Uematsu

Game Music, Reviews

PIANO OPERA FINAL FANTASY I/II/III: It Finally Exists! (Review)

February 27, 2012 | Jayson Napolitano | 7 Comments Share this

While we were ecstatic to hear that Square Enix had taken us up on the suggestion we made to them over two years ago to release a piano collections CD from the first three games, I think we were all a little confused as to the change in naming convention from ‘piano collections’ to ‘piano opera.’ Can’t Square Enix stick to ANY of their conventions?

In any case, the title aside, this is the piano collections CD that you always wanted from the first three games.

Hit the jump for our full review. (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Uematsu+: UnchainBlades ReXX (Review)

November 2, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on Uematsu+: UnchainBlades ReXX (Review) Share this Uematsu+: UnchainBlades ReXX (Review)

Alright, so maybe it’s a bit unfair to composer Tsutomu Narita to put Uematsu’s name on this post title, but in actuality, Uematsu does provide the main theme, and Narita’s work does admittedly sound similar in style to Uematsu at times.

Just who is Narita, though, and what is this UnchainBlades ReXX soundtrack from Dog Ear Records? The answer to the first question is a young and upcoming arranger, composer, and performer who has worked with Uematsu and Dog Ear Records a lot (he’s a member of the Earthbound Papas) and is making his composition debut with UnchainBlades ReXX. As far as the game, I knew nothing about it before listening to this soundtrack, but it turns out it has a pretty interesting story, following a powerful protagonist who has lost favor with the Gods for his arrogance and must quest to regain his former glory.

Does Narita’s score capture the essence of the game’s interesting plot? Find out after the jump. (more…)
Chip Music, Game Music, Reviews

Ignoring Convention: SQ Chips (Review)

October 12, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this Ignoring Convention: SQ Chips (Review)

Okay, so that’s a stab at the naming convention of the SQ series, but also a comment about the album. SQ Chips has easily been the most anticipated SQ series album to date, and after seeing the track listing on the official website some weeks ago, I was super pumped about the album as well.

Now it’s out, and many of you have already listened to it. Does it live up to the hype? Is it the strongest SQ series album to date?

Find out what we think in our review after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

Uematsu Getting Play Time On Terrestrial Radio Stations

July 10, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 7 Comments Share this

This is something I randomly came across today. I was listening to 104.9 XLNC1 classical radio down here in San Diego, and my song identification software on my phone wasn’t working properly when I was trying to identify a song. I immediately checked the website’s playlist, and noticed that the song before the one I was trying to identify was none other than “Maria and Draco” from the Distant Worlds album. While I didn’t hear it myself, I was surprised to see that it had been played.

Who would have thought growing up that Nobuo Uematsu’s music would be playing on public radio stations around the world? Have you come across any occurrences like this, and do you think it’s a sign of the acceptance of game music and of Uematsu as one of the industry’s most influential composer?
Game Music, Reviews

Uematsu’s New Beginning: The Last Story Original Soundtrack (Review)

June 6, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

A lot of people have been watching this game very closely. Created by Hironobu Sakaguchi at Mistwalker, people immediately drew comparisons to Final Fantasy, at least in game title. What we were most interested in, however, was Nobuo Uematsu’s involvement, which is almost always a sure thing when Sakaguchi is making a new game.

The game was released in Japan in January, and from what I saw on my trip there, it was being heavily promoted. The 3-disc soundtrack was released in February, and while there isn’t even a release date for regions outside of Japan, many picked up the soundtrack and were surprised by what they heard.

What was so surprising about The Last Story’s soundtrack? Read our review after the jump to find out. (more…)
Experimental, Game Music, Reviews

The Boys Are Back in Town: EARTHBOUND PAPAS Unleash Octave Theory (Review)

May 23, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 5 Comments Share this

It was some time ago that Nobuo Uematsu announced that he had formed a new band called EARTHBOUND PAPAS. What was the band all about, and was it at all related to Nintendo’s Mother 2, which is known as Earthbound in West? Well, with the release of their debut album, Octave Theory, a couple months back, all speculation was laid to rest. This is Nobuo Uematsu’s new band.

But wait, what about The Black Mages, you ask? Well, The Black Mages belong to Square Enix, whereas the EARTHBOUND PAPAS are an independent group. Does it make a difference? As you’ll see from the track listing, a number of Final Fantasy tracks appear on the album, but the EARTHBOUND PAPAS really offer a distinct sound of their own.

Find out what we think of their debut offering and what other game arrangements are featured in our review after the jump. (more…)
Featured, Game Music

Explore Your Own Distant Worlds: DVD Giveaway Contest!

March 30, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 52 Comments Share this

That’s right, our friends over at Distant Worlds have a present for one of our lucky readers. Debuting at this weekend’s performances in New York (they’re playing the BAM Howard Gillman Opera House on both April 1 and April 2) will be the localized version of their Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY Returning Home DVD that we reviewed a few months back. Those who attend will have the opportunity to purchase the North American version of the DVD for the first time as well as meet Nobuo Uematsu and hear two different set lists of music from Final Fantasy.

So what do you have to do to win? Simple! Comment here on this post, on our Facebook fan page, or shoot us an email at [email protected] with a brief message about your favorite arrangement in the Distant Worlds catalog, or tell us which track you think needs to be arranged for future shows. My personal pick? “Troian Beauty” from Final Fantasy IV, which I believe is one of Uematsu’s most beautiful compositions. Let us know what you think by Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 11:59 PST, and we’ll pick a winner at random to win the newly released DVD.

While there will be only one winner, you can still check out the show in Atlanta, GA in May, Chicago, IL in June, Houston, TX in July along with stops in Australia, Poland, and England in 2011 to see the show and pick up the DVD. Check out the official Distant Worlds website for more details about their upcoming shows, tickets, and the DVD.

And good luck!