So jam-packed with of-the-moment hits that it could be the rock equivalent of Now That's What I Call Music!, the soundtrack to American Wedding, the third installment in the American Pie movies, features some of 2003's biggest rock songs, including
the Foo Fighters' "Times Like These," the ear candy of
the All-American Rejects' "Swing Swing,"
Good Charlotte's self-explanatory "Anthem," and
Sum 41's "The Hell Song." Tracks by
A New Found Glory and
American Hi-Fi reinforce the feeling that this soundtrack was put together while watching an episode of MTV2's Rock Countdown, which shouldn't really come as a surprise, considering that the American Pie movies began during the heyday of late-'90s punk-pop, although the goofy immaturity in songs like
Hot Action Cop's
Chili Peppers-esque "Fever for the Flava,"
Sugarcult's "Bouncing Off the Wall," and
Gob's "Give Up the Grudge" is a little disturbing considering that the film revolves around the American Pie gang supposedly being ready to tie the knot.
Matt Nathanson's cover of
James' "Laid,"
Joseph Arthur's "Honey & the Moon," and
the Wallflowers' version of "Into the Mystic" help balance out some of the more hyperactive, testosterone-driven cuts, but then again, that may be the point of the movie -- just because you're getting married doesn't necessarily mean that you have to take on all the trappings of an adult. At any rate,
American Wedding is a slightly off-kilter collection, but it should undoubtedly please fans of the movie. ~ Heather Phares