News : FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Rock of Ages Motion Picture Soundtrack

Various Artists
Rock of Ages Motion Picture Soundtrack
WATERTOWER
Release Date: June 5, 2012

Track Listing

1. Paradise City Tom Cruise
2. Sister Christian / Just Like Paradise / Nothin But A Good Time Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin
3. Juke Box Hero / I Love Rock n Roll Diego Boneta, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Julianne Hough
4. Hit Me With Your Best Shot Catherine Zeta-Jones
5. Waiting For A Girl Like You Diego Boneta, Julianne Hough
6. More Than Words / Heaven Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta
7. Wanted Dead Or Alive Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough
8. I Want To Know What Love Is Tom Cruise, Malin Akerman
9. I Wanna Rock Diego Boneta
10. Pour Some Sugar On Me Tom Cruise
11. Harden My Heart Julianne Hough, Mary J. Blige
12. Shadows of the Night / Harden My Heart Mary J. Blige, Julianne Hough
13. Here I Go Again Diego Boneta, Paul Giamatti, Julianne Hough, Mary J. Blige, Tom Cruise,
14. Cant Fight This Feeling Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin
15. Any Way You Want It Mary J. Blige, Constantine Maroulis, Julianne Hough
16. Undercover Love Diego Boneta
17. Every Rose Has Its Thorn Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise, Mary J. Blige
18. Rock You Like A Hurricane Julianne Hough, Tom Cruise
19. We Built This City / Were Not Gonna Take It Russell Brand / Catherine Zeta-Jones
20. Dont Stop Believin- Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Mary J. Blige

First Impressions:

- The album cover is too good not to listen to. Beyond Tom Cruise in a (probably bedazzled) cowboy hat and fur coat, the highlight of the cover is by far Alec Baldwin in a KISS T-shirt with his hair blowing in the wind that doesnt seem to be affecting anyone elses locks.

- Just like any Glee C! D, the < em>Rock of Ages Soundtrack removes any grit, effort and raw emotion or passion from the original numbers and replaces them with sugary sweet renditions (probably some Auto-Tune magic as well). The only thing missing is a jazz hand finale. Dont worry, it will probably happen in the movie.

- Catherine Zeta-Jones always continues to remind me that she is a multi-talented mega babe. Hit Me With Your Best Shot proves that she clearly has the best singing chops in this whole menagerie of actors-turned-fake-rock-stars.

- Wanted Dead Or Alive and I Want to Know What Love Is are the first songs where we really get to hear Cruise belt out some notes. Hes surprisingly alright. He better be shirtless when he sings all of them.

- Why did Mary J. Blige agree to do this? Seriously?

- Never enough Paul Giamatti on these tracks. Never enough.

- The Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand duet of Cant Fight This Feeling is completely necessary. Russell Brand has a much better voice than expected, but Alec Baldwin singing REO Speedwagon is exactly what you think it would be.

Key Tracks:

Pour Some Sugar On Me, Here I Go Again, Cant Fight This Feeling

Predictions:

Rock of Ages is a film that shoves countless Hollywood A-listers into an awkward musical situation a la Mamma Mia; of course its going to be a huge success. Just from listening to the ridiculous mash-ups and sparkly renditions of classic rock mega hits, it seems impossible that this soundtrack will do well on its own, but the sheer entertainment value of hearing Alec Baldwin and Paul Giamatti singing their hearts out is worth the price of admission.