From the creators of “Shaun of the Dead,” comes yet another film “Hot Fuzz.” Although the movie didn’t have much of an impact at the Box Office, the soundtrack is full of luscious 80s music, some classic rock favorites including The Kinks and The Troggs and more contemporary bands such as the Eels and Supergrass.

“Goody Two Shoes,” by Adam Ant starts the album and is a rowdy song that’s sure to get you stomping your feet or tapping your fingers. XTC’s “Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)” is a unique pop song that has that good ole’ 80s punk feel to it with a chorus that’s sure to be stuck in your head for days. The Kinks and their “The Village Green Preservation Society” sounds like “Yellow Submarine” driven by Bob Dylan, with weird and psychedelic lyrics much like the Beatles. “Baby Fratelli” by The Fratellis is an energetic tune that sounds like an Irish drinking song, and is one of the best tracks on the soundtrack and the mostly instrumental track “Dance with the Devil” by Cozy Powell and “Slippery Rock 70s” by Stavely Makepeace sounds like a soccer anthem with heart-pumping, feet-stomping percussion. “I Can’t Control Myself” by The Troggs is your typical 60s British Invasion pop song and Crazy World of Arthur Brown supplies “Fire,” an odd song that could easily appear on the soundtrack to any blaxploitation film with its funk influence. From here, the album kind of fades out and loses that high adrenaline sound, going off in more contemporary musicians that just don’t hold up to the great music of the past.

As a whole, the album could serve as background music to any party. “Hot Fuzz” is a feel good album that incorporates a variety of different styles from several decades. It’s one of the better soundtracks I’ve heard in recent memory and would fit well in any music fans collection.

Hot Fuzz: Music from the Motion Picture

Cherry Tree Records 2007

CD Review – B+