CD REVIEW - LESBIAN VAMPIRE KILLERS


Lesbian Vampire Killers
Music by Debbie Wiseman
Silva Screen SILCD1284 (UK)
20 Tracks 54:25 mins

Lesbian Vampire Killers is perhaps not a title one would not normally expect to find a Debbie Wiseman score attached to, but this comedy, starring Gavin & Stacey's James Corden and Matthew Holden, receives her usual high quality accompaniment, utilising the services of regular collaborators the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Hayley Westenra.
The soundtrack album, released by Silva Screen Records on 16th March, mercifully is predominantly score, with just one song by Showaddywaddy, "Under the Moon of Love," which takes me back to my youth.
The album gets under the way with Ms Westenra's solo voice leading into and then soaring over a bold and impressive orchestral/choral piece in "Centuries Ago..." From such an impressive opening, one would hardly expect to be watching a comedy, but then its a tried and trusted formula to add serious scoring to on screen comedy antics. The serious tone continues in the impressively brassy opening to "Adventure," though a more lightly comic feel is given to the remainder of the track. Ms Westenra returns to open the mysterious "At the Olde Mircalla Cottage." (wow, that name really takes me back to the days of Ingrid Pitt and Yutte Stensgaard!). "Have You Been Hanging Out With Vicars?" is in more menacing Gothic vein (pardon the pun!), which is followed by the incredibly long titled "I Know Something Really Wrong is Happening Here, But is There Any Chance We Can Ignore It," which is a mix of suspense and menace, leading to an action conclusion. "Vampires? Lesbian Vampires!" sees Ms Westenra reintroduce the main theme, which is again taken up by orchestra and choir, before more action writing concludes the track. After a low-key opening, there's more action in "Run You Bellends!" and also in the subsequent "You're a Virgin?" where it takes on a more heroic feel. "Give me One Last kiss" opens with sinewy-stringed menace, before taking on a lighter feel, which continues in the riotous "My Axe Girlfriend," complete with can-can music. "Full-On Lesbian Vampire Attack" actually starts out quite sweetly, but soon transforms into a menacing dark march, complete with choir, followed by some frantic chase music.
"The Dawn of the Red Moon," the lengthiest track on the album, opens ominously, but Ms Westenra then re-introduces the main theme, initially powerfully, then with just her elegant vocal carrying the cue. However, this is cut short by more choir-lead menace. "Jimmy, I Love You" offers a gorgeous romantic interlude, but the mood is soon broken by more relentless menace. "All Grown Up" tiptoes its way forward, but of course lands in trouble again with more menacing music taking over. A feeling of destiny opens "The Crypt of Carmilla," with the main theme returning in ceremonial glory. "Carmilla, the Vampire Queen" opens in relentless fashion, giving way to tense action writing, leading into the colourfully titled "Whores of F***ing Hades, Prepare for F***ing Death!" which actually opens quite serenely, before building tensely and fatefully, leading on to a reckoning in the title track, where the music emerges triumphant; the score tracks concluding sunnily, then again triumphantly, with "Lesbian Vampire Killers it is...Let's Ride!"
Whatever the project, one can usually count on Debbie Wiseman to deliver and this score is certainly no exception. Highly enjoyable stuff!
Order your copy of the CD, or download, from www.silvascreenmusic.com.