Review by Hayley
Yes, it's not an *NSYNC CD, but hey, it's got two of their songs, and besides, it's Joey and Lance's freakin' movie. So I felt it was pertinent to review the soundtrack. I will, however, NOT be reviewing the film itself because my film student sensibilities would make me incapable of bullshitting and although I rather enjoyed the film, I would tear it apart, limb from limb, and I wager that would make some people unhappy. So we'll just stick to the music here, okey dokey?
On the Line by the On the Line All-Stars: Gah, I hate the name "On the Line All-Stars". That's like, state the obvious day right there. They should have come up with some badass clever group name. But man, I love this song. I was practically singing along in the theatre. There's nothing super special about it, it's a typical pop song, but it just sounds great. Mandy Moore even sounds good and fits into the song pretty well. And of course, who can resist Lance's sexy pseudo-rap? Ohoh! And you know how some people believe that "The Two of Us" is the JC/Lance 'proof' song? Well, I like to think of this song as Lance's response to "The Two of Us" (even though Lance didn't write it). Just listen to the lyrics, you'll be thinking the same way before long.
That Girl (Will Never Be Mine) by *NSYNC: Awwww, boys, I can't stand song titles that have stuff in brackets!! Jeez. But, other than that, I really love this song, and was upset at first, screeching "Why the fuck didn't they put it on Celebrity?!" But the more I listen to it, the more I realize that it doesn't really fit on Celebrity. This sounds more akin to No Strings Attached. The lyrics crack me up, though. They're singing about this girl who's out of his/their league. Pfft. You guys are hot pop stars. No one is out of your league.
Under You by Trickside: I like this song, very fun, some nice jazzy, Everclear-esque (specifically "Local God") guitar going on. Their band name, "Trickside", bothers me, though, because I keep saying "Timbertrick" instead.
Don't Look Down by BBMak: When I first heard BBMak ("Back To You"), I didn't really think of them as a boyband or pop group or whatever, 'cause they had a different sound. But this song is a textbook example of a boyband ballad. It's still pretty good song, though. I'm not wild about it, but it's nice to listen to.
Let's Stay Together by Al Green: *sigh* They just had to do it, didn't they? They just had to take one of the coolest songs in the universe and fuck around with it, didn't they? It still sounds pretty good, just a slightly techno-esque version. But--apologies to any big GQ fans out there--get rid of GQ's stupid rap!! It's totally unnecessary, and pretty dumb. Exhibit A: "..you know what I mean? If not, I'll leave it up to Al Green." 'Cause he can explain it better? WTF?!
Let Me Be by Britney Spears: Me like this song very much. Not much to say about it, though. Good lyrics, it's got a groovy beat. And it's Britney. And she's sexy. "You try to feel me.." Heehee.
Falling by *NSYNC: I already reviewed this song in The Other White Meat. But, yeah, I love this song so freakin' much. I said before that the lyrics were trite. I was wrong. The chorus is trite. The rest of the lyrics are lovely. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a song written about eyes. (Exhibit A: Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes", one of the greatest songs in the history of the universe.) Biggest highlight of this song? At the end of the first chorus, where Chris sings alone: "When I laid eyes on you." I fucking melt at that line. Dammit.
Do You C What I C? by Vitamin C: I'm not a big Vitamin C fan, in fact, the only other song I've heard by her is The Graduation Song. But I like this song. It's got a completely different sound, that groovy beat, and the chorus is pretty catchy.
Ready to Fall by Joey Fatone: Joey totally climbed up on my list because of this song. I knew he had a good voice, it's just nice to see it showcased for once, completely solo. He carries the song well on his own. And yay! Richard Marx wrote a song that doesn't sound like "Right Here Waiting"! Exhibit A: This I Promise You.
To Be Able to Love by Jessica Folker: Menh. It's okay. I don't listen to it much. As far as dance songs go, it's not all that great. It's just not grabbing me.
My Hit Song by Melissa Lefton: I love this song. I love the lyrics, they crack me up. And it's all so true, the formula for the perfect pop song and the perfect popstar image. Very nice, indeed.
Say You'll Walk the Distance by Robin: Menh. Okay, as well. I'm liking it more each time I hear it. There's just not much special to it, not enough to make me really like it and keep listening to it. But I gotta say, I think Robin's voice sounds better in this song than it did in "Do You Know What It Takes?" and those other songs she released a few years ago.
Take Me On by Richie Sambora: I like this song, not too shabby at all. His voice is so raspy sometimes that it's bordering on Bryan Adams-like, though. I always end up singing along to this song, so that's gotta be a good sign.
Can't Trust Myself by Blaque Ivory: I like this song, but it sounds almost like something Britney would've done on Oops...I Did It Again. Nice cheesy finger-snapping noises. Why, oh why, do producers feel the need to put those on so many ballads?!
Ready To Fall by Meredith Edwards: Yuck. I hate it when soundtracks put on the same song sung by two different people. I would've rather heard one of Meredith's original songs. Her voice is pretty, but I'm not super-impressed.
SUMMATION: A pretty good soundtrack. A very enjoyable listen. I bought it, of course, for the *NSYNC songs, but I found myself liking a lot more on it, too. So, party, bonus.