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aruruSecond review, this time for the Burn My Dread -Reincarnation: Persona 3- soundtrack. (buy it here - track listing and lyrics in English here)
Basically, this is a remix CD. However, this isn't your average "change a few things in the melody and call it a remix" album - a couple of the tracks here are honest-to-goodness reworkings of the songs from the original soundtrack, some with new lyrics and everything.
There are twelve songs total in this CD. Below I will list the tracks and give my thoughts on each of them, as well as include samples of a couple of them. I'm also including the original version of the selected tracks, for comparison's sake.
Anyway, the tracks, and my thoughts:
1. Burn My Dread - This is the full-length version of the opening movie track. Personally, I don't know how exactly I feel about it yet - one one hand, I'm "Yay, full version!", but on the other, it's not much of an improvement - I don't quite like the way it ends, at least. I think I might just like/am used to the short version better. Still, it's only a small complaint and I'm probably just being nitpicky.
2. Changing Seasons - This is a remix of the track that plays in the second opening movie (the one that plays if you wait at the title screen a while instead of starting/loading the game itself). Anyway, it's a techno-y remix that doesn't deviate much from the original track's sound - the talking in French (Well, I ASSUME it's French, because it sure as hell isn't English, and it doesn't sound like Japanese, either...) that was in some parts of the original was removed, but other than that, there's not too much different about it. Which is fine, because trying to top the original version would be hard - it was already a good tune as it was. Still, pretty good remix.
3. Want To Be Close - This is a slow mix of the theme that plays at the start of every school day in the game, with additional lyrics the original version didn't have. Personally, I'm not all that impressed by this one - I guess I just liked the perkiness of the original better. Still, it does sound plenty different from the original, so if you're one of those folks who like their remixes with variety, then this might be for you.
4. When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars - Remix of the theme that plays when you're in the town map and locations that are not the school/dorm, with additional lyrics the original doesn't have. It's a little bit faster than the original, but not by much. It doesn't vary wildly from the original tune, either. Still, pretty good.
5. Unavoidable Battle - Um, I forget where exactly this played (I THINK it was in the first battle you have in the game, but don't quote me on that.). Anyway, it's got a bit of techno-y sound mixed into the original's melody, giving it a faster pace. Not a big change, but entertaining and very listenable.
6. Poem of Everyone's Souls - This one isn't so much a remix as it is a "live"-sounding version of the music that plays in the Velvet Room. Anyway, I don't know why, but I like this version MUCH better than the original, which for some reason fell a little flat to my ears. Other than being "live," though, there's no real change to the tune. (Despite this fact, I'm adding it to the samples, because to me it sounds so much nicer than the original version, plus I wanted to have a more varied selection in the tracks I picked for downloading in this review.)
7. Burn My Dread -Last Battle- - As you can tell from the title, this is a remix of the final battle's theme. Like the other remixes with vocals, this has all-new lyrics, too. Anyway, while both the rap parts and the melody of this remix are excellent, they really repeat the "burn my dread" line in the chorus far too much, so it gets a little annoying there. Because of that one minor flaw, I still like the original better. But then again, as I said before, I'm probably just nitpicky.
8. Deep Breath Deep Breath - I'm not far enough into the game to know where the original track by this name plays, but anyway, like the other vocal tracks, it's got totally new lyrics (Really, all they left the same was the "take a deep breath" chorus line.).
Now, honestly? This mix gets the title of "Most WTF Remix Of All" in this CD. Why? Well, just listen to both the original and the remix and you'll see for yourself. Seriously, HOW exactly do you go from the original - which is kinda creepy-sounding - to the laid-back, carefree-seeming sound the remix has? It is a mystery.
Still, regardless of the WTF-ness of the DRASTIC change in tune, I really enjoyed this remix (just as much as I like the original). It's just... well, it's impossible for me to dislike it. It just has a certain charm to it. Download it if you like to hear something wildly different from its original source.
9. Poem of Everyone's Struggle - Like I said before, not very far in the game, so I don't know where this plays, but basically, it's a "live"-sounding version of the rock remix of the Velvet Room's theme. The original version was already very cool, and this one, though it has relatively minor changes (Some of the piano was replaced by more vocals, basically.), is also very nice. (Since it's so similar to the original AND the fact that I already included the "regular" version of the Velvet Room theme in this review, though, I'm not including it. But seriously, it's really good.)
10. Living With Determination - Dunno where in the game this theme plays. Anyway, it's a sorta jazzy-type remix of it. Personally, I like the original (which was a pretty, if a little melancholy-sounding piano tune) much MUCH better - this remix sounds like... well, lounge music, I guess. It's not terrible, but I'm not too fond of it, to be honest.
11. Mass Destruction - Remix of the regular battle theme. Like the other tracks with vocals, it's got new lyrics. Anyway, it's a pretty good remix - sounds distinctively different from the original, but not as drastically so as, say, the "Deep Breath Deep Breath" remix was. I like it.
12. Memories of You ~Orchestra Ver.~ - As you can guess by the title, this is an orchestral remix of the ending theme (Well, I'm pretty SURE it's the ending theme, at least.). Anyway, I already liked the original version (which was cute J-pop) a lot, so hearing it interpreted by an orchestra was really great. Very pretty.
And... that's it. Let me say, it was kinda hard picking out just a few of the tracks, as I enjoy most of them, even with my nitpicks here and there.
The Final Verdict: If you're a fan of remixes and don't mind the little bit of WTF in one of the choices, I recommend getting this. It's overall a very solid album - the songs they picked to remix were already good in their original versions, so - for the most part - the remixes do them justice.
Basically, this is a remix CD. However, this isn't your average "change a few things in the melody and call it a remix" album - a couple of the tracks here are honest-to-goodness reworkings of the songs from the original soundtrack, some with new lyrics and everything.
There are twelve songs total in this CD. Below I will list the tracks and give my thoughts on each of them, as well as include samples of a couple of them. I'm also including the original version of the selected tracks, for comparison's sake.
Anyway, the tracks, and my thoughts:
1. Burn My Dread - This is the full-length version of the opening movie track. Personally, I don't know how exactly I feel about it yet - one one hand, I'm "Yay, full version!", but on the other, it's not much of an improvement - I don't quite like the way it ends, at least. I think I might just like/am used to the short version better. Still, it's only a small complaint and I'm probably just being nitpicky.
2. Changing Seasons - This is a remix of the track that plays in the second opening movie (the one that plays if you wait at the title screen a while instead of starting/loading the game itself). Anyway, it's a techno-y remix that doesn't deviate much from the original track's sound - the talking in French (Well, I ASSUME it's French, because it sure as hell isn't English, and it doesn't sound like Japanese, either...) that was in some parts of the original was removed, but other than that, there's not too much different about it. Which is fine, because trying to top the original version would be hard - it was already a good tune as it was. Still, pretty good remix.
3. Want To Be Close - This is a slow mix of the theme that plays at the start of every school day in the game, with additional lyrics the original version didn't have. Personally, I'm not all that impressed by this one - I guess I just liked the perkiness of the original better. Still, it does sound plenty different from the original, so if you're one of those folks who like their remixes with variety, then this might be for you.
4. When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars - Remix of the theme that plays when you're in the town map and locations that are not the school/dorm, with additional lyrics the original doesn't have. It's a little bit faster than the original, but not by much. It doesn't vary wildly from the original tune, either. Still, pretty good.
5. Unavoidable Battle - Um, I forget where exactly this played (I THINK it was in the first battle you have in the game, but don't quote me on that.). Anyway, it's got a bit of techno-y sound mixed into the original's melody, giving it a faster pace. Not a big change, but entertaining and very listenable.
6. Poem of Everyone's Souls - This one isn't so much a remix as it is a "live"-sounding version of the music that plays in the Velvet Room. Anyway, I don't know why, but I like this version MUCH better than the original, which for some reason fell a little flat to my ears. Other than being "live," though, there's no real change to the tune. (Despite this fact, I'm adding it to the samples, because to me it sounds so much nicer than the original version, plus I wanted to have a more varied selection in the tracks I picked for downloading in this review.)
7. Burn My Dread -Last Battle- - As you can tell from the title, this is a remix of the final battle's theme. Like the other remixes with vocals, this has all-new lyrics, too. Anyway, while both the rap parts and the melody of this remix are excellent, they really repeat the "burn my dread" line in the chorus far too much, so it gets a little annoying there. Because of that one minor flaw, I still like the original better. But then again, as I said before, I'm probably just nitpicky.
8. Deep Breath Deep Breath - I'm not far enough into the game to know where the original track by this name plays, but anyway, like the other vocal tracks, it's got totally new lyrics (Really, all they left the same was the "take a deep breath" chorus line.).
Now, honestly? This mix gets the title of "Most WTF Remix Of All" in this CD. Why? Well, just listen to both the original and the remix and you'll see for yourself. Seriously, HOW exactly do you go from the original - which is kinda creepy-sounding - to the laid-back, carefree-seeming sound the remix has? It is a mystery.
Still, regardless of the WTF-ness of the DRASTIC change in tune, I really enjoyed this remix (just as much as I like the original). It's just... well, it's impossible for me to dislike it. It just has a certain charm to it. Download it if you like to hear something wildly different from its original source.
9. Poem of Everyone's Struggle - Like I said before, not very far in the game, so I don't know where this plays, but basically, it's a "live"-sounding version of the rock remix of the Velvet Room's theme. The original version was already very cool, and this one, though it has relatively minor changes (Some of the piano was replaced by more vocals, basically.), is also very nice. (Since it's so similar to the original AND the fact that I already included the "regular" version of the Velvet Room theme in this review, though, I'm not including it. But seriously, it's really good.)
10. Living With Determination - Dunno where in the game this theme plays. Anyway, it's a sorta jazzy-type remix of it. Personally, I like the original (which was a pretty, if a little melancholy-sounding piano tune) much MUCH better - this remix sounds like... well, lounge music, I guess. It's not terrible, but I'm not too fond of it, to be honest.
11. Mass Destruction - Remix of the regular battle theme. Like the other tracks with vocals, it's got new lyrics. Anyway, it's a pretty good remix - sounds distinctively different from the original, but not as drastically so as, say, the "Deep Breath Deep Breath" remix was. I like it.
12. Memories of You ~Orchestra Ver.~ - As you can guess by the title, this is an orchestral remix of the ending theme (Well, I'm pretty SURE it's the ending theme, at least.). Anyway, I already liked the original version (which was cute J-pop) a lot, so hearing it interpreted by an orchestra was really great. Very pretty.
And... that's it. Let me say, it was kinda hard picking out just a few of the tracks, as I enjoy most of them, even with my nitpicks here and there.
The Final Verdict: If you're a fan of remixes and don't mind the little bit of WTF in one of the choices, I recommend getting this. It's overall a very solid album - the songs they picked to remix were already good in their original versions, so - for the most part - the remixes do them justice.
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no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 02:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 10:07 pm (UTC)Anyway, seriously, get me your new address, and I'll be sending them to you as soon as you get back from Vegas, ok?
no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 11:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 11:34 pm (UTC)BTW, when are you going to be in Vegas, again? Is it this weekend? Just so I know when you'll be back so I can send it then.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-13 12:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-13 01:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 05:25 pm (UTC)I've always loved the Velvet Room theme (it's been in all the games), and the rocking battle version on the CD that comes with the game was pretty much the BEST THING EVER for me. So I'll have to hear these remixes...
In EP, the Velvet Room actually has a singer and a piano player in it, so whenever I hear those tracks, I just think of Belladonna rocking out... :D
no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 10:12 pm (UTC)(Though if you're still willing to do it, can you hook me up with burns of your Persona 2 soundtrack? I'm really curious to hear Shoji Meguro's older work, so... let's have an exchange of sorts? *hopeful* :D)
no subject
Date: 2007-09-14 03:06 am (UTC)I'd love to have some burns, if you don't mind! I'll buy it one day, but for now, I guess I have to be a poor college bum...
no subject
Date: 2007-09-14 05:04 am (UTC)I'll get to working on your burns either tomorrow or on the weekend, and will mail them out along with Shinny's on Monday or so! :D
no subject
Date: 2007-09-13 05:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-13 05:57 am (UTC)Thanks! :D