Here on Earth, a drama concerning a romantic triangle among young adults in a small town, has "date movie" written all over it, so it's appropriate that the compilation album passing for a soundtrack consists of teen-oriented pop such as the lead-off song and single "Where Are You" by teen sensation Jessica Simpson, a drippy ballad duet with
Nick Lachey that fits in well with the music of peers such as
Britney Spears and
Christina Aguilera.
Sixpence None the Richer has become a requirement for this kind of album over the last year, and they are represented by two tracks, "We Have Forgotten" from their last album and an excellent cover of Sam Phillips' "I Need Love." (The latter song is becoming a favorite of filmmakers, having also turned up in 1996's Stealing Beauty.) The compilers have also licensed recent songs by
Beth Orton and
Tori Amos to play off the story of a young woman who must choose between two men. The woman herself, Leelee Sobieski, turns up with co-star Chris Klein during an actual soundtrack excerpt, the two reciting portions of Robert Frost's poem "Birches" in dewy voices. On the basis of that track, it's hard to imagine the film being watchable by anyone but its target audience of high school girls, who have also been singled out by the slight material on this album. ~ William Ruhlmann