When the Wind Blows

Raymond Briggs' animated tale about an elderly British couple living out their last days after the bomb has dropped spawned this hit-and-miss soundtrack, with contributions from Squeeze, David Bowie, Genesis, and a lengthy coda from Roger Waters and the Bleeding Heart Band. Bowie's "When the Wind Blows" and Genesis' "The Brazilian" seem to carry the most flow musically, and the ten-part medley from Waters and his studio team has its moments, but for the most part it drags and sputters with boggy instrumental staleness. Only "Folded Flags" seems to associate with the movie's cold war theme the best, and some relatively smooth saxophone playing from Mel Collins helps to resuscitate things a wee bit. Dialogue from both characters is woven between each song, enhancing their naïve outlook and their false hope for the "powers that be." Hugh Cornwell's "Facts and Figures" and Paul Hardcastle's "The Shuffle" are short on amiability and come off as poorly manufactured, weakened by run-of-the-mill '80s rhythms. When the Wind Blows tries hard to bind ties with the actual movie, which is splendid in itself, but aside from a few effective tracks, the soundtrack remains quite pedestrian.