Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Once More, with Feeling
|
List Price: Our Price: $12.04 You Save: $6.90 (36%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $6.46 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Once More, with Feeling
Free Music Review: Yet More Greatness From Whedon and Company
Hit: 5 Stars
Usually when a television series has a special "musical" episode it's pretty lame. Actors who aren't especially good singers end up performing poorly-chosen, unoriginal material. "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" is once again the exception--this show continues to amaze even as it gets older. Joss Whedon, the show's creator and principal mover, composed all new music (which resembles Sondheim as filtered through rock) and it turns out his cast is filled with really multi-talented people. Amber Benson is lovely with the soaring "Under Your Spell" a genuinely moving love song (which turns terribly poignant, as later events in the episode unfold.) Emma Caulfield and Nicholas Brendon are hilarious and touching in "I'll Never Tell" (and Emma is a riot with "Bunnies.") James Marsters is never better as the malevolent/love-stricken Spike with the hard-rocking "Rest in Peace" (a love song sung by a dead man.) Anthony Stewart Head, the acoustic rock god, is affecting in "Standing." Sarah Michelle Gellar has a very pure soprano; it's exactly how you would expect the heroic Buffy to sound. When she sings about being pulled out of heaven by her friends, it's heart-wrenching. Her duet with Spike on "What You Feel" is the emotional climax of the album. This is just exceptional, thrilling music, much more than the usual soundtrack album. If you are not yet a fan of "Buffy" but are into good music, this is a really good place to start. (The only flaw is that Alyson Hannigan is largely missing in action. Maybe she simply couldn't or wouldn't sing--or maybe because she later turned out to be that season's Big Bad--the villain and Buffy's main adversary--Whedon deliberately left her out. Another provocative mystery for Buffyphiles to ponder.)Free Music Review: Sensational!
Hit: 5 Stars
The episode "Once More With Feeling" was one of the best hours in television history, and now we have it CD. Listening to the soundtrack is just as exciting as it was watching the show. Joss Whedon proves again he is one of the most hardworking, and creative writers today as he penned all the songs, music, and lyrics himself. From the opening number "Going Through The Motions" to the finale "Where Do We Go From Here" the soundtrack is full of funny, dramatic, and beautiful songs. While Sarah Michelle Gellar won't be heading to Broadway anytime soon, she is certainly capable enough to carry a tune. Emma Caulfield(Anya) has one of the best voices and is hilarious when she rocks out about Bunnies, and her duet with Nicholas Brendan(Xander) is very sweet and charming. If there is one performance that standsout it's Amber Benson(Tara). She has a gorgeous voice. Joss penned an incredible song for Her, "Under Your Spell" and she sings it beautifully. James Marsters(Spike) rocks out on "Rest in Peace" and not only looks like Billy Idol, but sings like him. There are quite a few hilarious excerpts, most notably "The Mustard" and "Parking Ticket". The opening is more about making us laugh but slowly we get to the dramatic ending, and the most heartbreaking song is the reprise of Under Your Spell and Standing sung by Anthony Stewart Head(Giles) and Amber Benson, and Buffys "Something to Sing About" where Buffy confesses she wished she was never brought back. This soundtrack will make you laugh, dance, cry, and a whole lot more. A must have for all Buffy fans, and a great way to remember one of the best hours on television ever.Free Music Review: hilariously great
Hit: 5 Stars
This cd is clearly intended for fans of the tv series, being the soundtrack of what is perhaps the best episode of the whole seven seasons, useful if you want to listen to its music when you cannot watch the dvd.
The episode in question is extremely complex, all the feelings and suffering of the various characters concentrated in so intense a way you really feel you face a work of art; what is perhaps the highest achieving is that its surface is shining, glossy, extremely funny: you laugh helplessly while being aware of the many dark corners.
The soundtrack of this episode, recorded on this cd together with some orchestral music from some other episodes, fits perfectly into the script but I think the best compliment I can write is that this cd can easily stand on its own and give pleasure even to those who have no idea of what is all this sunnydale thing.
I cannot believe Joss Whedon is not an experience musician: he was undoubtedly helped by the producers, but the melodic ideas are his and are beautiful. I have no favourite hit: I just love ALL the pieces from the hilarious "The Parking Ticket" to the rock of "Rest in Peace" through the two lines of "Dawn's Lament".
Astonishing is the quality of the vocals: Hinton Battle is clearly a professional as is the unknown singer of "The Parking Ticket", but I was astonished by Amber Benson and James Marsters who interpret the two most catching hits, the lovely love ballad "Under Your Spell" and the good old rock of "Rest in Peace".
The others are no great singers, but they manage professionally enough, they sing with much feeling and make the WHOLE soundtrack worth listening.
Free Music Review: Great! Spectacular! but...
Hit: 5 Stars
Great CD. As one who made my own CD by transcribing the tape I made of its first broadcast (the only time the complete episode was shown) I have to say that this CD is a great improvement, audio-wise. The singers are clearer and it's a lot easier to hear the words. And the stereo balance is better.But there's a fly in the ointment. It's too clean. Main problem: the sound effects are missing. So what, you may say?
If you've ever listened to some of the songs with the wham-bam-smash sounds in the background (especially the opener "Going Through the Motions") you'll know that it's simply hilarious and is not to be missed. Especially in a car stereo.
Not including some of these soundtrack items and bits of dialogue that were obviously not recorded with the music also leaves voids - for example, the missing "Showtime" from Sweet (and the sound of the door to the Bronze crashing in) at the end of "Walk Through the Fire" is a great loss - as is the omission of Dawn's words after the end of "Something to Sing About". And some of Sweet's other comments. I also missed Spike's words before he went outside on "Where Do We Go From Here."
But of course this was easily made up by the extras that were included - sooner or later Josh & Co. will get wise and release a CD of nothing but Christophe Beck's work. There's a treasure trove of material in addition to what has been released on this album and the previous music CD (and what's available on private sites online). And there are many, many Buffyites out there (like myself) that don't usually enjoy the kind of music you're likely to hear at the Bronze!
Free Music Review: a must have for all buffy viewers- new and old alike
Hit: 5 Stars
Once more with feeling- was ,imho, the best episode of season 6 if not the whole season. This cd complies the music/songs of that episode- from the opening title song to the end ..grr arrgh. A nice bonus was the special tracks from past episodes- hush, restless and sacrifice.the amazing thing is that all songs were written by the joss whedon, and that all the actors lent their own vocals to their songs--a brillant endeavor for an already outstanding cast!
there are of course musical standouts- anthony head (giles) and amber benson (tara) and of course spike are the musical highpoints. Anthony Head, is of course, already a recognized musician (see his own CD- music without elevators) and he performs exceptionally well on his solo-"Standing" as well as the mini duet he and amber benson shared (under your spell/standing)
The songs of "Once more with feeling" are as varied as the performers- there is a song to fit every mood,( From spike's alt rock song "rest in peace", xander and anya's broadway based "I'll never tell") I most enjoyed the musical ensembles- buffy is of course an ensemble show and the best songs were those that had every voice (walk through the fire/where do we go). But even those without singing experience participate, though briefly--(willow's line-- i think this line's mostly filler--was hilarious).
In the end, this was a great cd for fans already familiar with the show and this particular episode- for non fans, i would recommend picking up the DVD of season 1-4 and pray that Season 5 and 6(with the brillant muscial buffy episode )is available on amazon soon!