226 replies to this topic

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

 

New Divide - Linkin Park, from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The Album

 

 

I was trying to avoid doing LP since this whole jukebox thing started, but meh, this is officially the month long goal of posting everyday, so why not. Really like this song, and even though it's not cool or hip to like them, I do like the band. Oddly, I was enver a mopey emo teen and while in hindsight I of course had my character flaws, I was never the typical stereotype to fall into being a fan of the band. Heck, when I saw them in 2003 (P.O.D. opened for them, you see) I couldn't help but snickering at all the leather stud bracelet wearing 13 year olds that filled the arena. Ah well, I like the song, and I generally ike the band, everyone else be damned. Their being seemingly the official band of the Transformers movies is just another odd wrinkle, and also fitting for me. I have plenty I don't like about the live action movies that I can critique them about until the cows come home without repeating the same old shit the entire internet keeps saying about them, but ultimately I'm okay with them, even if I didn't get awesome toys out of them. While RotF is my least favorite, it still gave me one of the finest Optimus Prime figures in recent history.

 

Anyway, enjoy. Or whatever.

Edited by DarkJuno, 24 May 2013 - 08:56 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Poem - Taproot, from Welcome

 

Story for this song. Back in the day when I played True Crime: Streets of LA, the radio in that game was automatic and wasn't divided intos tations like now. In fact, it was in the same programming settings as the random music that played during actions scenes, fights, chases, etc. Me being me, I'm not a fan of rap and hip hop, so of course I turned all thsoe songs off in the settings, whciuh left me with....basically just this song. As a result, this has been ingrained into my head as an action scene song, myself clearly remembering getting pumped as this played in one particular fight scene in a kitchen complete with environmental damage, and a chase where you had to get back to somewhere in time to save someone. It's gotten to the point where if realtiy goes off rails and everything turns into movieland, this is one of my personal action songs for fight scenes. Oddly enough,t he final battle against someone who is most certainly not Kim-Jeong Il ended up beign set to....a Deftones song. Which made for a rather jarring atmosphere. Ah well, good enough song from my teenage years.

Edited by DarkJuno, 24 May 2013 - 08:56 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Sonic Boom (Crush 40 vs. Cash Cash Mix) - Crush 40 & Cash Cash, from Sonic CD 20th Anniversary Edition Soundtrack, originally by Pastiche

 

 

Just made it in time. Just a quickie here. Always been a Mario man sicne I was a kid, but Sonic was always cool too. SImilarly, more of a fan of Mario's music, but Sonic had some great tunes too, to the point where I have an illogical affinity for Crush 40's horribly corny but kinda awesome music from the altter games. At the very least, Jun Senoue's guitar work is pretty cool, and that bassline is usually sweet. Anyway, nice remix of Sonic Boom from Sonic CD by said band along with Cash Cash.

Edited by DarkJuno, 24 May 2013 - 08:56 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

 

Burn - Papa Roach, from Time for Annihilation: On the Record & On the Road

 

 

Not really a Papa Roach fan, like at all, and I don't even really like this song all that much, except when I'm irrirtated. Microsoft's press conference legitimately put me in a bad mood, so there. I will say though, while I don't dig them all that much, they're pretty entertaining live the few times I saw them as part of a music festival or opening for someone else. They at least put energy into their performance, and I can always give points for that.

Edited by DarkJuno, 24 May 2013 - 08:55 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Machinehead - Bush, from Sixteen Stone

 

Whatever can be said about Gavin Rosdale's eccentric writing b ehaviour, I did like the band's music. Not really sure what to think of the new stuff (though a couple of songs are cool) but the stuff I grew up with is still pretty rockin'. No story here, just enjoy.

Edited by DarkJuno, 24 May 2013 - 08:55 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Whatever - Godsmack, from Godsmack

 

 

Short story. So, I was one of those guys who, having a friend named Jessica, used the song Jessica from the Allman Brothers Band as her ringtone. She got annoyed at how corny that was, and in "revenge" used this song for my ringtone since...well, Squall's not just my LA avatar. Anyway, it caught on, and soon basically everyone used it. I suppose she got the last laugh, sicne even after multiple phone upgrades, a good handful still use the chorus from this song for my personalized ringtone. Bah. Whatev.....I mean, it works, doesn't bother me.

Edited by DarkJuno, 24 May 2013 - 08:55 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

What Do You Say - Filter, from The Sun Comes Out Tonight

 

Ah, Filter, one of those bands I don't really think of or mention when going through music I like, but realize I do dig. Also a band that has a very specific sound, for better or for worse, and does what it does. This is the new song from their upcoming new album, and indeed, you won't mistake it for another band. Pretty good, if I do say so.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Stricken - Disturbed, from Ten Thousand Fists

 

 

Ah, Disturbed, one of those bands where all their songs kinda sound the same, or at the very least have the same bits and pieces. There's a part where he makes a weird laughing sound, there's a part where he semi-rhymes, and the chorus has him streeeeeeeeeeeetching words out. Add in a guitar solo and similar sounding riffs and you've got it. Still, I dig'em, and this is probably my favorite of their songs. Also, not into goth girls, but I like the one on the front cover of this album - not sure why.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Re-Education Through Labor - Rise Against, from Appeal to Reason

 

 

Rise Against is pretty cool for being a punk band that's nice and heavy, all while having a pretty clear cut message in each song. Not a lot vague here, and this is one of my favorites of theirs.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Let's Dance - David Bowie, from Let's Dance

 

 

Ah, Bowie, a guy you can go a long time thinking you know his music, but then realize one day all those songs you've heard but don't know the names of in different styles are all also by him. Like this song as it is, and of course, that's a fairly distinctive Stevie Ray Vaughan playing the guitar there even though you don't see him in the video. I think I actually like this era of Bowie the best, which I know is blasphemy to say, but meh, whatever. His other work is just fine as well.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Let It Roll - Divide the Day, from...actually, I don't think it is from any album.

 

 

So, yeah. Nothing special at all, but it rocks and it gets me pumped up.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Scars Left By Time - Yasunori Mitsuda, version from Video Games Live: Level 2

 

 

Chrono Cross is a game that's surprisingly divisive - I loved Chrono Trigger, of course, and while the revelation that their actions in that game led to...a not-so-happy future for those characters, I really liked how this game explored the unintended consequences of completely wrecking the timeline and changing the future. But this is about the music, not the game. The music, of course, is awesome, and I loved how it belnded traditional orchestra music with world music flair. THe openign is also a great piece that, with the visuals really did a good job of setting the game up. I grabbed the version from the VGL DVD/second CD because I like the added "oomph" it adds. Great stuff.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Assassin's Creed III Main Theme - Lorne Balfe, from Assassin's Creed III Original Soundtrack

 

 

Two videogame themes in a row? Sure, why not. While I definitely missed Jesper Kyd's work in the fifth game of the series, Lorne Balfe is no stranger to making some pretty epic and atmospheric pieces for games and movies. Just enough of a feeling of a promise of how big and involved the game would be (spoiler: I like the game, but it breaks that promise) with just enough of the expected chest thumping 'MURKA!!!! feeling for a game that takes place during the Revolution, but also being a little off in the blood pumping theme to let you know it's not going to be in the same vein as CoD or Battlefield or whatever. I also like how this is, basically, just a heavily rearranged version of the somber Revelations main theme, also done by Balfe. While not my favorite song from AC, and not one of the best openings, it works fine and I like it.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Come As You Are - Nirvana, from Nevermind

 

So yeah, THAT band. I always liked this particular song, and for some strange reason the radio station here tends to mostly play the MTV Unplugged version, so I thought I'd throw up the studio version instead. What else can be said about the band itself. They weren't the first and best is subjective, but they really did force a change overnight and led to the prolifiration of the music I grew up with. So for that they'll always be noteworthy.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Shooting Star - Bad Company, from Straight Shooter

 

 

Bad mood today. Something nice. Some argue it's corny, but screw them. Good song, and nice for what it is. Band's good too in general. No words for anything else.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Have You Ever Seen The Rain? - Creedence Clearwater Revival, from Pendelum

 

If I ever need a montage of a group of friends, seperated whether by time growing up or just other random circumstances, showcasing each of them in their current lives running the gamut from happy and content to down in the dumps, with each of them, after a pause in their lives or activities kinda glances over at nothing in particular in the distance wistfully, complete with hair or clothing blowing in the breeze in a semi close-up, with either a 90 degree camera pan going around them or they themselves turning their heads to look.....

 

 

I'd use this song. I don't know why. I like CCR fine though, even if Fogerty is kind of a dick.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Welcome to the Island - Jerry Martin & Marc Russo, from The Sims: Vacation Soundtrack

 

 

Completely random because my internet keeps cutting out on me and I'm not missing a day because of something silly like that. The Sims (the first oens anyway) had some criminally underrated music that's actually pretty awesome that has a wide range from jazz piano to rock and everything in-between. Also a lot of silly but really catchy tunes, like this one here. The music from the Vacation Expansion Pack always made me want to go on a trip to the tropics, enough that I will bring these with me on an iPod or something if I ever get to. Not quite the sort of thing I usually post or anyone would even think of even in the realm of game music, but I dig it. I also really love how some tracks in the EP are a blend of both the tropical and snowy settings, and a lot like how the opera and rap in Libera Me From Hell from Gurren Lagann work so well together, it weirdly works here. Not in this track though, it's all Simlish reggae here. As I said, the actual music itself, if you stop to listen to it without building houses/buying furniture/ruining lives is actually pretty well done.

Edited by DarkJuno, 04 June 2013 - 11:04 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

 

Hope - Oliver Deriviere, from Remember Me Original Soundtrack

 

 

Didn't mean to do two games in a row, but my hands on time with this today demanded I do so. Remember Me is a game that does not even remotely deserve those mediocre reviews it's getting right now (unless the title takes a complete and utter nosedive after the first couple of hours anyway), and while I'll save my thoughts on the greater game for a little alter on in the appropriate forum, keep this in mind when you look at IGN's 5.9 Review for it - this is the same IGN that gave Bientot l'ete a 7.0, which is about 2 points too high if I'm being nice (and about 4 - 5 points too high if I stop ignoring how it's a pretentious piece of crap that's trying too hard to "prove" games are art and is in fact a detriment to that movement, but I digress). But anyway, the music right? The music is pretty awesome, and is amsterfully done. It runs the gamut from huge, sweeping orchestreal score for your treks around Neo Paris and compliments the big, huge sweeping feel of the city, and into some pretty kickass electronic beats for action and fight scenes. This is cheating, but here's the whole soundtrack, it's worth a listen. My only complaint is that the game gets a little overzealous at its placement of the tracks, and sometimes isnerting the big, epic sweeping portion of this aprticular song among others is a little overly bombastic considering all you're doing on the screen is walking out a door into an alley. Otherwise, it fits all the time.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

 

Crisis City: Act 2 - Tomoya Ohtani, from Sonic Generations, originally from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

 

 

Same internet problems from a couple days ago, so another quickie from a game. I think my router is about to eat it, actually. Anyway, the less said about the PS360 Sonic game, the better, but one aspect that was not weak was the music. Done a completely different team then Jun Senoue and Co from the prior Sonic games, it was a pretty different and cool new mood in a series that's always had some sweet music. Crisis City was pretty nice, but the Generations remix, especially the modern version really amps it up. I'm incredibly biased towards the string section given my own violin playing, so of course I'm a sucker here, but I also love how this version starts off sounding like a straight up dance remix of the original like so many other songs in the game, before the strings come out and overpower the thumping. Eventually the two meld and we get a pretty sweet and classy, not to mention catchy and kinda bad ass tune. Lots of good remixes in the game in general, an almost perfect melding of old school Sonic tunes and the modern day rock and dance stuff.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

 

Sad But True, Metallica, from Metallica

 

 

Router's good, but now Comcast is being spotty and terrible after having no problems with them for the last year. Figures. Whatever, repeat artist because I'm pressed for time, but it's Metallica so meh. Good song, good tomato in the mirror twist, enjoyable, whatever.

Edited by DarkJuno, 08 June 2013 - 07:15 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Come Out and Play - The Offspring, from Smash

 

Friggin' internet. No explanation, just take this song and go.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Closer - Lacuna Coil, from Karmacode

 

Stupid internet.

 

Anyway, Lacuna Coil, the band everyone thinks ripped off Evanescence with the whole gothy girl singer in a rock band despite how they actually came first, and unlike Amy Lee, the girl singer isn't a total poser. No strong feelings overall for them, though i like a few songs, like this one. Saw'em live once, when they were on the same bill as P.O.D. and they were entertaining. Though the girl always looked like she was going to throw up - is that an angsty goth thing? Bah, whatever, good stuff.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

 

 

Party Hard - Andrew W.K., from Get Wet

 

So, you know how there are songs you don't really like, but get stuck in your head so much you eventually kinda like them? This would be one for me. Really shallow and simple with no real depth, but hey, it's catchy, so whatever. Otherwise, I never had any affinity for Andrew W.K., besides that compltely out of left field release of Gundam song covers a few years back. Ah well, party on.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

San Francisco - Mowgli's, from...who cares, happy day!

 

 

Internet is fixed and faster than ever,a nd I'm in a good mood, so happy friendly song! Even those damn hippies singing this song in the video can't piss me off! Weeeeee!

 

 

 

Angry heavy music returns tomorrow.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

 

Atomic - She, from Orion

 

 

All right, I lied about angry music today. This is way, way, way out of my typical wheelhouse as far as musical taste goes, but it's catchy and I like it. I picture this as az perfect song for people arriving in a montage to the beginning of an adventure or show, and it fits with absically everyone. Perfect as stylized credits roll over various characters appearing from various directions for one big thing they'll all be invovled in.

 

Whatever. I like it.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi, from SLippery When Wet

 

Yeah yeah, whatever. I like the song and it's my go-to drunken kareoke/Rock Band song. Sober, not so much, but if anything is influencing me I go here, alas. Anyway, I suppose you can file Bon Jovi under the guilty pleasure folder for me, since I like'em, sorta. At the very least, they're not that terrible on the scale of Bon Jovi - Poison - Def Leppard.

 

Though those two will probably show up on here eventually if it lasts long enough.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Main Theme (Extended Version) - Shirley Walker, from Superman: The Animated Series

 

 

Since I have Superman on the brain today, I figured I'd put this up. Of course the John Williams March is the most iconic and well known, but that seemed too obvious so I went with the theme from the DCAU animated series instead. It's actually a pretty awesome and epic theme for the character, and it follows the "rule" that any good Superman theme can have the name "Superman" sung along to it at some point. Fantastic work from Shirley Walker who did all the music for Batman: The Animated Series and was Danny Elfman's Orchestra Arranger for the 1989 movie, which of course is why a version of that theme was used for that show.

 

Still an underappreciated gem, it deserves recognition for being memorable and iconic, enough that it along with the Batman theme still always kept showing up all the way into Justice League Unlimite for their respective characters.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Cult of Personality- Living Colour, orignally from Vivid, Re-recorded for Guitar Hero III: Legend of Rock

 

 

Ah, Living Colour, from a time when doing rock music and you weren't a white guy, it was preposterous. These guys can and still rock and are prety awesome, and while I used to get annoyed at people discovering bands through Guitar Hero/Rock Band, you know what, it's good to have new people learn of underappreciated bands, so I became cool with it. It's a good song that still rings true today, and I'm mostly only using the GHIII version ebcause of that wicked extended solo in there. Either version is great though, so enjoy. I suppose it would be remiss if I didn't mention that the WWE wrestler sorry, "superstar" CM Punk uses this as his entrance theme ever since he did that whole breaking the 4th wall bit a few years ago, and it fits him.

 

Again, regardless of where you heard it first, it's a pretty rockin' song all the same.

Edited by DarkJuno, 15 June 2013 - 06:22 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Love in an Elevator - Aerosmith, from Pump

 

Aerosmith, one of the bands that can claim to be one of the original American rock bands, hailing from Boston. They've had their ups and downs, as individuals and as a band, but all in all, they've been a solid, entertaining group to follow with some catchy and classic tunes who, even if the new stuff's quality varies wildly, you have to give it up to for still being around and not being reduced to essentially a nostalgia act like Van Halen, if only by sheer force of personality. Steven Tyler may not be a good singer, but he's a great frontman, and Joe Perry of course is a talented guitar player. The rest of the band is perfectly fine at what they do too and if you dig have their own interesting stories as well. This is one of their 90's hits, and they're one of those bands that managed to hit it big in different eras entirely.

 

Yeah, there's also that one song from that one movie, but I'd rather not think about that one. But hey, Guitar Hero Aerosmith was fun, plus it was back when the band centric games actually had care put into the other bands in the game.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

 

Say You'll Haunt Me - Stone Sour, from Audio Secrecy

 

 

Stone Sour is quite a lot.....less abrasive than Corey Taylor's other band, Slipknot, though it's still a good bit too heavy for the typical pop stations. They're all right, I can't complain, and I do kinda like thsi song, though it's probably not good for me. Still, it's decent, and oddly romantic for being kind of odd.

 

Ah well.