The Best Of Bond: 30th Anniversary
"Bond is here, sir!"....as Miss Moneypenny said in DR. NO, the very first James Bond film adventure. This 2-disc set is a must for any major James Bond film fan. Disc 1 contains the opening theme songs to all the first 16 films from DR. NO to LICENCE TO KILL. The songs were recorded in December 1992 and they all sound fantastic!
For anyone getting into the music of the James Bond films, this is an essential collection. Even if you own every Bond soundtrack album (I know, it's sad, isn't it?) you will still find plenty here to make up for the repeat material.
The second disc has familiar incidental music with recently rediscovered rarities, so it makes a fitting celebration, not just another cheap cash-in. The liner notes are a treat, too, complete with comments on the films themselves and background info on the new material.
My only criticism is the bias towards the 60s. Apart from the 'Live and Let Die' radio trailer, everything on the second disc comes from the 60s. Popular wisdom says this was the golden era of Bond, but fans of anything so enduring tend to have a more comprehensive appreciation. By being biased towards the 60s, it is also biased towards John Barry who surely deserves a special place in Bond history, but we shouldn't forget the other contributions which add to the richness of the whole story. Hopefully, the balance will be redressed if the rumoured reissue of the soundtrack back-catalogue takes advantage of the opportunity to unearth a few more nuggets, as illustrated by the 'Deluxe Edition' of 'The Living Daylights'.
On the whole :naughty:, an undeniably worthwhile and fascinating compilation.
Final Score = 4/5
