A fine collection of melancholy loungey chillout music has been assembled for The L Word’s second season soundtrack offering. Featuring predominately female vocalists, this moody CD introduces some great new acts as well as bands that haven’t been heard from in a while. The opening track is languid and sexy Dusty Springfield oldie “Just A Little Lovin.” This song is classic along the same vein as Dionne Warwick’s “I Say a Little Prayer.” And you have to stand behind anything that promotes a little happiness and good lovin between people before work.

The Organ, out of Vancouver, lends a youthful retro sensibility. This five woman band has been compared to heroin era The Cure and early New Order. The lead singer does sound surprisingly like a young Blondie. Their song “Brother” is featured on The L Word in a scene showing a video shoot, so their rapidly expanding fan base can see them perform part of the song on the show.

In the same genre of bands that mine the 80s for musical nuggets are fellow Canadians Dirtmitts. Their song “Get On,” remixed by DJ Lester and edited to avoid parental warnings, features more ladies ripping the new wave power pop along the lines of No Doubt’s “Hella Good.” Set up as a higher energy track, this is one of the blander offerings on the soundtrack but it’s not terrible.

Martina Topley-Bird is Tricky’s former partner in rhyme, love, and child rearing. This British songstress who added the delicate and mournful vocals to Tricky’s early-90s breakout album Maxinquaye is now assembling her solo album after spending years collaborating with or backing other artists. Her song “Ilya” still has Tricky’s fingerprints all over it, but it is a beautiful ambient piece that matches the everything-old-is-new aesthetic of this soundtrack.

A favorite of mine since I bought their quirky yellow vinyl 7”, I was thrilled to see Grandadbob included on this compilation. This British pair makes some really lovely music without being saccharine or soulless. “Mmmnn” sounds like some kook tooling around on a Casio keyboard, until this great beat with a dropout winds its way in. The breathy, sweet vocals are hypnotic and gorgeous!

Iron & Wine contains the only male vocals on this soundtrack. Sam Beam, who is Iron & Wine, is rapidly becoming the folksy Danny Elfman with recent contributions to the Garden State and OC soundtrack. “Naked As We Came” is a tender lullaby of mortality and lasting bonds. The simple straight-forward guitar and evocative lyrics draw you into the song without hitting you over the head with contrived cleverness.

Heart shows a softer, more sophisticated side with “No Other Love,” from the Wilson sisters’ recently released album Jupiter’s Darling. This ain’t no “Barracuda”! This song, written by Chuck Prophet, sounds like Lucinda Williams band backing the Eurythmics Annie Lennox. It has chewy, rural sensibility with glamorous, crystal clean vocals. A grounding addition to this soundtrack, and it inspired me to get the new Heart album.

What would the soundtrack to the most notorious lesbian series on American television be without some lesbian standards? So the soundtrack includes comforting safe choices like Shawn Colvin’s “Sunny Came Home” and Shirley Bassey’s “Where Do I Begin." Although the Bassey song has been remixed to appeal to a more beat-conscious crowd, it should be able to crossover. Jane Siberry’s original recording of “Love Is Everything,” covered last year by kd lang on her Hymns of the 49th Parallel, is beautiful and wispy but I missed the might and vigor that kd gave to the song.

Ladytron’s 2001 single “Playgirl” is custom made as the theme song for Shane. With lyrics like "choking on cigarettes won’t get you along/sleep your way out of your hometown" and their superficial parodying of eighties electronica, Ladytron evokes the mournful loneliness of the heartbroken hipster without cracking the glossy veneer.

The only difficult moments in this super slick and generally fabulous soundtrack come from new theme band and veteran lesbian rockers Betty. It appears that some kind of unholy alliance with the band and the show's producers (Chaiken produced this album with Rosie Lopez) spawned the mess that is the new theme song. As someone who enjoyed the simplicity of the old theme, I think the new one is flat and sophomoric. The lyrics are just awful. A theme song is supposed to be catchy and easily recognizable so you get off the phone to watch, not run screaming from the room.

The theme song, listed as a “bonus track” offering, is bundled with another Betty track. Their slowed-down, funky version of “Some Kind of Wonderful" with vocals by Pam Grier is listenable. It does become so sultry in spots that it can drag; too bad, the rest of the soundtrack is exceptionally good.

Get The L Word: Season 2 Soundtrack on CD