REVIEW: David Arnold, Shaken And Stirred - The James Bond
Project
- Patrick Carmoisno
David Arnold's pedigree is without dispute. Having participated in a terrific collaboration with Bjork, "Play Dead", as well as composing and realizing a cache of the most stylish and sonic soundtracks (Stargate, Independence Day etc.), putting a James Bond tribute in Arnold's hands should be a natural thing. The results of Shaken And Stirred, though, are not so natural and none too special. The general sound of S&S is nice, just about quaint. A collection of classic Bond themes that pit Arnold's atmospheres with some of the more intriguing characters of pop culture (Iggy Pop, David McAlmont, Leftfield, LTJ Bukem, Chrissie Hynde, Martin Fry, Pulp, Propellerheads and more) is bound to at least achieve that. The lack of gravy, so to speak, is what disappoints.
Amongst the few highlights of S&S is Aimee Mann's unique take on "Nobody Does It Better", which features a claustrophobic mix of compressed, dry vocals, harmonium and sitar. This gives the song a brutal sensuality that got covered up in the glamorous production that was Carly Simon's original version. Iggy Pop's mournful croon on "We Have All The Time In The World" is also a great aural pleasure to be held. It would be too apt if it were to be his swan song effort. S&S also further reveals the talents of David McAlmont, whose "Diamonds Are Forever" is a fitting tribute to the exotic elegance of Shirley Bassey's original take. Arnolds work on McAlmont's upcoming release will probably prove to be a better fit for the diva-esque singer than his previous project with ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler.
Other than that, the collection is really an offbeat take on James Bond music; nothing more, nothing less. If you already had imagined the sound of Pulp doing "All Time High" or Chrissie Hynde merely replacing the vocals of Paul McCartney on "Live And Let Die", then there is no need to hear them outside of your head. Other none-too-special moments include LTJ Bukem's cover on "The James Bond Theme" adding up only to token drum n bass artist insertion. What's worse is he does not stretch the limitless capabilities of drum n bass with a track custom-built for such a stretch. Unfortunately, it incorporates some already heard, cozy d n b beats with the famous film noir-ish coda laid down in the breaks. Propellerheads show no indication here of why exactly they are being lauded as the future of electronica, with the symphonic melody of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" simply sampled over some Chemical Brothers-friendly beats.
Overall, Shaken And Stirred is a rather harmless collection best suited for James Bond completists, completists of the artists involved and shopkeepers in search for happening in-store music. The greatest harm here is that it doesn't fully reveal the musical genius of David Arnold.
