The liner notes make it immediately clear. Underneath the jewel box, there's a black cover; inside, a cast picture with the artists all dressed in funeral-style clothing. All this serves as a reminder that the fifth season of Queer As Folk is the end of an era. As far as this musical collection is concerned, the "thumpa-thumpa" dance hits (as the boys on the show say) are well chosen: you'll find everything from the remix of club classic "Free" by Ultra Naté to DV Roxx's rave-style "Hardcore MuthaF***a," on through to a pumped-up remix of Cyndi Lauper's "Shine," a track exclusive to this collection. There are also some other great, unclubby tracks within QAF's grooves, including the PJ Harvey and Thom Yorke duet "This Mess We're In" and Madeleine Peyroux's Billie Holiday-esque "Dance Me to the End of Love." The Scissor Sisters' track "The Skins," is a perfect album opener, with its disco sound, while the disc closer "Proud," by Heather Small (which accompanies the final scene in the series) is an exclusive remix of this Pride Parade-worthy track. The tune (reminiscent of Cher's "Believe") is a resounding gay anthem, complete with a chorus that sings "what have you done today to make you feel proud?" Considering the fact that this successful series has changed the way gays and lesbians are portrayed on television, the creators have plenty to feel proud about. --Denise Sheppard

More Music from Queer as Folk

Queer as Folk	Queer as Folk: The Second Season	Queer as Folk: The Third Season
Queer as Folk: The Fourth Season	Queer as Folk: Club Babylon	DVDs from the Queer as Folk series