Everything or Nothing (Video Game Score)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

How quickly a career can sky rise for a composer, if you consider he just started to make a name for himself. We're not talking still of a Brian Tyler effect, but Sean Callery does his best to do it on various platforms, namely a fast paced sub plot up the wazoo thriller series (you probably heard of it, its called 24) and with a series of games that ranks as much games as films I believe, namely the Bond franchise. The mere fact of this game's potential is the fact that real actors are lending their voices to the game's subplot, namely real Bond Pierce Brosnan, but also typical evil villain Willem Dafoe, could be Bond chicks Shannon Elizabeth and Heidi Klum as real villain icon JAWS. Too present are John Cleese as Q and Judi Dench as M, while pop sensation Mya (known from Atlantis) sings as stars as special interest. More, she sings the typical Bond song, namely 'Everything or Nothing', which is equally techno based and louder then the slow ballads of before. But it beats 'Die Another Day' of Madonna silly like about 50 times, because here the voice of Mya is much more true to the Bond feel, as are the brief Bond tones which make it actually very fetching for a Bond game, even for a Bond film. After her version, Sean Callery states the obligatory Bond theme, and its very true to the main theme version of Monty Norman, meaning the brass is just like the versions we heard before. Callery doesn't adapt this theme here, showing how much they don't want to ridicule the game's potential. But what we are really interested in is how Callery handles a Bond score, apart from the theme, and especially the action music. Not action music, 'Tunisia' is excellent, think of David Michael Frank in The Mole or Michael Giacchino in Alias doing a Spanish flair, well here Callery truly succeeds more in mixing the Mexican trumpets with a blazing theme that grows to a brilliant sub theme's performance.

And actually, Everything or Nothing doesn't beat around the bush much, stating action music or suspension rhythmic pieces that keep the pace going. 'Egyptian Descent' returns with the exotic rhythm and vocals, and stating back the themes, first the tones of the song on electronics, then the Bond theme and finally the sub theme of Tunisia, really making it Bond alike. The burst of excellent action music, briefly though is what spices 'Passage' while the Goldeneye like danger theme is heard in 'An Old Friend'. 'Silent Ascension' is back with the exotic flutes, but its especially the toying of the Bond theme with strings or brass that makes the effect really happen over the suspension music of Callery, here he shows that he could very well replace David Arnold without a hitch or glitch. The jazz version or the remix of the song show the qualities of the Bond song well, especially the jazz version is sleazy sexy. 'The Search' is a suspension builder to the strings, 'Freefall' just 24 like with its rhythm and tones, and the female voice restating her presence while 'Kiss Kiss Fight' could very well support Brad Fiedel's Terminator score with its effects, however then the Bond theme over the synthetic element would feel out of tone. 'To Arms' is the explosive final, at least that's how you hear it in the music, the brassy outbursts are additional power to that. But Callery still has a surprise waiting for you, its 'Restoration' that truly knocks your socks off. Here truly Russian choir begins to make fun of McNeely's Russian music in Virus, its that good. And so, at 47 minutes, there is much to like. Sure, the orchestral element equally battles with the electronic beat but that's how Callery scored 24, so Everything or Nothing is a continuation of that sound. But it equally sounds powerful due to its loud mixing and strong recording. But what's especially important are these facts, as a Bond score it carries a true Bond song, as a Bond score it carries its own fresh voice, as a Bond composer Sean Callery could very well continue the legacy and as Bond title, you don't find a cooler title then Everything or Nothing.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Everything Or Nothing: Mya (3.42)

2. James Bond Theme (2.41)

3. Tunisia (2.34) Excellent Track

4. Egyptian Descent (4.19)

5. Passage (2.13)

6. An Old Friend (2.57)

7. Silent Ascension (4.18)

8. Everything Or Nothing (Jazz Version): Mya (2.52)

9. The Search (3.02)

10. Freefall (2.22)

11. Kiss Kiss Fight (3.40)

12. A Way Out (2.54)

13. To Arms (2.12)

14. Restoration (3.04) Excellent Track

15. Everything Or Nothing (Remix Version): Mya (4.23)

Total Length: 47.22

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