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Johnny Knoxville isn't exactly known for cultivating high-brow humor with his MTV prankfests, so it's a nice surprise to find that the soundtrack to his equally outrageous
Jackass movie doesn't rely on simplistic stupidity. Instead, the compilation plucks less-mainstream rock and punk speedballs that encourage headbanging and slam dancing with actual finesse. The
Jackass theme song, twanged by '80s underground rockers
Minutemen, and howling chestnuts from late '70s Scottish punks the
Rezillos and Danzig's schlock-horror
Misfits are intense but never banal. Modern cuts--a slash-and-burn stoner rock dirge from
CKY; taut, sassy girl rock by
Sahara Hotnights; and
Detroit Cobras' sleazy melding of garage rock and twist-style 1950s rock--are just as worthy. The series' sense of humor even kicks in with
Sir Mix-a-Lot's rap ode to the derriere and Mr. Party Hard himself,
Andrew W.K., whose guttural grunts and growls contrast cheekily with his cheery piano plunks. A few shaky stumblers aside, namely the Roger Alan Wade acoustic number,
Jackass is much more intelligent than one would expect--and an excellent and eclectic soundtrack to boot.
--Annie Zaleski