Like the '90s teen comedies it was inspired by,
John Tucker Must Die's soundtrack overflows with bright, bratty punk-pop and alt-rock -- while leaving room for a few ballads that hint at the movie's sensitive side.
The All-American Rejects' irresistibly sing-songy "Dirty Little Secret," Rockett Queen's "The Next Big Thing," and
Motion City Soundtrack's "Better Open the Door" are perfect examples of the former, while
Ben Lee's take on "Float On" and
Nada Surf's "I Like What You Say" are a couple of the album's quieter highlights. The soundtrack also includes two songs by Wind-Up signing
STEFY, an attempt to get the group maximum exposure to their likely audience; while
STEFY's slick but edgy pop isn't a perfect fit with the likes of
People in Planes and
Rock Kills Kid, "Chelsea" (which quotes the throbbing synth hook from
the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams") and "Fool for Love" are enjoyable enough. Not every track here is great --
Quietdrive's cover of "Time After Time" and
Josh Kelley's "Sunset Lover" are both a little blah -- but
John Tucker Must Die works enough of the time to make it a hit with the MySpace set. ~ Heather Phares