The Tragic Treasury: Songs from a Series of Unfortunate Events

Stephin Merritt, Lemony Snicket, Gothic Archies

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 10, 2006)
• Original Release Date: October 10, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B000HDRAMG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,052 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Children's discs, like cartoons, sometimes work on a couple of different levels, but those levels are usually predictable--the pop-culture reference that flies over a slack-jawed fourth grader's head while garnering a chuckle from her parent, for example, or the double-entendre that's decidedly singular in the eyes of a 6-year-old child. The Tragic Treasury, the companion disc to Daniel Handler's creepily addictive Lemony Snicket series of books, is in a whole different league: 11-year-olds and the adults who hover over them, waiting for their own chance to devour each title, will love its verisimilitude--songs like "Scream and Run Away" and "Smile! No One Cares How You Feel" couldn't have been concocted for anything else--and indie-rock types, be they 19 or 62, will love its drearily exceptional hipness. Whether you know your grim grottos from your vile villages and hostile hospitals (all Snicket titles) couldn't matter less: if artful gloom-leaning pop grabs you, this disc gives up the goods, and of a quality you won't find anywhere else besides a handful of less-inspired Gothic Archies releases. As most non-Snicketeers inclined to pick up The Tragic Treasury know, Stephen Merritt--he of the equally excellent Magnetic Fields--is responsible; a few accordion contributions from Handler himself aside, he alone is the merry Goth man. He also writes a mean lyric, and luckily for Snicket loyalists, they're included in liner notes here. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description

This musical companion to bestselling novelist Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is comically creepy fun for children of all ages. The Gothic Archies is a musical project of Stephin Merritt, the songwriter best known for his band the Magnetic Fields. The album, entitled The Tragic Treasury, features music originally recorded for the audiobooks of A Series of Unfortunate Events. The Tragic Treasury contains 13 songs corresponding to the 13 books in the series, with two additional bonus tracks also inspired by the series. All music is performed by the Gothic Archies, with Lemony Snicket accompanying on accordion. The Tragic Treasury is being released October 10, 2006, in conjunction with the final Lemony Snicket book, The End.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strange, twisted, and funny, October 13, 2006

By	Ron Heck - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The second I heard the song, "Crows," I knew I had to own this album. I know nothing of Lemony Snicket books, but I've a been a Magnetic Fields fan for awhile. So, after very awkwardly browsing the childrens' section at the bookstore, I was able to find a copy of this really great album. I was very happily surprised to find that this CD is more in line with Merritt's great early nineties albums (like Holiday, Wasps' Nests, and The New Despair) rather than i or (shudder) Showtunes. This is a great mix of synths and traditional instruments (if you consider an electric sitar "traditional"). The lyrics are very depressing/weird/funny/moving depending on the song, though some are all four.

Even though I did my research on this album before I got it, I'm stilll astonished as to how good it really is. I wasn't excited for the next Magnetic Fields album next Spring, but now I am. The only thing I can equate this to is when another great indie artist, Mark Mulcahy, put out a disc of Polaris songs for The Adventure of Pete and Pete (they're completely different save for sheer quality). I can't say for sure if Lemony Snicket fans will really dig these songs as much as I do, since I'm already a fan. However, I haven't read any of the Snicket books, but now I really want to.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Gothic Archies' strongest outing yet..., October 11, 2006

By	R. P. Caudill (Bloomington, IN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

...and one of Stephin Merritt's most memorable, and by far the funniest. On this album he is doing what he does best: being a glum old curmudgeon-popster with tongue wedged squarely in cheek. No knowledge of the Lemony Snicket books is needed. There are a number of direct references in several of the songs, but the lyrics stand on their own quite well, particular in numbers such as Freakshow, Shipwrecked, How Do You Slow This Thing Down?, and A Million Mushrooms. Expect an expertly crafted mixture of glum yet surprisingly catchy arrangements coupled with more of Merritt's hilariously morose lyrics. Highly recommended!

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I saw this live, October 21, 2006

By	C. Wade (Waxahachie, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had the great "misfortune" to see some of these tunes performed live by Daniel Handler (on accordian) and Stephin Merrit (Lemony Snicket was supposed to play percussion but he was detained... long story... you get it if you know about the books). It was the greatest thing I have ever seen! If you have the chance to catch Lemony Snicket on tour, do it! And get the CD, you will be very, very firmly depressed and miserable. It's the perfect accompaniment to this series.