Today, Hollywood Records releases the Bad Sisters Original Series Soundtrack by multi-award-winning musician and writer PJ Harvey and composer Tim Phillips. The Bad Sisters series finale debuts today on Apple TV+.
The 13-track collection assembles a folky and otherworldly soundscape reflective of the show's emotional ebb and flow, stitching together Harvey's entrancing vocal conjurations as well as banjo, drumkit, bass, hand drums, staccato strings, and various synths. This earthy approach adds another dimension to the series itself, deepening the atmosphere.
Regarding the Soundtrack, Phillips commented, "Bad Sisters needed to have its roots in an earthy, feminine place and also to show heart, humour, mystery and suspense. We decided that central to this should be the use of PJ's vocals, so we devised a novel method of working: We created a vast sample library of her singing all sorts of different things such as howls, whoops, cackles, whispers, scales of notes, quarter tone note bends, vocal slides between notes, and specially assembled melodic lines of public domain Irish poetry. We built it into a massive sample instrument so her voice would be available on demand for the scoring of the production. It was then put through a variety of sonic treatments to turn her voice into a very flexible sonic texture, sometimes heard singing words, sometimes as an instrument in the ensemble.
PJ added, "I loved working with Tim, who was well prepared and knew exactly what he needed from me in order to create the sound he was hearing in his head. My job was to get it all done, and spent a full day providing him with all manner of curious and other-worldly vocal expressions. I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a full vocal workout. I think it is magical how Tim has used our created instrument, affectionately known as 'The Pollytron,' in order to access the perfect emotional soundscape for this unique series."
In advance of the soundtrack album, a cover of the Leonard Cohen classic "Who by Fire," the theme music to the show, was released. Beyond generating nearly 1 million total streams,(check stat) it earned widespread critical acclaim. Brooklyn Vegan praised, "They keep the charm of the classic original intact, but PJ brings her unique flair to it and she and Tim give it a cinematic feel that seems like a perfect fit," and American Songwriter exclaimed, "Harvey offers a more orchestrated rendition of Cohen's acoustic-driven classic, leaving her own vocal inflictions on the springing lyrics." Meanwhile, Stereogum hailed it as a "stormy take."
Among other standouts on the album, Harvey and Phillips deliver a haunting and hypnotic cover of the American Songbook staple "Run On" a.k.a. "God's Gonna Cut You Down," of course made famous by The Man In Black Johnny Cash. They summon the soulful darkness of the original above ghostly production with PJ's inimitable delivery in the spotlight.
The chemistry between Harvey and Phillips carried over to the score itself as they collaborated on the show's music. Together, they captured the spirit of show musically.