The Powerpuff Girls: Heroes and Villains [SOUNDTRACK]

Various Artists - Soundtracks (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 18, 2000)
• Original Release Date: July 18, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Kid Rhino
• ASIN: B00004TZZO
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #63,137 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup sure know how to pick 'em. Their Heroes & Villains might be the coolest soundtrack of the summer of 2000, as well as the best repellant for Townsville's evil monkey, Mojo Jojo. Inspired by the Cartoon Network's The Powerpuff Girls series, this delicious disc delivers a handful of exceptional contemporary pop-rock tunes customized especially for the occasion. And the music's so good that it may supersede the cartoon itself. Produced by Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh and Bob Casale, with fave groups picked by Powerpuff Girls creator Craig McCracken, Heroes & Villains has nary a clunker in its bunch. Disc highlights include the Beatles-like "Walk and Chew Gum" (Optiganally Yours), Komeda's killer "B.L.O.S.S.O.M.," Apples in Stereo's hook-infested "Signal in the Sky (Let's Go," Shonen Knife's hard-edged "Buttercup (I'm A Super Girl)," and a fun story thread that runs between songs. Of course there's Devo's own simian cheer lead, "Go Monkey Go," clearly another de-evolutionary breakdown at the hands of the mindless monkey Mojo. Play it again and again at maximum power. --Martin Keller

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Instant Classic, August 1, 2000

By	Colin Gorham (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

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?

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good enough tribute to the Powerpuffs, October 4, 2002

By	Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makin' a better day through the power of music!, October 15, 2004

By	Richard Lamery (Charlestown, NH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.