Search - Various Artists :: Hills

You'd be forgiven to think this was the soundtrack to Legally Blonde: Not only does Superchick's "One Girl Revolution" appear on both CDs, but female voices dominate and flaxen tresses abound on the cover and booklet of Laguna Beach spin-off The Hills. The overall vibe is a pop-rocky girl-positive one, and the selection is pretty dead-on. If you enjoy big, anthemic choruses, there's plenty to choose from here, including "Long Way to Happy," one of the unheralded gems on Pink's 2006 album I'm Not Dead, or Danielle McKee's "Ordinary Superstar." You also have your pick of new wave, both vintage (Missing Persons' 1982 track "Walking in L.A." still sounds fabulous) and contemporary (the Pink Spiders' "Little Razorblade" and its utterly addictive synth hook). Soundtrack habituée Imogen Heap is present, of course, with the deceptively inventive "Loose Ends," and even Good Charlotte, among the few dudes on offer here, delivers the ultra-poppy--if typically whiny--"I Just Wanna Live" (these guys have to be the cuddliest punks, like, ever!). Overall, this is a fine collection of catchy pop tunes. --Elisabeth Vincentelli