Composers: Glen Hansard; Marketa Irglova.
While many movies use actors to play musicians, the Irish indie film ONCE enlisted singer-songwriters Glen Hansard (of the Frames) and Marketa Irglova to portray two Dubliners on the edge of romance. The couple's real-life chemistry not only translated to a compelling, crowd-pleasing tale, it yielded a subtly beautiful soundtrack, which consists largely of thoughtful chamber-pop tunes by Hansard, some of which previously appeared (in slightly altered form) on the Frames' THE COST and his prior collaboration with Irglova, THE SWELL SEASON. Highlights of the collection include the gentle "Falling Slowly" and the urgent "When Your Mind's Made Up," tracks that elegantly echo the emotional ups and downs of the lauded film.

Personnel: Onitsha Shaw, David Loucks, Ravaughn Brown, Jane Lynch, Emily Gomez, Drew Ryan Scott, Tim Davis , Kamari Copeland, Cory Monteith, Zac Poor, Chris Colfer, Storm Lee, Dianna Agron, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jenna Ushkowitz, Colin Benward, David Baloche, Jayma Mays, Mark Salling, Naya Rivera, Jimmy Andrew Richard, Kala Balch, Stephen Tobolowsky, Shelley Scarr, Kent Avenido, Jeanette Olsen, Nikki Anders, Chris Mann, Chaz Mason, Windy Wagner, Matthew Morrison, Adam Anders (vocals).
Audio Mixer: Peer Astrom.
Recording information: Chalice Studios, Hollywood, CA; Eastwest Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Hensen Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Masterplan Studios, Stockholm, Sweden.
Glee: The Music Showstoppers collects performances from the second half of Glee's first season, including choral-pop renditions of "Dream On," "Safety Dance," and "Bad Romance."

Personnel: David Loucks, Emily Gomez, Jasper Randall, Nikki Hassman, Tim Davis, Chris Mann, Windy Wagner, Matthew Morrison, Adam Anders (vocals).
Audio Mixer: Peer Astrom.
Recording information: Chalice Studios, Hollywood, CA; Resonate Studios, Burbank, CA; Castle Oaks, Calabasas, CA; Firehouse Studios, Pasadena, CA; Conway Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Masterplan Studios, Stockholm, Sweden; Westlake Studios, Los Angeles, CA; AMI Studios, Studio City, CA.

Personnel: Samantha Jade, Onitsha Shaw, Missi Hale, David Loucks, Ravaughn Brown, Drew Ryan Scott, Tim Davis , Kamari Copeland, Cory Monteith, Zac Poor, Chris Colfer, Storm Lee, Dianna Agron, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Jenna Ushkowitz, Heather Morris, Colin Benward, Chord Overstreet, Mark Salling, Naya Rivera, Kala Balch, Jon Hall, Darren Criss, Nikki Anders, Jeanette Olsson, Windy Wagner, Matthew Morrison, Adam Anders (vocals); Martin Persson (programming).
Audio Mixer: Peer Astrom.
Recording information: Avatar Recording Studios, New York, NY; Chalice Studios, Hollywood, CA; Eastwest Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Henson Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Masterplan Studios, Stockholm, Sweden.
Arrangers: Martin Persson; Peer Astrom; Adam Anders.
Released one week after the Glee holiday album, Vol. 4 collects highlights from the first half of the show's second season. Songs from the "Britney/Brittany" episode -- the most watched episode in the show's history -- are featured, as are performances by newcomers like Gwyneth Paltrow (who plays a substitute teacher) and newcomer Darren Criss (who leads a rival glee club).

Composer: John Williams .

Alexi Murdoch's intimate, wintry songwriting dominates this soundtrack, which takes the bulk of its tracks from his breakthrough album, TIME WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE. Bob Dylan, George Harrison, the Stranglers, and the Velvet Underground are all awarded one song each, but the emphasis rarely strays from Murdoch's fingerpicked guitar and solemn vocals, resulting in a consistent vibe that almost functions like a movie score. While the songwriter also contributes three unreleased songs to the project, AWAY WE GO might be too reminiscent of his existing albums to appeal anew to most Murdoch fans. Instead, this album caters to those who enjoyed the movie, as it offers up the same brand of wistful contemplation

Given the subject matter of Richard Curtis' film Pirate Radio, the soundtrack had to filled with absolutely classic rock, pop, and soul. The motion picture (entitled The Boat That Rocked in the U.K.) is a comedy that reflects on the real life bands of illegal radio stations that broadcast from boats just outside British territorial waters in the mid-'60s and were therefore outside the iron grip of the BBC. The soundtrack contains a whopping 32 tracks spread over a pair of CDs that contain everything from obvious picks from the era, such the Kinks' "All of the Day and All of the Night," and John Fred & His Playboy Band's "Judy in Disguise," to the Who's "I Can See for Miles" and the Troggs' "With a Girl Like You." Other acts from the early classic pop/rock era are Jimi Hendrix, Moody Blues, Procol Harum (of course!), the Isley Brothers, Beach Boys, Supremes, Otis Redding, Cream, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, Dusty Springfield, Easybeats, Jeff Beck, the Hollies, etc. -- though the Beatles and Rolling Stones are absent for some (more than likely, legal) reason. There are some wonderful surprises too, however: the inclusion of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass's "This Guy's in Love (With You)," the Turtles' "Elenore," (sic) and the opening track, a version of "Stay with Me Baby," by Duffy. (Lorraine Ellison's version is also here, included near the end of disc two.) David Bowie's lone "Let's Dance," is also here to close the collection. Ultimately, it all adds up to one big party -- even if you have every cut here individually. ~ Thom Jurek

The film Dreamgirls has received eight Academy Award nominations including three for Best Original Song: "Listen", "Love You I Do" and "Patience".

Composer/Lyricist: Dolly Parton.
Lyricist: Dolly Parton.
Personnel: Stephanie J. Block, Ioana Alfonso, Kathy Fitzgerald, Marc Kudisch, Brandi Wooten, Megan Hilty, Howard, Lisa, Andy Karl, Michael X. Martin, Wayne Schroder, Karen Murphy, Jessica Lea Patty, Maia Nkenge Wilson, Neil Haskell, Charlie Pollock, Michael Mindlin, Autumn Guzzardi, Jeremy Davis , Timothy George Anderson, Allison Janney, Justin Bohon, Ann Harada, Paul Castree, Dan Cooney (vocals); Michael Aarons, Jake Schwartz, John Putnam (guitar); Christopher Cardona, Suzy Perelman, Antoine Silverman, Hiroko Taguchi (violin); Amy Ralske (cello); Aaron Heick, Vincent Della Rocca, Dave Riekenberg (reeds); Brian 'Fletch' Pareschi, Bob Millikan (trumpet); Keith O'Quinn (trombone); Matt Gallagher, Jodie Moore, Ben Cohn (keyboards); Dave Philips (bass instrument); Sean McDaniel (drums); David Mancuso (percussion); Randy Cohen (keyboard programming); Jeremy Davis, Michael X. Martin, Marc Kudisch, Maia Nkenge Wilson, Mark Myars, Tory Ross, Charlie Pollock, Brandi Wooten, Autumn Guzzardi, Van Hughes, Timothy George Anderson, Neil Haskell, Michael Mindlin, Megan Hilty, Kathy Fitzgerald, Justin Patterson, Justin Bohon, Jessica Lea Patty, Jennifer Balagna, Allison Janney, Ann Harada, Lisa Howard, Karen Murphy.
Audio Mixers: Chris Jennings; Derik Lee; Frank Filipetti.
Liner Note Authors: Patricia Resnick; Dolly Parton; Patricia Resnick.
Recording information: Legacy Studios, New York, NY.
Photographers: Joan Marcus; Joan Marcus; Justin Stephens.
Arrangers: Stephen Oremus; Charles Duchateau; Kevin Stites; Charles du Chateau; Kevin Stites; Alex Lacamoire.
Dolly Parton's country-crossover hit "9 to 5" has become a staple of pop radio and karaoke set lists because of its indelible chorus and lyrics that any working stiff can relate to. On this original cast album of the musical (based on the movie), the song gets the Broadway treatment, augmented with extra measures for maximum dramatic effect and multiple singing parts. The effect is not quite the same as hearing Dolly's pert 'n' populist rendition, but it is a vivid reimagining with the same spunky attitude as the original.
The rest of the numbers, written by Parton, are pure cornball, but in most cases delightfully so. Allison Janney strikes just the right brassy tone on "Around Here" and Marc Kudisch and Stephanie Block create heat on the slinky "The Dance o' Death." Megan Hilty has the appropriately theatrical twang for Parton's previously recorded "Backwoods Barbie." "Get Out and Stay Out" is a somewhat ordinary piano ballad fleshed out with Block's powerful and expressive vocals. The rest of the songs seem thin without an accompanying visual spectacle, but for fans of the Broadway show, the album is a solid memento of a fun evening at the theater.

Full title: SIng-A-Longs And Lullabies For The Film Curious George.
Jack Johnson And Friends: Jack Johnson (vocals, guitar, ukulele); Zach Gill (vocals, piano); Merlo Podlewski (bass guitar); Adam Topol (drums); Ben Harper, Kahu Kawika Kahiapo, G. Love, Matt Costa.

Big-budget films call for big-budget soundtracks, so the silver screen 2008 debut of Sex and the City gets a much splashier treatment than the 2004 soundtrack to the television series. That 2004 set struck a balance between New York cabaret and club, with just a hint of feminist pop in Aimee Mann and Imani Coppola. The 2008 Sex and the City is decidedly splashier, cutting out Bette Midler and replacing her with a heaping dose of hipsters of all kinds, ranging from wannabe indie rockers Morningwood to the inescapable bling soul-pop of Fergie, whose grotesque "Labels or Love" perverts both the S&TC themes, musical and meaning. Some might say that the film itself perverts the show but whether it does or not, it's not an issue with the soundtrack, which is kind of its own entity, as much as a movie tie-in can be. It would be a mixed bag regardless of whether or not the movie was any good, as it mixes a new cut from the movie's co-star Jennifer Hudson ("All Dressed in Love," her first big tune since Dreamgirls) and a track from neo-folkies the Weepies with India.Arie singing Don Henley, a dorky Nina Simone remix, and two Bee Gees covers -- the Bird and the Bee tackle "How Deep Is Your Love" and Al Green duets with Joss Stone on "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." Some cuts feel as if they serve the film (why else have "Auld Lang Syne" on the record? Or Run-D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way" in this context?), much feels as if it's here only because there's a girl singer (only "Walk This Way" is all testosterone), and it's hard to imagine listening to it from beginning to end, but cherry-picking the best moments makes for a pleasurable experience that may wind up making it an appropriate soundtrack to the movie itself. [A bonus track edition was also released.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Composer: Randy Newman.