This soundtrack to City of Angels has a mighty tall order to fill. The film is a remake of Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire, and the German director is known for his effective use of music. But where Wenders can call on his friends such as R.E.M. and Elvis Costello to contribute songs, City of Angels feels more like a marketing device. No less than half the selections are by Warner Bros. artists, including some new music by Alanis Morissette, her first since Jagged Little Pill. That song, "Uninvited," is the album's highlight, a restrained modal ballad in the mode of Zeppelin's "Kashmir." The rest alternates between other female stars such as Paula Cole and Sarah McLachlan and bluesy selections from Hendrix, John Lee Hooker, and Eric Clapton. --Steven Mirkin |
