Simes' Jonathan Richman Pages There's Something About Mary by Various Artists

Kingpin may have given Jonathan Richman a brief cameo, but the singer/songwriter remained curiously absent from that film's alterna-rock soundtrack. Luckily, the Farrelly brothers' There's Something About Mary has Richman everywhere--he's graduated into actually becoming a plot device with his simple ditties and ubiquitous appearances. The soundtrack is no different. Tracks by the Dandy Warhols, the Push Stars, and the Lemonheads set the pop tone for this compilation, with highlights coming from Ivy, Ben Lee, and the Propellerheads. The best cuts come from Richman himself, though, with three outstanding originals: "True Love Is Not Nice," "Let Her Go into the Darkness," and the title track. Unlike the movie, there's a subtle touch to this album, and it translates to a better-than-average summer soundtrack. Jason Verlinde