TV on the Radio, Freelance Whales, Lykke Li, Andrew Bird, M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel are just some of music stars you will find on the Bored To Death soundtrack. The music perfectly encapsulates the mood of the acclaimed HBO original series, yet stands alone as a great compilation. Whether you are an avid watcher or unfamiliar with the noirish offbeat comedy about a struggling writer moonlighting as a private eye, the album due September 21 on WaterTower Music, serves as both an excellent introduction to the sounds of the show or a replay of favorite moments from the first season.
Coconut Records, the musical solo project of the show's star Jason Schwartzman, kicks off the album with the series' theme song, a loungey number that sets the tone with its swinging beat, tinkling piano and blast of horns (previously digital only, this is the first time the track is available on CD). From there the album ebbs and flows over 15 songs: the happy-go-lucky indie pop of Freelance Whales ("Kilojoules"), the sun-drenched harmonies of The Explorers Club ("Forever"), the bluesy shuffle of Dan Auerbach ("The Prowl"), the lo-fi minimalism of Young Marble Giants ("Salad Days"), the electro-disco of Arling & Cameron ("Dirty Robot") to the orchestral pop of Lykke Li ("Little Bit") and the soulful post-punk of TV on the Radio ("Halfway Home").
Following nearly every track, snippets of dialogue from the show between the aforementioned lead, Schwartzman ("The Darjeeling Limited," Rushmore"), and his co-stars Zach Galifianakis ("The Hangover") and Ted Danson ("Damages," "Curb Your Enthusiasm") break up the music and offers a dose of the show's irreverent humor. Listeners are treated to memorable one-liners such as "In my heart I'm a vegan, but in my mouth I lack discipline" and "She wants me to get a colonic, something about me being in a bad mood all the time because I'm leaking toxins." By the end, you should be all primed for the debut of season two, set to air September 28 on HBO.
BORED TO DEATH TRACKLIST
Coconut Records - "Bored to Death"
Tobias Froberg - "When the Night Turns to Cold"
Freelance Whales - "Kilojoules"
M. Ward featuring Zooey Deschanel - "Rave On"
The Explorers Club - "Forever"
The Real Tuesday Weld - "I'll See You In My Dreams"
Andrew Bird - "Lull"
Lykke Li - "Little Bit"
Dan Auerbach - "The Prowl"
Sean Hayes - "f***ed Me Right Up"
Dawn Landes - "Romeo"
Kaiser Cartel - "Inside Out"
Young Marble Giants - "Salad Days"
Arling & Cameron - "Dirty Robot"
TV On The Radio - "Halfway Home"