Upbeat dance-party fun with a "you can do it" message.

See three music videos from "Spectacular!" at Yahoo! Kids: Don't Tell Me, Break My Heart and Your Own Way.

A strong rhythm section and capable, perky vocals define the dozen songs on "Spectacular!", the CD soundtrack for Nickelodeon's original movie about (no surprise here) being a talented teenager with a couple of problems to work out.

"High School Musical" fans will find this artistic territory comfortable and familiar, and songs like "Something to Believe In" and "Your Own Way" deliver on the promise in their titles with lyrics like "Got to do what you wanna do/got to say what you wanna say/just do it your own way."

Never brilliant but consistently fun, the "Spectacular!" soundtrack keeps the energy high even on its anthem-y ballads, and the young performers rise to the demands of powerful rhythm tracks and a layered "more is better" production aesthetic. Any tween seeking fuel for that rock-star fantasy will find it right here, but many could write songs that are more imaginative and soulful.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that the soundtrack for Nickelodeon's musical "Spectacular!" contains family-friendly, very danceable music with positive anthems about the importance of being yourself. The strong, rhythmic tracks are guaranteed to fuel kids' rock star fantasies.

Families can talk about all the complex relationships involved in being in a band, and what happens when the group changes personnel -- something that can be just as hard as a romantic break-up. How would you handle the situation if your band broke up?

Artist(s): Various Genre: Pop music for kids Label: Nick Records/Columbia Parental Advisory: No Edited Version Available: No Release Date: 2/3/2009

Reviewed by Kathi Kamen Goldmark.

See more about the "Spectacular!" Soundtrack at Common Sense Media.