Customer Reviews

Twin Peaks (Season One TV Soundtrack)

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"My (musical) world is a little bit dark. . . a little bit off-center. I think of it as tragically beautiful. That is how I would describe what I love best: tragically beautiful." Angelo Badalamenti

Today's working hypothesis is no composer was ever more important to the success of a television show than Angelo Badalamenti was for his work on the David Lynch televison cult hit "Twin Peaks" (1990-91).

The criteria here is not just coming up with a memorable instrumental theme song (in which case we just pick Lalo Schifrin for "Mission Impossible"), but the scoring of various episodes over the course of several seasons. By that standard what is the competition? Jan Hammer's work on "Miami Vice" got a lot of publicity, but when you think of the soundtrack for that show you are just as likely to think of Glenn Frey's "Smuggler's Blues" and Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" as you are the show's theme song or other incidental music. For me the close second would be w.g. snuffy walden's work on "thirtysomething," but that superb work (especially "second look") never received the publicity that Badalamenti did with "Twin Peaks" (Population 51,201).

Besides the memorable main theme you have the haunting "Laura Palmer's Theme" and the quirky little "Dance of the Dream Man." The former was used in different variations to different effects throughout the series, eloquently underscoring the twists and turns in the search for her killer. Even when David Lynch writes some lyrics for Julee Cruise to sing, the mood produced by the music never changed. It is amazing to me how you could always be aware of what Badalamenti was doing while watching "Twin Peaks," yet the music never becomes intrusive or overwhelming. Instead it is a perfect compliment to the story and pictures. And remember:

That gum you like, it's coming back in style...

This is The Sound Track ever.

Sad, melancholic, beautiful, dark, fragile, gentle.

Turn your lights off and sit in the dark with a nice drink and think.

Wait till the trumpets come...

It is probably good idea not to hold your drink in your hands while listening.

This music brings you to another world.

Simply outstanding.

If you're a Twin Peaks fan, like me, you can truly appreciate how incredibly perfect this soundtrack is to the greatest show ever created.

Much like the series, this music creates the perfect mood. The music is ethereal, jazzy,sexy and totally hypnotic to the human ear.

The cameo performances from Julee Cruise helps, her voice is much like the melodies, beautiful and dreamy, pure heaven.

It brings you back to Peaks, a feeling I will never tire of.

This is less of a review, and more of a suggestion. If you buy this CD, and I highly recommend that you do - especially Twin Peaks fans - listen to it at least once on a good, high-quality set of headphones.

There is a great deal of subtlety to this soundtrack that goes unrevealed when listening on a stereo or boom box.

Listening with a headset actually seems to create a greater intimacy with the soundtrack - you suddenly hear a variety of previously hidden nuances, such as sounds and recording effects.

It seems this music was made to be appreciated from "the center of it," if that makes sense, and not from across the room. Only headsets, or perhaps a really good surround-sound system, can physically put you where you need to be to appreciate the full quality of this work.

Don't get me wrong. It's a good soundtrack however you listen to it, but listening to it on a stereo from across the room keeps you at a distance from some of the surprising quality of this work.

There are no words to describe the quality of this album. Even unbelievable would seem like an understatement. Angelo Badalamenti is a genius, no question. Also, he has the brains to hook up with Lynch, which would automatically categorize anyone as great. BUY THIS ALBUM BEFORE YOU DIE!

One of the sometimes-forgotten keys to the success of David Lynch's films is his use of composer Angelo Badalamenti. Badalamenti's moody compositions -- with their almost introspective, otherworldly sounds -- often times seem to be the key to lulling visitors into the world of Lynch's imagination. Often, Badalamenti's music so perfectly matches Lynch's images that it becomes impossible to seperate the two. Certainly, this is true of the score Badalamenti composed for Lynch's groundbreaking TV series, Twin Peaks. Even though Twin Peaks was cancelled over ten years ago, the minute I hear Badalementi's haunting theme music, I can automatically the deceptively placid opening images of the series' opening credits as clearly and perfectly as if I had just seen the show last night. Twin Peaks, as with most of Lynch's work, dealt with the chaos that usually raged beneath the safest exteriors and Badalamenti's score -- serene yet strangely ominous and always suggesting soemthing lurking right around the corner -- perfectly captured that theme. With soundtracks growing more and more bland (especially television scores, which are usually designed to be as unmemorable as possible lest a viewer be turned off), Badalamenti's work on this soundtrack serves as wonderful evidence of what a truly talented and individual composer can do even within the confines of the soundtrack genre.

Also, note should be made of singer Julee Cruise's contributions to the soundtrack. Much like Badalamenti, Cruise's music has an otherworldly, slightly melancholy feel to it but whereas Badalamenti takes you back to the series' sense of menace, Cruise's songs serve to remind you of the romantically hopeful idealism that occasionally surfaced as well. If Badalamenti created a world where Laura Palmer could be murdered by her own father, Cruise's songs remind you that it was also a world where Leland Palmer could find forgiveness for his crime.

All in all, an amazing soundtrack for fans and nonfans of the show alike. When listening to both Badalamenti and Cruise, even the most common of sights takes on new depth and meaning. To me, the sign of a great recording is whether or not it changes the world around you while you listen to it. This soundtrack certainly does so.

This soundtrack is an interesting addition to any eccetic music collection, even if you are not a Twin Peaks' fanatic. David Lynch has incorporated an innovative and alternative soundtrack to his hit TV show. Fans will love the delicate yet erie sounds that are familiar to them from the show. Music lovers will enjoy the alternative jazz and blues-inspired tracks that are reminiscent of an evening lounge.

If you're a fan of this show at all, owning this disc is a must. It'll bring you right back to the woods, and the diner. However, even someone unfamilar with the show would still greatly enjoy this soundtrack. It is simply beautiful music, mostly intrumentals, with a few tracks including vocals. The singing is done by "Julee Cruise", who's own albums are very similar, and who's voice I can only describe as angelic. This is excellent mood music, and something great to listen to well "Into The Night".

This music really brings the Twin Peaks experience to another level, making it consume your daily reality. Even if you never watched the show, this is great music for mood and atmosphere. From the mellon-collie theme, to the classicly morbid Laura Palmer theme, and the great dark jazz pieces, this is a great listen the whole way through. Julee Cruise provides melodic vocals on several songs, including the disturbingly haunting "Into the Night". Angelo Badalamenti always suprises you with his parts and instrumentation, and Lynch's lyrics are great. If you're a fan of the Twin Peaks reality and want it to seep yet further into your own, or if you're just looking for some surreal atmospheres, this is a great buy.

This is no doubt one of the most original soundtracks ever, to one of the most original tv-series ever. This soundtrack is as good as the series, continuing the mystiscm and paranormal feeling. There is no other soundtrack that can make my hair raise on my back like this, it makes it all come back to me, all the scenes from the amazing series.
It has one of the best, well known theme songs ever, "Falling". It is considered a lovesong, a relaxing song, whatever you call it, it is called genious.
The rest of the songs are more unknown, except for the song that is in the intro and outro in the series. It is a great song too. The rest of the soundtrack ranges from jazzy laidback music(Or should I say muzac), to direct freaky eerie sounds. This is not your ordinary soundtrack, and listening should be avoided with lots of friends, as it can seem to weird and freaky for some. But for those cold nights alone when you want to get a long trip down the memorylane back to Twin Peaks, there is nothing better(except the series) than this soundtrack. Excellent, but hard to describe. Highly recommended, but may be hard to find.