Movie soundtracks

Record companies still do movie soundtracks. Sometimes as in the old days, these are original scores for the likes of Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. These days though, soundtracks are mostly made up of collected recordings found suitable to the plot or particular scenes. These are easier to do because you do not need a John Williams for the job and the music is nicer on the ears because you can play the CD and remember beautiful movie moments. Think She in Notting Hill or When I Fall in Love in Sleepless in Seattle. 

Here are three new soundtrack albums. The films they come from are certainly not romantic. There is no way you can say that of Stealth or Fantastic 4 or even Mr. & Mrs. Smith despite the presence of today’s sexiest couple (not?) Brad and Angelina. I am sure that many of you out there will agree though that the producers came up with quirky and rather interesting choices for these collections. As a result, listening to them is as enjoyable as watching the movies. 

Mr. & Mrs. Smith: Given the plot, a couple of hired assassins have been assigned to kill each other, this soundtrack must have been the most fun to do. As can be deduced from some of the titles included, the concept is anti-love songs. And I do not mean broken-hearted tunes by that. I mean songs about that period between hate and the death of love in a relationship. Listen to this when you feel like killing your boyfriend. It is great background music too while you are sticking needles into a voodoo doll or throwing darts into your ex’s face.  

It is just too bad that they didn’t include the most obvious choice of all, You Don’t Love Me Anymore by Weird Al Yankovic. But what we have in this CD will do just fine. Love Stinks by The J. Geils Band; Nothing But a Good Time by Poison; Tainted Love by Soft Cell; Lay Lady Lay by Magnet featuring Gemma Hayes; Nobody Does It Better by Smm; If I Neva See You Again by KansasCali; Assassin’s Tango by John Powell; Used to Love Her (But I Had to Kill Her) by Voodoo Glow Skulls; You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling by the Righteous Brothers; Making Love Out of Nothing at All by Air Supply; You Give Love a Bad Name by Atreyu; and Love Will Keep Us Together by Captain & Tennille, among others. 

Stealth: This is a big-budgeted action flick in the Hollywood tradition and the soundtrack stays on the same track by featuring big names, David Bowie and Sly & the Family Stone and noteworthy originals. In this case, these are three new songs by Incubus, Make a Move, Admiration and Neither of Us Can See. You have to buy this album if you want to listen to them because they are not yet included in any Incubus album. Aside from that, the band also allowed the use of one of their best somewhat under-rated works, Aqueous Transmission in the soundtrack.  

Other cuts are (She Can) Do That by David Bowie & BT; Dance to the Music by Sly & the Family Stone with Will.I.Am; Bulletproof Skin by Institute; (L.G.F.) Lost Souls Forever by Kasabian; Bug Eyes by Dredg; Over My Head (Cable Car) by The Fray; One Day by Trading Yesterday; Different by Acceptance; and Nights in White Satin by Glenn Hughes featuring Chad Smith and John Frusciante.  

Fantastic 4: Based on the popular Marvel Comics serial, the story is about four friends who possess superhero traits. It is the kind of enjoyable no-brainer that kids absolutely love to have with popcorn. The soundtrack fares better with several new and truly noteworthy recordings. It is great to find teen soul queen Joss Stone in classic rock and roll form with Whatever Happened to the Heroes but the best of the lot is certainly the emotional ballad, Everything Burns, by Ben Moody featuring Anastasia. Just in case you don’t know, Moody was originally with Evanescence which made its mark with the Daredevil soundtrack.

Some of the other cuts are Come On, Come On by Velvet Revolver; Error Operator by Taking Back Sunday; Relax by Chingy; Waiting (Save Your Life) by Omni Soul; Always Come Back to You by Ryan Cabrera; New World Symphony by Miri Ben Ari featuring Pharoahe Monch; Die for You and Reverie by Megan McCauley; Noots by Sum 14; Surrender by Simple Plan; I’ll Take You Down by T.F.F.; On Fire by Lloyd Banks; Disposable Sunshine by Loser; and Now You Know by Miss Eighty 6 featuring Classic.