Hi, everyone.
If you’ve been watching this new mini-series on Cartoon Network called Over the Garden Wall, or have been looking at this blog’s Twitter page for the past few weeks, you may have known a little about the series and its’ music. It’s featured within its’ chapters on-screen and on a section of it on the Network’s YouTube channel. And by golly, is it really, really good. So good, it’s almost like nothing I’ve heard before in a series (or even movie) soundtrack. Mostly because the music is very authentic in its sound and concepts. Everything is very 1920s and Antebellum in concept, and sounds beautifully in execution. So I’m dedicating this edition of Short/Long Music Review to the Music of Over the Garden Wall.
Let’s start with T--”Over the Garden Wall” (a namesake song). With vocals by Chris Isaak, the song features a perfect ragtime sound with flourishes of drums and trumpets and accordion that just sounds really good without the instruments overlapping a lot. This is something you and your lady friend can dance to or snuggle up to. It’s perfect for almost anything.
Next is H--"Into the Unknown". This one is about the danger that lurks within the woods. Also sung by Chris Isaak, this one features nothing but a great piano session, which starts off dark and dreary, but later becomes warm and inviting, and his vocals mesh wonderfully wirh it. Halfway through the song, Isaak give us a haunting spoken work verse about the dangers and evil the are hidden deep within the titular Unknown, which sounds just as good as the previous one.
After that is E--”Like Ships”. A smooth piano ballard about two people coming together in love, like ships on a winding river. Sung by Elijah Wood and Shannon Sossamon, the voice of Lorna--First off, I will say that Elijah has a really nice singing voice, something I never realized about him, and second, their voices mesh wonderfully here. This is a simple love ballad that just blooms from start to finish.
My absolute favorite is the next track, U--"Patient is the Night". Sung (again) by the great Chris Isaak, this piece is about working all day until sunset and eager to see your lover’s beautiful face. And even though this concept is very simple, these lyrics make them complex and I just love everything about this one. The lush piano background, the quiet cymbals, Isaak vocals (which are the best to me), and the whistling piece near the end. And speaking of the end, the it just sends shivers all over your body. The first time I heard this, I almost cried (Seriously, I was misty-eyed and ready to leak) and every time the end comes, the same thing happens. The emotion, power, passion and overall feeling from this song just takes your emotions and dances with them (not to make you feel bad, but to make you feel good, happy and appreciate the night sky even more). All of these reasons and many unexplainable ones is why I truly love this song. This is a song I just wanna play on repeat and never get tired. And if I die, I want this to be the song I hear before I pass on.
N2--"Come Wayward Souls" is another short haunting tune about committing yourself to the evil and scary, with accordion played throughout and vocals by Samuel Samey, the voice of the Beast. This is one I won't be playing a lot anytime soon.
In K--”The Highwayman Song”, the titular Highwayman sings about what he does for a living, but don’t cross him, or else you’re left with a bloody face and cold feet. This one easily sounds like the scariest of them all, with the haunting instruments and HWM’s big booming vocals, this one will absolutely leave you running for cover...or your parents.
N2--”Forward, Oneiroi!” is an opera bit that includes amazing string and wind and beautiful vocals by . It feels slow (in a good way, I swear!!) but quick-moving, and when you hear this, it’s like watching an actual opera in the 1920s or lying down on a field by a river and daydreaming away or sitting at home and sleeping through Great Performances, or a combination of the three.
Moving on, we have O--”The Courting Song”. It’s about (what else?) what happens on the road to getting married. Attire, rings, vows, cake, things you’re to young to know about (sex); everything that happens after popping the question. This is the song I was introduced to when hearing of the series. And it quickly (and really) left an impression on me of the series’ music’s concept and feel of the Roaring 20s. The old-piano sound, the quick, muffled and elderly sounding vocals, and the some of the lyrics definitely feature words that have been used in the old century. And as I realized after hearing this song, it was a thing to get married at a young age way back then, and that makes this song even better.
Following is W--”Langtree’s Lament”. Sung by namesake Ms. Langtree (voiced in the series by Janet Klein, who also performs the song), this song is about the man she loved, her wondering why he leaves her, and how heartbroken she is. Another simple concept, but what makes it also more complex, and therefore making this song so amazing is its excellent and genius use of the Alphabet to explain and accentuate the story. Whether to use a letter to represent the start of a word or a word itself makes it so special. Plus, Langtree’s voice has a very nice modern-day indie feel to it, without shying away from the important old-time groove.
And finally, N3 (to tell the letters apart) --”Potatoes and Molasses”.
With vocals by the voice of Gregory, Colin Dean, this final song is about the desire for the delicious meal after a long morning of school time. Greg’s voice and Colin’s vocals make you feel really happy from hearing them (and watching Greg on the series, this truly makes sense). The added band of instruments make it make it pop even more, and the song (like all the others) is just a gem of beauty and wonder.
Sadly, when I hear old man Langtree shout “That’s enough!”, not only is this song over, but we’ve reached the end of all of the Music of Over the Garden Wall. I wish there was more to hear because the everything about these songs were just impossibly perfect, but I'm actually entirely grateful for the song I have been given. Each and every one is just worth listening and pretty much worth your time. Even if you don't watch (and you really should watch) or don't like (how could you not like this) Over the Garden Wall, you would love the songs of the series. I swear on my life, you'll enjoy them, and if you don't...make better life choices.
And now, I present the 5 songs I love out of all of them. I love them all very much, but these five are my favorites.
5-Langtree’s Lament--for its genius use of the Alphabet
4-Into the Unknown--for its beautiful use of piano play and Chris Isaak's vocals
3-The Courting Song--For the hilarious take on young love and marriage,
2-Potatoes and Molasses--For Colin Dean. This dude is really talented,
1-Patient is the Night--For everything about it
lso love the appreciation the series' music has been getting from viewers (like yours truly, obviously). Many fans have loved the music for its true authentic sound and very close proximity to the music of the Roaring 20s. I ready many comments on each of the video's pages, and every single one is about how much the certain song or about how great the series is.
The Blasting Company, I applaud each and every one of all of you for the music you guys have made for this series. Your talent just shows here and will leave a lasting impression on animation, TV in general and all of music.
Well, this series is just a perfect piece of animation and it music is just perfect in every way.
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