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Hip hop soundtracks: easily the best place to mix a few gems in with a pile of boring rocks. Who's the genius who coupled up Onyx with Wu-Tang on "The Worst?!" This track alone is probably better than the movie will ever be. Another notable teamup is The Roots and Eric Benet on "Why," proving once again that the Roots have an extraordinary knack for vocal collaborations. But beware: only these and a few other tracks take the weight on this album, so listen close and don't get taken for a ride. 6/10 (Scott C) Danny D'Imperio The Outlaw (Sackville) Hard Bop lives on this new disc led by drummer D'Imperio. The personnel includes a superb pianist in the unsung Hod O'Brien, Greg Gisbert on trumpet and reedmen Ralph Lalama and Gary Pribeck. The music heard here ("Quicksilver," "Repetition," "Like This" and eight others) is played with élan. More, please! 9/10 (Len Dobbin) James Iha Let it Come Down (Virgin) James Iha tries to rid himself of his Ed McMahon complex and tries to prove he's not just Billy Corrigan's window dressing in his megalomaniac vehicle Smashing Pumpkins. The lead-off track and first single shows James as a talentless namby-pamby insulting us with his tales of lost love and jangly pop replete with banality. James better eat some crow and remain in Billy's background because in the spotlight he is left scrambling like the little cockroach he is. 2/10 (Johnson Cummins)
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Various Ride soundtrack (Tommy Boy/BMG)