Various Artists: A Cinderella Story - Original Soundtrack (2004) [Japanese Release] RESTORED

A Cinderella Story: Original Soundtrack is a soundtrack album by Hilary Duff. It was released to accompany the 2004 film A Cinderella Story, which starred Duff. She contributed five songs to the soundtrack including a cover of The Go-Go's "Our Lips Are Sealed" with sister Haylie, which peaked at #8 in Australia. It was praised by critics for being "admittedly lightweight but solidly entertaining". The album peaked in the top ten in Canada and the United States, where it also topped Billboard's Top Soundtracks chart.

The soundtrack to A Cinderella Story should tide Hilary Duff fans over until the release of her second album: Duff and her sister Haylie contribute almost half the songs on the album, including their cute duet version of the Go Go's' "Our Lips Are Sealed". This song and Haylie's solo spotlight, "One in This World", showcase the older Duff sister's slightly richer pipes, but – not surprisingly, since she is the film's Cinderella – Hilary gets the more ear-catching tunes. "Anywhere But Here", which comes from her debut solo album, presents the sugary-sweet persona of Metamorphosis, but newer songs like "Girl Can Rock", "Now You Know", and, especially, "Crash World" display a little more edge and depth while still remaining appropriate for a teen pop singer like Duff and her audience. Kaitlyn's "Friend" and Mya's "Fallen" add to the album's frothy sweetness, which is complemented by sensitive-boy tracks like Jesse McCartney's "The Best Day of My Life", Josh Kelley's "To Make You Feel My Love", and Edwin McCain's "I'll Be". MXPX, who seem determined to replace Sugar Ray as the most ubiquitous soundtrack band, round out the album with "First Day of the Rest of Your Life". A Cinderella Story is an admittedly lightweight but solidly entertaining soundtrack that delivers exactly what its audience wants from it.

~ Review by Heather Phares, all media guide

Tracklist:

01. Hilary & Haylie Duff – Our Lips Are Sealed
02. Hilary Duff – Anywhere But Here
03. Jesse McCartney – The Best Day Of My Life
04. Hilary Duff – Girl Can Rock
05. Hilary Duff – Now You Know
06. Haylie Duff – One In This World
07. Hilary Duff – Crash World
08. Josh Kelly – To Make You Feel My Love
09. Goo Goo Dolls – Sympathy
10. Kaitlyn – Friend
11. Jesse McCartney – Beautiful Soul
12. Edwin McCain – I'll Be
13. Mya – Fallen
14. MXPX – First Day Of The Rest Of Our Lives


Soundtrack Album Produced by Mitchell Leib, Debra A. Baum and Jay Landers

Original Release Date: July 13, 2004
Japanese Release: November 3, 2004
Label: Avex Trax, Japan
Catalog No.: AVCW-12391