Speed

This is one of the few soundtracks where the album compilers seem to have done more than simply toss together a clutch of current hits and a few oldies. From Gary Numan's '80s electro curiosity "Cars" to Kiss' "Mr Speed" to Rod Stewart's "Hard Road," all the songs here are, in some way or the other, about speed, cars, travelling -- you get the picture. The best part is that the idea doesn't overwhelm the final product -- this album is great fun all the way. And it's not a series of fast, crash-and-burn songs one after the other, either. There's plenty of stylistic and textural diversity here, as a look at the artist lineup will confirm. From the clipped new wave drone of Ric Ocasek's "Crash" to the crisp power pop of the Plimsouls' "A Million Miles Away" (which was used more famously on the Valley Girl soundtrack); the alt-rock of Cracker and Gin Blossoms to the dance pop of St Etienne. Speed was one of most entertaining movies of the '90s, and the soundtrack is a very worthy companion piece. ~ Leslie Mathew|