John Williams is known for solid composition and distinctive themes; “Jaws,” the “Flying Theme” from “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and “Main Title” from “Star Wars” are as well known – if not better known – than many of the characters in these films.

Williams conjures instant movie memories through clever horn lines and subtle string arrangements that make the songs characters in their own right.

Darth Vader would not have had the same impact without “The Imperial March” and Jaws would not have been as menacing without its theme.

It makes much sense, then, for Warner Bros. Pictures to tap Williams to work his magic for the movie adaptation of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

From “Prologue,” the first track of the soundtrack, to the final track, “Hedwig’s Theme,” Williams invites listeners to shrug off the weight of the Muggle (human) world for that of wizards, witches and red-haired Weasleys.

The eerie organ that opens the album suggests the mystery and mysticism of the phenomenal books; it is easy to imagine the young wizards zipping around the Quidditch field on Nimbus 2000 brooms or owls delivering a constant supply of letters when the violins enter and exit subtly, eventually taking over the song flying monkey-style, a la “The Wizard of Oz.”

Tracks such as “Hogwarts Forever!” and “The Moving Stairs” and “Diagon Alley and the Gringotts Vault” paint scenes as well, if not better than the book – and perhaps the film – and resound familiarly.

And this. perhaps, is the only downfall of the album. Williams often uses some sleight of hand in his motion picture scores.

“Diagon Alley” and other tracks use the same choral effect that Williams composed so familiarly for “Duel of the Fates” from “Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace.”

The beginning of “Harry’s Wondrous World” is nothing more than a slowed-down “Imperial March,” but it doesn’t detract from the effect and beauty of the score.

“Hedwig’s Theme,” first introduced in the “Prologue,” is sure to join Williams’ long list of movie memories along with the score itself.

– Jon Dahlager

Cheesy pop music behind beautiful Christmas songs just doesn’t work.

For instance, Chirstina Aguilera has a nice voice, and her rendition of “Angels We Have Heard on High” would be great if it wasn’t produced with pop music and other background crap.

Since so many people associate Christmas with Carson Daly, bad pop music and hundreds of screaming of girls, MTV released “TRL Christmas,” an album filled with “Total Request Live” staple artists’ renditions of Christmas songs.

Artists such as `NSync, Willa Ford, TLC, LFO and Angela Via contribute songs but have the same problem as Aguilera’s track – too much pop.

The album’s only highlights include songs from Simple Plan, a pop/punk song called “My Christmas List” and Weezer with “The Christmas Song.”

The best song comes in Blink 182’s “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” which combines humor and a catchy hook. Singer Mark Hoppus sings, “Outside the carolers start to sing/ I can’t describe the joy they bring/ `cause joy is something they don’t bring me/ It’s Christmas time again/ it’s time to be nice to the people you can’t stand/ all year.”

The reason these acts have good songs is because they don’t take themselves too seriously. They don’t approach making Christmas music with a goal to sell a million records; they just want to have fun.

Pop rockers Sugar Ray and Smash Mouth put forth their efforts with little success. The only thing you want to do when you hear Sugar Ray’s “Little Saint Nick” is beat the crap out of frontman Mark McGrath.

For some reason, a remix of P.O.D.’s “Rock The Party” finds its way onto this album – the only song without a Christmas message. But since it’s somewhat of a Christian band, that must make it OK.

This album, much like many other Christmas albums from pop stars, is a novelty record. You might put it in and enjoy it twice a year, but it would help if most of the songs didn’t suck.

-Kyle Moss