CD Retro Fan Review
In
between his experimental collaborations with fellow guitarist Robert
Fripp and the launch of his own solo recording career, Police
guitarist Andy Summers had gone Hollywood by contributing to and
scoring a few motion picture soundtracks, the most notable of them
being Down and Out in Beverly Hills.
The
first half of the album features famous pop/rock songs by artists
such as David Lee Roth, Little Richard, and Randy Newman.
The
rest of the tracks comprise the original score composed and performed
by Summers and consisting primarily of guitars and synthesizers.
The
music is vintage mid-1980s Summers and actually serves as a sonic
bridge from his work with Fripp to his first instrumental solo album,
1988’s Mysterious Barricades. One of the tunes is even a
retread of one of his Fripp duets, but without Fripp.
The
real stunner here, though, is the main theme, which is reprised
throughout in different ways. The jazzy, swinging title track
features a laidback, mellow acoustic guitar melody over lush acoustic
guitar chords, accentuated by keyboards, brushes, and saxophone. It
sets the mood for the film’s whimsical comic pathos and also serves
as a preview of Summers’ later solo work.
Regardless
of whether or not you have seen and like the movie, if you’re a
true-blue fan of Andy Summers’ guitar work, this is basically the
unofficial start and an essential component of his solo discography.
--Raj
Manoharan
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