Denis Leary"s firefighter series, Rescue Me, is characterized by its delicate balance of brawn and sentiment. This CD, which collects tunes that have appeared in the first three seasons, reflects that balance, careening from the full-on rock & roll of the Von Bondies (their "C"mon C"mon" is the show"s theme) and the Subways ("Oh Yeah") to the pensive, rootsy vibe of Ray Lamontagne ("All the Wild Horses") and the Devlins ("Love Is Blindness"). In his informative liner notes, Leary (who coproduces and cowrites the show in addition to starring in it) explains how he and his crew pick the songs they use. He doesn"t really talk about how the songs reflect the show"s take on masculinity, but the selections speak for themselves: There may be wives, girlfriends, or daughters, but Rescue Me is essentially about men. Which is perfectly fine, though it may explain why those who like to hear female voices once in a while (the Subways" bassist, Charlotte Cooper, does pipe up) are advised to look elsewhere (at one of the L Word soundtracks maybe?). --Elisabeth Vincentelli