CD REVIEW - FOLLOW ME


Follow Me
Music by John Barry
Harkit Records HRKCD 8303 (UK)
12 Tracks 29:50 mins

John Barry fans rejoice! Following the label's previous releases of the composer's Boom!, The Wrong Box and The Dove albums, Harkit Records has now come up with another gem in 1972's Follow Me, previously only available on a hard to find LP.
It's pretty much a one-themed score, but is an approach entirely suited to the film, and pretty soon that theme lodges itself firmly in the brain, so that it follows you (pun intended) everywhere you go.
The album commences with the said Main Title theme "Follow, Follow," featuring lush strings and Roz and John's dreamlike rendering of Don Black's lyrics. A light and almost playful variation opens "The Meeting," before continuing somewhat subdued on strings and flute. It's amazing the number of different variations Barry puts the theme through in subsequent tracks, so that it never becomes boring, but remains fresh and interesting at all times, with Roz and John also chiming in again here and there to provide the icing on a quite delicious cake.
There is a secondary theme to be heard, a somewhat melancholy melody for flute and strings, first heard in "Another Chance," but even this is really just something of a variant of the main theme; whilst the composer also provides some source music in the somewhat psychedelic "This Is How You Dance" and the smoky lounge of "Some Party."
Both main and secondary themes come together to provide a satisfying conclusion in the "End Title" cue.
As always, with Harkit's fine releases, the disc is accompanied by a quality booklet, with stills from the film, and extensive notes on film and score, cast profiles and a synopsis of the plot.
Go to www.harkitrecords.com/follow_me.html for samples and to order your copy of this fine album.