I am a Small Boat on a River: I wonder where Kajiura-sensei got the idea for this song? I don't think I've ever heard anything like it from her before.
I, as usual, have
my own parallels...
Bad Things That Should Happen: I will never understand this title.
Come to think of it, the title works if you interpret "should" as suppositional mood - i.e. not in the sense of "bad things that are bound to happen", but some abridged implication of "whatever bad things may happen, [they will be overcome]"
Like I said, it requires some context indeed.
Why does this incredibly boring show have some of Yuki's best work?
This question has been often asked ever since Bee Train years.
One might think the producers knew it would be boring, so they not only invited Yuki, but gave her BeeTrain-level freedom to create her trademark "music-drawn pictures" rather than scene-emphasizing BGMs.
Well there is a big difference between the nowadays Eri songs and the ones back in Tsubasa, Xenosaga: in those she was singing and her voice was multilayed, which was making the songs to sound better, while now she sings without layers. Also you cant compare the voice of 1 person with the voices of 4 people with different vocal range.
As far as I can hear, it's still multilayered. Maybe not as much in this album, though. But before you say good-bye to that technique, listen to Madoka songs.
OK, here's my brief review of the album:
until you find a light - op theme #5 - Kaori's Kajiurago is win. A prominent-sounding song with much suspence. A suitable opening.
one small life - a very cute piano track
storia - should I comment on it, too?
It's a great song, and it was one of my favourite Kalafina singles way back when.
chaotic - I agree, this is a very Madoka-style track.
I like the piano.
jubilee -
...ahem.
But seriously, it may actually be the best track in the album.
Eri's voice is as good as ever, but it's the grandest I've ever heard her sound.
noisy and unrest - Eastern theme, very... intriguing
Evokes some memories of Tetotetometome and Undertow intros, but in a much more elegant and playful tone.
a forced march - Yuki's ability to write epic and heroic songs have been well proven in Shin Hokuto no Ken, but this is another proof.
the coming ruin - really good, although I wish for a longer version (the part starting at 1.13 deserves at least one repetition
)
I am a small boat on a river - as said above, the mood of this track strongly resembles the one we heard in Achilles to Kame OST. An incredibly deep feeling of longing, living, dreaming... all in one.
a will to go - op theme #6 - Storia strikes yet again, a heroic version this time
a reckless passion - oh boy, THIS is where I felt like time-travelling back to Tsubasa Chronicles. Whoever said hearing old features in new songs was bad? This track feels (not
sounds, before you ask
) so much like Storm and Fire, I almost cried.
Like I said, it's really been a while since Yuki last used the fast guitar/flute combo, but I didn't realize how much I missed it.
the outbreak - pure concentrated epic.
I can hardly describe my feelings, because it evokes a whole spectre of them.
Kinda wish PMMM ended at a note like this...
you can go your own way - another gorgeous track. I'm running out of descriptions already, so I'll leave it at that...
foreboding - can't help imagining I'm attending a play in a Japanese theatre.
A background track, although it's too atmospheric to be called boring. Serves as a nice interlude between more full-fledged songs.
George, what Aquarian Age track did you mean to compare it to?
The only slight similarity is Arayashiki (
boy, Araya-shiki, five years before KnK ), but no further than several seconds into the beginning. Can't compare them overall, IMHO.
mysterious - Eri again!
if you want parallels... Future Soundscapes 2 & 3 used to begin with something like that. Btw, one of the tracks in question was called Moebius *stares at the RHH2 cover
*
looking back to the past - I, too, expected something pensive but got something thoughtful. A nice surprise
bad things that should happen - arguably the most original track here. Can't really compare it to anything, although the arrangement might be like early years when Yuki mostly relied on keyboards and synthesizers. Gives off a feeling I can't quite define, but it's certainly not an ominous one.
town of vigor - a sweet "music picture" of a small, but lively and busy town. Maybe a seaport, even. With lots of merchants.
creative power - I'd describe it as... "exactly what it says on the tin".
break down the door - wooooooow
more flute/violin/guitar. Redefines gorgeous.
must go ahead, somehow - I didn't realize the semblance to I Talk to the Rain style before it was mentioned.
I guess I haven't listened to it in a while, since despite obvious strings, I got more associations with Boogiepop OST somehow.
Going by the violin solo, though, it might rather be the successor to An Ordinary Dream
the breath of the era - starts out as another cute piano track, becomes grander eventually.
a fruitless love - Kaori wins again, but the melody is not to be written off either. A pure gem, with a mood not unlike Sayaka's theme. Wait... did I say "Sayaka's theme"??? *stares at the song's title
*
to the next door - op theme #7 - you know I can never have enough Eri
the song itself is as mysterious as... well... Mysterious?
a tiny light - I bet it played at the end of some episode (not the credits, but a fade-out sequence). Maybe even at the end of the last episode. A tiny light, finally found - as the first track's title hinted. Now to the grand finale, which would be...
symphonia TV ver - of course, what else would it be. I already expressed my love for this song, happy to hear it in good quality at last. It's really rather full-fledged for a TV version, and by now, it's as much a clone of Adore as I'm a clone of Elvis Presley.
Awesome. Period.
Overall: I guess, it really is nothing short of Future Soundscape 5 in my eyes.
With the only drawback - the real Future Sounscapes had more Eri. But no Kaori in Kajiuran tracks, on the other hand.
I don't care how boring the show may be (not like I'll ever have a chance to see it anyway
), until Yuki is at the stand, they may make ten more seasons if they want.
As to my faves, there are really a lot... OK, judging by the onion intensity in my review, the Grand Prix seems to be going to Jubilee, The Outbreak, Break Down the Door and Symphonia. But seriously, the rest is not far behind. Thank you, Yuki Kajiura. You did it yet again.