Buffy, the Vampire Slayer
Christophe Beck
" Buffy will satisfy more those who witnessed every episode. "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Buffy is an idea of Joss Whedon, creator of some of the most memorable tv-series ever. Alongside the immensely popular Firefly and its awesome movie adaptation Serenity, stands Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, the one he worked on the most. It received a rather crappy movie version (which luckily for the fans, wasn't directed bu Whedon). But the atrocious the movie version aside, he took beauty queen Sarah Michelle Gellar and made her a living killing vampire machine. Ultimately he came and won.
Aired in 1997 and lasting until 2003, Buffy was a hit that gained more fans each season. One of the constant factors of the success had to be the music, with Christophe Beck taking up the bulk of the episodes, followed by our happily named pal Thomas Wanker. So far, only various song related soundtracks backed up Buffy's immortal fame in the music company. So it was a dying wish that the fans would ultimately receive a score-only release. Rounder Records stepped in and saved the day.
It is weird that the actual main title is not found here, so we immediately start with various music from the second season and the opener "Massacre" immediately whops up a frenzy of suspenseful material. The lovely "Remembering Jenny" and "Moment of Happiness" capture nonetheless the most promising material with piano, vocal and string work.
Season 3 brings more or less the same, either suspenseful action music or more touching material. The guitar work in "Loneliness of Six" is quite nice, the experimental instrumental "Sugar High" is different, the string work during "Magic Show Music" is touching and the nice vocal work in "Slayer's Elegy" is a soothing piece. Nonetheless one of the über episodes was “Graduation Day”, featuring the most promising material. "Faith's End" surely is important considering how it underscores a brilliant slow motion scene, accompanied by haunting vocal music. What follows in "Drink Me" is the better stuff where fanfares give the score an epic larger feeling.
Season 4 takes up the remaining time and much doesn't differentiate from the already established tone. Eerie stuff in "Haunted", the mysterious use of the harp in "From the Grave" and "Spellbound", a lovely Eastern vocal in "A Really Big Sandbox", piano work in "Body Paint" and screeching material in "Xander's Nightmare" and "The Tower". The better music comes from "The Princess Screams", bringing much more meaningful and strong action music. The emotional music that signs off "Apocalypse" and "Sacrifice" is of worthy attention too.
But like 24, Buffy and other television music is for a particular audience; its fans. Both will deliver more to those who witnessed every episode. I barely caught 15 episodes of it all together (luckily one of them was “Graduation Day”) and I feel the music wouldn't seem that important if you didn't catch the show. Though, it has enough variation and detail to warrant a spin. But if it must come from actually amusing and captivating you, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer will only be worthwhile to those who followed Buffy wherever she went to kick some vampire ass.
Tracklisting
Season 2
1. Massacre (3.56)
2. Angel Waits (1.43)
3. Remembering Jenny (1.51)
4. Twice the Fool (0.48)
5. Moment of Happiness (2.13)
Season 3
6. Loneliness of Six (1.52)
7. Sugar High (1.43)
8. Tai Chi (1.11)
9. Kralik's House (2.23)
10. Magic Show Music (2.41)
11. Slayer's Elegy (1.55)
12. Faith's End (2.44)
13. Drink Me (1.26)
14. One Last Moment (1.07)
Season 4
15. Haunted (1.16)
16. From the Grave (1.53)
17. Demon got your Tong (2.39)
18. Golf Claps (1.19)
19. The Princess Screams (4.02)
20. Spellbound (2.37)
21. Fyare in the Morning (1.54)
22. A Really Big Sandbox (1.19)
23. Spaghetti (1.17)
24. Body Paint (1.38)
25. Xander's Nightmare (1.49)
26. The Tower (2.06)
27. Losing Battle (1.48)
28. Apocalypse (2.25)
29. Sacrifice (2.09)
Total Length: 57.56
Aired in 1997 and lasting until 2003, Buffy was a hit that gained more fans each season. One of the constant factors of the success had to be the music, with Christophe Beck taking up the bulk of the episodes, followed by our happily named pal Thomas Wanker. So far, only various song related soundtracks backed up Buffy's immortal fame in the music company. So it was a dying wish that the fans would ultimately receive a score-only release. Rounder Records stepped in and saved the day.
It is weird that the actual main title is not found here, so we immediately start with various music from the second season and the opener "Massacre" immediately whops up a frenzy of suspenseful material. The lovely "Remembering Jenny" and "Moment of Happiness" capture nonetheless the most promising material with piano, vocal and string work.
Season 3 brings more or less the same, either suspenseful action music or more touching material. The guitar work in "Loneliness of Six" is quite nice, the experimental instrumental "Sugar High" is different, the string work during "Magic Show Music" is touching and the nice vocal work in "Slayer's Elegy" is a soothing piece. Nonetheless one of the über episodes was “Graduation Day”, featuring the most promising material. "Faith's End" surely is important considering how it underscores a brilliant slow motion scene, accompanied by haunting vocal music. What follows in "Drink Me" is the better stuff where fanfares give the score an epic larger feeling.
Season 4 takes up the remaining time and much doesn't differentiate from the already established tone. Eerie stuff in "Haunted", the mysterious use of the harp in "From the Grave" and "Spellbound", a lovely Eastern vocal in "A Really Big Sandbox", piano work in "Body Paint" and screeching material in "Xander's Nightmare" and "The Tower". The better music comes from "The Princess Screams", bringing much more meaningful and strong action music. The emotional music that signs off "Apocalypse" and "Sacrifice" is of worthy attention too.
But like 24, Buffy and other television music is for a particular audience; its fans. Both will deliver more to those who witnessed every episode. I barely caught 15 episodes of it all together (luckily one of them was “Graduation Day”) and I feel the music wouldn't seem that important if you didn't catch the show. Though, it has enough variation and detail to warrant a spin. But if it must come from actually amusing and captivating you, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer will only be worthwhile to those who followed Buffy wherever she went to kick some vampire ass.
Tracklisting
Season 2
1. Massacre (3.56)
2. Angel Waits (1.43)
3. Remembering Jenny (1.51)
4. Twice the Fool (0.48)
5. Moment of Happiness (2.13)
Season 3
6. Loneliness of Six (1.52)
7. Sugar High (1.43)
8. Tai Chi (1.11)
9. Kralik's House (2.23)
10. Magic Show Music (2.41)
11. Slayer's Elegy (1.55)
12. Faith's End (2.44)
13. Drink Me (1.26)
14. One Last Moment (1.07)
Season 4
15. Haunted (1.16)
16. From the Grave (1.53)
17. Demon got your Tong (2.39)
18. Golf Claps (1.19)
19. The Princess Screams (4.02)
20. Spellbound (2.37)
21. Fyare in the Morning (1.54)
22. A Really Big Sandbox (1.19)
23. Spaghetti (1.17)
24. Body Paint (1.38)
25. Xander's Nightmare (1.49)
26. The Tower (2.06)
27. Losing Battle (1.48)
28. Apocalypse (2.25)
29. Sacrifice (2.09)
Total Length: 57.56