ROBOTS - ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

It seems soundtracks end up in my life one of two ways... I either need a song to further a collection by a certain artist or someone gives me the thing as a gift. This item falls in the "Gift" category. I don't really remember why it was given to me other than that it was. I can't even remember who gave it to me. I'm not sure there's a reason to break this one down as there's nothing that really jumps out at me when I listen to it. I like a lot of the music on it. It's got some really great pop, some generic pop and some really boring junk. I should mention the Fountains Of Wayne track. That one is really great and it's nice to hear the remix of the James Brown track. I like the Gomez track and the Steriogram number. They're all pretty exciting. The John Powell number has some exciting moments in it as well.

I guess if I don't write anything negative this will be a very short review... So I'll jump right in and point out a few things I really don't like about the CD. Ricky Fanté is trying waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy too hard to sound like James Brown. It starts out with an awesome beat and then dumps midway into some R&B Gospel workout. However you look at it, I'm too easily reminded of Brown and that makes Ricky a failure in my eyes. It's one thing to incorporate another sound into your own, but to emulate another performer unless you're a cover band is just pathetic. Remember all those Madonna clones in the 80's?

The Stacie Orrico track is total dribble. The music and vocal performance sound like something churned out of a Disney music camp who's soul purpose is to create generic pop clones. It makes me sad to say this, but everything about this number sounds completely by some producers hit making formula. It's really sad. And it also brings to mind my greatest fear... That future musicians and artists will all be mass produced and marketed through some corporate cog like Disney. After all, Disney produced the biggest names in pop music during the 90's and controls most of the major pop icons around today. Or at least is largely responsible for them.

The Earth, Wind & Fire track is another number I want to mention. It's written by Jam & Lewis who I absolutely love and normally follow when I can. However, this horrific number is so bad I'm almost convinced they've lost their skill. The first rhyme is, "Just take the time, to free your mind." If that isn't the biggest cliche lyric in the entire world, I don't know what is... They should lose their songwriters membership cards just for that couplet alone. And trust me when I tell you... The lyrics don't get any better. The cliches keep rolling in, one after the other until you're so overwhelmed with generic crap you can't even look straight. Do yourself a huge favor and take a pass on this turd of a song.

Overall, I'm more or less indifferent to this record. The songs I like are probably already on the band's other releases and if I ever get majorly into any of them, I have no doubt I'll find them elsewhere. My final words: IT'S OK... BARELY.

ROBOTS - ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
01. Ricky Fanté - Shine
02. Chingy - Right Thurr
03. Fountains Of Wayne - Tell Me What You Already Did
04. Fatboy Slim - Wonderful Night
05. James Brown - Get Up Offa That Thing (All Dee Remix)
06. Stacie Orrico - (There's Gotta Be) More To Life
07. Earth, Wind & Fire - Love's Dance
08. WAR - Low Rider
09. Houston Feat. Chingy, Nate Dogg And I-20 - I Like That
10. Gomez - Silence
11. Steriogram - Walkie Talkie Man
12. John Powell Featuring Percussion Performed By Blue Man Group - Robot City