Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Radio Sunnydale Review by The Bard December 26, 2003

Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence, so said Robert Fripp. You know what? I do believe he’s right. In the silence that was left by the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we have this soundtrack to fill, or at least to try to fill it. The New York Times said "Our show is gone, but our obsession doesn’t end..." or so the sticker on the wrapper of my copy said.

Radio Sunnydale is the second soundtrack for Buffy and, with music from poignant and prominent moments from the show’s final 3 seasons, has to be one of the best CDs I have heard in years. It has all the songs you love as well as the obvious Buffy main title theme (this time by The Breeders as opposed to Nerf Herder who did the one on the original soundtrack) and the beautiful original score from the final fight of the series.

Okay, before I go on, I probably should point out that this review only covers the US edition of the CD, not the UK edition which has different songs included, as shown below...

US Edition Track List...
1. Buffy Main Title Theme - The Breeders
2. Stop Thinking About It - Joey Ramone
3. Bohemian Like You - The Dandy Warhols
4. Everybody Got Their Something - Nikka Costa
5. Key - Devics
6. Sound of the Revolution - Lunatic Calm
7. Ballad for Dead Friends - Dashboard Prophets
8. Blue - Angie Hart
9. Pavlov’s Bell - Aimee Mann
10. There’s No Other Way - Blur
11. Prayer of Saint Francis - Sarah McLachlan
12. The Final Fight (original score) - Rob Duncan

UK Edition Track List...
1. Buffy Main Title Theme - The Breeders
2. Bohemian Like You - The Dandy Warhols
3. Everybody got their something - Nikka Costa
4. Score Season 1 - Chris Beck
5. Key - Devics
6. Sound of the Revolution - Lunatic Calm
7. Ballad For Dead Friends - Dashboard Prophets
8. Blue - Angie Hart
9. Pavlov’s Bell - Aimee Mann
10. That Kind of Love - Alison Krauss
11. Sink or Float - Aberdeen
12. Still Life - Patty Medina
13. Blackcat Bone - Laika
14. Just as Nice - Man of the Year
15. I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You - Melaine Doane
16. Sun Keeps Shining On Me - Fonda
17. Runaway - Halo Friendies
18. Summerbreeze - Eimilana Torrino
19. Sugar Water - Cibo Matto
20. The Final fight (original Score)
21. Buffy Theme - Nerf Herder

While yeah, it would have been nice if they’d included more songs on the US version, the songs that are extra on the US version make up for it in my opinion. Especially Sarah McLachlan’s "Prayer of Saint Francis" from the closing scenes of the season 6 final "Grave" a powerful song that fitted the scenes perfectly, and makes the US version a gem.

Another gem off the soundtrack is "Blue" as sung by Angie Hart, which is the opening scenes music from the amazing season 7 episode "Conversations with Dead People." For that episode Joss knew exactly what type of song he wanted, and "had the luxury" of writing it himself with Angie.

Okay, I admit it, I’m just kinda quoting from the blurb written in the CD booklet, a blurb written by Joss no less, one for which he’s ripping off The Circle of Life, what with holding up a baby lion on a big flat rock and all.

Buffy has never really been about the promoting of bands and music, yet as a side benefit of it’s cult hit status, this is what happened to a certain extent. I don’t know about anyone else, but without Buffy, I would never have heard of bands and singers such as Nerf Herder, or Aimee Mann, or Cibo Matto.

By far I think my two favourite songs are, as I’ve said before Sarah McLachlan’s "Prayer of Saint Francis," and the score from the final battle. Both of which send shivers up and down my spine every time I hear them. In the score from the final battle, you have the wide range of feelings evoked as you do when watching the scenes of the episode.

All in all, I’d give Radio Sunnydale an 8 out of 10.

Good points: "Blue," "Pavlov’s Bell," "Prayer of Saint Francis," and the score from the final fight.

Bad points: Not really enough in the way of songs. It needed more songs that we saw, or rather heard, in the show itself.

My recommendation: Buy the CD, no matter what version it is, US or UK, it’s well worth the money, as well, it’s an invaluable addition to any real Buffy fan’s collection.

Special thanks go to BA, huge thanks for the CD.

Links to purchase Radio Sunnydale :

Amazon.com : http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000CABLJ/

Amazon.co.uk : http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000DK4RF/