Skins (MTV) "Eura/Everyone" - Let it all out

The experiment that is re-working Skins for the US on MTV has ended its first (and possibly last) season. And while -- like it's UK parent -- the season was riddled with problems, I would happily welcome another season, as there were enough moments of brilliance and differentiation from the original to warrant a longer look. (The ratings were up for the season's finale, but renewal chances are still on the iffy side.)

Take the infamous UK finale with Sid breaking into Cat Stevens' "Wild World" (a Magnolia moment). Tony getting hit by a bus was so absurd the singing served to take what could've been absurd to a surreal art form. It's safe to say that bit of crazy wouldn't fly on MTV, so instead we have Stanley (US' Sid) spontaneously taking the mic at a Starscream show and singing Tears for Fears' "Shout." Starscream joining him on queue is as crazy as we get (that and Cadie joining in perfect harmony). Ultimately, the UK version naturally works better (Nicholas Hoult as Tony alone makes it difficult for the US version to rise to the bar that was set), but we're at least given a glimpse into how they might handle some scenarios like this in a creative fashion.

Playlist: Skins (MTV) - Episode 1.10
1. "Lina Magic" - 3D Friends (Theme Song) [free mp3 download]
2. "Dear Heartbeat" - Darkstar [free mp3 download]
3. "Gravity In Terms Of Space-Time" - Starscream [free mp3 download]
4. "Kepler's Star Catalog" - Starscream [free mp3 download]
5. "December 28th" - [Cavemanfree mp3 download]
6. "Free Today" - Figurines
7. "Piranhas Club" - Man Man (from forthcoming release Live Fantastic, out May 10, 2011)
8. "Me & Mandy" - Lionshare [download]
9. "Tan Lines" - Valleys [download]
10. "Surrounded By Your Friends" - Hooray For Earth [download]
11. "Holding Stones" - Little Tybee [download]
12. "Shades Of Blue" - Guido [download]
13. "Elgrin" - Fat Segal
14. "Silly Billy Borg" - Fat Segal
15. "Shout (Tears for Fears)" - Starscream (feat. Danny Flaherty & Britne Oldford)
16. "Say Goodbye" - Sophie Barker [download]

Previously: "Stanley" (Episode 1.05)

Skins (MTV) "Stanley": Car on Fire

Playlist: Skins (MTV) - Episode 1.05
1. "Dark Tower" - Miniature Tigers [free mp3 download]
2. "Lovesick Teenagers" - Bear In Heaven [free mp3 download]
3. "Soak It Up" - Houses [free mp3 download]
4. "Badman" - Kryptic Minds
5. "8 Birds" - Lucius [download]
6. "Luxury Mood" - Superthriller [download]
7. "Excited For The Future" - Mesita
8. "Cranial Contest" - Superhumanoids [download]
9. "Egyptian Robe" - Miniature Tigers [download]
10. "Str8 Killa No Filla" - Freddie Gibbs [download]
11. "All In Love Is Fair" - Stevie Wonder [download]
12. "Steve Herman" - Fiasco [download]
13. "Mouthful Of Diamonds" - Phantogram [download]
14. "Rock N' Roll Mountain Troll" - Miniature Tigers [download]
15. "I Lost Time" - A Classic Education [download]
16. "Mighty Putty" - Depressed Buttons [download]
17. "He Was Worse Than The Needle He Gave You" - The Delta Mirror [download]
18. "Artificial Intelligence" - Junkie XL
19. "All Night" - Houses

Previously: "Cadie" (Episode 1.04)

Skins (MTV) "Cadie": The Birds

Playlist: Skins (MTV) - Episode 1.04
1. "Lina Magic" - 3D Friends (Theme Song) [free mp3 download]
2. "It's Me" - Aquadrop [free mp3 download]
3. "Off Our Backs" - MEN [free mp3 download]
4. "Mice" - My Toys Like Me [free mp3 download]
5. "My Conversation" - The Uniques [download]
6. "Tropical Birds" - Miniature Tigers [download]
7. "We Are Here" - Au Revoir Simone [download]
8. "Frolicking in the Suburbs" - The Council Flats of Kingsbury [download]
9. "Playtime" - Young Man [download]
10. "Let Me Go" - Phantogram [download]
11. "Church Song" - The Miracles Club [download]
12. "Bedtime" - Youngman [download]
13. "Through It All" - Auzriel Prod. By Felix Snow [download]
14. "Vulpita" - Nottee
15. "Viscera" - Night Eyes [download]
16. "Disobey" - Aluna George [download]
17. "I'd Give You All the Best" - Nottee
18. "Tunnel" - Aquadrop [download]
19. "Boom Boom Boom" - MEN [download]
20. "Fallen Light" - Phaeleh [download]
21. "No Hay Banda" - Aquadrop [download]

Previously: "Chris" (Episode 1.03)

Skins (MTV) "Chris": Little Blue Pill

Like with the premiere ("Tony"), "Chris" is a near shot-for-shot remake of the original, but considering that the source material was one of the highlights of the UK series' entire run (so far), it still resonated with me tremendously. It's always powerful when a character originally pigeonholed as a cartoon character turns out to be one of the tragic figure of the series. Of course the class clown has a story, and 'the tears of a clown' always manage to get us right in the old ticker. Hopefully those who have been turned off by Skins will begin to see it does have a heart, even if it's taken awhile for it to appear through cracks in the partying pavement.

Another reason this episode works is the music. The first episode was up and down in that department, but it's really starting to click like the UK original did. Of course, just having original music that isn't stripped out for the US airing puts them ahead of the BBC America's version. New Zealand's Lawrence Arabia has become the house band for MTV's Skins, placing two more tracks here. Toss in some well placed Sonny & the Sunsets, Baths, Fujiya & Miyagi and a couple more from The So So Glos. Chris' drugged out scene done to Starkey's "Fourth Dimension" was quite the trippy marriage of visual and audio.

Playlist: Skins (MTV) - Episode 1.03
1. "I Want A House" - Twin Sister [download]
2. "Too Young To Burn" - Sonny & The Sunsets [download]
3. "My Left Eye" - LoveLikeFire
4. "The Beautiful Young Crew" - Lawrence Arabia [download]
5. "Let's Go Surfing" - The Drums [download]
6. "Coulda Been Me" - Luck-One & Dekk [download]
7. "Airflow (Valerna Remix)" - Clockwork
8. "Party Patrol (Lionshare Remix)" - George & Jonathan [download]
9. "Aminals" - Baths [download]
10. "Canadian Girl" - The Walkmen [download]
11. "Dial My Number" - Rusko [download]
12. "The Undesirables" - Lawrence Arabia [download]
13. "Living/Breathing" - Mesita [download]
14. "Cannibal" - Hickey & Sohn [download]
15. "Collarbone" - Fujiya & Miyagi [download]
16. "Fourth Dimension" - Starkey [download]
17. We Got The Days - The So So Glos [download]
18. "LightCycles (feat. Ceci G & White Magick)" - Dead Geoff
19. "Dead Girls Dance" - Oberhofer
20. "New Stance" - The So So Glos [download]

Previously: "Tea" (Episode 1.02)

Skins (MTV) "Tea": Lavender Dancer

When they switched out Maxie in the original UK version with Tea, there naturally could be heard a few cries of "Why?" and it's perhaps the scene between Tony and Tea here that is the reasoning.

Fittingly enough, this week's episode of the Brit-to-US satire Episodes dealt with a similar issue -- changing the sexual orientation of the character to better fit the US market. Whereas Matt LeBlanc argues, legitimately, that the 'I want the I can't have' storyline won't have legs much beyond a season, with Skins it's likely the US market's stomach for intimate scenes involving guy-on-guy. Girl-on-girl, conversely, is fetishized, especially in the post-mooks & midriffs age of MTV.

That's the bad reason. The good reason for the change is that Sofia Black-D'Elia is a star in the making, and since she didn't fit the mold for either of the other vital female roles, one had to be made for her. As such, the Tea character is already a much bigger role that Maxie ever was, and if there's a concession for the hetero-driven first reason, having a gay character in a much larger role (especially one played by the talent of Black-D'Elia) makes for a favorable trade-off.

When it was revealed that our dancing Maxie would be a cheerleader, I feared we'd miss out on all the dancing, but in this Tea-centric episode, we managed to get plenty of dancing (including the one with Tony to Mumdance's "Don't Forget Me Now"), so the spirit of Maxie, in that regard, is still alive -- if watered down a bit. Of course, the point might all be moot, thanks to indifference from the viewing public. Episode 2 saw a huge decrease in the ratings, even though the quality was a marked improvement over the shot-for-shot remake of the original's opening ("Tony").

Fascinating, if somewhat forced, incorporation of The Lavender Scare into the proceedings through Tea's Nana. The Cold War-era witch hunt that went largely unnoticed alongside the much more publicized Red Scare. David K. Johnson's 2004 book (The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government) has hopscotched in and out of my queue at the library, but maybe it's time to finally check it out (or, more likely, get it on my Kindle).

Playlist: Skins (US) - Episode 1.02
1. "Not At All" - Emily Warren [download]
2. "Hiking" - North Highlands [download]
3. "Not Gonna Let You" - Randa & The Soul Kingdom [download]
4. "Huron Impromptu, AD. 1903" - Dark Fellow
5. "Belongings" - Bear Hands [download]
6. "Kids" - Sherlock's Daughter (vimeo)
7. "Drug A Wheel" - Bear in Heaven [download]
8. "Song For A Pump Organ" - Pepper Rabbit [download]
9. "Don't Forget Me Now" - Mumdance ft. Esser [download]
10. "Crime Pays" Bear Hands [download]



Previously: "Tony" (MTV Ep1.01)

Skins (MTV) "Tony": Deja Vu

I have to admit... seeing the disparaging live tweets unfold during the broadcast made me hesitate viewing this MTV remake, but all things considered (working from the same basic opening script), MTV didn't do that bad of a job.

Those that watched the original UK (and the subsequent cut BBC America) version might remember that the opening "Tony" episode wasn't really the best foot forward (my review and preview). As a means to get the ire the Parents' Television Council (always good for a ratings push -- thanks PTC!), both versions serve as a brilliant foot forward, but the heart that the original series had won't likely be revealed until next week (although, I understand they already begin a large amount of deviation starting next week).

As far as music goes, the original UK broadcast still wins out, even though we have the carry-over of Segal doing most the incidental music. Still, loved the use of Animal Collective and a couple key scenes with New Zealand's Lawrence Arabia, including the closing. As I said, it apparently gets better and music likely goes hand in hand.

Playlist: Skins (MTV) - Episode 1.01
1. "My Girls" - Animal Collective [download]
2. "It's Like Fishing Without A Hook And Expecting To Catch A Fish" - Fiasco [download]
3. Apsci - "Crazy Crazy Insane" [download]
4. Ceci G - "Weather Tether" [download]
5. Lawrence Arabia - "Apple Pie Bed" [download]
6. The Drums - "The Future" [download]
7. Aceyalone - "Suicide" [download]
8. Segal - "Sick Bay"
9. Yacht - "Ring The Bell" [download]
10. Twin Sister - "Phenomenons" [download]
12. Phantogram - "When I'm Small" [download]
13. The So So Glos - "Lindy Hop" [download]
14. Mesita - "Here For You" [download]
15. Rioux - "Lost Hold"
16. Superthriller - "Everybody's Gotta Get Some"
17. Famous Original - "Like Blood" [download]
18. Trackademicks - "Enjoy What You Do" [download]
19. Segal (feat. Kaluuya) - "Buss Dat"
20. Blood Orange - "Sutphin Boulevard"
21. Jokers Of The Scene - "Baggy Bottom Boys" [download]
22. Grandchildren - "Cold Warrior" [download]
23. Lawrence Arabia - "Like A Fool" [download]

Skins - MTV Shows

Previously: Teens from across the pond

Skins "J.J." - Between friends

Time to check in again with Skins, and "J.J." was one I had circled looking ahead in the season, thinking focus on the kid with Asperger Syndrome would lead to something interesting, and I wasn't disappointed.

Sure, there are still plenty of things wrong with season 3, and specifically with the drastic cutting that goes on before it makes it to a BBC America airing, but this episode was mostly intact, thanks to a soundtrack choice involving lots of Claude DeBussy. The use of DeBussy is actually a reference to the Japanese film Riri Shushu no subete, AKA All About Lily Chou-Chou), a film that kind of parallels the concept of Skins - following teens through the rough and tumble life of high school in the city. Debussy's music was a centerpiece to the film (especially "Arabesque 1"). Here, the music adds an elegance to the episode that the series often lacks.

Elsewhere, the band You Love Her Coz She Is Dead is performing in a club that was chosen due to its appearance in the film Morvern Callar. Two obscure film references in one episode? Way to go Skins! Going to take more than that to get me to recap it on a weekly basis, though. Below is the music as it was meant to be in the uncut UK version.

Playlist: Skins - Episode 3.07
1. "Claire De Lune" - Claude Debussy (David McGuiness)
2. "La Plus Que Letnte" – Claude Debussy (David McGuiness)
3. "The Little Shepherd" – Claude Debussy (David McGuiness)
4. "Golliwog’s Cakewalk" - Claude Debussy (David McGuiness)
5. "The Snow is Dancing" – Claude Debussy (David McGuiness)
6. "Sweet Jane" - Velvet Underground
7. "Reverie" – Claude Debussy (David McGuiness)
8. "Estamps Pagodes" – Claude Debussy (David McGuiness)
9. "Nocturne" – Claude Debussy (David McGuiness)
10. "Lucille" - Little Richard
11. "Free Like The Sun" - Amy Sawers
12. "Go Go Gurrll" - Da Hood
13. "Cracked Black Pepper" - Fat Segal
14. "Overpowered" - Roisin Murphy
15. "Superheroes" - You Love Her Coz She Is Dead
16. "Le Rock 01" - Vitalic
17. "Duck Chase" - DJ Krush
18. "Arabesque 1" – Claude Debussy (David McGuiness)
19. "Flume" - Bon Iver

Previously: "Cook": The Only Card I Need is... (Episode 2.02)

Skins "Cook": The Only Card I Need is...

This is the episode that perhaps best illustrates just why it took so long for the third season to make it to BBC America after it was originally announced. Not only did they have to edit out the language & nudity, but in replacing all the music, they had to re-shoot several scenes because Cook was singing them.

So instead of Cook opening and closing the episode singing Motorhead's "Ace of Spades," we get a reshoot of the same scene, with him instead singing some random song nobody's heard of. Same goes for the pivotal scene (if there can be such a thing here) where Cook sings Barry Manilow's "I Write the Songs." It loses a lot (pretty much all) it's charm with what BBC America ends up having to broadcast. While were at it, we might as well throw in the dedication by Johnny White (Mackenzie Crook of BBC's The Office fame) to his daughter Kayliegh, which was backed ironically by Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird."

Honestly, this season has enough problems without adding this headache. Just take a look at the songlist below, and know that the only song to make it across the Atlantic is 101ec6's "Counter Stroke" -- which backed Cook gorging on his birthday cake -- and possibly some score from Fat Segal. But that's it.

Playlist: Skins - Episode 3.02
1. "Ace of Spades" - Motorhead
2. "I Will Follow" - U2
3. "Great Gig in the Sky" - Pink Floyd
4. "Don't Stop Me Now" - Queen
5. "Counter Stroke" - 101ec6
6. "One of These Days" - Pink Floyd
7. "It's Dead" - Skallywags
8. "Millennium" - Robbie Williams
9. "Tambourine" - Eve
10. "Eye of the Tiger" - Survivor
11. "Songbird" - Fleetwood Mac
12. "White Wedding" - Billy Idol
13. "I Write the Songs" - Barry Manilow
14. "Kayleigh" - Marillion
15. "Lake Control" - Fat Segal
16. "Break" - Son Lux

Skins "Everyone": New Faces, Old Pitfalls

Ater much unexplained delay (was originally scheduled for 'Spring of 2009'), the third season finally got under way tonight for the UK series Skins (on BBC America). Considering pretty much all of the new cast as been replaced -- like Menudo, there's no getting old -- it's kind of like a whole new series. Just to makes sure you know where they stand, the first few minutes contain a police officer getting humiliated, the smoking of a joint, underage drinking and plenty of curse words.

Heck, I'm for all of it in a series, but here it just seemed like muscle flexing. The big story arc for much of the season is introduced right away, with JJ, Cooke and Freddie all falling for Effie. Will she tear their friendship apart? Probably, but from what I know of the friends so far, I just don't care. Sure, the second episode from each of the first two seasons redeemed the silliness of the first, but I've seen the first three, and the heart that drove the first couple seasons just seems to be missing in Skins: the New Generation (no real Cassie or Sid to be found in this lot).

Meanwhile, the annoyance of music licensing continues, with nearly every song getting stripped from each episode. Songs that were picked with great care and thought by music supervisor Alex Hancock and the writers are stripped out and replaced with tracks that have little or no relationship with their predecessor. The genius of using singing Belgium Nuns (Soeur Sourire) for Pandora? Gone and replaced with some random piano playing. Wilco, Klaxons, Liquid Liquid, F*cked Up and two from Asobi Seksu? Gone, gone, gone, gone and double gone. I'll still be watching, but I'm not sure how much value I add with these playlists of the music when it's all been stripped out.

Playlist: Skins - Episode 3.01
1. "Son the Father" - Fucked Up
2. "Freddie Theme" - Fat Segal
3. "Cook Theme" - Fat Segal
4. "Lions and Tigers" - Asobi Seksu
5. "Lady Belles" - Timothy Victor
6. "Ring the Alarm" - Beyonce
7. "Womanizer" - Britney Spears
8. "Shame on a Nigga" - Wu-Tang Clan
9. "Release Yo'Delf" - Method Man
10. "Monsters Under My Bed" - Eugene McGuinness
11. "Roundview College" - Timothy Victor
12. "I'm The Man Who Loves You" - Wilco
13. "Freddie Theme" - Fat Segal
14. "Shove it" - Santigold
15. "Cook Theme" - Fat Segal
16. "Optimo" - Liquid Liquid
17. "Mets Tons/ Dominique" - Soeur Sourire
18. "Freddie theme/ Cook theme and Drums" - Fat Segal
19. "Magick" - Klaxons
20. "Nefi and Girly" - Asobi Seksu

Previously: Low and Beholden (Episode 2.08)

TV's Top Music Moments of 2008

In year's past, a show's finale meant a spike in music downloads the next day, but this year was quite different thanks to several mitigating factors. The first was the writer's strike, which cut down the number of proper season finales in scripted television this year by nearly half. The second and third factors deal with money, with music licensing rates on the rise and the economy on a downturn, it's no wonder that series have tried to do "more with less," to quote The Wire.

Just look at the top five I have listed here and you'll notice there's not one single use of a popular song in its original form, typically the more expensive option in music placement. They're all either original songs written for the occasion, or they've taken a song and have it performed by the cast. I guess, as the old saying goes, folks got to eat. Mmmmm.... as do I, so without further ado, here's the list.

10. 30 Rock me Amadeus
30 Rock - Episode 2.13 / "Requiem: Lacrimosa" - Mozart
The episode ("Succession") pits Tracy's Amadeus against Frank's Salieri as Tracy bridges The Uncanny Valley to make a realistic porn video game. Just add Kenneth in the role of Constanze, Mozart's wife and protector; then cue Dr. Spaceman running through the studio in a cape... pause for laughter... and scene!

9. (tie) Killer Colleen
Nip/Tuck - Episode 5.11 / "Me And My Teddy Bear" - The Tinseltown Players
Nip/Tuck - Episode 5.14 / "Fame" - David Bowie (w/ John Lennon)
Nip/Tuck loves both its guest stars and being outrageous. Sharon Gless combines the two with her role as the stalker Colleen, cementing the season's theme of 'fame' in the final few episodes. First comes when she killis Bob the agent from CAA with a teddy bear stuffing machine to the child-like tune of "Me and my Teddy Bear." Second comes in the mid-season finale, when she goes Mark David Chapman on her obsesson, stabbing Sean to the David Bowie's "Fame." And who else helped write and sing on that great song? John Lennon, of course.

8. Let's Twist Again (Like We Did Last Summer)
Mad Men - Episode 2.01 / "Let's Twist Again" - Chubby Checker
Mad Men has plenty of interesting music moments, but their almost always very subtle in their placement. Hearing Chubby Checker's sequel to "The Twist" (used in the first season) to open the second season montage was immediate and the perfect way to welcome the return of the near perfect series back into our homes.

7. The Half of You We Wanted to See
True Blood - Episode 1.06 / "Half of You" - Cat Power
Anna Paquin shows her goodies for the first time, going topless as Sookie while getting some from vampire boyfriend Bill, all to the sounds of Cat Power's "Half of You." The consummation of their relationship (which also involves some double-penetration via fangs) reminds us once again that this HBO vampire series is no Twilight.

6. Catfight!
Chuck - Episode 2.04 / "Smack my Bitch Up" - Prodigy
Yvonne Strahovski and Nicole Ritchie get wet and bloody beating each other up in the shower of a high school locker room, all to "Smack my Bitch Up."
I double-checked, this wasn't a dream.

5. (tie) Secondary College Musical!
Skins - Episode 2.02 / "Then Came the Day" - Cast (download) from "Osama! The Musical" (video)
Summer Heights High - Episode 1.08 / "Naughty Girl" from Mr. G the Musical (video)
The effects of High School Musical were felt across television series this year, but it was more interesting to see the interpretations from high schoolsecondary college-based series overseas. First came UK's Skins with Osama! The Musical, a love story that takes place on 9/11, between a stock broker and another survivor of the twin towers collapsing. "Then came the day, Osama blew us away" goes the love song, and as laughable as it sounds, it's hard to get out of your head. Then, from Australia (via HBO) came Chris Lilly's Summer Heights High and the musical arena spectacular "Mr. G!," featuring Lilly's drama teacher character Mr. G. Initially based on the death of a student (until parents veto the script,) "Mr G" follows a troubled teen's journey through drugs, with guidance from her favorite teacher, Mr. G. The song "Naughty Girl" actually became a top ten, certified gold hit in Australia.

Other school musicals in 2008: 90210's "Spring Awakening", South Park's "Elementary School Musical", Sesame Street's "PreSchool Musical"

4. (tie) The Greatest Gift of All
A Colbert Christmas / "Nutmeg" - John Legend, "Little Dealer Boy" - Willie Nelson, "Another Christmas Song" - Stephen Colbert, more
Everyone's favorite late night political satire host Stephen Colbert dons a cardigan and lampoons the old Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Andy Williams Christmas special tradition. It may be comedy, but the music wins the day with original songs co-written by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne,) and featuring musical guests like Elvis Costello, John Legend, Willie Nelson, Toby Keith and Feist spreading their Christmas cheer, tongue-in-cheek. Aside from the Feist one, which really requires the context of the special to work, I think we can expect to hear the songs in future holidays.

3. It's a Wild Skins World
Skins - Episode 1.09 / "It's a Wild World" - cast (video)
While Skins often took some odd and unexpected turns, they usually countered it with a bit of the surreal to remind you that it's fiction. In the first season finale, Tony is hit by a truck, we get the expected scream and tears, but then the cast breaks into Cat Stevens "It's a Wild World," led by Sid and a chorus of random men at a urinal in a public bathroom. When the comatose Tony joins in for a verse, it's both jarring and funny at the same time, which is hard to pull off. The ending merely hinted at much of the craziness that was to come in season 2. That the series has cut most of the music out of the American airings makes it all the more special. I could honestly do a great top 10 list of just Skins moments that American audiences didn't experience. Don't tempt me!

2. Farewell to Baltimore
The Wire - Episode 5.10 / "Way Down in the Hole" - The Blind Boys of Alabama (video)
The series ends as it began, with Detective McNulty and the original theme song. As McNutty looks back on the city of Baltimore, we get a montage of all the old players, going on with their lives. The villains and do-nothings get rewarded with awards, promotions and new partners, and all the old beats from previous seasons look pretty much the same. In the end, though, this montage ultimately reminds us that the main character for the whole five-year run of the series was the city of Baltimore itself.

1. Sorry Jimmy, She's F*cking Matt Damon
The Jimmy Kimmel Show - 1000th Episode / "I'm F*cking Matt Damon" - Sarah Silverman /w Matt Damon
How can you argue with a song that won an Emmy and spawned a thousand tributes? Originally written for his birthday, Silverman debuted the song on Jimmy Kimmel Show's 1000the episode, and played on Kimmel's long running gag that ends many his shows ("apologies to Matt Damon, we ran out of time"). Kimmel replied with bigger budgeted "I'm F*cking Ben Affleck", and a flood of knockoffs quickly followed, including "I'm F*cking Seth Rogen" (Elizabeth Banks from the set of Kevin Smith's Zack And Miri Make A Porno) and Hillary Clinton in "I'm F*cking Obama".



Previously: TV's Top Music Moments of 2007

Skins: Low and Beholden

As BBC America's Skins quickly approaches it's season finale, knowledge that the whole cast (save Effy) won't be back kind of alters how you view events. To keep the series real, the characters are moving on to University, and even those that aren't, like Chris, are moving on in their own way. I've found the stories of Chris & Jal, both separate and together, to be the most fascinating of the bunch, so knowing this episode was this season's "Jal" entry, expectations were high -- and it (mostly) didn't disappoint.

This second season (airing back-to-back with the first) has gotten more and more daring with it's music choices, thanks to the ever growing confidence of music supervisor Alex Hancock. Not that US audiences would know, given that the music is stripped out.

This week was like a Trojan Records primer, with obscure reggae classics from Althea & Donna, Pat Kelly and The Uniques backing Jal's struggle with her pregnancy. Also setting in the moody mood is Eluvium's "Genius and The Thieves," a haunting piano-based instrumental from their excellent album An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death, a title that no doubt influenced the choice of song, given the heavy foreshadowing throughout of Chris' medical issue.

If that wasn't enough, while Jal tries to find out what's wrong with Chris, Low's "Sunflower" plays in the background, with lyrics giving away what we think is going to happen to our favorite misunderstood pill-popper:

When they found your body
Giant X's on your eyes
With your half of the ransom
You bought some sweet, sweet, sweet
Sweet sunflowers
And gave them to the night

That song, and the Stars of the Lid song that proceeds it, squeeze even the most resistant tears right out of your eye sockets, and was a much-talked-about scene across the pond. Watch the video below, with that word of warning in mind.



Of course, US audience saw the scene with replacement music and, suffice to say, the mood was quite different -- let's just say, a lot less wet in the eye region.

Playlist: Skins - Episode 2.08
1. "Uptown Ranking" - Althea and Donna
2. "Jus a Rascal" - Dizzee Rascal
3. "Ass n Titties" - DJ Assault
4. "Fix Up Look Sharp" - Dizzee Rascal
5. "Genius and Thieves" - Eluvium
6. "How Long" - Pat Kelly
7. "Objection Overruled" - Gregory Isaacs
8. "School Da" - Stage Coach
9. "La La Land" - Herve>
10. "Five Star Day" - Aqueduct
11. "Your rights/My rights" - Mad Professor
12. "Ophelia" - Tommy Evans
13. "The Glitters Part Two" - Fat Segal
14. "Cradle" - Fat Segal
15. "Clarinet Concertino" - Carl Maria Von Weber
16. "Requiem for Dying Mother Pt. 1" - Stars of the Lid
17. "Sunflower" - Low
18. "My Conversation" - The Uniques

Here's the original version broken up into five parts, for your enjoyment: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Previously: Music and Loss (Episode 2.03)

Skins: Music and Loss

The second season of Skins is a lot more uneven than the first, that's for sure, but there are still moments that redeem even the most histrionic of turns. Take this episode, for instance, where Sid's family takes center stage, and we find out more about why his father is such a jerkoff (his Da is a Scottish nightmare --let's call him Skinny Bastard).

The whole set up is meant to turn him into more of a sympathetic character, something that Skins seems to do a lot (we're looking at you Tony). But just as we're starting to empathize, he's gone and died in his sleep. All of these plot turns aren't necessarily egregious, but with all the strings being pulled leading up to it our grief isn't earned. That is until Sid explodes in pain at a Crystal Castles concert, sobbing uncontrollably on Tony's shoulder during the caucophony of their song "Alice Practice." It's a scene that's powerful in that it's both a bit off and completely real at the same time. Even the craziest of music can trigger all kinds of emotions, and that scene redeemed all that had happened prior in the episode.



Thankfully, the band was in the scene (along with Bristol band The Hats,) pretending to perform the song live, so they couldn't swap out the music to save coin. But they certainly did elsewhere. One of the best bands to wring agony out of the listener is Sigur Ros, so it's no surprise that they were utilized heavily in this episode (and no surprise that those songs were stripped from the imported episode). Ryan Adams' great "Come Pick Me Up" is the other song we're sad not to see make the cut here.

Skins - Episode 2.03
1. "I Changed My Mind" - Lyrics Born
2. "Takk" - Sigur Ros
3. "85069896" - Fat Segal
4. "Skillers" - The Hats
5. "Alice Practice" - Crystal Castles
6. "Untitled #1 (vaka)" - Sigur Ros
7. "Come Pick Me Up" - Ryan Adams

Previously: Now that's an ending (Episode 2.02)

Weekly Roundup: Osama (Been a lot of)

Two shows this week try to have some fun with the events of 9/11, almost begging us to ask the question of 'is it too soon?' To be fair, the comedy sketch series Human Giant already broached the subject with their Shutterbugs feature "Lil' 9/11" (see video,) but this week both The Sarah Silverman Program and British import Skins featured intentionally amateurish plays depicting the Twin Towers coming down. Each took it to the edge and each were, I have to say, funny. So I pose the same question: Is it too soon to laugh?

Silverman's take was a lot more surreal, first by running down anyone with a beard (including SNL's Fred Armisen,) assuming they're Osama bin Laden, then somehow even thematically tying Osama bin Laden's hairy beard to her sister's out-of-control pubic hair. Sister Laura, who deserves some sort of award for how good a sport she's had to be this season, resists 'trimming the bush' because it reminds her of her mother, mirroring Sarah's need for everyone to remember 9/11 (yes, the connection is tennuous). In the end, she gives in and tackles the jungle to gentle sounds of She & Him's "Sentimental Heart". Reaction from the boyfriend is the line of the night: "Oh Larry! You Moe'd Your Curly!"

Skins - Episode 2.02 (playlist)
Meanwhile, the students on Skins put on a play called Osama: The Musical, featuring some laugh-out-loud lyrics and some odd attempts at an American accent. There's a lot of other good music here as well from the likes of Cat Power, LCD Soundsystem and the like, but it's the chorus from a song in the musical that you'll find yourself singing: "Then came the day Osama blew us away." (Download).
More thoughts, tracklisting and video

Life on Mars - Episode 1.03 (playlist)
More remarkable than the songs this time is a dialogue-driven call back to a song from last week, and the new use of Mike Post-inspired score, reinforcing the 70's cop show feel.
More thoughts and tracklisting

Chuck - Episode 2.04 (playlist)
We get a glimpse at Sarah's past with a trip to her 10-year high school reunion. A soundtrack from 1998 is the perfect excuse to use The Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up" for a very wet cat fight -- but it also means we get Hanson's "Mmmbop."
More thoughts and tracklisting

True Blood - Episode 1.07 (playlist)
The music theme this week was Americana bands doing covers of great established classics. Featuring The Watson Twins doing "Just Like Heaven" (The Cure,) Cowboy Junkies' great take on "Sweet Jane" (The Velvet Underground,) and The Knitters tackle this week's episode title track, "Burning House of Love" (X). Speaking of a burning house, there's no way our hero Bill is part of that southern fried vampire rubble. Right?
Tracklisting

Life - Episode 2.05 (playlist)
A need to be back in the spotlight leads to a murder, and to the use of Clem Snide's great "Moment in the Sun". Throw in Elliott Smith, Spoon and Guster and the music outshines the paltry mystery here. The series isn't doing a lot right now to move it off the bubble.
Tracklisting

Gossip Girl - Episode 2.07 (playlist)
Serena is a precious snowflake (White Apple Tree's "Snowflakes") that shouldn't have to be subjected to family rules, whatsoever. Sigh.
Tracklisting

More: Mad Men reference the Ibsen Play Peer Gynt both in title and song ("In the Hall of the Mountain King") and end with some great George Jones. Meanwhile, on The Office episode "Crime Aid," Michael revealed his favorite Bruce Springsteen songs, which included "The Heart of Rock and Roll" (Huey Lewis,) "Fast Car" (Tracy Chapman) and "Short People" (Randy Newman)... wha?

Previously: Weekly Roundup (last week)

Skins: Now that's an ending

"Then came the day Osama blew us away"

Is it too soon to laugh at a musical about 9/11? It probably is still for quite a few here in the US (and especially New York,) as the BBC America boards (sort of) lit up after the airing of this episode, which is really the only place to find a reaction, as the blogs seemed to go silent. The episode hasn't even made it to iTunes, and we're entering our fourth day since it aired. (Here's scenes from the musical in video below:)


I found the episode to be pretty funny, the musical to some extent, but especially Chris' reaction to everything ("now that's an ending!") I knew that would be my headline, and thankfully, the real ending was also special. Anwar using the filmography of Hugh Grant in an attempt to 'keep him in the game longer' was pretty funny, and found myself disappointed they didn't get to a certain film that also starred one Nicholas Hoult (Tony). So after some delay, when Anwar announced he "never gets as far as About a Boy," I ended up waking my wife with hysterical laughter.

This is probably the first episode I've seen where the replacement music they used in a scene was actually better than the original. The first creepy scene with Sketch at the beginning originally used Aqualung's "Good Times Gonna Come," but what ended up playing here was much cooler. The same snippet of song was used when Anwar climaxes as he repeats "Bridget Jones" a second time. I still would've liked to hear "North American Scum" at the drama teacher's party, since he confesses to solidarity with his New York bretheren, and the original placement of "Addicted to Love" would've worked wonders when dancing inappropriately with Michelle.

Playlist: Skins - Episode 2.02
1. "Good Times Gonna Come" - Aqualung
2. "North American Scum" - LCD Soundsystem
3. "Addicted To Love" - Robert Palmer
4. "Bees" - Laura Cantrell
5. "Spread Your Love" - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
6. "Fuck the People" - The Kills
7. "All Arounder" - Oneida
8. "Today" - featuring Maxxie, from Osama The Musical by Julian Ronnie (download)
9. "Boogie Woogie Bagel Boy" from Osama The Musical (download)
10. "Then Came the Day" - Osama The Musical (download)
11. "Hate" - Cat Power

Weekly Roundup: You look like a star but you're still on the dole (Life on Mars)

Two episodes in and the results for the US remake of Life on Mars is mixed at best, with the loudest cries of 'foul' from fans of the original BBC series. But I'd like to remind folks of a little show called The Office that faced a similar outcry when it started. Like LoM, that series stuck pretty close to the original material to start out, and endured endless comparisons to Gervaise's brilliant original incarnation. If the series survives long enough to get it's own footing, it has potential to be pretty brilliant, but for now, it's going to be saddled with comparisons -- specifically, the Gene/Sam relationship, which was pretty special in the original.

As far as the soundtrack, so far the US version is doing pretty well in the comparison department. Take the song used twice during chase scenes, Mott the Hoople's "All the Way From Memphis." The song is about a rock star's guitar getting sent to Kentucky, and he's stuck in Memphis trying to track it down. "You look like a star but you're still on the dole," and that's Sam -- a 21st century man stuck in a 70's cop show. Compare that to the original version, which used McCartney's "Live and Let Die" (video of scene). Sure, it's a better song to be sure, but the tone and content is a mismatch to the scene. Meanwhile, the Gilbert O'Sullivan's silly "Get Down," a song about dominance, underscores the wrestling scene between Gene and Sam (a scene that illustrates the size constraints of Keitel's portrayal of Gene -- shouldn't O'Mara's Sam be able to easily kick that 69-year old diminutive's ass?) Finally, in what might be the strangest choice of dance music, Simon & Garfunkel's "I'm a Rock" ends the episode. It's an interesting choice, not just for it's lack of bpm, but also for it's echo of emotional detachment and isolation, something close to Sam's lonely blue heart.

Playlist: Life on Mars - Episode 1.02
1. "All the Way From Memphis" - Mott the Hoople
2. "Get Down" - Gilbert O'Sullivan
3. "Life on Mars?" - David Bowie
4. "I am a Rock" - Simon & Garfunkel

True Blood - Episode 1.06 (playlist)
This episode deals with loss, and thus takes on a much more somber tone in music. It also deals with a certain heroin losing her virginity a vampire (giving new meaning to the term double penetration). More importantly, though, actress Anna Paquin shows nudity for the first time, to the tune of Cat Power's "Half of You" (hint, it's the top half).
More thoughts and full tracklisting

Chuck - Episode 2.03 (playlist)
The Bryce character has been a nice tool for the show to use whenever Chuck and Sarah get too close. His presence leads to a little breakup, backed touchingly by Bon Iver's "Skinny Love." Before that, Chuck and Sarah betrayed their romantic feelings to us with The National's "Fake Empire" as a love theme. Meanwhile, no Huey Lewis this week?
More thoughts and full tracklisting

Skins - Episode 2.01 (playlist)
Skins started their second season with a musical fakeout, using church organs to suggest that Tony might have died in last week's finale. Instead, it's the start to some non-stop Maxxie dancing. And then his dad (played by UK comedian Bill Bailey) dances with his dog. And then everybody dances to Posh Kenneth, throwing down some choice rhymes at a party. Everybody's dancing but Tony :(
More thoughts and full tracklisting

Gossip Girl - Episode 2.06 (playlist)
Blair has a My Fair Lady dream, and somehow sees herself as Eliza Doolittle ("The Rain in Spain"). Now that's some imagination. The gang is thinking college, and to keep it convenient for logistics next season, everyone has Yale on their list. College trip! Only they don't go anywhere, as the whole thing is shot at Columbia. We're treated to cliches like a Skull & Bones secret initiation, an unbelievable Dean of admissions, mistaken identity and, of course, a cat fight. Ah, our little GG's are growing up!
Full tracklisting

Life - Episode 2.04 (playlist)
Charlie's back in prison! Well, a fake social experimental simulation on the campus of some college. As Charlie surveys the prison environment with a wary eye, The Beta Band's "Squares" plays, reminding us of the square prison cell he once faced. Also of note, 90's stalwarts Afghan Whigs get a shout out in the episode thanks to actor Donal Logue being a drinking buddy of frontman Greg Dulli.
Full tracklisting

More: Bob Dylan gets his first historical reference on Mad Men references in an episode which later uses Johnny Mathis to underscore the difficulties of coming out of the closet, and the gang from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia harmonize on Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday," reprising their previous out-of-left-field acapella turn with Extreme's "More Than Words" (video).