TV on the Radio, Andrew Bird and More Bored To Death

The music perfectly encapsulates the mood of the acclaimed HBO original series, yet stands alone as a great compilation. Whether you are an avid watcher or unfamiliar with the noirish offbeat comedy about a struggling writer moonlighting as a private eye, the album due September 21 on WaterTower Music, serves as both an excellent introduction to the sounds of the show or a replay of favorite moments from the first season.

Coconut Records, the musical solo project of the show's star Jason Schwartzman, kicks off the album with the series' theme song, a loungey number that sets the tone with its swinging beat, tinkling piano and blast of horns (previously digital only, this is the first time the track is available on CD). From there the album ebbs and flows over 15 songs: the happy-go-lucky indie pop of Freelance Whales ("Kilojoules"), the sun-drenched harmonies of The Explorers Club ("Forever"), the bluesy shuffle of Dan Auerbach ("The Prowl"), the lo-fi minimalism of Young Marble Giants ("Salad Days"), the electro-disco of Arling & Cameron ("Dirty Robot") to the orchestral pop of Lykke Li ("Little Bit") and the soulful post-punk of TV on the Radio ("Halfway Home").