VA - Pleasantville - Music From The Motion Picture (1998)

Fiona Apple's music doesn't appeal to everyone, but her rendering of the Beatles classic "Across the Universe" is quite lovely, both vocally and production-wise. Apple also does a version of Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone to Love," which is similarly well-produced and flushed out with vibraphone and chamberlain. The rest of the soundtrack consists of a nonoffensive sampling of '50s hits and a few jazz standards. "Rave On" by Buddy Holly and the Crickets and "Teddy Bear (Let Me Be Your)" by Elvis Presley keep the show moving, while "Take Five" by the Dave Brubeck Quartet and "So What" by Miles Davis round the collection out. Randy Newman scored the film, and his "Suite from Pleasantville" is typically great. Here's hoping it's released in its expanded form on its own. --Aaron Tassano