The original TV series, on which this not widely lauded, big screen remake is based, reflected the cultural revolution the swept Britain in the '60s. The Beatles, pop art and mod fashions were bound up in the stirring tales of the bowler-hatted John Steed and his glam sidekick, Emma Peel.

The '90s version, starring Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman, attempts to update the story to the present while still retaining the original 'cool' of the lead characters. The soundtrack reinforces this intention featuring the stars and sounds of the '90s, but, as with the similar treatment dished out to 'Mission Impossible' last year, this album is sub-titled "music from and inspired by the motion picture". In our language, that means that certain songs on this soundtrack are not actually in the film but are, in the opinion of the breadheads behind this project, similar enough to the featured tracks to deserve inclusion here, so be warned!

Marius de Vries (a local boy?) handles the new version of the original theme and Ashtar Command merits two tracks with Sinead O'Conner doing the vocals on their closing song 'Summer's End'. The ex-Madness frontman, Suggs, contributes the punchy 'I Am', Stereo MCs make a rare appearance with 'Flash' and drum 'n bass guru Roni Size's 'Visiting Angels' is a fizzy instrumental. Other artists appearing include Utah Saints, Jimmy Ray, Diswalla, Babybird and the demolition (wo)man herself, Grace Jones, with a crooned version of 'Storm'.

Whatever happened to soundtrack albums that only featured the theme music and songs written specifically for the film? Ennio Morricone, Hugo Montenegro, John Barry and Suggs??. I don't think so.

Stephen 'Sugar" Segerman

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