SQEX-10482: Distant Worlds III: more music from FINAL FANTASY

[CrackerG]

So by the looks of it, the tracklisting includes:

Character Theme Medley (FFVI)
Balance Is Restored (Short Version) (FFVI)
Balamb GARDEN (FFVIII)
Not Alone (FFIX)
Rose of May (FFIX)
Festival of the Hunt (FFIX)
Hymn of the Fayth ~ The Sending (FFX)
Kiss Me Good-Bye (FFXII)
Blinded by Light (FFXIII)
Fabula Nova Crystalis (FFXIII)
Answers (FFXIV)
Primal Judgment (FFXIV)
Chocobo Medley 2012
Battle & Victory Fanfare Medley*

*Which should be Battle at the Big Bridge (FFV), Fight with Seymour (FFX) and Let the Battles Begin! (FFVII)

Not bad tracklisting. I think Balamb is kind of a waste given we already have the studio orchestral recording on Fithos and FF Orchestral Album, but eh. Not Alone is long overdue and the rest are fairly welcome additions. Excited for Answers sans-cheese guitar.

[Soundtrack Central]

Apparently "Hunter's Chance" / "Festival of the Hunt" from FFIX has been cut from the final track list (unless it's an unlisted bonus track or something). That's a pity, the concert recordings floating around YouTube showed promise.

There are samples of all the tracks on the official album page, though if you switch tabs or windows they stop playing.

[CrackerG]

I'm pretty okay with no "Festival of the Hunt" - I'm pretty burned out on the FFIX standards.

After hearing the record, my initial thoughts are positive, though not glowing. All of the song choices are great save for "Balamb GARDEN~Ami" which is simply a lesser recording of its 1999 full-studio counterpart.

It's nice to see, over ten years later, some sort of studio recording of "Not Alone," finally. Likewise, several songs they've added to their repertoire over the years following the release of DWII are here and that's nice.

The FFVI character medley as is as exciting as it is disappointing, in that while we're treated to nice arrangements of "Kefka," "Cele's Theme," "Locke's Theme" and part of "Balance Is Restored," we also see a rehashed performance of "Terra's Theme" as its been performed since 20020220. Maybe in the minority, but especially compared to its Grand Finale FFVI counterpart and even the OSV recordings, I've never liked the arrangement of "Terra's Theme" that they've used live much. To make matters worse, the transitions between songs are jarring at best, especially between "Kefka" to "Celes's Theme" and perhaps more egregiously how it transitions between "Celes's Theme" as it is arranged on the OSV and directly into the variation in "Balance Is Restored;" there's no segue between the key change or arrangement at all - it's jarring and disappointing.

The recording of "Balance Is Restored," meanwhile, is surprisingly great given that even as an abridged arrangement, it truly delivers the momentum that the final credits roll gives in the game.

"Hymn of the Fayth ~ The Sending" was another surprise, as I am neither much of a fan of X or its soundtrack. Really well done arrangement.

"Answers" doesn't do well with minimal studio mixing though, as much as I like the arrangement and "Blinded by Light" needs to be at a faster tempo; every live recording, as well as the recording here, has sounded lethargic and unimpressive. The only orchestral recording that comes close to doing it justice I've heard is the version from "Light Eternal" at the end of Lightning Returns.

[Soundtrack Central]

Agreed on pretty much all those points, though I've only given the YouTube postings a listen so can't judge it too strictly. I think I might prefer the DW: The Celebration performance of "You're Not Alone", and the performance of "Answers" on DW: Returning appears likely to remain my favorite (despite the audience cutting in mid-track).

It's really hard not to be disappointed they've passed on this perfect opportunity to perform the full FFVI Ending Theme character medley, in favor of two relatively unambitious short arrangements instead.

"Rose of May" is certainly nice. I think as with DW1 this'll have the most appeal for people who haven't kept up with the other FF releases and don't mind the several re-used arrangements.