[Album] FINAL FANTASY XII Original Soundtrack (SVWC-7351~54)

Well, I didn't listen to much of the PSF set (I was in Sakimoto overload at the time, playing through Dragon Quarter and FFTA), and didn't play the demo more than once, so this was pretty much my first real experience with the music at hand. And it's sorta...well. Maybe a metaphor will help.

There's this clockmaker in town, who makes timepieces of all sorts. Exotic, decorative, utilitarian, antique. When he makes an exotic one, it's a doozy. But more often than not, he prefers to make the quaint antique models that are his signature style. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. It's his personal taste, and what's the difference so long as it tells time?

Eventually his talents land him an order from a high-profile client, and with more than two years to fill said order, the town buzzes in anticipation of what is expected to be the crown jewel of the clockwork king's career. The big day arrives, and both the client and townsfolk are present to witness the unveiling. The curtain finally rises, revealing...

...dozens of quaint antique clocks.

Maybe I'm just spoiled by Dragon Quarter's unique qualities, or the extra creative touches which elevated Vagrant Story above most of his other, er, clocks, but FFXII seems lacking. Some tracks are very nice (Rabanastre, Eruyt), some are admittedly pretty bad (Barbarians, Speechless Battle), but most of it is sadly nondescript. Sakimoto has made plenty of good music in his career, but I want to hear him challenge himself more. There's no room left on my shelf for another quaint antique clock.

Jam it back in, in the dark.