It's certainly more involved than the minimalist UK version.

(And I hadn't noticed the series logo's similarity to the one for VAST until the connection was pointed out in the liner notes.)

Craig Oxbrow | April 20, 01:36 CET

Loving the cover-art.

ShotgunWes | April 20, 01:51 CET

I like the feather, it's a good touch.

Simon | April 20, 02:15 CET

I like the feather too, except what does it have to do with the TV series, aside from relating to the character's name? I guess you could make the same point about the "wings" logo we've had since the beginning, but I always felt that since each side reminded me somewhat of his griffin tattoo and were sharp-looking, they sorta fit. I dunno, all Angel ever needed was the broken-lettered title, the logo was kinda unnecessary.

I like how the record label has the name of the composer wrong, Robert J. Carl. Come on. Someone probably dictated the info over the phone and was misinterpreted.

May 17th, less than a month away...!!!

[ edited by Kris on 2005-04-20 01:15 ]

Kris | April 20, 03:13 CET

The feather looks out of place to me. It's a nice image, but sitting on top of the wings it's distracting.

Grounded | April 20, 03:25 CET

I like how the record label has the name of the composer wrong, Robert J. Carl. Come on.

It's correct on the graphic, that's probably just a typo on the website.

killinj | April 20, 03:33 CET

Well, that Josh Whedon sure is eloquent!

;~)

Rogue Slayer | April 20, 03:45 CET

Oh I want I want I want!!! Joss always makes me giggle. He so funnny.(insert silly voice) Makes me wish he would post here a bit more regularly.

nixygirl | April 20, 04:27 CET

(And I hadn't noticed the series logo's similarity to the one for VAST until the connection was pointed out in the liner notes.)

And now too I have noticed, thanx to you. Wow, I really wish this band/man would get a bit more exposure, his music is incredible. Each song has a totally different landscape. I'm glad Joss likes him at least, and Touched is on this album. That song worked so well, in the earlier promos for the show.

nixygirl | April 20, 04:35 CET

Where is my Buffy and Firefly original soundtracks? I like Angel, but if given the choice between which original score should have been released first I would have gone with Firefly first and Buffy second and Angel third.

Zoic_Fan | April 20, 06:53 CET

Shouldn't the tagline be "live fast, you're already dead"? LOL

Seriously though, I have always wondered about the little goodies our friends over the pond get in the UK that we miss on region 1 DVD's etc. Is there a litst somewhere that compare all Buffy/Angel releases?

TaraLivesOn | April 20, 07:30 CET

DVDs? We would usually get less than you do on the earlier releases. (I know there's at least one commentary in the R1 set for Buffy S4 that we didn't get - the Seth Green one - and I doubt that's all.)

Craig Oxbrow | April 20, 07:36 CET

Oh that quirky Joss. I miss reading his stuff. Yes, nixygirl, I wish he would post more often too. I don't think we've gotten a post from him in a while. He's all businessy and importanty with Serenity. MUST get this CD. I love A Place Called Home, so beautiful. morbid thought...would like it played at my funeral...end morbid thought.

Harmalicious | April 20, 08:42 CET

The region 2 DVD of 'Wild at Heart' didn't have the commentary with Joss, Marti Noxon, and Seth Green which was hilarious. Also, the early versions of 'The Gift' didn't include the 99 episode flashback at the beginning.

Usually, I find the UK's cover art more interesting, but in this case, I do prefer the US' Angel cover art. Of course, it's just a matter of opinion. What really matters is the contents of the CD. With this Angel CD, the versions match. In the case of 'Radio Sunnydale', the UK's version was much better.

Though it is rarely mentioned, Joss has an exquisite taste in choosing musical scores for his shows. And he really understated his case in how these scores affects the viewing of these shows. Try watching 'Waiting in the Wings' or 'Hush' with the sound muted.

Madhatter | April 20, 09:57 CET

I can hardly wait for this to come out! I've loved the music of Angel from the very first episode, and almost can't imagine that the series would have succeeded to the degree it did without the incredible drama and grandeur Rob Kral and others' work lent to the storylines.

Unlike so many other throwaway TV show scores, Angel's music always danced in tandem with the visuals, helping to support, propel or provide poignant, evocative counterpoint to the action and character development on screen. It just fit the show's moods so perfectly, no matter how wacky or dark the extremes. I never sat there thinking to myself "this isn't working" the way I so often find myself doing with other dramatic series -- I was always sucked in by how the sound choices actively conspired to draw my attention into the story and keep me there.

And then there was the way they'd come creeping up into my subconscious days later, when I'd find myself humming a snatch of melody and thinking about the scene it was attached to. If past experience is anything to go by, I won't be able to get through the whole disk without some ocular leakage of the saline variety occurring. (That shades-of-pitch-black piano piece underscoring Angel's walk home from the hellavator ride with Holland at the end of 'Reprise' comes to mind ... if it's on there, I'm a goner.)

Is it crazily optimistic to hope this sells so well that we get a second disk of everything that couldn't make the cut this time around?

Wiseblood | April 20, 10:13 CET

Does anyone know the reasons why we have different versions of CD's / DVD's and cover arts? Surely it would save costs just to have them all the same? Or are they banking on the cuper-addicted fans buying both versions... hmmmm

brob1 | April 20, 12:27 CET

Madhatter - just shows the power of the music that Joss gets the composers to write when turning the sound down on the "silent" epsiode affects the viewing of that episode! I know Christophe Beck's comment was that he had to produce (I think) about 32 minutes of music for that ep!

catalyst2 | April 20, 12:32 CET

brob1: there are any number of reasons - different marketing, different companies involved, different arms of promotional divisions going for maximum local impact, blah blah blah. The fact that it will make some people buy two doesn't go unnoticed either. They should let you pay a certain fee and provide Joss Merchanidise intravenously, in my humble opinon.

giles (yes, it is my real name) | April 20, 13:30 CET

There's been about a zillion Babylon 5 soundtrack CDs released, I love to see the PTB do the same for Buffy and Angel. And regarding the Firefly soundtrack, well FoxMusic.com should have it available for purchase sometime this century.

Simon | April 20, 13:42 CET

catalyst2-very true statement. And, may I add, the knowledge to remove such music. Who can forget that haunting scene in 'The Body' where Buffy is standing at her backdoor. We hear wind chimes, birds singing, and voices of everyday cheer. Yet, Buffy stands amongst deeply traumatize by her mother's death. Such a powerful scene and Joss played it well.

Sorry, didn't mean to drift. Until a few hours ago, I wasn't planning on ordering this CD. But this thread reminded me of the wonderful symphonies that played within Angel. I just ordered it.

Madhatter | April 20, 15:04 CET

This CD is brilliant - the music is so evocative that it makes my little girl scared or sad depending on what's playing. And she hasn't even progressed to watching the show ... yet :)

I love the US cover but not sure about the feather. Now if it was a dragon scale or something similar (you get my drift right?) I would go for it ;)

Now I'm really upset that I haven't got those commentaries, especially ones with Joss - guess I might have to invest in some R1 sets aswell. Is there a definitive list comparing extras on DVD's anywhere?

The Do That Girl | April 20, 15:28 CET

I think the feather symbolises Angel as a fallen angel seeking redemption. Or I may be reading too much into this during my lunch break.

Simon | April 20, 15:56 CET

"There's been about a zillion Babylon 5 soundtrack CDs released, I love to see the PTB do the same for Buffy and Angel."

In the thick of watching B5 for the first time (probably gonna watch the Season 3 finale, "Z'ha'dum", tonight) and I'm incredibly tempted by those soundtracks. I wish they'd put out a boxed set to make it easier to own them all. As it is, you can't buy any of them off of Amazon.com, except second-hand or through third-party indepedent If they did the same for Buffy and Angel, I'd be broke.

"And regarding the Firefly soundtrack, well FoxMusic.com should have it available for purchase sometime this century."

Completely forgot about that proposed internet-only release. Wasn't it going to be of the download-only variety, you couldn't buy an actual CD with case and cover art? Yeah, even if they do come out with it, I'd worry that an actual CD might eventually be released. Of course I'd need to buy that, then I will have wasted my money on the mp3s.

Ah, the trials consumerism.

Kris | April 20, 19:51 CET

I can't wait to own this! The music from ANGEL is my favorite of the three shows.
Wiseblood: Agree with all of your comments, especially the power of this music to induce tearfulness. I think it is that haunting violin...

This will be a great improvement from the ANGEL theme ringtone on my cell; currently my only ANGEL musical fix, and definitely not of the highest quality.

SaltyGoodness | April 20, 21:13 CET

The Angel soundtrack is great. I got the imported UK version as a present. The selection of score is evocative of the whole Angel mood(s) and the vocals pieces are wonderful. My only wish now? That (1) a Firefly soundtrack would be released in cd form and that - this is my biggest wish - (2) Andy Hallett would release a cd entitled something like "Songs for the Love, Lorne" full of all his Lorne singing goodness. I want all the songs he's sung or sung fragments of on Angel. That'd make me supremely, supremely happy. I'd love a full version of "I Lost My Heart in San Francisco" and the terribly sad but beautiful "If I Ruled the World" that he sang in "Not Fade Away."

A Buffy score cd would be nice, too, but with three Buffy music cds already released (including some of the show's score), I'm feeling much less urgent about that. Although if they hadn't released the OMWF soundtrack I'd be insane for that.

phlebotinin | April 20, 21:36 CET

Strange that Babylon 5 gets a mention here at Whedonesque just as i find out that Sci Fi UK is airing the B5 telemovies over the next few weeks.

Anyone who hasn't seen them before and gets the Sci Fi Channel should check them out. The first one is on tonight at 10pm.

The Watcher | April 20, 22:49 CET

phlebotinin: I recorded and burned my own OMWF cd a year before it was released, so I'm right there with you. I used it to convert my best friend and ended up converting the whole family (kids and husband included!). I'd take my kids over to her house and we'd divy up the parts and do our own show. *sigh* I miss those days…

brownishcoat | April 21, 04:45 CET