 | Album Title: Radiata Stories Arrange Album |
| Record Label: Team Entertainment | |
| Catalog No.: KDSD-00063 | |
| Release Date: March 24, 2005 | |
| Purchase: Buy at CDJapan |
Overview
This is the rearranged version of Radiata Stories Original Soundtrack composed by Noriyuki Iwadare. The Original Soundtrack had several deficiencies in itself which I felt didn’t measure up to the standards of Radiata Stories Online. I was feeling disgusted after listening to the low level of creativity in the original album. Then someone asked me if I had heard the arranged album. I’m generally skeptical of most arranged albums because they never seem to hold up to the original. Adding to my dissatisfaction with the Original Soundtrack, I had a predisposition that this one wouldn’t get any better. I consider a couple of tracks on the album a slight improvement over the malnourished and hideous tracks from the original album. Previous listeners of Radiata Stories will remember how most of the tracks on the original album rarely lasted more than a minute. The jazz tracks on this album stand on their own and also reinforce Radiata Stories Online‘s jazz motif from the original album. However, the vocals are a mixed bag; with the exception of “Diffuse World,” none of the six or seven tracks really stood out or sparked my attention. Not to say the rest of the tracks are drop-dead awful like the original album, but they just don’t impress you. With the exception of a few tracks, most of the other tracks are just par at best.
Body
“Hopping Sun” returns with the piano bringing a laid-back and tranquil setting. The cymbals in the background gently vibrate to give a shore sound. This track retains the same construction of the original theme but also provides a different take on the bouncy feeling of the original. Then the banjo section enters, elevating the sunny mood. The jazz motif continues with “Song of Freedom,” as the piano swings for the heroic theme. This track reminded me more of a Charlie Chaplin theme or a Looney Tune played at a bar or saloon in the Wild West. For me, it was not necessarily the style of the track that turned me off, but the suitability of the tune as a theme for a group of heroes, which left me indifferent to it. On the optimistic side, the piano is played with extraordinary skill and provides a sense of comic quality. “Scarlet Wind,” “Gantz Theme,” and “Men’s Dirge” reminded me so much of the Spanish flair of the original. However, this time those tracks have been extended and revamped so that they last long enough (3–4 minutes each) for you to appreciate them. These tracks are done exceptionally well while avoiding the pitfall of sounding overbearing or pompous by keeping intact the original beat and rhythm. The banjo in “Scarlet Wind” never loses your interest, and includes a new section that you never heard on the original album. Simplicity is the best word to describe these tracks.
There are some weak tracks on this album that don’t seem to introduce any new material. “Airy Feathers” tries to mimic the cuteness of “Perpetual Unsteadiness,” but isn’t as effective as the latter with its lame three-chord structure. Radiata Stories Online‘s “Genuine Girl” melody has a faint resemblance to “Enigmatic Scheme” in Unlimited SaGa, but not as well-crafted as the piano and violin section of the latter. At 0:40, the cue just loses focus or drifts off without a consistent focus or particular direction. “Legendary Sword” was inherently a jazzy piece; this time it’s driven by a piano that runs undeveloped for about a minute and then for another two minutes. Both versions on this album are apparently weak, with the piano driving the melody instead of the brass section—enough to make you yawn. The second track in this category is probably “Powerful Enemy,” which is nowhere near as energetic as the original version. I feel it relies too heavily on the piano instead of varying the musical accompaniment. I personally find that piano tracks for battle themes can quickly become notoriously uninspiring.
The vocal tracks are more abundant on this album, but I can safely say they’re not as grotesque as the ones you’ve heard in the Original Soundtrack (like the horrible MIDI tracks of “Paya Paya”). Although the vocals were an improvement in my opinion, none of them seem to win me over. “Diffuse World” is a vocal theme which I felt was more melodic than what the listener got in “Tekuteko Aruku” on the Original Soundtrack. The piano, drums, and sax work together to layer the mood for swinging music. The singer also sets a mellow voice that is just at the right level without making it cheesy or overly dramatic. “Flower Rabbit” is more of a lullaby sung by a small child when you judge it as a whole. The few bells and piano bring a touch of innocence, but nothing particularly groundbreaking. “Perpetual Unsteadiness” pays tribute to the old theme, but now with a vocal to induce the whimsical feeling. It is a little slower than the previous theme, and only gingerly pushes the melody with the chimes and triangles. Both vocals are definitely much more acceptable than “Paya Paya,” but they are just as easily forgettable. The rearranged version of “Calm Melody” is essentially the same as the Original Soundtrack version, only extended. I am a little perplexed as to why it is included on this album, because other than a female synth voice and a guitar, it’s as if she’s trying to give us attention deficit disorder rather than make us listen. It’s just an extremely bland track with a lack of rhythmic sophistication.
Summary
This album bridges the little gaps left in the Original Soundtrack regarding the jazz motif. I felt the arranged jazz tracks on the album provided a small redemption from his previous album. However, it was hard to get rid of the negative vibe I initially got from the Original Soundtrack. Iwadare still continues to be an oddity for me, because the albums he currently produces seem inconsistent and deviate from his orchestral style. I feel the vocals probably won’t do much for you here, but the jazz tracks will definitely be a hit if you give it a chance. The question remains: would you want to shell out dough for five or six tracks out of the 16 on the album? Probably not, so I recommend you get it from a garage sale if the price is right. If you had to choose between the arranged album and the Original Soundtrack of Radiata Stories, you should try the arranged album first. I feel the themes on this album are a slight improvement over the ones you’ve heard in the soundtrack.
