MattA75's Full Review: Singles by Original Soundtrack
In the world of movie soundtracks, there have been some unbelievable hits. Grease is considered classic for it's near perfect pop hooks. But it was Saturday Night Fever that ultimately got referred to as the "ultimate" in soundtracks, an album that literally defined an era of music. Some people may argue that some of the classic John Hughes 80s movies did the same, but not one of those really captured the essence of the era the way Fever did the 70s (and don't give me this Breakfast Club stuff, that was literally a one song soundtrack).
So fifteen years after Fever, another soundtrack hit the scene that could be defined as the ultimate guide to music in the 1990s: Cameron Crowe's Singles wasn't a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, but his use of the so-called burgeoning "Seattle sound" helped sell not only the soundtrack, but the movie as well.
Crowe used heavyweights such as Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden, while also mixing in lesser known artists, such as former Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg and Seattle upstarts Mudhoney.
As the so called "grunge" movement gained momentum, Singles became the ultimate "grunge" buffet. Would you like some Jimi Hendrix with your Pearl Jam? Or would you prefer some Smashing Pumpkins?
There are a ton of classic songs on this soundtrack. Pearl Jam's Breath and State of Love and Trust are considered two of the band's best songs to this date, a high honor given the fact the band has since come up with a good amount of their classic songs in the time since those two were released.
Pearl Jam's predecessor, Mother Love Bone, has always been a highly over-rated band in this reviewer's opinion, but I have always thought the world of Crown of Thorns, which appears here along with Chloe Dancer in a nice melting pot.
Alice in Chains were always last on my list of the "big 4" from Seattle, but Would? has to stand as one of their all time best songs. While I find myself needing to be in a certain mood for AIC and their ultra-depressing prose, if I am in the right mood, no one rocks harder.
Westerberg is considered to be somewhat of a punk rock godfather given his place in the Replacements, but it's his perfect pop song Dyslexic Heart that garnered him his most solo attention since that band broke up.
Interestingly enough, it's Mudhoney whose song has the best message in it. Given the nature of some of these bands, their song Overblown could have been the official theme song for so many of them.
Also not to be missed is Chris Cornell's (of Soundgarden and now of Audioslave) solo debut with the gorgeous and acoustic Seasons and the epic Smashing Pumpkins song Drown.
Singles is an essential album for any 90s rock fan. Hell, it may be the essential starting point for anyone looking to look back at the early 90s and the incredible rock music it gave us. This is the easiest five star rating I've ever given, and that is saying quite a bit.
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