226 replies to this topic

[DarkJuno]

Surprise! It's time for X-2! Yeah, I'm counting direct sequels but not spin-offs, so deal with it.

 

Spoiler

 

Paine's Theme (Piano Ver.) - Arranged and Performed by Masahiro Sayama, composed by Noriko Matsueda & Takahito Equichi, from Final Fantasy X-2 Piano Collections

 

X-2 had a lot of weird things about it, but it also had some decent stuff. The music was kinda both. A lot of really corny and meh themes, but also some surprisingly catchy and well done themes. Personally I always liked Paine's theme for its jazziness, and the piano version really brings it out.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Wicked Garden - Stone Temple Pilots, from Core

 

I could've sworn that I had put up a classic STP song already before I did the Chester version. Well, rectified.

[DarkJuno]

Time to hit the first attempt at being an MMORPG (and consequently, the first Final Fantasy game I never bothered to even attempt to play), XI.

 

Spoiler

 

FFXI Opening Theme ~Legend: The Crystal Theme, Memory of the People, Memoro de la Stono, Memory of the Wind~ - Nobuo Uematsu, from Final Fantasy XI Original Soundtrack

 

While I never bothered playing, I still went for the music and I'mg lad I did. A lot of it was kind fo disappointing since this is roughly when Uematsu-san kinda burned out, and as a result he needed a ton of help with other composers to fill this soundtrack out - heck, he doens't have anything to do with any of the expansion packs besides having his older stuff arranged like the Chocobo theme. Still, this one song he did do, and it's still easily the best opening theme of any Final Fantasy game, even VIII. Keen eared lsiteners will ntoice this already has the basis for what would eventually be Distant Worlds in Chains of Promathia, and ultimately it's why I chose this over that song from the concerts. It's all good, but Memoro de la Stono is definitely the stand out. The entire score itself ends up having a lot of really good town themes and other catchy tunes and is still worth a listen, even if it probably is the weakest mainline entry int erms of music.

Edited by DarkJuno, 19 September 2013 - 07:15 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

For Whom the Bell Tolls - Metallica, from Ride the Lightning

 

 

Sixth page, sixth Metallica song.

 

I used to always joke how if I ever got married I'd use this song's intro to enter the reception afterwards and ham it up a little bit. We were only half joking but meh, anyway, I don't know why I even told ya'll that. Anyway, of course it's a great song, a true classic, who cares if it's over two minutes before any singing starts.

[DarkJuno]

No, I'm not doing each expansion pack to XI, that'd be insane. Yeah, I missed another day, but I was at a concert last ight - I'll play one of their songs tomorrow. For now though, let's hit the dozen...th game.

 

Spoiler

 

Ending Movie - Hitoshi Sakimoto, from Final Fantasy XII Original Soundtrack

 

A somehow more unloved game then FFVIII though most people don't have the venom towards it. It's quite different frome verything else, but I really appreciated it. I like how they were pretty unashamed about having Vaan be a total fake out hero since he resovles his major inner conflict in the first ten hours and politely steps aside to let Asche and Bausch sort their actual major plot relevant issues out. Hell, Vaan even becomes slightly helpful in his own unknowing way when Ashe comes to her crossroads in decidiing what to do with the Crysts and swords. Anyway, the music is pretty spectaculat, being by the guy who did all the Tactics games and Vagrant Story. It's very, very different from Uematsu and later Hamauzu because the songs are quite a bit more layered - there's not encessarily a "hummable," catchy tune in there, but the use of leitmotifs and individual themes are great. This ending movie theme alone uses the Empire theme, Rebellion Resisitance theme, with bits of the indivdual characters and other nations as well. It's good stuff.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Handbook For The Sellout - Five Iron Frenzy, from Our Newest Album Ever!

 

So it was these guy's concert I went to. THey actually broke up 10 years ago and it was almost literally a decade since they were last here. I gotta say, even though I myself am 10 years older it was great seeing them again, and it was good to see they were so happy to be up there and performing. They may ahve never gotten huge beyond moderate success amongst punk/ska listeners and their Oh, Canada song being used on Boston Legal, but they're great with their fans. After the show they came out to mingle with the crowd that stayed and spent a crazily long time with each person who wanted to talk and did pics and autographs and everything. So glad they're back together again. I didn't want to double up on albums since that Canada song is also from here, but heck, it's one of their best if not the best album they have, so meh. I always liked how they can be so silly and stupid with their on stage antics and banter and some of their songs, but a lot of their lyrics actually have a lot of earnest meaning to them - the later stuff can even get pretty brutal when you stop to think about it.

 

I'm also definitely glad they allowed themselves to look and appear older now and aren't trying to look like they did here in this video.

[DarkJuno]

I feel a little weird putting this here since I've already done two songs from this game, and one was actually already myf avorite, but I guess this one's cool too. Oh, and I skipped Revenant Wings since that's more of a spin-off of FFXII then a sequel since it focuses on Vaan and Penelo rather then the actual main characters of the game proper, though Ashe, Bausch and the tohers do all eventually come back through the storyline. It's definitely a nice and welcome game that gives a "The Further Adventures of..." vibe, but being a different genre it was easy to skip. Worth checking out though.

 

Spoiler

 

Fighting Fate - Masashi Hamauzu, from Final Fantasy XIII Original Soundtrack

 

The Barthandelus Battle Music, which I actually like a bit better then his later penultimate boss battle theme, really. As BS as his boss battles tend to be since the jerkoff casts Doom if you take longer then a set time to beat him, the music is pretty sweet when in battle with him and fits well. I already said it, but XIII has an excellent soundtrack and, much like the visuals of the game, doesn't deserve to be dragged down with all the things the game mishandled.

Edited by DarkJuno, 24 September 2013 - 10:29 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Testify - Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, from Texas Flood

 

The fact that it took this long to get me to do anoter Stevie Ray Vaughan song is enough to possibly get me kicked out of this state. Anyway, I never need an excuse to do so, so here we go. Master gutiar player.

[DarkJuno]

Almost done, just two more sequels and two more numbered games.

 

Spoiler

 

The Last Hunter - Masashi Hamauzu, from Final Fantasy XIII-2 Original Soundtrack

 

XIII-2 has a decent soundtrack as well, though it's completely different from XIII much like how X-2 was different from X. There's a lot of cool different experimental stuff in there mixed in with some tracks that go with the same sound as XIII, and it mostly works. I appreciate how it seems like he's intnetionally using the solo violin in these battle themes as well because I'm biased like that. Anyway, it's catchy and neat.

Edited by DarkJuno, 26 September 2013 - 08:37 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Working for the Weekend - Loverboy, from Get Lucky

 

 

 

...I felt like the 80's tonight, all right? And besides, I am waiting for this weekend. Anyway, for good or ill, this is the first song I think of when thinking of Saints Row 2. Yeah, I listen to The Mix station. <.< Actual song starts at 2:25 unless you want to ehar the story of their dog.

Edited by DarkJuno, 27 September 2013 - 11:08 PM.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

At Least I'm Not LIke All Those Other Old Guys - Five Iron Frenzy, from The End is Near

 

 

...I should be doing a song from Lightning Returns here, and I just did an FIF song a few up, but meh, it's my birthday and this song, while I liked it when it came out ten years ago, means a smidge more now that I'm actually 29.

[DarkJuno]

SLim pickings for this one, but I dig the song, so...

 

Spoiler

 

Crimson Blitz - Masashi Hamauzu, from Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Pre-Soundtrack

 

Not much to say, except the game itself looks cautiously promising from the gameplay shown so far.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Mark My Words - P.O.D., from Testify

 

Just made it in time with three minutes to spare. I thought Testify was and is probably one of P.O.D.'s best albums, honestly, being really honest and unbridled in saying what they wanted to say with no compromise. While nostalgically I'll always hold Southtown and Satellite close, this one's probably my favorite, and even the weaker songs I love.

[DarkJuno]

Two more, let's get this done.

 

Spoiler

 

Navigator's Glory - Nobuo Uematsu, from Final Fantasy XIV: Eorzean Frontiers Original Soundtrack

 

The first soundtrack done by a returning Nobuo Uematsu (well, 'till they added stuff in A Realm Reborn anyway) expectations were kinda high, and they were mostly met. Not necessarily the greatest stuff he's done, but a true return to form, and a nice, evolved form of his work. Catchy with strong obvious melodies, but some more layers in the tunes - since I already did Answers earlier, take this one. Once more, I have no interest in playing the game, but I love the music. So even to me, the MMORPG's are worthwhile.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Paranoid - Black Sabbath, from Paranoid

 

 

...I'm a little stunned it took me this long to put a Sabbath song on here. Rectified.

[DarkJuno]

And we're here at the end, at a game that's not even out yet but we already have the main theme to - in fact, this and the trailer theme from this past E3 were the only songs I could choose from, so...yeah, not much of a choice, really. Anyway!

 

Spoiler

 

Somnus - Yoko Shimomura, from Final Fantasy Versus XIII XV .....eventually.

 

Hey, at least it's a nice song, and look, Yoko Shimomura finally gets to do a mainline FF title...even if it's by accident. Anyway, I like her stuff, so I look forward to it, and the game itself looks promising as well, so long as it doesn't borrow TOO much from Kingdom Hearts.  Someone expolain to me again why a real time battl system requires menus? Anyway, it's for the future, and that brings us to the end of this theme...month. Or whatever.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Burn It Down - Linkin Park, from Living Things

 

Not much here, just couldn't think of anything else.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen - Santana, from Abraxas

 

Yeah yeah, it's by Fleetwood Mac, but I prefer and always think of good ol' Santana when I see this song. I don't need an excuse to put up this classic, and hey, he truly is a guitar legend, long before he started doing songs with other artists.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Pokemon Medley (Video Games Live Ver.) - Junichi Masuda, arr. by Shinji Miyazaki, from....VIdeo Games Live concerts...?

 

With Pokemon X/Y coming out tomorrow, it's only fitting I toss this up. TECHNICALLY it's a medley of pieces from the anime (thus all the clips) but with one notable but welcome exception, they're all arrangements from RBG anyway, so meh, it's all good. I always thought the first season of the anime had some of the better game rearrangements anyway, and it's all good stuff. Just bathe in the nostalgia, and enjoy the audience reactions as well.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival, from Green River

 

No reasons.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Monkey Wrench - Foo Fighters, from The Colour and the Shape

 

Still one of myf avorite tunes from the Foo. Still an awesome album overall and just the sign of things to come.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Headstrong - Trapt, from Trapt

 

In hindsight the early 2000's rock scene wasn't TOO bad really - while still a pale imitation of what came before, it's still a damn sight better then the stuff it's degenerated into nwoadays, with really only the older bands who're still around and a small handful of new guys keeping my interest. Trapt was kind of one of thsoe bands from that time period who weren't quite a one hit wodner but definitely didn't stick around in any meaningful way once the years went on, but this song was one of thsoe that played all the time when I was in High School. It is what it is.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Search for the Girl - Shinji Miyazaki, from Pocket Monsters: The Water Capitol's Protector Gods: Latios & Latias/Pokemon Heroes Original Soundtrack

 

I always forget and am then pleasantly remidned by how, for a show that can run from pretty decent to kinda awful, the Pokemon anime has a really good, solid score to it, whether the series itself or, in this case, the ovies. Naturally the game remixes are awesome and the isntrumentation on them are great ever sicne the beginning, but the original stuff is just as good. Anyoen who saw the show as a kid should be able to remember a handful of tunes from first note, and even those songs that don';t have the nsotalgia factor are actually really neat. This one's from the fifth movie and it's a pretty catchy well done piece and it pretty cool to listen to. I'll always give the composer credit for varying his style for the needed effect, and adapting it to fit the setting of the movies which all tend to be not-so-thinly veiled versions of real cities - Alto Mare is so blatently Venice they might as well jsut call ti that, later movies, for better or worse, are a bit better about hiding their real life inspiration unless you really know what it is.

 

Anyway, it's a good song, and it makes me want to start running around.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Ace Attorney 1 - 3 Court Suite - Hirofumi Kirota, from Ace Attorney Meets Orchestra 2008

 

So, with the release of Ace Attorney: Duel Destinies, it seemed appropriate to point this out. THe music in the series in general's been pretty awesome, both in the original chiptune format and arranged and played by a full rochestra like this. This is the suite of Courtroom songs from Ace Attorney 1, and it's pretty awesome and memorable, especially when "Cornered!" starts at the end. Looking forward to the n ew music in the new game.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

A Light That Never Comes - Linkin Park X Steve Aoki, from Recharged

 

Hey, to be fair, Linkin Park was doing the DJ thing awhile ago....mostly because they have a DJ as part of the band who does more then just scratch records every few lines. Anyway, kinda cool, not too bad.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Seether, by Seether, from Seether: 2002 - 2013

 

 

....I don't known if them doing this cover is a little TOO on the nose or just the sort of thing we should've expected, or maybe a bit of both.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

Main Theme - Brian Tyler, from Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

 

While he had done a lot of work ebfore, I always thought Brien Tyler was an exceptionally talented composer when he did the score for Transformers Prime, and since then he's popped up all over the place - besides this game, he notably did the music for both Iron Man 3 and Thor 2, which makes me wodner if they're going to try and get some consistant themes going on for the series. Anyway, He does great stuff for the game, a lot of it isn't super special but most of it is catchy as all heck. I'm a little disappointed at the departure of Jesper Kyd and now Lorne Balfe, and also how there is no consistant theme in the series, but eh, whatever.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

The Sound of Winter - Bush, from The Sea of Memories

 

Mostly because it's actually started feeling like winter around here. That's all.

[DarkJuno]

You know what? I'm doing nothing by Christmas songs 'till the 25th, though I'm going to make sure most of them are a little....different then just what one would expect. I'll play a few of them perfectly straight, but mostly they'll be a little off, though given who I am they'll all be generally good natured. So first up...

 

Spoiler

 

Oh Come O Come Emanuel - Halford, from Halford 3: Winter Songs

 

To say this was completely unexpected when he released it is an understatement. What was even crazier is that Rob Halford actually does a really good job singing each of the songs on this album completely straight even with the electric guitars and drums all over the place. Love the whole thing personally, and I opted for this song because.....well, it's not a song I'd expect on a secular Christmas album in this day and age, and I'm glad he went for it as a good song regardless of connotation and beliefs and all that. Whatever the case, a good listen.

[DarkJuno]

Spoiler

 

The Christmas Song (Team Rocket Ver.) - Eric Stuart, Rachel Lillis, & Maddie Blaustein, from Pokemon Christmas Bash

 

Yeah, the CD itself is mostly terrible but also harmless, but the old anime fan in me can't help but like it when the dub has characters sing songs in character, especially when it's crazily inappropriate. The sorta inside joke with this mangling of the old classic is that all three of these guys can actually sing very well....but Team Rocket can't, so, hey, why not. There might be a couple more songs from the album in here before Christmas because I have X on the brain right now, but just inc ase, this is the one I (with much guilt) like the most.