Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A perfect time capsule of the early 90s, April 14, 2005
1992, what a year. The early `90s was an exciting time in rock. Now I'll admit to having a soft-spot for hair-metal, but the late 80s, early 90s was getting pretty lame, i.e. "Cherry Pie." Although there were some good bands in the days before Nirvana (some genuinely good, some guilty pleasures) the alternative/grunge movement of the early 90s was a refreshing change.
The soundtrack to the romantic comedy "Singles" is the perfect soundtrack and snapshot of that era. With the exception of Nirvana, almost every major Seattle/grunge band from the early 90s is represented, as well as some other alternative artists from that era.
Even if you own the complete works of the bands on this disc, this album is still worth buying because many of these songs are not on studio albums or on compilations.
You know how it is sometimes when a band puts a song on a soundtrack...the song often sounds like filler or a b-side that wasn't good enough to put on a proper studio album. Not so with the "Singles" soundtrack. Each song on this disc represents the artists' best work.
Alice In Chain's start off the album with "Would," from their sophomore classic "Dirt." This alternative/metal classic is one of the album's heavier, darker songs. "Would" remains a radio staple and the blueprint that other mediocre bands copied from (that means you Godsmack). Pearl Jam contributes two songs to this album, the mid-tempo "Breath" and the harder-rocking "State of Love and Trust." They sound most similar to "Vs." era PJ. These songs remain two of the finest, if not finest, songs that Pearl Jam has ever recorded. Chris Cornel (Soundgarden/Audioslave) contributes the soulful contemplative "Seasons." Paul Westerberg (Replacements, solo artist) contributions include the incredibly catchy "Dyslexic Heart" and "Waiting for Somebody." These are also easily two of the best songs Westerberg has recorded. The Lovemongers (aka Heart) contribute a cool rendition of Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore." Mother Love Bone (the prelude to Pearl Jam) includes their morose classic "Crown of Thorns." Soundgarden's hard hitting "Birth Ritual" sounds as though it could have easily have been included on their "Badmoterfinger" (1991) album, and it is easily just as good as any other song from that album. The underappreciated Mudhoney include their fuzzy grunge classic "Overblown." The CD goes back in time a bit for Jimi Hendrix's classic "May This Be Love." The inclusion of a classic rock song on a grunge album does not break the pace as its tone/style compliments the other songs nicely. The Screaming Trees awesome "Nearly Lost You" (from the "Sweet Oblivion" album) and Chicago's Smashing Pumpkins "Drown" round-up the CD. Again, those are two of the best songs that either band has recorded.
Every song on this soundtrack is excellent. There is simply no filler. It's a perfect time-capsule of the early 90s and a terrific introduction to the Seattle/grunge sound of the early 90s. It's a modern rock classic and well worth owning.
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still the greatest soundtrack of all time, December 14, 2003
Eleven years later, and this is an unequalled achievement: Even post-Tarantino soundtracks and countless other greats, "Singles" stands up as the best soundtrack of all time.Effortlessly blending all of the all-stars of the early 1990s Seattle scene except Nirvana, recorded JUST before they broke into the international music consciousness, "Singles" is both an amazing snapshot of a point in time and a great companion piece for fans of that music. Songs unavailable elsewhere from Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Chris Cornell, Smashing Pumpkins and Mother Love Bone is something of a dream come true for many music fans, and what's especially nice is that there's no filler anywhere on this album. Even lesser lights like The Lovemongers turn in great tunes, such as the band's rocking cover of Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore." Sticking out as not being part of the Seattle scene is post-Replacements Paul Westerberg, but his two songs -- the only performer on the album to do two, although Chris Cornell performs both with and without Soundgarden -- are probably the best tunes in the collection. While this makes a great companion piece to the movie, which features music quite strongly -- one scene even features a character stopping the action so his girlfriend (and the audience) can listen to a good section of Jimi Hendrix's "May This Be Love" (included on the soundtrack) -- it stands alone as simply a great album as well. My strongest possible recommendation for fans of early 1990s rock music.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What A Great Soundtrack., October 26, 2002
I was only 6 or 7 during the whole grunge era, and now I'm 17 and in the Britney Spears generation, so I've always felt kind of cheated. This soundtrack only adds to my jealousy of those who were teens in 1992. It's an excellent retrospective of alternative music, mostly artists from Seattle. It starts off with "Would?" one of the greates songs known to man, by the brilliant Alice In Chains. Layne's vocals are passionate and haunting... RIP.
Pearl Jam has two amazing songs to offer on this soundtrack as well, the rocking "Breath," and the manic "State of Love and Trust." This album also contains a relic of the Seattle scene. Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard's previous band Mother Love Bone has a song on here "Chloe Dance/Crown of Thorns" an 8 minute highly emotional song, kind of like Queen meets REM meets Soundgarden. MLB broke up in 1990 when vocalist Andy Wood overdosed, probably grunge's first casaulty, making the song about 100 times more emotional.
Soundgarden makes a few appearances here, one as a group (in the adrenaline-pumping "Birth Ritual"), a very eerie Chris Cornell solo song "Seasons" and a collaboration with Ann and Nancy from Heart (known as the Lovemongers) on a cover of Zeppelin's classic ode to JRR Tolkien, "The Battle of Evermore," which is very decent, with Nancy Wilson's backing vocals totally blowing out Sandy Denny's (a member of some late 60s-70s folk group) in the Zeppelin version.
Despite the fact that there is no Nirvana, it is still excellent. Mudhoney and Screaming Trees, two lesser known Seattle bands, offer some amazing songs here as well. Jimi Hendrix's "May This Be Love" gives a glimpse into Seattle's past legacy in music (Hendrix himself was born and raised in Seattle).
Paul Westerberg, formerly of the seminal Minneapolis alternative band the Replacements, has two songs here. "Dyslexic Heart" is the most catchiest song I have ever heard in my life.
The closing to this soundtrack is from Chicago's the Smashing Pumpkins, heavily affiliated with a few Seattle bands. They close the album off with "Drown," an 8 minute song that ranks as one of their best songs. The song itself is about 4 minutes, then the ending consists of feedback and crazy guitar sound effects.
If you want a great soundtrack, and more proof that the early 90s had a lot to offer musically, pick this baby up, and crank it. The music is bound to affect you.
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Cameron Crowe shares his favorite music with Amazon customers. See all artists' picks on our Music You Should Hear page.
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