Rolfe Kent

The soundtrack for first-time director Jason Reitman's satire of Big Tobacco spin plays like an amiable, city slicker sequel to O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Tex Williams' western swing standard "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette!" kicks things off with a mischievous grin, laying the groundwork for classics from Patsy Cline ("Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray"), Otis Redding ("Cigarettes and Coffee"), the Mills Brothers ("Smoke Rings"), and the Platters ("Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"). The thread is obvious, but the selections sound handpicked rather than researched solely on the basis of their subject matter. Composer Rolfe Kent, who brought such an excellent sense of place to 2004's Sideways, manages to echo the hipster swing of the Mancini-era '60s without sounding regressive, providing Thank You for Smoking with a cheerful brevity that keeps the spin more balanced than fair.

The original soundtrack for Neil LaBute's Nurse Betty features innocent, classic pop songs that capture the sweetly delusional state of the film's title character. Jula De Palma and Pink Martini's versions of the lighthearted standard "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera Sera)" bookend songs like Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool," Ann-Margret's "Slowly," and Della Reese's "Don't You Know," and selections from Rolfe Kent's quirky original score complete this enjoyable companion to one of 2000's most unique films.

America's favorite serial killer, Dexter, is back with a vengeance in the exciting Season 7, making it one of the most successful TV show in recent history. The soundtrack to the Season 7 of Dexter features a great selection of Latin tracks by the likes of The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Patato, Latin Soul Syndicate, Kluba and Joao Gilberto, and of course the best score cues by series composer, Dan Licht and the Dexter Main Title Theme by Rolfe Kent.

Dexter is a Showtime original television series starring Michael C. Hall as serial killer Dexter Morgan, who works as a forensics analyst specializing in bloodstain pattern analysis for the Miami-Dade Police Department. The series is based on the novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. The film won TV Program of the Year at AFI in 2006 as well as four IGN awards and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor. Featuring the theme song by Rolfe Kent, distinct, original score by Daniel Licht and a diverse collection of songs from the first season of this hit television program. The soundtrack translates the show s Cuban and Latin feel, taking place in Miami. The show s most poignant songs were selected to complete this irreplaceable soundtrack.

Hyperion have come up trumps again with another delightful disc of out-of-the-way music. The brainchild of Graham Johnson, it is subtitled "150 Years of English Women Composers", with notes by Sophie Fuller, author of a book due out next year entitled The Pandora Guide to Women Composers. In the course of the programme the performers uncover a host of imaginative, impassioned and/or joyful songs that have lain for too long literally unsung, and revived others that were hugely popular until very recent times. Let me say at once that they couldn't have more perceptive or loving or enthusiastic interpreters than Johnson and Johnson, who excel even their own high standards of singing and playing.

After a season of committing high-risk, high-absurdity murders that contributed to a heart-wrenching conclusion, season five of Dexter finds the lawful evil antihero trying to pick up the pieces of his broken life while continuing to struggle with his inner demons. The soundtrack offers plenty of stylish, sun-soaked Latin and salsa music, from classic artists like Beny More to contemporary acts like the electro and hip hop-tinged Bomba Estereo. Selections from Daniel Licht’s atmospheric score round out the collection, capturing all of the drama and eeriness viewers have come to expect from the cable series.