Original TV Soundtrack - Simpsons: Testify / Tv O.S.T. (CD)

All Music Guide

The Simpsons: Testify is the third collection of original songs and music from the television series, covering music heard on the series' tenth through 18th seasons. It takes its title from a gospel number from the 2000 episode "Faith Off," and there are a few other churchinspired numbers, including the Christian countryrock jibe "He's the Man" with Shawn Colvin on vocals, but this is hardly a theme collection. Like any average episode of The Simpsons, Testify hops all over the place, flitting from style to style, all illustrating composer/conductor Alf Clausen's uncanny ability to simultaneously pay homage and parody. If there are no outright classics along the lines of "Monorail" here, there's a bunch to enjoy, including the Sinatra swipe "Jellyfish," the medley "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders," and "They'll Never Stop the Simpsons," a sly parody of "We Didn't Start the Fire." Also, there are several bigname cameos here Los Lobos doing the end credits, Weird Al singing the "Jack Dian...e" parody "Homer Marge," David Byrne sitting in on "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders," Baha Men doing their one hit as "Who Wants a Haircut," Jackson Browne on "Marjorie," the B52's on "Glove Slap," Shawn Colvin on "He's the Man," and two Ricky Gervais numbers which are merely icing on the cake here, just as they are on the show. When it comes right down to it, Testify is only necessary for hardcore Simpsons fans, but they will surely find this worth the time. - Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Read more Less