So the only Batman & Robin soundtrack album was the usual song compilation ''Inspired from the motion picture'', which is a bit similar to the Batman Forever song compilation album. This means that the names featured are commercial and a bit varied. There are alt rock tunes, as well as some electronic, commercial hip hop etc. Most of the tracks are at best unimpressive, but the two Smashing Pumpkins songs are really good. For more details about all the songs look at the tracklisting section.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has been writing some mighty strong soundtrack songs lately.

His contribution to Lost Highway, the quirky techno number Eye, remains in heavy rotation on "modern rock" radio and has helped the soundtrack sell 500,000 copies.

Now Corgan's cool oozes again from The End Is The Beginning Is The End, an uptempo rocker co-produced by Nellee Hooper (U2, Madonna) that matches the supposed "ice-and-metal" aesthetic of the lastest instalment in the Batman franchise -- in theatres on June 20.

For now, Batfans will have to exist on the more-than-decent audio diet of the movie's soundtrack, in stores Tuesday.

The Pumpkins' songs -- there's also their slower, album-ending The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning -- are standouts, along with Jewel's re-recorded poignant ballad Foolish Games, Goo Goo Dolls' rowdier-than-usual Lazy Eye and R&B vocalist Eric Benet's funky ballad True To Myself.

On the minus side is R. Kelly's attempt at being Des' ree on Gotham City -- he uses a children's choir at the end for God's sake -- and Me' Shell Ndegeocello's mis-directed cover of the Leiber & Stoller classic Poison Ivy. (Uma Thurman's character in the film.)