Customer Reviews

The Powerpuff Girls: Heroes and Villains

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Like the cartoon show it is based on, "The Powerpuff Girls - Heroes and Villains" is an instant classic, and may well be the coolest and most-played CD you buy this year! From the opening snippet and Devo's "Go Monkey Go" (all cheesy 80's synths and lyrics Boojii Boy might have written twenty years ago) through to the extended version of Bis's hard-rock end theme (reason enough for fans to buy the album, having two full verses for the first time), this release just does not put a foot wrong.

The artists involved were all hand-picked by Craig McCracken, creator of the series, who also contributes liner notes. It's not a question of which tracks on the CD are good and which aren't...but rather which are good and which are awesome. Stand-out tracks for me would have to be the hi-tech wonders of "The Fight" by Cornelius (listen LOUD with a good pair of headphones and prepare to be blown away) and the other Bis track, "Fight The Power" - featuring a huge Chemical-Brothers-style meltdown in the middle. And who could resist lyrics like "You've got the brainpower of a sunflower"?

Aside from the fact that the ORIGINAL "Love Makes The World Go Round" (sung by the Powerpuff Girls) really should have been included, this WEA/Rhino release is a perfect CD, full of variety and talent, with a fun storyline to match. What more needs to be said?

There have been a few notable tie-ins to animated TV series. Some, like South Park's Chef Aid, boasts an eclectic collection of songs from the series done by alternative, rap, and punk artists. In the case of The Powerpuff Girls:Heroes And Villains, the concept is different, as the songs here are inspired by the series, and with the exception of the intro and end theme, are original. The songs assume that one is in on the Powerpuff Girls, otherwise references to Mojo Jojo and the Gangreen Gang would be lost on the uninitiated.

Interspersed between the songs is a bit by bit story of the Powerpuff Girls against Mojo Jojo.

At least Mojo gets a song rooting him on. That is the upbeat "Go Monkey Go" by Devo. Q: Are they not human, A: No they are Mojo.

"Signal In The Sky" by The Apples In Stereo is a nice dose of Beatles-ish pop-alternative and one of the highlights of this collection. Anyone see the music video for this?

Optiganally Yours' "Walk & Chew Gum" is a pleasing oddity of 1930's/1940's lo-fi jazz and describes the Mayor as someone who can't, well, do the actions of title track at the same time. The lyrics here has the mayor down to a tee: "Thank goodness for the Powerpuffs/Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup make it easy to do my job." That is a massive understatement right there.

With "All right, Mo-Jerk! How'd you like a taste of Buttercup?" introduced by the toughest Powerpuff, comes the best song on Heroes On Villains, Shonen Knife's "Buttercup (I'm A Super Girl)," which is the punkest song I've heard the Yamano sisters do. The adrenaline fury of the drums and guitar reflect Buttercup's reputation as the toughest fighter perfectly. I can picture Buttercup jamming to this song over and over.

Unfortunately, Blossom and Bubbles' songs aren't as impressive as their sibling's. Komeda's alt-techno hybrid doesn't do tribute to the Powerpuff commander. Lyrically, yes. Musically no. Ditto for Dressy Bessy's song for Bubbles. The girls deserved better songs.

Bis's "Fight The Power" is sung from Mojo's perspective, and mainly features the male vocalist, and is better than the two tunes preceding it. Love that chorus: "I've got the brain/I'm insane/(You won't stop the power)."

Sugarplastic's "Don't Look Down" has a pleasing, goofy, ambling ambience, and is the Professor's song. Cornelius's instrumental techno number "The Fight" combines techno beats with samples of dialogue and narration. Bill Doss's skipping alt-McCartney-ish "Friends Win" rounds things off, with references to a few of the show's villains before yielding to Bis's closing theme.

There is a hidden track continuing immediately after. That is the song the girls sing in "Mime For A Change" to wake up Townsville from the black-and-white nightmare instigated by Mr. Mime with the "Love makes the world go 'round" chorus. However, it is not done by the girls. Pity--otherwise it would have been perfect. Despite a briefly sagging midsection, Heroes And Villains is a worthy collection giving the girls' their due.

By the way, the Japanese writing along the cover sleeve reads from top to bottom: amaimono, spaiceenamono, iimono. Literal translation: sweet things, spicy things, and good things. Or in English, sugar, spice, and everything nice.

This CD is just incredible! The genre style is dream pop-indie. Songs like "Bubbles" by Dressy Bessy, "Don't Look Down" by The Sugarplastic, and "Signal in the Sky (Let's Go!)" by The Apples in Stereo, will wake you up with it's healing power if you're down, as well as float you away to the clouds if you're tense. Either way, the majority of songs here are powerful and plain irresistable. This is also stuff you'd really want your kids to listen to.

It has credibility whether you really are a kid with a sweet tooth for infectious music or an alienated teen like I was when I fell in love with this record. "Fight the Power" by Bis and "The Fight" by Cornelius are highly danceable and fully forced pop and techno, "B.L.O.S.S.O.M." by Komeda and "Pray for the Girls" by Frank Black are two more choice tracks which both give a kick and are very thoughtful or a little brooding. And finally "Friends Win" by Bill Doss has an interesting 80's sound to it that reminds me of Human League and/or Haircut 100.

I didn't care for "Walk & Chew Gum" by Optiganally Yours or "Go Monkey Go!" by Devo, but they're good songs.

I love the show, but I was still sure I was hallucinating when I stumbled upon this and read who was on it. Apples in Stereo?? Frank Black?? Dressy Bessy?? CORNELIUS?? All singing about POWERPUFF GIRLS-NESS?? This is perhaps one of the coolest THINGS I have ever seen. Seriously. Now they need to do a Samurai Jack album with Cibo Matto and Soul Coughing and such. Rock on.

If you are an adult PPG fan, you will get a kick out of this little upbeat collection set up as an "audio adventure." The pace is upbeat and mostly fast, so it goes to the gym easily for an entertaining workout.

If you are a parent thinking of buying it for a child, it might be a little iffy. Although it pleases me to see more positive role models for little girls and it's not as violent as other cartoons, a parent wishing to limit their child's exposure to violence on TV might not want to deal with PPG stuff. It also bothers me that the lyrics to B.L.O.S.S.O.M. coupled with the chanting, almost frantic pace can come across as bulimic: "Go beserk, let it work, do the right thing. I've got an urge, I've got to purge, I've got to get it out, I want to make a better day. I want to hear you say, I want to make a better day. I want to hear you say -- We've got to make a better day."

So overall? I think it is a lot of fun for the adults, and maybe a little iffy for the kids. It's going to be a personal call for the parents.

I'll sum this up as quickly and emphatically as I can. The whole family can listen to this entire CD without tantrums from parties on either side of the age of majority.

Frank Black's song alone is worth the price of admission (and then some)and I have been caught singing Bubbles' song at the supermarket.

Your CD carousel is incomplete without this little gem!

An alternative twist on your saturday morning! No, that's not your local college radio station you're listening to...it's "Heroes and Villans"..and this baby packs a punch!

Trapped in a Powerpuff girls episode, you are musically transported through just a typical day-in-the-life of fighting crime and stuff, with the ultra-hip side of the college music scene as your soundtrack.

Ex-Pixie Frank Black's "Pray For The Girls" and Shonen Knife's "Buttercup" are scene stealers on this record, along with the techno-blitz of Bis' "Fight The Power." Of course, the cute and clever Powerpuff theme is included as well.

Not your average top-40 single machine, but a fun collection of odd and quirky tunes that will make you wanna fight evil and smile all at the same time. What a bargain!

Wow, what an amusing CD. This is one helluva trip. As you probably know, the CD encapsules a story that is told by the songs, and it works pretty much. My fav tracks are Frank Black's Pray for the Girls, Signal in the Sky by The Apples in Stereo, Don't Look Down by The Sugarplastic, and the End Credits by Bis. Some of this stuff sounds surf to me, in a new approach. The Girls rock and so their CD.

I can't believe someone actually thought this CD was a ripoff because it didn't "represent the music used in the cartoon series." Um, hellooooooo? The CD's title says "Music INSPIRED by the series"? (And the last track of the CD, which is the End Theme, actually has an extra song after it which was used in the crazed black-and-white mime episode. I forget the title. So much for not representing the music used in the cartoon series)

Even the liner note says that these bands are Craig McCracken's personal favorites, the music which inspired him while creating the show. And I guess he asked those bands to create some music about the show in return, and voila, the Powerpuff Girls CD.

The result is quite pleasing. The songs (and their production value) are more indie stuff than Top 40, and that's just fine. Some songs aren't as catchy as I might've liked, but each songs have their own cheerful quirks and personalities that make me smile. My personal favorites are "Walk & Chew Gum" and "Buttercup (I'm a Supergirl)." The Frank Black song is utterly cool as well. And it's sure nice to have the beginning and the ending theme songs on the CD. Perfect stuff to listen to during my dreary morning commute. :)

If you're a fan of the show, then you can't go wrong with this CD. Good stuff. :)

The Power Puff Girls soundtrack was far better than I expected. Usually you one get a couple of decent tracks when it come to soundtrack like these but, this CD has alot to offer and not just boring generic songs that bands just didn't want to put on their album. Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh and Craig McCracken(creator of The Power Puff Girls) have put together a great CD. Signal In The Sky-by Apples in Stereo is a groove that just catches you and doesn't let go. Shonen Knife just rocks so if you are a fan of them that should be enough reason just to buy this. Bubbles by Dressy Bessy is also a choice track. You also get Devo with a Go Monkey Go which is great fun and is song you be chanting along with. Plus you get The Power Puff Girls Main theme and End Theme. Great Cd though out wheather you a fan of the show or just looking for some great fun music.