Gi Jo Songs Of World War II Dumb And Dumber Soundtrack CD

Although there are a few blasts of upfront silliness--Deadeye Dick's new-wavish "New Age Girl," and Willi One Blood's dancehall sendup "Whiney, Whiney"--the soundtrack to the Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels comedy doesn't try to be dumb at all.

The best-known of these bands contribute cover versions, and instead of playing them for irony or humor, they play them to emphasize their own strengths. Thus, the Crash Test Dummies, whose specialty is the folk-rock story song, cover XTC's fable "The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead" (with keyboardist Ellen Reid stepping up to take the lead vocal in place of baritone frontman Brad Roberts); Deee-Lite puts a light and airy hip-hop spin on Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing"; the Butthole Surfers overexagerate the weirdness in Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" (the same version that appears on the Surfers' PIOUGHD album); and the Proclaimers are a sincere bar band (albeit with Scottish accents) doing the Temptations' "Get Ready."

Up-and-coming guitar-pop bands round out the album, along with a one-hit wonder from the late '80s, the Primitives, whose "Crash" now sounds like a major influence on all this alternative pop stuff.

w. Paul Weston & His Orchestra

Audio Remixers: Simon Vinestock; Tom Lord-Alge.

Recording information: God Of Thunder Studios, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Unknown Contributor Role: Toby Emmerich.

Personnel: Glenn Johansson (vocals, guitar, mandolin); Charlie Reid, Dave Gibbs, Paul Leary, Pete Droge, Phil Hurley, Bret Reilly, Caleb Guillotte (vocals, guitar); Ellen Reid (vocals, keyboards); Paul Brouwer (vocals, drums); Craig Reid (vocals, tambourine); Sonya Aurora Madan, Steve Hurley (vocals); Stephen Murphy, Lance Tawzer, Brad Roberts (guitar, background vocals); Debbie Smith, P.J. Court, Stuart Nisbet, Jesus Quisp (guitar); John Goux (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Hawaiian steel guitar, ukulele); Benjamin Darvill (harmonica); Alex Keyser (piano); Ron Fair (organ); Jeff Hammer, Pete Wingfield (keyboards); Andy Henderson (drums, percussion); Gregg Williams (drums, background vocals); Billy Landry, Mitch Dorge, Jay Rajeck, King Coffey, Tig, Peter Wilson, Kevin Wilkinson (drums); Elaine Summers (cowbells); Steve Forman (percussion); Nikki Harris, Mark Miller , Siedah Garrett, Bl'ast! (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Jon Gass; Lady Miss Kier; Nick Launay; Paul Leary; Andy Wallace; DJ Dmitry; Tom Lord-Alge; Brendan O'Brien.