miselainis's Full Review: The Truth About Cats and Dogs by Original Soundtra...
Is that, like the movie, it's charming and easy to like.
Most of the songs keep a perky happy feeling bouncing around. And the slow ones are so beautiful or thoughtful that they pull up the slack.
1. It begins with the soulful Dionne Farris version of Stevie Wonder's "For Once In My Life," (which actually ended the movie during the credits! Order isn't important here). She does an admirable job with this, turning it almost into a girl power type tune. She hop skips around the natural order of the song, but only makes it more hers. A great version.
2. Next, the soft, almost whispered "Caramel" by Suzanne Vega. It presents a soft, sensuous version of yearning...
"It won't do to dream of caramel, to think of cinnamon
And long for you
It won't do to stir a deep desire, to fan a bigger fire
That can never run true."
The soft accompaniment by very little except slight percussion and clarinet is a masterpiece in understatement.
3. Sting does an overblown version of The Police's "The Bed's Too Big Without You" with help from Ranking Roger of The English Beat and General Public. It begins promisingly enough, but after awhile, does become a bit monotonous. It could have been scaled back a bit.
4. Cowboy Junkies perform the pretty acoustic-tinged "Angel Mine" from their 1996 album "Lay It Down." A really lovely song. They've begun to grow on me since their sleep-inducing "Sweet Jane" all those years ago.
5. Squeeze's "This Road" is another Difford/Tilbrook happy song. These guys are masters of the perfect pop tune.
6. Al Green's "Give It Everything" is a great soul tune from the reverend. His trademark voice sitting politely above a a bit of a shuffle beat.
"Love, there's no time to waste..
There's more life to taste"
7. I love Aaron Neville's "I Can't Imagine." Normally I'm not a big Neville Brothers fan, but this one is so fill-bodied and gorgeous, I couldn't resist. This one falls during the scene in the movie where Uma Thurman and Janeane Garofalo go over to Ben Chaplin's to try to get him drunk and provoke a response from him over whether he'll go for brains or beauty.
It's got a great groove, and the characteristic Aaron voice pouring out his heart about a great love. I got the DJ to play this at my wedding last year because it fit so well. And he was taking notes of the tunes he wanted to add to his DJ collection!
"I can't imagine...
my journey through this world without you
I'm loving everything about you
I searched my heart and soul
How could there ever be a greater love than ours?"
8. And just when I'm sitting there in a happy little fog of memories from my wedding reception, they throw this Blues Traveler song in. Personally, I think this was to sell the movie during it's trailers when it was releeased. It's the only really big song on the soundtrack, and I wish they had avoided it. Did we NOT hear enough if this annoying harmonica-fest in 1996?
9. Great blues from Robert Cray in "Well I Lied." Also a bit shuffle-shuffle kind of rhythm. This made an appearance in the bar when the girls met Ben out one night. Nice horns on this one.
10. Jill Sobule (a completely underrated artist in my book!) does "Where Do I Begin." This bears the amazing production trademark of the late Mark Sandman (of Morphine fame). It has that dark, ponderous sort of bass and snare sound that made Morphine famous.
And the lyrics are great. They completely fit with the part of the movie where Ben Chaplin discovers the deception the girls have wrought and leaves in a huff. You can just imagine Janeane thinking to herself...
"Where do I begin? Where do I begin? To clean up this mess I made. Where do I begin? In a corner of the room, I better pick up soon, before I can find myself. Better pick up soon."
11. My favorite song on the album, the Paul Weller tune. (Remember him from The Jam and the Style Council?) This is nothing like either of his previous incarnations. He's become Mr. Soul Singer now. And this exquisite tune reveals the pain of a man trying to express himself to the woman he loves-- his voice a little raspy in his effort to explain just WHAT she does to him and why he's so frustrated that he can't have her. A nice soary guitar solo in there too. He has really matured as an artist since the 70s when he ranked right up there as one of The "angry young men" along with The Clash and Elvis Costello.
"You do something to me
Something deep inside
Hanging on the wire
For a love I'll never find"
12. And to relieve the pain and suffering of the previous tune, we have the unremittingly bouncy and ecstatically groovy "World Keeps Spinning" from the Brand New Heavies.
I keep telling myself I need to grab some of their other stuff so I can get the full effect, and forget everytime I go into a music store. I need to make a list!
"We mustn't be afraid to let our lonely nights
become a brand new day...
"Don't cheat yourself!
Happiness is 'round the corner!"
How could you NOT be happy with lyrics like that? (This also joined the Aaron Neville at our reception!)
13. The chaotic Ben Folds Five number "Bad Idea" fully captures Janeane Garofalo running around in a tizzy trying to clean up her apartment when she thinks Ben Chaplin might be coming over (until she realizes that he CAN'T-- due to her little charade). Great images here, but the song itself is lacking.
"You make me feel make me feel make me feel retarded..." at warp speed. Hmmm...not much to recommend its mixing with other soundtrack tunes. Guess that's why they put it at the end? If you're buying the soundtrack just because you see their name and want another "Brick," think again!
14. Howard Shore's soundtrack tune is so quirky and fun I'm glad they included it. It gets played a lot during the movie. He tickles the ivories with some interesting accompaniment (stand up bass, harmonica, and I'm not sure WHAT else...) It's a neat little ditty
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