Sam Smith's James Bond Theme Song Is Nothing To Write Home About

In the past, James Bond films were as much anticipated for their theme song as the stunts, cars and which Hollywood actress was playing the beautiful Bond girl. Unfortunately in recent years the theme song just hasn't lived up to expectations, and Sam Smith's offering for the newest Bond film, 'Spectre' (set for release at the end of October in the UK), is as woefully pathetic as Adele's wail for 'Skyfall'.

I won't make it a secret that I have never liked pop so when I found out Sam Smith was recording the new Bond theme I was less than pleased. Deflated is a good description actually.

When you think of iconic Bond themes I would suspect most people's minds would go straight to Dame Shirley Bassey's 'Goldfinger' or Sir Paul McCartney's 'Live and Let Die'. The attraction of such names recording the theme was that they were established artists whom had already climbed a top the bejewelled ladder of fame. The massive failure of asking Sam Smith to record this film's theme is also a very clever marketing ploy.

To most people older than 25 he's unknown. Sam Smith's target audience is nowhere near old enough to remember any of the classic Bond films and their themes and therefore will consume any old pop ballad they're given with tasteless appreciation. It's the same logic behind the re-launch of 'Sugar Puffs' (watch the latest series of Dave Gorman's 'Modern Life is Goodish' to get a full explanation). Basically the current generation of young people don't remember how good Bond themes used to be and therefore are numb to how much the quality has dropped. For the producers of the film it's great because they are going to pull in a whole generation of fans of Sam Smith, even if they've never seen a Bond film before. On the other hand you have the lovers of Bond. Those who thought Sean Connery was the best thing since sliced bread and could name every Bond girl since Ursula Andress. It's these people who suffer through the unbearably over produced music that claims to be good enough to be considered Bond material.

To the song itself. It's starts of in very promising fashion with classic strings that immediately takes your mind to a bar in Saint-Tropez; your 1963 Aston Martin DB5 parked majestically outside. That however is as good as it gets and within seconds swiftly rolls down a steep hill before sinking to the bottom of the French Riviera. The lyrics would be better suited in a cheesy love song.  It's very bland and towards the end Mr. Smith sends his voice skywards to a painful sounding alto range, which I'm sure only dogs will be able to understand.

Despite looking forward to the release of 'Spectre' in time for Christmas, I will be sticking my fingers in my ears when the theme comes on, as I assume will most people who have taste in music and value their ear drums.

Shinedown - Threat To Survival album review

American alternative rock band Shinedown have evolved massively since their post-grunge debut in 2003, Leave A Whisper, and with their latest offering, Threat To Survival, the sound may have changed but the message is still as brutal as ever.

Shinedown's Brent Smith, Zach Myers, Eric Bass and Barry Kerch have been on a vertical trajectory to fame ever since the earth shaking monster that was Sound of Madness in 2008, however didn't quite satisfy the fans' lust on the follow-up, Amaryllis in 2012, making it all the more important for Threat To Survival to regain the reigns on the horse the band rode so majestically seven years ago.

Although starting out as heavy as ever with Asking For It and Cut The Cord, the majority of the album progresses with a very modern sound, as if the group has anticipated the current of the mainstream and decided to steer straight into it. This decision may leave hard-core fans a bit deflated, considering there's nothing compared to 45 or Simple Man on this LP but there are classic sounding Shinedown songs for ingestion though - Outcast, Dangerous and Black Cadillac are as close to Sound Of Madness as you'll get.

Saying that though, it's not as if they have completely left the roots of the band behind. The lyrics, written predominantly by Brent and Zach, are as powerful and brutal as on any other Shinedown record, following the same themes as all their other albums; death, depression, drug abuse, violence, bullying, mental illness etc. If you're going to go deep you might as well go all in, right?!

There's more emphasis on making a unique sound on this record, rather than rock 'n' roll, which becomes immediately clear on tracks such as State Of My Head and It All Adds Up which are lead rhythmically by Barry Kerch's genius drumming.

As they've done on Sound Of Madness and Amaryllis, Shinedown close the album with a rather more chilled out track in Misfits. Chilled out musically it may be but lyrically will have you an emotional wreck if you relate to it's socially against the grain message.

Verdict - 8/10

Threat To Survival can't match Sound Of Madness for sheer intensity but I don't think that's the point. A successful band has to be constantly evolving, and to just copy what they did seven years ago would be a mistake, no matter how much fans would love that. I love the album both for the new sound and brilliantly written songs although I can understand why fans from the beginning might be a bit uneasy towards the direction the band have taken.

Individual track rating

Asking For It - 8/10
Cut The Cord - 7/10
State Of My Head - 7/10
Outcast - 8/10
How Did You Love - 8/10
It All Adds Up - 9/10
Oblivion - 8/10
Dangerous - 9/10
Thick As Thieves - 7/10
Black Cadillac - 9/10
Misfits - 8/10