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  #1  
Old May 19, 2010, 08:32 AM
Xenofan 29A Xenofan 29A is offline
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Default NTDO-17210: Xenoblade Special Sound Track

It says in the Nintendo interview that this CD will have 12 tracks.

"選りすぐりの12曲を収録したCDになっていますし、
それぞれのみなさんがつくった曲が入っていますので。"
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  #2  
Old May 19, 2010, 09:35 AM
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The official website also confirms this.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/sx4j/tokuten/index.html

Note that it simply credits ACE+ so maybe we should do the same.
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  #3  
Old May 19, 2010, 10:05 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanasea View Post
Note that it simply credits ACE+ so maybe we should do the same.
I'm not sure if it's mandatory, as we often credit individual artists instead of a group as a whole (e.g. Falcom Sound Team jdk). The quote implies this soundtrack contains music from all the composer involved. Still, I don't oppose to your suggestion, though.
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  #4  
Old May 19, 2010, 10:12 AM
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Well, I'm just discussing the possibility. We could have "ACE+" as composer name and "Tomori Kudo, CHiCO, Kenji Hiramatsu" as suffix, like we did with ACE before.
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  #5  
Old May 19, 2010, 10:39 AM
Cedille Cedille is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanasea View Post
Well, I'm just discussing the possibility. We could have "ACE+" as composer name and "Tomori Kudo, CHiCO, Kenji Hiramatsu" as suffix, like we did with ACE before.
Ah, I didn't know we had such a precedent (this?). We had a similar discussion regarding Mikakuchi Engineering Staff, and perhaps it may be better to link individual artists whose pages tend to more be viewed until the suffix linking is implemented, but either way is fine with me.


By the way, I may remove "Contains music that will surely please fans of the past Xeno series as well as Yoko Shimomura's tracks." from the note. It was added by me based on this blog entry, and I thought some arrangements from Xeno series would be featured, but maybe it meant a surprising involvement of Yasunori Mitsuda, which is now well-spread.
Quote:
本作で使用されている下村陽子氏の音楽はもちろん、過去の「ゼノ」シリーズファンにも必ず喜んでもらえる仕 掛けがあるらしい。
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  #6  
Old May 19, 2010, 10:20 AM
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Actually, we've been doing it like this: Tomori Kudo (ACE+), CHiCO (ACE+), Kenji Hiramatsu (ACE+).

The ACE+ doesn't link currently, but we might want to work on a way to link the suffixes too.
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  #7  
Old Jun 10, 2010, 10:17 AM
LiquidAcid LiquidAcid is offline
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Just listening to this, it's great... no, really great.

If the content of the Special Sound Track is representative for the OST then we might have a new candidate for soundtrack of the year (my other candidate is FF13)
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  #8  
Old Jun 10, 2010, 12:04 PM
Xenofan 29A Xenofan 29A is offline
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Is there a composer breakdown included? Beyond the Sky, of course, is Mitsuda's piece, and the main theme is Shimomura's, but besides that, who composed the others?
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  #9  
Old Jun 10, 2010, 01:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Xenofan 29A View Post
Is there a composer breakdown included? Beyond the Sky, of course, is Mitsuda's piece, and the main theme is Shimomura's, but besides that, who composed the others?
The info I have is;
1,2,3 - Shimomura
4,7,8,9,11 - ACE+
5,6,10 - Manami Kiyota
12 - Mitsuda
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  #10  
Old Jun 10, 2010, 06:20 PM
Muzza Muzza is offline
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I had a feeling Xenoblade would be to ACE+ as Wild Arms 5 was to Noriyasu Agematsu. A lesser known but awesome artist finally getting their moment under the spotlight. All the tracks on this release are fantastic, but I'm particularly liking the contributions made by ACE+. Should be a great soundtrack; I might buy it now after hearing this!
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  #11  
Old Jun 10, 2010, 10:33 PM
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Every review you'll see if the game reaches other shores will only mention Shimomura and Mitsuda (as if he composed half of the soundtrack indeed). We all know them too well!
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  #12  
Old Jun 11, 2010, 09:03 AM
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If ACE+'s contributions all sound like that pseudo-metal garbage we hear in the XB trailers, I'm definitely hoping their role is limited. I'm usually pretty enthusiastic when new blood is hired into the field, but not when it sounds like that.
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  #13  
Old Jun 11, 2010, 09:08 AM
Don Don is offline
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Nope, not all the ACE+ music is rock oriented. Only 1 of the ACE+ songs on this promo album is the pseudo-metal you describe.
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  #14  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 05:55 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Don View Post
Nope, not all the ACE+ music is rock oriented. Only 1 of the ACE+ songs on this promo album is the pseudo-metal you describe.
Good to know! Maybe my fear was misplaced. How are Kiyota's tracks?

Judge Ito, I get a little touchy about soundtracks for games that I actually look forward to playing. This is a Takahashi game, and that kind of music just doesn't belong. I'm still disappointed over Shimomura being put in the lead role, but at least she stays away from that particular genre.

Not that there's anything wrong with rock or metal or any derivative or hybrid of either, it's just that most composers suck at writing in those styles. It's always about excessive wailing and effects or hyperactive solos or technical virtuosity--none of which are substantial enough qualities on their own to build an entire composition around. The issue is compounded when taking into account the typically predictable chord progressions and flat, diluted arrangements.
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  #15  
Old Jun 11, 2010, 10:56 PM
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It astounds me how many video game music enthusiasts can't stand a little cheese now and then. Track 7 is one of the better game tracks I've heard all year, anyway. Sounds like a wonderful fight.

Did anybody ever tell you guys you vote 5 way too often? If you're going to throw around 5's like they're nothing, you might as well follow Youtube's route and make album voting a like/dislike choice.

Last edited by Judge Ito; Jun 11, 2010 at 11:00 PM.
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  #16  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 07:19 AM
Don Don is offline
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Two of Kiyota's tracks are very beautiful. One of them is very dark/beautiful, but they are all solid. At least, I think so. They are all on YOutube now (in addition to the rest of the special soundtrack)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJDpj-HRQu4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opZ77...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nsy9J...eature=related
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  #17  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 09:36 AM
Xenofan 29A Xenofan 29A is offline
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The best ones are the Shimomura tracks. I didn't like Beyond the Sky as much as I had hoped, but it's nowhere near as bad as "Maybe Tomorrow" was. Some of ACE+'s stuff sounded good, some of it not as good. I'm still looking forward to the full soundtrack.
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  #18  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 10:31 AM
LiquidAcid LiquidAcid is offline
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'maybe tomorrow' and bad?!?!?!
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  #19  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 11:36 AM
Xenofan 29A Xenofan 29A is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LiquidAcid View Post
'maybe tomorrow' and bad?!?!?!
I'm sorry, but I still think it's terrible. Everything from the tune to the lyrics were cringe-worthy. For all the things that Yuki Kajiura is good at, she has NO talent at writing English lyrics. (Plus, I can't shake the association with Home Depot commercials...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hmx9...eature=related

Then again, my benchmark for bad songs in video games is Lost Odyssey's "What You Are", so at least it's not that.
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  #20  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 11:46 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Xenofan 29A View Post

Then again, my benchmark for bad songs in video games is Lost Odyssey's "What You Are", so at least it's not that.
Surely "What You Are" is better than this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7OD3nc2fDM

Unless, of course, you are talking solely about English lyrics?
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  #21  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 12:51 PM
LiquidAcid LiquidAcid is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Don View Post
Surely "What You Are" is better than this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7OD3nc2fDM

Unless, of course, you are talking solely about English lyrics?
I was immediately reminded of:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anztDySaT1U

EDIT: Just to clarify, I really like this particular song from Sakura Taisen. It's just that it's a lot better without the vocalist *g*

Last edited by LiquidAcid; Jun 12, 2010 at 12:54 PM.
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  #22  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 12:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Xenofan 29A View Post
Everything from the tune to the lyrics were cringe-worthy.
Code:
maybe tomorrow:

the moon is gone
and the night is still so dark
I'm a little bit afraid of tomorrow

for this day was so long and hard for me
and I've lost some of the things so far I have trusted

now I will close my heart and sleep a while
bless my dream with gentle darkness
until I could have my strength
to wait for the light
maybe tomorrow...

I've come through
some betrayal, some old pains,
some addiction to the love
and some good-bye

like you did,
like my mother, father did,
I will cray a little while
and wait for tomorrow

there's no way to be free from the loneliness
it took so long for me to notice
but now I am on my way to find my light
maybe this day....
maybe tomorrow....

I will sleep a while, until the dawn wakes me up again
I still believe....come what may....

there is no way to be free from love
deeper we sink in the darkness
brighter is shines in our hearts
the lights of love

the moon is gone
and the night is still so dark
I'm a little bit afraid of tomorrow
but I will go....
I'll go over....
I will go....
... and I don't feel any urge to cringe
Concerning the 'tune' - since the track reuses the themes of the rest of the score, I figure that you don't like that as well?

Without doubt, the lyrics need a lot of interpretation to make sense - interpretation that probably needs the game context. Since I don't know the game content I refrain from commenting on that.
And even without interpretation I hardly find this one to be 'cheesy' (and even that term is extremely depend on context, see e.g. 'Suteki da ne').

Quote:
Originally Posted by Xenofan 29A View Post
For all the things that Yuki Kajiura is good at, she has NO talent at writing English lyrics.
Well, it's not her native language so I'm not surprised. I still think though that Kajiura has done a good job on the lyrics for e.g. Tsubasa Chronicles (check out the encore section on her first live DVD, where Kaori Oda performs 'Yume no Tsubasa' also partly with english lyrics). I'm especially fond of Eri Itou's performance of 'Ring your song' (also english lyrics) that can also be found in the encore of said DVD - now that one's particularly cheesy, but I heard that it perfectly fits the mood of the scene when it plays in the anime (context (!!) and that is what counts).

EDIT: And concerning ACE+, I find their contributions to the Special Soundtrack to be very diverse - of course Shimomura stands out a lot (in a good way), but also the mix/balance is important.

Last edited by LiquidAcid; Jun 12, 2010 at 12:18 PM.
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  #23  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 11:56 AM
Xenofan 29A Xenofan 29A is offline
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Oh yeah...that one was irritating...and I mean really irritating...

But I don't know. "What You Are" is just so amazingly, jaw-droppingly awful that I might still have to give it the nod. For one thing, its arrangement is so incredibly sappy, it sounds like one of those songs that they put at the end of Disney movies. (Those synth harp glissandi just drive me insane.)
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  #24  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 12:03 PM
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I'm going to pretend I didn't see see you bashing Kajiura, because she's brilliant.
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  #25  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 12:07 PM
Xenofan 29A Xenofan 29A is offline
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I'm not bashing her. I really like Kajiura's music. I own both Xenosaga II and III's soundtracks as well as one of the .Hack Sign OSTs. I respect her as a composer, and I do love some of her music. I hold to the criticisms I stated, though. Really, I don't mean to cause offense.
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  #26  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 12:30 PM
Xenofan 29A Xenofan 29A is offline
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http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/xs3/index.html

My thoughts haven't really changed too much since I wrote that. I agree that this is a very subjective matter, but I still cannot stand those lyrics. (On the other hand, I think that "Suteki Da Ne" is very good, but maybe it doesn't work so well in translation for some.) And you're right that she works with really good singers and such. I'm not disputing her musical talent.

Edit: Re-reading the review, maybe I would soften it a little more if I were to write it today.

Last edited by Xenofan 29A; Jun 12, 2010 at 12:38 PM.
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  #27  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 12:46 PM
LiquidAcid LiquidAcid is offline
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Just read your review, very interesting - I mostly agree with your points, except for the ending theme and that's probably just different taste. If you liked 'godsibb' you should _really_ check out the live DVD (here is it: http://vgmdb.net/album/17671).

If you're into Kalafina and FictionJunction you're going to like it even more (and Hitoshi Konno, who is also on the Xenoblade score, also performs there).
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  #28  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 12:54 PM
Xenofan 29A Xenofan 29A is offline
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Thanks. I'm a little embarassed by the writing, given that that was four years ago, but that's just me, I bet. Cool that there's a live performance of godsibb. That's still one of my favorite tracks from the soundtrack. I note that Fake Wings and canta per me are also on there. (Edit: Oh, and "the world" too!) Pretty nice selections. I'm not quite as familiar with Kajiura's ouvre as her fans, but I'll have to check it out.

Anyway, this is the Xenoblade special soundtrack forum! Back on topic!

My favorites are 1, 3, and 4.
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  #29  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 12:56 PM
LiquidAcid LiquidAcid is offline
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OK, back ontopic - my favorites would be 4, 2, 12, 8 (in that order).

EDIT: One last comment on the 'Emily Curtis vocal mastering' issue - I really think that this is/was a problem with your audio setup. I just listened to the track with both my speaker system and the headphones, and her voice is crystal clear with both.

Last edited by LiquidAcid; Jun 12, 2010 at 01:37 PM.
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  #30  
Old Jun 12, 2010, 03:57 PM
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Huh, thanks for bringing up Kajiura. As much as I don't care for Shimomura, I should realize the choice for lead composer could have been much worse. ^^;
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