1 |
Family
of Me - Ben Folds |
2 |
RJ
Enters The Cave - Rupert Gregson-Williams |
3 |
The
Family Awakens - Rupert Gregson-Williams |
4 |
Heist
- Rupert Gregson-Williams |
5 |
Lost
In The Supermarket - Ben Folds |
6 |
Lets
Call It Steve - Rupert Gregson-Williams |
| 7 |
Hammy
Time - Rupert Gregson-Williams |
8 |
Still
- Ben Folds |
9 |
Play?
- Rupert Gregson-Williams |
10 |
Rockin'
The Suburbs (Over The Hedge Version) - Ben Folds featuring
William Shatner |
11 |
The
Inside Heist - Rupert Gregson-Williams |
12 |
RJ
Rescues His Family - Rupert Gregson-Williams |
13 |
Still
(Reprise) - Rupert Gregson-Williams |
REVIEW
A
soundtrack album gets extra points when the songs that appear
on it are specially written for the movie. More points are
awarded when the album includes the movie’s music score.
Given these two criteria, this soundtrack to the animated
feature gets our approval. American
singer-composer Ben Folds provides five songs on this 49-minute
soundtrack. From the catchy “Heist” to the more
melancholic “Still”, lovers of melodic pop music
will embrace his compositions. Listen out for “Rockin’
The Suburbs (Over The Hedge Version)” where actor William
Shatner (who voices Ozzie the possum in the movie) dishes
out a mean rap which will amuse any listener.
Another
thing we like about the album is its very accessible score
composition. Gregson-Williams provides about 28 minutes of
score material on this soundtrack. Although there is no memorable
theme or soaring majestic tunes to remember by, he still gets
credit for a lighthearted and fun composition, especially
in the tracks “Hammy Time” and “Play?”.
These two tracks playfully orchestrate the cheery mood of
the animated movie with busy strings and energetic synthesizers.
Brother
of Harry Gregson-Williams, this 40-year-old composer has been
in the business for about six years. While his older brother
is known for his entertaining scores for animated features
like Shrek (2001) and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003),
he hasn’t carved out this niche of his own yet. Hopefully,
with this movie and the upcoming Bee Movie (2007), his talent
in creating a lively score for animated movies will be recognized.
Some listeners’
attention spans may be dispersed because of the songs that
appear in between the score tracks. But overall, this album
is still a pleasurable and frills-free listen, making it perfect
for the casual listener, and of course, all teenagers and
kids exploding with energy. You know that this soundtrack
is a spot-on when all 13 tracks on it are agreeable to everyone,
like the movie itself.
SOUNDTRACK
RATING:
 
Review
by John Li
|
