A varied and eclectic collection, Sep 16 2005

Beginning with Jeff Buckley's haunting song "New Years Prayer" a remixed version of which is used in the programme's opening credits, the album moves at a dizzy pace through Cuban Son (The Puentes Brothers), Native American music (Chris and Deanna Gestrin), pulsing club music (Meat Katie), rap (War Paint ft. Buc Fifty) and three 1940s swing classics sung by Pat Caird. Her rendition of "I'll Be Seeing You" is particularly evocative, and is a perfect compliment to the moving final scenes of the episode "Enigma", which by his own admission still makes the programme's beefy leading man cry like a baby whenever he hears it. Also included is the 60s slide-guitar classic "Sleepwalk" by Santo and Johnny and the beautiful 1967 R & B song by Jean Wells, "Have A Little Mercy On Me".

One of the show's producers is Shawn Piller, and the album is also a shameless plug for his wife Lindsay Price. Her elegant and soulful song "Melting" is included, despite not actually being used in the show itself as far as anyone can make out. Piller has his own record label and stable of talented young acts, including The Woods from Los Angeles and Fredalba. Also included on the album is Anthony Michael Hall's rendition of the Leonard Cohen classic "Hallelujah". Hall experimented a lot with music in his early 20s, eventually producing an album called "Welcome to the Hall of Mirrors" (now sadly deleted). But his version of Hallelujah, which I had the privilege to see him perform live in New York a couple of years ago, shows just how very much this actor has grown up since his 80s film career. Likewise another man who made his mark in the 80s, Roy Hay from Culture Club, demonstrates his "new" maturity. He is the composer for The Dead Zone, and his incidental music is a huge part of the show. On this compilation he is showcased with the track "Sarah's Love Theme". Moving stuff.

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