The soundtrack of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's first ever musical episode,
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Once More With Feeling, is every bit as fun as the episode itself. It manages to do a couple of things most musicals don't do: give a reason for all the bursting into song (a demon named Sweet has put a curse on the town that makes everyone sing) and move the plot forward (characters reveal thoughts and feelings they had been hiding, with mixed results). The range of musical styles is also quite impressive, ranging from ballads ("Under Your Spell"), to
Billy Idol-esque rock ("Rest in Peace"), to a clever retro-pastiche ("I'll Never Tell"). The cast pulls off the fairly demanding vocals nicely. Standouts are Amber Benson on "Under Your Spell," James Marsters on "Rest in Peace," and, not surprisingly, the sublime Anthony Stewart Head on "Standing." Benson and Head's duet on the "Under Your Spell/Standing (Reprise)" is an especially affecting moment. The album is rounded out by, among other things, the suite from "Hush," one of the most acclaimed Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes. This soundtrack is, of course, a must-have for Buffy fans, but it wouldn't be out of place in anyone's collection. It's great music done, for the most part, with tongue firmly in cheek. ~ Melinda Hill