REVIEW: Soundtrack, The Wedding Singer (Maverick)
- Bob Gajarsky
Adam Sandler's latest big-screen effort, as a wedding singer jilted at the altar for his own ring ceremony, serves as an opportunity to rehash some of modern rock's most successful songs during the mid 1980s.
The leadoff track from this collection is the Presidents of the United States of America's cover of the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star". Formerly a nearly impossible-to-obtain B-side, "Video" is not only the sole 'new' track, but also a prized collectible for fans of the now defunct group.
Some of the 'flashback' soundtracks (_Grease, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion) focus on music appropriate to the aura portrayed in the movie - a high school prom, for example. But rather than being reflective of the 'pop' culture of the 80s, Wedding Singer instead focuses on what should have been; a dozen songs which can still be listened to (at least passively) by today's modern rock fan. A wedding singer performing the Smiths in 1985 might have been thought of as cool by 2 people, and weird by the rest...
Most of these tracks are already in the collections of many modern rock fans; it seems inconceivable that a big fan wouldn't already have the Smiths' longest-lasting hit ("How Soon Is Now?") or the track which catapulted New Order to international dance club fame ("Blue Monday"). Still, it remains likely that fans of the 80s 'cool scene' will purchase this to fill in a couple missing gaps in those collections.
And with at least three songs included on the promotional trailers which are NOT included on this volume ("Der Kommessar", "Always Something There To Remind Me", "Boys Don't Cry"), it's equally likely we'll see a More Music from The Wedding Singer album later in 1998.
TRACK LISTING: Presidents of the United States of America - Video Killed The Radio Star; Culture Club - Do You Really Want To Hurt Me; Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic; Smiths - How Soon Is Now?; Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way; Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now; Elvis Costello - Every Day I Write The Book; Billy Idol - White Wedding; David Bowie - China Girl; New Order - Blue Monday; Musical Youth - Pass The Dutchie; Dialogue Have You Written Anything Lately?; Adam Sandler - Somebody Kill Me; Ellen Dow / Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight (Medley)
