Music From the Motion Picture Josie And The Pussycats
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Free Music Notes for Music From the Motion Picture Josie And The Pussycats
Free Music Review: My "3 Small Words" about this CD...
Hit: 5 Stars
It's... Really... Great!
Okay, that was stupid, so lets forget about that and get on with my review.
If for some reason you didn't catch any info about what this disc is all about, I'll recap:
Its all the songs featured in the movie, which are performed either by "Josie And The Pussycats" or "DuJour" both of which, obviously, do not really exist.
Its actually the product of team of songwriters (including, but not limited to, Jane "that chick from the Go Go's" Wiedlin, Adam "that dude from the Counting Crows" Duritz, and Adam "the Fountains Of Wayne guy who wrote 'That Thing You Do'" Schlesinger) all writing the songs the two fake bands play in the movie. Kay Hanley provides the vocals for Josie, and studio musicians provide the rest (at least I don't think anyone famous is playing on here, the album credits don't tell you who performs other than "Josie and the Pussycats").
So if you saw the movie, you know what this thing will sound like, if you haven't, The Pussycats songs are supposed to be kinda punky, but because all the writers are from various pop bands, what you get is a bit closer to power pop, though it does have some punk edge to it.
And I gotta say, its really good power pop. Not surprisingly, a team of accomplished song writers CAN come up with good songs (except for that lame ballad, "You Don't See Me," I usually skip that one). Kay Hanley's voice is adorable and I love the production, the guitars are HUGE on this CD, really loud and crunchy. Turn it up and you'll find these cute little pop songs ROCK!
And the DuJour songs are really funny, very accurate, satires of boy band songs. I don't want to listen to them a whole lot (they're still boy band songs, after all), but I did laugh out loud at the lyrics on both of them.
So even though the whole thing isn't consistantly good, the 10 rockin' Josie songs are all top notch (I've got four versions of "Real Wild Child" on my iPod, and the Pussycats version is the best, even beating the Joan Jett one simply because they kept the guitar solo).
So if you like your power pop with the power left in, this is a good buy. Sure its not deep music, and, no, its not "really punk rock," but if anyone is actually complaining about those two things, all I have to say is this:
Its a SOUNDTRACK to a MOVIE, you idiot!
And its a pretty kickin' soundtrack.
Also, I should point out that if you LIKE this stuff (I sure do), there was (is?) a little Canadian girl band named Tuuli who put out an EP called "Rockstar Potential" and a full length album called "Here We Go" right around the time this movie came out. My point? They sound a LOT like Josie and the Pussycats, they perform the same kind of catchy, punky, power pop songs that are on this soundtrack. Only Tuuli has the edge over Josie and the Pussycats because Tuuli actually exists in real life. Check them out.
Also also, I should probably mention that I bought this soundtrack WAY before seeing the movie, so don't think you have to see the film to enjoy the music, as long as you like power pop with a punk slant done by girls, you'll dig it (though you should get around to seeing the movie, its very funny).
Also also also, Matthew Sweet is supposed to be on this thing... Where the heck is he? He doesn't have get songwriting credits in the linter notes, and I don't hear him anywhere on this album. He was apparently part of this project, but I can't find him anywhere. Does anyone know what he did for this thing?
Free Music Review: This album ROCKS!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
I have to admit, I was skeptical about buying this album. I mean, this kind of music is not my favorite. But when I went to see this movie (which by the way, was completely awesome) I decided to give it a try. What I got was a fun and upbeat rock album that is great to listen to and also dance and sing along with. Kay Hanley from "Letters To Cleo" is the lead singer, but it really doesn't matter to me that Rachael isn't doing the real singing (she does do backing vocals, though!) I have decided to review each individual track for all you buyers out there. Here goes! 1. 3 Small Words: This is the big hit on the album. If you like this rocking, sassy tune, you will love the rest of this album. I would have to say this song is one of my favorites. (5/5) 2. Pretend to Be Nice: This is also a great song. It goes from slow to fast and vise-versa, and it is really cool. (5/5) 3. Spin Around: I know that at first this song seems slow, but it's not. I still have yet to figure out what this song is trying to get across. (4/5) 4. You Don't See Me: This is the only slow song on the album that is slow. Even though it is a little out of place, I still love it! (5/5) 5. You're A Star: This is a good song sending a good message, but I have to admit, it's not one of my favorites. What is up with it being so short? (3/5) 6. Shapeshifter: Overflowing with attidude, "Shapeshifter" is another good song. (5/5) 7. I Wish You Well: I like (not love) this song. It is a pretty good song, but there's just somthing missing. I don't know what. (4/5) 8. Real Wild Child: This song is really short, but it is a great dance tune! I love it. (4.5/5) 9. Come On: I really love this tune! I sing it all day long and give it a perfect rating. (5/5) 10. Money (That's What I Want): This is a cover and I like it better than the original. I do find it a bit disturbing that a man used to sing it though. (4.5/5) 11. Dujour Around The World: This is one of the two boy band songs on the album. They are by the made-up band, Dujour. Everyone hates these songs, but I still listen to it and think it's really funny. (4/5) 12. Backdoor Lover: This song is catchy and everything, but isn't it a little provacative? I think so. (5/5) 13. Josie And The Pussycats: This song is the original theme song to the show, and I love the new version. I have been watching this show since I was little, and I know the theme song by heart. Now I know the new theme by heart. (5/5) Overall, this CD is a good buy worth the money. So if you like "3 Small Words", buy this CD!!!Free Music Review: Anxiously awaiting Josie's second album
Hit: 5 Stars
If you ever wanted to hear what would happen if The Ramones got crossed with The Go-Go's, this album would be it. Josie and the Pussycats, the revolutionary all-female, multi-racial rock band that began in Archie Comics way back in 1963 gets updated very successfully. This is one of those albums that, even if you don't like it, you are forced to at least admire it. Most who listen to it will do more than that though. The movie itself had all sorts of pop culture and rock music references that I was surprised to see in a movie I thought was aimed primarily at pre-teen girls. And like the movie, the soundtrack effortlessly blends rock, pop, punk, and grunge in a perfectly entertaining mix. There are smatterings of Green Day and the Offspring, heavier doses of Blink-182, little bits of Joan Jett and Hole here and there. And on my favorite song on the CD, "I Wish You Well," the Pussycats turn astonishingly Nirvana-ish. Every time I hear it I get the image in my mind of Kurt Cobain belting out the guitar line and snarling the spite-filled chorus. Not that the whole album is spite-filled, however, for on the popular ballad "You Don't See Me," the Pussycats retract their claws and bare their vulnerabilities. The album is less like a typical soundtrack and more like a normal album that any real band would put out, and probably should have been marketed as such, for on promo pictures for the movie the CD is shown with the much better title "Here Kitty Kitty Kitty," rather than the mundane "Original Motion Picture Soundtrack." But that will not stop the discerning listener from purchasing this excellent album.After 10 pleasurable Pussycats track there are two songs by the fictional plastic boy band Dujour. Just as Spinal Tap parodied heavy metal/hard rock bands while betraying at least some admiration for them, Dujour walks a dangerously fine line between sincere emulation and insidious parody of N'Sync and The Backstreet Boys.
Then after the two highly polished Dujour songs, Josie and her feline friends bare their claws one last time for a revved-up version of their cartoon theme song.
The ultimate irony of course is that Josie and the Pussycats is every bit as fictional as Dujour. Now if there was any justice in this world, Josie and the Pussycats would pull a Spinal Tap themselves and become real, release a second album, go on tour and give the currently bland pop world the kick start it so desperately needs.
Free Music Review: The Cat's Meow
Hit: 5 Stars
This soundtrack is a little short but COMPLETELY WORTH the moeny it asks for! I dance to it all the time and it has such a great rhythym and beat to it. This has even inspired me to take up guitar lessons! the following tracks are listed:
1) 3 Small Words - great lyrics but it takes a while to be able to sing along to them..very great chorus though
2) Pretend to Be Nice - one of everyone's favorites if you saw the movie. the lyrics are very easy to sing along to it and after one time of listening, you'll be singing it in your head
3) Spin Around - My FAVORITE song on the album!! perfect lyrics and if you took the time to listen to them, you'd get a message from them and it's very rhythmic also, you'll be dancing do it, pretending to be a gutarist (not kidding, I do it too)
4) You Don't See Me - pretty good, not one of the better tracks but the melody is very nice
5) You're a Star - very cute but after a few times of listening to it, it gets a little too teenybopper for my liking. also, it's a wee bit too short.
6) Shapeshifter - another one of my fave picks. GREAT song, lyrics ar perfect and chorus isn't hard at all
7) I Wish You Well - gives a great message but it's not one of the better sounding ones on the album
8) Real Wild Child - not one of the better ones either, but the guitars and drums really come out in this one
9) Come on - Vocals stand out good on this one. Also another fave pick for me
10) Money - very cute song, one of the 'okay' songs but I'd listen to it
11) Dujour around the world - A song by their competition, 'Dujour' really making fun of the pop bands like Nsync and Backstreet Boys, but in a funny way.
12) Backdoor Lover - Another one from Dujour, same pop idol outline
13) Josie and the Pussycats - another fave pick for my part! great lyrics and so catchy too, wish it was longer though
Free Music Review: Kay Hanley delivers extremely catchy, melodic pop-punk.
Hit: 5 Stars
This soundtrack simply features songs from the two fictious bands in the movie, most predominantly "Josie and the Pussycats". In reality, this band consists of Kay Hanley (of the Boston-based band Letters To Cleo) singing over a tight trio of guitar, bass, and drums. No orchestras, no over-production, no fancy synths: just simple yet well-written, melodic pop/punk. The writing and production notes include big names like Babyface, Matthew Sweet, and Adam Schlesinger (who I think won a Grammy for his music in "That Thing You Do"). And there's even a cover of the theme song from the original cartoon show. My only complaint is that Kay is mentioned nowhere on the outside of the CD; almost everything is credited to "Josie and the Pussycats". That's cute and all, but I don't know why they just didn't write "vocals by Kay Hanley" or similar on the front or back cover, even in tiny letters. The other musicians are credited, but there's no indication in the entire booklet of who did which tracks.Keep in mind that this is a movie soundtrack, so there is inevitably more than one artist featured on the CD. This brings me to the second band from the movie, the ficticious heart-thob boy band "Du Jour". The two tracks of theirs sound extremely stereotypical and lame, but that's exactly the point. Anybody who's seen the movie (or knows what "Du Jour" means) will get the joke. They intentionally portray a flash-in-the-pan fluff band in the movie. And the lyrics to "Back Door Lover" include some funny X-rated puns.
So aside from these two tracks, the rest of the album is rather consistant in its style. You might find yourself humming to the really catchy hooks all day long. Needless to say, this soundtrack has become a near permanent addition to my car's CD holder.