OMG YUSSSS. Once again, I’ve reached one of my favorite days because it’s music dayyyyyyy! And I have literally never been so happy to introduce you to the incredible music from Bubblegum Crisis. It’s so deliciously 80s, enough so that I feel like I’m in an episode of Miami Vice … and you know what? I’m just gonna stop there and jump right in:
Continue reading 28 day bubblegum crisis challenge, day 25: in which I have favorite bgc music …Tag Archives: favorite music
cowboy bebop 30 day challenge, day 25: in which I have favorite music, part ii …
So there’s a lot of the Blue album on this part of the list, but honestly? It’s my favorite out of all of the soundtracks. And there are way more than you’d think there would be, especially since this was a single run of 26 episodes (and a movie). The red album was my first foray into the music on Cowboy Bebop, but I didn’t really realize Yoko Kanno’s brilliance until I ran across Blue. No Disc is a close second in favorites, though, so it gets sprinkled in there a bit.
Anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed this travel into the weird, wild brain of Yoko Kanno and her Crazy Batch of Musicians. I’m just going to go listen to this shit nonstop.
Continue reading cowboy bebop 30 day challenge, day 25: in which I have favorite music, part ii …cowboy bebop 30 day challenge, day 25: in which I have favorite songs …
Anyone who reads my challenges knows that I love the soundtrack challenge days because it’s basically just another on rotation … and I get to relisten to a lot of music that I forgot I loved so much. This is no different. Yoko Kanno is a musical genius, who has done so much that it’s a damn shame she hasn’t gotten more work in the United States (I mean, if she cares about that sort of thing, I guess).
This is 100% going to be a two-parter, so be on the lookout for a second page.
Continue reading cowboy bebop 30 day challenge, day 25: in which I have favorite songs …
31 day star wars challenge, day 17: in which I have favorite music from the sequels …
Okay, I will say this: John Williams’ score was the best thing about the prequels, at least consistently, and I say that as a major Carrie Fisher fan (I know, I know, she passed away suddenly, but like, they didn’t really do much with her in The Force Awakens, anyway). I can honestly say I think it’s probably some of his best work ever, which I think would have been a nice ending to a rather robust career as a film composer, but considering he’s still writing stuff, I have a feeling he might be around a bit longer than that. Williams had a decent chunk of scores under his belt before 1977, but damn, this man’s work nearly defined my childhood and I feel like he just doesn’t ever, like … stop? You can retire, John. Take a vacay.
But anyway, here’s some of my favorite pieces from the sequel trilogy, starting with the arguably most famous from this part of the saga:
1 – “REY’S THEME”
I love how this just keeps building and building yet still manages to be simple. Kind of reminds me a bit of the Harry Potter theme? And now that’s all you will be able to hear. You’re welcome.
2 – “THE SUPREMACY”
I know General Leia Organa being able to pull herself through space using the Force was a contentious scene, but I loved it. Her theme comes up around 3:03 – 3:04, but you should listen to the Force theme buildup before it. So great.
3 – “ROSE TICO SUITE”
Rose Tico was done dirty, and Kelly Marie Tran is an absolute treasure. I also love her overly sweet theme almost as much as I do Leia’s. This one def has a bit of an Indiana Jones feel to it.
4 – “THE CAVE”
I mentioned this was my favorite scene from The Last Jedi, and the music just added to that. It didn’t have the same overly brooding music from Luke’s similar scene in The Empire Strikes Back – it sounds sad and wistful, almost resigned, and just so beautifully done.
5 – “THE FORCE IS WITH YOU”
Yes, I despise this movie, but this track is absolutely great: an emotional story being told with music, reaching this glorious apex of Rey’s theme mixed with the Force theme? I mean, come on, you’d have to be heartless not to feel something while listening to this.
Art Credit: 99 Designs
31 day star wars challenge, day 13: in which I have favorite music from the originals …
This set of soundtracks are such a huge part of my life and will continue to be probably until I die. I’m really hoping not to hear anything negative about John Williams – I’m speaking more in terms of like he’s a sexual predator or puppy killer – because if I can’t morally listen to his work on Star Wars, I will be incredibly sad.
1 – “PRINCESS LEIA’S THEME”
Leia’s theme naturally has to be the first track I put on here. Enough said.
2 – “THE BATTLE OF HOTH”
Just listen to this and tell me that you don’t feel the urgency behind the evacuation.
3 – “THE BATTLE OF ENDOR II”
I am pretty sure that I’ve already posted this on one of my “on rotation …” posts, but it really is one of my favorite tracks. That lightsaber duel theme (starting around 4:50-ish) is just *chef’s kiss* and no one can tell me otherwise.
4 – “THE THRONE ROOM/END TITLE”
This is what the parade music from The Phantom Menace wants to be when it grows up.
5 – “THE IMPERIAL PROBE DROID / ABOARD THE EXECUTOR”
I’m not normally a fan of dissonance, but I absolutely love how it’s used on this one.
Art Credit: 99 Designs
31 day star wars challenge, day 9: in which I have favorite music from the prequels …
I think I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: I love the music challenge posts because 1) there’s not as much writing to do, and 2) I get to relisten to tracks that I adore. Not that I don’t have the soundtracks to the Star Wars universe playing at least once a week anyway, because I do. And despite the general lackluster returns on the prequel trilogy, John Williams delivered some of his best work, in my opinion, even in comparison to the older and newer ones.
I’m not going to do a full “on rotation …” style playlist here – only a handful of my favorite tracks – but here they are! Enjoy!
1 – “ACROSS THE STARS (LOVE THEME)”
Yes, I hate the romance between Anakin and Padme, but their theme? Top fucking notch. It’s both romantic and tragic, full of passion with a hint of sadness. Literally perfect. If only the actual romance matched it. Also, this track is heavily used in one of my favorite video games of all time, Star Wars: Battlefront II.
2 – “QUI-GON, OBI-WAN, AND DARTH MAUL CONTINUE BATTLE”
Not a great title, I know, but I do enjoy the fact I don’t have to guess exactly what’s going on? Anyway, the entire reason this is on the list is because of what happens at around 0:22 – it’s so damn epic. Everything just stops and the choir of voices … god, it just sends chills throughout my whole body. “Duel of the Fates” is just a great theme, in any case, and was woefully underused throughout the trilogy.
3 – “ANAKIN’S DARK DEEDS”
This track has more range of emotion in it than Hayden Christensen shows over two movies. And he’s not a bad actor! Damn you, George Lucas.
4 – “THE FUNERAL OF QUI-GON”
I kind of feel weird that this song was also used for Padme’s funeral in Revenge of the Sith. Like, John Williams couldn’t have composed something closer to the romance theme? Whatever, this song is still equally haunting and beautiful.
5 – “ANAKIN VS OBI-WAN”
Hearing Darth Vader’s theme used here, in contrast with the sad battle music as he’s battling his best friend, is really a testament to John Williams’ expert use of themes in the Star Wars soundtracks. What little bits of humanity that Anakin still has are gradually giving into his Darth Vader persona, overtaking his friendship with Obi-Wan and his dedication to a life of service. What Lucas failed to do with the visuals, Williams was able to accomplish in his score, perfectly executed in this one track. God, this one is so damn good.
Alright, and now we’re onto the original trilogy! I’m actually really excited about the next several days. As a reminder, I officially start nursing school tomorrow, so I may get behind on these or the entries may be shorter than I’d hoped, but I will be doing the best I can. #cries
Art Credit: 99 Designs
* Here’s a video with the lyrics translated. They actually fit the scenario, which surprised me.
28 day xena: warrior princess challenge, day 26: in which I have favorite music …
Awww, yisssss …
Now, I’m usually more of an epic soundtrack kinda gal, but I love the more emotional bits of Joseph LoDuca‘s work, of which he has made plenty. And yes, before you ask, on the first track, “Burial,” that is Lucy Lawless singing. She even wrote the lyrics, which if I recall correctly, is in Hebrew, but feel free to let me know if I’m wrong!
Art Credit: Varese Sarabande
on rotation
Alright, I had to take a bit of a break from doing anything remotely close to using my brain (chemistry is killing me, y’all), but I am 100% still on my Mass Effect kick. How better to celebrate that than to create a playlist of all the amazing ambient music there is in that game? I can’t think of a single other way!
Anyway, it seriously does have some of the best tracks to just chill to. I already included one track on a previous on rotation …, so I’m not going to include that one on this post (although it is one of my favorite compilations, so I’m sacrificing here). FYI, though, a lot of these are at least an hour long – be prepared to chill for a while.
1
I cannot tell you how many times I have drifted off to sleep with the original game’s title screen playing in the background. It’s like Tibetan bowls in space or something, I can’t explain it.
2
The galaxy map theme is actually the first bit of music that was composed by Sam Hulik for the Mass Effect series, and it was actually just kind of an audition piece, if I remember correctly. They ultimately decided to use it in the game because it’s perfect, and I use this pretty frequently when I’m writing.
3
The music in the Eternity bar on Nos Astra is just the kind of music I’d want in my bar, and I’m not even remotely being sarcastic. It’s got enough to keep someone who just wants to listen to chill music entertained, but it’s not distracting enough to take away from any conversation you may want to have.
4
Despite the fact that the music is kind of low-key “enemies are here! keep looking for them!” in feel, the “Agebinium” track is so soothing.
5
So the ambient music from Alchera (where the Normandy crashed at the beginning of ME2) occasionally gets super creepy-sounding (it’s basically just reusing the track from the Collector ship), but it reminds me so much of Vangelis’ work that it doesn’t unnerve me at all.
6
And now we get to my favorite ME game for ambient music: Mass Effect 3. I don’t know why Bioware went full-hog here with this, but I am 100% here for it. The main title theme is just so beautiful, too. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for “Vigil’s Theme” (in the first video), but I love the work that the composer did here (not sure who it was, honestly? does anyone happen to know??).
7
God, this shit is just like Tibetan bowls. This is better than melatonin, y’all.
8
The Tuchanka ambient music sounds similar to the previous track, but it’s a bit … grittier maybe? More dissonant?
9
Just compare the above Tuchanka video with this one from Thessia. It’s more mysterious, refined, with a bit of spookiness to it.
10
I always loved Samara’s theme from Mass Effect 2, and it was so beautifully used in the ambient music on Lesuss.
30 day mass effect challenge, day 25: in which I have favorite music (part i) …
The music entries are almost always my favorite posts in the challenges I do, and they rarely distill into a single track. By rarely, I mean never, and this trend continues with Mass Effect. So, without further ado, I give you my favorite pieces from the whole series:
NOTE: I’m splitting this into two parts because I do not want to overload the page with a bunch of YouTube videos.
MASS EFFECT
MASS EFFECT 2
MASS EFFECT 2 DLC
Alrighty, continue on over to Part II!
Art Credit: eTeknix
30 day mass effect challenge, day 25: in which I have favorite music (part ii) …
And here, my friends, is Part II! Mass Effect 3 had some great pieces in it, some of them bumping earlier favorites down my list – in particular, “Rannoch.” I just love its epic feel. So freaking great.
MASS EFFECT 3
MASS EFFECT 3 DLC
And there we have it: my favorite bits from the soundtracks! I could listen to every song from the beginning – and have done so several times – but I’ll let y’all do that on your own.
Oh, and if you missed Part I? <<< click here!
Art Credit: eTeknix
a little more juju 