It seemed like a good idea. Let's have a bunch of fabulous artists each cover a Beatles song to make up the soundtrack to the new Sean Penn film, I Am Sam. Boasting a diverse lineup ranging from indie Lilith princess Aimee Mann to 80s indie kingpin Paul Westerberg to what could be the final ever recording by The Black Crowes, I thought this soundtrack had a chance to rank up there with the greatest soundtrack albums of all time. Sadly, it fails.

THE GOOD

While there are 17 tracks on the album, very few would actually belong to this category. Most of that can be faulted on the performers' unwillingness to stray from the originals themselves. Granted, it's the Beatles, but that doesn't mean it should be just accepted in blind faith. But here are the 4 or 5 really good tracks on the record:

Eddie Vedder, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away: OK, so he's the lead singer of Pearl Jam but let's get something straight. Eddie being alone with an acoustic guitar has led to some pretty bad stuff. Take the 1999 Fan Club Xmas single for instance. But at times, he can shine like he does when he's writing for that band. This is one of those times. His voice sounds warm, inviting, and tender. Yes, we've come a long way from 1992. It's because of his voice that this song is great. He actually sounds like he cares, which can't be said for some of the others. You also may have heard this on the radio, as it's been released to radio stations.

Ben Harper, Strawberry Fields Forever: I really like Ben Harper. He's the closest thing this generation has to Jimi Hendrix, and in a live setting, he can literally conjure up the ghost of Hendrix with his guitar. But Harper is also a great singer, his slower material proved that a long time ago. Once again, his voice is why this song works. He has the same warm and inviting tone as Vedder, but his voice also has a little bit of soul to it. You know, I'm gonna get reamed for this, but if there's someone who has a voice half as good as the late Marvin Gaye's, it's Harper.

Paul Westerberg, Nowhere Man: The former leader of The Replacements has made a solo career it seems from soundtrack appearances alone. I still love Dyslexic Heart from Singles. I'm not sure how big of an influence the Beatles had on Westerberg, but this song sounds good. His voice sounds pained, emotional, and it washes over you like rain on an overcast day. You should've seen it coming, but didn't.

Nick Cave, Let It Be: I'm not very familiar with Nick Cave. Hell, let's be honest, I know nothing about him, other than the fact that he has what seems to be a HUGE cult following and an awful lot of respect. His rendition of Let It Be is one of those times where the cover comes close to eclipsing the original, on the strength of Cave's voice alone.

THE BAD

The Black Crowes, Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds: The Black Crowes singing one of the most drug influenced songs ever written. It sounds like a match made in the sky with Lucy. So what the hell is THIS? I love the Black Crowes to death, but this is terrible stuff. It's almost as bad as some of the stuff of their 3 Snakes and One Charm record. If this indeed is the last song the Black Crowes give us, and if it's the BEST they could give us, then maybe it is a good thing they broke up.

Aimee Mann and Michael Penn, Two of Us: I was going to put this in the "ugly" category, but then I felt bad for Aimee Mann, a woman who I happen to think the world of as a solo artist. So it goes here, because this is awful. Both Mann and Penn sound disinterested, disenchanted, and just generally dismissive. What a waste.

Sheryl Crow, Mother Nature's Son: Look, it's pop artist Sheryl Crow. Look, it's rock artist Sheryl Crow. Look, it's country artist Sheryl Crow. Has there ever been someone so confused about what the hell they are moreso than Crow? This is her best attempt at sounding a bit country and a bit pop at the same time. Sorry Sheryl, stick to the straight ahead pop and rock and you'll be ok. Just listening to this makes me yawn and think about how nice and warm my bed is.

The Vines, I'm Only Sleeping: I've never heard of the Vines. After listening to this song, I ask myself "why did the producers let this make the cut?" If the producer meddled with the knobs anymore, you'd think it was the Beatles singing this. Yeah, that's not a good thing. Sometimes, imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery.

THE UGLY

Sarah McLachlan, Blackbird: You know, there are just some artists who have no business covering the Beatles. McLachlan is one of them. I remember when she had integrity. I had to rack my brain to do it, but I do remember. Talk about lullabyes. At least the Beatles version had some passion to it.

Grandaddy, Revolution: OK, first question is why didn't the producers just use the Stone Temple Pilots version? It's true to the original and it's really quite incredible. I don't know if Grandaddy paid Sean Penn some money to get on here or what, but this is just a BAD, BAD cover. Ok, you want a parallel? 3rd Eye Blind covering Baba O'Riley. That's how bad this is.

Once again, I've let my fanatical fandom of Vedder and the Crowes get the best of my wallet. Granted this is my own fault, but I really was expecting great things from this soundtrack. Instead, it looks like I wasted $13.99. You want to listen to a band do the Beatles right for about $3? Find a copy of the recently released, above mentioned STP cover of Revolution. Right now, I'm just hoping the movie isn't as disappointing as the soundtrack.

Recommended: No