Sunday, August 12, 2012

Isles of Wonder: Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games


If ever an album did exactly as it said on the tin… Isles of Wonder captures the soundtrack to Danny Boyle’s weird and wonderful cacophony of dancing nurses, flying Mary Poppins and aging rock stars, just as we heard it on television on the night of the opening ceremony. 

Frank Turner, the first of Boyle’s lesser-known, unexpected choices kicks off proceedings with rousing folk anthem,  I Still Believe, followed by Four Nation Choirs who delivered a tear-inducingly patriotic medley of Jerusalem , Flower of Scotland, Danny Boy and Bread of Heaven. 

The rest of CD 1 features a strange mix of The London Symphony Orchestra, Dizzie Rascal and indie-royalty, Arctic Monkeys. 

CD 2 on the other hand embodies the notion of Cool Britannia with Bowie, Underworld, U2, High Contrast and The Pet Shop Boys.

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