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Twin Peaks: Season 2 Music and More

Twin Peaks: Season 2 Music and More

Twin Peaks: Season 2 Music and More
Absurda / 2007 / 71 min

Reviewed by Dugpa on Saturday October 20th, 2007

The final Episode of Twin Peaks first aired on June 10, 1991. From that day, fans worldwide have been longing for more music from Twin Peaks. To fans of Twin Peaks, the unreleased music was thought to be a dream that would never come true. It’s been a long and hard road for fans of the TV Series and film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. The 1992 release of FWWM and the new tracks featured only in the film and absent from the official soundtrack only compounded to the longing. I remember purchasing the FWWM Soundtrack at a local record store back in the days where CDs all came standard with those long cardboard boxes. I was ecstatic reading the track listing and spotting the track “Sycamore Trees” which was featured in the final TV Episode. The addiction to the music of Twin Peaks was so great that many fans would rig tape recorders to their VCRs, in a feeble attempt to capture some of the unreleased music, tape hiss, dialogue and all just to help satisfy the hunger.

It is clear that Lynch and Badalamenti have put a lot of heart and soul into compiling what is another landmark masterpiece. The tracks selected for this album cover many facets of the world of Twin Peaks and as a whole take you back to a magical place that defies space and time. The tracks are skillfully sequenced in the same manner that Lynch sequences his films. Sprinkles of old favorites blend seamlessly with new pieces to form awe-inspiring compositions. If that weren’t enough, they have also thrown in an amazing 24 page collector’s booklet featuring some very rare photos from Lynch’s personal collection that have never before seen the light of day.

The new Twin Peaks Season 2 and More CD could possibly dethrone the Twin Peaks: FWWM soundtrack as my favorite soundtrack album of all time. One of the most interesting things you will realize when listening to this album is for the first time many of these tracks are now heard in their entirety. When used in the TV Series and FWWM film, the music is severely edited around the scenes. A lot of the time, only certain bits and pieces are used, edited, and looped multiple times as needed. On the new CD, for the first time EVER, you will hear many songs as complete works, bringing to the pieces a new life of their own which enables them to stand alone as grand masterpieces. After listening to this CD several times over the last day, it becomes overly apparent how much of a genius Badalamenti is and how keen of an understanding he has on converting raw human emotions to his compositions. Twin Peaks would not be what it is without Badalamenti’s music. Period. His work is an unparalleled and beautiful thing. The fact that these unreleased tracks will finally be experienced by fans of great music worldwide will be a thing to treasure for years to come.

I’ll go track by track and give you my comments upon first listening to them. Keep in mind that there are spoilers in these notes so if you don’t want to read any spoilers then stop reading now.

01 Love Theme Intro 2:21

Love Theme Intro makes a great beginning to the album. It is an alternate version than the one on the original Twin Peaks soundtrack that borrows a few beginning bars from other pieces within its predecessor flowing back into this alternate version of the Twin Peaks Love Theme. Pieces of this track can be heard a few times in the series most notably in Episode 22.

02 Shelly 2:17

Shelly is a beautiful piece that takes you back to Episode 14 when Shelly tells Norma that she has to quit her job. Just a bit of trivia after detailed analysis, I found that the same piece featured on Angelo’s website is an alternate version. To be totally accurate, there are now three versions of this song. The version on the CD starts off the same as the TV version with drums, bass, and guitars which later break into strings. New to the TV version are the additions of some vibes forming a beautiful melody that is reminiscent of the track Dark Spanish Symphony (50’s Version) from Wild at Heart. The version on Angelo’s site starts out with strings and keeps the strings throughout the entire piece also including the additional vibes, whereas the TV version never features the additional vibes. Most likely because they looped the first verse for the TV Episode. The version on the CD is by far the best of both worlds as it mixes both the TV version edit and the complete version on Angelo’s site.

03 New Shoes 3:48

To quote Ben Horne, “This is the stuff that dreams are made of”. New Shoes first appears in Episode 14 when Leo is spitting up on himself, later used in the Cooper Interrogation scenes in Episodes 17 and 18. New Shoes was also used in the scene with Nadine regaining her memory in Episode 29 nicely mixed with the song Shelly in Episode 29. This track alone is worth the price of the CD.

04 High School Swing 1:51

This is the track I’ve often referred to as Nadine’s Theme which plays in some of the High School and Double R scenes in Episode 18, 20, and 26. The song is reminiscent of early 50’s music. Innocent and catchy.

05 Hayward Boogie 2:16

Hayward Boogie is the end credits song from Episode 8 that Gersten Hayward plays on the piano. Interesting fact is that it is actually Alicia Witt that performs on this track. The track is in the style of Boogie Woogie reminiscent of the late 1930’s and early 1940’s piano based blues.

06 Blue Frank 5:10

Blue Frank is the only song that Lynch is credited with for this album. Kick ass is an understatement. It’s great to see that Lynch added music from FWWM on this album and this is one of the most sought after tracks from the film. Blue Frank (previously known to some as the second half of the Pink Room track) is featured in FWWM during the second half of the Partyland scenes taking place in Canada. Guitarist David Jaurequi blends surf rock with industrial rhythms that seemed to have inspired Lynch’s later works with Blue Bob. I often wish that Lynch worked with these guys on additional material as they were really on to something.

07 Audrey’s Prayer 2:10

Another fan favorite what many have referred to as The Instrumental Version of Questions in a World of Blue. This is an emotional and gripping track. The strings in this song are soothing and full of life. In the series, this track became the official Theme for Season 2 from the first time it played in Episode 8 with Major Briggs telling Bobby about his dream and later in the Episode when Audrey is trapped at One Eyed Jacks, praying for her Special Agent. Towards the end of the series, it became the Season 2 Love Theme. This track was absolutely essential to this CD as it really captures the feel of the Second Season of Twin Peaks.

08 I’m Hurt Bad 2:30

I’m Hurt Bad plays most prominently in the Pilot Episode as Bobby drops a quarter in the jukebox before exiting the Double R diner to play a tune for the gals. It is also featured in the film Industrial Symphony Volume 1. The version they include on the CD seems to be an alternate version which starts off as it does in the pilot but cuts off about 34 seconds into the core of the piece and breaks into what some may call the Evelyn Marsh/Malcom Sloan theme from Episode 18. I’m puzzled to why an alternate version was used. The version used in Industrial Symphony Volume 1 was much longer but then again, beggars can’t be choosers. It is possible that they might have looped the beginning part for the Series but I am thinking that there is a longer version still sitting in the vaults waiting to be released…

09 Cop Beat 1:56

Cop beat is a brand new theme that was never used in the TV Series or the film. It’s a nice track that is reminiscent of some of the Sheriff Station themes. Truth be told, however, I would have preferred one of the tracks that didn’t make it to the CD such as the Owl Cave Theme or even the Miss Twin Peaks Theme.

10 Harold’s Theme 1:42

Harold’s Theme is a very solemn track from the TV series. It is hard to separate this theme from the images of poor Harold Smith is Episodes 12, 13, and 14 inside his home tending to his orchids. Poor Harold, such a lonely soul.

11 Barber Shop 1:25

The Barber Shop theme is a nice quick break that takes you back to the opening scene of Episode 9 and its Barber Shop quartette. An interesting choice for the CD.

12 Night Bells 2:47

Another masterful guitar track that can be heard briefly at the end of the Bobby, you killed Mike scene in FWWM as well as a few scenes in the TV Series such as Episodes 8, 10, 18 and a few others.

13 Just You 3:36

Just You… and I… Just You… and I… Everybody altogether now. This song is a fun track once again capturing innocence, young love, and that familiar 50’s vibe. This version however does not end with Donna storming off. I love how the voices of Sheryl Lee and Lara Flynn Boyle hauntingly echo throughout this song. I was expecting an instrumental version of this piece but having listened to this song again, I’ve gained a new appreciation for this piece.

14 Drug Deal Blues 3:08

Drug Deal Blues is another song that is featured in FWWM during the drug deal between Laura, Bobby, and Deputy Cliff right before the You killed Mike scene. It is also featured in the TV Series in Episode 9 and a few others with Shelly and Bobby. Brilliant surf guitars on this track.

15 Audrey 2:26

Dark and mysterious, Audrey is a song that seems to have mixed a few themes together from the TV Series. The beginning starts off with the theme from Episode 14 as Cooper is reading Laura’s diary and breaks into the familiar Book House Boys Them which then morphs into the track played during the scenes when Audrey goes into the secret passage at the Great Northern. This track is also heard a few times during the One Eyed Jacks scenes.

16 Josie and Truman 4:32

Josie and Truman was a track that really surprised me. This piece is known best for playing during the scene where Harry remembers Josie in Episode 24, the scene where General Lee goes onward to Victory, and the scene where Cooper and Wheeler have a chat about love. The surprise is that the version in the TV Series was severely edited. The version on this CD, like the Shelly track features never before heard vibes. I find myself playing this one over and over again because it’s just that damn good.

17 Hook Rug Dance 2:24

Who could forget the Hook Rug Dance? One of the most memorable scenes featuring a young Ben and Jerry Horne reminiscing over their babysitter doing the flashlight dance. It was also featured in one of my favorite scenes in the whole TV Series between Cooper, Annie, Gordon Cole, and Shelly. Penguins and epic poems about cherry pie. Another highly requested track from the Second Season.

18 Packard’s Vibration 2:39

Enter Andrew Packard. This song starts off with vibes of an alternate Freshly Squeezed track and cuts into the familiar dark and brooding theme of Andrew Packard and Thomas Eckhardt.

19 Half Heart 5:31

Half Heart was only briefly used in FWWM during the Turkey in the Corn scene and also later during the Sparkwood and 21 scene between Laura and James. Another emotional track that conjures visions of love and hope. The use of this track in FWWM was very brief allowing this track to take you to new places when heard in its entirety.

20 Laura’s Dark Boogie 5:01

Another surprise track from FWWM. This song was used during the scene where Laura goes into the picture on her wall give to her by Mrs. Tremond/Chalfont. It is also briefly heard during the Blue Diamond Motel scenes between Leland and Teresa Banks. This track brings you into Laura’s world and once you are in, you don’t want to leave. This track is probably the most experimental track on this CD.

21 Dark Mood Woods/The Red Room 9:01

Another one of the most requested songs from the TV Series. How many times have I said that already? The piece starts off with the theme from Episode 29 which also plays over the Log Lady intros and briefly in FWWM right after Blue Frank. The song then fades to what I call Windom Earle’s Theme which is also first heard earlier in the TV series when they discover Maddy’s body. The track then dissolves into about 7 minutes of Red Room bliss from Episode 29. Before ending, it comes full circle with more Dark Mood Woods and the sound of the wind blowing which blends into the final track…

22 Love Theme Farewell 2:34

Wind blows and we a brought back to another rendition of the Love Theme. This track reminds me of the one that was used on the short flash animation from David Lynch.com that was offered as an easter egg to the Artisan Twin Peaks box set. Now we close… a farewell to Twin Peaks for now…

There you have it. I cannot stress how amazing this CD is. Being the gushing, diehard Twin Peaks: FWWM fan that I am, I couldn’t believe how many FWWM tracks appeared on this album. This CD will give you but glimpse of the unreleased music of Twin Peaks and will leave you longing for more. My only regret is that sadly, a few tracks Lynch worked on with David Slusser such as Dear Meadow Shuffle and Double R Swing were notably absent as well as the music from the Fat Trout Trailer Park (Teresa Banks Theme), not to mention several tracks from the TV Series.

Previously on Angelo’s website, it was announced that plans were to release at least two Twin Peaks Music CDs. Recently however, I have been told that for the time being there are no plans to release another Twin Peaks CD. Hope is that if this CD sells well, it is possible that other may follow or possibly turn up exclusively on Itunes or David Lynch.com. Only time will tell.

If you haven’t pre-ordered this CD, pre-order it today! I can’t stress this enough. You will not be disappointed. Whatever you do, do not download this album illegally. I beg you. Lynch and Badalamenti have moved mountains to bring this music to the fans. It is extremely important that we support these efforts and reward the artists for all their hard work. This release is an INDEPENDENT release by Lynch’s label, Absurda.

So now that a considerable portion of this music has finally been released, hopefully it will clear the way for even more Twin Peaks music, the long awaited release of Lynch and Badalamenti’s highly anticipated project, the Thought Gang, and eventually the release of the Deleted Scenes to Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. (Had to throw that one in there) Once these are released, I can die a happy man. Thank you Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch for knocking this one out of the park.

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TRACK LISTING

01 Love Theme Intro
02 Shelly
03 New Shoes
04 High School Swing
05 Hayward Boogie
06 Blue Frank
07 Audrey’s Prayer
08 I’m Hurt Bad
09 Cop Beat
10 Harold’s Theme
11 Barber Shop
12 Night Bells
13 Just You
14 Drug Deal Blues
15 Audrey
16 Josie and Truman
17 Hook Rug Dance
18 Packard’s Vibration
19 Half Heart
20 Laura’s Dark Boogie
21 Dark Mood Woods/The Red Room
22 Love Theme Farewell

Executive Produced by
David Lynch and
Angelo Badalamenti