Ah, The Commitments. Loved the movie, loved the soundtrack, but I found the book too difficult to read (pick up a copy and you'll see what I mean). The movie isn't currently available through Netflix streaming or on Blu-ray (what up, Fox?). Great concept: an all white Irish soul band plays the music of Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, etc. Kinda like the Blue Brothers without the Stax house band, but with better singers. Most of the actors/musicians perform the tracks, but they are occasionally helped out by session pros. The soundtrack isn't as gritty as the movie, but I'm okay with that. Just when I think the production is too smooth, Andrew Strong's fantastic voice roughens things up a bit (was he really just 16 years old when he was cast?). In 1991, I wasn't the soul music fanatic I am today, so some of this music was new to me and was introduced to me through this movie/soundtrack. This led me to seek out the originals, which was probably the point in the first place.
This Deluxe Edition combines the first soundtrack album (1991) with the follow-up soundtrack album (1992) along with five tracks taken from Andrew Strong's 1993 solo album. The remastering is top-notch.
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Vol. 1 #8, Vol. 2 #118
Tracks: All are great, but the take on Al Green's Take Me To The River may be the best version of that song, coming close to besting Talking Heads and even Al himself. My other favs include I Can't Stand The Rain, Treat Her Right, Mr. Pitiful, Hard To Handle, and Show Me. From the Strong solo album, the best track is Too Many Cooks (Spoil The Soup).
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Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I had not yet seen the movie when I purchased the first soundtrack album on cassette at a Sound Warehouse in Pasadena. Living on the coast, I often listened to I Can't Stand The Rain during frequent rain storms.
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