[SotW] Song of the Week - WEEK 153 Voting/WEEK 154 Nominating

Aekanaru Sekai no Owari ni Original Soundtrack "Routine" - afternoon theme - There's a slight Vince Guaraldi vibe, which is seasonally appropriate. But other than that, it doesn't feel very distinctive as a piece; it comes off more as the muzak on a department store radio. It's pleasing but only because it's so inoffensive. I like my jazz with more edge.

Chaos Seed: Fuusui Kairouki (SNES Game Rip) - Optimistic Girls (Optimistic Girls / Friends 2) - One of the pitfalls of quasi-Asian tracks is that they tend to feel generic unless there is something truly exceptional going on. Unfortunately, this one errs on the side of convention and doesn't do much of interest. I like what it wants to be but it's not there yet.

Formula -G.S.M. SEGA 5- - Soup Up [Rad Mobile] - Some classic "road funk." It's a tad formulaic and I've heard better within this style but there are moments and this track is therefore competent. The light piano section was particularly enjoyable.

Gunslinger Girl Game Sound Album - Take me to the heaven - This track is more subdued and melancholy than my typical nomination, but perhaps it stands out because of this. It's soft, ethereal and even delicate at times, verging on the pinnacle between joy and despair. Tenpei Sato manages to capture both emotions succinctly in one composition, proving that when the man is inspired, he's gold. Even at its most aimless, there's an underlying passion that moves the song forward, and that's this track's best feature, in my opinion. Another great work from Sato.

Istoria ~Musa~ - MELPOMENE - My apologies to the nominator, I didn't care for this one at all. I found it to be too dark and depressing. The piano work was nice but the tone simply isn't for me.

Mouryousenki Madara 2 Sound Fantasia - Soldier's Rest (Mukuri Tribe Camp BGM) - Despite this track's attempts at ebb and flow, I remain dissapointed that it didn't actually do a whole lot. The base components were there, I don't know what went wrong. Perhaps it needed one more layer of melody to give it some energy. As is, this is calming backdrop music but not much more.

Quilt ~Anata to Tsumugu Yume to Koi no Dress~ Theme Song "Yume no Tsuki" - Dream Moon - The unintelligible lyrics are something of a turn-off - I like to know what's being said! But the tone of her voice isn't bad for an Asian songstress. I do like the Japanese-Celtic fusion, and it's a natural pairing. Like Orion, I would've preferred a violin over a voice, and the karaoke version, if one exists, may have been interesting. But this isn't such a bad song, really.

SimCity Societies (Game Rip) - Authoritarian 02 - Different, for sure, and a clever use of footsteps as percussion. These forboding marches don't often do a lot for me but I think this one has enough character and subtle mirth to be something worth keeping.

Final Tally

3 Points: Gunslinger Girl Game Sound Album - Take me to the heaven
1 Point: SimCity Societies (Game Rip) - Authoritarian 02
1 Point: Formula -G.S.M. SEGA 5- - Soup Up [Rad Mobile]
1 Point: Quilt ~Anata to Tsumugu Yume to Koi no Dress~ Theme Song "Yume no Tsuki" - Dream Moon

An okay week with no standouts, nom bias excluded, naturally. The diversity was quite good, however. That doesn't always happen.

Nomination!

Album: Promised Dawn ~ Melty Blood Original Sound Track
Title: The end of 1000 years (Millenium Castle)
Composer: RAITO
Track Number: 1-16
Year: 2003
Catalog Number: N/A
Source: Chudah's Corner

I will upload the track to the SotW ftp.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Okay, the nomination has been corrected. But it also means that my copy is woefully mistagged.

How ya doing, buddy?