While GCH and Cobra Starship deliver new tunes, the bulk of the album is comprised of cuts from 2006. The aforementioned CIWWAF lend "There's A Class For This" from The Same Old Blood Rush With A New Touch, while This Providence donate "Walking On Water" from their self-titled debut from last year.
The other re-treads include Jet's "Shine On" (taken from Shine On), Meg & Dia's "Roses" (borrowed from Something Real), Pepper's "Bring Me Along" (snatched from No Shame), Billy Talent's "Red Flag" (culled from II), and Ever We Fall's "Youth Like Tigers" (gleaned from We Are But Human).
The amount of previously released cuts might cause one to question the merit of purchasing this soundtrack, since it's a given that the core music loving audience that will attend the film more than likely owns at least one, but perhaps all, of the aforementioned albums. This is a fair question, indeed, especially given the inflated price of CDs these days. Well, to sweeten the pot the folks who compiled this little musical tie-in have tossed in not only the GCH and CS exclusives, but also a Chris Vrenna remix of P.O.D. and new tracks from Amber Pacific and Big Rock City.
But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves here. The key tracks here are the two by Gym Class Heroes and Cobra Starship. The Heroes deliver their patented suburban rap gloss on "Shell Shock," this time spitting lyrics like they've pounded a case of Red Bull and chased it down with a carton of Pop Rocks. It's snappy, poppy, and energetic in an ADD irritating way. They do instill the track with some cool spy chaser guitar nuance that owes a heavy debt to the surf stylistics of the early '60s. The track fades out with the Heroes laying out Dozens influenced "Ya Mamma" jokes. Anyone familiar with The Pharcyde's classic "Yo Mamma" will immediately see the reference point (kids out there reading this review who have no clue as to who The Pharcyde are, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde now!). In short this is hyperactive youth inspiration of a slightly derived nature.
Cobra Starship you might remember from their uber cheesy Snakes On A Plane theme song. While billed as a veritable supergroup of new sonic heroes (members include various folks from Midtown, The Sounds, The Academy Is..., and Gym Class Heroes) the group has never really delivered on its built-in promise to seriously rock. Instead they've more or less managed to be a Velvetta encrusted toss off. Things stay pretty much status quo on "Awww Dip," a guitar and synth driven number with blatant vocal nods to Anthony Kiedis. To the song's credit, the crooning swoon that leads into the chorus is nice and the song would have benefited from more of this. Other than that brief moment of brilliance, the track is pretty by the numbers and ultimately forgettable.
The Amber Pacific inclusion is a taste of what to expect from their forthcoming album Truth In Sincerity. If you listen to commercial radio then you've undoubtedly heard a dozen other songs that sound exactly like this. Needless to say the searing guitars and emotively plaintive sensitive guy singing style and lyrical expulsion will appeal to the kids. Discerning music heads will probably want to search elsewhere for inspiration.
Thankfully Chris Vrenna (ex-NIN and noted videogame composer) tweaks the knobs something fierce on P.O.D.'s "Lights Out." His remix is awash in dark burble and scathing synth surge turning the group's otherwise fist-waving anthem into a rap fueled juggernaut of a track. While not exactly stealth ninja music, it does provide the perfect soundtrack to crack skulls and crush ribcages to. The entire album would have benefited greatly from the inclusion of more cuts of this nature.
Conversely, Big Rock City's submission, "Black Betty," is a balls-to-the-wall Chuck Berry-meets-Screaming Jay Hawkins influenced gut wrenching, rusted fuzztone coated mutant blues bash dug up from some radioactive wasteland. As with Vrenna's neo-industrial re-work of P.O.D., this little ditty is gritty and super-charged with extra V-8 blast-o-rama. Another cherry in a sea of pits and again a prime example of the type of tracks that should have been infesting this soundtrack from start to finish.
The final two inclusions are elements of the score composed by Klaus Badelt. Those who pay particular attention to film scores may remember Badelt's music from such silver screen endeavors as Catwoman, Poseidon, Constantine, Basic, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. A prot¿g¿ of Hans Zimmer, Badelt's style is pretty much a variation of his mentor's trademark orchestral variation intermingled with bombastic electronic and rock overtones. To wit "I Love Being A Turtle" is pretty straightforward orchestral lushness, borrowing a bit of Eastern nuance to tie into the Asian thematics of being a Ninja Turtle. In contrast, "Nightwatcher" is a super-charged explosion of jarring symphonics and glossy arena rock theatrics. If you like your string sections churning out emphatic tension while buzz guitars and mock industrial waver swarm over the top, then this track's right up your alley.
For the most part TMNT - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Music From The Motion Picture is not an essential purchase. Sure, there are a few choice cuts, but given the wonders of iTunes, etc. you can snatch up those for a paltry sum and save some extra coin for some future "must have" release waiting on the horizon.
