John Barry started his career in the most British manner possible - as a film composer in the service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. The characteristic "Bond Theme" for Dr. No, with it's mysterious, clacking guitar trailer supported by powerful brass, was indispensable for all following films and rang in the ears of the villains and their henchmen for all time. Alongside the fully orchestrated numbers from the James Bond films, the album offers a wealth of very different music, such as the collage-like "The Chase" with it's intense 'walking' sound and the melancholy theme from "King Rat". Barry let's the flutes rise up with airy and and subtle clouds of dissonant chords ("S'ance On A Wet Afternoon"), creates barbed motives out of gentle sounds ("The Ipcress File") and rolls out a warm carpet of strings for the programmatic terrain of "Born Free", a true adventure story set in a game ward in Africa.
