So instead of giving you a bunch of concert photos right now (no worries, they’re coming up; from a few concerts, actually), I’m gonna offer you two incredible compilation albums. Two soundtracks, really. Namely the two albums for the Showtime series “Weeds.” The show in itself is already quite good but the music in it is even better (and Mary-Louise Parker has got to be the hottest mom on television these days).

Showtime put out the music for the first two seasons in 2005 and 2006. The tunes for last year’s third season have yet to be released; if they ever will be. By the way, the fourth season of the show is going to premiere on Monday, June 16. That’s only five weeks away.

Each album features music that was actually seen in an episode, obviously, plus the show’s title theme. The first season had the same song at the beginning of each episde: Malvina Reynolds’s “Little Boxes” from 1962 (a nice tongue-in-cheek critical look at suburban America). It’s amazing that this song is from the early ’60s and still so up-to-date. During the second season, the title theme was interpreted by a different contemporary musician for every episode. Meaning, there were twelve different versions of the same song. The second volume of the soundtrack has Elvis Costello’s interpretation on it. During the third season, the themes were done mostly, but not exclusively, by the fans of the show. The results were really wacky. There was Hip Hop, Metal, a capella, and all other kinds of great shit.

Both volumes are collections of the best indie and alternative acts you can find in today’s America, intermixed with a few old tunes from back in the day. For a complete list of songs that have appeared on the show have a look here.

Various Arists – Weeds (2005) (128 kbps) (mirror)

1. Malvina Reynolds – Little Boxes
2. Nellie McKay – David
3. Peggy Lee – A Doodlin’ Song
4. Sufjan Stevens – All The Trees Of The Field Will Clap Their Hands
5. Michael Franti & Spearhead – Ganja Babe
6. All Too Much – More Than A Friend
7. Sons & Daughters – Blood
8. The New Pornographers – The Laws Have Changed
9. Joey Santiago – Fake Purse
10. NRBQ – Wacky Tobacky
11. Marion Black – Who Knows
12. Martin Creed – I Can’t Move
13. The Mountain Goats – Cotton
14. Joey Santiago – Birthday Video
15. Flogging Molly – If I Ever Leave This World Alive
16. The Be Good Tanyas – The Littlest Birds
17. The Hill Of Beans – Satan Lend Me A Dollar

Those are all amazing, but watch out for “Ganja Babe,” “Wacky Tobacky,” “If I Ever Leave This World Alive,” and “Satan Lend Me A Dollar.”

Various Arists – Weeds Vol. 2 (2006) (128 kbps) (mirror)

1. Elvis Costello – Little Boxes
2. Zeroleen – All Good
3. of Montreal – Wraith Pinned To The Mist And Other Games
4. Jenny Owen Youngs – Fuck Was I
5. Fern Jones – Strange Things Are Happening
6. (The Real) Tuesday Weld – Bathtime In Clerkenwell
7. Gwendolyn Sanford & Brandon Young Jay – Shane Digs Gretchen
8. Rogue Wave – Kicking The Heart Out
9. Regina Spektor – The Ghost Of Corporate Future
10. Dengue Fever – One Thousand Tears Of A Tarantula
11. Aidan Hawken – Neighborhood
12. Squirrel Nut Zippers – It Ain’t You
13. Gwendolyn Sanford & Brandon Young Jay – From Agrestic To Las Vegas
14. The 88 – Not Enough
15. Sufjan Stevens – Holland
16. Gwendolyn Sanford & Brandon Young Jay – Huskaroo TV Spot

The ones by Gwendolyn Sanford & Brandon Young Jay were composed and recorded especially for the show. Look out for “Fuck Was I.” Jenny Owen Youngs is a goddess.

Have fun with this sticky shit.
Peas and cheese,
3ardrumm3r