Clean Soundtrack (EMI) Movie soundtracks have a symbiotic relationship: the best ones compliment each other. However, a soundtrack has to be considered independent of the movie, in order to carry any weight of its own. Overlooking Maggie Cheung's enigmatic screen persona in this study of a junkie on the mend, the music from Clean is good...in parts. Unfortunately, only three of the dozen tracks stand out. Wait for Me is a hypnotic blend of Cheung's syrupy vocals poured over a lilting guitar riff, but it's the only track that comfortably accommodates Cheung's inability to carry a tune at the higher range. Strawberry Stain is bearable at best. To be fair to Cheung, she's not a singer by trade and her wispy strains are found on only four cuts here. Breakaway features the haunting voice of Liz Densmore against the dark and contorted engineering of Tricky, while Metric's Dead Disco opens with an infectious drum beat before delivering some dirty-sounding lyrics. But ultimately, even uber-producer Brian Eno can't rescue this set from straying into middle-of-the-road.
