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Matt Manning
7 February, 2003

I shall now attempt, as far as I'm aware, something of an internet scoop - a review of the expanded OHMSS. Just spent the whole night listening and re-listening to it and I'll start by confidentally proclaiming this CD to be one of THE greatest John Barry CD's there has ever been!

As you know, they've kept the original abum sequence followed by the previoulsy unreleased cues. To my surprise, I discovered they have expanded 4 of the tracks in the original album sequence - "This Never Happened To The Other Fella" (which now begins with the gunbarrel logo Bond music), "Ski Chase" (which extends to the music immediately after the avalanche), "Over & Out" (which, instead of fading out, goes the full distance to the brassy punchy end) and "Journey To Blofeld's Hideaway" which is complete (the "We Have All The Time In The World" march which cuts in half-way through on the original album is now the second half of the new track "Journey To Draco's Hideaway". Following me so far? Good!)

As if the unreleased sections of score now appearing in clear, crisp magnificent CD sound quality wasn't good enough, many of these bonus tracks feature music we've never heard before EVER! "Bond Settles In" (when Bond is being shown his room at Piz Gloria) extends far longer than what we hear in the film (with echoy, tinkering piano a la "The Last Deadfall"). "Dusk At Piz Gloria" is completely new and "Bobsled Chase" is in its entirety. The brilliant "Gumbold's Safe" also features a short moment never heard before (presumably meant for when Bond steps out onto the balcony to collect the safecracker) and it was worth staying alive this long to finally hear this superb track on CD.

The cable-car section of "Blofeld's Plot" sounds like it has been edited down but all the musical ideas present in the film cue are here (you'll hear what I mean). As far as I can tell, the only previously unreleased cue NOT present is the ice-rink waltz (when Bond is chased into the village and Tracey rescues him). I'd hazard a guess that they decided not to include this 'source cue' so they could squeeze ALL of the dramatic score onto the disc which, incidentally, runs for 79 minutes and 48 seconds.

The front covers are the same as the original albums but the CD case spines are seethru and black (sporting the words "James Bond 007 remastered") and obviously the back covers are different now with the new tracklistings.

Well now you can set your minds at ease. This CD is as great as it should be. It was worth the wait!!!

I'll spend all of TOMORROW night going through "Diamonds Are Forever"!

Matt