True Blood: Music From The HBO Original Series, Volume 3

By Melissa B.

There are some songs so perfect for TV shows, that when I hear them, I wonder why on earth the producers haven’t picked them to be on the soundtrack. The producers of True Blood have so far not needed my help and have done an amazing job of choosing evocative and intriguing music that enhances the show. The songs on Volume 3, the latest soundtrack release, are in so many cases the perfect True Blood songs.

If you’ve been living all subterranean-like for the past four years, True Blood is an HBO series loosely based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries book series by Charlaine Harris. It focuses on a telepathic waitress named Sookie in the tiny town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, which is absolutely rife with supernatural beings of all stripes. To the vampires, werewolves, shape shifters, witches, maenads, and fairies, Sookie is supernatural catnip, while the show itself is a popcorn treat of sex, violence, and blood.

Season Four begins with Sookie in fairy land, transported there by her fairy godmother (I know, but just go with it). When Sookie returns, it turns out she had been missing for a year and given up for dead, which gives us the perfect opportunity to hear “She’s Not There.” This episode featured a version of the Zombies chestnut recorded by Neko Case and Nick Cave (it’s like my record collection had babies!). It’s a rambling, shambling thing with driving drums and Neko’s sweet, clear voice, and this is all dirtied up on the chorus, where Nick Cave comes in like Lucifer himself. It captures the spirit of the show extraordinarily well, with these familiar things made unfamiliar and strange and a bit sinister.

The digital deluxe version of the Volume 3 soundtrack features no fewer than four versions of “She’s Not There.” Quite frankly, none are as stellar as the one from Case and Cave, but Dick Isreal and Soothsayer’s echoey, post-industrial take with airy, ethereal vocals is quite good. Paper Pilots’ version features a vocalist a bit reminiscent of Sloan’s sweet-voiced Jay Ferguson, along with surf music-esque, angular guitars, but it dispenses with the hook of the song and sort of misses the point entirely. L’Avventura’s take with nasal vocals, a trip hop beat, and a disconcerting laugh track is a mishmash of things that just don’t work.

Another song appearing in two versions is the theme “Bad Things.” It’s a perfect theme for the show, which is quite amazing for a song that was originally supposed to be a placeholder on the credits. The original version is sexy, and really sold by singer/songwriter Jace Everett.

Not so much with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s version. I wanted so much to like it; I do love that band and their massive live sound. But their version of “Bad Things” is a droney, low energy, weirdly harmonized, dreadful thing that isn’t their best work. The enormous dirty guitar sound is fantastic, but can’t redeem this mess.

“What You Do To Me” is by BlakRoc, a collaboration between the Black Keys and various hip hop artists. This one has a spooky farifsa organ and a sultry beat, and is so well suited for True Blood it seems written specifically for the show. Nicole Wray’s voice, in particular, cuts through with a gorgeous purity.

As I listened to the album, I decided that all of the songs were chosen to correspond with a character on the show. If that is indeed the case, “Hell’s Bell’s” by Cary Ann Hearst would belong to Debbie Pelt, werewolf and former junkie, who is one of the white-trashiest characters on television. It has sparse production, whining vocals, and is interesting lyrically; it’s like a visit to a dirty little bar where everyone looks like they’ve been awake for at least a month and never ever bathed. I like it.

The demo version of Damien Rice’s 2006 track “9 Crimes” baffles me. I know that it played over the end credits, and I know that loads of people really like Damien Rice a lot, but it just didn’t grab me. The bass line reminded me of Aimee Mann’s “Freeway,” however, which made me like it a bit more.

“Me And the Devil” by the brilliant, awesome, and sadly departed Gil Scott-Heron sounds as if it is being piped up from the bowels of Hell itself. His world weary voice growls out the lyrics and the strange metallic “tap-tap-tap” effect peppered through makes it sound like the devil taking over a TV broadcast to send a message. This is possibly the best song on the album, and the one that grabs my attention every time. It’s ever so eerie.

The Heavy cover the Blood Sweat and Tears song “And When I Die.” I’ll admit, it took me ages to place it, because this version is such a departure. Half of the song sounds like a hymn, and half like a Saturday night Creature Feature. The switch from major to minor key is like a burst of sunshine, though I always prefer minor keys, myself.

The Jakob Dylan and Gary Louris collaboration “Gonna Be A Darkness” feels an awful lot like filler. This plodding, not terribly interesting, Sunday morning hangover music, is at least lifted by Dylan’s voice.

“Paradise Circus” by Massive Attack is a creepy little song. The beat sounds like a heartbeat, the piano is disjointed and sparse, and the vocals are hushed. Massive Attack have always been so good at setting a mood, and this one sets a mood of vague unease.

Nick Lowe’s “Cold Grey Light of Dawn” is a neat little throwback song. While it isn’t the sort of song I would seek out, the interesting instrumentation elevates it. Marimbas always help.

“Hitting The Ground” by PJ Harvey and Gordon Gano is what the Violent Femmes fronted by Polly Jean Harvey would sound like. Does anyone snarl quite as well as she does? It has the hallmarks of a Femmes track: great bass line, clever lyrics, and mercifully little of Gano’s adenoidal wail.

When Karen Elson’s version of Donovan’s “Season of the Witch” played over the end credits of an episode, I clapped my hands. I do love Karen Elson; her album The Ghost Who Walks was one of the best things I heard last year. This version is a re-recording featuring Donovan himself, and while I prefer the version released as the B-side to her single “The Truth Is In the Dirt,” she gives good atmosphere. This has richer and more complex production, dripping in spookiness.

What is there to say about Siouxsie and the Banshees that I didn’t say when I was 16? “Spellbound” was an excellent choice for the series, and I do hope Sisters of Mercy’s music will make an appearance sometime.

Slim Harpo’s “Tee Ne Nee Ni Nu” rounds out the album. I can imagine this playing on the jukebox at Merlotte’s. It’s a move-your-feet, shake-a-tail-feather song with wailing harmonica. It’s just glorious.

True Blood: Volume 3 is a fine overview of the songs that add so much to the atmosphere of the show. It’s also a fine collection of songs about witches and hell, which are always a nice addition to anyone’s Halloween shindig. The one thing that is missing is Neko Case’s “Wish I Was The Moon,” which scored a pivotal part of Season 4. Regardless, this album is by turns creepy, atmospheric, and often sexy which sums up Bon Temps itself.

And I didn’t use the adjective “swampy” even once.

True Blood: Music From The HBO Original Series, Volume 3 was released on September 6 and is available from WaterTower Music and on HBO.com.