Song of the Week - WEEK 62 Voting/WEEK 63 Nominating

Week 62 Voting is closed.
Week 63 Nominating is restricted.

Week 62 Voting
The rules for voting can be found here.

Final Result:
1st: Tobi Tsukihime Soundtrack - Stage 5 - amVirus : Avatar of Nightmare -
2nd: Jazz Jackrabbit 2 (Game Rip) - Pull Back the Bass
3rd: Mother 1+2 Original Soundtrack - Eight Melodies

Notes:
If you are a member at more than one of the forums which this event is being held at, please nominate and vote in only ONE of the forums. You may, however, comment in the threads at any of the other forums.


Week 63 Nominating
The Nominations Queue can be found here.
The rules for nominating can be found here.

Here are the links to the corresponding threads at the other forums:
- Chudah's Corner
- Soundtrack Central

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Was there an SNES-synth-rock theme week this week or was it all a big coincidence? Everything was still good for the most part, I could have just used a bit more variety.

3 Points - CHAOS SEED ~Fuusui Kairouki~ GM-PROGRESS 6 - Alex's Theme
After a relative drought of new VGM albums, I decided to try something new from SlightlyDark, and was pleasantly surprised by this album. The overall composition of this track really stood out from the rest though, and it just screamed SoTW nomination. I was really drawn to the strong main theme, cohesive synth composition and the cool little solo midway through. There was an arranged version of this theme on the album, but I felt the original version was far better (mainly due to the ear shattering battle SFX they felt needed to be added.)

2 Points - Tobi Tsukihime Soundtrack - Stage 5 - amVirus : Avatar of Nightmare
If it were not for my own nomination, this would have easily received the full three points. In fact I was seriously tempted to commit a very dangerous move and do it anyway as it was so good. This track is really good, from the drum hits and
driving electric guitar riff in the intro to the kinky synth solo and guitar solos toward the end, it all comes together to form a wonderful package. It is also very fun to listen to, and could very easily go on "Repeat One" for a good length of time. This has "winner" written all over it.

1 Point - Mother 1+2 Original Soundtrack - Eight Melodies
A nice collection of several melodies which are very low key and quite relaxing but very enjoyable. Hearing this was a nice break from the guitar driven melodies featured in the other tracks, which made me appreciate this even more.

Runner Up: Jazz Jackrabbit 2 (Game Rip) - Pull Back the Bass

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I want to nominate Timesplitters 2- TS1 Chinese by Graeme Norgate from the rip, I believe. I don't think I am supposed to edit the wiki, so I am putting it here.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

You know, my nom would've placed last week if I actually got off my rump and voted, maybe I should just vote every week

3 points: Wild Arms 4 (I'd have rather seen the actual opening nominated, rather than this remix, but it's such a good song, this gets my points anyway.)

2 points: Chaos Seed

1 point: Mother

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Double Dragon week what

I was speaking idiomatically.

Argh; I can't do it. I was going to vote 3-2-1 with Mother, JJ2, and something else, but then I feel something would be getting gypped (heh, that's actually a correct spelling).

2 pts. - Mother 1+2 Original Soundtrack - Eight Melodies - This song is awesome. In my mind, it's the standout track of this week and the clear-cut winner (though the tracks I think should win usually don't). I like how the melody is used in different ways and how the track develops creatively. The rock part that makes up the last half is great.
2 pts. - Jazz Jackrabbit 2 - Pull Back the Bass - My nom. It's a very enjoyable, groovy track. The beginning is neat.
1 pt. - Langrisser: Hikari no Matsuei (Game Rip) - Descendants from Elthlead - A very nice rockin' song. I appreciate that the solos don't go overboard and that the PRNRF method is not endorsed here. It also remains interesting throughout and doesn't just repeat a few times like Avatar does.
1 pt. - Tyrian - Tyrian, the Song - This is a really unique, cool-sounding song. When this was first nominated, I thought it was "Tyrian, the Level." That's why I was really excited about it. Still, "Tyrian, the Song" is good, just not as good as "the Level." Nice to have another Alexander Brandon song to keep JJ2 company this week.

Tobi Tsukihime Soundtrack - Stage 5 - amVirus : Avatar of Nightmare - I initially had this in the place of Descendants, but I changed my mind. While this is a solid rockin' track, I'm enjoying Descendants more now. This one seems less enjoyable due to being more cliched or something. There's also less to it; it's more repetitive.
Lagoon - Moonchild - A decent rockin' song that's not as good as Avatar and Descendants.
CHAOS SEED ~Fuusui Kairouki~ GM-PROGRESS 6 - Alex's Theme - Ok, but nothing special. The synth part starting at 1:22 is cool, though.
WILD ARMS the 4th Detonator Original Score - Yet Another Ex. File - Man, how does this happen? It's like someone coordinated all these synth-rock noms to fall on this week. Anyway, this one's ok, but not as interesting as the others.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by KyleDunamis

You know, my nom would've placed last week if I actually got off my rump and voted, maybe I should just vote every week

3 points: Wild Arms 4 (I'd have rather seen the actual opening nominated, rather than this remix, but it's such a good song, this gets my points anyway.)

Only reason I didn't nominate the original one is because the original has the worst singer I've ever heard in an RPG. Dear LORD is that melody dragged down by her missing every other fucking note.

FELIPE NO

This week was pretty cool. It wasn't a "blow me out of the water with awesome" sort of grouping but the odd coincidence that all the tracks were synthy and/or rockin' in a retro way was pretty sweet. I can always get down with retro sound.

2 Points - Mother 1+2 Original Soundtrack - Eight Melodies - This one is too dreamy and sweet to pass up. I love the delicate synths and sweeping effects used throughout. Parts of it remind me of background tracks from the Willy Wonka remake, but I'm a die-hard fan of all things Wonka, so this only makes Eight Melodies even cooler.

2 Points - Langrisser: Hikari no Matsuei (Game Rip) - Descendants from Elthlead - The best of this week's rockin' tracks. Admittedly, a fair portion of it is what I'd consider standard for the genre - nothing of particular note. Then 1:35 came around and I was thrown for a pleasant loop with the fucking awesome acid-rock synth solo. As someone who's always appreciated the work of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's synthesized overtures, that section of Descendants from Elthlead sold me. I've never heard acid-synth in VGM before and that was just too cool.

2 Points - Jazz Jackrabbit 2 (Game Rip) - Pull Back the Bass - Totally digging the retro feel and the funky bass groove. Alexander Brandon's a great synth composer and it shows here.

So close - Tobi Tsukihime Soundtrack - Stage 5 - amVirus : Avatar of Nightmare - I thought the intro was very strong but it eventually wandered into a more generic style of guitar and drums. The entire piece had potential throughout - don't get me wrong, it's still solid - but I felt like I wanted just a little more originality.

CHAOS SEED ~Fuusui Kairouki~ GM-PROGRESS 6 - Alex's Theme - Not bad, just a little uneventful for my tastes.

Lagoon - Moonchild - This felt a little ordinary to me also.

Tyrian (Game Rip) - Tyrian, The Song - I won't deny that the composition is good. Brandon doesn't fail. But the mood just doesn't work for me.

WILD ARMS the 4th Detonator Original Score - Yet Another Ex. File - After "Time & Rocks Piled Up", which was good enough to go onto my iPod, I guess I was expecting something more compelling this time around.

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Originally Posted by SCOREEEEEEEEE-1

I want to nominate Timesplitters 2- TS1 Chinese by Graeme Norgate from the rip, I believe. I don't think I am supposed to edit the wiki, so I am putting it here.

As far as I know (and can remember from the games), that track is actually just reused from TimeSplitters 1, hence the "TS1". It's not on my TS2 game rip, so I'm assuming it was omitted for being exactly the same on TS1. The track on the TS1 rip is "1970 Chinese". I've uploaded it. Can you verify it's the correct track?

By the way, when are you changing your name back to Bahamut Zero?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I dont know its on my rip Kaleb. My rip contains 79 tracks. Anyways that is the same track.

Also, I want it changed back to BZ, but I can't control what skate does. I don't care too much, except for the fact that I can't access my sig or avatar, or google member map, or other things. I am the Xbox Csar though. Without the damn mod powers. =(

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I hope that this is the last time that I vote without making any comments. This was a wonderful week, by the way ^^

2 points Jazz Jackrabbit 2 - Pull Back the Bass

2 points Langrisser: Hikari no Matsuei (Game Rip)

2 points Tobi Tsukihime Soundtrack - Stage 5 - amVirus : Avatar of Nightmare

Double Post:
Oh, and I forgot to mention that I'm not very sure about accepting the Tobal track. I think that it's maybe too well known.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

CHAOS SEED ~Fuusui Kairouki~ GM-PROGRESS 6 - Alex's Theme A very nice jazz-light rock combo, and that means a lot coming from someone who isn't all that fond of either. The melody is nice, and the instrumentation has a vague Oriental flair. The wierd synth jam session near the end is annoying though--I would much rather have had another variation than random synth notes.

Jazz Jackrabbit 2 (Game Rip) - Pull Back the Bass I remember this game! We used to secretly play it on the band room computer. Really like the piano work at the beginning, and eventually matures into a more jagged and poppish bit of techno. Best of all, though, the piano remains throughout. A nice synthy treat.

Lagoon - Moonchild I remember this game too, if vaguely. The melody here is decent, but it's overlaid on a sickeningly generic drum machine/backbeat. I'm sure the basic melodic structure could have been used to make something much more creative--while not bad per se, the lack of this is both vanilla and disappointing.

Langrisser: Hikari no Matsuei (Game Rip) - Descendants from Elthlead This track combines rock elements with a melody much better than the lagoon track, with a nice woodwind melody and an accent guitar. Unortunately, it also has the bane of my existance--a horrible random guitar solo. Why do people feel compelled to put those in? They're not The Who; I don't want to hear their instruments shattering on the floor. The abrupt ending is also a minus.

Mother 1+2 Original Soundtrack - Eight Melodies I don't recall this track being in Earthbound or Earthbound Zero, but who cares? It takes a fragment of the "My Sanctuary" theme and twists it into something much more sedate and dreamy, with that sort of new-agey yet melodic feel that Earthbound tracks do so very well. I didn't dig the louder section as much, but at least the melodic core was intact.

Tobi Tsukihime Soundtrack - Stage 5 - amVirus : Avatar of Nightmare - Better synth, worse implementation. Generic guitar work plus generic drum kit equals something I've heard before more or less dozens of times.

Tyrian (Game Rip) - Tyrian, The Song Interesting bit of techno with som orchestral elements thrown in. It gets better and more unique as it develops, but is still a bit muddled and incoherent at times.

WILD ARMS the 4th Detonator Original Score - Yet Another Ex. File Wild Arms is SoTW material, huh? I would have thought it too popular. Despite being newerr than the other entrants, this is still synthy as can be--perhaps even synthier. Despite the fact that this synthiness was a conscious stylistic decision, rather than one of necessity, it doesn't really stack up. Very simple melody with a minimum of development and support equals a solid if not stellar track.

I think this should have been a theme week or something.

The Point Spread
3 pts. - Jazz the Jazzy Jazzrabbit starring in the Jazz of the Jazeraint
2 pts. - Yo Motha
1 pt. - Tyriansaurus Tyrex

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

3 points: Tobi Tsukihime Soundtrack - Stage 5 - amVirus : Avatar of Nightmare

2 points: Tyrian (Game Rip) - Tyrian, The Song

1 point: Langrisser: Hikari no Matsuei (Game Rip) - Descendants from Elthlead

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by ikkei

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I'm not very sure about accepting the Tobal track. I think that it's maybe too well known.

I let this go through because we accepted a Tobal No. 1 track in the past, but if anyone else feels Toridon!! should be ineligible, please have out with it. SonicPanda admitted it might not be obscure enough, so you won't be seen as a big meanie or anything.

Also, while I'm on the subject of nomination obscurity, how about KyleDunamis's Suikoden I track? (forgot to say anything last week ) I'd say that, if Tobal No. 1 is out, that definitely should be.

How ya doing, buddy?

Personally, I feel that if any corresponding game is selling for upwards of $75 on Ebay and has a chronically humongous thread dedicated to it in the video game forums, it's not obscure at all.

After 5 incarnations, 2 spinoff adventures and a "tactics" game, how can anyone say Suikoden isn't well-known?

A shame too, since I'd actually enjoy nominating Suikoden II - <Miki Higashino> 1-19 - Beautiful Morning if I felt the game were at all obscure enough.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by CHz

I let this go through because we accepted a Tobal No. 1 track in the past, but if anyone else feels Toridon!! should be ineligible, please have out with it. SonicPanda admitted it might not be obscure enough, so you won't be seen as a big meanie or anything.

Also, while I'm on the subject of nomination obscurity, how about KyleDunamis's Suikoden I track? (forgot to say anything last week ) I'd say that, if Tobal No. 1 is out, that definitely should be.

Let's not forget that there have been several Suikoden nominations in the past too. If prior nominations equal grandfather clauses, both should be allowed.

I'm actually on the fence, since I have heard of but not heard the soundtracks in question.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Crash Landon

After 5 incarnations, 2 spinoff adventures and a "tactics" game, how can anyone say Suikoden isn't well-known?

Yeah, I'd say Suikoden is too well known to be eligible for SotW. Tobal would be ok.

Hold on a sec, though. Is eligibility supposed to be based on the popularity of the game the song's from or the popularity of the game's music?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I'd think Suikoden would be too well known as well, but not Tobal. In fact, I think Tobal No. 2 is even more underrated and less recognized because it doesn't have the same big name composers as the first.

If I remember correctly, even though a game can be popular, in some cases its music might not be and hence would be eligible for nomination. However, if the game was little known but it's music very popular, material from the game's soundtrack would be ineligible. Can't remember the examples that were given but I guess that applies to an extent for MechWarrior 2. I've always heard praises for the game but hardly anything about the music.

Might as well post a new nomination. This is likely to be on the chopping block for being too ambient and lengthy but I like it enough.

Album: Anarchy Online Original Soundtrack Vol 02
Artist/composer: Morten Sørlie
Track Title: Shadowland Battle Music (Remix)
Track Number: Track 11
Year: 2003
Sources: https://funcom.asknet.com/cgi-bin/show/P13383 ; http://www.mobygames.com/game/window...wlands/credits
Miscellaneous: This is a remix from the Shadowland battle theme from the Anarchy Online: Shadowlands expansion pack by Funcom. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a catalogue number for the soundtrack. This remix also incorporates some melody lines from the Anarchy Online main theme. Incidentally, Sørlie composed some tracks for The Longest Journey as well. A mistake I made earlier was to associate him with the jukebox tracks which are actually done by Tor Linløkken.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

orion does have a point with the grandfather clause issue. It's hardly fair to dismiss a standing nomination when history shows that it's been acceptable in the past.

However, we can then agree that any further nominations from the series might be pushing the envelope on mainstream recognition. Sort of how we generally agree that the Eternal Arcadia OST has received adequate representation at this point.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by orion_mk3

Let's not forget that there have been several Suikoden nominations in the past too.

Yes, but none from the Suikoden I soundtrack. Is this distinction important? Maybe, maybe not.

Originally Posted by orion_mk3

If prior nominations equal grandfather clauses, both should be allowed.

There's currently no explicit grandfather clause in the rules, so we can choose to make an official policy on the subject if you guys want.

I personally don't think we should have one, since the obscurity of an album can change over time. As an example, we had an Ace Combat 5 track quite a while ago, but I think the soundtrack is now well known enough that we shouldn't allow any more tracks from the OST.

But if enough people want a track's eligibility to establish that soundtrack's eligibility in perpetuity, that's perfectly fine too.

Originally Posted by Drakken

Hold on a sec, though. Is eligibility supposed to be based on the popularity of the game the song's from or the popularity of the game's music?

Popularity of the game's music, definitely.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by CHz

I personally don't think we should have one, since the obscurity of an album can change over time. As an example, we had an Ace Combat 5 track quite a while ago, but I think the soundtrack is now well known enough that we shouldn't allow any more tracks from the OST.

I agree. Having a "be reasonable" policy would seem to be best. If the majority agrees that a game's soundtrack has become fairly well known, then we can agree to declare it ineligible for SotW.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Well, here's the thing. How do you guage the popularity of a soundtrack versus the game itself?

Last week, I played a Suikoden II song on my iPod for my brother, who is a die-hard obsessed Suikoden fan. He's got over 10,000 posts on some Suikoden message board.

He didn't recognize the track. He thought it was from Mario RPG.

So if a Suikoden fanatic doesn't recognize the music, maybe it's not that well-known?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by CHz

There's currently no explicit grandfather clause in the rules, so we can choose to make an official policy on the subject if you guys want.

I personally don't think we should have one, since the obscurity of an album can change over time. As an example, we had an Ace Combat 5 track quite a while ago, but I think the soundtrack is now well known enough that we shouldn't allow any more tracks from the OST.

Also, Katamari Damacy. Anyone remember that?

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I had a post here explaining my opinion on the matter, but I accidently closed the window. So now you get the low effort version.

Suiko 1 - No way, nu-uh.
Suiko 2 - Probably not such a good idea.
Suiko 3 - Keep the few tracks featured in Skate's contests out, maybe allow one more nomination from it (we did have a S3 track before, right?).
Suiko 4 - Sure, the title is seen as the black sheep, if there's some under appreciated precious gem, I'd say unearth it.
Suiko 5 - Seems a little too new (thus higher profile) to me, it's gotten some decent nomination coverage in this year's BSC, so I'd say no.

All side titles I'd look at as a go.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Well, with all this talk of my nom, I'll weigh in:

I love the Suikoden 1 OST, and perhaps some songs on it ARE too popular, but that song, I didn't remember before hearing it on the OST, so it becomes a matter of do we blanket ban certain OSTs or just the most popular tracks from them. If someone nominates "Distortions in the Void of Despair" from Valkyrie Profile, do we disallow it because "Fighting the Shadowy Gods" is super-popular, or do we allow single songs on their own popularity? If I nominated "Beautiful Golden City," "Tiny Characters in a Huge World," or "Confrontation with Monsters," then I can see it being too popular, but my nom is probably one of the OST's lesser known tracks.

And the game's popularity has never really been the deciding factor on SotW. I remember Week 23 all too well, where my Tengai Makyou 2 nom was beaten at the very end by a track from The Sims 2, the most popular computer game of all time. So it's more the popularity of either the OST or song itself.

Jam it back in, in the dark.