Walking and Talking

The soundtrack to Walking & Talking has an odd cross-section of mid-'90s alternative rock and indie-bands, as well as a number of singer/songwriters and alternative rockers from the '80s. Most of the album is composed of Billy Bragg songs, both classics like "She's Got a New Spell" and newer songs like "Fourteenth of February," and these -- along with Pal Shazar's "Requiem," Joe Henry's "The Driving Bell" and the Sea & Cake's "Alone for the Moment" -- provide the album with its strongest moments. The rest is comprised of mediocre mainstream alternative pop/rock like Catherine's "2 AM" and Frente's "Not Given Lightly," as well Bragg's competent score. In fact, if you're not a Bragg completist, Walking & Talking can be easily bypassed.