Freaks and Geeks Soundtrack

In 1999, one of the best television series ever dealing with high school aired, and was canceled after only one season. Freaks and Geeks was one show that won the praise of critics, and the hearts of the loyal viewers. Paul Feig and Judd Apatow created a series that was as much drama as it was comedy, and Freaks and Geeks wasn't afraid to show you point blank the lives of high school kids in 1980s. They pulled no punches by showing real characters with real emotions, and problems. If you didn't catch the show on it's one year run, you may want to check out the DVD, but I am here to talk about the soundtrack of Freaks And Geeks as music was a major part of the show. 

Just as the writing on  Freaks and Geeks gave you a chance to get into the lives of the high school not so elite, the soundtrack offers up some of the greatest rock tunes from the day, as well as some of the score. If you are a huge fan of 80s music you may already have some of the tracks, but when they get blended with the score, and character's singing of some of the tracks, the total mood is at times intense. Freaks and Geeks original soundtrack plays out well, there are some of the most important artists of the time, not the absolute best works from each artist, but each of the tracks is relevant to the subject matter.

In my opinion the best version of "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" was recorded by the legendary Warren Zevon, and it's here. Other notables include Joan Jett in her best track after leaving the Runaways "Bad Reputation". Joe Jackson, arguably one of the best post disco new wave punkers signs in with "Look Sharp", and if you too got a bit tired of the South Park version of one of the best Styx songs of all time, I am sorry, but Cartman cannot do "Come Sail Away" any true justice. There are more goodies from XTC, Rush, Heatwave and The Who.

Almost as if designed totally for the soundtracks, the tracks from the score by Michael Andrews seem to fit exactly where they are supposed to between the commercial music tracks, and then the CD ends with a slew of short "takes" that were actually performed by the cast, and they can be comical, but they also show the character's fallacies on life at the same time. All together this is a good package with some even better moments. This is a recommended CD for fans of the show, and fans of the early 80s new wave, punk and straight ahead rock music.

   ( 4.5 Stars out of 6 )

     Play MP3 sample of Warren Zevon "Poor Poor Pitiful Me"

     Play MP3 sample of "USA Rock" by Michael Andrews