Kick-Ass 2

Even if it isn't quite as eclectic as the music from the first Kick-Ass film -- which spanned songs by Elvis Presley, the Dickies, and Sparks -- the soundtrack to Kick-Ass 2 could still give unsuspecting listeners' ears a serious case of whiplash. Ranging from the breezy, Top 40-ready pop of Union J's "Carry You" to Lemon's raunchy dancefloor mover "Pussy Drop" to the Bees' lighthearted "A Minha Menina," the album's tracks don't make any attempts at flow. However, the soundtrack echoes Kick-Ass' mix of tender and violent music with Chlöe Howl's almost-ballad "No Strings" and the bratty punk-pop cover of "When the Saints Go Marching In" by St. Snot. More importantly, most of these songs give off a brash attitude that sounds raring for a fight, whether it's Hanni El Khatib's "Nobody Move," Ozma's "Korobeiniki," or the DJ Fresh, Diplo, and Dominique Young Unique collaboration "Motherquake." Even the Go! Team sound ready to put up their dukes on "Bust Out Brigade," cheering children and glockenspiels notwithstanding. Songs by Glasvegas, Danko Jones, and Jessie J round out a collection with so much energy that its more scattered moments barely matter. ~ Heather Phares