Shows to find new music

So these are some of the best places to find new music.

Chuck:

Premise:

A witty, action- comedy starring Zachary Levi as Chuck a sweet, awkward computer nerd working at the local Buy More with his childhood best friend Morgan (Joshua Gomez) and several other socially awkward misfits. Chuck lives with his sister Ellie (Sarah Lancaster)who spends a good deal of her time involving herself in aiding Chuck's declining social life and her fiance Devon or "Captain Awesome" (Ryan McPartlin). On the night of his birthday, Chuck receives an email from a college friend that contains a copy of all of the secrets of the CIA, called the intersect and is encoded into his brain. The CIA and NSA both send agents to retrieve the data, Casey, (Adam Baldwin) the staunch, angry, emotionally-distant, republican type (for lack of a better description) and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovaki) who is presented as much more compassionate but still is an extremely capable agent. Sarah and Chuck's roles are a reversal of typical action film gender roles; Sarah being the protector and Chuck being the brain or protected. Sarah and Casey are ordered by the CIA to protect Chuck from the Fulcrum (the bad guys) agents who will be after the intersect, or what has been imprinted in Chuck's brain.

The music:

This show knows it's music, ranging through every genre. Loud guitar and drum vengeance anthems for action sequences ("Bite Hard"- Franz Ferdinand), epic, sunshine-bright, songs that force your shoulders back and your chin up for victories ("Around The Bend"- The Asteroids Galaxy Tour), and creamy, heart-breaking, love ballads for the tender moments ("The Earth Has Lost it's Hold"- Calhoun). Although there are some misses ("Toxic" - Britney Spears) the soundtrack is a great place to find new music.

Some good songs from the show:

"Blood Bank"- Bon Iver

"Around the bend"- The Asteroids Galaxy Tour

"Signs"- Bloc Party

"God and Suicide"- Blitzen Trapper

"Buildings and Mountains"- The Republic Tigers

"Fake Empire"- The National

"Lake Michigan"- Rouge Wave

Don't You Evah" - Spoon

"See the World"- Gomez

"Foux Du Fafa"- Flight of The Conchords

"Wild Girl"- Matt Pond PA

"Looking at the Sun"- Gramercy Arms

"Shopping for Blood"- Franz Ferdinand

Theme song:

"Short Skirt/ Long Jacket"- Cake

Scrubs:

Premise:

A comedy-drama that follows the lives of 4 employees at Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. The show is primarily seen through the eyes of J.D. (Zach Braff) a warm and effeminate attending physician. He works with his best friend, Dr. Christopher Turk (Donald Faison) or simply Turk and his wife Carla (Judy Reyes) and also, his close friend Elliot (Sarah Chalke). Each character struggles with their relationships and general troubles of life within the crazy schedule of hospital life, which is dispersed by slapstick humor in the daydreams of J.D. and the almost irritatingly constant optimism of J.D.'s voice over which links all the events of the show together.

Music:

Music has a large role in Scrubs, it acts as an emotional compass for the audience, allowing for a more intense experience and even the most emotionally turtled person to feel empathy for the characters. A wide variety of artists are played on the soundtrack and essential has something for most everyone (rap and country fans aside).

Some good songs from the show:

"Please Forgive me"- David Gray

"Good Time"- Leroy

"Dracula From Houston"- Butthole Surfers

"Camera One"- Josh Joplin

"Have It all" -Jeremy Kay

"Something's Always wrong"- Toad the Wet Sprocket

"Come Around"- Rhett Miler

"Bad Day"- R.E.M

"A Murder of One"- Counting Crows

"Winter"- Joshua Radin

"Lost Cause"- Beck

"Blue Eyes"- Cary Brothers

"Learn to Fly"- Foo Fighters

"Half"- G Tom Mac

"Sooner or Later"- Michael Tolcher

"Sideways"- Citizen Cope

"Alive with the Glory"- Say Anything

"The Man"- Pete Yorn

"Missed The Boat"- Modest Mouse

Theme song:

"Superman"- Lazlo Bane

House:

Do I even have to talk about the premise of the show? I absolutely love this show so much.

Premise:

House is a medical drama revolving around Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) a medical genius who leads a team of diagnosticians at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. House is most easily paralleled with Sherlock Holmes. Both were geniuses, musicians drug addicts and for the most part friendless. House suffered an infarction in his quadriceps muscle and now uses Vicodin to control the pain which is a large part of the show. But House with his cynical yet lovable personality manages to figure out a diagnosis every time regardless of whether the patient lives or dies.

Music:

There is a diverse musical background for House but thats all music is in this show, background. Although music plays a much smaller part in the show than in others the quality of the music is still fantastic.

Some good songs from the show:

"Happiness"- Grant Lee Buffalo

" It's Okay to Think About Ending"- Earlimart

"Beautiful"- Elvis Costello

"Delicate"- Damien Rice

"Crystalline Green"- Goldfrapp

"Desire"- Ryan Adams

"In the Waiting Line"- Zero 7

"Ain't No Reason"- Brett Dennen

"Into Dust"- Mazzy Star

"One Big Holiday"- My Morning Jacket

"Slide Away" - The Verve

"Passing Afternoon"- Iron and Wine

"I'm In Love With a Girl"- Big Star

"Lose You"- Pete Yorn

Theme song:

"Teardrop"- Massive Attack

Bones:

Premise:

This drama stars Emily Deschanel as doctor Temperance ("Bones") Brennan, a brilliant yet (as per stereotype) fairly socially handicapped forensic anthropologist who, with the help of her foil Agent Seeley Booth played by David Boreanaz, solve murders. Though the main characters have the almost conventional partnership where only opposites can be a brilliant team, the dark humor and unique visual effects separate this from Law and Order.

Music:

For the most part, Bones gives it's music over to the genre of a sort of techno-y alt. rock. Which feels very right with the concept of the show.

Some good songs from the show:

"Miles from Monterey" - West Indian Girl

"Precious"-Depeche Mode

"Ooh La La" -Goldfrapp

"Feel it Now"- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

"Born"- Over the Rhine

"Cannonball"- Damien Rice

"Running Up the Hill"- Placebo

"A Light On a Hill"- Margot & the Nuclear So and So's

"Be Here Now"- Ray LaMontagne

theme song:

"Bones Theme song" -The Crystal Method

Veronica Mars:

Premise:

Simply, Veronica Mars is a mystery drama about a high school student named Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) who goes to college while moonlighting as a private investigator.

Music:

The music is a jumble of lovable 90s-esque indie tunes and electrifying techno-y songs, all of which is impossible to not enjoy.

Some good songs form the show:

"Insincere Because I"- The Dandy Warhols

"Edge of the Ocean"- Ivy

"What are You Afraid of?"- West Indian Girl

"All that we Perceive"- Thievery Corporation

"The New Kid"- Old 97's

"Slow Hands"- Interpol

"Tulips"- Bloc Party

"Momentary Thing"- Something Happens

"Marc"- Louis XIV

"Long Time Coming"- Delays

"On Your Porch"- The Format

"Where Is my Mind?"- The Pixies

"Nth Degree"- Morningwood

"Oh My"- Mellowdrone

"Lost and Found"- Adrienne Peirce

"Hold on, Hold on"- Neko Case

"Right here, Right Now"- Fatboy Slim

"Rally"- Phoenix

"It Never Rains in Southern California"- Albert Hammond

Theme song:

"We Used to be Friends"- The Dandy Warhols

Buffy:

Yes, yes, I was a HUGE Buffy geek when I was younger. I was absolutely in love with the 90s, the music and Buffy, herself. Part of it was that she was a strong female in the media regardless of the fact that she is fictitious. Either way, music from this soundtrack fill my i-pod today, still.

Premise:

A supernatural action-comedy following Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) who is "The Slayer", a young woman who was chosen by fate to protect the world against the forces of darkness. Buffy struggles to maintain her life as a teenage girl while battling demons. Most of the early episodes are metaphors for real issues and have real life applications but as the series continued the value and humor was lost in the drama of the later episodes.

Music:

There is a mix of 90s indie, rock and pop which I have found to have had mixed results with many people. Over all this shows music is one of the major facets of my musical taste.

Some good songs from the show:

"Believe"- Sprung Monkey

"Strong"- Velvet Chain

"Pain"- Four Star Mary

"Never an Easy Way"- Morcheeba

"Blue Sun"- Darling Violetta

"Going to Hell"- The Brian Jonestown Massacre

"Fire Escape"- Fastball

"The Good Life"- Cracker

"Praise You"- Fatboy Slim

"Wild Horses"- The Sundays

"Bodyrock"- Moby

"Vivian"- Nerf Herder

"Ok Nightmare"- Caviar

"Tears Are In Your Eyes"- Yo La Tango

"Bohemian Like You"- The Dandy Warhols

"Play It by Ear"- Summercamp

"Even If"- Lift

"I Know"- Tresspassers William

"Out of this World"- Bush

"New Slang"- The Shins

Theme song:

"Buffy The Vampire Slayer Theme"- Nerf Herder

Skins:

Premise:

A British teen-drama following the lives of 10 (not to be redundant) British teens. Tony (Nicholas Hoult), his sister Effy (Kaya Scodelario), his girlfriend Michelle (April Pearson), his best friend Sid (Mike Bailey), and other friends, Cassie(Hannah Murray), Chris (Joe Dempsie), Anwar (Dev Patel (the guy from Slumdog Millionaire)), Jal (Larissa Wilson), Sketch (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) and Maxxie (Mitch Hewer). Each character has episodes devoted to their lives and points of view within the group of friends. The drama and parties just make you want to live one day the way these kids live their lives.

Music:

The music is a huge variety of alternative music that adds another dimension to the story and also is just really enjoyable to listen to I honestly can't think of a song off this soundtrack I don't like.

Some good songs from the show:

"Positive Tension"- Bloc Party

"No Pun Intended"- The Hives

"Limit to your love"- Feist

"You look Great When I'm Fucked up"- The Brian Jonestown Massacre

"Wild World"- Cat Stevens

"New York, I Love you, But you're Bringing me Down"- LCD Soundsystem

"Spread your Love"- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

"Come Pick me up"- Ryan Adams

"Carrot Rope"- Pavement

"Keep the the Car Running"- Arcade Fire

"House on the Hill"- Beach House

"The Information"- Beck

"Shakin"- Dandy Warhols

"Nude"- Radiohead

"23"- Blonde Redhead

"Walcott"- Vampire Weekend

"I Feel You"- Depeche Mode

"K Rhythm Part 2"- Holy Fuck

Theme song:

"Skins Theme"- Fat Segal

-alene

The Tale of Vampire Town: A Recap from a Traumatized '90's Child

As a child I had a fairly regimented routine. I would go to school and then come home to watch whatever was on Nickelodeon until I had to start homework. Sometimes Hey! Arnold or maybe Rugrats (before the tragic mindfuckery that was All Grown Up! started, mind you) would be on.

But sometimes I wasn't so lucky. No, sometimes Are You Afraid of the Dark? would come on. I could not imagine why anyone would find this terrifying show about things that went bump in the night entertaining. But just because the show scared the bejesus out of me did not deter me from my couch potato tendencies. So what if I was be scared, I wasn't about to start my homework at 4:30.

This weekend I found this very series that plagued me during my younger and more vulnerable years. I posted a link to this review's subject to my Facebook wall, and ELLN was so kind as to share in our former terror. She reviewed the episode that had particularly scared her and I will now follow suit, except that this one scares me for very different reasons.

So without further ado, submitted for the approval of apolloxdaphne and its followers, I call this review "The Tale of the Vampire Town: A Recap from a Traumatized '90's Child."

The infamous opening credits are, arguably, the scariest aspect of the show. Cast in midnight blue the viewer gets such visual scares as a boat rocking all by itself on a lonely lake, a swing swinging with no one on it, the proverbial evil clown doll, and, finally, a hand lights a match to reveal the title of the show: Are You Afraid of the Dark? Music that you would most likely hear on a Halloween CD whilst trick-or-treating with friends plays in the background.

There is an establishing shot of a campfire and we once again are with the Midnight Society.

There is some clunky exposition about some kid in the Society who may not be able to tell the story of the night because he was in a fight at school. But, alas, the delinquent shows up. He is of African American descent and he expresses his disdain for the fact that whatever happens, he is the one who gets some trouble. I am not going to join the YouTube commentators about the racial subtext surrounding this introduction.

The story teller introduces the story by talking about people not liking things that are not normal. He calls the story: The Tale of Vampire Town. Creepy music plays as the Midnight Society fades out.

Thunder, lightening, and wind, oh my! We get a dark and stormy night with a fat man entering a dark and foreboding building. In AYAOTD world this means he's a goner. A phone is ringing and he answers, "Wisteria Funeral Home..." Oh, a funeral home. So far so good. He tells the caller that he was just going out to get the milk.

Instead of going to a nice crowded grocery store, though, he goes into the scary morgue. He opens a coffin to see that it once held someone in it, but zoinks, they're gone. He takes a nice survey of the morgue. A couple of bodies under sheets, nothing special there.

A flash of lightening and finally something terrifying happens. A body that was in the background rises up from its little corner and starts to walk over.

This guy is about to find out that there are worse things than being over fifty and acting in Are You Afraid of the Dark? He's too busy looking for his common sense on the floor to notice a vampire walking toward him.

The vampire's hand gives him what looks to be the Vulcan Nerve Pinch and that puts him out of commission.

Then the vamp sees the cross staring up at him. The vampire screams and runs away, cape flowing in the breeze.

Trippy transition music plays and a voice that you hear in every horror movie tells us that he is arriving in Wisteria, the fabled vampire town. Gothic ye olde handwriting reflects the narration. The voice, clearly that of a deranged vampire hunter from Transylvania, tells us that he is hunting for the vampire known as Dreyfus. Apparently Dracula ain't got nothin' on Dreyfus, because Dreyfus is THE SCARIEST MOST EVIL VAMPIRE EVA!!!! and could kick Dracula's pale scrawny ass in two seconds. The voice vows to meet this vampire, face to face.

The camera pans and we see a boy, who could be the long lost third Corey, clad all in black with dark sunglasses and a ruby broach. "Dad, take it easy," he says in a petulant pubescent voice.

Dreyfus, wherever he is, has got to be shaking in his cape. Corey then amends his common voice by affecting a melodramatic tone with a, "Father, please take care."

His parents, who are actually somewhat tolerable, make fun of their son's obvious hard-on for vampires.

"You know that I only eat red meat," Corey the Vampire Slayer simpers.

His dad further makes fun of him talking about how peanut butter must stick to the fangs.

"If I am going to hunt vampires then I have to think like a vampire and I don't think they eat peanut butter." This kid officially makes it on my list of Kid Characters On TV I Would Like to Murder; he's buried somewhere between Dora the Explorer and Sheen Estavez (of Jimmy Neutron fame). The kid then picks up a magazine with a picture of prevamped Dreyfus on the cover. And you thought I was kidding about the hard-on?

They reach Wisteria, much to the glee of the wee little slayer. His dad is not so thrilled. He has field seats to a sporting event.

His mother sticks up for the little twat, whose name is apparently Adder. Adder? The kid is named after a reptile? At least it drips with wannabe slayer, even if his parents appear to have been suffering a mild case of Downs Syndrome whilst naming their child.

The parents go in the inn and the dad makes a comment about the fact that it is dark. Out of nowhere the innkeeper tells him that sunlight damages antiques. Also sunlight has also been known to damage VAMPIRES.

The innkeeper shows them to their room, and then walks down the stairs and is caught by surprise. Adder is sitting by the stairs with an eager expression. Adder says that he wants to see the catacombs. Key up the Symphony of Trepidation as the innkeeper tries to tell him that they have been closed for years.

Adder has a hissy fit and then says to the innkeeper that he knows that there is an entrance of the catacombs to the basement. He says it like he is blackmailing the innkeeper, but obviously this isn't a big secret if Adder knows about it.

Then Adder notices a door in the background and asks if that is the entryway to the closed catacombs. I wonder if the "No Entry" sign to a level below ground helped him figure it out. The innkeeper asks why Adder is so interested and Adder says, "Let's just say that I have an appointment with destiny."

Adder, meanwhile, plans to find Dreyfus tonight, if He exists.

We cut to a full moon, though I'm pretty sure that's WEREWOLF lore. Adder is downstairs equipped with a flashlight and is making his way to the catacombs. He opens the UNLOCKED door to the catacombs. Yep, this inn doesn't even lock the doors to scary catacombs that house vampires. Stanley and Carl peek out from behind a curtain.

Adder gets down to the catacombs. And blah, blah, blah, corpses and coffins. Scary Latin/Gregorian Chant church music playing. But Stanley and Carl are hot in pursuit, brandishing stakes.

Adder finally comes upon Dreyfus' coffin. He starts taking pictures and giddily explains about how he is going to be famous. Stanley and Carl ambush him. Adder tries to explain that he isn't a vampire.

Then Adder makes the stupidest move in wannabe demon chasing history. HE PULLS DREYFUS'S WOODEN STAKE FROM OUT OF THE COFFIN. For someone who reads about slaying and hunting, he broke rule numero uno, which is DON'T WAKE THE SLEEPING VAMPIRES. Soon we see Dreyfus' coffin show some signs of life.

With Dreyfus awake, Adder realizes that Vampire Hunting is not all that it is cracked up to be, and takes flight.

SUDDENLY, Dreyfus materializes out of nowhere. Did Stephenie Meyer write this episode? Because a whole lot of vampire lore is being violated here.

Dreyfus is about to eat Carl, when Adder's weirdness and "dedication" finally come in handy. He uses some raven's blood to lure Dreyfus away, and then then opens the shades to reveal a very bright sun, which has magically appeared since it was pitch black when Adder left for the catacombs, which in episode time was probably like a half hour for them.

But then we get treated to some horrendous '90's special effects of a computer-generated Dreyfus getting disintegrated by the sun into a pile of ash.

Carl is super grateful to Adder. They have a nice little vindication where Carl warns him that vampires are no joke. Except when they die like that, that was pretty hilarious. Youtube it. (It's really only rivaled by this in my mind)

Adder's parents are, understandably, surprised to see a nice and normal Adder. Gone are the eyeliner and ruby earring. Adder suggests going to the Jets game. His parents are happy.

But Stanley is not so happy. Adder gives him some blood for protection against vampires, and...most people know what's coming, even if you are blind and deaf I still maintain your guessing odds are pretty good. Yep, Stanley is a vampire.

He bites Adder and that's it. Fade to the unimportant Midnight Society as they talk about how "good" the story is. I would protest, but my keyboard has been abused enough already.

I declare this recap closed.

-acerbec