[SotW] Song of the Week - WEEK 188 Voting/WEEK 189 Nominating

Nomination #27

Composer: Mark Mothersbaugh
Album: The Sims 2: Nightlife
Track Title: The Sims Theme (Junkie XL remix)
Track Number: 01
Year: 2005
Catalog Number: N/A
Additional Information: Almost seems unfair nominating a Sims track that's also Junkie XL related!

The theme of this comment? FTP of course.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I love the soundtrack to the Bug's Life PSX game, and while a bug's life (PSX Game Rip) - Atta Flight (Riverbed Flight) isn't a favourite of mine, it nicely represents the tone and sound of the game's music. I do enjoy the build, and I do enjoy the equatorial instrumentation and tempo; but it's lacking a little something at the core (particularly melody and memorability). Still a nice listen though.

I just couldn't get into GoldenEye 007 (Game Rip) - Antenna Cradle, Janus Base, Cuba . I like some elements but overall things just don't work or harmonise well enough for me.

In The Lounge with No One Lives Forever - Elevator of Love has a distinctive style going for it and knows just what to do with it. Great detective/bar music, and while not being the strongest melodically, it's alluring enough to save and keep for future "Hmm some detective or bar music wouldn't go astray right now" moments. 'Cause everyone has at least two during their life.

OK, I really like the MegaMan Battle Network series (Start Force too, but not as much). Kind of lame on my part, I know. I'm never really impressed with the music from said games however, with only one in every ten or so tunes actually striking me as listenable outside of in-game context. Mega Man Star Force 3 (Game Rip) - Grave Joker Stage is slick and palatable and has some nice ideas going on, though it's not the sort of track I can see myself listening to voluntarily. One criticism I guess is that it's not chill enough to be background music; and it's not engaging enough to be actively listened to? I dunno.

Wait, Yuji Yoshino of Suikoden Celtic Collection and Orrizonte fame is the arranger here? I'm not surprised. Of course that means I like Melody Of Legend ~ Chapter of Dream - Final Movement ~ Florid Funeral (featured in MADARA 2). It's as warm as it is isolated, and shows just how sound a grasp Yoshino has on Celtic style arrangements. Wonderfully wistful and piercingly pensive from start to finish.

Mirror's Edge Original Videogame Score - Still Alive is nice and inoffensive at times, awkwardly sappy at others. Unfortunately I think the latter element is predominant, particularly in the chorus which I really grew to dislike by the end of the song. Nah, sorry nom, can't get behind this one!

I've heard fragments of the Scratches score before, and have been thoroughly impressed by each and every one. Scratches Original Soundtrack - The House, in Dust sustains this impression with a beautifully restrained, elegiac tone. The violin is simultaneously stirring and sorrowful, and the piano touches are all class. This is one of the more touching tracks I've heard in SotW, and as such I will definitely be hunting down the soundtrack.

Such a contrast from the previous musical offering! Shikkoku no Sharnoth Preorder Bonus Original Soundtrack - Tar slan has just clicked with me ever since I first heard it. The intro of peppy---intimidating riffage is nicely transformed into a well handled brass passage before the jazzy piano kicks in. It's bouncy without being too heavy on the senses, and has a number of fantastic melodies. Almost borders on loop-excess, but I think 3 doses of piano jazz is just right!

one POINT martini thanks dollface...actually, make it six

2 points: Shikkoku no Sharnoth Preorder Bonus Original Soundtrack - Tar slan
2 points: Scratches Original Soundtrack - The House, in Dust
2 points: Melody Of Legend ~ Chapter of Dream - Final Movement ~ Florid Funeral (featured in MADARA 2)
4th: In The Lounge with No One Lives Forever - Elevator of Love
5th: a bug's life (PSX Game Rip) - Atta Flight (Riverbed Flight)
6th: Mega Man Star Force 3 (Game Rip) - Grave Joker Stage
7th: GoldenEye 007 (Game Rip) - Antenna Cradle, Janus Base, Cuba
8th: Mirror's Edge Original Videogame Score - Still Alive

Pretty good week, with a couple of really nice discoveries. I couldn't even partake in a nom-bias spread because the top tier was so tight.

There's nowhere I can't reach.