If The Departed found
Martin Scorsese relying on some of his old tricks so his new tricks packed a bigger punch, so it is with the movie's soundtrack: he hauls out many of his old favorites --
the Rolling Stones,
Van Morrison,
the Band; classic R&B in the form of
LaVern Baker -- which only has the effect of giving the surprise left turns more impact. Chief among those surprises is
the Dropkick Murphys' throttling "I'm Shipping Up to Boston," a bracing bit of Celtic punk that plays a crucial part in the film and also dominates here, but there are quieter surprises, too, such as the cool waves of
the Beach Boys' "Sail on, Sailor," some blues-rock from
Roy Buchanan and
the Allman Brothers, or even the fact that the
Van Morrison number is a cover of
Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." Another surprise is that
the Stones' "Gimme Shelter," which plays a prominent role in the film, is nowhere to be found here, but that's a mild surprise since
the Stones are indeed present with "Let It Loose." That track embodies a soundtrack that works familiar territory but makes it seem fresh and fun, just like the movie itself. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine