Almost Famous
Writer-director Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire,Say Anything,Singles) was a teenager whenRolling Stonemagazine sent him out to write cover stories in the 1970s. Nearly 30 years later, Crowe tells the tale in satisfying fashion and extensive detail withAlmost Famous, accompanied by a soundtrack that accurately reflects the time of his trial by fire.Led Zeppelinhave never before licensed a performance to a soundtrack, so "That's the Way" earns the distinction. A live version ofLou Reed's "Waiting for the Man" performed byDavid Bowiein 1972 typifies the emerging underground glam movement. Classic rock fromSimon & Garfunkel,Rod Stewart,Elton John, andYesfill things out.Cat Stevens's "The Wind" is rescued from the Timberland commercial. Nancy Wilson ofHeartcontributes the original score (one track, "Lucky Trumble," featured here) and a track by the fictitious hard-rock band Stillwater, whose "Fever Dog" sounds like a lost track from the hard-rock-guitar wars of the 1970s. Add in tracks by garage-rock faves theSeeds, soul strutterClarence Carter, and Southern rockersLynyrd Skynyrdand theAllman Brothers Bandand you've got an expansive collection of tunes to sift through. More than 50 songs are featured in the film. Next question: when's volume 2?--Rob O'Connor