New Jersey Online - The Star-Ledger January 1998

The following review of the Great Expectations soundtrack appeared on the web at the New Jersey Online web site. The review is taken from The Star-Ledger newspaper in New Jersey. It appeared online sometime in January 1998.

"Great Expectations: The Album," Various Artists (Atlantic)
*** (3 stars)

By Jay Lustig
Star-Ledger Staff

Scott Weiland's "Lady, Your Roof Brings Me Down," a track fro this strong soundtrack album (including four songs that aren't even in the upcoming movie), creates great expectations for the Stone Temple Pilots frontman's debut album, due in March. With strings, a lurching beat, accordion (courtesy of Sheryl Crow) and playful, absurd lyrics ("I become your painted clown/I'll paint your town/When your roof it tears me down/Wears me down, you stare me down"), it's a intriguing departure from the Pilots' pseudo-grunge and slick glam-rock, and signals that Weiland may explore more eccentric, less commercial territory on his own.

Other tracks are a typical soundtrack hodgepodge: throwaways from Tori Amos and Reef, sharp pop songs from Pulp and the Verve Pipe, a bit of world music (Cesaria Evora's "Besame Mucho"), a Grateful Dead classic ("Uncle John's Band"). Duncan Sheik shines on the elegant ballad, "Wishful Thinking" and Iggy Pop goofs it up in grand style on "Success," singing lines like "Here comes my car/Here comes my Chinese rug" with campy glee.

Please give me feedback, comments, or suggestions about my site. Email me (Michael Whitehead) at mikewhy@iglou.com