Like most WB programs, Charmed often serves as a cross-marketing platform for those wily folks at the WB. Most episodes begin with a typically middle-of-the-road adult alternative track, and there's usually a few moments for music in between all the vanquishing of baddies and gratuitous ganders at Alyssa Milano's beguiling figure. Piper Halliwell Holly Marie Combs even owned a nightclub for the first few seasons, a noncoincidence that allowed the Charmed Ones to enjoy show-closing miniconcerts by demographically friendly artists.
Charmed compiles 11 songs that have appeared on the program into a soundtrack of sorts, though there's no real tie-in beyond the Halliwell sisters' cheesecake cover photo. In actuality,
Charmed is just a milky collection of light modern rock from a mixture of heavyweights and hopefuls.
Third Eye Blind and
Smash Mouth get some exposure for their latest singles;
the Flaming Lips naturally steal the show with the impossibly gorgeous "Do You Realize." The sultry groove of
Goldfrapp's "Strict Machine" is the boldest bit here, but even here there's a serious nod to accessibility. The real standout is from newcomer
Rachael Yamagata, whose darkly beautiful "Worn Me Down" is the perfect potion for making Charmed fans purchase her self-titled PrivateMusic EP. The comp does make the concession of including
Love Spit Love's theme song version of
the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?," eliminating netherworld searches for the
Craft soundtrack. ~ Johnny Loftus