Outside Providence (Rocktober 2020)＜Red/Orange Vinyl＞

Even though it was directed by Michael Corrente, Outside Providence is the Farrelly Brothers' coming-of-age story; it was co-written by the brothers and Corrente, based on a novel Peter Farrelly wrote. Unlike the duo's previous hit comedy There's Something About Mary, Outside Providence is a period piece, set in the early '70s, which means that its soundtrack can be filled with classic rock favorites. And it is. There's not a song here that isn't regularly on either oldies or classic rock stations or regularly heard on TV commercials (the possible exception is Ten Years After's "I'd Love to Change the World," which isn't aired all that often). So, predictable it may be, but the soundtrack is still entertaining, since each of the 12 songs -- including "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Band on the Run," "Take It Easy," "Do You Know What I Mean," "Do It Again," "All Right Now," "Roundabout," "Dancin' in the Moonlight," "No Matter What" and "Free Bird" -- are quite strong. It will be a nice souvenir for fans of the film, but anyone looking for a solid sampler of early-'70s AM pop and album-rock hits will enjoy the soundtrack as well. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine