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Fans of
High School Musical can breathe easy: Based on this soundtrack, the sequel is just as good, and perhaps even better. Though its trailer asked "Are you ready for the start of something new?"
HSM2 isn't turning the franchise into
The Wire, and really is more of the same--which is, of course, totally fine by us. One of the most energetic tracks is Chad and Ryan's musical/baseball number "I Don't Dance," propelled by a cool big-band swing motif (fans of director Kenny Ortega's choreographic work for
Xanadu will be reminded of that movie's mash-up of disco and swing in the "Dancin'" number). Once again Troy and Gabriella get the ballads, but "You Are the Music in Me" is a fine one and doesn't get bogged down in syrup. It also gets reprised by Troy and Sharpay in a rockier and arguably better version. This is typical of the fact that, overall, the bouncier tracks fare best: "All for One" (with its handclaps and surfy guitar licks), the single "What Time Is It" (the time of our lives, of course!), "Work This Out" (complete with percussive, well, workout). Of course everybody's favorite brother-sister team, Ryan and Sharpay, gets a couple of great vehicles: "Fabulous" and the zany, Hawaiian-flavored "Humuhumunukunukuapua'a," which more than anything else sounds like a tribute to the Disney princess of the 1960s: Annette Funicello.
--Elisabeth Vincentelli More High School Musical 
High School Musical | 
High School Musical: The Concert | 
High School Musical (2-Disc Special Edition DVD) |
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(108 customer reviews) 30 of 35 people found the following review helpful
I wish I could give it 1000 stars!!!,
August 14, 2007 KAppleFeet2 - See all my reviews
This review is from: High School Musical 2 (Audio CD)
The songs from High School Musical 2 are not better or worse than the songs from High School Musical because they are equally great! However, these songs are very different from the ones from the first movie, but they are still great! I will include some spoilers from the movie to describe the songs, so do not read this if you do not want the plot spoiled for you. In the second movie, school's out and everybody is ready to enjoy their summer vacation. Seeking revenge for what happened to her and her brother (Ryan) in the first movie, Sharpay makes her father hire Troy at their country club in an attempt to separate him from Gabriella. Unfortunately for Sharpay, her plan backfires and Troy scores everybody else a job at the country club: Gabriella (now his girlfriend), Chad (his best friend), Taylor (Gabriella`s best friend), and the rest of the Wildcats are now employed! Plus, the country club's Talent Show is coming up and Sharpay must act quick before Troy and Grabriella wow...Read more
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful
A review for parents,
August 18, 2007 This review is from: High School Musical 2 (Audio CD)
I know what you're thinking: Are these songs good enough that you'll be able to stand hearing them, like, a gazillion billion times? The answer is -- with just a couple of exceptions -- yes!
Certainly the most catchy and wholesome pop album this year, this 38-minute soundtrack features songs that are as catchy as commercial jingles and full of good messages, yet just varied and nuanced enough that they don't drive you mad. And, even though there's nothing as fun as "Stick to the Stuff You Know," overall these tunes are better than those in the original film. (Here's that soundtrack: High School Musical.)
In fact, many of the songs are pretty good. "You Are The Music In Me" is a sincere, catchy duet by Gabriella and Troy (Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron) that uses a gospel chorus to rise above nearly everything ever...Read more
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Wonderful!,
August 21, 2007 A Kid's Review
This review is from: High School Musical 2 (Audio CD)
This CD is AMAZING! Most of the songs are wonderful! My favorite is "Gotta Go My Own Way" I Also Like "Fabulous" and "I don't Dance". They are all great songs and I'm sure that once I learn them, I'll love them! And I think you will too!
