HAPPY FEET - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE

Aside from being an animated feature targeting children...  Happy Feet is nothing if not a lobby pushing an agenda.  I hate it when people try to push a political agenda under the guise of something innocent and sweet.  But that's beside the point when you consider the soundtrack.

So let's be honest, the entire reason I bought this disc was because of the first track...  Prince wrote and performs the number.  And this is the only release containing the track.  It's an uplifting and interesting number far superior to most of the rest of the disc and well worth the investment.  It's not a stretch to think Prince's track is one of the (if not the actual) best on the disc.  He's mastered the ability to write popular music and this catchy ditty is no exception.  It's dripping with little surprises and interesting twists.

What follows is a collection of movie mashups and character performances mixed in with original material written for the movie.  Prince turns up again when Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman join forces to deliver a mashup of Prince's 'Kiss' and Elvis Presley's 'Heartbreak Hotel'.  It's not as exciting or interesting as the original track in both cases, but it's serviceable and enjoyable when you see it in the film.

There are a string of enjoyable songs throughout the disc, but for the most part, it's uneventful and somewhat unremarkable.  k.d. lang appears on the disc performing a song called, 'Golden Slumbers/The End'.  Her performance is stunning and also one of the better tracks on the disc.  Gia Farrell delivers a decent track along with The Brand New Heavies and the song 'I Wish' performed by Patti LaBelle, Yolanda Adams and Fantasia Barrino.  Pink's performance of 'Tell Me Something Good' leaves a lot to be desired and many of the mashups are confusing and complicated enough to drive the listener insane.

All in all, it's a soundtrack.  And you can't really look for a real blockbuster hit with a soundtrack.  That's not what they're there for.  So my final words:  SKIP IT AND DOWNLOAD INDIVIDUAL TRACKS!

HAPPY FEET - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE

01. The Song Of The Heart - Prince

02. Hit Me Up - Gia Farrell

03. Tell Me Something Good - Pink

04. Somebody To Love - Brittany Murphy

05. I Wish - Patti LaBelle, Yolanda Adams And Fantasia Barrino

06. Jump N' Move - The Brand New Heavies (Featuring Jamalski)

07. Do It Again - The Beach Boys

08. The Joker/Everything I Own - Jason Mraz Mash-Up With Chrissie Hynde

09. My Way (A Mi Manera) - Robin Williams

10. Kiss/Heartbreak Hotel - Nicole Kidman Mash-Up With Hugh Jackman

11. Boogie Wonderland - Brittany Murphy

12. Golden Slumbers/The End - K.D. Lang

13. The Story Of Mumble Happyfeet - John Powell

UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

I've never actually seen this film. Just picked up the soundtrack because Depeche Mode had a track on it. The only place you can find the original version of the song. It was at a record store in St. Gallen, Switzerland and I found it used for something like 7 CHF. So I bought it. I'm not sure you could call the song an actual Depeche Mode track. It sounds more like a solo effort by Martin L. Gore. There's a lot of big names on this record and most of them you wouldn't expect to see together. Yet somehow this record comes together in a harmonious fashion. You expect it to sound like a big messed up pot of gumbo; instead it sounds and tastes delicious. Graeme Revell composed the score for the film and some of his more prominent pieces feature as segues throughout the album. I've heard some of his stuff on other scores and although I think he does a pretty good job, I also think he's predictable. There's nothing really outstanding about his material. It's a little offbeat, but still sounds similar to other work he's done.

The first band track is 'Sax And Violins' by the Talking Heads. I really like this track. It has a mellow, almost reggae sound to it until the chorus. Then they hit you with the full synth barrage. Excellent addition and opening number for the record. 'Summer Kisses, Winter Tears' is a cross between a lounge number and something you'd hear in a honky tonk bar about 3am. Julee Cruise's voice features nicely on this number. She croons like a female version of Chris Issak. Very similar sound. Neneh Cherry's 'Move With Me (Dub)', sounds like a stripped down version of the original tune, but it follows the previous song and maintains a haunting tempo. The next couple tracks move into a different style entirely. It's more hillbilly rock n' roll. Especially the Lou Reed number. Both of them are ok, but not my favorite tracks.

Can's 'Last Night Sleep' creeps back in and pulls you back into the midnight romp of the album. It makes you feel like a black hole is opening up all around you. Listen to the track in the dark at high volume. R.E.M.'s contribution keeps the sound in a dark place. while Elvis Costello's 'Days' takes a meandering punch at moving the record to the next phase. Nick Cave's track is hard to listen to. I've never been a huge fan of his and the narrative track, '(I'll Love You) Till The End Of The World' reinforces my disinterest. There's these awkward country'ish songs and then there's the trance rhythm songs that drag you down into a deep dark place. The Patti and Fred Smith track pitch you headlong back down that rabbit hole and then the Depeche Mode track comes in like salvation on high shining down from a Sunday cloud. Brush drums and electric guitar... A different and new sound for Depeche Mode.

Another segue by Revell and Jane Siberry's 'Calling All Angels' starts. Having basically created a name for herself by creating the saddest most heartfelt tunes in alternative films throughout the 90s, Siberry's contribution once again pulls your heartstrings. T-Bone Burnett's song is the one track I really feel doesn't belong on this record. It is, however, better than some of the other cuts. It's a rockin' number and certainly worth checking out. The Daniel Lanois song is another meandering country tidbit. I didn't enjoy it at all. Finally, U2 round the record out with there record selling contribution. Overall, this record is surprisingly good. It maintains a tempo and a feel. It's worth listening to and worth buying. Even if you're only after one of the many one-off tracks appearing here. My final words: THE UNDISCOVERED GEM OF SOUNDTRACKS.

UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
01. Graeme Revell - Opening Titles
02. Talking Heads - Sax And Violins
03. Julee Cruise - Summer Kisses, Winter Tears
04. Neneh Cherry - Move With Me (Dub)
05. Crime & The City Solution - The Adversary
06. Lou Reed - What's Good
07. Can - Last Night Sleep
08. R.E.M. - Fretless
09. Elvis Costello - Days
10. Graeme Revell - Claire's Theme
11. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - (I'll Love You) Till The End Of The World
12. Patti Smith And Fred Smith - It Takes Time
13. Depeche Mode - Death's Door
14. Graeme Revell - Love Theme
15. Jane Siberry With K.D. Lang - Calling All Angels
16. T-Bone Burnett - Humans From Earth
17. Daniel Lanois - Sleeping In The Devil's Bed
18. U2 - Until The End Of The World
19. Graeme Revell - Finale

K.D. LANG - DRAG

Why did I purchase this disc? Good question, easy answer. Basically, Wendy & Lisa were working on this album with her and I needed it for my Wendy & Lisa collection. But I was amazed by the intensity and range of k.d. lang herself. This is a concept album. Don't let the name or cover photograph fool ya. k.d appears on the cover and all subsequent photographs wearing mens clothing. She is a female doing male drag. Yes, believe it or not, there are such things as Drag Kings. But to give the album a double meaning, all the songs deal with cigarette smoking and the cover photograph shows Lang in a suggestive pose holding an imaginary cigarette.

All of the songs are covers and in one way or another contain references to smoking. Although the tracks Lisa and Wendy play on are interesting and unique, I found many others that were just as exciting and diverting. She really shines here. Lang has a smokey lounge singer voice and interprets these classics with a mixture of jazz, r&b, country and soul. It's quite revolutionary in many ways.

Though I don't normally ascribe to following singers, Lang has given me every reason to pick up more material and discover not only a voice but a mind and a philosophy toward musical discovery. No wonder Lisa & Wendy wanted to work with her. Classic disc. A welcome addition to any collection and well worth owning. My final word: INSPIRED.

K.D. LANG - DRAG
01. Don't Smoke In Bed
02. The Air That I Breathe
03. Smoke Dreams
04. My Last Cigarette
05. The Joker
06. Theme From The Valley Of The Dolls
07. Your Smoke Screen
08. My Old Addiction
09. Till The Heart Caves In
10. Smoke Rings
11. Hain't It Funny
12. Love Is Like A Cigarette