Various Artists

OMFGG

Original Music Featured On Gossip Girl, No. 1

(Chop Shop / Atlantic)

Record Review by Amber Henson

I decided that if I was going to review the soundtrack for Gossip Girl, I ought to watch at least one episode.  So since I’m a busy girl and besides, Mondays at nine are for The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother, I decided to watch it online.  It turned out CW’s site is crappy and kept stalling, but after five minutes I was able to figure out what it was all about anyway.

The episode I started to watch was about Thanksgiving and it opened with the song "My Only Offer" by Mates of State.  They only used about thirty seconds of it, which made me think about how this all works.  Is it good that television shows like The OC do this kind of thing, pick and choose songs and make people associate tracks and bands with whatever emotion the show is trying to convey?  Does that hurt them, or do the ends justify the means and whatever sells an album, or a soundtrack, is a good idea?  Personally, I don’t really approve of the concept.  As exciting as it is to hear a song that I know on television, it also rips at my music soul a bit.  It’s more than just selling out.  It’s selling oneself short.

But this particular album has some of my new favorite bands, like The Republic Tigers, The Virgins, and The Ting Tings.  Each of their songs is actually different from the track you’ll hear on the band’s album, which is intriguing.

Listening through the soundtrack a couple of times I noticed some themes: lust, overconfidence and very clear emotional states.  Many of the songs are techno-ish.  It’s a great album for parties, with lots of strong beats and groovy sorts of synths that make you want to dance, but of course you’re too cool for that.  So just drink ‘til your underage ass is drunk and go have sex with that creepy guy who kinda looks like a girl.  Make that gossip girl proud.