SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:35 Min.
Performed by Lalah Hathaway and the song’s writer, Pharrell Williams, this upbeat R&B tune accompanies the 2016 film, Hidden Figures.
REVIEW:
“Surrender” sports a wonderful retro-60’s sound. Teaming up, Lalah Hathaway & Pharrell Williams display admirable vocal chemistry bringing this old-school-style, R&B tune to life. It’s definitely a high-caliber download.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8½ Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:34 Min.
Released on the movie soundtrack for Disney’s 2009 animated The Princess and The Frog, this campy tune is sung by Keith David’s sinister Dr. Facilier.
REVIEW:
Let’s add a high-caliber singing voice to actor Keith David’s versatility as a performer. Considering this droll tune requires side bits of dialogue, David’s performance concocts an ideal blend of show tunes, R&B, and jazz. Even more so, David convincingly adds an unexpected song-and-dance element to Facilier’s menacing aura. What a delightful three-and-a-half minutes of entertainment!
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 1:00 Min.
Composed by the late Johnny Douglas, his original version was the main theme for NBC’s Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends animated series on Saturday mornings from 1981 to 1983. This track is cover musician Dominik Hauser’s 2012 rendition of Douglas’ theme. His version is available as a single and also appears on at least one cover album: 2012’s Television’s Finest, Volume 3: The 80s.
REVIEW:
Hauser’s recreation is high-caliber. Despite lacking the original version’s distinctive sound effects, it sounds just like the original theme.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8½ Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 1:29 Min.
Composed by the late Shirley Walker, her original version was the opening theme for “The New Batman-Superman Adventures,” which the WB ran from 1997-2000. This consolidated series alternated episodes from both Batman: The Animated Series (all four seasons) and Superman: The Animated Series. Walker had previously composed the main theme for both of these cartoon series. This track is master cover musician Dominik Hauser’s 2012 rendition of Walker’s theme.
REVIEW:
It isn’t a surprise that this theme is a see-saw between Batman’s dark ambiance and Superman’s glorious heroics. Quite frankly, Hauser’s recreation is flawless. It sounds just like Walker’s original theme.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 10 Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 4:11 Min.
First released by Van Morrison in 1987, Shawn Colvin later covered this tune for the One Fine Day movie soundtrack released in 1996.
REVIEW:
Taking her time, Shawn Colvin solidly renders “Someone Like You.” Her take isn’t distinctive, but its nicely tranquil sound makes Colvin’s pop version certainly a potential keeper.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
Note: Dina Carroll covers this same song for 2001’s Bridget Jones’s Diary movie soundtrack. Notably, Carroll’s version is nearly a minute shorter.
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:16 Min.
The original 1983 NBC TV opening credits theme by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter clocks in at a 1:40 running time, including John Ashley’s voice-over narration and various sound effects.
This extended instrumental cover by The Daniel Caine Orchestra, however, doesn’t replicate those extra elements. In addition to its digital availability, this cover version appears on at least two other Daniel Caine Orchestra CD’s: 2007’s The A-Team: Music from The Original Television Score and the earlier 1999 NYPD Blue: The Best of Mike Post.
REVIEW:
The Daniel Caine Orchestra emphasizes the original A-Team theme more as a patriotic anthem (i.e. lots of militaristic drumming beats). This soaring Caine version also notably doesn’t mimic the edgy rock guitar vibe that Post and Carpenter imbue the TV theme’s mid-section with. Instead, this cover is more of a seamless blend of orchestral work and a collegiate marching band-style of sound. While it isn’t close to the original theme, The Daniel Caine Orchestra’s cover delivers a fun and worthwhile interpretation.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
Note: Post & Carpenter’s 2nd season opening credits version (including the narrative voice-over and the distinctive sound effects) appears on 1990’s Television’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 3: ‘70s & 80’s album — in CD and cassette form.
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:02 Min.
While this Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart soft jazz standard dates back to 1932, Ella Fitzgerald’s cover was initially released in 1956. Forty years later, the soundtrack for the 1996 comedy, One Fine Day, starring Michelle Pfeiffer & George Clooney, includes her rendition.
REVIEW:
Hearing Ella Fitzgerald’s dreamy voice on this tune is the equivalent of a jazz time machine. Sung almost as if it were a lullaby, Fitzgerald’s old school vocal magic proves an absolute gem. Highly recommended!
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 10 Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 4:25 Min.
For the 2013 instrumental cover album, Superheroes!, John Morris Russell and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra revisit composer-conductor John Williams’ opening theme to the 1978 Superman film starring Christopher Reeve.
REVIEW:
Talk of disappointing irony … the Cincinnati Pops normally perform spot-on covers of familiar sci-fi/fantasy themes (i.e. Star Trek). Even their rendition of 1984’s Supergirl sounds virtually indistinguishable from the original. Yet, their weak take on John Williams’ immortal Superman theme only little more than a generic cover. Though competently performed, this taken on Superman’s best-known theme isn’t an impressive display by the Cincinnati Pops.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:28 Min.
Attributed to Traxburner, this 2015 instrumental remix was released to coincide with the release of the film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
REVIEW:
Meant for workout playlists, this upbeat tune starts as a dance synthesizer remix of John Williams’ vintage Star Wars theme. Roughly halfway through, listeners get a brief cover of Williams’ actual theme before again igniting the remix. While this unremarkable version doesn’t incorporate anything funky like Meco’s sound effects, Traxburner still provides a reasonably effective take on Star Wars.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:20 Min.
This stylishly upbeat love song by vocalist Eva Almér wasn’t used as the opening credits theme of Daniel Craig’s 2008 James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. Its introspective lyrics serve as a flashback to Bond’s doomed romance with Eva Green’s Vesper Lynd in 2006’s Casino Royale, as the song reflects both of their viewpoints. In 2010, “Forever” was separately released as a single.
REVIEW:
The song effectively bridges Casino Royale to Quantum of Solace. Fully exploiting a luminous melody, Eva Almér’s sultry delivery (reminiscent of a young Shirley Bassey) is nothing short of superb. Accordingly, “Forever” sounds like what a mellow James Bond theme song should be. It even miraculously incorporates the nebulous Quantum of Solace title into the song lyrics, which must have been a thankless task.
Other than this elegant song sounding perhaps reminiscent of a mid-to-late ‘90s style, it doesn’t make sense why the Bond production team rejected “Forever.” Even if Almér isn’t a big-name star, her sparkling effort certainly merits re-discovery. It’s an absolute gem!
BRIAN’S 10-STAR RATING: 10 Stars
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