Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Song of the Week - Ramble On (1969)

Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II (1969; Atlantic Records)
The Song of the Week is a little late this week due to unforeseen circumstances, but here I am, publishing in a strange location, looking out a strange window at a gloomy sky and in need of a song that just brings a smile to my face.  It may not be Here Comes the Sun, but it is at least just as good (in my opinion).  So, let's do this thing.

When I think of "epic" songs, there are a number of tunes from the 60's, 70's and even the 90's that come to mind.  My definition of epic may vary from another's but I picture a song with a strong theme or story, powerful lyrics filled with imagery and poetry, and a sound that is big and a song that is not necessarily long, but is definitely somewhat of a journey.  So a big journey, a big epic quest, a story filled with imagery and poetry; yeah, let's roll with that.

Led Zeppelin is a strong contender for the greatest rock band of all time, standing strong alongside the Beatles and the Rolling Stones as amazingly talented, influential and indelible, and one of my personal favorites is their  homage to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Ramble On.  The song is filled with slightly abstract references to themes and phrases from Tolkien's works including the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings and some of Tolkien's standalone poetry.

Now, if you aren't a fan of at least one Led Zeppelin song then I can only assume you are either hearing impaired or you have never heard one, so this is your chance.  That said, Ramble On is not considered Zeppelin's greatest tune by most "experts".  No, that honor would most likely go to Whole Lotta Love, their inspirational and accessible anthem from the very same year.  Still, I love the rhythm and sudden changes in tone that this song takes.  The sounds flow together so smoothly, the melody is catchy as hell and Robert Plant's voice is at its best here.  I always though he sounded better when he's able to hold his notes just a little longer, but that is purely subjective.

The Song:















Another game soundtrack spotlight is coming very, very soon.  Until next time...

Led Zeppelin II and all contents therein are property of Atlantic Records (1969).  The video is from youtube.com and I do not own it or its contents.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Game Soundtrack Spotlight - Super Castlevania IV (1991)

Super Castlevania IV (1991; Konami, Inc.)
by Christopher McElfresh

Before I began, I apologize about not getting something out there sooner.  I will work to be more consistent from here on out.  Anyway, let us begin.

If I had to name one single game soundtrack that I was my absolute, all-time favorite, I would really have to think long and hard for an honest answer.  When I think back on years of amazing game music a few notable titles come to mind.  The previously-covered Life Force, Mega Man 3, Mega Man X, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Street Fighter II...  MAN!  Picking one would be almost impossible for me.  I know what my favorite movie is.  I know what my favorite game is.  However, I cannot name what my favorite song of all time is, in video games or otherwise.  I could not pick only one, because it is just too hard to say.  Still, when I try to think of one game soundtrack that stands out as consistently-good, vibrant, well-composed, towering over most of the games of its era, I think of Super Castlevania IV.

Konami has been responsible for some of the best video game music in the history of the industry.  The soundtracks to games like Life Force, Contra and Contra III remain some of my favorites of all time.  Konami developed a very distinct sound and style over the years through recurring themes and over a number of composers.  While Capcom's music was often electronic and energetic, Nintendo was often whimsical  and Squaresoft's was very orchestral and anthemic  Konami found an interesting middle ground between modern and classic styles and showed a distinctly high level of maturity in their productions.  Castlevania is one of the key examples of this style and it has remained one of the best series for game music over the years.

Super Castlevania IV remains my favorite game in the franchise.  Yes, I like it more than Symphony of the Night.  This is not the popular opinion, i know, but to me, it is the most inventive, most exciting and most fun action/platformer on the Super Nintendo, save for a few other rare titles.  The soundtrack however, is a whole other subject.

Super Castlevania IV's soundtrack is not merely good, it is an example of how some video game music can endure the test of time.  It is one of the most experimental, complex and influential video game soundtracks of the 16-bit era.  I would say that, with the exception of Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger, the music in Castlevania IV may actually also be of the highest caliber on an artistic level, of course, "artistic" is a purely subjective word, and you may not agree, but I can think of few soundtracks that are on this level from any era, let alone the early 90's.

The soundtrack was composed by Masanori Adachi and Taro Kudo.  Adachi composed the music for another personal favorite soundtrack of mine, Contra III: the Alien Wars (and yes, it is coming), Kudo worked on music for the fan-favorite Super Mario RPG: the Legend of the Seven Stars.  Two roots, two artistic directions, coming together to form a blissfully-good set of tunes.  So let us have a listen and if you have never heard this soundtrack before, prepare to be awed!

The Soundtrack-
Dance of the Holy Man (Simon's Theme) - The Song
The first main theme of the game, following a few prologue pieces is an energetic, memorable and famous piece of music that has become one of several reproduced and covered songs from the Castlevania canon.

Forest of Monsters - The Song
One of my favorite songs on the soundtrack is both melodic and chilling, a pitch-bending, upbeat theme that goes from creepy to lively in a matter of seconds.  This is one of my favorite songs on the soundtrack.

The Cave - The Song
Here is where the soundtrack begins to show its range.  This spirited, percussion-free song is beautiful in its simplicity.  While most game music was loud and thumping, this song was melancholy and atmospheric.

The Submerged City - The Song
This song starts with a fade-in of an anachronistic synthesized organ followed by what almost sounds like carnival music circa 1910 but then the song takes a hard right turn into a jazz piece, which is both unexpected and brilliant.

Clockwork Mansion 1 - The Rotating Room - The Song
This is a very interesting song.  The organ is a fast, full, melodic sound and when those drums kick in, they just slam you with a pounding aggression.  Then, everything just sort of... stops.  The sound goes from powerful to this creepy series of sounds.  Every tone leads up to a building tension then, out of nowhere, the organ returns.  The bridge in this song is really good too, and it all flows together well despite being such a bizarre composition.

Stage 4-2 - Clockwork Mansion 2 - Spinning Tale - The Song
This is a variation on the Clockwork Mansion theme with a smooth rhythm and some slick bass.  The melody is basically a sped-up version of the previous theme but with more of an emphasis on the bridge.  It all leads up to this quickly-chirping trumpet filling the background.

Boss Theme 1 - The Song
This is one of the best boss themes on the SNES in my opinion.  The song starts off strong, with menace, and aggression.  The song is less about melody than about tone.  It has a certain power to it that I really like. It is a short loop because most of the boss battles in this game are quite short, and that is okay.

Stage 7-1 - The Library - The Song
I love this song.  It is one of my favorites in the entire game.  Lacking any percussion until much later in the song, the rhythm is held using a gentle harp and flute bouncing in the background.  The lead melody is nice down-beat piece.

Stage 8-1 - The Torture Chamber - The Song
This is another one of the creepier tunes.  Bone-like percussion and a very simple melody are the highlight.  Later on, the song fills with a reverberating tone that just makes it.  The mournful strings come in and fill in the background as the song plays on.

Stage 9-1 - Treasury Room - The Song
Just listening to the opening of this song you may have no idea how this song was going to end, but it takes a great turn to be one of the best songs in the game.  The echoing drums and woodwind harmony just kill it here.  There's more organ here too, and it just sounds great.  This is an epic tune all leading to the climax of the song with blaring trumpets and a fast riff.

Stage A-1 - Bloody Tears - The Song
Bloody Tears is a series classic, going back to Castlevania II.  It remains one of the most famous video game themes of all time, covered by live bands, and the search "Bloody Tears cover" yields over 1,600 results.  It is just as powerful and anthemic as ever here, with a full 16-bit composition that is full and powerful.

Stage B-1 - Vampire Killer - The Song
The very first song from the very first Castlevania.  It is really the song that started it all.  It has had a number of iterations through the years, and the classic is still the best, but this is probably my favorite version of this song aside from the original.  This is why I love this soundtrack, it embraces the past as well as builds for the future, it is an exemplary mix of nostalgia and inspiration.

Stage B-2 - Beginning - The Song
Yet another throwback, Beginning was the song played in the towns in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest.  This mix is a nice throwback, not straying too far from the original composition.  Instead, the result is a nice full and inspired cover.

Stage B-4 - Dracula Battle (The Final Battle) - The Song
It all comes down to this.  This is it, the menacing and deadly final about with the Prince of Darkness himself. The Dracula battle has this powerful organ riff that just plays over and over, it is incredibly simple, but memorably epic.  I knew, my first time beating this game, that when I heard that song, the end was near.  I just sounds like a triumphant push for victory, does it not?

So, that was one of my all-time favorite game soundtracks from one of my all-time favorite games.  If you have not played this game, I believe it is on Wii Virtual Console.  It is WELL worth your money.  If you love action platformers, with the exception of Super Metroid and a few other titles, it is the best.  Give it a shot and play the game as well as listen to it.

All above music and Super Castlevania IV are properties of Konami, Inc.  The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos or their contents.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Song of the Week - White Rabbit (1967)

It really is impossible to name a song that will or will not live on through the years and across generations.  As bizzare as it is, Yellow Submarine is a song everyone knows, has heard and probably knows the words to.  Did the general public of 1968 know that Yellow Submarine would go down in history as a legendary song?  I doubt it.  When I look back at the songs that were hits when I was younger like, say, "Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia, I could not have forseen that song being so forgotten.  Do YOU remember that song?  Well that song was a big hit in the late 90's and hit number 1 on the Billboard charts.  So, yeah, that song has had zero staying power.  Now, the same can be said for most songs from any era, but for some reason, a vast number of songs from the late 60's have survived the decades.  Why?  Why do you hear THESE songs on ads and in movies to this day when there are plenty of other songs from the current charts to choose from? 

It is hard to say if it is just because the songs are "better" because "better" is subjective.  I am not entirely sure, but I know there has to be a mass of people that openly dispised White Rabbit when it first came out.  I have to admit, it is a peculiar song.  This brings me to the point of that opening, why does THIS song, one that is such an interesting and different tune, stand out over other acts from the same year that were more in tune to the popular uvre?  One could argue that the fact that it is different IS why it remains but that contradicts popular music at any given time, does it not?  At any point you can go back to the pop charts, find songs that were successful, listen to them and find that they are all often characterized by similar styles, genres and tones.  I dunno, but I have to say that with all of the songs of the 1960's to love, I cannot tell you why I feel that White Rabbit ranks among some of my all-time favorites.  It is strange, that is for damn sure, but it is strange in a way that makes me smile, kind of like a song by Beck, or a Wes Anderson film.

Okay, enough blathering about nothing.  White Rabbit.  Okay.  This is a weird song.  I mean... WEIRD.  Even by late 60's standards.  The lyrics were inspired heavily by Lewis Carrol's Wonderland books, stories that were near and dear to singer/songwriter Grace Slick, who in the late 60's took up the lead for the soon-to-be icon of Psychadelia, Jefferson Airplane.  Her undeniably distinct vocals, intense singing and unique style made them a huge hit and their first album with her fronting, Surreallist Pillow, had two mega hits: Somebody to Love and White Rabbit.

White Rabbit has a sound that really stands out.  It is the very definition of a Bolero.  Defying a verse/chorus/verse structure it, insteads, paints a picture of what is said to be an acid trip.  Yes, it is actually about the effects of drugs.  PCP, LSD and other psychoactive substances were really, really popular at the time but the standards of radio and government censorship (UGH!) prevented songs that outwardly spoke of drug use to be played, so artists who chose to sing about these things did not chart.  It is because of this that the airwaves started getting countless tunes using metaphor, vague analogies and obscure slang to get the subject of druge use out there in song without the artist being blacklisted by the looming and puritanical agents of standards and practices.

White Rabbit is an interesting song though.  It seems to really have little to no understanding of the actual stories but I would point out that it has been said that these "misinterpretations and inaccuracies" were intentional, to push other slang into parts of the song where they would not really fit.  But the song has undeniably catchy, memorable, forcefull and I guess that is why it is so beloved by fans of classic rock.  As far as its impact on popular culture, it still pops up here and there, though it is not really pounded into us like other songs from the era like "Happy Together" or "Hey Jude," two great songs that seem to pop up everywere.  No, the occasional mainstream appearance for this song comes from obscure jokes in a few popular TV series over the years and it is also played over the trailer of the X-Box 360 game Lost Odyssey.  White Rabbit, it seems, really remains dear to music fans without really breaking through to the modern generation through pop culture and word of mouth like so many other tunes.

I do have to say that I love the bass in this song, it sounds great with the pulsing drums.   The worldly sound works with the bellowing vocals that fill out the song beautifully.  This is just a good song all around, despite being under two and a half minutes, which is very short for a single.  

Sorry if it seemed like I was just rambling through this one, I am not feeling well but wanted to get this one out there tonight.  I will get back into posting game soundtrack spotlights here soon too, I've just been too sick to really do anything of late.  But there you have it, stay tuned for more content.

The Song-

"White Rabbit" and "Surreallist Pillow", 1967 RCA Victor Records.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Song of the Week - Black Hole Sun (1994)

Soundgarden, Superunknown
(1994; A&M Records)



Three years after Nevermind changed mainstream rock music forever, Seattle rock band Soundgarden released Superunknown, their fourth album and despite a few songs that I love (Outshined for instance), the band had nothing one would really call a "hit".  That all changed, however, when they released the third single off of Superunkown, Black Hole SunBlack Hole Sun is now stands alongside Smells Like Teen Spirit, Everlong and Enter Sandman as a shining example of why 90's rock was awesome.

Soundgarden had been around for a decade at this point, forming in 1984, signing with an indie label and playing around with the Seattle sound that was growing at the time, but had not yet broken through as most mainstream rock still took the form of hairspray and Spandex.  The Seattle scene was dirtier; kind of how the punk era of the 70's must have looked and sounded to the Who crowd.  It was a grittier, more serious and angrier-sound than most rockers were used to at the time and it took one loud, aggressive and amazing single in 1991 from an unknown band called Nirvana to change all of that.  Grunge then became king.

Now, in all fairness, Soundgraden was not a grunge band.  Rather, they embodied a purer, more agile and agressive rock that still employed classical tropes like guitar solos and heavy vocalization that most grungers rejected.  They were sort of a breakthrough band, blurring the lines between the Anthrax and Iron Maiden crowd and the long haired, Sunset Strip folks who still clung to their Hagar-fronted Van Halen relics. This is why Black Hole Sun was so important.

In the early 90's despite its influential nature, Smells Like Teen Spirit was heavily snubbed by the guys who still listened to Bon Jovi and the eager twenty-somethings awaiting that ill-fated 90's Whitesnake breakthrough.  However, there was something about Black Hole Sun that was much more acceptable, much more accessible even.  People who did not like modern rock music liked it.  It conjured memories of Don't Fear the Reaper while filling in the modern idea of rock with heavy distortion, squealing guitar, and a not-quite-screaming vocal style.

Much of this, I believe, can be attributed to singer Chris Cornell's voice.  He is, in my opinion, one of the greatest rock singers of all time.  He actually sings rather than grunts or mumbles, yet it did not sound ironic and sunny like Roth or overblown and emotional like Live's Ed Kowalczyk (I happen to like Live though.  I was just making a point.).  Instead, he was gritty without being offensive and mild enough, even in his heavier vocal stylings, to be able to find his melody in the song.  It was a nice blend.

So, the big hit, Black Hole Sun.  The song was actually not really about anything.  Cornell, who wrote the song on his own, described it as a lyrical experiment.  I see it too.  At first listen it sounds quite literal, yet any attempt to seek metaphor leaves one filling in the blanks for themselves.  My interpretation is it is a meloncholy tribute to an end to suffering, coming any way it can.  The famous creepy video for the song shows a distorted view of Americana, something that was popular in the 90's as the youth began rejecting the forms and ideas of their parents.  This chaotic and subversive world is then sucked up by a literal Black Hole Sun, destroying everything.  I can see the director of the video also coming to a this literal interpretation in his work.  That leaves me feeling that any sort of subtext or undertone may be completely invalid, but hey, that's the beauty of any sort of art.  It is all subjective.

The Song -














Soundgarden, Black Hole Sun (1994; A&M Records)

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Game Soundtrack Spotlight - Final Fantasy (1987)

Final Fantasy (1987; Squaresoft /
SquareEnix)
by Christopher McElfresh

By the mid 1980's Squaresoft's sales were spotty at best, and one of their lead designers, Hironobu Sakaguchi made the assertion that he will make one more game.  If it failed, he was going to call it quits.  The game, Final Fantasy, titled as such as Sakaguchi was sure it would be his swan song, became a cash cow, and would become one of the most enduring franchises in the industry's history.

Final Fantasy was greatly similar to the Enix title from the year before, Dragon Warrior, wich would become arguably the most popular RPG series in Japan.  The difference would be in the narrative.  The game used storytelling in a way that most gamers had not yet experienced and the ability to form and name your own party brought you into the game like no other game has.

The composer for Final Fantasy, Nobuo Uematsu, is the most recognized and revered composer in the industry.  Never taking a formal lesson, the entirely self-taught Uematsu has made a name for himself by composing game soundtracks that were so far above what players were used to hearing that it made the series an entirely different, richer experience than any other games released at their time.  While the series would have highs and lows in the overal quality of the games, Uematsu's work, along with other composers such as the talented Hironobu Sakaguchi, would stand out as masterworks in the inudstry.

I have chosen to go with the arranged versions of the soundtrack rather than the 8-bit classic version.  I did this because it was a lot easier to find and the fuller sound makes the experience that much richer.  So it begins.  YouTube embeds tend to slow down the page loading quite a bit, so for this and other, longer soundtrack examinations, I am going to link to the youtube vidoes for the songs, rather than put them directly into the article.  I will do this whenever the spotlight features ten or more songs.  For convenience you can simple shift+click the links, or you can right click and choose "Open Link in New Tab."

The Soundtrack -
Main Theme - The Song
This song, which doubles as the overworld theme is adventurous and memorable.  The song is encompases the adventure that is Final Fantasy.

Town - The Song
This is a soft guitar theme, a soft flute melody and a nice little piece of nostalgia.  The Town Theme is one of the more recognizable themes from the game, outside of maybe the Main Theme and...

Battle Theme - The Song
This one has an air of menace and threat yet it is an exiciting piece.  Seeing as how it is probably the one song you will hear more than any other in this game, it is a pretty good thing that it does not suck, eh?

Inn - The Song
In need of a little R&R?  This song has a tinge of Italiano while still fitting in with the rest of the soundtrack quite well. 

Bridge Building - The Song
Light and cheery this theme is an example of the kind of music this series has become known for. 

Temple of Fiends - The Song
The final stage has one of the best themes in the game.  It is haunting and beutiful.  It all leads up to the final bout with Chaos.  Another example of why this series has become so famous for it soundtrack.

Matoya's Cave -
The Song
Following the bout with Astos, we get this happy little piece of work.  It is a simple piece but it is actually quite uplifting.  I like this one a lot.

Underwater Temple - The Song
This is a strong piece.  It is both a little dark and lovely.  The strings and piano combo is a personal favorite of mine and this is one of the best video game compositions to make use of them.

The Battle With Chaos - The Song
Final Fantasy has a long history of amazing final boss themes.  The very first one is one of the all-time greats.  The theme is intense, exiciting and really draws you into the final showdown.  It also happens to be another one of my all-time favorite video game themes.

The Ending Theme - The Song
This beautiful rendition of the town theme closes things out with a beautiful air of peace.  Now that you've saved the world, what are you going to do now!?


All above music, Final Fantasy and all elements therein are property of Squaresoft, now SquareEnix.  The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos or their contents.

Game Soundtrack Spotlight - Flower (2009)

by Christopher McElfresh

While the music is entirely secondary to the game itself in all of the posts we have published thus far, how many games are there where the music came first?  Flower was built around a series of themes composed by Vincent Diamante, and as the game's development continued, the ideas in the game seamlessly reflected the soundtrack.  It is arguably the best integration of music and gameplay ever used in video games outside of the actual music game genre.

Thatgamecompany saw success with their game Flow, and Flower, also developed independantly by Jenova Chen and Nicholas Clark, was their attempt at really making a game that was not about "winning" or about "challenge" but was more of an experience.  Flower was meant to be an emotionally engaging, relaxing interactive experience.  It has no story scenes and no dialogue.  It tells a seemingly grim tale entirely in visuals.  The game is mournful but beautiful.  The environmental message is not subtle, but it is not bashing you over the head either.  I always interpreted it as the idea that nature always triumphs.  Even after man has left his footprint in ashes, life returns and brings beauty to the grey empty ruins.

Diamante's compostions here are a mix of soothing, beautiful and relaxing sounds.   I love the soundtrack to Flower and if you have not played the game, I would actually sugguest skipping listening to the songs here and go play it.  It's under ten bucks on the Playstation Store and it is one of the best games on there.  There really is no reason to have not played this title yet!

So, without further ado, let us take a look at a few of Vincent Diamante's compositions for Flower.

The Soundtrack -
Sailing on the Wind-
This auditory journey is one of my favorites in the game.  The twinkling piano and the soft sounds of the horn come together to make a song that feels just as the title suggests.  Like you are, in fact, sailing on the wind.  What is amazing is that this is not even the best song on this soundtrack, but it is a perfect place to start.





Nighttime Excursion -
My favorite theme in the game is filled with soft piano, a beautiful melody and a smooth and simple rhythm.  Everything in this song works for me, as incomplex as it really is.  It really is an example of "less is more".







Peaceful Repose -
There is a melody that permeates the entire soundtrack to Flower.  You hear it here and can hear it in almost all of the songs.  It is the theme that ties everything together.  This simple tune highlights this theme, placing it as the principle melody of the song.






Lazy Daydream-
This guitar version of the Flower theme is a nice little variation.  I like the ethereal sounds gently humming in the background.










Splash of Color -
Another variation on the Flower theme, this one building to a full orchestral score.  Around the halfway point, this song breaks down, revealing a more complex melody.  Ever slightly leaning to a minor key, but never actually getting there.  This one sounds much more mournful than the rest of the soundtrack.





Purification of the City -
This song is much more full and upbeat than the rest of the soundtrack.  We see the fallen city around us, cold and lifeless, as we slowly restore color and life.  The brightness returning as the sound builds, the chords moving in to really highten the emotional element of nature's victory. The music then subsides ever so slightly so we can absorb the work that is ahead of us, and as an encouraging force, returns to full-strength for the final push to completion.

The soundtrack to Flower is some powerful stuff, but for me, just listening to the music does not come close to playing the game, experiencing all of the parts as a whole.  This captivating game has been out for some time, yet there are still people who have not played it.  Find them, strap them to a chair and make them!  On the next post, I am going to finally, FINALLY talk about a Final Fantasy game.  Until then...

All above music, Flower and all elements therein are property of Thatgamecompany.  The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos or their contents.

Game Soundtrack Spotlight - Super Metroid (1994)

by Christopher McElfresh

Super Metroid is the example of a "perfect game".  It's fun, it provides challenges on varying levels (Why just beat the game, when you can beat it out of order?!), it features concepts that, at the time of this game's release, were still very new and it solidified even further the dominance of Nintendo (well, the Nintendo of the 80's and 90's anyway).  So, it pretty much goes without saying that Super Metroid would have an amazing soundtrack, right?  Yeah, it's okay.

I do like a few of the songs from this game enough to feature it on this blog and will also take any opportunity I can to gush over what is, without a doubt, my favorite video game of all time.  So, why does this game work?  Well, it comes down to the time in which it was released.

Super Metroid came out in the twilight of the 16-bit era.  The Sony Playstation was just on the horizon and the next generation of gaming was in focus.  It seemed like the "traditional game" was being cast aside in lieu of a more hardcore market direction.  1994 remains, arguably, one of the best years in gaming history.  Super Metroid shares this launch year with System Shock, Tekken, Mortal Kombat II, Marathon, Donkey Kong Country, Earthworm Jim, Final FREAKING Fantasy VI!!!  I mean, SHEEEESH!!!!  This was one hell of a year for gamers and I played... about two of those games :P

Okay, okay, I've played them all by now, but when I was younger I was pretty much exclusively a Super Nintendo player, I did not play many fighting games and did not spend much time at the arcade since there really was no quality arcades near where I lived that you could actually get into.  The MKII cabinet was pretty much packed from opening to closing to the point where I think I once clocked a wait in at around two hours once!  So I waited for the console release of most of these games (the ones that had them anyway) and stuck to my SNES.  As far as Final Fantasy VI goes, I did not really like turn-based games back then and I would not get into Final Fantasy until I first played VII on the Playstation.  At which point I want back and gave VI a shot... and freaking loved it.

So, you see my dilemma here.  How does one objectively look back nostalgically at an entire line of games he did not play when they were fresh and revolutionary?  I can't.  Theoretically, I suppose, one could approach it completely objectively but that would be, essentially, approaching a game based on the assumption that I am SUPPOSED to like it.  Really, for me, video games are just like every other entertainment medium: my memories and tastes are going to vary from pretty much every other human being on planet Earth.  This is just the way it is.  So, my memories of THIS game, Super Metroid, take me back to when I was about twelve, sitting in a room with friends, playing it well into the wee hours, drinking Sprite and chowing down on popcorn, trading the controllers off and spending hours trying to find all of the hidden intricacies that the designers stuck in for the more OCD players to seek out.  I miss the days when me and my childhood friends would play these games for hours, learning them, experiencing them together.  Times were different then.  I did not have online play.  I did not have X-box Live, or the Playstation Network, hell, those had not even been considered yet... online play was really only a concept in the minds of the more forward-thinking developers working on games that would not be live for a few years.  (Yes, I know online gaming has actually been around since the 70's but I'm really just talking mainstream here).

So, anyway...  Soundtrack.  Super Metroid was developed by Nintendo's B-team R&D1, who also worked on a number of other Nintendo classics that weren't of the Mario or Zelda ilk.  The composers, Hirokazu Tanaka and Kenji Yamamoto, do good work, and Super Metroid is no exception.  While the soundtrack is not as ageless as, say, Final Fantasy VIII, it is still a very nice series of themes.  Most of the songs are creepy and atmospheric, the composers do a good job of making theme sound like they belong together and the soundtrack as a whole sounds distinctly otherworldly.  It works on the levels that count:  It sets the atmosphere well, it matches the look, tone and flow of the game, and the songs are catchy and distinct. So, let's dig right in, shall we?

The Soundtrack -
The Title  Screen -
This haunting little omen of misfortune is the first thing you hear when you boot up the game.  It sounds almost horror-movie-esque in its mood and it is not hard to see why.  By all accounts, this is a horror story.  Think about it.







The Theme of Super Metroid -
This is a good example of this soundtrack as a whole.  It is often very simple in its composure but it uses mood very well.  Chilling sounds resonate through this song that seem out of place, sounding like distant screams.  It leads well into the silence that creates a chill in Ceres Station.






Upper Brinstar -
This is my favorite song in the game and, as with Sim City 3000, I chose this game to be featured based on this one song.  It is another of my favorite game themes of all time.  It is a masterfully-composed song, opening with a creepy bone-sounding percussion that leads into a delightfully creepy and energetic song.  It certainly stands out against the simpler songs on this soundtrack.



Lower Brinstar -
I always found Lower Brinstar to be somewhat anomalous compared to the rest of Zebes.  It has this cold, warehouse feel to it; Organic, yet, not.  This song goes well with the mood set by the red emptiness of lower Brinstar with its simple composition, soft tones and haunting melody.





Theme of Samus Aran: Gallactic Warrior - 
From haunting to triumphant.  This song is the one that reminds you to keep up the fight.  You hit it at about the half-way point in the game and it stands as a sort of demarcation, reminding you that victory is not out of your reach.  The trumpets and drums make a march that drives you forward as you approach the entrance to the evil Wrecked Ship.



Lower Maridia -
This piece always reminded me of a haunted music box.  The soft twinkle and soothing woodwind is almost beautiful, and it would make for a lullaby.  Yeah, probably for Wednesday Adams, but not for any parent who does not want their kids to dream of being eaten by a big fish!  This is a great tune because it sounds exactly how this level feels, chilling and slow, thanks to the freaking water.



Lower Norfair -
Another tune that uses mood, Norfair is probably my favorite part of Super Metroid.  I remember the first time me and my friends played this, one of my friends said "Is this... Hell?"  We quickly learned that, yes, it can be hell, a young kid dying over and over because he keeps getting knocked into the freaking lava!  But I digress.  This is a good song for the mood.  It is reverent in its tone, inspired I am assuming, by the recurring visage of the obviously-arrogant Ridley.

The First Boss Theme-
The first two main bosses of the game, as well as the mini-boss Crocomire feature this theme.  The first time you hear it, a massive Kraid rises from the crumbling ground with a roar as the pulsing bass and brass bellow a dreadful, ominous tune.  This is one hell of an intro, and the song makes it all the more perfect, especially since there is just this brief moment of silence when you enter the empty chamber, the door locks behind you and... BOSS!!!


Mother Brain: The Final Confrontation-
The final boss is much like the aforementioned Kraid battle.  Identical in fact in the way it is presented, with the brief silence, the locked door, ect, ect.  This song, however, is a lot more effective.  It makes me think of the Jaws theme (Buh-duh!) and it works, because when Mother Brain rises with her new body attached, it is one of my all time favorite "oh, crap" moments in gaming.


So that was Super Metroid, my pick for the greatest video game of all time.  It's moody, it's haunting, and it's beautiful.  Next time, I think we will talk about a game that is a little more... relaxing.  Until then...

All above music, Super Metroid and all elements therein are property of Nintendo.  The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos or their contents.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Game Soundtrack Spotlight - Sim City 3000 (1999)

Sim City 3000 (1999; Maxis / EA Games)
by Christopher McElfresh

In in the mid 80's, game designer Will Wright came up with an idea that was so crazy it was brilliant: a video game you cannot win or lose, a game that was an ongoing subsistence; a game that was a living environment.  Micropolis never saw the light of day, but in 1989, a miniscule game publisher named Maxis picked up the game and it was released under the title Sim City.  Since then, the "Sim" franchise is a cash cow, more than two decades old, with more than thirty games and releases.  Sim City alone saw ports on the Super Nintendo, PC, Mac, Amiga, Commodore 64, multiple Atari consoles, multiple cellular phone platforms and more!  It is one of the most ported games of all time.

The "Sim Phenomenon" revolves around the idea that you, the gamer, should be able to play the game the way YOU want to, not the way the developer wants you to.  Other revolutionary designers of the time, like Richard Garriot and Sid Meyer, believed that the video game was meant to be a more personal experience, one that varied from player to player.  Some players may not want to follow the rules, and that is what led to the idea of what is now known as the God Game.

Sim City, in particular, was a big part of my childhood.  I played the computer version at school (not having a PC of my own at the time) and played the Super Nintendo version religiously, a friend of mine and I spent hours upon hours building our cities and then watching them thrive.  Then, we would occasionally unleash death and destruction on the populace.

As Sim City's popularity expanded, its sequels grew in complexity and added new features over time expanding the experience and the need for player skill but one constant remained:  Amazing music.  Composer Jerry Martin picked up the reins for Sim City 2000 and worked with Maxis on many of the Sim games.  A versatile composer, Martin worked on a number of titles and as a free agent in advertisement for various major companies. 

The soundtrack to Sim City 3000 is heavily influenced by jazz but has elements of many sounds blended into it.  It is a soundtrack that ranges from warm and organic, to cold and synthetic, and every song works.  I have chosen six songs that are my favorites from the soundtrack.  So, let us have a listen to selections from the soundtrack of Sim City 3000.

The Soundtrack -
Central Park Sunday -
This smooth jazz tune has many of the trademarks of the Sim City soundtrack.  Slick beats, imaginative and inspired rhythmic experiments and a good hook.  The soft sax solo fades into trumpet, the drums fill the background.  This is a fun, lively tune.






Concrete Jungle -
This tune starts with an almost mournful solo followed by a bright, flighty tune that is yet another experiment in rhythm.  The syncopated violins and overall composition moves with a great deal of joy.








Magic City -
This is not only my favorite song on this soundtrack, it ranks high among my favorite video game themes of all time.  It is so good, so well-composed that I actually chose to feature this soundtrack based on the merits of this single song.  I love the piano, the sax and the breakdown at the end of the chorus.  This is an amazing piece of music by any standard and it should be recognized as such.



Illumination -
This is an interesting one.  It is very simple, very understated for about half the song, it slowly ads more and more layers but it never gets too busy, it is just a soft, relaxing bit.  Near the end a constant twinkle is featured throughout the song with crashing cymbals and the occasional swell, but the mellowness remains.





New Terrain -
This is another soft piece that mixes a wailing emotional violin with the soft twinkle of a marimba.  As the song progresses, synth and piano sounds fill the song.  It becomes a powerful piece.  As soft as it is, it is still strong, the layers creating a nice atmospheric sound.






Updown Town -
This is yet another nice little jazz piece.  The piano and soft drums make for good slick accompaniment to the lead sax.  This just feels like city music.  A bright piece, it has that Sim City sound to it.  I like it!








And, that's Sim City 3000, or, at least, part of it.  I suggest checking out the rest of the soundtrack that is not featured here.  It is quite good.  Next time I'm covering music from a Nintendo title that also happens to be my favorite video game of all time.  Period.

All above music, Sim City 3000 and all elements therein are property of Maxis and EA.  The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos or their contents.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Song of the Week - Everybody Wants to Rule the World (1985)

Tears for Fears, "Songs from the Big
Chair" (1985; Mercury Records /
Phonogram Records)
Originally, I was going to do a "This Week in 1985" themed Song of the Week, but then I found out that the number one song in rock this week in '85 was We Belong to the City (ugh) and the top adult contemporary song was Part Time Lover (UGH!!!), so I decided to go with a GOOD song!

Tears for Fears had a big impact on my music tastes very early on.  They were one of the 80's bands that, like INXS and Dire Straits, were not all that influenced by the bubblegum that was oozing in all around them.  They sounded more sophisticated, more adult and more intelligent.  Songs like Mad World were almost experimental and Everybody Wants to Rule the World, their most mainstream-sounding hit, is a classic.

This one goes back to that syncopation I mentioned in my Halo article that I love so much.  The song is filled with nice little rhythmic touches that make it bouncy, but not exactly dancy (I'm adding that word to my dictionary, so should you!).  Instead it was a fascinating, flowing tune that moves with a liquidity that typical, more pedestrian pop hits from the era tended to miss.

The band, Tears for Fears, for those who do not know, was an extremely popular New Wave act that peaked in the 80's and dispatched in the early 90's.  While they had a backup band, they were principally a two-man act.  Composed of Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal, the band was able to create songs that sounded adult while not ever going overboard in excess like much of hair metal or bubblegum pop tended to.  It is a nice middle area that is safe, but not boring.

Basically, the song is about lust.  Particularly the lust for power and the lengths the powerful will go to to seize more or even just hold onto that power, and the lengths a common man will go to to obtain it.  It has been called an anti-war protest song too, and I see it.  It has elements of that sort of "Fight the Power" narrative, though it is not anywhere near as explicit as it was the Vietnam protest songs of the 60's and the militant hip hop of the late 80's and early 90's.

The Song -

Tears for Fears
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
 Songs From the Big Chair
1985 Mercury Records / Phonogram Records

  

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Game Soundtrack Spotlight - Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)

Halo: Combat Evolved (2001;
Microsoft Game Studios / Bungie)
by Christopher McElfresh

When Microsoft launched their first console, the X-Box, there was a lot of talk surrounding its power, the apparent coming online play, and one game: Halo.  Halo was such a big deal that, though there was no online play, friends were toting their consoles over to their friends houses and networking them in to take advantage of the large-scale multiplayer.  The game was the talk of the gaming community.

Before Halo was released in 2001, the console first-person-shooter was a pipe dream, achieved only by Goldeneye: 007 on the Nintendo 64, and a very short list of additional console titles from the past.  Halo perfected a control scheme that is, to this very day, the standard for first-person controls.  They are used in just about every game that uses this perspective, and some that do not.  

The game was a product of shooter veterans Bungie, working in accordance with Microsoft Game Studios.  Halo became an instant classic and was also the point of a lot of contention, haters gonna hate, I guess.  Still, the impact the game has made on the industry is undeniable.  It is almost impossible to look at shooters today and not find at least a few elements that Bungie influenced more than a decade ago.

The soundtrack of Halo: Combat Evolved was a very interesting experiment in styles.  Martin O'Donnel and Michael Salvatori worked together to mix many different styles and experiment with sounds and musical concepts from around the world.  The Halo soundtrack features noticeable inspiration from rock, country, classical, Celtic, drum and bass, electronica, Indian, Gregorian and more.  The soundtrack has become a staple in video game music.  An example of powerful, flowing auditory journeys that softly accentuate the war around you.

The Soundtrack -
Halo-
This is the principle theme of the entire game.  A haunting choir chants the famous refrain as the song builds into a thundering anthem of pounding drums keeping the pace for an energetic fiddle.  








Under Cover of Night-
The game picks this song up at roughly 1:46 but it is worth a listen from beginning to end.   At first it is a soft, haunting theme with a breathy choir and a bass riff that keeps the pace.  As the song builds, the drums enter and the vocals build, creating an atmospheric and powerful tune.






Enough Dead Heroes -
This song has a warm opening that leads into a dramatic and forceful suite.  There is definitely a sense of force in this tune and I think that's why I like it.  It's menacing and it's beautiful at the same time.
Perilous Journey -
This rhythmic piece features a nice combination of a vibrant string plucked to a syncopated beat.  This is an element that will become a recurring theme in the Halo soundtracks, in particular in the drums and accompaniment.  O'Donnel and Salvatori have a penchant for syncopation in drums and using filters to make one half of the beat sound just a little more distant or distorted than the other.  It's ever-so subtle, and that subtlety makes it work.


A Walk in the Woods
This is another example of their ability to mix sounds.  The soft almost cheery synth sound over a nice beat, that fades into a slightly darker sustained note for ever just a second, as if a darker side of this song is trying to escape.  The beat picks up as the song reaches its conclusion, going off-pattern and creating a nicely accented piece.




Gun Pointed at the Head of the Universe
This theme uses the syncopated beat again, with one half sounding electronic or filtered, while acoustic percussion like hand drums and other softer sounds fill the background.  Towards the end there is almost a marching band sound pulsing, building things up until it all crashes down at the end.  This is a great piece for drum fans.




Devils... Monsters...
Here is an experiment in sound.  A creepy, squeaking pulse resonates through the song, while syncopated string plays a dire melody.  This is a great composition.  Little touches like stings that fade in quickly conjure memories of great horror soundtracks.






Perchance to Dream
Another simple experiment in sound.  This song mixing very inorganic sounds together, one of which sounds almost like the banning of a cardboard tube.  The scratchy rhythm in the background and the tom mix well and the nice, warm strings piece over the top gives it  a little bit of humanity.





That was just a taste of the soundtrack to Halo: Combat Evolved.  Halo as a series has some sublime music and we will get to its sequels eventually.  However, next time I'm going to talk a little about being the Mayor of a big city.

All above music, Halo: Combat Evolved and all elements therein are property of Microsoft Game Studios.  The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos or their contents.

Game Soundtrack Spotlight - F-Zero (1990)

F-Zero ( 1990, Published by Nintendo. )
by Craig Baxley

F-zero was a racing game made by Nintendo back in the glorious era of 16-bit gaming. What set it apart from other racing games of the time was a lack of weapon usage that other games such as Super Mario Kart used at the time, and a fast-paced system based around ridiculous speed boosts and cornering whose ilk was not seen until its sequel. It also featured a ship health system which deducted health based on the speed and angle of your ship as it crashed into the various scenery.

Another thing that set it apart from its predecessors is that it didn't contain as aggressive a rubber-banding system as other racing games of its time. Rubber banding of course is the coding which makes racers behind you in place receive a boost of speed to make it seem more challenging to the player. Because of F-Zero's fast paced racing and the addition of additional non-opponent ships it made racing frantic and the music in the game easily reflects that.

The Soundtrack-

Big Blue-
Probably one of the more well known songs on the F-zero soundtrack is Big Blue.

The song itself starts off with a heavily drum based buildup, which eventually coalesces into the main portion of the song. Big Blue has largely remained unchanged over the years in most of the versions of the song.

As soon as the race starts you're greeted with the opening, and as the race progresses the music only gets better. It's hard to not fall in love with the Melody and Rhythm of the song.

Port Town-
Port Town has one of the best themes of the game. It conveys to the player that shit just got real. As in a way, it most certainly has.

Port Town and Port Town II are no freakin' joke. These tracks will kill you, and it will happen without mercy or quarter.

It has an upbeat sound and melody that keeps you on the edge of your seat as you go around the 180 degree hairpin turns on the track. Yes. There are two of those. And that goes straight into a 90 degree right angle. Three of them.

Silence-
Silence is the strangest name for a song I've ever come across in a 16-bit game. The beginning of the song is rather tame. It quickly rises into the least silent most upbeat song in the game.

Sort of like an affirmation that you've made it that far into the game if you ask me.

The track is very jazzy and the rhythm and drums that accompany the center of the song are spectacular. Definitely par the course for racing game music.


White land-
White land starts of with a very high tempo drum beat and rolls into the main portion of the song very quickly.

It starts off on a high key and drops down as the song goes on, continuing this way for some time before the song begins to loop.

White land in the game is yet another stage that will utterly destroy the unprepared. The entire stage is completely littered with ice that will decimate anyone attempting to take a non-cornered turn through the slicks.

Mute City-
This is the perfect song for the first track in the game. The entire song is a big welcome mat of awesome. It lets you know that the soundtrack of this game is going to blow your ass out of the water. And its right.

This is the first song you hear while racing.

The first song is this amazing. What will you hear next? Big Blue. The best song in the game.

This track being first makes you want to play the game more to see what kind of music is there. It's great.

I recommend that you listen to a few of these songs one day while you're doing something that you want to finish in a hurry. The tempo of each of these songs encourages the person listening to them that they need to be the first, and that they have to be the best. They all will keep you awash with nostalgia while remembering the good times from the 16-bit era.

Just don't listen to them while you drive.
Thanks for reading.

All above music, F-zero and all elements therein are assets of Nintendo.  The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos nor their contents.

Game Soundtrack Spotlight - Shadow of the Colossus (2005)

Shadow of the Colossus (2005;
Sony Computer Entertainment)



by Christopher McElfresh

Ico was a great sleeper, launching early in the Playstation 2's run, developed by Team Ico, an offshoot of Sony's Japan Studio head up by designer Fumito Ueda.  It was a stand-out title, displaying a unique style, beautiful graphics for its time and it also perfected much of the 3D platforming tropes that were introduced by titles like Tomb Raider in the mid 90's.  The fluid gameplay became the framework for this sort of adventure/platformer, a genre that boasts other titles like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and the Uncharted series.  

In the mid 2000's, concept art and screenshots arose for a game called "Wanda and the Colossus".  When I first read this title in a game magazine I was baffled by it, considering Wanda, as the once-traditional female name, was associated these days with a recurring comedy sketch starring Jamie Foxx in drag.  I did later learn that this title was a Romanization of "Wander and the Colossus", Wander being the name of the lead character.  Released in the fall of 2005 in the U.S. as "Shadow of the Colossus", the game instantly became one of my favorite games of all time.

Shadow of the Colossus was unlike anything I had ever played before.  It was massive in scale, it was lonely yet beautiful.  It invoked emotions that were not common in games.  The premise centering on Wander, who rides into a massive valley on horseback, the body of a young woman in tow.  He arrives at an abandoned temple, places the girl's body on an alter and is immediately addressed by a mysterious voice that we later learn is a being called Dormin.  Wander, in order to save his lost love, is charged by Dormin with the slaying of sixteen colossi.

The captivating element of the story is how the game offers zero exposition, opting for a show-don't-tell approach.  It is easy to get the sense as you progress through the story that maybe, just maybe, what you are doing is kind of bad.  True, these creatures are an obstacle to overcome in the name of love, but at what cost?  Is this an act of love or selfishness?  We are obviously meant to find many of these creatures majestic, not demonic and the ones that are in full-on attack-mode tend to be later in the game.  Are they defending themselves from the slayer of their allies?  As Wander slays more of these creatures, he begins to change.  His skin goes pale, with black veins and black eyes.  A strange black, ghost-like figure emerges from the dead colossi.  Are these creatures separate, sentient prisons designed to protect the world from the release of Dormin?  There are so many questions to be asked of this story which makes it truly captivating.  Rarely does a game have a story that is even worth mentioning, let alone discussing and debating.

One feature of Shadow of the Colossus that I found to be perfectly striking was its atmosphere.  You and your horse, Agro, are pretty much alone in this valley and it feels like it.  It feels so remote, so desolate, so foreboding.  The lack of music through much of the game is an element that ads to this atmosphere.  The music will queue in when you arrive at a destination, and during combat, with  only a few other themes placed sparingly throughout the game.  The combat music has two modes: the theme when you are engaging the colossus, or trying to find your way onto its massive body, and the theme when you began your ascent of the great being.  Naturally, as the stakes are higher, the ascent themes are much, much more intense, invoking in me memories of great action movie themes and even some music from horror movies.  The composer, Kow Otani, is a veteran of Japanese entertainment, with experience in film, anime and games in a career that spans 25 years.  The soundtrack of Shadow of the Colossus has a number of great tracks to choose from, all following a distinct sound.  Many of these themes are actually variations on each other so I have chosen seven that I believe are the most distinct and captivating.  There are many more songs in this soundtrack and I do recommend checking out the entire thing at some point.

The Soundtrack-

Commandment-
Before and between facing the various towering creations in the mysterious valley, the occasional soft piece will fade in, bringing with it a sense of peace and assurance.  This is one such piece.  Its softness and relaxing tone marks a calm before the storm.






Grotesque Figures-
As one of the themes that kicks in just as you scale the great beast, this is one of the songs that invokes a real sense of danger.  I love these songs in this game.  The flutes and accompaniment have a flighty sound to them amidst the thundering chorus, sort of like how Wander is a gnat on these great creatures' shoulders.  I love the contrast there.




Revived Power -
This is probably my favorite song on the soundtrack.  Revived Power is anthemic and adventurous.  It invokes a sense of danger while encouraging a great feat.  Another example of how perfect this soundtrack is for this game.







A Violent Encounter-
We return to a minor key, this time with a dark and dangerous song with an epic air about it.  Everything about this song screams of danger and excitement.








In Awe of Power - 
Another great challenge, another epic tune. I love where the song changes, featuring the violins sweeping in, filling the song with a sense of terror.  A nice little tune.








Liberated Guardian-
This one is high on my list of favorites.  The strings chant a fearful shriek as the accompaniment seems to chase you.  There is an intensity and immediacy to this song that really drives it.








The Final Battle -
This is quite literally a march to the end.  It features some nice background while the melody is exciting and encouraging at the same time.  However, it still manages to instil a sense of danger as many of this soundtrack's best themes do.







This has been a quick look at a mere fraction of the soundtrack to one of my all-time favorite video games.  If you have not checked this one out, the HD version is available on the PS3 and it is well worth your money, I highly recommend this and its companion piece Ico.  Next time we will look at some of my favorite songs from Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori.  Until next time...

All above music, Shadow of the Colossus and all elements therein are property of Sony Computer Entertainment.  The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos or their contents.