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OMFG! A Gossip Girl Soundtrack: Duh

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:30:45 -0700

My question is: What took them so long? I kid, but honestly, you knew a Gossip Girl soundtrack had to be coming because a) that's what good teen dramas do, and b) the show is as good at music as it is at one-liners.

So, the first Gossip Girl soundtrack has been compiled by The O.C.'s former music supervisor, Alexandra Patsavas (you know how I feel about her). OMFGG - Original Music Featured on Gossip Girl No. 1's 13 tracks will hit record store shelves near you on Oct. 28, and the album's also available online right now. It's generally a pretty good overview of the show's music, though it doesn't have the memorable "U.R.A. Fever," the song that's playing when Serena admits to murder.

The good folks of GG are also launching an entire site devoted to music on the show. I'm pretty excited for that site myself, because I rarely watch an episode without doing some searching for lyrics I heard.

Are you on your way to download the soundtrack? Are you excited for the new music site? I've got the track list after the jump - and super bonus Buzz respect and admiration goes to anyone who can figure out which song was played in which OMG moment last season. To check it out, just read more.

The Kills – “Sour Cherry”
The Kooks – "Do You Wanna"
Phantom Planet – “Do the Panic”
The Teenagers – “Feeling Better”
The Virgins – “One Week of Danger (Demo Version)”
Nadia Oh – “Got Your Number”
Crystal Castles – “Crimewave”
The Republic Tigers – “Fight Song”
Junkie XL – “Cities in Dust”
The Ting Tings – “We Started Nothing”
Oppenheimer – “Breakfast in NYC”
The Pierces – “Three Wishes”
Albert Hammond Jr. – “Hard to Live in the City”

Photo courtesy of The CW

Variety's Women's Impact Report: Alexandra Patsavas

BuzzSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:30:55 -0700

Variety has issued its annual Women's Impact Report, highlighting women who have made an impression at all levels of entertainment. Just like last year, the list includes executive powerhouses, household-name performers, and lesser-known talents. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be spotlighting some of the women whom I find particularly noteworthy. Today's pick: music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas.

I don't own a whole lot of TV soundtracks, but I do have several of the ones from The O.C., which sound more like mix CDs from my coolest friend than the soundtracks to a soapy teenage drama. I have expressed my admiration for the woman responsible for these compilations on a few occasions, as she has so smartly set music to some of the most popular TV shows in recent years. Grey's Anatomy, The O.C., Gossip Girl and now even Mad Men have all benefited from Alexandra Patsavas's great talent.

As Variety notes, several bands can certainly thank Patsavas for helping to get them into the spotlight: "Her power as a contemporary music tastemaker is acknowledged by producers, managers and label execs, as her savvy song choices have drawn attention to such previously little-known alt-rock and indie bands as Death Cab for Cutie, Phantom Planet and the Killers (via The OC); Snow Patrol, the Fray and Ingrid Michaelson (Grey's); and the Virgins (Gossip)."

This willingness to use newer or lesser-known bands (as opposed to going with musical selections that may be more "safe") is one of the things that makes Patsavas so cool. Patsavas told Variety, "I feel like I'm getting away with something all the time. Our producers are into really good music these days, and we are putting forward some very obscure and nontraditional choices. And I'm so happy about that." So are we.

Source and source

Buzz In: Which TV Shows Have the Best Music?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 07:00:27 -0700

From scoring an entire episode with songs from New York band The Virgins to featuring an a capella version of Fergie's "Glamorous," Gossip Girl has certainly done its part to bring good music to television this year. That's probably not a huge surprise, though: Its music supervisor, Alexandra Patsavas, has brought memorable songs to shows like The OC and Grey's Anatomy as well.

As I was reading a recent interview with Patsavas, I started thinking about what makes a good TV soundtrack. The shows Patsavas has worked on seem to have that secret down when it comes to catchy indie and rock songs - but Cold Case uses music in a completely different way that's still very cool, and the instrumental songs Explosions in the Sky contribute to the Friday Night Lights soundtrack do a lot to establish that show's mood.

Which TV shows do you think use music in the best ways? And which shows that haven't released soundtracks do you wish would?

Source

Five Songs by The Virgins to Be Featured on Gossip Girl Tonight

BuzzSugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 06:30:00 -0800

Music Supervisor Alexandra Patsavas is trucking right along on her crusade to bring cool music to the TV-watching masses. Tonight's episode of Gossip Girl, titled "Seventeen Candles" on account of Blair's seventeenth birthday, will feature five songs by New York band The Virgins. That's a good number of songs by the same band to be played in one episode! These dudes will probably be household names in little time.

Until tonight you can download the song "Love Is Colder Than Death" and I would definitely recommend doing so. The song has a boppy, '80s-style thing going on that I'm really digging. So, well played, Patsavas: Now I'm going to have to buy their EP! Tune in tonight to hear the other songs, and let me know what you think of the Virgins' totally sweet Gossip Girl placement in Molly's weekly rundown on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of CW

"Gossip Girl" to Feature Cool Pop Music

BuzzSugar — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:35:42 -0700

I seriously admire Alexandra Patsavas, the clever mind behind musical placement in hit shows "The OC" and "Grey's Anatomy." She's credited with launching the careers of many an indie band by using them on "The OC," and I've often felt that the music on "Grey's" is just the thing to seal in the poignancy of a scene.

Now, Patsavas is taking her gift for placing music to the CW's fall series "Gossip Girl," and this time, she's planning to do for pop music "what 'The OC' did for indie rock." Billboard has more:

As with "The OC" and "Grey's Anatomy," and other shows on the CW, music will feature heavily into the lives and plot lines of the main characters. The pilot episode of "Gossip Girl" spotlights music by Rihanna, the Mooney Suzuki, Hanson, Amy Winehouse, Angels & Airwaves and others.

"I'm relying on old favorites while exploring current pop music," Patsavas says. "And since the show revolves primarily around high school students in New York, we'll definitely be using some New York-based bands. But these kids listen to the radio, too," she adds. "So, there will be that music, too."

I've already called it with KT Tunstall's single "Hold On" which sounds like something that could easily fit into a "Gossip Girl" episode - I'm thinking by the third episode or so we'll have heard it. I have complete trust in this lady's skills, so I can't wait to see what she does for the music in "Gossip Girl"'s first season.

"Gossip Girl" image courtesy of The CW
Patsavas photo source

"The OC" and "Grey's" Music Guru Gets Her Own Label

BuzzSugar — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:52:56 -0700

Alexandra Patsavas is known for getting songs by little-known indie acts - including Death Cab For Cutie and Imogen Heap - onto very well known TV shows like "The OC" and "Grey's Anatomy." Now, the music supervisor behind so many influential TV soundtracks is forming her own record label.

As reported today by Reuters, Patsavas just signed a deal with Atlantic Records to launch a new imprint called Chop Shop Records, sharing a name with her music-supervision business. The Pasadena-based label hasn't signed any artists yet, but Patsavas is most likely to scout the same types of indie-rock acts she's been breaking on TV. For the details, read more

According to the Reuters story:

Many basic details of the venture are still being sketched out. Patsavas says she will look to hire a label manager as well as handful of additional talent scouts and assistants to supplement the efforts of her existing Chop Shop music supervision team of three coordinators. But this much is known: It will be headquartered in South Pasadena, Calif., and is expected to handle as many as three acts at the outset.

I'll be interested to see how this all shakes out. I appreciate the fact that "OC" fans now know who the Walkmen are, and Patsavas can probably come up with some more innovative ways to promote up-and-coming bands. But giving mainstream exposure to bands on independent labels is quite different from discovering unsigned gems, so I'm curious to see how Patavas's skills transfer.

Source

New Moon Soundtrack Out Today! What to Sink Your Teeth Into

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:44:25 -0700

The film version of this Fall's sequel to Twilight isn't all fans have been rabidly anticipating - the New Moon soundtrack picked up enough steam to be released today instead of next Tuesday. It's no wonder it was rushed out; Death Cab for Cutie's video for "Meet Me on the Equinox", premiered to much fanfare, as did the tracklist, revealed barely a month ago.

The wait is over, and you can go buy the disc, download it, or stream the soundtrack on MySpace for free today. I've been listening for the past couple of days, and like my feelings for Robert Pattinson, I'm crushing pretty hard on it. Music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas did a great job compiling songs - all originals for the soundtrack - that evoke the teenage heartbreak vibe of New Moon while featuring a roster of talented bands.

Find out what's worth the iPod space when you read more.

I'm a pretty big Death Cab fan, but "Meet Me on the Equinox" doesn't do much for me - instead, The Killer's "White Demon Love Song" is the better rocking, evocative love song.

It was interesting to me when people were perplexed about Thom Yorke's appearance on this soundtrack, when there was an awesomely-placed Radiohead song over Twilight's end credits. Yorke's solo effort, "Hearing Damage" has the same edgy feeling as "15 Step," and I'm definitely trying to figure out when it will play in the movie (it sounds ideal to break down to).

It's fun to play the where-does-this-song-go game; "Monsters" by Hurricane Bells has to be played when things are good between Bella and Jacob, while "The Violet Hour" by Sea Wolf is another one of the few upbeat songs on the album. I'd bet the relieved-sounding ballad "Shooting the Moon" by OK Go ends up being one of the movie's last songs.

Considering the movie's plot, there are the expected mournful tunes, such as the remarkable "Possibility" by Lykke Li, who came into my consciousness last year and is about to hit everyone else's this year. Grizzly Bear's Slow Life also beautifully illustrates Bella's sad sack mood (total break up song).

Stephenie Meyer's favorite band Muse of course appears with "I Belong To You" - and it's a lively, bittersweet track (I'm betting it's wrapping up the credits).

Have you gotten a chance to listen to the New Moon soundtrack? Tell me what songs have caught your ear below, and to talk more album reviews, join the Music Review Group or the Movies of Twilight group in the community!

Buzz In: What TV Shows Have the Best Music?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:30:17 -0700

Earlier this week, I mentioned Alexandra Patsavas. (She's the music supervisor from Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, and The O.C., and she also worked on the New Moon soundtrack.) She's one of the best in the biz at picking out the perfect song - thanks to her, I still think of that scene on The O.C. when Marissa shoots Trey whenever I hear Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek."

Bringing up Patsavas got me thinking about all the great music on TV. I admittedly own a Grey's soundtrack - OK, or two - and I'm always jotting down the names of the artists at the bottom ticker when I'm watching The Hills or The City. It's a great way to find little gems to download that might not pass my radar otherwise. So, I'd like to the pose this question to you: What TV show do you think has the best tunes?

(P.S. If you're a music lover, you might want to think about adding yourself to the Music Review Group in BuzzSugar Community!)

Gossip Girl photo courtesy of The CW; The Hills photo courtesy of IMDB

The New Moon Soundtrack - Revealed!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:30:45 -0700

Finally! For weeks, there's been gossip about which artists would land a coveted spot on the New Moon soundtrack, and now we have the final list. We knew that Death Cab for Cutie's "Meet Me on the Equinox" was going to make it on there, and Thom Yorke, Muse, and The Killers were rumored as well.

Still, I'm psyched to see a few unexpected names on the roster (like Bon Iver and Lykke Li), as well as some relatively unknowns. Alexandra Patsavas put it all together - she's also the music supervisor for Grey's Anatomy and Gossip Girl - and her eye for artists is always spot-on, so I can't wait to download the whole thing. The soundtrack hits stores October 20th, but until then, check out the full playlist and tell me what you think!

To see the full list, read more.

Death Cab For Cutie - "Meet Me on the Equinox"
Band of Skulls - "Friends"
Thom Yorke - "Hering Damage"
Lykke Li - "Possibility"
The Killers - "A White Demon Song"
Anya Marina - "Satellite Heart"
Muse - "I Belong to You (New Moon)"
Bon Iver and St. Vincent - "Rosyln"
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Done All Wrong"
Hurricane Bells - "Monsters"
Sea Wolf - "The Violet Hour"
Ok Go - "Shooting The Moon"
Grizzly Bear - "Slow Life"
Editors - "No Sound But the Wind"
Alexandre Desplat - "New Moon (The Meadow)"

To meet more Twilight Fans, join the Twilight Group on the BuzzSugar Community!