first time I heard this album I didn't like it a whole lot so I tucked it away and didn't listen to it for awhile. A year or two later, I listened to it again and it was a little better. Then I played it again and again until the point where now, I like it quite a bit. The songs are not as good as the originals of course, but they're not bad. About the only song I'm not wild about is The James Bond Theme by LTJ Bukem which is the Bond theme in name only.

As for David Arnold doing a second album of Bond tune re-makes, I certainly wouldn't be averse to hearing them.

[Streetworker]

For those of you that own the Shaken And Stirred, The David Arnold James Bond Project, what is your favorite(s) songs on the CD?
I must say that the new version of Thunderball by Martin Fry, is a tachno blast of exceitement of the highest order. Moonraker is also good.
Any favorites by anyone else?

It's a great album. My favourite tracks include Live and Let Die, We Have All The Time In The World and Thunderball. But the stand-out is Diamonds Are Forever, which is possibly the campest thing ever recorded (Liberace's concerts notwithstanding), and is none the worse for that.

A similar concept was applied to the works of Ian Fleming's friend, Noel Coward, on an album called Twentieth Century Blues in 1999, which included Coward songs recorded by Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, and the pet Shop Boys. Anyone heard that one?

[Qwerty]

But the stand-out is Diamonds Are Forever, which is possibly the campest thing ever recorded, and is none the worse for that.

Indeed. One rarely comes across another Bond song as over the top as this one. The music video is just the same.

[Kalel577]

Where can I get the CD single for the Propellerhead's version of OHMSS?

[Qwerty]

eBay seems to be a good bet lately.