Best Original Soundtrack and Arranged Album of 2006 Discussion

Original

Most Significant Top Scores:

1) Blue Dragon Original Soundtrack - Solid fun score that shows Nobuo Uematsu is back. I love the action tracks and the FFIX-esque light-hearted themes. Some of the score lacks coherency or references old works too much, but it's a thoughtful inspired effort.

2) Final Fantasy XII Original Soundtrack - A bastard to digest with quite a bit of filler material, but basically a solid symphonic effort gleaming with Hitoshi Sakimoto's luscious musicality. My thoughts on it are positive, though I wouldn't choose to listen to it in a four hour session. >_>

3) TEKKEN 5 / TEKKEN Dark Resurrection Original Soundtrack - Anything goes in this TEKKEN score and that's why I like it. A few too many short pieces but otherwise pretty awesome with a great number of contributors (including Riow Arai, believe it or not).

4) Project Sylpheed Original Soundtrack - Junya Nakano and Kenichiro Fukui were great choices to lead this shooter score. I already commented on Nakano's electro-acoustic awesomeness. As for Fukui, even better than Einhander... Surprised that Kumi Tanioka only contributed one, though..

5) Dirge of Cerberus Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack & Multiplayer Sound Collection - Masashi Hamauzu's largely symphonic effort was misplaced for the 'Compilation of Final Fantasy VII' franchise but an excellent achievement in its own right. It's mature and dramatic with lots of highlights. Sure, a little dull in places, but overall an excellent effort.

Honorable Mentions:

ESPGaluda II Original Soundtrack
Front Mission 5 ~Scars of the War~ Original Soundtrack
Children of Mana iTunes Soundtrack
Valkyrie Profile 2 -Silmeria- Original Soundtrack Vol. 1 & 2
Ninety-Nine Nights Original Soundtrack
Granado Espada Original Soundtrack
Metal Slug & Breath of Fire Boxes
LocoRoco Original Soundtrack
Ibara Original Soundtrack
Under Defeat Original Soundtrack

Disappointments:

Final Fantasy XI Treasures of Aht Urhgan Original Soundtrack
Kingdom Hearts II Original Soundtrack
Front Mission Online Original Soundtrack
Okami Original Soundtrack
BulletWitch Original Soundtrack

Arranged

1) Rogue Galaxy Premium Arrange

There are real masterpieces here. I never grow bored of the contributions from Hirota, Aihara, Hibino, Mitsuda, and, best of all, Sakuraba. It's a pity I find the contributions from Shimomura, Sano, Hosoe, Ito, and Iwadare relatively bland, though still good.

2) Valkyrie Profile 2 -Silmeria- Arrange Album

Great effort from Motoi Sakuraba here. I'd recommend this for anyone who loves Sakuraba but was disappointed by VP2 overall. There's a
good selection of tracks with plenty of progressive rock and really interesting electronic fragments. The opening track is just a masterpiece.

3) Dragon Quest Symphonic Suite Tokyo Met CDs

The new prints of the Dragon Quest Symphonic Suites (II-VII) by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra are excellent. The performances are so clean, the brass is great, the concertmaster really shines, and the recording quality is wonderful. Faultless...

4) More Friends Concert CD

I hate Jason Michael Paul, but this CD is a worthy one, because it's solidly performed and has a few original entries. There's orchestral classics, goodness from The Black Mages, a decent rendition of the opera, and, best of all, "Swing de Chocobo".

5) ESPGaluda II / Pink Sweets Arranged Sections

Gotta love abstract electronic remixes.

Phoenix Wright Orchestral Album, Sailing to the World Piano Scores, and Wilds Arms Rockin' were both decent but not too remarkable in my eyes.

Disappointments:

Motoi Sakuraba Live 2006
Kenji Ito Piano Works Collection ~Everlasting Melodies~ (not that I ever expected much)
Ibara Remix Tracks (alright, but not amazing)

How ya doing, buddy?