Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

Judging a soundtrack on face value is a difficult task because inevitably the film’s plot ends up being considered whereas it should just purely be about the music. Fortunately, I never saw female-empowerment soccer flick Gracie, so I had nothing to inform my opinions. What the album boils down to is the typical sports movie combo of exuberant classic rock with a few poppier tracks mixed in for good measure.

Each track on the album has that ‘I-know-I’ve-heard-that-before’ quality which can be good for a movie soundtrack since it breeds familiarity instantly. The album features big name artists like Boston, Aretha Franklin and Blondie, but also more obscure groups like the Ozark Mountain Devils and James Gang.  Still, some selections scream obvious choice, most notably Edgar Winter’s Free Ride that undoubtedly has been included in its fair share of inspirational sports films.

One of the more interesting tracks would have to be Nazareth’s Born Under The Wrong Sign. The heavy bass intro and distorted “woh-wohs” make for a rock song that’s slightly menacing while still toe-tapping good. Then there’s the 70s schmaltz of Firefall’s Your Are The Woman that, while almost embarrassingly cheesy, still forces you to sing along.

Gracie ultimately plays it safe, staying true to the sports-movie soundtrack formula set by films like Remember The Titans or  Invincible.  The classic tunes are likeable, but not surprising or edgy which makes for a predictable album of popular rock that you can take or leave.