Varèse Sarabande release Carter Burwell's score for Carol. Set in 1950s New York, two women from very different backgrounds find themselves in the throes of love. As conventional norms of the time challenge their undeniable attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of the heart in the face of change...

I've been a fan of Carter Burwell ever since I heard his beautiful, but rather twisted, score for Being John Malkovich (1999). Over the years I've heard quite a few of his later releases, but none came anywhere close to capturing the magic he had conjured up for Malkovich. Carol, I'd argued, is very similar in style and structure to Malkovich, only a lot more mature - as though Malkovich was a dry run for Carol.

The album contains 25 tracks (52 min, 27 sec). Of these, 19 (35 min, 48 sec) are Burwell's original score, with the remaining 6 (16 min, 39 sec) being made up of various artist tracks. These include 'One Mint Julep' (The Clovers); 'Easy Living' (Billie Holiday with Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra); 'Kiss Of Fire' (Georgia Gibbs); 'Smoke Rings' (Les Paul & Mary Ford); 'No Other Love' (Jo Stafford); and 'You Belong To Me' (Helen Foster & The Rovers).

It's a sweet score, that borders on being a classical album in its own right.

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Darren Rea