The third installment in the animated song-and-dance fantasy franchise,
Trolls Band Together
is most notable for being the catalyst for getting beloved Y2K boy band
*NSYNC
back in the studio and on the charts. Mirroring the general plot of the film -- which partially centers on
Justin Timberlake
's Branch character reuniting with his brothers and BroZone bandmates, played by
Eric Andre
,
Daveed Diggs
Kid Cudi
, and
Troye Sivan
-- the headline-making event yielded the
Shellback
-produced single "Better Place," which, for all the hubbub, ends up being fairly lackluster as a much-ballyhooed comeback (BroZone's in-film "Perfect" would have been a smarter option). The rest of the soundtrack, as with its predecessors, fares better, providing a mix of fun, familiar song references that move the plot forward (like
KC and the Sunshine Band
Sister Sledge
Salt-n-Pepa
Lizzo
Lionel Richie
getting smushed into "Let's Get Married" or
Weezer
Shaggy
Christopher Cross
getting sonic shout-outs on "Vacay Island"). Highlights include the original "Watch Me Work" (performed by
Andrew Rannells
and
Brianna Mazzola
), which sounds like
Fifth Harmony
Pussycat Dolls
colliding with
Loose
-era
Nelly Furtado
, and "BroZone's Back," a fantastic mash-up honoring boy bands of the past such as
New Edition
NKOTB
Boyz II Men
Bee Gees
, and, in another level of meta-ness,
themselves. Even if it gets eclipsed in the public eye by the
reunion,
continues the feel-good precedent set by the first two films/soundtracks and provides another dose of endorphins for lovers of fun animation and musical Easter eggs. ~ Neil Z. Yeung