The Next Best Thing' soundtrack is cohesive, strong

Unless you've been living under a rock, you're probably aware that Madonna has covered the Don McLean classic "American Pie" for the soundtrack to her new movie, The Next Best Thing. Some have heralded this unexpected cover version as a glorious juxtaposition of a classic folk tune with 21st century technology, while others are calling it sacrilege. The actual result isn't nearly as interesting as either of these extremes, as Madonna's version of "American Pie" is a simple, no-frills pop tune. It's not bad, but not particularly great either, and certainly not on the caliber of her Grammy-winning Ray of Light or last summer's retro smash "Beautiful Stranger." Fortunately, the soundtrack as a whole is a little stronger than "American Pie." Filled with electronica-lite tracks selected by Madonna herself, it is one of the better soundtracks available today.