The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
Like the alter-ego comic book-hero fantasies created by the movie's teenage protagonists, the accompanying soundtrack toThe Dangerous Lives of Altar Boyshas a double musical life of its own. There's the ominous side, thanks to instrumental interludes byScreamandBlade IIcomposerMarco Beltrami. And then there's the crunchy stoner-rock side, crafted byQueens of the Stone Agemembers Joshua Homme and Nick Oliveri and ex-Rage Against the Machinedrummer Brad Wilk. Separately the two parts are superb--Beltrami's sparse strings are plucked with evocative simplicity, and Homme's tracks ring with the flair of vintage '70s arena-rock-god guitar without being overblown. Yet the scarcity of Homme's tracks (five in all), despite how seamlessly they fit with Beltrami's vision, makes them seem like afterthoughts to the largely orchestral score. The smart inclusion of country-rock chestnuts fromCanned HeatandStephen Stillshelps balance the album slightly, but those looking specifically for heavy doses of Queens-style riffage would be better off checking out that group'sRated R.--Annie Zaleski