September 10, 2024

Various Artists - Dumb & Dumber: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1994)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock, Indie Rock
Label Number: 07863 66523-2


☠: Selected by Lass
© 1994 RCA Records
Dumb and Dumber is a surprisingly entertaining hodgepodge of alternative rock (Echobelly, Primatives), mainstream pop, and novelties (Deadeye Dick's "New Age Girl") that is considerably smarter than the movie it supports.

 tags: various artists, dumb and dumber, original motion picture soundtrack, ost, 1994, flac,
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September 07, 2024

The Virgins - The Virgins (2008)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock, Power Pop
Label Number: 7567-89940-6

© 2008-2009 Atlantic Records
Brooklyn indie rockers the Virgins debut with their self-titled effort, which recalls the rock-&-roll swagger of the Strokes' Is This It? leavened with some more overt 1980s influences of New York contemporaries such as Vampire Weekend. First single "Rich Girls" is the album's strutting calling card, with "Teen Lovers," the sneering "She's Expensive," and "Radio Christiane" among the other highlights. The Virgins is available both on CD and as a vinyl LP.

 tags: the virgins, the virgins album, 2008, flac,
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The Selecter - Too Much Pressure (1980)

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*Reissued on CD for the first in 2001 by Captain Mod. 
This pressing contains 16 tracks total and non-remastered audio.

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: New Wave, 2 Tone
Label Number: MODSKA CD 17

© 1980-2001 Captain Mod
Of the many bands that charged out of the gate after the Specials launched the British Ska Revival in 1979, the Selecter were one of the strongest, and one who had a musical mind of their own. Though the Specials' hot-rodded take on the vintage Jamaican sound was a clear influence, the deeper grooves of roots reggae were a significant part of their formula, and with lead vocalist Pauline Black, their music had a subtle but clear feminist undertow that was a welcome alternative to the boy's club perspective of their peers. Like many of their fellow 2 Tone groups, the Selecter's initial run was short, resulting in just two albums (though they would have a long and productive life after reuniting in the 1990s); however, their debut, 1980's Too Much Pressure, was one of the best LPs to arrive in the wake of the Specials' breakthrough. The vocal interplay between Pauline Black and Arthur "Gaps" Hendrickson was inspired, with the rougher, more aggressive tone of his voice adding ballast to Black's more flexible instrument, and the group's political broadsides were more effective for their unified report. Songs like "Three Minute Hero," "They Make Me Mad," "Murder," and the title cut are taut, nervy, and pack a welcome punch. Elsewhere, the dubwise reworking of "James Bond" splits the difference between Jamaican ska and early reggae and works on both levels, and "My Collie (Not a Dog)" is an amusing homage to recreational marijuana use. Bassist Charley Anderson and drummer Charley "H" Bembridge were a potent rhythm section who could gracefully turn on a dime, Desmond Brown's keyboards add abundant color and texture to the arrangements, and the guitar work from Neol Davies and Compton Amanor is sharp and concise. The Selecter never won the larger audience that the Specials, Madness, and the (English) Beat would command, but Too Much Pressure confirms it was never because they lacked the talent, and this remains one of the most satisfying LPs from the first salvo of British ska.

 tags: the selector, too much pressure, 1980, 2001, flac,
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September 03, 2024

Various Artists - Heavy Metal 2000: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2000)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Nü-Metal, Groove Metal, Alternative Metal, Industrial, Hard Rock
Label Number: 01877-73733-2

© 2000  Restless Records
The original soundtrack to Heavy Metal 2000, the sequel to 1981's cult classic animated film, gathers appropriately moody and aggressive songs from Hate Dept., Days of the New, Apartment 26, and Machine Head. Monster Magnet's "Silver Future," Insane Clown Posse's "Dirt Ball," Zilch's "Inside the Pervert Mound," and Sinisstar's "Psychosexy" are among the album's highlights, along with Bauhaus' first new effort in 17 years, "The Dog's a Vapour." A quintessentially brooding and stark song, it shows that the group has remained fresh as well as classic, and it's easily the soundtrack's best cut. The limited-edition version of Heavy Metal 2000 also features deluxe packaging and artwork, making it essential for new and old Heavy Metal fans; this package was also released in a different version with a less explicit cover, making it more acceptable to family-oriented chain stores.


 tags: various artists, heavy metal 2000, original motion picture soundtrack, ost, 2000, flac,
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Various Artists - Shrek: Music From The Original Motion Picture (2001)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock, Pop
Label Number: 0044-50305-2

© 2001 DreamWorks Records
If you scanned the back cover of the soundtrack to Shrek, without seeing the film first, it's hard not to think that this is an album that's designed to be a crossover success, containing very few songs that are in the film. You'd be wrong. Almost all of the 12 songs on this soundtrack (there's a 13th track, an excerpt of Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell's original score) are not only in the movie, but they feature prominently in the film -- which just goes to show that Shrek doesn't play by the rules of animated features, just like DreamWorks told us in the publicity drive. What that means, though, is that it plays by the soundtrack rules of most mainstream comedies, down to the use of the omnipresent Smash Mouth not once, but twice. The record does take a couple of detours from the conventional though, no doubt thanks to DreamWorks' desire to keep their hip NPR audience and to promote their own artists as well. So, when it does deviate from the norm, it's for the eels' "My Beloved Monster" (from the 1996 DreamWorks release Beautiful Freak) and for Rufus Wainwright's cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" (not heard in the film, where it was sung by John Cale, but Wainwright is part of the DreamWorks family and he has an album coming out a few weeks after the release of Shrek), along with a cover of Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" by Halfcocked (again, not in the film, where the original was used) and the Proclaimers' 1988 chestnut "I'm on My Way." Though these detours are a little questionable, they are enjoyable, but they still don't alter the character of a record that's essentially just a soundtrack, without much of the personality of the film it's attached to. It's not bad, but it's not great, either.

 tags: various artists, shrek, music from the original motion picture, soundtrack, ost, 2001, flac,
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Various Artists - Shrek 2 (Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2004)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop, Pop Rock
Label Number: B0002557-12

© 2004 DreamWorks Records
Following in the footsteps of the original Shrek soundtrack, Shrek 2 emphasizes the crossover potential of the movie and its music. Unfortunately, though, the album doesn't have as many surprises as its predecessor; none of the songs here have the same left-field feel as Rufus Wainwright's version of "Hallelujah" (or the John Cale version that actually appeared in the film), although Tom Waits' mischievous, middle-of-the-night "Little Drop of Poison" and Nick Cave's dignified ballad "People Ain't No Good" come close. On the other hand, Shrek 2 doesn't include anything as obnoxious or omnipresent as Smash Mouth's "All Star" or "I'm a Believer," although it does feature of plenty of covers, including Frou Frou's odd techo-pop revision of Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero," which turns the song from a fun if overblown AOR anthem into a chilly yet slick lament. Butterfly Boucher's "Changes" and Pete Yorn's "Ever Fallen in Love," meanwhile, have the dubious distinction of being average renditions of great songs; not even David Bowie's cameo on "Changes" can elevate it (although his duet with Mick Jagger on "Dancin' in the Streets" remains his worst collaboration). And while Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas' version of "Livin' la Vida Loca" isn't as thorough a deconstruction of a Ricky Martin song as William Hung's infamous "She Bangs" (or as funny -- albeit unintentionally so -- as his own single "Party All the Time"), it is a dose of silly fun on a soundtrack that is sorely lacking that quality. Jennifer Saunders' "Fairy Godmother Song" -- which sounds like her Absolutely Fabulous character making up words to the Cinderella classic "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" -- and "Believe"-esque version of "Holding Out for a Hero" also liven up the soundtrack a bit. However, most of Shrek 2 features mopey love songs like Dashboard Confessional's "As Lovers Go [Ron Fair Remix]," the Eels' "I Need Some Sleep," and Rich Price's "I'm on My Way"; they reflect the film's romantic misadventures between Shrek and Princess Fiona, but these songs don't make the soundtrack an especially fun listen, particularly considering that the movie is, ostensibly, first and foremost aimed at kids. But Counting Crows' "Accidentally in Love" -- which sounds like a cross between one of their old hits and the BoDeans' "Closer to Free" -- and Joseph Arthur's "You're So True" are aimed at those kids' older siblings and parents, making Shrek 2 a lukewarm compromise that isn't likely to satisfy either audience

 tags: various artists, shrek 2, motion picture soundtrack, ost, 2004, flac,
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Various Artists - American Gangster: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2007)

By No comments
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B, Funk, Soul, Hip-Hop
Label Number: B0010200-02

© 2007 Def Jam Recordings
Almost all the material on the American Gangster soundtrack that does not originate from the early '70s or prior is engineered to at least sound like the early '70s: two excellent Anthony Hamilton songs produced by Bomb Squad innovator Hank Shocklee (both of which feature string arrangements from Willie Mitchell), as well as a handful of instrumentals produced and directed by Shocklee (including a version of Sonny Boy Williamson's "Checkin' Up on My Baby") that cook. The music that was originally released during the early '70s or earlier makes for a mini-compilation of soul and blues classics: the Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There," Bobby Womack's "Across 110th Street," Sam & Dave's "Hold on I'm Comin'," John Lee Hooker's "No Shoes." The lone surprise is Lowell Fulsom's cover of the Beatles' "Why Don't We Do It in the Road." An entirely fitting companion piece to the movie, but certainly not on the endlessly playable level of the Dead Presidents soundtrack discs.

 tags: various artists, american gangster, original motion picture soundtrack, ost, 2007, flac,
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August 31, 2024

Bomb Threat - Bomb Threat (1995)

By 
*This is a digital download purchased from Bandcamp. 
Originally released in 1995 on cassette tape only.
It was officially released on LP, CD & as a digital download 
for the first time in 2024 by 90's Tapes. 
Contains 9 tracks total

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: None

© 1995-2024 90's Tapes
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.


tags: bomb threat, bomb threat album, 1995, 2024, flac,
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Various Artists - Even More Dazed & Confused (Music From The Motion Picture) (1993)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Hard Rock, Pop Rock
Label Number: 9 24588-2

© 1993 Medicine Label
Even More Dazed & Confused is a collection of songs that are in the same spirit of the Dazed and Confused soundtrack. A couple of the selections were used in the film, but they were buried underneath the dialogue. For the most part, the songs included on the album have nothing to do with the movie itself, yet they faithfully replicate the feeling of the film and its soundtrack.

 tags: various artists, even more dazed and confused, music from the motion picture, ost, soundtrack, 1993, flac,
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Various Artists - The Craft: Music From The Motion Picture (1996)

By No comments
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock, Post Grunge, Pop Rock
Label Number: CK 67626

© 1996 Columbia
The soundtrack to The Craft, a film about a coven of teenage witches, is the standard mid-'90s pop soundtrack. It features a number of alternative bands, from the good (Elastica, Matthew Sweet) to the undistinguished (Tripping Daisy), contributing rarities and covers. There are a few good tracks on the collection, but The Craft soundtrack is pretty bad, ranging from the dull to the downright awful. And out of all the mediocre music on the album, Love Spit Love's utterly clueless cover of the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now" ranks as the worst track by far, which is quite an accomplishment in itself.

 tags: various artists, the craft, music from the motion picture, 1996, soundtrack, ost, flac,
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Various Artists - Twilight Chapitre 2 - Tentation (Musique Originale Du Film) (2009)

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*This is the French pressing. 
Contains 16 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A
Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock, Indie Rock, Film Score
Label Number: 7567895629

© 2009 Summit/Chop Shop/Atlantic
After Twilight became a world-wide hit, the film series based on Stephenie Meyer's series of vampire romance books got a major upgrade. More time, effort, and money were poured into the second film, New Moon, and nowhere is this clearer than the film's soundtrack. New Moon's music is darker, more sophisticated, and much more indie-friendly than its predecessor's soundtrack, and features more of the artists Meyer credits for inspiring her writing. One is Muse, whose "I Belong to You (New Moon Remix)" is so dramatic that it's easy to hear how the band inspired Meyer's angst-filled love triangle between the clumsy yet somehow irresistible Bella Swan, her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen and her best friend (and werewolf) Jacob Black. Meyer also cites Radiohead as a big influence, and Thom Yorke's previously unreleased "Hearing Damage" is New Moon's main attraction. Drifting in on buzzing synth bass, the song builds to luminous, ghostly heights that make it one of the album's highlights. However, it's not the only one: Death Cab for Cutie's "Meet Me on the Equinox" is more brooding and rock-tinged than the band's usual approach, but it fits in beautifully with New Moon's sullen mood, while the close harmonies and piano on the Killers' "White Demon Love Song" inject some much-needed drama. Indeed, despite the fact that this soundtrack is more musically satisfying, and certainly more star-studded than the first film's, Twilight felt more like the world Meyer created in her books -- melodramatic, earnest, definitely not reeking of indie rock cool. Even if nothing here nails that vibe the way that Paramore's "Decode" did, Lykke Li's "Possibility" and Anya Marina's "Satellite Heart" still offer winsome indie folk backgrounds for Bella's moping. Despite a few upbeat moments that stick out like a thumb that isn't sore, songs like Grizzly Bear and Victoria Legrand's "Slow Life," Editors' "No Sound But the Wind," and Bon Iver and St. Vincent's lovely, truly odd "Roslyn" are morose enough for die-hard Twilight fans and stylish enough to please the most discerning music snobs.

tags: various artists, twilight chapter 2 new moon, original motion picture soundtrack, ost, 2009, flac,

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August 25, 2024

Silk - Tonight (1999)

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*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 62234-2

© 1999 Elektra
There's a saying that most pop music is about romance, so it's logical that a good portion is also about sex. If you listen to Silk, however, it would be fair to say that 95 to 100 percent of their music is about sex. Ever since their debut, Lose Control, they have showed little inclination to sing about anything other than sex, coming on like disciples of early R. Kelly, crossed with a bit of Barry White and Boyz II Men. Through three albums, they haven't changed their modus operandi one bit, which makes Tonight a little predictable. If you're at all familiar with the previous two records, you know what to expect lyrically and musically from every track on the record, and chances are, you won't be too disappointed by this slightly over-produced, ballad-heavy set. The uninitiated may find the constant sex talk a little ridiculous and monotonous, but they'll likely groove on Darrell "Delite" Allamby's production, which updates classic '70s soul and funk. It can be a little glossy and glib, as well as a little lightweight in the songwriting department, but that Allamby production makes Tonight fairly effective romantic mood music -- even with Silk's vocal histrionics.

 tags: silk, tonight, 1999, flac,
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August 24, 2024

The Lemonheads - Lovey (1990)

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*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 7 82137-2

© 1990 Atlantic Records
Moving to a major label didn't affect the Lemonheads' sound as much as the departure of Ben Deily; without him, Evan Dando was free to let his sensitive side run wild, which is exactly what he does on Lovey. Dando never completely abandons punk-pop on Lovey, but he does balance it with excursions into jangle pop and country-rock, some of his best songwriting to date. By now, he has begun to develop a signature voice, a distinctly suburban and middle-class voice that embraces the mundane details of everyday life. That gives songs like "Stove" and "Lil' Seed" an off-kilter sensibility, which is made all the more appealing by his gift for simple hooks. Even though Dando has made significant strides forward, the most affecting moment on the record remains his stark and very pretty cover of Gram Parsons' "Brass Buttons."

 tags: the lemonheads, lovely, 1990, flac,
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Bakers Pink - Bakers Pink (1993)

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*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: EK 48799

© 1993 Epic
Named after a shade of pink that was once used in asylums until it was discovered that it aggravated the patients' mental illnesses, Bakers Pink's one and only major-label album is a textbook example of the kind of rock music that labels were banking on before grunge came along. Offering hooks that revolved around wah-heavy funk guitar and groovy beats, the band fit nicely into the alternative metal scene that was quietly forming in the wake of Jane's Addiction. Bakers Pink's biggest drawback is how derivative the band sounded, rarely coming off as original. This is most apparent on its hard rock tracks, which alternate between funky rave-ups à la Mother Love Bone or spiritually motivated metal straight out of the Cult's songbook. Luckily, the band has a penchant for hypnotic and slightly psychedelic slow songs, resulting in some excellent mid-tempo material. "Untouched" shuffles along with a gently strummed guitar and eventually turns into a rootsy jam, while "Lonely, Lonely, Lonely" is a soulful stab at Drifters-style R&B. They tend to focus on this aspect of their sound a third of the time, inviting the listener to wonder what they might have made of themselves with a few albums to work with. But as it stands, this debut is typical of the era, offering a mixed bag of forgettable rockers and interesting psychedelic rock that never quite gels despite some really great songs strewn throughout.

 tags: bakers pink, bakers pink album, 1993, flac,
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The Verve Pipe - The Verve Pipe (Promo CD) (1999)

By No comments
*This is a promotional disc not intended for consumer sale. 
Contains 12 tracks total.
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 07863 67644-2

© 1999 RCA Records
Here's more radio-friendly grunge-tinged power pop from the Verve Pipe. The single "Hero" is infectious, but much of the rest of the first half of the CD is generic and repetitive "alternative" rock. The disc starts getting interesting with the sultry "Kiss Me Idle," then builds to the crescendo of "La La," which as the the title would suggest, becomes a sing-along.

 tags: the verve pipe, the verve pipe album, promo, 1999, flac,
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August 22, 2024

The Front - The Front (1989)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: CK 45260

© 1989 Columbia
Blessed with a shock of dark wavy hair and the ability to ape Jim Morrison, singer Michael Anthony Franano probably thought he was on the fast track to Cult-like stardom when he and the Front bolted into the national spotlight. CBS Records seemed to share that opinion and the Kansas City band's first single "Fire" from this eponymous debut received a sizable radio and MTV push. There was just one problem. Franano's songwriting bore no resemblance to the objects of his reflection and the "fire" he and his band were hoping to ignite ended up more like a bright but brief spark. The Front's supporting musicians delivered performances that bore no more of a resemblance to the Doors (or the Cult, or any capable group) than did Franano's songwriting. Guitarist Mike Greene, Bassist Randy Jordan, Keyboardist Bobby Franano and one-named drummer Shane packed a limp commercial-rock punch essentially void of subtlety and invention. Released in 1989, this derivative debut from the Front is just about as prosaic as rock music can get.

 tags: the front, the front album, 1989, flac,
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The Whooliganz - Put Your Handz Up (Promo CD Single) (1993)

By 
*This is a promotional maxi-single not intended for consumer sale.
Contains 5 tracks total.
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: TBCD 579

© 1993 Tommy Boy
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.


tags: the whooliganz, put your handz up, promo, maxi single, hands, 1993, flac, 
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Accept - Humanoid (2024)

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*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label Number: NPR1213DGS

© 2024 Napalm Records
The 17th album by the unstoppable Germanic horde known as Accept is upon us and resistance is brutile. After the enjoyable machinations of 2021s Too Mean to Die, those who keep their balls to the wall opted to stick with the same basic formula. Their three-guitarist wall of sound is back along with no-longer-so-new frontman Mark Tornillo, and Accept find themselves in a late-career groove, very aware of who they are and what they want to be. And that means Accept continue to drift closer and closer to AC/DC territory as their core metal sound drills down further into hard rock idioms. This is still metal to be sure, but the hard rock hooks and overall simplicity of design are increasingly the key feature. Founding guitarist Wolf Hoffman continues to find inspiration in classical music but adroitly dumbs it down for thugs, goons, and mouth breathers, of which I am proudly one. If you loved Accept in the 80s or 90s or just over the past few years, you’ll recognize and appreciate the shit they’re throwing at the barroom walls here.

With hooks and balls the essential ingredient, opening mission statement “Diving into Sin” is like a slap upside the head from an old friend. It’s a rugged, dirty anthem with grit and attitude powered by beefy riffs from the axe triad that provides the foundation for Mark Tornillo’s raspy screeching, which sounds more and more like Brian Johnson on an ugly bender (that’s a good thing). Hoffman’s interesting guitar flourishes add an extra dimension to the hooliganism and everything feels tight and right. The punch-drunk rampage continues on the burly title track, which also benefits from slick guitar work, and the band elevates their game for the more epic-sized might of “Frankenstein.” This one is pumped full of machismo and a ne’er-do-well 80s verve and its forceful riffage and Tornillo’s constant exhortations that “I’m alive!” make me want to fight a mob of angry, torch-bearing villagers for the title of King of Windmills.

Also rock solid is the charming ode to toxic masculinity called “Man Up,” which will send the sensitive types scrambling for safe spaces as Tornillo implores you to hang tough through life’s rough patches. Move this one to your leg day playlist and suck it up, buttercup! “The Reckoning” is a primo example of why Accept have endured so long, riding waves of riff mania roughshod over your feeble defenses and making tales of destruction and doom sound exciting and fun. Hoffman and company cram an ass-ton of guitar pimpage into the song and it feels hard, lean, and hungry. “Nobody Gets Out Alive” is an uber-catchy rocker that sticks immediately, and to bring themselves in closer alignment with AC/DC, there’s a tribute to hard drinking called “Straight Up Jack.” There are no throwaway pieces and every track has its cool, catchy bits, with moody power ballad “Ravages of Time” offering some maudlin but effective pathos. At a reasonable 48 minutes with almost every song in the 4-minute window, Humanoid goes down like fine hobo wine and requires no chaser.

The biggest positive comes from what the three-headed guitar monster cooks up. Though the songs themselves are direct, no-nonsense rockers, Hoffman, Uwe Lulis, and young gun Philip Shouse dazzle with slick, enthusiastic leads and harmonies as Hoffman infuses the tumult with his love of classical music without ever coming down with Yngwie Madness. Hoffman excels at decorating these filthy cuts with a hint of classical grandeur and then retreating back to knuckle-dragging before things get too posh for comfort. Amid the 18-string maelstrom, Mark Tornillo stands strong, his whiskey and cigarette-seasoned vocal cords hard as nails and keeping things fugly and pugnacious. He makes the most of the rare opportunity to explore a “softer” side on “Ravages of Time,” but the rest of the album is all razor blades and axle grease.

Humanoid is another successful chapter in the second stage of Accept’s eternal crusade to build you a functional Metal Heart. It’s better and more consistent than Too Mean to Die, with their bare-bones style polished and improved upon. The writing is tight and the band sounds young, dumb, and full of…rum. I’ll take as many of these consistently hooky platters as these coots can crank out between now and the final reckoning. Hail, Hail Germania.

 tags: accept, humanoid, 2024, flac,
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August 20, 2024

Various Artists - Amateur Soundtrack - A Film By Hal Hartley (1994)

By No comments
Country: U.S.A. 
Genre: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Film Score
Label Number: 92500-2

© 1994 Matador/Atlantic Records
Hal Hartley's film Amateur was given one of the most effective soundtrack albums of the 1990s. Instead of relying on shoddy leftovers from contemporary hitmakers, Amateur features songs from some of the early-'90s best alternative albums: "Only Shallow" by My Bloody Valentine (from Loveless), "Girls! Girls! Girls!" by Liz Phair (from Exile in Guyville), "Here" by Pavement (from Slanted & Enchanted), and "Water" by PJ Harvey (from Dry). It also includes great tracks by Red House Painters ("Japanese to English") and the Jesus Lizard ("Then Comes Dudley"). In addition to these great previously released songs is the superb score, reminiscent of Brian Eno's Music for Films and co-written by Hartley (under the pseudonym Ned Rifle) and Jeffrey Taylor.

 tags: various artists, amateur soundtrack, a film by hal hartley, ost, 1994, flac,
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Various Artists - SLC Punk: Original Soundtrack (1999) ☠

By , No comments
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Punk Rock, Garage Rock, New Wave
Label Number: HR-62178-2

☠: Selected by Buccaneer
© 1999 Hollywood Records
SLC Punk was a movie that concerned a punk scene in Salt Lake City, UT, so it would make sense to have the soundtrack filled with a whole bunch of punk bands. Of course some big names are scraped up, like the Exploited, Fear, the Stooges, the Ramones and the Dead Kennedys to contribute some of their "hits," but whoever had the idea to include a dance track courtesy of Moondogg wasn't thinking with a clear head. Aside from the Suicide Machines' contribution of "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden," which incorporates a violin orchestra with their brand of upbeat ska-punk, all of this material has been previously released. It's at least interesting to see the Velvet Underground and the Exploited included on one record together.

 tags: various artists, slc punk, original soundtrack, ost, 1999, flac,
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Various Artists - Almost Famous: Music From The Motion Picture (2000) ☠

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Rock, Hard Rock, Pop Rock
Label Number: 0044-50279-2

☠: Selected by Buccaneer
© 2000 DreamWorks Records
Although it's been pronounced dead more often than Mark Twain, the life expectancy of rock & roll was surely looking faint at the end of the '60s. Few people realize that it wasn't all bad. As Almost Famous' central character slowly realizes, it's much less important what history may mean to music journalists 30 years from now than what it means to actually experience it right then and there. Maybe it was a hard lesson to learn. Because while the counterculture and its music started to become everything it hated (and too soon before punk came to remind everybody what the revolution was really about) rock's "lurch" still promised much for those that paid attention.

Indeed, it would take a concentrated effort to ignore this soundtrack's refreshing outlook. Simon & Garfunkel and the Who are pitted right against Yes and Elton John. The Beach Boys against Cat Stevens. There's a sense of heady nostalgia here -- but one more deliberately adolescent and tender than the schlock-infested oldies radio station trends of most soundtracks of this ilk. The Seeds are represented by one of their most psychedelic pop gems ("Mr. Farmer") while Thunderclap Newman sounds almost prophetic with their playfully carny-piano mini-marathon ("Something in the Air"). Even the two new fictionalized compositions both manage to evoke the feeling of a waning era with just the right amount of reminiscence.

This is surely not a definitive collection of post-'60s music and it's proud not to be. Like all great soundtracks, the one for Almost Famous works both as an instant reminder of the film's highs as well as a personal, startling perspective into the very "last gasps" of rock & roll. And like all great soundtracks, music journalists will probably hate it.

 tags: various artists, almost famous, music from the motion picture, ost, soundtrack, 2000, flac,
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Various Artists - Mallrats: Music From The Motion Picture (1995) ☠

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Post Grunge
Label Number: FTD-11294

☠: Selected by Lass
© 1995 MCA Soundtracks/(510) Records
Not only was Mallrats a miserable second movie from Kevin Smith, the director of wildly funny Clerks, but the soundtrack to the film is a wretched collection of alternative by-the-numbers. With the notable exception of Elastica's sinewy, wiry "Line Up," the soundtrack coasts by without any energy, serving up a large number of faceless grunge and funk metal bands. The record is filled with macho music without any muscle, spiked by snippets of inane dialogue, which only confirms what a depressing, disappointing experience Mallrats is

 tags: various artists, mallrats, music from the motion picture, ost, soundtrack, 1995, flac,
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