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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2000)
AGGIELIFE Wednesday. Page 6 THE BATTALION Wednesday, March 22,| Various Artists Soundtrack to the motion picture The Next Best Thing CD Courtesy of Maverick Recording Co. The first single from the soundtrack is, of course, the remake of Don McLean’s “American Pie.” Madonna continues to be favorably original even in doing a cover. “American Pie” is reason enough to buy the entire soundtrack. Since the song is not going to be released as a single, this is the only chance at purchasing the song. A second new Madonna song, ‘Time Stood Still” written specifically for the movie, is also on the soundtrack. This soundtrack is definitely a good listen. Madonna apparently can do no wrong when it comes to successfully con tinuing her career (Grade: A). —Jeff Wolfshohl i l TON JOHN S El pom do The soundtrack to the new Madonna movie. The Next Best Thing, contains an eclectic choice of tracks. The album was produced by “her greatness,” Madonna, so there was a cer tain selectivity that accompanied the make-up of the album. There is a mix of pop, dance and elec- tronica artists who are mostly new to the music scene. One of tlie exceptions is Christina Aguilera, who contributed “Don’t Make Me Love You,” which could be a good contender as the second single to be re leased from the soundtrack. Elton John The Road to El Dorado CD Courtesy of DreamWorks Records This man was knighted. Boggles the mind, doesn’t it? Elton John’s soundtrack to the DreamWorks animated feature The Road to El Dorado never transcends what it is basically meant to be — filler material for a movie targeted at kids under the age of seven. What is it that makes companies like Disney and DreamWorks think that kids actually enjoy this tripe? What’s most insulting about this album isn’t the fact that it sounds like every other animated soundtrack since The Little Mermaid, but that it doesn’t even try to be anything else. There’s the title song called “El Do rado,” the theme song, “Someday Out of the Blue,” a token duet with Randy Newman (“It’s Tough to be a God”), and a miscellaneous instru mental titled ... “Cheldorado.” To say that these songs are hardly dis tinguishable from each other is a gross understatement. In addition to the blandly com posed music, the lyrics by Tim Rice defy logical analysis. In the song “16th Century Man” he offers such inspired couplets as “We are Spanish not Caribbean/We are human not amphib ian” and “Just because we're Hispan ic/Doesn’t mean we're oceanic.” Huh? Couldn’t DreamWorks have gotten authentic Spanish music to accompa ny this film, instead of the watered- down offerings Sir Elton has lazily cooked up? This album would have gotten a lower score, but the CD booklet un folds into a cute little treasure map the kids might enjoy. Hey, it’s something. (Grade: D) — Juan Loya EELS daisied' of. the' (jalaxif Eels daisies of the galaxy CD Courtesy of DreamWorks Records Each track on the Eels’ new album daisies of the galaxy sounds as though it should begin with the words “Once upon a time....” Even the album cover, which- sembles a preschool Dick and Jani reader, gives the impression thatfe album is meant more for those still wearing Osh Kosh B’Gosh, except for maybe the “explicit lyrics”dis claimer on the top right hand come: Granted, songs such as “It’s a Mot erf#&!@r” probably won’tpassna; time muster at pre-K. The majority of the songs playoc in a slight, wispy manner that one w'ould expect from a lullaby; thesoi “Flyswatter,” if not for its driving drum beat, sounds like a song taken straight from a ballerina music bos. Adding to the hushed nature ofthe music is singer Mark Oliver Everetti soft voice which barely rises above: mumble. This is an album one could fall asleep to and dream peacefully of lol lipops and hummingbirds (ifoneis into that sort of thing). The album features contribution- from such musicians as Grant Lee Phillips and Peter Buck of REM, though Buck’s instrumental "Estate Sale" is largely forgettable. The bom- track, “Mr. E’s Beautiful Bluesfisik lone up-tempo song on the album,giv ing it a nice perky finish to an other wise sleepy assortment of melodies. (Grade: B) —Juanhm r men > Be One Of A Kind, Instead Of One In A Crowd “Quality Formal Wear for Men” Ring Dance & Formal Special Basic Pierre Cardin Tuxedo 10% Off Rental w/coupon only. 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