City On Fire

Platoon has released the original soundtrack for “City on Fire,” (Show Trailer) the Apple Original mystery thriller written and executive produced by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (“Gossip Girl,” “The O.C.”). The music-driven tale, set in post 9-11 NYC, features music supervision from Jonathan Leahy (Girls, Swarm, Mr. Robot), and an original score from composer and producer Jason Hill (Gone Girl, Mindhunter). The soundtrack is available in conjunction with the global premiere of “City on Fire” on Apple TV+, which premieres today, May 12th with the first three episodes.

The original soundtrack includes songs from Slow Pulp, Been Stellar, and Muzz, and introduces listeners to the fictional bands whose members and music are found at the center of the mystery, Ex Post Facto and Ex Nihilo. We meet these bands through the impressionable eyes and ears of Samantha (Chase Sui Wonders) and Charlie (Wyatt Oleff), who happen upon each other while record shopping in the West Village, and go on to bond over a shared love of music and their mutual enchantment with the city. For Samantha, a diy music zine publishing freshman at NYU, and Charlie a soon to graduate high school senior escaping the boredom of Long Island, the downtown bands loom larger and more prominently in their minds than the modest stage they frequently inhabit at legendary club Don Hill’s. A bedazzled fandom that initially obscures the darker details lurking back at the practice space. 

Ex Post Facto and Ex Nihilo would find themselves at home at any of the storied live music haunts south of 14th Street in the early aughts, be it a late night at Lit Lounge or a gig at Brownies. The two lead singers William (Nico Tortorella) and Nicky (Max Milner) - Ex Nihilo led by Nicky, formed from the ashes of Ex Post Facto after lead singer William aka Billy Three-Sticks left the group - exude the swagger befitting the rock star persona of that era, and use that charm to influence a cadre of hangers on to various ends. “As far as the sound of the band,” explains music supervisor Jonathan Leahy on the process of creating Ex Post Facto / Ex Nihilo, “our number one rule was: we're not chasing after some other band's sound, Ex Post Facto is its own thing. Number two: this band did not make it big, these recordings need to exhibit the quirks and limitations of a band that remains forever underground. Number three: we wanted the sound of the band to match the visual aesthetic that other departments (wardrobe, hair/makeup, production design, etc.) were creating in front of the camera.”

The first step in the process was bringing producers Jason Hill (also the show’s original score composer) and Abe Seiferth on board, both with relevant band backgrounds. Hill was in Louis XIV, Seiferth was an in-house engineer at DFA Records, so both knew the era and style of music well. The next challenge was finding the songs. “We were really fortunate to collaborate with a handful of talented writer/artists on this,” says Leahy. “‘City On Fire’ comes from Zach Ellis of the Brooklyn band Dead Tooth, his demo was raw and unique and felt authentic to the era. Both ‘Brass Tactics’ and ‘The Knife’ came to us from writers Jessica Boudreaux and Rebecca Ryskalczyk (from the bands Summer Cannibals and Bethlehem Steel, respectively). ‘Brass Tactics’ is sleazy disco anarchy, and ‘The Knife’ is a heart-wrenching emotional plea, which Nico Tortorella (William/Billy) does a fantastic job of belting. ‘Fight ‘em Off’’ is an original from producer Abe Seiferth, who brought us this fully-formed song, all that was left to do was have Nico sing on it.” “Dime” comes from Emily Massey of the band Slow Pulp, which Leahy’s team chose to include on the soundtrack as well. “Having both versions on the album offers a glimpse into the creative process,” he says, “and we wanted to share the feeling of hearing that demo for the first time, which for us was: ‘wow, this is a special song.’”

The aforementioned song from acclaimed Chicago based indie rock band Slow Pulp, and contributions from up and coming NYC act Been Stellar, and Muzz (Paul Banks, Josh Kaufman, and Matt Barrick) round out the original recordings found on the first half of the soundtrack. Been Stellar’s “Behind The Eyes” feels as if it were plucked from the ether surrounding the intersection of Stanton and Ludlow Streets circa 2003. Muzz, composed of members of Interpol, Jonathan Fire*Eater/The Walkmen and Bonny Light Horseman, contribute the touching alt-country hymnal “Lord Can You Hear Me”, a cover of the original by Spacemen 3. Slow Pulp’s demo version of “Dime” for its part, could easily fit among the best in the great canon of New York City love songs. The back half of the soundtrack is composed of the haunting score from producer and composer Jason Hill. The main title track “Body in the Grass” and “Under The City Lights” in particular are unnerving sonic explorations that accentuate the darker underbelly of life in the city. While “Young Animals” takes a lighter, more hopeful tone that accentuates the youthful idealism seen in some of the show's younger characters. 

Songs from The Walkmen, Jonathan Fire*Eater, ESG, Ambulance LTD, Cat Power, Suicide, TV On The Radio, The White Stripes, Television, The Rapture, Liars, The Libertines, Clinic, Interpol and many other great artists are woven into the episodes most compelling and affecting moments. In one montage set to “Black Tongue” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, we are treated to performance footage of the band on stage, as Samantha watches with rapt attention and snaps photos for her zine. All of these elements help draw the viewer into the exciting and intriguing world of the downtown New York music scene as seen through the eyes of the show's lead characters.

“We started off with a wish-list of songs and artists we wanted to include in the show,” shares Leahy, “and they mostly fell into two categories: bands from the 2000-2003 era (where the show is set) and artists from the 70s and 80s that inspired them. The original novel takes place in the 70s, so it was nice to connect our show to that era, but it's also a natural creative choice-- if you went out to a club in 2001, you might hear the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP, or you might hear Suicide, ESG, Television, or Siouxsie. Similar waves, cresting 30 years apart.”