Cadillac Records in Bloomington, MN

Cadillac Records
is Hollywood's version of the
Chess Records
story. Founded by
Leonard Chess
(played by
Adrian Brody
), it became the signature home of the Chicago blues, rhythm & blues, and early rock & roll. Its artist roster included
Etta James
,
Muddy Waters
Chuck Berry
Howlin' Wolf
Buddy Guy
Willie Dixon
, and dozens of others. The official soundtrack features re-recordings of songs from
Chess
' classic catalog by contemporary artists -- who have prime roles in the film -- as well as new songs by current talent, and one original stalwart, thank goodness. As such, this set is a mixed bag, and one of two packages that features music from the film.
The album's first single is
Beyonce Knowles
' (playing
' cover of the latter vocalist's classic
"At Last"
). It's one of her three selections here, and on it
Knowles
possesses little of the legendary singer's power or edgy finesse. She's entirely too polished and restrained. Her phrasing doesn't come close in terms of inventiveness or inspiration, and her emotional conviction is lacking, to say the least. She fares far better on
"I'd Rather Go Blind,"
that's closer to vintage
Northern soul
. She gets in a bit of the grit and looseness that the melody and lyric suggest. That said, her lone original
"Once in a Lifetime,"
produced by
Amanda Ghost
the Rural
, and
Ian Dench
, could have come from either of her own solo records. It sounds insipid in this context.
Jeffrey Wright
plays
Waters
in this film, and his readings of
"I'm a Man"
and
"(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man"
are excellent.
may have been the hardest of the originals to pull off. And
Wright
comes the closest vocally. He has the requisite vocal depth and can reach for that combination of otherworldliness, abandon, and slight menace that
possessed in abundance. He comes closer than hundreds of others who've attempted it over the past 50 years. Likewise,
Columbus Short
's reading of
Dixon
's
"My Babe"
is another highlight.
Mos Def
as
Berry
isn't nearly so successful.
's voice is one of the most recognizable in recorded history, and the rapper turned actor and -- now "blues" singer? -- doesn't have the authority, hedonistic rebellion, or sexual swagger in his vocal grain as
does. He can't seem to raise himself to the disciplined level of phrasing or storytelling, either. While the vocalists don't cut it, the backing bands mostly do, peopled with blues legend
Hubert Sumlin
, ex-
Fabulous Thunbderbirds
frontman
Kim Wilson
Danny Kortchmar
Steve Jordan
Eddie Taylor, Jr.
, and bassist
Larry Taylor
, to name a few.
What's really strange here is the inclusion of new neo-soul cuts by
Raphael Saadiq
Solange
Mary Mary
, all of which feel forced, stylized and, to be honest, quite cynical in getting the maximum bang for the buck by the album's producers. They need to get this on the radio, and
, no matter how popular, isn't going to make
sound contemporary enough for the suits who program radio or run record labels. Also included as the last cut -- inexplicably -- is an already released track by
Nas
in
"Bridging the Gap,"
a blues-hop track with his dad,
Olu Dara
. Original
bluesman
Little Walter
appears here on the track
"Last Night"
that somehow, with
's contributions, redeems most of this slab. This will likely appeal to those moviegoers who are fans of the above stars, particularly
. As far as the story of
goes, this music does little to illuminate the magic of the period or
' brand of turbulent, fast, loose, genius. ~ Thom Jurek