For a movie based in the suburbs of Detroit, wouldn't it have been a great idea to comprise the soundtrack of great musical acts from the Motor City like Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger, The Stooges and Ted Nugent?
Instead, we get a hodgepodge of previously released tracks, the majority from '70s British punk and ska acts. "Grosse Pointe Blank Soundtrack" makes for a good mix of classic tunes that are all worth a listen if you don't already own them, and its few erratic selections like Guns N' Roses' "Live and Let Die" and Faith No More's "We Care A Lot" add a bit of flair to what seems like a customary film soundtrack.
Kicking off the record is the Violent Femmes' classic "Blister in the Sun." The Femmes have a second song on the disc (you didn't know they had more than one song, did you?) with a new version of "Blister," titled "Blister 2000." The Clash makes two appearances on the record with "Rudie Can't Fail" and Armagideon Time," while fellow Brits The Jam ("Absolute Beginners"), The English Beat ("Mirror in the Bathroom") and The Specials (with the reggae classic "Pressure Drop") all show up with a track. Johnny Nash's melodic "I Can See Clearly Now," and David Bowie & Queen's "Under Pressure" are two of the record's best additions.
Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open the Door (E. Cola Mix)" and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs' "El Matador" help to pull in the slack and round out a what makes for a soundtrack we could all probably deal without.
- Brian A. Gnatt