The Jack White-penned theme to the latest James Bond flick, Quantum of the Solace, has been released for download at iTunes, but not in North America, where it will be available October 23. "Another Way to Die" is, however, receiving airplay over the radio.
After giving the highly anticipated Jack White/Alicia Keys duet (the first in Bond history) a few listens, my reaction has remained consistent: This will go down as among the least of the Bond title songs. And I'm not the only one who feels White's effort is rather underwhelming. Or that it's just a pretty bad song.
While its angular, menacing sound may be appropriate to the harder edge Daniel Craig and Bond's producers have crafted for their hero, it is by no means worthy of a James Bond film, and it's totally outclassed by the the classic Bond songs performed by Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones and Paul McCartney. Melody, which should set a compelling mood, is virtually nonexistent, while the featherweight lyrics fail to either tell a story or capture the essence of the iconic super spy.
Bond, you deserve better.
Update: The original YouTube link to the song has been taken down, but you can hear the song in its entirety at theboombox.com.
This article appears in Sep 17-23, 2008.