CSI: New Avalon Volume One1. Not Listening
Papa Roach, Getting Away With Murder (2004)
Remarks: Good fight scene music, not that there are a lot of those in CSI. The title of the album it comes from is also oddly apropos.
2. Walk on Water
Men Without Hats, Pop Goes the World (1987)
Remarks: Not to be confused with the considerably more famous Eddie Money song of the same name. "They said we were the new beginning, they said we were a brand new start; we were none of these things and they said we could sing, so we sang about the state of the art."
3. Everybody Out of the Water (New Frontier)
The Wallflowers, Red Letter Days (2002)
Remarks: This song appeared in an actual episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, though really, if I had to ascribe it to an EPU story based on lyrical content, it would probably be NXE.
4. Los Angeles Is Burning
Bad Religion, The Empire Strikes First (2004)
Remarks: This track owned the studio for free when the initial CSI:NA eps were in development. The coincidentally accommodating scansion didn't help. "When the hills of New Avalon are burning... "
5. We Luv U
Grand Theft Audio, Blame Everyone (2000)
Remarks: Music to crash a car through a wall to. Also appeared on the first real CSI soundtrack.
6. I'm Falling
Comsat Angels, 7 Day Weekend (1985)
Remarks: Used as "people working on stuff in a lab" montage music in Real Genius, and just as appropriate for same in a CSI context.
7. Werewolves of London
Warren Zevon, Excitable Boy (1978)
Remarks: I don't remember why this is on this playlist, other than it's an awesome song.
8. Are "Friends" Electric?
Information Society, Don't Be Afraid (1997)
Remarks: Some people think Horatio Caine is an android.
9. Welcome to the Jungle
Guns N' Roses, Appetite for Destruction (1987)
Remarks: I acknowledge that New Avalon has a dark side - what big city doesn't - but jeez, guys.
10. Crystal
New Order, Get Ready (2001)
Remarks: Another guest from the actual CSI soundtrack. Great intro.
11. My Head's In Mississippi
ZZ Top, Recycler (1990)
Remarks: Or Bozeman, Montana, as the case may be. "... but I was stumblin' through the parking lot of an invisible 7-Eleven. (What was I doin' out there?)"
12. The Device Has Been Modified v2
Victims of Science, 2007
Remarks: A techno track featuring samples from Portal. Less the Portal samples, it's textbook "pardon us for a minute while characters swab things and we show the GCMS working" music. "Your specimen has been processed."
13. Alone
Big Country, The Buffalo Skinners (1993)
Remarks: The live version from Kings of Emotion also works. One of Stuart Adamson's many songs about alienation and isolation, not that we know anyone in the CSI cast who has problems with that kind of thing.
14. Axel F
Harold Faltermeyer, Beverly Hills Cop (1987)
Remarks: More made-to-order montage music.
15. Rock and Roll All Nite
Kiss, Dressed to Kill (1975)
Remarks: Best played very loud in the DNA lab while waiting for the sequencer to do its thing.
16. Cars
Gary Numan, The Pleasure Principle (1979)
Remarks: I keep wanting to track a "Greg and Sara dismantle an automobile" scene to this.
17. That Spells DNA
Jonathan Coulton, Our Bodies, Ourselves, Our Cybernetic Arms (2005)
Remarks: Self-explanatory. D-N-A, baby, that spells DNA.
18. Battle Without Honor or Humanity #2
Tomoyasu Hotei, Electric Samurai (2004)
Remarks: A brief but percussive visit to the Ballistics lab.
19. Doubleback
ZZ Top, Recycler (1990)
Remarks: Why does Catherine always make me think of ZZ Top?
CSI: New Avalon Volume Two
1. Word Up!
Gun, Swagger (1994)
Remarks: Though it was not on the series soundtrack, this cover of the old Cameo track appeared as source music in an episode of the real CSI. In UF it can sometimes be heard at Mornington Crescent.
2. Are You Gonna Go My Way?
Lenny Kravitz, Are You Gonna Go My Way? (1993)
Remarks: And, if so, are you gonna do it at less than 150,000 miles per hour?
3. New High
Diffuser, Making the Grade (2003)
Remarks: Closing titles song for episode 107, "Forward Momentum", partly because the next track on the album, "Get It On", would've been too blatant. "Right now I'm feeling that no one's going to help me by myself."
4. Still Alive
Ellen McLain, Portal (2007)
Remarks: I'm doing Science and I'm still alive.
5. Teardrop
Massive Attack, Mezzanine (1998)
Remarks: It makes no sense, but it's pretty. And it's the basis for the opening title song on House, MD.
6. Don't Look Back
Boston, Don't Look Back (1978)
Remarks: Closing titles song for episode 109, "Outward Trajectory".
7. Don't Bring Me Down
Electric Light Orchestra, Discovery (1979)
Remarks: I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor...
8. (I Just) Died in Your Arms
Cutting Crew, Broadcast (1986)
Remarks: I have an oddly ravealicious remix of this that I found on a random disc of dance music at Best Buy once (I think it was playing on the overhead when I went in there). Same song, heaping handfuls of sawtooth waves added. Rather strange, but fun.
9. Burnin' For You
Blue Öyster Cult, Fire of Unknown Origin (1981)
Remarks: Burn out the day, burn out the night, I can't see no reason to put up a fight. I'm livin' for givin' the Devil his due, and I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' for you.
10. Ignition
Paul Hartnoll, WipeOut Pure (2005)
Remarks: Another good fit in the "please enjoy some wanky picture-in-picture and some Lucasian transition wipes while there is no dialogue" department.
11. Sara
Starship, Knee Deep in the Hoopla (1985)
Remarks: Could I not include this? Even though it's rather sad and doesn't bode at all well if you really pay attention?
12. Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)
Cracker, Cracker (1992)
Remarks: As in "I'm a little old for".
13. Why Do Fools Fall in Love?
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon (1956)
Remarks: Kind of the ur-reference for all "this is probably not going to end well" songs that followed. Oddly, Frankie Lymon was all of 12 when he sang this, which makes one wonder just what he knew about the subject.
14. Do Ya
Electric Light Orchestra, A New World Record (1976)
Remarks: "In this life I've seen everything I can see, woman... but I've never seen nothin' like you." This oxymoronic-seeming statement is as good a summary as any.
15. Crash (The Humble Brothers Remix)
Mephisto Odyssey featuring Static-X, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)
Remarks: Sometimes you just need nonsense with a meaty guitar hook. This is that track.
16. Live and Let Die
Paul McCartney & Wings, Live and Let Die (1973)
Remarks: "Remind me never to get into a gunfight with Catherine."
17. Marathon Infinity Theme
Power of Seven, Marathon Infinity (1996)
Remarks: High-speed investigation music.
18. Nightgown of the Sullen Moon
They Might Be Giants, Miscellaneous T (1991)
Remarks: Sometimes you just need nonsense with a quirky organ-through-a-wah-pedal hook. This is that track.
19. Gimme All Your Lovin'
ZZ Top, Eliminator (1983)
Remarks: Good "highway cruise in the Bentley" music.