05.13.05 - 8:07 PM
Today's update in the soundtracks department features six reviews: three Lunar, one Xenogears, one Ys, and one Magical Antique.
Magical Antique is an import title, and its OST has been reviewed by staff member Mike Wilson, who has been faithful in bringing the 'Fan a number of well-written soundtrack reviews in recent months. This soundtrack adds variety to our section, as it is not the typical sort of thing you're used to finding on the site. Be sure to check this review out!
In part celebrating the announcement of Lunar Genesis, and in part demonstrating my love of the series, I have written reviews for three hard-to-find Lunar CDs. They are: Lunar Songs 1 ~Legend of the Blue Star~, Magic School Lunar! Magical Island Vol.1, and Lunar: Silver Star Story Lunatic Festa Vol.1. The first album is a collection of vocal tracks, and the other two are "half-drama", featuring some Japanese radio drama tracks and some well-arranged instrumentals. Due to their obscurity, my recommending these albums means nothing, but nonetheless, I recommend them.
Reader-reviewer Ben Schweitzer was eager to give us a review of OneUp Studios' new release, "Xenogears Light: An Arranged Album". This album is almost a piano solo album, though it features plenty of other instruments. Fans of the game the world over had their chance to make "light" and beautiful arrangements of Yasunori Mitsuda's classic soundtrack: the result is 20 tracks of pure unadulterated Xenogears goodness.
And just when I thought we had covered everything Napishtim-related, it seems that we nearly skipped over Ys: The Ark of Napishtim Special Sound CD, a limited-edition soundtrack that comes with the limited-edition version of the Japanese game. Daniel Bowman, a.k.a. "Nobuyuki" on our message boards, did us the good service of presenting a review complete with audio samples to exclusive music arranged by Hiroyuki Nanba and others. I'd like to personally thank the young man here and now: uhh...umm...thank you! There, I'm done.
Another update that is worth mentioning: a concerned reader and speaker of the Japanese language, Maou, has sent us revised tracklists for the Xenogears OST and the Estpolis Biographies II OST. The tracklists are now more accurate to the Japanese originals, thanks to our friend. Thank you Maou!
In the previous update, I had promised an update dedicated to the reviewing of MMORPG soundtracks. That update got delayed so that we could put these fine reviews on the 'net, and so that we could bring in a few more reviews. But worry not; within the next few weeks, expect that update to come in full force.
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| Patrick Gann |