Apart from this "blip" this is a satisfying double Cd, the music more 'Starlight Express' than 'Sunset Boulevard'. This is no bad thing, but  if you're expecting flowy string sounds you are in for a shock. There is loud rock on this recording and it  works very well, especially in the more dramatic moments.

The first disc is leagues better than the second. Mind you, this is typical of Lloyd Webber who deliberately uses the same five or six themes over and over again. This can get a  little irritating at times but admittantly you do swith off your CD player humming them for hours afterwards. You would expect that 'Whistle Down The Wind' would be the outstanding song, but lovely as it is I think 'A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste' (in the second act - the only real reason for inserting the second disc in the player), has such a great melody. Apart from that the second half is a mish mash of reprises and one appaling song (both in its composition and performance) called 'Wrestle With The Devil'.

Jim Steinman's lyrics are overall quite good, though there are some moments where his rhymes are pretty poor. However, it is Lloyd Webber's tunes that make this a worthy addition to your collection. Though it may not be his best score, there is still plenty to enjoy and it is nicely priced, just slighty more than a single CD.

Review by Tim Connor