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A show about a feisty, uber intelligent forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan and her wacky cohorts solving crimes through the examination of – you guessed it – bones, is utterly at odds with this collection of slow, almost weepy at times, songs.

The soundtrack kicks off with The Crystal Method’s theme song for Bones. It’s a little reminescent of Alias, which is not a bad thing in the least. Though only thirty-four seconds long, it’s my favorite song on the CD – well, perhaps it’s tied with the remix of the Bones theme, remixed by DJ Corporate. The theme shows up in echoed background bits at first, then guitar and a slightly harsher synth sound lead into the actual theme. The synth background here makes the song feel a little slower even though it moves in the same time as the original theme. Almost three and a half minutes longer, there’s plenty of room to play here, which mostly shows up in the form of the main theme repeated with slightly different background noises and sound effects between refrains.

“Angel” by Sinead O’Conner, is the second track. There’s a bit of flamenco guitar here, but the song is sad, depressing almost. Like many other tracks on this CD, it has the feel of a song lonely women listen to while soaking in the tub with a glass of red and an Oprah book.

Placebo comes in next with “Running up that Hill”. You can hear refrains of their more popular “Pure Morning” in the song – their sound is alive and well. Electronic, vibrant and moody, it’s one of the better songs on the soundtrack. “It Means Nothing” by Stereophonics keeps up the break-up music sound. A little rock-ier with Bryan Adams-like raspy vocals, it isn’t necessarily a bad song. It’s just a little too close to mediocre.

Thirteen Senses’ “Gone” has an acoustic, indie feel. The guitar melody is very pretty, but again, slow and slightly sad. It would make an excellent breakup song. “Black Star” is a jazzy little number. It brings to mind dark, smoky nightclubs, a beautiful woman with black eye makeup leaning morosely on a piano.

At this point, you’re either about to turn off the CD or hang yourself from all the ‘I am so alone’ songs. But wait! Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is up with “Feel it Now”! Surely a band called Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will bring in something harder, more up tempo! Wrong. Where do you keep the rope? Between the whiny, repetitive lines “I’m on my own now” and “Fountain” (by Sara Love) with it’s acoustic guitar and sad violin (“You with the water and my with my pain”) will really drag you down. “Something” by the Cary Brothers is more soft guitar, more repetitive sadness. “Tears and Laughter”? More tears than laughter. Although this song is a little spooky and very pretty.

Sarah McLachlan makes two appearances here, the first with Susan Enan in “Bring on the Wonder”, the second in the Thievery Corporation remix of “Dirty Little Secret”. The first is beautiful, but “Dirty Little Secret” feels very at odds with the beat its mixed with.

I’ve seen this show, and it doesn’t come off this moody to me. Perhaps the first season of Alias, when Jen Garner soaked in a bathtub or had a girl moment with Francie every other scene, yes. But Bones? If I had listened to this soundtrack without knowing what I was hearing, I’d think it a show like Felicity or something. It’s just too full of downer songs to merit much listening to, which is sad (not to pun), really, because most of these songs would be great on their own, but together they just make you want to pull the plug.

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