Roll Bounce :
Sound Track

Release Date: 20 September 2005

Reviewed By: Melisa Tang

1. Boogie Oogie Oogie [Record Mix] [Mix] - Fabolous

2. Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll

3. Pure Gold

4. Wishing on a Star [Bonus Mix]

5. Quit Actin' [Bonus Mix] - Vaughan Mason

6. Superman Lover - Earth, Wind & Fire

7. Hollywood Swingin' [Record Mix] [Mix]

8. Let's Stay Together [Bonus Mix]

9. Lovely Day - Ray J

10. I Wanna Know Your Name - Brooke Valentine

11. Get Off - YoYo Band

12. Freak - Keith Sweat

Chingy - Jackpot
Read Review

Soundtracks to movies hardly ever turn out to be as good as the hype makes out, but there’s one that is set to break that assumption – the soundtrack to ‘Roll Bounce’, a film set in the ’70s, when roller skating was all the rave. The movie stars Bow Wow in the lead role as X, and also stars Mike Epps (‘Guess Who’, ‘Fighting Temptations’), Chi McBride (‘I, Robot’), Meagan Good (‘You Got Served’), and Nick Cannon (‘Drumline’, ‘Shall We Dance’), amongst others.

The soundtrack was executive produced by Beyoncé’s father Matthew Knowles, and he is said to have handpicked the tracks for this compilation himself. To add to the whole ’70s theme, a lot of the tracks on the LP are either old classics or songs with that funky vibe that the Seventies era is well known for.                 

Brooke Valentine kick starts the movie soundtrack with the Jazze Pha-produced version of ‘Boogie Oogie’, the first single taken from the ‘Roll Bounce’ soundtrack. The song features verses from Fabolous and Yo-Yo, and together with the sultry tones of Brooke’s vocals, they put a special touch to the old song, bringing it right into 2005.  

Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny’s Child, makes her first solo outing out of the gospel scene, and takes on the huge task of covering Al Green’s classic, ‘Let’s Stay Together’. Countless others have tried before her, not really doing the song justice, but there’s something about Michelle’s husky voice which makes the song easy listening, and thus enjoyable to listen to. Al Green fans don’t get me wrong; Michelle’s good, but everyone knows there’s only one person who can sing that song so seductively, and that’s Al Green himself. Michelle is also joined on the soundtrack by Beyoncé, who sings her version of ‘Wishing On A Star’, the beautiful track that can be heard on the advertisement for Ms Knowles’ Tommy Hilfiger perfume, ‘True Star’.   

Other new tracks on the soundtrack include Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘Pure Gold’ and Keith Sweat’s ‘I Wanna Know Your Name’, marking a welcome return to the mainstream for both acts.  

Whilst half the music on this album is from artists of the “new school”, the other half is made up from Seventies’ classics, including the upbeat ‘Lovely Day’ by Bill Withers, which is guaranteed to put a smile on your face whatever the weather, and Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s ‘Superman Lover’. The soundtrack is wrapped up by the disco anthem ‘Le Freak’ by Chic, without which, this album would not be complete.  

However, as with most LPs, there is at least one track which dosn’t quite meet the high standards set by the other artists. The only criticism I have about this album is in regards to Ray J’s collaboration with R. Kelly and Shorty Mack, ‘Quit Actin’’, which although is likely to get booties shakin’ on the dancefloor, doesn’t really do much else. The lyrics are merely average, and Kelly’s production is so distinctive now that a lot of his tracks soun pretty much the same. Alas, this track falls into that trap, along with the ‘Snake’s of this world.  

Nevertheless, the ‘Roll Bounce’ soundtrack is a keeper; whether young or old, you will find yourself singing along to something this album has to offer, and dancing away to the rest of the LP. Either way, you’re sure to enjoy the musical pleasures served up by this soundtrack; at least until the film itself is released in the UK! 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 

Top Three Tracks:

12) Le Freak – Chic

8) Let’s Stay Together – Michelle Williams

9) Lovely Day – Bill Withers 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z