John Barry was the composer of choice for the Bond franchise until Goldeneye, which was scored in an absolutely dismal fashion by French composer Eric Serra, who thankfully never returned to the franchise. The scoring duties were then assumed by British composer David Arnold, of Stargate and Independence Day fame.
David Arnold, New Bond Composer of Choice
Despite an impressive debut in the series with his phenomenal score for Tomorrow Never Dies, each subsequent Bond score Arnold wrote was gradually less remarkable until 2006’s Casino Royale, a powerful return to the series’ musical integrity. Quantum of Solace, Arnold's fifth James Bond score, proves an admirable and equally enjoyable experience.
A Song for Bond
Casino Royale was notable for its enjoyable and pervasive integration of the title song (which Arnold co-wrote), as per James Bond tradition. Alas, this is not a tradition which has always been honored (such as in the dreadful Die Another Day).
Again it inexplicably gets ignored: the title song for Quantum of Solace, “Another Way to Die,” is a train-wreck of a song. It has little recognizable melody and banal, anonymous lyrics: fans of Royale’s excellent “You Know My Name” will find little, if anything, to enjoy here.
Action-Packed Classic Bond Score
The score itself is another story, thankfully. Arnold has written some of his juiciest Bond music yet, with a gritty determination which recalls the most thrilling moments of Royale. The opening cues, “Time To Get Out” and “The Palio”, introduce the score in a whirlwind of blaring brass, before quieting down to some brief but ultra-cool interludes in “Inside Man” and “Bond in Haiti.”
Although none of the action pieces quite match those in Casino Royale for sheer infectious quality, the quantity of solid action moments in Quantum is indeed admirable. “Pursuit at Port Au Prince” is simply phenomenal in its ability to get the blood pumping, as is “Target Terminated” and “Perla De Las Dunas,” among many others. The score moves forward with an almost untamable ferocity, slowing down only occasionally for moments of reflection.
Tender Themes for Vesper and Camille
But when the score does slow down, it reveals a sensitive side which is remarkable in its tenderness. As expected, these are more sorrowful and reminiscent cues than those heard in Casino Royale, but their attractiveness is in no way diminished.
“What’s Keeping You Awake” is an ambient, moving reprise of Vesper’s piano motif from Royale, and it appears again in the short finale, “I Never Left,” where it is presented in counterpoint with the first few strains of the famous James Bond theme itself. “Camille’s Story” offers a lovely but unsettling tune for harp, piano and pan pipes.
Problems with "Another Way to Die"
The song theme itself, although integrated as much as possible into the score, is so anonymous that it is completely unmemorable. The classic Bond theme is used often, but always in a very subtle fashion. It appears perhaps more often in Quantum than it does in Royale, but never as obviously or as blatant, so it may seem to some that the theme is unfairly short-changed in this score, making the whole affair somewhat unremarkable.
In reality, this is the fault of thesong: the title song has traditionally provided each individual Bond film with its own unique identity, and the Bond theme has provided a continuous supporting role. Thus it appears weak and underused in this instance because the song is not strong enough to carry the score as it did in such Bond classics as Moonaker, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and again Casino Royale, to name a few.
Conclusion
The score remains entertaining from start to finish: it is a largely organic, orchestral score, with electronics used sparingly (although admittedly much more prevalent here than in Casino Royale). It’s one of Arnold’s strongest Bond scores, and certainly one of the better action scores to be released this year. Despite the trashy song and the resulting identity crisis, this is a score which no Bond and David Arnold fan should have hesitation in procuring.
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