Rating: 7/10

I wanted to title this review "Bella’s Swan Song" as a play on Kristen Stewart’s most notable character, Bella Swan, from the TWILIGHT series. However, I realized that joke may be lost on actual Runaways fans and appreciated by only the handful of Twihards who turned out to see Bella get her groove on.

While I did not particularly enjoy THE RUNAWAYS (too much girl crotch, not enough rock doc for me), the music was solid. The soundtrack is a good mix of the original Runaways songs, plus new versions sung by Stewart (as Joan Jett) and Dakota Fanning (as Cherie Currie). The album also includes an impressive collection of songs from artists that influenced both women in not only their musical style, but their personal style as well.

Always curious to see how actors do when faced with the challenge of depicting musical artists, Stewart and Fanning succeeded in embodying the style, and they weren’t too bad on the ears either. Fanning is particularly impressive as she channels Cherie Currie’s growl and attitude on her solo tracks. I have no doubt a whole new generation of girls will be singing “ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb” thanks to this electric track.

Joining the girls are The Stooges with "I Wanna Be Your Dog," the influential David Bowie with “Rebel Rebel," “Pretty Vacant” from the Sex Pistols and, in case we forgot what us girls were fighting against, “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” by MC5. The woman behind the Runaways, (and executive producer on the film) Joan Jett, also gets a solo track with “Don’t Abuse Me." The only other girl outside of the original and “new” Runaways to get billing is Suzi Quatro with “The Wild One," which was one of my favorite tracks on the album.

Fully charged with girl attitude, it did make me jealous I was not alive to experience this girl rock movement firsthand. Of course, girl bands like the Runaways helped pave the way for the girl rockers of today, but there is something electric about the songs at the cusp of this movement that will always set them apart from those that followed. If you’re like me and find it therapeutic to roll down the windows and the hit the gas to some good ol’ rock n' roll music, this soundtrack will provide you with just the fuel you need.

This soundtrack is available through Atlantic Records.

1. “Roxy Roller” – Nick Gilder
2. “The Wild One” – Suzi Quatro
3. “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” – MC5
4. “Rebel Rebel” – David Bowie
5. “Cherry Bomb” – Dakota Fanning
6. “Hollywood” – The Runaways
7. “California Paradise” – Dakota Fanning
8. “You Drive Me Wild” – The Runaways
9. “Queens of Noise” – Dakota Fanning & Kristen Stewart
10. “Dead End Justice” – Dakota Fanning & Kristen Stewart
11. “I Wanna Be Your Dog” – The Stooges
12. “I Wanna Be Where the Boys Are (Live) – The Runaways
13. “Pretty Vacant” – Sex Pistols
14. “Don’t Abuse Me” – Joan Jett