Yuki Kajiura

The Core Media Forum
#21

I agree that Uematsu is good at having music fit the mood, but I generally don’t consider those “good soundtracks”. It’s something else entirely. What I think of as a good soundtrack is something I like popping into a CD player and listening to. But I also agree Gale is one of the weakest tracks and shouldn’t have been so ubiquitous.

I have heard FFX’s soundtrack, obviously (I’ve finished the game about five times) but Uematsu didn’t compose most of it. In any case I consider it… okay, some very good tracks, many that are good, but nothing unbelievable.

FF9 was pretty awful with the remixes… I think the main theme (Melodies of Life) was done four or five times. Then again, Zanarkand in FFX received the same treatment.

I have to say that the only anime soundtrack in which literally almost every track was enjoyable to me was Last Exile, and in VG the closest I can think of is Legend of Mana and (oddly enough) Donkey Kong Country 2, which is an unsung gem. But none of those contain individual tracks that are really awesome, they’re just very solid albums.

I think TWEWY might become a guilty pleasure for me, considering I usually hate anything remotely resembling the sort of things in it, but damn if some of those songs don’t stick their claws in my brain and refuse to let go.

#22

I liked DKC3’s soundtrack a bit better than 2’s, but both were great and don’t get mentioned enough in serious discussions.

The “remix” thing is deliberate… that’s the whole point of a theme song. You put different spins on it for different moods, but it’s still the same song, and shouldn’t be treated as an attempt at writing something new.

I think FFIX’s best tracks were Beatrix’s themes, the evil forest theme, and “You’re Not Alone.” But I haven’t played the game in a really long time. Melodies of Life never really moved me the way I think it was supposed to.

I thought FFX had some amazing songs. My favourite was Challenge. It’s rare to hear a boss theme that really pumps you up and still sounds so menacing. Off the top of my head, only Atmaweapon’s comes to mind. The song that plays in Omega Dungeon is great too.

#23

I quite liked Zanarkand, myself, and I would have loved Suteki da ne if it weren’t sung in such a chirpy chipmunk voice. Melodies of Life was quite nice, but nowhere near the top of my list for vocal ending songs (which would include Wings from WA3, Pain from Xenosaga, and Sanctuary from KH2).

I understand what they were trying to do with the remixes, but I still can’t escape the feeling that they were just padding out the soundtrack by making us listen to the same song over and over again in different formats. Doing a remix once or twice can be powerful, but when you make a song as constant as FF9 did it loses its touch.

#24

If you want to talk about vocal endings, how about Without Taking The Jewel?

#25

Is that a different translation of the ending theme of Chrono Cross, or something else entirely I don’t know about?

#26

yes cc

#27

Yeah, that’s pretty sweet, especially all the way at the end…almost haunting. OC Remix has a faster remix of it which is brilliant. But it’s still not in my top 10. The NA version of Wings (which, btw, is not available on any soundtrack; I ripped it right from WA3) is top of the list for me. Extremely powerful, belted out with a very talented singer, and the lyrics are excellent, which is unusual for a song that was originally Japanese. Legend of Mana’s toe-tappy Song of Mana is also in the list, as is Xenogears’ Small Two of Pieces.

Simple and Clean (KH) is there too, but I’m finding that the more I listen to it the sillier it sounds.

#28

I never really got the deal with Simple and Clean. It’s used nicely as bgm in the KH ending, but as a standalone, I don’t really think much of it.

Small Two of Pieces is probably my favourite vocal track in a video game, ever.

#29

Song of Mana is awesome.

The only vocal song I’ve heard in XG is Star of Tears, which is along the same vein as Song of Mana.

#30

That was actually never played in the game itself. It was stored on the game CD, though, as the background music to an FMV also never seen in the game, which is a montage of FMVs from throughout the story. Small Two of Pieces is the ending theme, but I’m not sure it has much of a kick if you haven’t played through the game, because it’s much more powerful if you know the story (and have heard the theme it’s a remix of in particular situations).

Btw, if you haven’t yet, look up Creid. It’s a mainly Celtic official remix album of Xenogears, and is awesome. “Lahan” is particularly amazing… makes me want to dance even though I can’t. :sunglasses:

#31

Lahan is good, but Balto is probably my favorite song there. He really did a great job mixing the two songs with the steadily increasing tempo.

Also, could you believe I JUST realized what the first ten seconds of Shevat in the regular soundtrack are a remix of? How the hell didn’t I catch that before?

#32

Until you just made that statement, neither did I. O_o Frankly, it doesn’t make much sense, as Bart’s part of the story has nothing whatever to do with Shevat.

#33

I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing here. I just now realized that Bonds of Sea and Fire begins like that too, but my example was much more obvious: It’s Schala’s Theme. Just listen to the beginning of that and Shevat.

#34

Oh, that I knew about. It’s not exactly a remix, but it’s very similar. Same composer, after all… listen to enough of Uematsu’s stuff and eventually it’ll all start to sound the same. 8p

#35

There was a time when I thought thought Yasunori Mitsuda made the best stuff ever - then I listened to Masashi Hamazu.

It’s not that Mitsuda isn’t talented - he’s just not consistent to me. Xenogears is his best work when taken as a whole to me. Every other soundtrack falters at a key point for me. Every gem in Chrono Cross was marred by one of the most atrocious and ridiculous battle themes I’ve ever heard in my life.

But the soundtracks for SF2 and Unlimited Saga are just beautiful. After I heard the arrangments I really started digging the guy. The Feldschlat’s, virtually every battle theme in Unlmited Saga - it’s just really great stuff.

Honestly, the only song I’ve listened to quite a bit that was composed by YK is Battle for your Soul from Xenosaga 3; but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are times when I’m fairly certain that it blows Mitsuda’s theme in XS1 out of the water, but it waxes and wanes.

I agree with Cid - to me, WA3 is the culmination of the Western/RPG theme in the Wild Arms series rising to it’s zenith. That is, at least in terms of the music and the style of the game (the pacing of the story was horrible). Scenery Called Everyday, the opening/“return to title screen” theme, and a wealth of other songs on that soundtrack were just downright excellent. WA5’s soundtrack seems pretty good too - it has one of the first J-Pop songs I’ve actually really enjoyed listening to.

#36

Yeah, WA5 is definitely number 2 in my mind (I’m re-listening to it now). Unfortunately, it takes up a whopping EIGHT CDs, and only has about 20 or 30 really good tracks, but the good tracks are unbelievable.

#37

Mullenkamp, listen to Promised Pain and Godsibb. Those two songs are more characteristic of Kajiura’s style than Battle For Your Soul.

Also, I mentioned Feldschlacht III like 30 posts ago :stuck_out_tongue: Best fight theme ever.

#38

Ah, I forgot about Promised Pain - I did enjoy listening to that. But I can’t remember Godsibb, I’ll have to check it out.

#39

I think Noriyuki Iwadare writes the best battle themes by far.

#40

The guy who did Radiata Stories?

I’m gonna have to disagree :stuck_out_tongue: