Godzilla was going to be the blockbuster of 1998, the one that stomped all the records and destroyed the competition. As it ruled the box office charts, its soundtrack -- a blend of alt-rock and hip-hop calculated to appeal to the widest possible audience -- would rule the music charts. But, as a wise man once said, the best laid plans.... When Godzilla didn't break box-office records its first week out, it quickly lost its blockbuster momentum. Yet the soundtrack held strong, largely because of two hit singles:
the Wallflowers' guitar-oriented yet reverent cover of
David Bowie's synthesized anthem "Heroes" and
Puff Daddy and
Jimmy Page's "Come with Me," which most people know as "'Kashmir' with a beatbox." These two singles may be radio-oriented, but the artists know their audiences well enough to deliver exactly what they want to hear. However, that's the problem with
Godzilla: The Album -- there's nothing here that wasn't made without one eye on the charts. Some of the cuts hit the mark --
Green Day's remixed "Brain Stew" still rocks hard,
Michael Penn's "Macy Day Parade" is predictably tuneful, and
the Foo Fighters' "A320" is surprisingly ambitious, considering the circumstances and their adherence to punk-pop. Still, it's hard to erase the perception that
Godzilla is nothing but pure product, a marketing item that's just used to generate funds.