Alex North - North By North / Journey Into Fear (Original Motion Picture Soundtracks)

The 'Main Theme' from the little known 1955 film Unchained later metamorphosed into the Righteous Brothers hit song 'Unchained Melody' and remains North's best known work. A dramatically sentimental piece, this demonstrates a flip-side to his more remote and often jarring compositions. The 'Love Theme' from The Racers (also 1955) is another very fifties, rather mushy piece, but unfortunately it pales in comparison with the previous track and is pretty much instantly forgettable.

'Josefa' from Viva Zapata! (1952) is a gentle Mexican folk style melody that is adequate rather than compelling, while The Bad Seed (1956) contributes an interesting 'Lullaby' which becomes disturbing in context of the story of a murderous eight year old, always with a sense of underlying tension.

'Blanche' from A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) is somewhat syrupy in the old school manner with an odd discordant music box intruding towards the end. The Bachelor Party (1957) has another 'Love Theme' that's low-key and reflective, becoming more appealing as it develops.

'Denise' from The 13th Letter (1951) is more 50's romanticism, which to be frank does very little for me. To my ears it is all rather bland. And the 'Love Theme' from I'll Cry Tomorrow (1956) and 'Eva' from Stagestruck (1959) are really just more of the same. A selection from Les Miserables (1952) is also similar in vein, although it does become more interesting and dramatic mid-way though.

The lush strings of 'Bacio' from The Rose Tattoo (1955) feature in another romantic offering, as is the case with Desirée (1954) and its 'Love Theme'. In fact this section is dominated by similar pieces and it would have been far more appealing to hear a greater variety in style.

The second half of the CD is dedicated solely to the score for the 1975 remake of the Orson Welles produced Journey into Fear.

The 'Main Title' begins as pandemonium, a cacophony of sound and never really lets up. Next comes 'Dead Agent', which while rather more restrained than the virtual madness of the 'Main Title', still retains its inherent dissonance.

A romantic interlude is found in 'Loneliness' but it's really only of middling quality and this is followed by a run of strident suspense cues including 'The Weapon', 'Deadly Quest' and 'Desperate Straits'.

There are also a number of previously unreleased tracks, the most prominent being 'Deep Water' with its growling, atmospheric low bassoon in what is the most satisfying cue from the entire score. The dramatic 'Beneath the Surface' is of interest too, building to an intense conclusion. Also worth a mention are 'Love Theme: Painful Memory' which features a quite affecting, very brief reprise of 'Loneliness' and 'Native Mood', a Middle Eastern source cue with flute and exotic percussion. It's actually quite odd really that these reinstated tracks are far and away the best pieces on offer.

The CD concludes with 'End Title (It's Over)', with anxious tinkling piano and dark bassoon creating a sense of uneasiness, before strings begin to build into more of North's familiar tumultuous clamour.

Tracklist:
01. Alex North - Main Theme (From "Unchained") (03:39)
02. Alex North - Love Theme (From "The Racers") (03:43)
03. Alex North - Josefa (From "Viva Zapata!") (03:32)
04. Alex North - Lullaby (From "The Bad Seed") (03:08)
05. Alex North - Blanche (From "A Streetcar Named Desire") (02:53)
06. Alex North - Love Theme (From "The Bachelor Party") (04:12)
07. Alex North - Denise (From "The 13th Letter") (02:57)
08. Alex North - Eva (From "Stage Struck") (03:17)
09. Alex North - Love Theme (From "I'll Cry Tomorrow") (02:44)
10. Alex North - Love Theme (From "Les Miserables") (02:53)
11. Alex North - Bacio (From "The Rose Tattoo") (03:14)
12. Alex North - Love Theme (From "Desiree") (02:55)
13. Alex North - Main Title (From "Journey Into Fear") (01:47)
14. Alex North - Dead Agent (From "Journey Into Fear") (01:35)
15. Alex North - Loneliness (From "Journey Into Fear") (02:55)
16. Alex North - The Weapon (From "Journey Into Fear") (01:28)
17. Alex North - The Search (From "Journey Into Fear") (01:49)
18. Alex North - Deadly Quest (From "Journey Into Fear") (02:44)
19. Alex North - Troubled Romance (From "Journey Into Fear") (03:15)
20. Alex North - Tight Rope (From "Journey Into Fear") (01:00)
21. Alex North - Deep Water (From "Journey Into Fear") (01:24)
22. Alex North - Fellow Travelers (From "Journey Into Fear") (01:10)
23. Alex North - Beneath The Surface (From "Journey Into Fear") (02:15)
24. Alex North - Love Theme / Painful Memory (From "Journey Into Fear") (01:13)
25. Alex North - Native Mood (From "Journey Into Fear") (01:49)
26. Alex North - Pursuit (From "Journey Into Fear") (03:14)
27. Alex North - Despair (From "Journey Into Fear") (01:24)
28. Alex North - Desperate Straits (From "Journey Into Fear") (02:20)
29. Alex North - End Title (It's Over) (From "Journey Into Fear") (02:44)