Album Review: The Smurfs 2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
3 min read
This soundtrack from the latest Smurf movie is a tween-age girl’s dream, with 10 songs perfect for the back drop of a slumber party. From Britney Spears to a cohort of up and coming pop stars, this is a sugar coated mix tape – with one exception – a remake of Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy. You guessed it – it’s called I’m Too Smurfy.
The Smurfs 2 is the sequel to the 2011 family comedy The Smurfs, and follows the tiny little blue community on another blockbuster adventure. The Smurfs nemesis, evil wizard Gargamel (Hank Azaria) creates his own creatures called the Naughties in order to capture the magic of the Smurfs. But he quickly realises he’s going to need the real thing, and kidnaps Smurfette. The Smurfs have to travel to the real world and team up with their human friend Patrick (Neil Patrick Harris) in order to save her.
The hero song of the soundtrack is Britney Spears’ latest, Ooh La La, a catchy, family friendly synth-pop song featured in the credits of the movie. Already on the Billboard Hot 100, it made news because of the inclusion of Spears’ sons in the video clip. It’s addictive sugary pop at its best. Britney does a Ke$ha style speaking bridge which runs into the sweet, chiming chorus, which will inevitably be stuck in your head the rest of the day. The song is an expected step for Britney and perfect for young’uns to appreciate what the 2000’s generation saw in her. She is currently working on her 8th album.
This soundtrack is also the launch pad for new girl band G. R. L. – a five-piece group with dance credentials to rival the Pussycat Dolls and the girl power to rival that of Little Mix. The girls – Simone Battle, Lauren Bennett, Emmalyn Estrada, Natasha Slayton, and Paula Van Oppen – are all industry up and comers – one is ex X factor and another danced behind Lady Gaga. Vacation is their first single and is a no boys allowed, dance song with rockin’ vocals that make you want to sing into your hairbrush. The girls are currently recording an album which will feature more of these up-tempo, light-hearted pop tracks.
This soundtrack also features a venture from the up and coming girl rap star Becky G, who joins with viral sensation and teen heartthrob Austin Mahone to bring us a version of B.o.B.’s I’ve Got The Magic In Me, called Magik 2.0. Becky G, or Becky Gomez, is a 16-year-old with attitude, bringing her “Becky from the Block” approach to the verses of the song, while Mahone accompanies her with a familiar, yet somehow less energetic than the original, chorus. But its tween gold and the pair plan to continue their partnership with a tour later this year.
Owl City and Nelly Furtado bring their veteran pop status to the soundtrack, somehow managing to be less impressionable then the multiple girl starlets also lending their hand, including Sophia Black, Cady Groves and Kiana Brown. These three contribute punchy girl anthems with strong vocals, whereas Furtado and Owl city seem to have followed their own formulas to deliver unsurprising tracks.
The Smurfs 2 soundtrack is a dream come true for tween girls, which brings together some new artists to keep tabs on in the pop-sphere. I’m still not sure whether the inclusion of Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Smurfy is way too corny, or just trashy fun – but the impressing part is that it is the original and bona fide Right Said Fred singing this version. Where have they been hiding and let’s hope this is their way of coming back into the music world.
Buy ‘Smurfs 2 – Soundtrack’ from Amazon
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