Music Review: The Vampire Diaries: Original Television Soundtrack

It was only a matter of time before one of the most popular shows on the CW Television Network got its own soundtrack. Much like other teen-centered TV dramas of the past, like Fox's The O.C. and other vampire-minded hit shows like HBO's True Blood, Vampire Diaries (which airs Thursday nights on CW) is trying to capitalize on its hit show with a hit soundtrack. And it was a bloody good decision.

Based on the L.J. Smith novels of the same name, the second-year TV series revolves around two brothers (Stefan and his elder, Damon) who obsess over the same gorgeous girl (Elena) and fight to control the fate of a whole (fictional) town (Mystic Falls, Virginia).

Viewers have long commented on the beautiful and fitting music that accompanied key episodes in season one (2009) and now season two, which began in early September. As of October 12, they have a chance to hear 16 tracks that span nearly 65 minutes on The Vampire Diaries: Original Television Soundtrack. It not only features some familiar names from the alternative music realm, but one of the hottest album covers of the year (featuring the aforementioned main stars of the show). Then there's the music itself.

Composer Michael Suby's "Stefan's Theme" clip and rock vets Placebo's Kate Bush cover "Running Up That Hill" set the tone right for a dark opening to the album. The deep bass and contrasting light, tremolo-aided electronics and guitars of the former track, and the thumping, downtempo beats and cut-up vocals of the latter make for an excellent one-two punch.

Track three kicks up the volume some, as alternative rockers Silversun Pickups, led by the always youthful-sounding Brian Aubert contribute the excellent, urgent rock of "Currency of Love," which was previously only available as an iTunes-only bonus track on second album, Swoon (2009).

The "Darktimes" remix of Bat For Lashes' "Sleep Alone" thoroughly turns the groove inside out and adds a lower register vocal to Natasha Khan's. It's very well done, but the original would have fit here better, with its decidedly more ghoulish background vocals and overall darker mood.

If vampires like to dance, there's a few choice cuts here. Howls' "Hammock," which sings about "howling at the moon" is a fine, low-key dance rock track. There is also the decent retro synth pop of Goldfrapp's "We Radiate," and rising 18-year-old dance pop star Sky Ferreira's "Obsession." The latter, at least lyrically, fits the show more so than the former, and has the potential to be a club hit in the vein of Katy Perry, who happens to be a fan of her work (and had a controversial way of showing it several months back).

This article was first published in full earlier today at Blogcritics Magazine.

Charlie Doherty’s Favorite 209 Songs from 2000-2009 - Part II: 2005-2009

Published first January 27, 2010 at the site of Blogcritics Magazine

Continuing where Part I left off, this list is shorter but no less eclectic.

You’ll see a little post-punk (Elefant), reggae (Ziggy Marley, Matisyahu), melodic death metal (Into Eternity), hip-hop (Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West, Beck), indie folk (Bright Eyes), and so much more on this list of the last 89 of my 209 favorite tunes of the 2000's.

Of course, with a list this long, some songs meant more to me than others. For instance, Imogen Heap’s collaboration with legendary guitar whiz Jeff Beck, “Goodnight & Go” helped get me through post-surgery complications back in 2006 (along with Radiohead’s underrated “Lurgee”). And Junkie XL’s “We Become One” is the dreamiest, spaciest song I’ve ever heard that Peter Gabriel never wrote. It was also cool to hear the Dropkick Murphys make the suburb they started out in (Quincy, MA, also my hometown) the subject of the chorus of “Finnigan’s Ball.”

In this half of the decade, I found myself discovering and listening to a boatload more female-fronted bands and artists than the first half, including Natasha Khan’s Bat For Lashes, Neko Case, Arch Enemy, Emily Haines’ Canadian troupe Metric, the blue-eyed soul of Welsh singer Duffy, and the lovely Jenny Lewis, among others. Then there were bands I got more into than ever, including hard rock mainstays Clutch, My Morning Jacket, and Royksopp.

Newer favorites included Silversun Pickups, Company of Thieves, Band Of Horses, Torche and The Whigs. And of course, bands I grew up with kept delivering the goods, including Pearl Jam, a reunited Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Sonic Youth, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Now, without further ado, here are the fine 89. As always, feel free to comment on them below.

Part II: 2005-2009

Allen, Lilly “Smile”
Arcade Fire “Keep The Car Running”
Arcade Fire “Wake Up”
Arch Enemy “Nemesis”
Band of Horses “First Song”
Bat For Lashes “What’s A Girl To Do”
Bat For Lashes “Daniel”
Bat For Lashes “Sleep Alone”
Beck “Hell Yes”
Black, Frank “I Burn Today”
Black Eyed Peas “Don’t Lie”
Black Label Society “Suicide Messiah”
Brazilian Girls “Don’t Stop”
Bright Eyes “First Day Of My Life (f/Jesse Harris on guitar)”
Bright Eyes “Lua (f/Gillian Welch)”
Broken Social Scene “7/4 (Shoreline)”
Broken Social Scene “Fire Eye’d Boy”
Case, Neko “Star Witness”
Chemical Brothers “Galvanize (f/Q-Tip)”
Clutch “10001110101”
Clutch ”Electric Worry”
Company of Thieves “Oscar Wilde”
Corgan, Billy “The CameraEye”
Death Cab For Cutie “Cath”
Down "Mourn"
Dropkick Murphys “Finnigan’s Ball”
Duffy "Mercy"
Flaming Lips “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)”
Future Of The Left “You Need Satan More Than He Needs You”
Gaslight Anthem “The ‘59 Sound”
Heap, Imogen w/Jeff Beck “Goodnight And Go”
Into Eternity “Timeless Winter”
Iron & Wine “Flightless Bird, American Mouth”
Jay-Z w/Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind"/Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind (Part II)"
Junkie XL “Mushroom”
Junkie XL “We Become One”
Killswitch Engage “The End of Heartache”
King, Kaki “2 O’Clock”
Kings of Leon “On Call”
Kings of Leon “Sex On Fire”
Legend, John “Ordinary People”
Lewis, Jenny “Rise Up With Fists!!”
Lewis, Jenny “Big Guns”
Lifehouse “Hanging By A Moment”
Loomis, Jeff “Sacristy”
Low Red Land “Dog’s Hymn”
Marley, Ziggy “Love Is My Religion”
Mars Volta “Goliath”
Matisyahu “King Without A Crown”
MGMT “Time To Pretend”
M.I.A. “Paper Planes”
Minus The Bear “Pachuca Sunrise”
Megadeth “Sleepwalker”
Metallica “All Nightmare Long”
Metric “Monster Hospital”
My Morning Jacket “Anytime”
Muse “Starlight”
Nine Inch Nails “The Hand That Feeds”
Oakenfold, Paul “Ready Steady Go”
Paramore “That’s What You Get”
Passion Pit “The Reeling”
Pearl Jam “Got Some”
Phoenix “1901”
Radiohead “All I Need”
Radiohead “Jigsaw Falling Into Place”
Red Hot Chili Peppers “Snow (Hey Oh)”
The Rifles “The Great Escape”
Royksopp “Only This Moment”
Royksopp “Vision One”
Satellite Party (Perry Farrell) "Milky Ave"
School of Seven Bells “Half Asleep”
Silversun Pickups “Rusted Wheel”
Silversun Pickups “Substitution”
Silversun Pickups “Three Seed”
Smashing Pumpkins "Stellar"
Smashing Pumpkins “That’s The Way (My Love Is)”
Sonic Youth “Incinerate”
Stevens, Sufjan “Come On! Feel The Illinoise!”
Third Eye Blind “Non-Dairy Creamer”
Torche “Across The Shields”
Travis “Selfish Jean”
Travis “Colder”
Tunstall, KT “Black Horse And The Cherry Tree”
TV On The Radio “Wolf Like Me”
West, Kanye “Gold Digger (f/Jamie Foxx)”
Waltham “Cheryl (Come And Take A Ride)”
The Whigs “Right Hand On My Heart”
The White Stripes “Blue Orchid”
Wolf Parade “The Grey Estates”

Charlie Doherty's 40 Favorite Songs of 2009

Link to original Blogcritics Magazine article is HERE

After years of reading respectable music magazines (PASTE, SPIN, Rolling Stone), and online sites (Pitchfork) and their year-end so-called "best of" lists, I've realized that they never truly reflect more than 40-50% - if that - of the music I dug in a given year. It's become an almost completely useless exercise for me.

Now if you're talking about someone's list of "favorite" songs/records of the year, they are more valuable, not to mention less arguable than "best of" lists, for the authors usually give a more personal and passionate explanation as to what a certain song or album meant to them. Such write-ups may convince you to check out such music yourself to see if you get that same reaction.

Therefore, when you read a list such as the one below, it only reflects my personal taste, not my "music critic" side, though some of these songs were ones I did indeed discover as a reviewer. With audio/video links and descriptions accompanying many of these choices, I hope you find this list at least somewhat useful since you are taking some time out of your busy life to read it.

Without further ado, here are my Top Forty Favorite Tracks of 2009.

40. Appleseed Cast “Raise The Sails”
A dreamy, shoegaze tune that (top music blog) Stereogum is directly responsible for me hearing. Thanks!

39. N.A.S.A. "Spacious Thoughts (f/Tom Waits & Kool Keith)"
Whoever came up with the idea of pairing up a crazy cool veteran underground rap star in Kool Keith with this legendary New Jersey elder statesman of rock deserves to be paid handsomely.

38. The New Up "Bitch"
A young San Francisco band with a female lead singer (ES Pitcher) that’s being compared to Chrissy Hynde and Emily Haines definitely got my attention this year. This track is the clear highlight from the group’s Better Off EP.

37. Jack’s Mannequin "Swim"
This is one heck of an inspirational and hope-filled song written by Andrew McMahon, a cancer (leukemia) survivor.

36. Julian Lennon "Lucy"
Speaking of inspiration, the last song I added to my Top 40 list is a tribute to the late Lucy Vodden, who as a young girl inspired a drawing by Julian Lennon, which his dad John Lennon saw and wrote into a song with his fellow Beatles you may have heard of, "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds."

35. Let Me Run “Like A Fish”
Love the punk spirit here.

34. Rocketboys “All The Western Winds”
Discovered via PASTE magazine late in the year, these guys deliver slightly ethereal alt-rock in the vein of the best aspects of Coldplay.

33. Amazing Baby “Headdress”
The twin guitar work here impresses me every time.

32. Dead Weather “New Pony”
Jack White holds his own on the skins while the band rocks out '70s garage hard rock style.

31. Wild Light “California On My Mind”
The lyrics might be angry/negative but this is a care-free, fun, guitar pop tune with some happy harmonica parts to boot.

30. Washed Out “Feel It All Around”
Listening to this track, I picture a slightly cloudy, summery day circa 1986. It's retro chill music indeed, from South Carolina.

29. Prince "Ol’ Skool Company"
If you wanted to order a tune with a fresh mix of soul, rock and funk this past year, this hot (and slightly political) track was it.

28. Serena Ryder “Little Bit of Red”
She could be the next Melissa Etheridge with more tunes like this.

27. Cut Off Your Hands “Happy As Can Be”
It’s like Echo & The Bunnymen, but less dark - for New Zealand.

26. Street Sweeper Social Club “Promenade”
This bouncy rap rocker features some of Tom Morello's finest soloing in years.

25. Kentucky Nightmare “Caroline & I”
A little Americana never hurt anyone.

24. Phoenix “1901”
2009 was a breakout year for these guys, and this is arguably their best song yet.

23. Favours For Sailors “I Dreamt That You Dreamt You Loved Me In Your Dreams”
This infectious powerpop rocker will have you wondering when they will get their big break. They'd be a perfect opening act for Weezer. (Hint, Hint)

22. Future of the Left “You Need Satan More Than He Needs You”
It’s loud, ridiculous and most importantly, fu***** rocks your socks off.

21. Annie “Anthonio”
The Norwegian electro-pop singer/DJ always has a sweet or downright hot voice to match her music, and this track is no different.

20. Kiss “Modern Day Delilah”
Simply the best song they've written in more than a couple decades.

19. Yeah Yeah Yeahs ”Heads Will Roll”
A great workout/dance song that also rocks from Karen O and the boys.

18. U2 “Magnificent”
They've made more elite albums than No Line On The Horizon, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have great material. This one made the list for its memorable chorus alone, the end of which slightly recalls the chorus of Achtung Baby favorite “Even Better Than The Real Thing.” And that’s a good thing, of course.

17. Silversun Pickups “Substitution”
I'm so glad they released this as a single as it is one of the most dynamic tracks on 2009 CD Swoon.

16. Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse “Revenge (w/Wayne Coyne)"
A late night track perfect to relax to after a long day.

15. Metric “Blindness”
Definitely the most emotion-filled track on the Fantasies disc, one that sees Emily Haines presumably empowering herself to overcome drug addiction.

14. Clutch “Struck Down”
Yet another ace track from the veteran Maryland stoner rockers, this tune proudly wears its current blues rock influence on its collective sleeves.

13. Jay-Z “Run This Town (w/Rihanna/Kanye West)”
You couldn't avoid liking this tune if you tried, mostly because of Rihanna's stadium-sized vocals.

12. Jay-Z w/Alicia Keys “Empire State Of Mind”
As anthemic and cool as this version is, Keys' own piano-based version turns it into a beautiful number that's just as great, if not better.

11. Neko Case “People Got A Lotta Nerve”
A short, jangly hooky pop song from one of the best female indie rock artists of the 2000s.

10. Imogen Heap “First Train Home”
The genius of electronic pop hits a home run again with this one.

9. Third Eye Blind “Non Dairy Creamer”
The subject matter may be political, but it's also humorous. And the music (pop rock) is undeniable ear candy.

8. Royksopp “Silver Cruiser”
Phenomenal production, out-of-this-world soothing sounds. Electronic music doesn't get cooler than this.

7. Pearl Jam “Got Some”
It's their most urgent and energy-packed loud rocker they've released since "Go" came out in 1993.

6. Bat For Lashes ”Sleep Alone”
A hot beat behind retro electronic drums and synths, and The Cure-ish atmospherics equals an A+ track to these ears.

5. Passion Pit “The Reeling”
These Boston boys came out of nowhere to score a hit with the most swirly, hypnotic, synth-pop tune I've heard in years.

4. Low Red Land “Dog’s Hymn”
Discovered via SPIN magazine, this San Fran group's best song evokes Minus The Bear (one of my favorite bands of the 2000s). Thus, it easily became one of my favorite songs of the year.

3. Bat For Lashes “Daniel”
This darkly romantic '80's-style synth rocker ruled my world this year - not to mention my mp3 player.

2. Bright Eyes w/Gillian Welch “Lua”
First released in 2005 solo acoustic, this beautiful re-recording is the most improved version of any song I've ever heard, period.

1. Company Of Thieves “Oscar Wilde”
It's got a funky bass line, emotive guitar work, a fine vocalist with powerful pipes and a message that serves as an indictment of humanity: "We are all our own devil/And we make this world our hell." It's my song of the year and thanks goes to Carson Daly for introducing the Chicago band to the world in 2009.