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CD Review: Original Soundtrack, "Hitch" (Columbia)
Will Smith redeems himself for his mechanical performance in the bland sci-fi flick "I, Robot" by delivering a great job with the newly released "Hitch." But let's be clear on one thing: The improvement has nothing to do with his acting.
Besides starring in the romantic comedy, Smith is credited as "executive music producer" on its soundtrack. It's unclear what exactly that means, given there are several other such "executives" named on the soundtrack. It might mean Smith simply added some scholarly musical analysis to the selection process--something along the lines of "Dude, I like that tune!" But let's give the Fresh Prince the benefit of the doubt and trust that he had a big role in putting together this excellent soul collection.
The meat on the bone is classic R&B. Songs like the O'Jays' "Love Train" and The Temptations' "I Can't Get Next to You," while hardly original choices, do fit perfectly together to back the film's storyline of romantic pursuit. A few new tracks, including John Legend 's surprisingly enjoyable cover of Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing," help put a slightly modern twist on this fun nostalgia trip.
