A Merry War: Original Motion Picture Score and Orchestral Suite

This original music for the film based on George Orwell's novel Keep the Aspidistra Flying has all of the quaint and cottage-like charms of a modern symphonic score as well as the tedium. It opens with Mike Batt's three-movement orchestral "Aspidistra Suite," a mélange with shades of Baroque, Romantic, and pastoral, as well as a few comical touches. But the disc gets a bit more interesting afterward in its progression of individualized tracks with descriptive titles like "A Kiss Down an Alleyway" and "Tea with the Undertaker." There is even a dash of cozy cocktail music and a closing vocal version of the main title by Colin Blunstone. Still, the tried-and-true variations on a theme can be underwhelming for those not reinforced by the actual story. --Joseph Lanza