Music Shop: Sex and the City 2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

The soundtrack to the new "Sex and the city 2" movie aims to please everyone, displaying a diverse collection with similar sounds grouped together.

Opening is Alicia Keys' remake of Blondie's "Rapture" which starts off similar to the original (with Lauryn Hill-style "Yeahs" and "I like that") but where the original had Debbie Harry rapping about a man from Mars, Keys raps about Carrie and her pals. The final minute takes on a chilled Dance sound which is followed by a beautiful haunting Dance number by Dido "Everything to lose".

Cee-lo's "Language of love" starts off with some chanting in some exotic language before a breezy summery Soul song sweeps in. This is followed by Erykah Badu's lilting Neo Soul "Window seat", the one with that infamous video.

Following are a pair of Arabic Pop songs, "Kidda" by Natacha Atlas, and "Euphrates dream" by Michael McGregor.

Next is Liza Minelli's remake of Beyoncé's "Single ladies" which largely stays true to the original till the bridge where strings and horns sweep in and transform it to a Jazzy Broadway-style song, especially with her quivering husky vocals. Following is the rythmically similar and catchy "Can't touch it" by Ricki-Lee who even manages to sound like Beyoncé.

Following are a pair of power ballads, Alicia Keys' piano-driven "Empire state of mind (Part II broken down)", and a fiery duet "Love is your color" by Jennifer Hudson (who also appeared on the first soundtrack and movie) & Leona Lewis. These are followed by a clutch of fun songs; a remake of Helen Reddy's feminist anthem "I am woman" by Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis & Cynthia Nixon, a trio of lush Jazzy ballads by the Sex and the city men's choir, the lounge Jazz "Bewitched, bothered and bewildered" by Shayna Steele, Jordan Ballard & Kamilah Marshall, and a live-sounding comical "Ev'ry time we say goodbye" by Liza Minnelli (who has a cameo in the movie, so I'm guessing she performs this in it).

Cyndi Lauper's tender acoustic 1986 hit "True colors" follows, and closing the set is the Arabic-tinged instrumental "Divas and dunes" by Aaron Zigman.

A thoroughly enjoyable affair!