Charlie A - Finding Neverland

Hear The Track Here

Someone should have let Charlie Armour (for it is he) know that finding Neverland is going to be a bit difficult now that Big Money have their claws in it and the monkey's friend has gone to the real Neverland. There again, Charlie may well be thinking of the original source of the Neverland myth and the stories by JM Barrie about Peter Pan which definitely explains why Michael Jackson was so fixated on it. So now I've comprehensively screwed myself for all time with the MJ estate, let's see what the real deal is. Now those who know Charlie know that he is a man of few words (and at least some of them are read the rules, fool) so as usual no clue exists as to why this is named so, and - as usual - the music is left to speak for itself.

Speaking of which I would be well fearful if anyone other than this English musician asked me to review an electronic ambient track. Just don't do that trick too well, as many have found out to their cost. Charlie, on the other hand, has always showed a tastefulness about his forays into this genre and - truth to tell - has me sold that he can do it almost effortlessly these days. If anyone can actually score a soundtrack, this guy can as he has proved again and again. From the opening notes of Finding Neverland you know you are in for an aural feast for the ears.

Please bear in mind that I really dislike the whole soundtrack thing and I absolutely loathe and despise ambient but somehow Charlie always manages to vault those mountains of prejudice and Finding Neverland is no exception. As lush and as sumptious as his instrumental sounds are, Charlie's real strength comes in his ability to coax our very lazy minds to actually get to work running the movie the music demands. For me, the whole point of soundtrack music, regardless of its uses, is to invoke and inspire in the listener images and scenes the music then illustrates. When it's done properly it's a joy to behold but when its not its usually turgid, pretentious rubbish. Certainly not a charge that could ever be levelled at Charlie A.

Highly Recommended Wide Screen entertainment.