200 Cigarettes bombed in theaters, but the soundtrack album, strong enough to stand on its own, deserves a better fate. It's chock-full of music that loosely ties in with the New Year's Eve 1979 party (duration: 200 cigarettes) that is the basis of the movie starring Courtney Love, Christina Ricci, Martha Plimpton, and more. The Blondie medley is the album's highlight. It opens with "Rapture," the band's groundbreaking pop/rap hit from 1981; the drum fill connecting "Rapture" with the next song, 1999's "Maria," which is at a very different tempo, is particularly effective. "Maria" has nice spunk but has a very repetitive hook that tends to burn out quickly. The medley wraps with "No Exit" featuring Coolio and the Loud All-Stars. The latter two tracks are also included on Blondie's 1999 comeback album, No Exit. Harvey Danger, known for their single "Flagpole Sitta," also recorded a new track titled "Save It for Later"; it's the album's most contemporary track and probably the best, though not just for that reason. The balance of Cigarettes features well-known hits, such as Elvis Costello & the Attractions' "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding," Blondie's "In the Flesh," Nick Lowe's "Cruel to Be Kind," the Cars' "Just What I Needed," the Ramones' "I Don't Care," Dire Straits' "Romeo & Juliet," Roxy Music's "More Than This," Joe Jackson's "It's Different for Girls," Girls Against Boys' cover version of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Boogie Wonderland," Bow Wow Wow's version of the Strangeloves' "I Want Candy," and Kool & the Gang's "Ladies' Night." ~ S. Peeples, All Music Guide