Customer Reviews

Six Feet Under, Volume Two: Everything Ends - Music from the HBO Original Series

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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

How many times will we have to listen to Sia Furler's "Breathe Me" before the end sequence of the haunting series finale of "Six Feet Under" is exorcised from our minds? At least listening to it on the "Six Feet Under, Volume 2: Everything Ends" soundtrack allows me to get away from being in front of the television and replaying the last five minutes of the final episode over and over again. Even though I fully appreciate the irony of having the final track being Imogen Heap's short and to the point, "I'm a Lonely Little Petunia In An Onion Patch," I feel like "Breathe Me" should be the final track on the album since it was the final song of the final episode. But then "Breathe Me" was also the music for the fifth and final season's trailer, so it does have a larger meaning.

This soundtrack album begins with Nina Simone's "Feelin' Good," which was the music for the fourth season trailer while Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head" was not only the music for the third season trailer (and the one song that specifically has the phrase "six feet under" in it), but also was featured prominently in episode 27, "Perfect Circles," first in the scene where Nate sees himself with Lisa and Maya in the pastoral room and then the song is reprised at the end when he and Lisa discuss the randomness of human existence and continues into the end credits. Besides the Simone track, the only other one here that I do not think was ever in an actual episode of "Six Feet Under" is the Caesar's cover of "Don't Fear the Reaper," although of course the original by Blue Oyster Cult was way back in Episode 21, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" at the biker funeral when they were holding up the cigarette lighters and beers, and again at the end of the episode when Nate was given the keys to Jessie's motorcycle and took off down the coast on his new chopper.

It is amazing how music brings back memories of specific scenes on your favorite television shows. Even when series like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "The O.C.," and "Gilmore Girls" come out with soundtracks they always seem to miss some key songs, which is why one of the great advancements of technology in the 21st century is the CD burner that allows us to correct these defaults. But this second "Six Feet Under" soundtrack is a solid cornerstone to any such effort, covering songs from the third, fourth, and fifth season. "Amazing Life" by Jem is from Episode 53, "Dancing For Me," when Billy and Claire are in bed together and his medication starts to stop working. Phoenix's "Everything is Everything" is when Claire, Edie, Anita and Jimmy are discussing their art project at the start of Episode 47, "Coming and Going." Of course "Breathe Me" by Sia ends the series in Episode 63, "Everybody's Waiting," as Claire drives off into the future and we find out how and when everybody dies (I expected to see the birth-death dates for the principles, so I was really moved by how Allan Ball ended the episode).

"Lucky" by Radiohead was from the end of Episode 42, "Parallel Play," when the Fishers made a bonfire out of all the things they did not sell at their yard sale, with Claire playing the song from her bedroom window on a boom box. The ironic "Time Is On My Side" sung by Irma Thomas is from Episode 27, "Perfect Circles," when Nathaniel and Nate are having their heavy discussion on parallel universes existing simultaneously (heavy topic, dudes). From the scene in Episode 52, "A Coat of White Paint," when everybody arrives at Nate and Brenda's house for dinner, it was Babel Gilberto's "Aganjou" that was playing. Interpol's "Direction" is from Episode 62, "Static," when Claire was driving to visit Nate's grave. "Transatlanticism" by Death Cab for Cutie is the song Claire and her friends were singing along to in Episode 45, "Terror Starts at Home." The Arcade Fire's "Cold Wind" is also from "Static," coming at the end of the episode as Claire heads home on the bus and Brenda is in labor at the hospital. Finally, Heap's "I'm a Lonely Little Petunia in an Onion Patch" is from Episode 46, "The Dare," where it plays over the end credits, which explains why it has the last position here. Of course, that was the lullabye that Ruth used to sing to the kids when they were little and when Maya starts crying in the kitchen Nate sings the song to her, with David and Claire join in.

Sure, it would be nice if that version was here or if you threw in Lauren Ambrose singing "You Ride Up My Thigh," Michael C. Hall's "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" or "The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring," or even Peter Krause and Lily Taylor singing, "Maya Row The Boat Ashore," but sound clips do not really take the place of complete songs. I was also thinking that there must be an album by someone comparable to the Gay Men's Chorus out there as well. Anyhow, I suppose this would be a solid collection of songs even without their associations to the late and mostly lamented HBO television series, but those exist and that is what makes it worth having. We now return you to the song of the day...

Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small
I'm needy
Warm me up
And breathe me

I've been looking forward to the release of this CD for a long time, and now that I have it, I'm thrilled! The last "Six Feet Under" soundtrack was very good, but the second volume surpasses it. "Everything Ends" includes the songs that were used in the promos for Seasons 4 and 5: Nina Simone's "Feelin' Good" and Sia's "Breathe Me." The album also includes excellent new songs by some of today's most popular artists, including Jem, Interpol, and The Arcade Fire. (There's also a hidden bonus track...Imogen Heap singing "Lonely Little Petunia" from Season 4!) I should also mention the packaging of the CD itself: it comes in a little hardcover book that includes photographs taken from the show's opening credits. The image on the front cover is of Claire driving her trademark lime green hearse, a scene which was taken from the Season 5 trailer. The back cover has a close-up of Claire's hood ornament, which I'd never really noticed before...but it's so Claire!

Pick up this CD as soon as you can...it's an EXCELLENT collection of music and a must-have for every "Six Feet Under" fan!

Co-curated by the series' musical supervisors, KCRW DJ's Gary Calamar and Thomas Golubic, this 2nd soundtrack CD does an excellent job of capturing the show's offbeat introspectiveness and moody aesthetic. More than any other TV series, Six Feet has had me doing internet searches following most episodes to answer the question, "what was that song?" This CD does unveil a few of those mysterious voices, particularly the breathy Sia and the French electronic band Phoenix. There are also several more well known artists and songs, but they're ones that suit the show. Setting aside the ready availability of many of the songs elsewhere, it's just a well designed collection of music that is worth repeated listens. Anyway, one can never hear Coldplay's wonderful "Rush of Blood" too many times, eh?

If the up-and-down first SFU soundtrack left you hesitant to buy volume two, fear not: this well-chosen, well-ordered disc is superior to its predecessor in every way.

Beyond choosing a good slate of songs, the album's producers picked songs from memorable moments, making the disc ideal for both fans and non-fans of the show. "Lucky" will conjure images of the season four episode-ending fire that marked a turning point for the Fishers; "Transatlanticism" recalls the singalong with Claire and friends in the coach house; "Cold Wind," an excellent new Arcade Fire track, harkens back to the second-to-last episode and Brenda giving birth to Willa. Also present is the music from each of the most recent HBO promos, including "Breathe Me," which heralded the coming of season five and also provided a fitting conclusion to the series. Good luck forgetting the image of Claire roller-skating around a grocery store and tossing oranges during Nina Simone's "Feelin' Good," the song from the season four promo that opens this album.

One addition would have made this soundtrack perfect: the Pell Mell song, "Nothing Lies Still Long," that played every week during the "Previously on..." segment of the show. But there isn't a bad song here, and it flows wonderfully. If you're suffering Six Feet withdrawal, this disc is a must!

This cd isn't a waste of your money, you can enjoy every second of the music, vol 1 wasn't too good, it was okay but this cd is what you call a "real master piece".
My favorite song is "everything is everything" by Phoenix...listen to the clips to hear samples of a great soundtrack..

Alan Ball's HBO series "Six Feet Under" is known for its intriguing (if slightly soap opera-esque) storylines and sharp performances from one of the finest ensemble casts to date. The show also became known for incorporating diverse musical acts, and in 2001 a soundtrack album consisting of songs from the first two seasons was released. Since the final season was about to air, someone must have decided that another soundtrack album would be the perfect way to exploit more money from the fans. Okay, maybe not, but nevertheless "Six Feet Under, Volume 2: Everything Ends" was released in June of 2005.

How does "Everything Ends" compare to the first soundtrack? For one thing, not all of the songs presented here were heard on the show. Nina Simone's bombastic 'Feeling Good' was used in promotional ads for Season 4, and is an excellent choice to open this album. The original version of 'Don't Fear the Reaper' was used in the second season, and while it's excellently remade by up-and-coming alternative act Caesars, I would've preferred to see the original on here for some variety. That's why the album doesn't get five stars: "Everything Ends" seems to include artists that belong in either the moody alt-rock category or old-time soul music. The music presented here certainly makes for some good listening, but a little more diversity among the musical selections would have been nice. Anyway, the highlights on this album are:

-Arcade Fire's 'Cold Wind' (used in Season 5's 'Static'). Very reminiscent of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust material, and just as good.

-Caesars' psychedelic remake of 'Don't Fear the Reaper'. You can hear the original in Season 2's 'Most Wonderful Time of the Year', though the version included on this album was never used on the series. A shame, as this song is one of the best heard here.

-Death Cab for Cutie's lengthy 'Transatlanticism' (used in Season 4's 'Terror Starts at Home'). I was skeptical of Death Cab, but after seeing 'Terror Starts at Home' and hearing the song, I was pleasantly surprised.

-Phoenix's 'Everything is Everything' (used in Season 4's 'Coming and Going'). Nearly minutes of catchy French pop.

-Sia's 'Breathe Me' (used in 'Everyone's Waiting', the grand finale.) This one is actually a modest hit on several radio stations. Who would have thought?

I could go on and on, but the only disappointment is Interpol's 'Direction' (also used in 'Static'). Recorded exclusively for the series, it has plenty of atmosphere to spare but not much else. It's fairly obvious the band was just phoning it in.

As far as soundtrack albums go, the second "Six Feet Under" soundtrack album is of fairly high quality. The only thing missing is the eerie guitar music used during the recaps that air before each episode. Maybe we'll get lucky and a third soundtrack will be released, although I'm sure there's a reason why this recording is called "Everything Ends".

there's nothing more cliche than saying you don't know what ya got till it's gone but i will be feeling that way for a long time after seeing the final episode of Six Feet Under. This cd is tremendous. It has several genres but any true SFU fan will love it. My personal favorite is Breathe Me as i'm driving down the road getting chills reliving the finale of the final episode as Claire drives off. HBO did a 2 part retrospective right before the final episode and the Death Cab for Cutie song was prevalent throughout. It is awesome. I like Time is on my Side and Feeling Good better than I thought I would when I bought it. These songs just take me back in a great way. The one song I think is really missing from this collection is Calling All Angels by Jane Siberry with KD Lang. the moment at the end of the episode in which Nate's first love, Fiona has passed away when ruth begins to sing this song acapella with the other women joining in was beautiful. I love this Cd and would recommend to any devout SFU fan. I could listen to it all day long.

I liked the variety of songs on this soundtrack. The themes of loss, death, renewal, and frustration in the show are expressed in these songs. Nina's Simone's sultry voice on Feelin Good is a perfect first track. The hit song A Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay is included on this CD. I think this is a great song about the drastic and often violent measures people can go to when they feel frustrated with life. I also enjoyed the song Breathe Me by Sia. This is a pretty song about how fragile human existence really is. I think Breathe Me is also a song about the need to reach out to someone. Everything is Everything is a song with a great beat. This song is about feeling that the demands of life are too overwhelming.

Angajou is another one of my favorite tracks on this CD. I loved the relaxing latin sound. The song really gets me moving. Don't Fear The Reaper by the Ceasars is an excellent cover of a classic song by Blue Oyster Cult. This song really rocks. I loved it. Time on My Side is a song with a nice spiritual sound that I liked. I think that Imogen Heap has a beautiful voice. She contributes her talents here with a very pretty song entitled Lonely Little Petunia. There is a great song by Radiohead entitled Lucky. This song is about having an optimism about life despite going through a lot of hard times. This is an excellent soundtrack to one of the best dramatic shows on TV. I will miss it.

A great soundtrack with some heartbreaking songs

A fitting end to the series

I, like many others I am sure, feel like throwing myself off a bridge now that Six Feet Under is over, but at least I have this amazing soundtrack to cling to. What a great show, I don't think I ever missed an episode. My Sunday nights now feel somewhat lonely without the Fischer & Diaz family (and Rome, HBO's consolation prize, can't go on forever).

Back to this soundtrack. A lot of my favorites are here - Nina Simone, Sia, Death Cab for Cutie, Bebel Gilberto, Jem, and even Imogen Heap of Frou Frou fame ("Let Go" from the Garden State soundtrack) and the songs are the perfect vehicle though which to reminisce. They pull you back into your favorite memories from the show. I'm too embarrassed to admit how many times I have played "Breathe Me" by Sia, trying to come to terms with the final five minutes of the last episode, which was absolutely brilliant. I was so happy to see Sia get some long-deserved recognition on this soundtrack. I have her two solo albums "Healing is Difficult" and "Colour the Small One" and wholeheartedly recommend both. She is also the voice of a number of tracks on both Zero 7 CDs, two other albums that every self-respecting music fan/collector should own.

I was also very happy to come across Jem's exclusive track "Amazing Life". I thought if might be more of a filler song, be was very pleasantly surprised. As usual, her voice is great and the music hazy, dark, and effective, much like her solo work on her freshman album "Finally Woken".

Bebel Gilberto (a true tribute to beautiful musical breeding) adds some South America sparkle with "Angajou" and Death Cab For Cutie takes you out into the abyss and back in "Transatlanticism".

The only real complaint I have is the inclusion of Coldplay. It seems that their presence is required on every "cool" soundtrack, to the point of becoming a rather timesome cliche. I don't have a particular problem with Coldplay per se, though I am very tired of Chris Martin's incessant whine, as much as I have a problem with the bougeois poseurs that they attract as fans (I feel the same applies to U2 and and Dave Matthews fans as well, frankly). I just would love to own one great soundtrack that isn't tainted by these suburban seducers. Wow, that was an unexpected tirade, but I think I am done now.

Anyway, ignoring my rant above, I would highly recommend this soundtrack. It is a great souvenir from the show for anyone who was a fan, or a great listen for anyone else who may have unfortunately missed out on this once-in-a-lifetime show (which may be caught on DVD).