Even if it isn't quite as eclectic as the music from the first Kick-Ass film -- which spanned songs by
Elvis Presley,
the Dickies, and
Sparks -- the soundtrack to
Kick-Ass 2 could still give unsuspecting listeners' ears a serious case of whiplash. Ranging from the breezy, Top 40-ready pop of
Union J's "Carry You" to Lemon's raunchy dancefloor mover "Pussy Drop" to
the Bees' lighthearted "A Minha Menina," the album's tracks don't make any attempts at flow. However, the soundtrack echoes Kick-Ass' mix of tender and violent music with Chlöe Howl's almost-ballad "No Strings" and the bratty punk-pop cover of "When the Saints Go Marching In" by St. Snot. More importantly, most of these songs give off a brash attitude that sounds raring for a fight, whether it's
Hanni El Khatib's "Nobody Move,"
Ozma's "Korobeiniki," or the
DJ Fresh,
Diplo, and Dominique Young Unique collaboration "Motherquake." Even
the Go! Team sound ready to put up their dukes on "Bust Out Brigade," cheering children and glockenspiels notwithstanding. Songs by
Glasvegas,
Danko Jones, and
Jessie J round out a collection with so much energy that its more scattered moments barely matter. ~ Heather Phares