Like Shaun of the Dead, Edgar Wright's
Hot Fuzz has a soundtrack that is witty, well-chosen, and steeped in British rock history. Kicking off with
Adam Ant's "Goody Two Shoes" and including
the Crazy World of Arthur Brown's "Fire" and
the Kinks' "Village Green Preservation Society," the album gathers a treasure trove of classic but not over-exposed, tracks, along with some newer ones:
the Fratellis' barreling blend of
punk, glam and
pop sounds just as good on "Solid Gold Easy Action Town" as it did on Costello Music. However, the deeper the soundtrack digs, the better it gets: "Dance with the Devil" by legendary drummer
Cozy Powell and
Stavely Makepeace's throbbing instrumental "Slippery Rock 70s" sound weirdly familiar but hard to place, making them perfect musical cues for a film that goes from comedy to action to horror and back again. Likewise, the soundtrack touches on the film's police theme without being heavy-handed (no songs by
the Police, for example);
Supergrass' "Caught by the Fuzz" and
XTC's "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" keep things witty and light, while
Jon Spencer and
the Elegant Too's heavy, funky "Here Come the Fuzz" feels equally inspired by
Jimi Hendrix and the themes to '70s cop shows. Indeed, the
pop songs on Hot Fuzz are so bright and brash that "Hot Fuzz Suite" -- which compiles excerpts of
David Arnold's score into one 22-minute track -- sounds even darker and more intense by comparison. Moving from gentle acoustic moments to
electronica,
jazz and horror-inspired
choral chanting,
Arnold's music is accomplished and versatile, but might have had more impact on the album if it was presented as separate cues. Either way, Hot Fuzz is a very enjoyable, smart soundtrack. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
![Original Soundtrack - Hot Fuzz [Cherry Tree]](http://ca.sacdstatic.com/200/dri400/i488/i48862fzop0.jpg "Original Soundtrack - Hot Fuzz [Cherry Tree]")
