Rating:   11 Ratings     12345  

Six Feet Under Everything Ends Astralwerks

      Somehow the characters were so believable that almost inevitably I mysteriously found a way to weave what was happening with them into my own bumpy and ever-changing existence. The endearing cast members drive home every unlikable, obnoxious, distasteful habit that we hate in ourselves yet constantly do or obsess about. From reoccurring thoughts of feeling bad or guilty about major life decisions, fighting with inner self-acceptance, loving someone who isn’t in love with you, guilt from infidelity, indecision, shame, selfishness, apathy, to the unsatisfactory on-again, off-again relationship that somehow you just can’t break. The show also touched on darker subjects that are often too risqué or taboo for some audiences such as incest, rape, murder, kidnapping, terminal illnesses and severe psychological disorders.

      Created and Executive Produced by the Oscar-winning writer Alan Ball, the phenomenal show lived on for five memorable seasons. In my humble opinion I feel it is the greatest drama ever made, in fact I believe each episode was nothing short of a work of art. So for me what seems an almost impossible task, piecing together a musical representation of the dreamy drama, Astralwerks has done so in an eclectic way with it’s second and final soundtrack release Everything Ends.

      Anyone who’s a fan of the series, or even the occasional viewer, knows that the acting and script-writing is impeccable. But what really sets the show apart is the flawless combination of both sound and screen. The eerie music and perfected sequencing not only impact the memorable moments but makes them downright unforgettable. For instance anyone who watched the powerful finale will eternally hear "Breathe Me" by Sia and instantly picture Claire, driving her eco-friendly car bound toward New York City.

Help, I have done it again
I have been here many times before
Hurt myself again today
And, the worst part is there’s no-one else to blame.

      Such powerful lyrics are the catalyst for flashbacks of that defining, powerful "this-is-something-we-all-symbolically-go-through" moment that can’t be forgotten because it was so eloquently expressed.

      The soundtrack starts out with Nina Simone "Feeling Good" which very much seems the perfect fit to a musical compilation as ahead of it’s time as the TV series itself. The ideal pick for the intro track was simultaneously used for the fourth season trailer which starts the listener on a journey through an eclectic mix of several varying genres and decades. From sixties, to covers of seventies, to modern day indie rock it’s covered on the assorted album. The next song “Amazing Life” is an exclusive track released by Jem that has appropriately been described as "Dido-Esque." Phoenix follows with "Everything is Everything" a pop-filled dance tune that sounds like something you might hear it at the club, or bumping from the speakers of a teenager’s car next to you in traffic.

      Coldplay and Radiohead are soon to follow with their previously released tracks "A Rush of Blood to the Head" and "Lucky" respectively. Both are a bit too poppy and overplayed for my repeated listening taste, but they keep the smooth, consistent, easy to the ears sound of the album flowing like honey. Every time I hear "A Rush of Blood to the Head" I sweetly envision Nate and Lisa rocking Mya - before Lisa was tragically murdered and Nate’s emotional decent was spun into motion. Another flashback moment I have is when I hear Death Cab for Cutie’s “Transatlanticism” – The eight minute long song gradually builds with a simplistic and beautiful rhythm and harmony. When hearing the melancholy tune I instantly envision Claire and her friends gaily singing along to the sullen, weeping music.

      Two of the more critically-acclaimed components to the soundtrack are the exclusive Interpol and Arcade Fire tracks. Having seen Arcade Fire live and witnessing their sheer talent first-hand, hearing the tasty track was nothing short of bliss. In addition to the inevitable appeal of the track, Arcade Fire couldn’t be more appropriate to the mix for several reasons- with their recent release of Funeral, their floaty-haunting melody, and their ghostly lyrics about the deceased, they easily add up to make "Cold Wind" a defining and crucial track. Regardless of its how pivotal the tracks are, how cohesive it is, or how overplayed some songs are, Everything Ends has a smooth flow that is appealing and fitting to the essence of Six Feet Under. If nothing else it’s a good dinner party mix, or afternoon gardening and sipping on pinot grigio mix, or undoubtedly a let’s appreciate the rarity of a diverse, eclectic, and meaningful soundtrack that appeals to the masses from the most bedraggled, elitist hipster to the affluent mid-thirties Volvo driving, khaki wearing demographic. Undoubtedly the soundtrack won’t be an adequate fix for the show’s own passing and demise, but who is more equipped to deal with a funeral better than the fans of Six Feet Under?

-Christine Beals 09/19/05