I must admit, when I heard that Hollywood was planning a remake
of "Godzilla" I wasn't really that excited.  I was never a fan of monster
movies.  They just never appealed to me. I did, however, go and see what all the fuss was about.  I can admit that I was sucked in by all the hype and that funny little Taco Bell chihuahua.  A very strange thing happened
though.  I really enjoyed this movie.  Go figure.

The soundtrack is one of the reasons that I went to see it, but none of the
songs (with the exception of "Come With Me" over the end credits) are in the movie.  I'll admit that I was a little bit disappointed, but I've gotten
used to this phenomena.  The last three Batman movies did the same thing. There's no denying the fact that a movie is a great reason to gather a group of bands and release new songs.

This soundtrack includes songs from The Wallflowers, Puff Daddy and Jimmy Page, BenFoldsFive, Days of the New, Jamiroquai, and on and on and on. There is so much great music on this CD, where to begin?

The Wallflowers start off the record with a remake of David Bowie's classic, "Heroes." This is the album's first single and video.  If you're a fan of this band, you'll enjoy their version.  They stay true to the original
although Dylan's vocals are a bit more subdued.

The song that surprised me was "Come With Me."  Puff Daddy, in an L.A. studio, teamed up with Jimmy Page from a studio in London, linked by satellite, then  Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine joined them, and the result is a song packed with intensity and power.  I was skeptical at first but I found it really hard not to like this song.  I think a big part of the appeal was the sampling of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir. The addition of Morello has added an edge that takes it beyond the old classic and makes this new version really rock hard.  I really did try not to like it.  I did.

Grammy Award-winning band, Jamiroquai, contributes a new song to the mix. "Deeper Underground" will be the first international single, and it's a great one.  The song sounds a lot like early Stevie Wonder.  The music is catchy and the chorus captures some of the film's atmosphere.  "I'm going deeper underground / there's too much panic in this town."

Rage Against the Machine's "No Shelter" is their first studio recording of an original song since they put out their album "Evil Empire" back in 1996. This song is hard-hitting and rough, and has made me look forward to more of this band. That's what I like most about soundtracks - the opportunity to sample a wide variety of bands that you might not listen to otherwise.  This is my first encounter with Rage's music, and I have to say that I like it a lot.  They put a lot of energy into this song and the end result is something to play and replay.

"Air," by Ben Folds Five, comes along next, and it offers a chance to catch your breath.  This song was written specifically for this soundtrack.  It's a tepid song, but if you're a fan of the band, you'll probably like it.  It was really a shock to my system after the first few tracks.  All that energy and intensity, and then along comes this nice little song, piano keys tinkling - I didn't expect it.  It was like speeding along the road and then coming up to a red  light.  Hard to slow down that quickly.

Days of the New's "Running Knees" picks up the pace again and gets things back on track. I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that things were going to speed back up again. This is a great song.  I've just recently
spent some time listening to this band and I think they have a great sound.  Good old-fashioned guitar rock.  It's what makes music great.

The Foo Fighters composed "A320" just for this soundtrack. This is their first recording with new guitarist Franz Stahl, and it's really a wonderful song. It's a great-sounding tune, and although it seems a bit mellow, there is some fantastic guitar playing that brings up the tempo a notch and gets
things going. If this is what we have to look forward to from the next Foo
Fighters' release then it's going to be one to watch for.

Green Day contributes a remix of "Brain Stew" complete with Godzilla sound effects.  It's a lot of fun, and the new mix is quite appealing. This
version has been completely reworked and they've added strings and a new drum track.

This particular soundtrack has so many great songs and great bands to offer, the only thing that might have made it better would have been a re-release or rerecording of Blue Oyster Cult's "Godzilla."  Ok, it may not be the greatest song ever written but if you think about it a bit, it would have been perfect for the movie theme.  Of course, that's just my humble opinion. All in all, I really enjoyed this record and heartily recommend it to anyone and everyone. There's just too much good stuff here to pass up.

It's a fact: one of the ingredients of a blockbuster movie these days is the accompaniment of a blockbuster soundtrack. The biggest of the big are donating songs -- both new and used -- to be used to promote future Hollywood classics. "City of Angels" is no exception. While I haven't seen the movie, based on its cast (Nick Cage, Meg Ryan), unless the script is in Farsi, it can't possibly suck!

While there are a couple classics thrown into the mix ("Red House"/Jimi Hendrix, "Mama You Got a Daughter"/John Lee Hooker) and several incidental, yet gorgeous neo-classical pieces by composer Gabriel Yared, the real news on this soundtrack is what's new. U2 puts a fresh spin on an older song with "If God Will Send His Angels." This is not a bad tune -- U2 fans will probably love the new take, but like much of U2's stuff of late, it comes off with a lack of lustre. Seems a lot of the fire that stoked "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" has long gone out.

Alanis Morisette comes out of hiding and graces us with the first new track in almost four years. "Uninvited" is a hauntingly brilliant tune, much in line with the type of music she steamrolled across the world with on "Jagged Little Pill." "Uninvited" starts slow, with kind of a spooky, gothic feel, but quickly builds to a hooky crescendo that seems custom-taylored for radio. This song is receiving a lot of airplay here in the states and has piqued the interest of fans like me who have been wondering when she might resurface.

Looks like maybe Peter Gabriel just might have been hiding out with Alanis (I have no proof of this, mind you), because he offers up his first new track in four years as well. "I Grieve" is a serious, rather depressing song about loss and the resignation that, even through grief, life carries on. The simple, yet vivid lyrics atop the dirge-ish musical palette make for a touching and perhaps introspective piece. "I Grieve" picks up about two-thirds of the way through, becoming much more up-beat, while not losing sight of the seriousness of the subject matter. In typical Gabriel form, this song weaves layer upon layer of aural nuances into a tapestry that only reveals its true colors after several listens.

The Goo Goo Dolls hit the motherlode with "Iris." Try hitting any top 40 or Alternative radio station for more than a half hour at a time without hearing this song. It's everywhere! The soundtrack for "City of Angels" is number one on the Billboard Top 200 as I write this, and I believe "Iris" is, in large part, responsible. A sweet song with a melody that you just can't shake, this song will finally push The Goo Goo Dolls into superstar territory.

Lilith Fair founder Sarah McLachlan donates the appropriately titled "Angel" which appeared originally on her latest album, "Surfacing." This is another absolutely gorgeous tune ("You're in the arms of the Angel/May you find some comfort there")

Paula Cole, a personal favorite of mine, contributes "Feelin' Love," from her "This Fire" disc. This is, without a doubt, the most erotic song I've ever heard. Aside from the risque lyrics, the music just drips sexuality. With a bump n' grind rhythm and an intoxicating synth track, you just gotta love this song!

In all, this is about the best soundtrack I've heard since "Against All Odds," which was too many years ago for me to want to recall. There's lots of new music and a smattering of new, but not brand-new music, and a few old stand-bys. As soundtracks go, without regard to the movie it's supposed to represent, this is one not to miss!

This music has a definite country feel to it.  A combination of guitar-picking and violin gives it that "down-home" feeling, and it's a
beautiful sound.  You can feel the open spaces through the music.  So many thoughts and pictures ran through my head as I listened. Horses running freely through fields of grass.  Rain. Anticipation.  I felt all of these things as the music played on.

What appealed to me most about this soundtrack is the way that the guitar and string instruments are blended in with the wood-wind instruments and the piano.  It's like a mixture of formal and informal sounds, with everything combining to create a beautiful musical atmosphere.  Hard to really explain. You need to experience it to truly appreciate it. 

This record is a delight to listen to.  I spent many nights playing it as I
went about my business, and I found that I had to stop what I was doing to
concentrate on one part or another.  The mood it creates is one of freedom, and it's wonderful.  Another must-have for the music lover in the house. You won't be disappointed.

The thing that appeals to me most about instrumental music is the way it can bring out emotions and make you feel actions.  This score does all of that. It starts off with a very serene melody that gives the illusion of motion. It’s called “Valjean’s Journey,” and while listening to it, I could almost feel the  distance being travelled, the hardships along the way. It always amazes me when music is able to do that.

The entire record continues to keep you moving and feeling with each
composition. The music is just amazingly beautiful, and filled with so much
emotion that you may find yourself just closing your eyes and drifting off
with it.  I think that’s the way music should make you feel.  At the end, I
felt like I’d been on a tremendous journey, but at the same time I felt
relaxed and calm.  I loved every minute.  Every note played just resonated within me and made me want more.

This soundtrack will make an excellent addition to any music-lover’s
collection.  Pick it up and enjoy it.

For the soundtrack of "Wicked City," an independent film by Shane and
Richie Vetter, the folks at Gypsy Records have assembled songs from 12 of New York City's hottest underground bands. The rather eclectic mix of songs on the soundtrack include blistering punk, caustic metal, swing and more.

The soundtrack opens and closes with selections from the band "Sweet Diesel." The opening song, "(I'm just a) Kid In This Town" has an al terna-punk, "Suicidal Tendencies" feel to it, while the closing track, with it's heavy reliance on drums, sounds like the "Sex Pistols" experimenting with industrial music. Following the opening song is a track called "5 Year Plan" by another punk band, "H20." In addition to their guitar-laden sound, they provide an interesting twist with a brief a capella passage repeated several times throughout the song.

Another band that contributes two tracks is the experimental metal band
"Samsara" - the song "Locked Doors," and the title track, "Wicked
City." The first song features blistering guitar work, while the second song sounds almost tribal at times. Alterna-metal rockers, "Shades Apart," follow the "Locked Doors" track with their song, "Menace." The vocalist has a sound similar to that of several Seattle grunge artists, but the guitar work is much heavier and faster than the typical grunge composition.

The band "Orange 9MM" is next, with their song "Sacrifice." They combine "Biohazard" style vocals with an industrial bass line, and wailing guitar work, to produce an enjoyably morbid song. The two bands that follow are competing with each other, at least in my mind, for most original band name on the soundtrack. "Punkers Killing Time" add their anthem for outcasts, "Outgroup," while the loud, snarling, hard-to-classify band, "Choking Victim," add the politically oriented "Fuck America," which features fast guitar, and vocals at times resembling "Clash," and other times becoming something totally unique.

"Step," by "Home 33," is a nice slice of, for want of a better word, noise.
It mixes elements of punk and metal, with some rap-type vocals thrown in. This is followed by my favorite track on the soundtrack, "So Far, So Good.....So What." This punk gem is done by the band "CIV." Don't ask me what "CIV" stands for, but the song itself has all the things that make punk great: in-your-face lyrics, a catchy tune, and music that would make quote-unquote normal people say "What in the hell is that???"

The band "Demonspeed" adds their track, "Pogo The Clown," next. I can only classify this as metal/swing music. Picture Glenn Danzig and his band covering a "Squirrel Nut Zippers" song, and you might come close to the sound found on this song. On the track "Vodka With Anything," the band "Pry" contributes a moody, keyboard-heavy dreamy metal sound, and in the process wins my Best Song Title on the Soundtrack award.

As their name implies, "Mephiskapheles" contributes a ska song.
"Doomsday," as it is called, is a very catchy song that is reminiscent
somewhat of a "Fishbone" track. The last two contributions on the soundtrack are the song "Spotted Horse" by 'Moses," and "Dress Up" by "Shift." With "Spotted Horse," "Moses," lead by a female vocalist, offer a powerful, guitar-heavy metal song with rather impressive vocals. "Dress Up" is a departure from everything else on the album. It's pure alternative that starts off with an acoustic sound and adds a little electric instrumentation about halfway through the song. The vocal style is somewhat reminiscent of "Presidents of the U.S.A.," but that's
the only comparison that can be made in the styles.

Overall, this soundtrack is a good introduction to the New York City
underground scene. Fans of a heavier, punk sound will really enjoy the
soundtrack. Otherwise, I'd suggest watching the movie before you buy the CD. If the music in the movie interests you, buy it then, but this would provide a good way to try before you buy.

A conspiracy of a magnitude beyond the scope of belief.  That is the
premise of this summer’s blockbuster movie, “The X-Files Fight the Future.” If you’re a fan, an “X-phile,” then you know all about the ongoing fight that Agents Scully and Mulder face in their search for the truth.  This movie is fantastic whether you’re into it all, just beginning to watch, or even if you’ve never seen the show in your life.  You don’t need all the background to enjoy this film.  Sure, it helps you appreciate the characters a little more, but it’s definitely not necessary.

The music that appears on the soundtrack, “The X-Files:  The Album” is a mix of so many things, but there is a common ground in it all.  All of the
songs were written in an attempt to capture the essence of the conspiracy.
Trying to do with music, what the show has always done, and what the movie now does on a grander scale.

Chris Carter seems to have known what he was doing when he brought these artists together.  Each band contributes a unique sound.    None of the groups were able to see the movie prior to deciding whether or not to sign on. None of them would see it before contributing to the album.  Each group created something special - something specifically addressing the
mysteriousness of the X-Files.

There was a previous collection of music put together for the X-Files.
Carter did this once before, when he gathered bands together to record
“Songs in the Key of X.”  Some of those same bands make a second appearance here on behalf of the X-Files.  Soul Coughing, Foo Fighters, and Filter each appeared on the first record to come out of the X-Files phemonena.  That album began with one song that permeated the consciousness of Carter. A song that wouldn’t let go.  That song was “Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.  This time around there are just as many great songs, just as many fantastic bands, and the result is one hell of a record.

The album starts of with Filter’s eerie remake of “One.”  Maybe you remember it from Three Dog Night?  It’s a great song and the band has taken it and updated it musically, adding some twists that really make it spooky. Although, the vocals alone kinda do that too.

The Foo Fighters’ “Walking After You,” features some wonderful music and very soothing vocals.  I have to say that the music that this band has been putting out really strikes me. The acoustic guitars provide a beautiful melody that gets you swaying along with them.

Sting performs a remake of the hit song “Invisible Sun” with Aswad. It’s a
great song to start with, and they’ve given it a bit of a reggae twist this time around.  This new version improves on the original, giving it a whole new sound. The Cardigans’ “Deuce” is very desolate sounding.  The music has an interesting “i’m all alone” quality to it.  The band’s lounge-like music and singing make this song quite appealing.  It’s subdued, but has an oh so intoxicating beat.

“One More Murder,” by Better Than Ezra, starts off with some really great instrumental effects.  It has an ethereal quality to it and really captures the mood.  The lyrics are something else.  “One more murder in this town.....don’t mean a thing you get accustomed to the sound.”  Yikes.  A dim view and yet it seems to befit the whole “cover-up” and “trust no one” themes.

The Cure’s “More Than This,” is a wonderful new song.  There is an underlying instrumental that sounds very much like a heartbeat.  This song really affected me.  It has an emotional appeal that seems to originate in the music, but holds your attention with the lyrics.

Soul Coughing contributes “16 Horses.”  Personally, I love Doughty’s voice. He has such a distinctive sound, and Soul Coughing is one of those bands that you can instantly recognize.  The music is so interesting in this song. I love the way they use the guitars and drums together and create a
fantastic rhythm.

X does a remake of The Doors’ “Crystal Ship” that is quite different from
the original. Try putting that Doors’ album on 45 - that’s close to the pace
of this version.   It’s a great version, a great update.  The electric organ keeps the feel of the original, but the new instrumentals make it a refreshing new composition.  I loved it.

Sarah McLachlan’s  “Black” is another great addition to this record that is already bursting at the seams.  This song originally appeared on her album “Solace,” and the mood of this version is most befitting to soundtrack. The instrumentals sound very “other-worldly,” and there was a point while listening that I felt almost like I’d just listened to a space-ship taking off.  Very odd, I know.  As if I know what that sounds like.

The Dust Brothers do a  remix of the X-Files theme.  They give it a bit of a lounge feel.  I still haven’t made up my mind about this one.  I’m so very
attached to the original composition that it’s almost blasphemous to me to
remix and transform it into this new sound.  It does have its own appeal,
but it will never outshine Snow’s original.

Also included on the soundtrack are Björk, Tonic, Ween and Noel Gallagher. The record is just brimming over with great music, and as an added bonus, Chris Carter contributes an interview at the end of the CD.  Just keep it playing after the last track.

I heartily recommend picking up this album.  There is too much good music here to resist.