By Al Kaufman
"This soundtrack is my mix tape for you," writes Drew Barrymore in the liner notes for the soundtrack for Whip It, the film she directed about an indie girl in Texas who falls in love with roller derby.
This collection sounds like Drew Barrymore. It's got fun, attitude, feminism, sappy love songs, and a total '80s feel, even if only one song on the soundtrack was actually recorded in the '80s.
That said, there's no cohesiveness to this thing whatsoever. Take the middle of the soundtrack. The sexual thumpings of Peaches' "Boys Wanna Be Her" gives way to Dolly Parton's feminist country anthem "Jolene," only to be followed by the southern rock-lite of 38 Special's "Caught Up in You" (the sole '80s track).
Yet in the day of iPod shuffles, this somehow works. Sure, any discriminating music lover is going to find a song or two they don't like, but they will find many more that they love. From Tilly and the Wall's "Pot Kettle Black," to England's The Go! Team's "Doing It Right," girls are going to find plenty of stuff to get excited about. The Breeders, The Ravonettes and The Ettes add to the feel. Throw in a touch of hip-hop courtesy of Cut Chemist's "What's the Attitude," and semi-nude electronica R&B sensation Har Mar Superstar's surprisingly straight interpretation of the Association and 5th Dimension hit "Never My Love," and you pretty much have more than a glimpse inside Drew Barrymore's brain. There are worse places you could be.
Whip It will be released Tuesday, September 29. Take part in an advance listening of the soundtrack Friday, September 25 at the Atlanta Rollergirls Southern Fried Smackdown, as the Dirty South Derby Girls take on the Dallas Derby Devils in the playoffs. Yaarab Shrine Center Auditorium in Midtown. 8 pm. $15.
Whip It star Juliette Lewis will be at The Drunken Unicorn on September 24. Tickets are available at Ticket Alternative.
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