Monday 30 October 2017

Rick Wakeman "Crimes of Passion" French-Canadian review translated

Rick WAKEMAN is a remarkable musician who, we know, creates many projects and adds his name to a few others as an active participant. What is less known, however, is his career as a composer of film music and also actor. We must go back to 1975, for the film "Lisztomania" where WAKEMAN embodied the role of Thor in the company of Roger DALTREY and Ringo STARR.

This recording is the soundtrack of Ken RUSSELL's 1984 film "Crimes of Passion", in French "The Days and Nights of China Blue" which starred Kathleen TURNER and Anthony PERKINS. Who has not seen "Crimes of Passion" at least once? The film explores themes of human relationships and mental illness through a mix of sex and suspense. In fact the film tells the story of a young family man, a detective who is hired to watch overly discreet fashion designer Joanna, whom his boss suspects of selling his models to the competition. But at night, Joanna becomes China Blue, prostitute in the slums of LA where she fascinates a defrocked psychopath priest among his clients ...

The soundtrack of the film was reissued this year in a limited edition CD / DVD. Let's also say, this is not the first time that we reissue the soundtrack, she had already suffered the same fate in 1993 with the bonus track "Dangerous Woman". For fans of details, you will be disappointed because the booklet contains nothing  but photos of the film with a comment by Rick WAKEMAN.

Regarding the music itself, there are interesting moments like the songs "It's a Lovely Life" and "Dangerous Woman" performed by Maggie BELL and her energetic voice. There is also the discreet presence of the Bimbo ACOCK saxophone are still notable as on the titles "Policeman's Ball" or "The Box". The master WAKEMAN takes a lot of space but it is with these compositions that he would become the legend that we know today. Still, you may find yourself humming a few notes and wondering why you have that melody in your head. It is rather rare that film music alone is unanimous, it must be associated with images to have the desired effect.

All the musicians present are very good and there are some tracks that are worth it, but the whole suffers from a lack of cohesion obvious.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO


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