The Runaways

Music from the Motion Picture (Atlantic)

By Laura Marie Braun
Published: March 28th, 2010 | 1:00pm

It’s difficult to talk about the soundtrack to the new film The Runaways (based of course on the legendary girl group), without addressing the wide-eyed child stars in the room. Dakota Fanning covering “Cherry Bomb”? And, hold on to your Team Edward pin—Kristen Stewart performing as Joan Jett? A bit hard to swallow, I know, but teeny Dakota is actually the same age that Cherie Currie was when she joined the band in 1975.

It’s tough not to listen to the album with a bit of bias, but shockingly, Fanning can really wail. Her giggly exterior completely disintegrates on “California Paradise,” and while she might lack the scary depth and pure grit that undoubtedly terrified parents of the band’s fans in the ‘70s, Fanning holds her own and is pleasantly surprising. Kristen Stewart, on the other hand, struggles to do Joan Jett justice. Collaborating with Fanning on “Queens of Noise” and “Dead End Justice,” Stewart’s vocals come off as weak and, frankly, sound like a cover band night at the local dive bar.

Luckily, the covers on this compilation are sandwiched between a handful of the band’s original tunes, balancing it out pretty fairly. The rest of the album is rounded out with some refreshing choices. David Bowie, Suzi Quatro, and MC5 fulfill the glam rock requirements, while Sex Pistols and the Stooges provide a punk rock edge. Although the soundtrack is a bit predictable at times, it is still an enjoyable listen and serves as a nice mix tape of some of the best (and often forgotten) songs of a great era in music.

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The Runaways official site

The Runaways movie official site

Atlantic