The UK release date is reported to be 13th November 2006, just one day before the world premiere. The CD will retail for £14.99, but can be found discounted for pre-orders. The US release date is set for one day later, November 14th 2006 and will retail for $18.98 on the Sony Classics label.

Update: Sony Music has now confirmed the listing, adding the "missing" cues from previous reports that stopped at track 18. The full listing now includes 25 tracks, with the famous James Bond theme rounding out the album and one incredible spoiler - only read further if you are not aware of the leading lady's fate.

The title song "You Know My Name" by Chris Cornell is still absent from the line-up. The singer-songwriter has been shooting the video for the title song in Los Angeles this week, but no official release date for the single has been announced.

Above: Cover art for the USA release.

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Early Critique
SoundtrackNet report that while David Arnold's previous films have leaned heavily on an orchestral/electronic fusion sound, Casino Royale focuses more on the orchestra, and uses electronics sparingly. Also - and interestingly enough - Monty Norman's classic "James Bond Theme" is scarce, only showing up a couple of times over the course of the 75-minute album. This makes sense, since it's not until the end that James Bond becomes "James Bond". Instead, Arnold utilizes a melody he wrote for the film's song, "You Know My Name", which subtly hints at a precursor (with the ascending bass line) to the Bond theme.

Right: UK cover artwork for the soundtrack CD.

Above: Composer David Arnold

You Know My Name
Cornell describes the new song as "more uptempo and a little more aggressive than any other Bond theme has been, maybe since Paul McCartney ("Live And Let Die"). It has an orchestra, but it also has some angry sounding guitar, and it's got feedback."

Arnold and Cornell finished recording "You Know My Name" in Air Studios in London (then mixed in L.A.) in late August and delivered it to Eon Productions and Sony. Arnold's focus then shifted to scoring the film, which he completed this week. Cornell is currently shooting the video for the single's release in Los Angeles.

Orchestrating and conducting the score for "Casino Royale" will be Nicholas Dodd, who has worked with Arnold on his previous three Bond scores.

Scoring Casino Royale