Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back
Universal Records, 2001
REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 11/12/2001
Back in the early '90s, the hard rock group Love/Hate released a song called "Why Do You Think They Call It Dope?". One wonders if this is the motto of the characters of Jay & Silent Bob, creations from the mind of director Kevin Smith, who has featured these two stoners in several of his films.
Critics have been falling all over themselves to declare their latest outing (and first film putting them in the spotlight), Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, a waste of time. One listen to the soundtrack, and I have to wonder if someone's stash was filled with some bad shit, 'cause this sometimes borders on unlistenable.
This poor excuse of an album not only wastes the listener's time when they could have been doing something more worthwhile - say, masturbating with a barbed-wire glove - but it commits a few cardinal sins in the world of soundtracks.
Cardinal sin number one: If you're going to feature a song from a classic band such as Steppenwolf, don't feature the shortened version of "Magic Carpet Ride". Jesus Christ, this is supposed to be a movie about two potheads, and if any film would call for the extended spacey musical jam that is the original version of this song, this is the film.
Cardinal sin number two: If the snippets from the film have nothing to do with the music, leave them on the cutting room floor. On the few occasions where the music creates a natural flow, the dialog from the film promptly knocks said groove down like so many bowling pins.
Cardinal sin number three: Just 'cause a musician's from your home state does not mean you're obligated to include them on your soundtrack. I'm real sure that Bon Jovi wasn't thrilled to have "Bad Medicine" involved with a stoner flick. (Memo to Smith: Not that I would have an easy time doing it, but you couldn't have come up with a better song to feature from Bon Jovi? Cripes, Spaceballs did a better job working Bon Jovi into its soundtrack.)
Cardinal sin number four: Afroman. Yes, I know that "Because I Got High" fits the mood of the picture. But if I hear this fucking song one more time, I'm gonna kill something. Geez, you hear this guy, and you wonder why this is the one time that Jesse Jackson does shut his mouth.
Cardinal sin number five: Have at least three songs on the soundtrack which are remotely interesting. I'll even stretch things to include the hacked-up version of "Magic Carpet Ride" in this list - 'cause without it, there'd only be two songs to highlight, namely Minibar's "Choked Up" and Bloodhound Gang's "Jackass". (Memo number two to Smith: You couldn't have licensed the original version of "Jungle Love" from Morris Day & The Time than this weaker live version? This version lacks the cocky punch the original had.)
Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back might actually be a victim of the movie it's supposed to be supporting; after all, if the film isn't worth the stock it's printed on, what good will the music serve? As it stands, this is a far-from-stellar collection of tunes which might not even cause someone who's high to bust out laughing. This soundtrack should really be called "Jay & Silent Bob Strike Out".