Bad Guy Soundtrack

After establishing himself as a science fiction hero in Planet of the Apes, Charlton Heston went on to do a string of films in this vein. One of the most beloved of these films is The Omega Man, a post-apocalyptic adventure that featured Heston as a scientist battling a vengeful group of mutants as he searched for fellow survivors in the ruins of Los Angeles. One of the most distinctive elements of the film was its score, which was composed by sci-fi vet Ron Grainer (The Prisoner, Dr. Who) and combined traditional orchestral film score elements with strong elements of pop and light jazz. A great example of this style is the film's main theme, "The Omega Man": its first part layers lush strings and gently jazzy horns over a pop-inflected rhythm section and its second part allows a mournful, jazzy trumpet solo to take the fore over a backdrop of acoustic guitar and spacey electronic keyboards. The score also features a preponderance of exciting action cues, like "On the Tumbril" and "Surprise Party," which combine the regal horn arrangements of traditional film music with spacey synths and exciting rock-style drumming. Elsewhere, Grainer shows a gift for crafting easy listening-style melodies on lighter cuts like "Bad Medicine for Richie," which mixes a string-sweetened melody with acoustic guitar and a subtle rhythm section.

Released on what would have been the legendary Queen frontman's 60th birthday, EMI's Lover of Life, Singer of Songs collects 20 digitally remastered tracks from the late vocalist's eccentric solo career, including pre-Queen singles, soundtrack offerings, and cuts from his two official solo releases (1985's Mr. Bad Guy and 1988's Barcelona). This is good news for fans who were unwilling to dip into their savings to pick up Parlophone' s mammoth ten-disc Solo Collection, as it utilizes the majority of that collection's strengths…

Although it's only a teaser for a forthcoming ten-CD set, the three-CD Solo box is a pretty comprehensive look at Freddie Mercury's less rock-oriented solo career. Mercury's two albums from the '80s, 1985's Mr. Bad Guy and 1988's Barcelona, are repackaged in their entirety as separate discs; there's also a third disc of rarities, including Mercury's pre-Queen solo single "I Can Hear Music" (recorded as Larry Lurex), his movie soundtrack contribution "Love Kills," and his non-LP U.K. hit cover of "The Great Pretender." In addition, the set has been remastered and comes with a 28-page booklet.