Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
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Free Music Notes for Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Free Music Review: A perfect time capsule of the early 90s
Hit: 5 Stars
1992, what a year. The early `90s was an exciting time in rock. Now I'll admit to having a soft-spot for hair-metal, but the late 80s, early 90s was getting pretty lame, i.e. "Cherry Pie." Although there were some good bands in the days before Nirvana (some genuinely good, some guilty pleasures) the alternative/grunge movement of the early 90s was a refreshing change.
The soundtrack to the romantic comedy "Singles" is the perfect soundtrack and snapshot of that era. With the exception of Nirvana, almost every major Seattle/grunge band from the early 90s is represented, as well as some other alternative artists from that era.
Even if you own the complete works of the bands on this disc, this album is still worth buying because many of these songs are not on studio albums or on compilations.
You know how it is sometimes when a band puts a song on a soundtrack...the song often sounds like filler or a b-side that wasn't good enough to put on a proper studio album. Not so with the "Singles" soundtrack. Each song on this disc represents the artists' best work.
Alice In Chain's start off the album with "Would," from their sophomore classic "Dirt." This alternative/metal classic is one of the album's heavier, darker songs. "Would" remains a radio staple and the blueprint that other mediocre bands copied from (that means you Godsmack). Pearl Jam contributes two songs to this album, the mid-tempo "Breath" and the harder-rocking "State of Love and Trust." They sound most similar to "Vs." era PJ. These songs remain two of the finest, if not finest, songs that Pearl Jam has ever recorded. Chris Cornel (Soundgarden/Audioslave) contributes the soulful contemplative "Seasons." Paul Westerberg (Replacements, solo artist) contributions include the incredibly catchy "Dyslexic Heart" and "Waiting for Somebody." These are also easily two of the best songs Westerberg has recorded. The Lovemongers (aka Heart) contribute a cool rendition of Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore." Mother Love Bone (the prelude to Pearl Jam) includes their morose classic "Crown of Thorns." Soundgarden's hard hitting "Birth Ritual" sounds as though it could have easily have been included on their "Badmoterfinger" (1991) album, and it is easily just as good as any other song from that album. The underappreciated Mudhoney include their fuzzy grunge classic "Overblown." The CD goes back in time a bit for Jimi Hendrix's classic "May This Be Love." The inclusion of a classic rock song on a grunge album does not break the pace as its tone/style compliments the other songs nicely. The Screaming Trees awesome "Nearly Lost You" (from the "Sweet Oblivion" album) and Chicago's Smashing Pumpkins "Drown" round-up the CD. Again, those are two of the best songs that either band has recorded.
Every song on this soundtrack is excellent. There is simply no filler. It's a perfect time-capsule of the early 90s and a terrific introduction to the Seattle/grunge sound of the early 90s. It's a modern rock classic and well worth owning.
Free Music Review: some brilliant stuff on here
Hit: 4 Stars
This is the soundtrack album to a pleasantly inconsequential 1992 romantic comedy, set in Seattle in the early 1990s, written and directed by Cameron Crowe (of "Almost Famous" and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" fame.) The story centers around two twenty-something roommates, one of whom (played by Bridget Fonda) is in love with a not particularly up and coming rock and roll singer (played by Matt Dillon) whose band sounds an awful lot like Mudhoney--- presumably because Mudhoney dubbed Dillon's musical performances. (This may be a good place to mention that Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder plays one of Dillon's bandmates.)
Because of the time and the place and because of Dillon's character's career choice, the soundtrack became something of a showpiece for the then-fashionable "grunge" movement. It's a fairly incomplete document (no Kurt Cobain, for starters!), and the CD drags quite a bit in the middle with three lengthy mid-tempo would-be epics which are every bit as pretentious as their titles ("The Battle of Evermore", "Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns", and "Birth Ritual") would imply. But even those three songs have some interesting moments, and there are many gems on this CD. In particular, the two Paul Westerberg tunes are two of his greatest masterpieces. And this album introduced many of us, including me, to the Smashing Pumpkins who in 1992 were totally unknown: the SPs provide the last song on the album, "Drown."
Free Music Review: A great overview of the early-90's sound
Hit: 5 Stars
The soundtrack to the motion picture Singles takes you back to a time when the music scene was exciting. Musical tastes were finally moving away from the hair metal glitz that oversaturated the market and being replaced by the grunge movement. Tight leather pants and sappy power ballads were being replaced by flannel and good songs. The music presented here is among the best recorded in the early-90s as many of the bands here became superstars and gave rock music a much needed kick in the pants.
The album starts out strong with Alice In Chains' "Would", a dark tale driven by its hypnotic bass line, and one of the best songs the band would produce. Pearl Jam contribute the classic rock of "Breath", which has a long jam at the end similar to their first hit "Alive", and the raw rocker "State of Love and Trust." The Smashing Pumpkins "Drown" is pure '90s psychedelia going from a quiet dreamy song before entering its long outro complete with feedback. Soundgarden's "Love Ritual" is very similar to the rage that comprised their Badmotorfinger album while the lesser known Mudhoney's "Overblown" is very sloppy and intense. The epic "Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns" by Mother Love Bone, who later spawned Pearl Jam, is another strong track. The Screaming Trees' "Nearly Lost You" should have been a hit single as this is the most radio-friendly of the grunge songs.
But this isn't strictly a grunge album. Former Replacements leader Paul Westerberg's "Dyslexic Heart" and "Waiting for Somebody" are catchy well-written rock songs with memorable hooks, something you don't hear enough of today. The Lovemongers' version of "Battle of Evermore" is probably the best cover of a Led Zeppelin song and Ann and Nancy Wilson's vocals here are fantastic. Jimi Hendrix's "May This Be Love" is outstanding and the most mellow track here. However, the best song here is Chris Cornell's "Seasons." Certainly a change of pace from anything he recorded with Soundgarden, "Seasons" showcases Cornell's excellent vocals which are more rooted in emotion rather than the intensity of his former band. All told, this album is a good representation of an exciting time in the music scene, when emphasis was placed more on good songs rather than image. It's certainly better than the majority of today's music receiving airplay which in many cases is just heavily advertised product.
Free Music Review: Totaly 90's
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a must-have for anyone who appreciates rock in any or all of it's fine stages. It doesn't have to be about "grunge" or "modern rock" or "the 90's" It's about great music that forever signifies a moment in time. For some one like me, who was in High School at the time, it's even more powerful, because this music isn't just the soundtrack for a movie, it's part of the greater soundtrack to my life. Watch the movie, but more importantly, listen to the songs, and hopefully one or two of them will take you back to a place you haven't thought of in years...that's what it's done for me.
Free Music Review: A one-disc guide to grunge
Hit: 5 Stars
Along with Temple of the Dog and the breakthrough records of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Nirvana, the Singles soundtrack is one of my 5 absolute essential Seattle records. Pearl Jam is represented well here, with two fan favorites in "Breath" and "State of Love and Trust". Chris Cornell's solo "Seasons" acoustic guitar is practically definitive of the movie itself. The catchy "Dyslexic Heart" by Paul Westerberg sounds a little out of place, but it's a good song in its own right. "Crown of Thorns" by Pearl Jam predecessors Mother Love Bone is one of my personal favorite songs of all time, whether sung by Andy Wood or Pearl Jam's Ed Vedder. I could comment on every other song on here- it's just a collection of some of the very best music from the very best era in rock history.