Women who remember Lloyd Dobler as the perfect sensitive, new age guy are starting to reach "a certain age," and it may take a woman of certain age--or at least one with a somewhat old school taste in music--to appreciate the Must Love Dogs soundtrack. Let's face it, when you kick a compilation off with Linda Ronstadt, and Christopher Plummer reading poetry, you're not taking dead aim at the youth market. "Hey There Lonely Girl?" "The First Cut Is the Deepest?" Sounds like someone was just at their attorney's office and found out their husband is getting the house.That said, who hasn't found themselves in a "The First Cut Is the Deepest" kind of mood at one time or another? Yes, Natalie Cole's "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" is well-trod ground (the song could be called "This Will Be a Regular Fixture on Movie Soundtracks") but isn't this just the kind of recklessly upbeat feeling we go to the movies for? And Must Love Dogs does go on to feature some more contemporary acts including Rilo Kiley and Susie Suh. This CD is just another one of life's simpler pleasures, like romantic comedies...and dogs. --Leah Weathersby
