Ashes To Ashes: Series 3 OST - Review
Review by Jack Foley
ONE of the best things about the Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes series is that they have consistently delivered great soundtracks.
Whether mining the ’70s or the ’80s for popular and less known hits, the creators of the show must have had immense fun rediscovering old numbers to accompany seminal moments in the show.
Three seasons into spin-off series Ashes To Ashes and the hits continue to flow. The latest soundtrack offers 18 songs that are guaranteed to take you on a nostalgia trip to the ’80s – whether it’s to remember just how cheesy some moments were, or just how good they could be.
Tracks like Let’s Dance from David Bowie and Mad World from Tears For Fears continue to hold a timeless quality that actually transcend their decade. The latter, in particular, has inspired new interpretations (most notably for Donnie Darko), but still sounds deeply atmospheric and highly thrilling in original form.
Admittedly, other moments – such as Spandau Ballet’s True or Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – remain rooted in their time zone… albeit providing a guilty pleasure memory trip that still enables the good times to flow in any party situation.
The best and most addictively compelling reason for owning this latest Ashes To Ashes collection, however, is that the hits really do keep on coming, featuring some of the biggest names from the era as well as some of their greatest musical achievements.
We’re talking The Stranglers’ Golden Brown, The Jam’s Town Called Malice, Billy Joel’s romp Uptown Girl, Eddy Grant’s Electric Avenue and even, yes, The Buggles’ Video Killed The Radio Star (a cheesy classic to savour… especially courtesy of its insanely infecious chorus).
No ’80s soundtrack would be complete, however, without blasts of Frankie Goes To Hollywood (Two Tribes) and The Cure (The Lovecats)… who crop up to complete a memorable companion to a memorable show.
For more details and to watch a TV trailer go here
Download picks: Let’s Dance, Mad World, Town Called Malice, Uptown Girl, Golden Brown, Video Killed The Radio Star, The Lovecats, Rockit
Tracklisting: