Apart from the presence of one track -- a not bad if a little bit bland rendition of the theme from Peyton Place -- this 25-track CD is special as a showcase for classic British TV themes. Starting with
Ron Grainer's unusually rocking theme from Man In A Suitcase, we go through renditions of title music from Dr. Who, The Avengers, Stingray, Joe 90, Steptoe And Son, The Champions, The Saint, Danger Man/Secret Agent (the harpsichord-and-brass driven "High Wire," not the
Johnny Rivers song, which was a U.S.-only fixture of the series), and Captain Scarlet, among other series, all drawn from various corners of the Pye Records catalog. One rock & roll group,
Joe Meek alumni
the Flee-Rekkers, is represented, doing an instrumental cover of the Fireball XL5 theme; and the most unexpected presence is that of
Pentangle, doing the theme from the series Take Three Girls. The annotation isn't too thorough or deep, but the music is beyond reproach, and if there is a flaw here, it is in the necessity of using the instrumental version of the Captain Scarlet theme rather than the vocal version by
the Spectrum.