‘Fifty Shades’ soundtrack is a sexy romp

Fifty Shades of Grey Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Various Artists (Republic Records)

Prepare to get crazy in love, in lust and everything in between. Anticipated sex romp ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ may or may not get you wound up, but its soundtrack is bound to do just that. The 16-track album finds itself mired in an intoxicating sound that gets its potency from a mix of rock gods’ electric guitars, masterful reworkings of recent hits and electro pop beats so slithery, you’ll bite the forbidden apple.
Beyonce leads the lineup of artists with an achingly erotic rendition of one of her biggest hits “Crazy in Love,” and a hypnotic dubstep remix of her more recent hit “Haunted.” Canadian singer The Weeknd whips up two acts of purposeful seduction in “Earned It,” — a slow-dripping R&B tune that burns through the clothes— and “Where You Belong,” a similarly hay-rolling melody.
Frank Sinatra’s sorcerous “Witchcraft” is a perfect romancing pitch that walks the line between classy and dirty, but rock legend renditions like Annie Lennox’ version of “I Put a Spell on You,” the Rolling Stones’ “Beast of Burden” and AWOLNATION’s rendition of Springsteen “I’m on Fire” fall more into strike-out territory.
Sia brings her own brand of hurt to the proceedings with the ballad “Salted Wound,” while Ellie Goulding finds the most modern sound of the record with “Love Me Like You Do.”
This is 16 shades of blatant auditory manipulation, almost every second of it lovable.
Cristina Jaleru, AP