Over the Hedge

First up, this album represents one thing I love and one thing I don't love. I do love the songs of Ben Folds, but I don't like (generally) Dreamworks' CGI animated films (and their music hasn't exactly set new heights either come to that). However, Ben Folds seems to release albums on an annoyingly infrequent basis and so any chance to hear some new songs by him is a welcome delight. Fortunately, his contribution doesn't disappoint even if the amount of new material isn't quite as great as I was hoping for. I would suspect that most people will be buying the album for the underscore by Rupert Gregson-Williams (brother of Harry) but both are equally worth a look in.
Dreamworks love to pepper their family films with pop culture and pop tunes, both aspects will date their films. Having said that, their choices in the latter have been successful, especially in the Shrek films where the selections were edgier than the MOR crap Disney foist on some of their films. Ben Folds isn't quite a household name, largely due to a lack of radio play, but is still a hugely popular songwriter, singer and pianist (well worth seeing live). He contributes three new songs to Over the Hedge. Family of Me is a terrific opener, but at only a minute and a half annoyingly short - it's unfortunate that an extended version isn't included (assuming there is one). Heist is great fun, recalling his last Ben Folds Five album with it's funky sax parts, the synth decoration is a little redundant. Still, however, is the pick of the bunch; in amongst his funkier stuff, Folds has written many superb ballads and Still adds to that fine catalogue. The extended version at the close of the album is very welcome.

Lost in the Supermarket is, I am reliably informed, originally by The Clash, but fits in surprisingly well with the rest and works well in Folds' arrangement and style. Rockin' the Suburbs is originally from the Ben Folds album of the same name (his first solo disc), but the original's rather adult lyrics (even though they would actually be quite apt for the film) are replaced with something a bit more family friendly. There is also a strange, but surprisingly funny monologue, by one Mr W Shatner. Given that Folds and Shatner have worked together on an album previously (not a Folds album I own, I must admit), their pairing is less strange than it might seem at first.

Rupert Gregson-Williams hasn't quite hit the level of exposure of Harry, but his writing here contains few Media Ventures cliches and only features additional material by one person, Halli Cauthery (who?!). While there's nothing particularly special about his underscore, lacking much in the way of memorable melody, it crackles along at an engaging clip and half an hour, sprinkled with Folds' contributions, seems just about right. Even though he's one of my favourite songwriters, Folds' songs rarely strike me the first time through and I must confess that the same is true here, but a couple of listens reveal them to be typically well written and the match of his studio albums. His typical trio of piano, bass and drums is augmented by some lush strings in Family of Me and Still, with brassier elements in Heist, and it's great to hear his songs a little more lavishly arranged. Not a classic animated soundtrack by any means, but great fun and well worth anyone's money.