SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 5:08 Min.
This track was released off Sheena Easton’s 1988 album, The Lover In Me.
REVIEW:
Sheena Easton’s sultry vocals are in solid Late 80’s form, but this song, unfortunately, isn’t memorable. At best, it’s a middle-of-the pack effort by Easton.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 4:39 Min.
From the soundtrack of 2002’s Die Another Day starring Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry, this James Bond tune was recorded by Madonna. This song is also included on Best of Bond … James Bond compilation albums (which includes the franchise’s theme songs to date).
Note: Best of Bond .. James Bond includes a 40th anniversary edition in 2002. The subsequent 2008 update adds Chris Cornell’s “You Know My Name” from Daniel Craig’s Casino Royale.
REVIEW:
In theory, a catchy Bond theme song shouldn’t have been a difficult task for Madonna. At the time, she had racked up at least four soundtrack hits – i.e. “Crazy for You” from 1985’s Vision Quest; “Live to Tell” from 1986’s At Close Range; “This Used to Be My Playground” from 1992’s A League of Their Own, and “I’ll Remember” from 1994’s With Honors. Yet, after enduring the awful techno-disco sound resonating from “Die Another Day” (aside from the movie’s bland title), one wishes the Bond producers had demanded more from Madonna than cashing a paycheck.
Maybe it’s just lazy arrogance in an effort to sound hip, but Madonna’s vocals (not to mention, this song’s insipid lyrics) fall far short of her radio-friendly tunes mentioned above. Unsurprisingly, the song’s over-emphasis on techno-wizardry is indicative of how ridiculously over-the-top Die Another Day goes trying to keep Pierce Brosnan’s aging Agent 007 relevant. The bottom line is that both the film and this preposterous title song were misguided from the get-go. Brosnan’s illustrious seven-year tenure as James Bond deserved far better.
Ever so ironically, in the film, Madonna’s title plays over a montage of a captive Bond being tortured for months on end. Go figure.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 2 Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 4:05 Min.
From Tequila Sunrise’s 1988 movie soundtrack, Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor goes solo on this hard-to-find hard rock tune. However, one should beware that the pulsating song is heavy on sexual innuendo.
REVIEW:
It’s a shame that only a few seconds of Andy Taylor’s hard-charging rock solo serve as mood enhancement in the film’s background. Even twenty-plus years later, Taylor’s work on this tune is loud and electrifying. “Dead on the Money” offers an adrenaline-boosting option for a workout playlist – then again, it’s just as good for 80’s-themed hard rock/soundtrack playlists.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7½ Stars
Note: Also recommended is Taylor’s “When the Rain Comes Down” from 1986. It appears on the Miami Vice, Volume II TV series soundtrack,. An extended version of “When the Rain Comes Down” is available on Taylor’s 1987 album, Thunder.
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 7:04 Min.
For his 1996 dance-electronica album, Dreamland, composer-musician Robert Cocina (aka Robert Miles) performs this instrumental (Track # 1) in an expansion of its radio form. The track’s brief intro is a thunderstorm followed by the sound of birds chirping, with drizzling rain in the backdrop.
Notes: The four-minute radio version of “Children” appears on this compilation album: Ultimate Dance Party 1997, Volume 1. Also, Miles includes the song’s ‘original’ version (running time of 6:19) as Track # 10 on Dreamland.
REVIEW:
The pulsating beat delivers a dynamite electronica sound that reverberates as well as it did a quarter-century ago. For fans of contemporary dance instrumentals, this version of “Children” (no matter what its title is supposed to refer to) is recommended. However, the evidently rare four-minute version heard on the radio (without the extra techno-bells and whistles) is just as good, if not better.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:23 Min.
From her 1996 The Girl Next Door album, Crystal Bernard from NBC TV’s Wings performs this country-western tune.
REVIEW:
The song sounds fine, but it doesn’t stand out on Bernard’s album. When included with the complete The Girl Next Door, “Call It Love” is still a worthy effort. Otherwise, there are some better songs by Bernard – among them is Track 10: “When You Took Your Love Away.”
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 4:40 Min.
It’s the concluding track off The Harry Connick, Jr. Trio’s 1990 instrumental album, Lofty’s Roach Soufflé. With Connick, Jr. on piano, the trio consists of Benjamin Wolfe (bass) and Shannon Powell (drums). Connick, Jr. composed this tune.
REVIEW:
Boasting a timeless sound, this pleasantly rollicking tune is a welcome treat for jazz buffs. “Bayou Maharajah” is an ideal choice for travel playlists, as its toe-tapping liveliness should boost any tired commuter’s spirits up.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:46 Min.
Recorded for 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns movie soundtrack, Lin-Manuel Miranda performs its opener. Some of this track can be heard in at least one of the film’s trailers.
REVIEW:
This Broadway-like tune can be best described as poignant, light-hearted, and majestic at all the right instrumental moments. As its vocalist, Lin-Manuel Miranda imbues the lyrics of “(Underneath the) Lovely London Sky” with effervescent charm. Yet, his fake Cockney accent isn’t so much annoying, as it’s an unfortunate distraction. Suffice to say, overplaying this accent doesn’t serve Miranda particularly well. As is, the tune is a decent opener. For those would have preferred a pure instrumental, Tracks # 15 (“Mary Poppins Returns – Closing Theme”) by Paul Gemignani has only a 1:38 running time, but it’s a partial alternative.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
Note: The album’s dialogue-heavy fourteen track includes Miranda’s brief reprise.
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 5:32 Min.
From Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, “All I Ask of You” is covered as an instrumental for NatureQuest’s 1995 album, Andrew Lloyd Webber Naturally.
REVIEW:
Enhanced by background sounds of nearby ocean waves, this saxophone-and-piano duet of “All I Ask of You” is a terrific boost to any meditative/relaxation playlists. In terms of a sleep aid, the ocean sounds are effective helping drift off to dreamland.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 2:53 Min.
The song is an obvious spoof of the hit 2013 song, “Happy,” by Pharrell Williams. It’s the eleventh track off “Weird Al” Yankovic’s 2014 comedy album, Mandatory Fun.
REVIEW:
Closely replicating the original song’s melody, “Weird Al” Yankovic’s sarcastic jibes win in terms of its well-written lyrics and some fun unpredictability. Other than a fat-shaming gag, this upbeat song best spells out clichés of a clueless dude living in the 21st Century. Hearing it once is a hoot, but “Tacky” likely overextends itself by a good minute. Though Yankovic has devised a go-to parody of “Happy,” this track is probably best being heard only once in a great while.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:31 Min.
It’s the finale of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ 1988 Up Your Alley album.
REVIEW:
Consistent with this album’s rock sound, Joan Jett’s vocals are spot-on. However, this upbeat song itself isn’t all remarkable, as it will rapidly become an afterthought to listeners. The good news is that, even though it flies by fast, “Back It Up” offers some fine background noise.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
