The cinematic dumping ground of February usually yields nothing
more than a refuse pile of studio-delayed films. Their matching
soundtracks are equally as scattershot. “50 First
Dates,” the newest Adam Sandler romantic-comedy claptrap,
doesn’t just have a weak soundtrack, it has a reprehensible
one.
- Beth Dykstra
Packaging on the album proclaims it as a concept album of
“classic” ’80s love songs
“interpreted” by modern pop stars such as Jason Mraz
and Sugar Ray’s frontman, Mark McGrath.
Unifying themes and cohesion usually bode well for an album.
Unfortunately, when that cohesion means reducing every song to a
pathetic attempt at reggae with a plodding, lethargic tempo, all it
does is unify the poor quality.
The Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.Am and Fergie stumble through
a saccharin, popping version of Spandau Ballet’s
“True.” Fergie’s heavy breathing and limp vibrato
makes Will.I.Am and his bland raps an almost welcome reprieve.
Elsewhere, Mraz does his best on a meandering version of the Modern
English classic “Melt With You.” His guitar is happily
drowned out on the song, but the replacement isn’t much
better — slow reggae percussion and weak reverb effects erase
any fondness the listener might have for the original’s
carefree guitar lines. UB40’s massacre of The Police’s
hit, “Every Breath You Take” is played on what sounds
like a dilapidated Cancun soundstage with rusty horns.
Fans of The Cure will also weep. “Friday, I’m In
Love” and “Love Song” are vandalized by Dryden
Mitchell, the lead singer of Alien Ant Farm, and 311,
respectively.
To serve as the sour icing on the cake, Adam Sandler phones in
“Forgetful Lucy” to try and convince his dwindling fan
base that he’s still got it. The best advice at this point is
to hibernate until the summer and wait for some legitimate
soundtracks.
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars