Last week I got all excited when I was browsing Amazon and drinking some coffee before work and found the score to season 2 of True Blood available for download. While I’m usually a very good girl about avoiding impulse buying first thing in the morning (before I’ve finished the first cup of coffee) I didn’t even think twice about purchasing the mp3 album and starting the download while I finished getting ready for work. I’d enjoyed the score to the first season so much that I’ve been wishing and hoping they’d release more music soon.
After listening to the full album twice through now I can say that while I love certain tracks on it, I think the music from the first season might still be my favorite. Even so, Nathan Barr is an amazing composer and the music he’s written for the show is beautiful. The themes that he’s able to set for each character and then alter enough to make them fit the situations are well written and recognizable.
Probably one of my favorite musical themes through the show is what I call the “Loss†or “Grief†theme. It’s probably best associated with Sookie’s Grandmother but it’s often played when a character, usually Sookie, is hit with a loss in her life. You can hear it played through the first season, most noticeably after the events with Gran. It’s while Sookie is eating that pecan pie alone at her table that you hear that there are words to it, making it a sad and sweet Southern-sounding hymn. (I admit, I cried during that scene and the music was at least partly to blame). Much to my delight Nathan Barr continues to use this theme through the music in the second season, particularly on a track called “Packing Granâ€.
One of my other favorite themes is the love theme between Bill & Sookie. While I may not care for Bill at all, the music set for them is a lovely piece that builds in intensity and occasionally leaves you hanging without a musical resolution.
There isn’t much on this particular album that involves Maryann even though she was a huge part of the second season. For that I’m a little grateful. The track “House Party†manages to wrap up her and her influence in one single musical track. You also catch a glimpse of her madness in the early track “Ride & Slashâ€. We are introduced to some more music involving Eric on this album and the track “Eric’s Grief/ The Bleeds†had me sitting in my car for a few extra minutes, entranced by the new themes and music that I now associate with my favorite blond vampire.
All in all, it was worth the download. I now have more music to fuel my fantasies about being swept away by a tall blond Swedish man. *happy sigh*
Anyone else have a similar reaction to the album? Anyone going to run and nab one of the score albums just to hear what I’m describing? Let me know what you think of them!
