I think most of us can agree that the
main reason we watch a TV show is because of the presentation itself. Maybe it is funny,
or maybe it brings you in with its plot and characters. But one often
overlooked characteristic is the show’s music. “House of Lies” has been on the
air since 2012, and the series has been lampooning corporate American culture
for three seasons and counting. It also features a stellar soundtrack with
plenty of variety that’s worth listening to, even for those who never watched
“House of Lies.”
The soundtrack features a plethora of
artists who contributed their works for the show’s score. Many of these tracks were
composed by newer and familiar artists, such as Aloe Blacc and Gary Clark Jr.,
and were released previously. Though at least three of the tracks are exclusive
to the album, and two are debut tracks for two artists: Kim Cesarion of Sweden,
whose song, “Brains Out,” marks the first time his music is released in the
U.S., and the Berlin group, “Kiko King & creativemaze,” who have their
first world wide release with “Illusion of Time.” The other track that’s
exclusive is “It Always Comes Back Around” by Michael Kiwanuka.
Kim Cesarion’s “Brains Out” is the third
track and speaks of a Casonova-esk man who is swept away by a lady because of her
intelligence. It is a mostly synth track with a hint of guitar. The song has a
catchy mix that sounds as if it resonated from Michael Jackson’s album,
“Thriller.” Kim Cesarion’s singing voice also has a style similar to Michael
Jackson during some parts, such as the verses that speak of “loving [her]
brains out.” Barring the digitized sounds, the track seems inspired by the late
80s and early 90s. Of the newer tracks, this is actually my favorite and I
would love to hear more from Kim Cesarion.
The other new-comer is “Kiko King &
creativemaze.” Their track, “Illusion of Time,” is somewhat of an abstract. It is
phantasmic with strings, and the music sounds like it is in a perpetual time
warp. The lyrics are simple with little snips discreetly saying “love,” “hate,”
“profit,” etc.. In some parts, voices
come together and echo between these words. The track stays consistent throughout
and overall sounds as if it were composed to mess with the listener’s mind. The
violin also carries some weight to add to the dreamlike feel.
The final track, “It Always Comes Back
Around” by Michael Kiwanuka, is an original song written for the “House of Lies’” season
finale. It starts off with an acoustic solo, then slowly brings in drums and a
piano. This song carries the message that when you wrong someone, it always
comes back to bite you in the rear. This is a smooth and easy tune that serves
as an excellent finale for the soundtrack.
The “House of Lies Soundtrack” is an
excellent collection of songs featured in the TV show. It also has excellent exclusives
with “Brains Out,” “Illusion of Time,” and “It Always Comes Back Around.” Other
greats tracks featured here are “Take Me Back” by Aloe Blacc, “Shift to
Reverse” by N*Grandjean, and “Belly Role” by Count Basie. You can purchase the
“House of Lies Soundtrack” off iTunes.
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