Personnel: Dee Bradley Baker, Carlos Alazraqui (vocals); Corky Hale (harp); Steve Hillenburg (ukulele); Michael Andreas, Mike Miller (flute); Tom Kenny, Jillinda Palmer, Andy Paley (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Dave Fridmann; Mickey Petralia; Peter Cobbin; Flaming Lips; Tom Rothrock.

In making his leap from television to the big screen, the beloved SpongeBob SquarePants gets his own movie soundtrack. This collection of songs perfectly captures the wacky underwater vibe of both the animated film and its TV series, starting off with a revved-up rendition of the "SpongeBob SquarePants Theme" by Avril Lavigne. SpongeBob and other residents of Bikini Bottom get their own moments in the musical spotlight; our porous yellow hero belts out the uplifting "The Best Day Ever," while his pink starfish friend Patrick leads a British Invasion-style ode to his favorite stone on "Under My Rock."

In addition to Lavigne, other high-profile musical guests on board include the Flaming Lips, who meld their quirky aesthetic with the film's on "SpongeBob & Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy;" Wilco, who contributes the upbeat "Just a Kid;" and the Shins, who offer up the breezy "They'll Soon Discover." Perhaps the most surprising moment comes in the form of Motorhead's lumbering "You Better Swim," which rides a wave of blues-inflected metal, and is sure to entertain both kids and former-metalhead parents.

Rolling Stone (p.177) - 4 stars out of 5 - "New tracks by the Flaming Lips, Wilco and the Shins rank with their better work..."

Entertainment Weekly (p.70) - "[With] alterna-godheads like Wilco, the Shins, and the Flaming Lips....Fun for parents and children alike." - Grade: B+

Uncut (p.106) - 4 stars out of 5 - "Wilco's 'Just A Kid' sounds fragile, child-like. And to spike the icing on the cake there's Motorhead, Ween and the Shins."

Alternative Press (p.84) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[With] laugh-out loud selections..."