AMG Review of Smallville: The Talon Mix

Heather Phares
All Music Guide

The soundtrack to the WB's Superman prequel series #Smallville features a scattered mix of alternative and modern rock singles, including Remy Zero's "Save Me," VonRay's "InsideOut," and, of course, Five for Fighting's ubiquitous "Superman." Some of the tracks, like the Flaming Lips' "Fight Test" and Ryan Adams' "Nuclear" seem to be on the album just because their titles tie in loosely with the series' plot; while others, such as Phantom Planet's "Lonely Day," Weezer's "Island in the Sun," and Sixpence None the Richer's cover of "Don't Dream It's Over," sound good but don't really fit thematically or musically with earnest, overwrought songs like Steadman's "Wave Goodbye" and Lifehouse's "Everything." Tracks from Eva Cassidy and AM Radio round out the collection, but #Smallville fans may want this album for its multimedia content, which includes online access to the sold-out first issue of DC Comics' ~Smallville comic book; a 3D interactive map of Smallville; and live performances from Vonray and Remy Zero.