BEK


A Slightly Bizarre Mix of Songs   March 2, 2002
 38 out of 55 found this review helpful

If you haven't seen the movie Shrek, this soundtrack is not going to make any sense. It has everything from a Britney wannabe to the guys who made that annoying "All Star" song (which, coincidentally, is included) to the lead singer of Lifehouse. Some of the songs are great, but some, well, aren't so great. Here's my breakdown of the songs:

1. Stay Home: (5/5) This has to be one of my favorite songs on the CD. The lyrics are ones I can relate to after a hard day. It's a pop-rock song that can be listened to by the whole family and genuinely liked by teens and adults.

2. I'm a Believer: (2/5) Here's one of the not so great songs I was talking about. You've probably heard it since it was the single from the soundtrack, but in case you haven't, the best description I can give is that it's typical Smashmouth fare. If you like them, you'll like this.

3. Like Wow: (3/5) I would like to hate this song. I really would. I don't like Britney Spears or any of the others and I don't really care for their music. This song is, sadly, inferior to your typical Britney song in lyrics, vocals, and quality, but there's something about it that makes me almost like it.

4. It Is You: (4/5) This is the closest Shrek has to a romantic ballad. But, before you toss it aside as a Celine Dion-ish song performed by an unknown, you should know that it really is rather good. There is some real emotion in it and it's just a sweet tune.

5. Best Years of Our Lives: (2/5) I literally groaned when I saw that there was a song by the Baha Men on this CD. I thought it would be a "Who Let the Dogs Out?"-like song, but I was wrong. This isn't the type of song you'd hear while watching a football game. It's more the type you'd hear at a beach party. It still isn't much better than "Dogs" though.

6. Bad Reputation: (5/5) First of all, I should say that I adore the Joan Jett version of this song. Second, I should say that I actually like this song as much, if not better than the original. It's a rock-ier, faster version that is only missing some of the emotion of the original.

7. My Beloved Monster: (4/5) A sort of old-fashioned sounding song, but still good. I really can't think of anything to compare this too, except to say that it sounds sort of like a song I'd hear on the Classic Rock radio station. I like that station though, so it shouldn't be surprising that I like this song.

8. You Belong to Me: (4/5) Here's another cover version of an old song. This isn't bad though. It's not the best version of "You Belong to Me" that I've heard, but I still enjoy listening to it. It's a little slow, but is good with just the vocals and guitar.

9. All Star: (3/5) There was a time when I loved this song. When I first heard it about two and a half years ago, I thought it was a great, catchy song. Five hundred million times later (and, that's just slightly exaggerated), I'm not so fond of it. It's a pretty good song, but it's been so overplayed, that I normally can't bring myself to listen to it.

10. Hallelujah: (5/5) This is my favorite slow song on the CD. I have heard some people complain that it is not the original version of the song, but that doesn't matter to me. It's just a beautiful song. This version is almost hauntingly beautiful- in my opinion- and is impressive with its simplicity. It's just a guy with his piano.

11. I'm On My Way: (4/5) It's sort of disturbing how this CD constantly jumps around in mood. The track before this one is the constantly slow "Hallelujah" and then comes this very upbeat song. I like this song though. It's very good and would have earned a five with me if it didn't contrast so much with the song before it.

12. I'm A Believer: (3/5) This version of "I'm A Believer" is a lot more fun than the Smashmouth one. Maybe that's because I always picture Donkey singing it when I listen to it though. It's not great, and does not compare to the original, but is still a better- and shorter- one than the Smashmouth song.

13. True Love's First Kiss: (5/5) Here's the most beautiful song on the soundtrack. It's the only bit of the original score featured and was so well-liked that it caused them to release a CD of just the score. It's a wonderful song and a great way to close a great- if eclectic- soundtrack.


A warning about this CD   May 19, 2001
 30 out of 40 found this review helpful

The beautiful and haunting song "Hallelujah" is featured prominently in "Shrek" (which is very good, as you probably know already).

The song is performed by John Cale. However, the soundtrack offers a different and wholly inferior version. I can't understand this to save my life. Shame on the record exec. who decided to do it to us.

If you would like to own the John Cale version, I believe it is featured in the soundtrack to "Basquiat" and in a Leonard Cohen tribute album released a few years ago (Cohen wrote "Hallelujah").


Really needs a companion CD, like Romeo+Juliet's Volume2   July 13, 2001
 29 out of 51 found this review helpful

Over here at my country somehow the soundtrack was released about a month after the movie's premiere; if I had listened to the soundtrack right after the great and uplifting movie, I would have given it 3 stars.

So after about 15minutes of listening to the newly-released cd, I feel really conned! Just where was the score? They've basically omitted the musical soul of the movie! I mean, what a touching soundtrack the movie had! The 2 stars came from the only tunes which brought back the mood of the movie, namely It Is You(I Have Loved) and True Love's First Kiss, probably also Hallelujah (still think john cale's version is better); otherwise, only 1 star. And as a warning for potential buyers, there's only 40 minutes of music in this cd. I should have dumped this cd, saved another few dollars and get the dvd when it comes out!

I hope they would do what the producers of Baz Luhrman's Romeo+Juliet did, they released a second volume of the soundtrack, which comprised entirely of score chronological to the movie (the first cd was music, songs and the like). In fact, that second volume was even more enjoyable that the first, I was so pleasantly surprised! I'm very, very sure if Shrek has a companion soundtrack its effect will be how R+J volume2 had impressed me.

I'm very disappointed at this cd. Bad, bad mistake to its producers. Really hope they do something about it.


Where's The Score!?   May 21, 2001
 26 out of 37 found this review helpful

Well, to be honest, Shrek's magnificent score struck me the instant the dreamworks logo hit the screen. This album has one track of score. While it's a good track, there's just so much that could have been done!

Sure, the songs are fun. But you could get many of them elsewhere and probably have. The score to this movie was very, very touching and wonderfully done. If they don't release a companion album in the near future, I'm going to be very disappointed and quite possibly outraged.

These are fine songs, and there is nothing wrong with them. However as an album for the movie Shrek it doesn't capture the film's musicality in the slightest. A high disappointment.