Various Artists - Hoot Soundtrack - Music & Performance - CD

Starting with a tasteful cover of Bruce Cockburn's punchy "Wondering Where The Lions Are," the five new Buffett tracks make Hoot more than worth the price of admission. Buffett adds his island flavoring to the effervescent Cockburn number. Alan Jackson jumps aboard the Hoot express for the briskly executed "Barefootin'." Jackson and Buffett make an odd, but enjoyable, duet team. Barreling piano fills and slide guitar make the song more fun than a trip to Disneyland. The '70s shaded "Good Guys Win," which plays during the movie's trailer, is classic Buffett. The folk-rock track has a chorus that sticks in the listener's head long after the song ends.

How exactly Warren Zevon's "Werewolves Of London" fits into a movie about owls, is hard to discern, but it works nonetheless. Buffett and his band smoke the tires on the comical track. "You better stay away from him/ He'll rip your lungs out Jim/ Hmm, I would like to meet his tailor," Buffett sings, tongue planted firmly in cheek. "Floridays" is the fifth new Buffett track recorded specifically for the soundtrack, and the only song on the album Buffett penned. The harmonica sugared cut gets the typical Buffett treatment: island sounds, a slacker beat, crisp harmonies, and an easy and singable melody.

While the Buffett tracks are the drawing card for the album, the disc includes solid tracks from other artists, including G. Love, whose romping "Back Of The Bus" is a blast. Ry Cuming, sounding an awful lot like Jack Johnson on the sly "Let Your Spirit Fly," is exceptional as well. If Cuming were anymore relaxed, though, he'd be dead. Brie Larson, who also stars in the movie, chips in the teen pop song "Coming Around." Larson, all of sixteen, has a pure voice and a clean image, which is a surprise in this day and age. Maroon 5 turn in an understated reading of Bill Withers' summery "Lovely Day."

If Hoot the movie is anything like Hoot the soundtrack, it should do extremely well. Of course, it's always safe to bet on anything that has Jimmy Buffett at the helm.