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 Godzilla didn't break box-office records its first week out, and quickly lost its blockbuster momentum. Yet
Godzilla: The Album 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. Some of the other cuts here also hit the mark --
Green Day's remixed "Brain Stew" 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. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine