Tuesday, July 8, 2008

This is a Mad Man's World


Cable TV has really made huge strides over the past 15 years to take advantage of markets outside of strictly TV and really push well produced series that both enthrall and explore boundaries that network TV still has fights over. Premium channels like HBO and Showtime (see Brotherhood Season 1 overview) and places like FX and USA have been enveloping their brand with particular shows. AMC, which produced the heavily hyped Mad Men, ventured into similarly cool territory a couple years ago with Hustle.

The Golden-Globe winning Mad Men is gearing up for it's second season, and now EMI/Manhattan Records has released the first volume (assuming there's more than one to come) of music used in Season 1. It's an interesting collection of standards from the turn of the decade in 1960 and before, and fits quite well with the image of the urban, slick ad executive with the sharp suit and quick wit. With numbers from Bobby Vinton and Robert Maxwell, and the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald, it seems like a great buy for not only fans of the show but anyone willing to kick back their feet and get a little bit lounge-y. These shows just know their music a bit better than whatever is on network television, and I can put a safe bet that Mad Men: Music From The Series Vol. 1 is no exception.

From the press release:

According to Matthew Weiner, “Music on Mad Men is never an accident. The philosophy of the sound was pointed: do as much to enhance the feeling of the period while offering an artistic commentary to the themes of each show.” Alexandra Patsavas, Grammy nominated music supervisor and founder and owner of Chop Shop Music Supervision, serves as music supervisor for the soundtrack, which joins her impressive credits, including Grey’s Anatomy, The OC, Rescue Me, Gossip Girl, Without A Trace, among others. There is no question that music helped define that decade and music plays an important role in the series.

Mad Men: Music from the Series, Vol 1, includes musical standards such as “On The Street Where You Live” by Vic Damone, “Fly Me To The Moon” by Julie London, Volare” by The McGuire Sisters, and Manhattan” by Ella Fitzgerald, among many other known and loved favorites; the show’s theme song, “A Beautiful Mine” by Aceyalone & RJD2, as well as original music by the show’s composer, David Carbonara.

Track List:

On the Street Where You Live - Vic Damone
Volare - The McGuire Sisters
Lipstick - David Carbonara
P. S. I Love You - Bobby Vinton
Botch-a-Me - Rosemary Clooney
Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) - Julie London
Caravan - Gordon Jenkins

Manhattan - Ella Fitzgerald
I Can Dream, Can’t I? - The Andrews Sisters
Shangri-La - Robert Maxwell

Babylon - David Carbonara
Mad Men Suite - David Carbonara
A Beautiful Mine - Aceyalone & RJD2

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