Andrew Niccol's latest "technology gone mad" movie sees Al Pacino directing a film starring a manufactured piece of female perfection (played by the completely natural piece of female perfection, Rachel Roberts). He turned (as, seemingly, most directors of quirky films do when Thomas Newman is unavailable/unwilling) to Carter Burwell to do his thing. After his music for The Bourne Identity was rather oddly replaced by John Powell's monstrosity, Simone was next on his list. So did he make it count?

Well, yes and no. In some ways, his approach isn't all that dissimilar to Michael Nyman's for Gattaca (the director's last movie) in that he has written a rather clinical, emotionally detached score (by necessity); but whereas Nyman built and built incredibly levels of intensity, Burwell turns to a much smaller ensemble and tends to dial things right down rather than up. Some cues ("Splendid Decay") descend into ambient noise and sound effects and are bereft of anything that could be considered music at all.

Burwell does contribute some very attractive melodies, however, and the New York musicians are bumped up with a string section from time to time. These moments, unfortunately, are rather few and far between and good though they are, they don't exactly stick in the memory. Of course, a few other decent pieces crop up too, notably the Newmanish "Nicola Walks" and "Sssimone" and the aptly-titled "Dark (Very)".

Burwell is one of those composers who slightly more pretentious fans will tell you can never do any wrong (primarily due to his work with the Coen brothers - always appropriate for the film, but rarely holding much appeal away from it). Simone is a quirky album that is not without its merits, but I can't honestly see many people being so enthused as to grant it a great deal of repeat listens.

Buy this CD by clicking here!