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"Somebody Does it Better?"
Review by Steve Townsley

Tomorrow Never Dies
(Video Game OST)
3/10

Real Audio Clips

Track 4

James Bond is certainly an identifiable icon within popular culture, and has thrived within many mediums, from literature to film to music. Bond has had several musical “voices” over the last half-century--some met with glory and praise, while others dwindled into scorned obscurity. Would James Bond survive the dawning of a new century of entertainment? Enter James Bond: The Video Game.

I find it fascinating that the developments in interactive entertainment over the past few years have actually allowed for the incorporation of the (often taken for granted) composer within something as relatively non-earthshattering as a video game. This is one more evolution of the score album.

Or is it?

Bond and score aficionados alike were thrilled when British composer David Arnold took the reins of the film-music department of the franchise, and did remarkably well in the film Tomorrow Never Dies. His approach incorporated elements of the old classic John Barry symphonic style while adding some newer contemporary “techno” sounds.

For the video game adaptation, however, it is difficult to say that a similar fusion was accomplished. It would be accurate to say composer Tommy Tallarico wrote a video game score, which happens to feature the Monty Norman theme that everyone identifies as James Bond. But that is unfortunately where the bridge between film and game end. Though James Bond is known for action, the Bond films themselves are more than action, but also the atmosphere of Bond—the women, the martinis, the fancy cars, the exotic locales. Most of the jazzy orchestral undertones that reflect those elements, and infuse personality into the Bond films (even during the action moments) have been abandoned in favor of straightforward action.

The CD opens with a brief statement of the Bond theme, just like every Bond film you’ve ever seen, (with the possible exception of “Never Say Never Again”, which wasn’t really a Bond film) is an appropriate way to begin, but then the sensory assault begins. “Confrontation” relies on a percussion-driven, heavily distorted rendition of the Bond theme, which is looped several times and only breaks off for a few seconds before returning to more of the same. If this does not give you some idea of the direction of the better part of the album, please proceed to track 3, wherein you’ll be treated to more of the looped action music. In fact, much of the music on the CD is brief 2-3 minute restatements of the same thing you hear in the first 30 seconds of the track. While the mood of the music alters over the course of the CD, the fact remains that is still kinetically attached to the movement of the game, rather than the atmosphere. Track 6, “Arms Bazaar”, is “sneaking” music. This works for the game, but not for the non-game playing listener.

Two saving graces on the album are the final two tracks (if that term “saving grace” can be applied after the previous 15 tracks). “Alarm” is a brief, non-techno action cue which is almost good—but just too short at 28 seconds. As for the obligatory sexy Bond song, “Letter to Paris” is a surprisingly pleasing and appropriate song. The irony is, (as the album notes in smaller letters), that this bonus track does not appear in the actual video game! A shame—it would probably add some of that Bond character that we hope for in the films.

Again, I—and generally everyone should—understand fully that this is music for an action-driven video game. I am certain that within the context of a game that is mostly run/shoot/drive/sneak/shoot, this approach is quite tolerable—I am merely stating that as an album and a linear listening experience, it is somewhat unpalatable.
 

Track Listing and Ratings

	Track	Title	Time	Rating
	1	James Bond Theme	0:56	****
	2	Confrontation	3:49	*
	3	PPK	2:09	**
	4	Detonate	2:35	**
	5	Media Tower	2:15	**
	6	Arms Bazaar	2:10	**
	7	Decoder	2:33	*
	8	Hotel Atlantic	2:03	**
	9	Pressing Engagement	2:29	*
	10	Carver Media	2:13	*
	11	Outpost	2:39	***
	12	Infrared	3:01	*
	13	A New Beginning	2:22	*
	14	Market	1:59	**
	15	Convoy	2:22	*
	16	Alarm	0:28	***
	17	Letter to Paris*	2:47	****
		Total Running Time	38:50
		* Bonus track w/ lyrics – not included in Video Game

*The Experience-O-Meter displays the track to track listening experience of this soundtrack based on the 5-Star rating given to each track.  It provides a visual depiction of the ebbs and flows of the CD's presentation of the soundtrack.

Referenced Reviews
 

All artwork from Tomorrow Never Dies (Video Game OST)  is exclusive property of Chapter III Records (c) 2002. 
 Its appearance is for informational purposes only. Review format version 5.7