Catherine Hardwicke's controversial teen drama Thirteen has already been compared to
Larry Clark's Kids, the quintessential controversial teen drama, and the film's soundtrack only heightens those comparisons. Both
Thirteen and its predecessor feature an eclectic, often hard-hitting collection of new and old songs, and both feature songs by
Folk Implosion. This album's "Make It With the Best" isn't exactly a rewrite of the hit "Natural One" -- it's a moody, piano- and guitar-driven instrumental -- but it does take
Lou Barlow and company back to that song's darker, edgier sound, which seemed to be missing from most of their later output. Hedonistic electronica and hip-hop like
Kinky's "Mas" and
Carmen Rizzo's "Beso" sit relatively comfortably next to
Clinic's jittery "The Equaliser" and more wide-eyed fare like
Katy Rose's "Lemon" and the Like's "(So I'll Sit Here) Waiting," ably reflecting the duality of the film's characters. Ironically enough, the album's most mordantly affecting track is also one of its oldest. The film's characters would've been about four-years-old when
Liz Phair's "Explain It to Me" was released, but nevertheless, it's a striking anthem for sadder-but-wiser girls (and women) like them. While the soundtrack suffers from some lackluster tracks toward the end, and the excerpts from
Mark Mothersbaugh's turntablism-meets-rock score sound a little forced, it's still a thoughtfully crafted and generally worthwhile collection. ~ Heather Phares