Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Album

by Sarah Michelle Gellar

Overview

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the ultimate cult television series of the '90s, eclipsing even The X-Files in some ways, because it's about teenagers and demons -- the perfect subjects for cult audiences. Like most cult shows, Buffy built up its audience steadily over several seasons, reaching some sort of critical mass in 1999, as it launched a spin-off series in Angel, and its stars -- Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz, Seth Green, and Alyson Hannigan -- became inescapable, appearing in the movies and on magazine covers. If any further proof of Buffy reaching a zenith in 1999 was needed, there is the fact that a soundtrack was released in the fall of that year, as well. Appropriately, almost everything on the album matches either the gothic atmosphere of the show or its indie cred. Unlike most TV soundtracks, there isn't an abundance of major artists here -- only Garbage, the Sundays, and (inexplicably) Alison Krauss, plus such cult sensations as Guided by Voices and Face to Face jump out among the 18 tracks. That's fine because several of these songs were actually in the TV show -- another thing that separates Buffy from other TV soundtracks. Also, the goth rock of Rasputina, the vague trip-hop of Velvet Chain, the folky pop of Hepburn, the aggressive post-PJ Harvey rock of Furslide, and Bif Naked's singer/songwriter alt-rock all fit the show like a glove. There may be no real standouts on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Album, but it creates and maintains a specific mood that matches the show itself, which is a rarity among '90s soundtracks. And that's exactly what a show like this deserves. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	02/26/2008
Label:	Columbia
UPC:	5099749663329

Album Credits

Performance Credits

K's Choice   Primary Artist
The Sundays   Primary Artist
Guided by Voices   Primary Artist
Four Star Mary   Primary Artist
Rasputina   Primary Artist
Alison Krauss & Union Station   Primary Artist
Superfine   Primary Artist
Bif Naked   Primary Artist
Black Lab   Primary Artist
Kim Ferron   Primary Artist
Christophe Beck   Primary Artist
Face to Face   Primary Artist
Furslide   Primary Artist
Garbage   Primary Artist
Velvet Chain   Primary Artist
Hepburn   Primary Artist
Splendid   Primary Artist
Nerf Herder   Primary Artist
Chris Beck   Primary Artist
Black Lamb   Primary Artist
Alison Krauss   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Alison Krauss   Performer
Keith Richards   Composer
John King   Music Coordinator
K's Choice   Performer
Ralph Sall   Music Supervisor
Rasputina   Performer
Shirley Manson   Composer
Steve Marker   Composer
Angie Hart   Composer
Bif Naked   Performer
Bob Thiele   Composer
Black Lab   Performer
Kim Ferron   Performer
Christophe Beck   Composer
Jesse Tobias   Composer
Furslide   Performer
Fred Kevorkian   Mastering
Garbage   Performer
Robert Kraft   Music Supervisor
Dillon O'Brian   Composer
Robert Pollard   Composer
Joss Whedon   Executive Producer
Velvet Chain   Performer
Carol Farhat   Score Supervisor,Music Supervisor
Duke Erikson   Composer
Stephanie Kika   Music Clearance
Black Lamb   Performer
Splendid   Performer
Mick Jagger   Composer
Butch Vig   Composer
Gert Bettens   Composer
Hepburn   Performer
Cathy Dennis   Composer
Robin Glowski   Art Direction
Scott Shiflett   Composer
Mark Ruberg   Music Coordinator
Jeff Stacy   Composer
Danielle Diego   Music Supervisor
Chris Beck   Performer
Geoff Bywater   Music Supervisor
Sam Bettens   Composer
Jennifer Turner   Composer
Phil Thornalley   Composer
Nerf Herder   Performer
Melora Creager   Composer
Guided by Voices   Performer
The Sundays   Performer
Harley Allen   Composer
Four Star Mary   Composer,Performer
Patricia Joseph   Producer