With an idea so choice it's surprising no one else had thought of it sooner,
High School Reunion: A Tribute to Those Great 80s Films! is one of the finest tribute records ever amassed. Paying homage to the music that characterized beloved films from the Reagan administration, national artists like
Matthew Sweet and
Frank Black do the impossible by rivaling the goodness of original versions of
Tom Petty's "American Girl" and
Iggy Pop's "Repo Man." Elsewhere,
Kristin Hersh does an intriguing read on
Black's own
Pixies staple "Wave of Mutilation," although
the Dresden Dolls' chaotic rendering of "Pretty in Pink" has trouble measuring up. Diamonds in the rough, from regional New England outfits like
the Commons (covering
the Cars' "Moving in Stereo") and Bastards of Melody (serving up a tender take on
the Replacements' "Within Your Reach") also stand out among the 20 tracks compiled here. Let this serve as a blueprint for all future tribute sets. Nicely done. ~ John D. Luerssen