Product: Bond - Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2001)
Rating: 4.0
Excellent sound; might be overly flashy, but very enjoyable
Even though I thought the Spice Girls were a blast, I was hoping Bond would NOT turn out to be a new-age/classical-goes-Top-40 reincarnation (not having heard the CD, this disc is my true introduction to these artists). The quartet may have been assembled by someone with dollar signs in mind, but no matter: these women are fine, classically trained musicians, having honed their skills through session work and/or orchestral experience.Each of the thirteen tracks is superb, with "Quixote," "Alexander the Great," "Kismet," "Korobushka," and "Victory" being my favorite songs. Not truly classical, but the accompanying band and string section provide a symphonic feel to the moving musical themes. While not yet fully poised and articulate on stage (each one takes a turn at addressing the audience), the women score highly in musical aptitude, cohesion as an ensemble, energy and flair. Perhaps too much flair at times: the running around on stage and violin bow theatrics may have been a tad excessive. Also, Haylie's (first violin) giddy, rah-rah introductions and her rock 'n' roll body language seemed an odd mix in comparison to her more subdued band mates. The "babe factor" is clearly pumped up by the midriff-baring outfits and some gyrating hips during the more danceable tunes. I also noticed: the audio-video aspects seemed to be slightly out of sync for some of the show, with the sound ahead by a split second. I tried hard not to dwell on this. The camera/editing work is very good, alternating between the individuals and interacting band mates, yet thankfully minimizing the overly rapid edits. I could have done without the overhead spinning camera.Aside from the performance itself, the DVD "extras" include four videos, which I though were REAL cool, although two of them you can't get to without first taking a quiz (fun...the first time). The 13-minute "exclusive" interview was so-so, with hollow-sounding voices and camera shots superimposed on a still background. The photo gallery is no big deal.Overall, these "Bond girls" are truly accomplished musicians who can put on a captivating show. This is a performance which showcases some inspiring music, great sound, interesting musicianship, and even a little choreography thrown in to spice up the event.