Takeharu Ishimoto - Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core Original Soundtrack
The 'new' guy, manages to create a great Theme to Crisis Core but then remixes it so many damned times that it gets repetitive and lazy in some instances. The tracks that were originally created by Nobuo Uematsu are still great from way back in 1997 and they've all been given a make over to suit the mode of the game and they rock both literally and figuratively. The bottom line is that most of the original tracks on here are better heard in game than out as nothing is truly memorable save the one piece of music that will live for me as the song I associated with that horrible day in May when The Hochies lost something important. It was sad in game and even more tragic now. I dedicate "The Burdened" to my Brian. We love you, Brian and we're sorry we didn't get to tell you so before you left.
Takeharu Ishimoto and various artists - The World Ends With You Original Soundtrack
Listening to this soundtrack outside of playing the game, makes me remember why I don't usually like J-Pop. It can be damned terrible. The fact that most of the songs are in English are even worse because at least if it's Japanese I can remain in ignorant bliss for some time before looking up translations. By that time, I usually already like a song and it isn't as bad when I realise the lyrics suck. In game, the music fit perfectly but on the street, does NOT make me want to visit Shibuya! Well, the raps are surprisingly cool but you know, I'm on a Japanese rap kick this year which is semi-embarrassing.
Listening to this soundtrack that does not include the vocal tracks, allowed me to hear it for what it really was - another soundtrack by that Crisis Core composer. Again, while not horrible it's not entirely fantastic either. In his defense, the tracks on here are short with a few seconds to show case an emotion, so it's okay but not terribly memorable.
Album Cover Review: A. I loved the art of this game 'cause I love Tetsuya. Joshua's my favourite character and he's on the cover making it cool.
Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I - IV and The Slip
One $5 dollar instrumental album and one free legit download of Trent's studio album later, NIN's continuing to make me angry but after last year's Year Zero, I'm not as angry with 2008's music (as much as I am with the man) than I was at 2007's effort.
In fact, it could even be said that Ghosts I - IV is fairly good. It's not unexpected because beats and various noises are the things Trent's good at but I can't say it was terribly clever either or without bits of boredom.
The Slip on the other hand suffers from a bout of laziness. Some things in life deserve to be free and well, thank goodness this one was. A non-too-coherent album that was probably given for free because it was in a file on Trent's computer under 'rejects', The Slip is really not all that horrid save the uninspired drum machine usage in parts but again, it also proves that Trent could bottle his fatigue and Reznorians everywhere will hail it as the Law come down from the Mount.
I'm happy I'm no longer an active cult member. Really, I am.
What Sariel REALLY destroyed this year: "Head Down". Other noteworthy tracks: "14 Ghosts II" and "21 Ghosts III".
Album Cover Review: Ghosts I - IV. C. It's alright and that's all it is because I refused to get the deranged $75 copy that was not worth it. The Slip A+. I was duly impressed with my free copy of this album. Every song has a different bit of digital art for it, and lyrics were provided to boot. It's everything all Itunes and other MP3 copies of albums/songs bought should have but do not.
Suga Shikao
I know he's probably THE J-pop king but I am admitting right now that I enjoy his music a lot after listening to his 7 studio albums.
I'm sufficiently embarrassed but do not take it back and I will say no more.
Favourite albums: "Clover" and "Parade".
Taniuchi Hideki - Death Note Original Soundtracks I & II, Death Note Tribute, Death Note Movie OSTS.
My beloved L... Slaughtered but not forgotten. The osts from this series though…hm, not on heavy rotation. I was obsessed with this series last year but ask me what it sounded like and I've flashes of Parasite Eve. Which, while not a bad thing, is sometimes forgettable when you're trying your best to put that horrible game in the back of your mind. The reverse is here - Parasite Eve was a failed game with a great soundtrack save the one track that played over and over again making it unlovable, to my dismay sounds like the one track used over and over and unlovable in Death Note as well but a brilliant series it was.
The Death Note: A Movie Tribute OST seems to be a collection of crazy jrock which might work out for me. I'll have to listen in full.
Albums Covers Review: B, because Light's on them. Curse you Light! but he's balanced by L.
Tracks Sariel may have played?: "L's Theme", "Light's Theme" and still the most rockin' song ever by Maximum the Hormone "What's Up, People?!".
Hitoshi Sakimoto - Final Fantasy XII Original Soundtrack.
Much of the same from Sakimoto since his style is so distinctive but nothing less than epic for a game as grand as FFXII. Sakimoto always manages to create the ideal sound for fantasy based war ridden land in the Final Fantasy world.
Sariel liked: as always, anything that involves a boss fight! "Esper Battle" stands out.
Album Cover Review: A for Awesome. A Judge made the cover and Judges are bad-assed.
Toshio Matsuda - Naruto Soundtracks
Just going by memory of what I hear weekly for Naruto and Shippuuden...the Shippuuden soundtrack has been really good. I don't own it (yet! heehee) but the Naruto soundtracks are pretty good as well. It's kind of rock sometimes, which sometimes can be fairly annoying because it's overdone but the mixes with traditional Japanese sounds are always fun. I love ninjas!
Shiro Sagisu - Bleach Soundtracks, Beat Collections
I've been watching this series since 2006 (why not sooner? Because I'm stubborn!). The various soundtracks for the series and movies are amazing. Musical compositions are a huge part of any anime and gaming series and can make or break it sometimes. In games, the music sets the moods in an otherwise none vocal piece of art, and as such it has to speak volumes.
The only other experience I've had with Sagisu was a good one and it resonated throughout Neon Genesis Evangelion and I can hear his style in Bleach. NGE was one dark, religious based theme, mech war series that did not leave much room for banter save the little penguin named Pen Pen and a drunk Misato so in contrast, it's good to see Sagisu has a sense of humour because Bleach is full of that.
In this case, the music sets up the tone - ridiculous, serious or otherwise that lay the background for the intense fights and intensely funny characters and situations of Bleach. It's incredibly well done and never before have I anxiously waited for a soundtrack like I have with this.
Also surprising are the seiyuu character songs. The Japanese, I've noticed, are obsessed with making their voice actors sing their own theme songs. From my limited experience and opinion, they mostly suck and there I was not expecting anything from this set either and I'd be right listening to some of the characters but pow, in comes a Rangiku and Gin combo and it's great. Musically, the pieces are strong and sometimes, vocally they fit just right making the beat collections a welcome addition to my collection.
And of course, there are tons of opening and ending themes by various artists which led to the discovery of new bands and jpop artists. Of the lot, Orange Range (featured in Naruto amongst others Naruto as well) are great.
Sariel loves Bleach! The favourites are: "Turn The Tables" (Bleach: Memories of Nobody Movie Ost), "On the Precipice of Defeat" (H1's favourite), "Catch-22", "Heat of the Battle" and basically all of OST I, "Breakthrough Even" (Bleach: Diamond Dust Rebellion), "Phenomena", "Here To Stay", "A Requiem", "Shadow's Masquerade", "Back to the Wall", "Rage of Lunacy" (Bleach OST II), "Gallop" by Pe'zmoku (Bleach 16th ED), "Kansha" by RSP (Bleach 14th ED), "Asterisk" by Orange Range (Bleach 1st OP), "Ichirin no Hana" by High and Might Colour (Bleach 3rd OP), "Orange" by Lil'B (Bleach 15th ED).
Album Cover Review: All Great. They all have Ichigo or some sort of Bleach symbol on them. What's not to love?
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank
Not a bad album at all, actually. I saw them in concert this year and was totally amazed by their performance, after hearing horrible reviews from their tour for the previous album.
With new respect for them and not being a rabid fan from the beginning, I am not one to argue that they've 'sold out' because I haven't heard much from their earlier works.
Sariel's favs: "Fire it Up", "Dashboard" and "Steam Engenius". This isn't from this album but "Trucker's Atlas" is the best damned song ever.
Album Cover Review: Meh. D.
Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell
After loving the release of their "A Lesson in Crime" EP, I anxiously awaited the full length album. And it was a disappointment. Where was the wit? Where were the insane lyrics about robots and a bleak future? And why did the lead singer's voice sound even more nasal and annoying?! What I got instead was a studio album that was kind of bland and 'tween' sounding. Yeesh, anything but that...
Refusing to accept that, and refusing to admit it's more hipster-ish than I want to let on, I'll just blame this mess on their being Canadian. Sometimes, I get confused.
Overall, as I listen now (because all albums need a good 6 months to simmer), it's not so bad actually. It's not the album I was expecting and no where near as cool as "A Lesson in Crime", but there's some stuff I enjoy still and they're still kinda funny I suppose.
Sariel played more than I remembered: "Listen to the Math", "Nursery, Academy", "Your English is Good", "The Harrowing Adventures of..." and "The Baskervilles"
Album Cover Review: E. For Elephant Shell and because it's horrible.
S.E.N.S Project - xxxHolic Sound File and Original Soundtracks
"April Fool" is one of the greatest tracks ever and with so much meaning behind it for Kimihiro Watanuki, who just happens to be one of my favourite characters in anime of all time, this track fits his mood and personality while keeping in line with the show's quirkiness perfectly. The music is everything this anime is - fun, dark, scary, light, odd, depressing and charming all the way through.
And I blame this series for my love of Suga Shikao.
Most played on Sariel: "April Fool", "Hyakkyagyou", "Nobody Knows" and "19Sai" by Suga Shikao
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell, Show Your Bones, IS IS EP
You can hear the sounds of a band being a band - sometimes safe, sometimes insane, sometimes annoying, sometimes brilliant. They're an experience in another regard with Karen O's nonsensical lyrics, howling and eerily beautiful voice; Nick Zinner's riffs (I love Nick!) all made complete into a full sound with Brian Chase's drumming.
I've grown to like them a little more everytime I listen and would appreciate the value of a concert put on by them to do the albums more justice and I will admit that the LPs did not grab on first listen. I was hooked on one of the best set of songs I've heard all year with the release of the IS IS EP.
Of the two LPs, I prefer Show Your Bones but Fever to Tell has a few winner tracks as well. All albums listed here are solid listens and I look forward to the release of their new album in 2009.
Tracks Sariel rocked this year hardcore: All of the IS IS Ep with a special love for "Rockers to Swallow" and "Down Boy"; "Black Tongue", "No No No", "Date With The Night", "Maps" and "Y Control" (Fever To Tell; "Honeybear", "Turn Into", "Sweets", and "Gold Lion".
Album Cover Review: D. They're hideous.
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
It's a Death Cab For Cutie album. What more is there to say? It's good but there's no doubt this album just didn't move me as their last effort and in fairness, it would have been hard to top the greatness that was Plans. Still, it's a very solid listen with Indie quirkiness and Indie heartache intact, a few dashes of experimental that needs to be refined but could be potentially awesome if explored in the future and also provided one of my favourite songs for the year.
Sariel loved: "Grapevine Fires", "Long Division", "Bixby Canyon Bridge", "Your New Twin Sized Bed", and "Pity and Fear".
Album Cover Review: C. I don't care for it but it doesn't totally offend either.
Cold War Kids - Loyalty to Loyalty
The sophomore album from Cold War Kids was not very good. There were a few songs that were CWK great but the rest were half-assed songs that got stuck on there, some being truly annoying.
Sariel's favourites: "Relief", "Dreams Old Men Dream", "Welcome to the Occupation" and "I've Seen Enough".
Album Cover Review: Ugh. Even the cover's half-assed. F.
Menomena - Friend or Foe
Weird is my favourite track off this album and subsequently the feel of the album itself. Plenty dark, plently mystifying and a genre that I'm not quite sure how to peg. With no lead vocalist and all members contributing to the musical and the vocal, it's kind of hard to build a love for personality. I feel a little bit removed but that doesn't make it a monstrosity. You love this or you hate it. Friend or Foe is right. I am a friend.
Sariel rocked hardcore: "Weird", "Wet and Rusting", "My My", "Air Aid" and "West".
Album Cover Review: Since I got this album digitally, I read that that does it no justice. It looks crazy as the songs on there but I've read that it's even cooler in hand due to some kind of decoder business going on the sleeve and the design by one of the band members. I think I love this album enough to invest in a hardcopy some day.
The Rascals - Rascalize
Ah yes, Miles Kane's day job when he's not side-projecting with The Last Shadow Puppets. I like this album a lot. I like the arrangements - they're interesting and a throw back to that time he and A.T. are obsessed with. What's good about this album? The rock, the 60s rock, the lyrics and I love Miles. He's cool, the band's cool, and the songs are cool. The only true complaint I have is that he tends to deliver lyrcis and sing things a certain way that's the same throughout the album. There's nothing truly offensive about the album. The only thing that's offensive associated with Miles is that X keeps dreaming about him and leaving me out of the dream. That ass! Though, unbeknownst to her, I dreamt about Alex and Miles and left her out too. Ahahahaha.
Songs Sariel Rocks: "Stockings to Suit", "Rascalize", "People Watching", "Fear Invicted into Perfect Strangers", "The Glorified Collector", "Freakbeat Phantom", "I'll Give You Sympathy"
Album Cover Review: Lame. D.
The National - Boxer; Alligator
This band opened for R.E.M @ MSG, and I decided to go prepared. After hearing a few tracks from Boxer and reading rave reviews for the first album, I went ahead and purchased both albums.
I really enjoyed Boxer but not Alligator that much. The latter sounded a little dated to me. Boxer, has a strong collection of songs. The lead singer's voice is deep, the lyrics are a bit on the meh side sometimes but the delivery coupled with the music make for an easy, satisfying listen. I worry a little about my choice of adult contemporary sometimes... eep! I might be getting old! Ha ha. Ooh, scary.
Sariel killed from Boxer: "Mistaken For Strangers" and "Brainy", and played these a bit "Guest Room", "Racing Like A Pro", "Start A War", "Fake Empire" and "Slow Show". And from Alligator, "Secret Meeting" and "Friend of Mine".
Album Cover Review: Ugly. F. Both of them.
R.E.M. - Accelerate
In all the years that R.E.M. have been active and all the years I've been a fan, this year was the first I saw them live. I could not have seen them at a better time as I did for when they were on tour for this album because it is fantastic. The opening track is loud, fast and energetic and sets the mode for the most of the rest of songs. The album is called what it is because that's what R.E.M. wanted to do - play loud and fast like the true rockers that they are but also sticking to what makes R.E.M. great - it's not fluff, very thoughtful and very rock.
Sariel played loud!: "Sing for the Submarine", "Living Well is the Best Revenge", "Horse to Water", and "Supernatural Superserious".
Album Cover Review: B. I kinda like it.
Beirut - The Flying Club Cup
This year I credit TD5 for introducing me to Beirut. He knew I'd love Zach Condon's voice and he was right. TD5 loved Beirut's sound for the layers of instruments and musical arrangements and it's that European charm that has me loving tihs album as well. H1 found Zach's voice a little bit 'put on' or forced but we agree that "Nantes" is a beautiful song. Other than "Nantes", the rest of the songs are mostly enchanting and an interesting fuse of a musical culture I've only a vague perception of.
Sariel played the following lullabies for me: "Nantes", "Guyamas Sonora", "A Sunday Smile", "Cliqout", and "Forks and Knives (La Fete)".
Album Cover Review: Lame. D.
4. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
With a name like TV on the Radio, it's no surprise I passed this band up many times in 2006 and 2007 for their name reminded me to much like Panic at the Disco, therefore making me believe they were such - emo trash.
One jaunt to Metacritic looking for a review of another album blared that this one got a 9.0/10. "What? Can emos even get that high a rating?"
I did some Wiki research and because Wiki never lies, I discovered the truth - they're not emo at all. They're experimental. Is that a trick word for emo? Only one way to find out and that was to preview the tracks after being encouraged by reading that the lead singer and guitarists are quiet accomplished and have meddled in affairs that include Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner.
User Review after user review said, "incredible! Every song is different! They must be aliens because the sound is like no where else on earth!" Aliens? So I listened. As Bughie J. cleverly said, "everything's new! You know, it was new when that other person we ripped it from did it! But it's new to us, so it's new to you!" Yeah.
It's certainly dancey, experimental and 'new' but not really. I feel like I've heard something similiar before but it's still pretty fresh and a damned good album. It's better than expected but I don't agree with a 9/10. Still, it's more than half good and I find it on heavy rotation, so it was totally worth the gamble. It even made the fourth best album I've heard all year.
Tracks Sariel's been rockin': "Red Dress", "Dancing Choose", "Stork & Owl", "Crying" and "Crying (Telepath Remix)", and "Love Dog".
Album Cover Review: F. Really, an "F". I'd be lying if I gave it anything other than it.
3. Mindless Self Indulgence - If
Without counting the tracks that were created years ago and stuck on this studio album, If does not stand that strong as far as MSI albums go. They've gone as mainstream as MSI can go, which is a disturbing thing for a fan like me. It's mostly droll and uninspired and that spark of insanity that makes MSI who they are is just not quite there.
Some of its retained but fitted in a way that is secure sounding. For some reason the arrangements and Jimmy's vocals are just not as clever. It's a bit more club/house sounding and less 'jungle'/rock sounding. I blame marriage to emo and crap the downfall of MSI.
An album that should have been number 1 on my list by the mere fact its from MSI got beaten by a few but bad MSI is still better than most (H1's always saying that about Bleach).
New songs Sariel enjoyed: "Lights Out", "Due", "On It", "Evening Wear". Older tracks that were created in the past 2 years but fixed and officially released that Sariel enjoyed playing back then and now: "Bomb This Track", "Mark David Chapman", "Pay For It".
Album Cover Review: Stellar. A+ because Jhonen Vasquez always gets an A+.
The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement
Alex, Alex, Alex. Here he is again, a wealth of talent at 22 years old and no hint of slowing down ever since he was writing songs for us on the first Arctic Monkeys album. Here he is with his talented friend Miles Kane of the Rascals and they're taking a stab at creating music they 'have no business knowing given their age': the likes of David Bowie, Scott Walker and others. "Wouldn't it be great if we could make music as great as those people?" Yeah, so they try and succeed.
OMG, amazing. They prove that no matter what the genre, the time period or the person - if a song or artist is great, it'll stand the test of time and be influential to whoever listens. That's not to say I enjoy every artist who tries the same - attempts can often come off as arrogant, overdone, lame but not the case with TLSP. There may be two songs on there that piss me the eff off and are downright unlistenable but then there's Alex's and Miles' rich lyrics and an ability to sing with an undeniable coolness and cleverness making them way too old for their time and way too charming. It's a valiant, productive and a most often beautiful collection of songs.
Sariel played: "My Mistakes Were Made For You", "Calm Like You", "Separate and Ever Deadly", "Standing Next To Me", "The Chamber", "The Meeting Place" and "In The Heat of the Morning".
Album Cover Review: U. It was unnecessary and ungradeable.
2. Shiro Sagisu - Bleach Original Soundtrack Volume III.
Truthfully, if all Bleach albums came out and were acquired this year, it'd be number one on the list. The Bleach soundtrack is one of the best soundtracks I've ever listened to and even weekly, it never gets tired. There are so many great pieces that are just done right for the anime, which too is one of the most enjoyable series I've ever seen.
This year, after over a year and a half of waiting, Volume III of the music of the Bleach universe came out. I stressed for that long for this thing to come out. Every time a new piece was played in the anime, it was like torture. It all began when my favourite Ulquiorra bitched slapped Yammi. The art was sharp, the scene was great and it was just damned coral! And it was only made better when the Spanish infused music started up.
Week after week of Spanish influenced music came through as Ichigo and the Gotei 13 fought Aizen's bastardly Arrancar/Espada army. And just when you thought Aizen couldn't get any more awesome, he creates a good looking army of hollows.
Sagisu created music for Kubo's obsession with Spanish culture and did a fine job of mixing those classical violins with spanish flamenco.
And then he manages to throw in some sleazy, gambling music for the Vaizards as well that suits their personalities to a tee.
This soundtrack is nothing short of amazing making Sagisu nothing short of amazing.
Sariel cannot live without: "Nube Negra", "Escalon", "Can't Back Down", "Hollowed", "Scoundrels", "La distancia para un duelo", "Clavar la Espada", and "Soundscape to Ardor". The whole things pretty much great but those are some special mentions.
Album Cover Review: A+. This is by far the best soundtrack cover for Bleach.
1. Taku Iwasaki and various artists - Soul Eater Original Soundtrack
I. love. this. soundtrack.
It's probably the most embarrassing thing since I don't know when but it's pure greatness. It's filled with jrock songs I actually like and what's worse, JRap! Never did I think the day would come when those words would actually form and fall out of my mouth.
Jrap still confuses me if I see it but the anime is very stylistic and a soundtrack fitting of that hyper energy was created.
I actually look forward to the opening and ending themes and really hope they release the second soundtrack soon and hope the series gets picked up for a second season.
The non-vocal pieces are great as well and Taku Iwasaki manages to blend traditional sounds with rock when needed, or moody piano pieces when those are needed.
Sariel is constantly playing: the whole soundtrack but rocks like nobody's buisness "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Have a Nice Dream", "Kreig", "Bakosou Yume Uta" by Diggy'Mo, "Blitz", "Death the Kid (So Crazy)", "Mifune", "Resonance" by T.M. Revolution.
Album Cover Review: B-. It's cute but I can't wait for Justin Law to be on the cover. Heh.
Currently listening to: "People Every Day" by Tsuneo Imahori, from the Trigun 1st Donuts Soundtrack.
