 | Album Title: Sonic Unleashed Original Soundtrack -Planetary Pieces- |
| Record Label: Wavemaster | |
| Catalog No.: WWCE-31193/5 | |
| Release Date: January 28, 2009 | |
| Purchase: Buy Used Copy |
Overview
Planetary Pieces is the three disc album behind the game Sonic World Adventure, or as it is known in the USA, Sonic Unleashed. In the game, Sonic not only undergoes a transformation, becoming a werewolf alter ego, but also gets the chance to travel around the world. Traveling to cities, countries, and continents that are heavily inspired by our world, the musical approach was to give it an authentic cultural feeling, helping bring out the life in each area Sonic visits. Tomoya Otani, who previously directed the Sonic ’06 soundtrack, returns to direct Planetary Pieces. Fumie Kumatani, Hideki Kobayashi, and Takahito Eguchi also return from Sonic ’06, and accompanying them is a wonderful and talented group of performers. They include the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Koji Haijima, well known for various Final Fantasy scores such as Dirge of Cerberus, Advent Children, and Final Fantasy IX.
Body
The most important thing I have to point out about this soundtrack is that it is far different from any other music that fans have come to enjoy from Sonic. In a way, it’s a spiritual successor to the Sonic the Hedgehog Original Soundtrack. Unlike Sonic ’06, worldly music was the main approach for Planetary Pieces. It doesn’t follow a specific genre; it follows the musical styles of many imaginative cultures developed ages ago. Specific instruments were handpicked to best represent each city and country Sonic visits. For example, Apotos, a regular Sonic stage, is heavily based on Mykonos, which is a Greek island. The main instrument that represents Apotos is the Maccaferri guitar combined with an alto flute. A Chinese bamboo flute with a small hint of shamisen was used for Chun-Nan, which is based on China. Mazuri, which is an interpretation of Africa, features bamboo flute, percussion like bongo drums, and native chanting. Certainly, this soundtrack was given a great deal of attention to detail.
Outside the worldly music used in much of the album, various interesting genres are also explored. A lot of it can be described as jazz interludes, lounge music, big-band Broadway, and even street-performance–inspired soul, blues, and funk. Some tracks pair instruments and genres you wouldn’t normally picture together. “Rooftop Run – Night” is a very 1970s-inspired funk piece that combines the sound of the electric bass and accordion. “Arid Sands – Night” makes nice use of trumpet fanfare combined with violins and a lead saxophone to give it an Arabian feel while still suggesting a lounge-band performance. Throughout the album, you will also hear the main theme and its variations, entitled “The World Adventure,” a heroic orchestral masterpiece. “The World Adventure” is a charming, whimsical, and enchanting piece that evokes an epic tale and journey to travel around the world, to sightsee, to imagine, and to dream. Unlike the orchestra for Sonic ’06, you can really feel the heart and emotion that the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra poured out.
The entire soundtrack is indeed a masterpiece and well worth a complete listen, but here’s the ultimate limitation. The music on Planetary Pieces dwells so deeply in its cultural influences that it does not sound like it came from a video game, let alone a Sonic game. If a person were to listen to the music without any prior knowledge of its source material, they wouldn’t be any wiser. They’d swear it was an album purchased at a Rain Forest Café or a Natural Wonders store. The music isn’t bad, but Sonic fans who listen to Planetary Pieces outside the game must have a STRONG understanding and appreciation for worldly music. It would’ve been great if several selected pieces were remixes, rearrangements, or even cover performances of an already existing Sonic theme; that way, Sonic fans would have had a closer connection. The way I see it, the people who would enjoy the music more than the average Sonic fan would be older adults, because the music is sophisticated and full of ambience that can help a person sit down, think, and relax.
Planetary Pieces also has two vocal themes. The first one is called “Endless Possibility,” performed by Jaret Reddick, the lead vocalist and guitarist behind the band Bowling for Soup. “Endless Possibility” is perhaps the only theme on the album that mainstream Sonic fans will enjoy a lot, because it follows the same hard rock formula left behind by Crush 40. “Endless Possibility” is fast-paced, lighthearted rock with a bit of punk. It has a nice rhythm guitar intro, with a very strong drum performance. Jaret himself provides a great singing voice. It’s smooth and light, and perfectly fits the theme of hopefulness and travel, never looking back. The second vocal song is the ending theme “Dear My Friend,” composed by Mariko Nanba, arranged by Takahito Eguchi, and performed by Brent Cash. “Dear My Friend” is a piano, violin, and vocal tune, which perfectly sums up the feeling of happiness with a mix of sadness. It’s a very nice and positive way to end the album.
Summary
If you haven’t played Sonic World Adventure / Sonic Unleashed at all, and if you are curious enough to give the album a listen, I would strongly suggest playing the game first, so that you can understand why the worldly music was the template behind Planetary Pieces. For a Sonic fan, the music may be very difficult to connect with, especially if they have to hear the music outside its original source. Ultimately, the decision to purchase the album is best suited for someone who can appreciate this kind of natural music. With that said, the musical performance in any and every piece is unique, elaborate, and mesmerizing. There’s a lot of ambience and imagination to be explored, with themes that are peaceful, tranquil, and relaxing, or themes that are fast, frantic, and energetic. The orchestra arrangement is an amazing addition as well, and anyone who has heard Haijima’s conducting will definitely enjoy his latest work with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Overall, it’s an amazing soundtrack, and it deserves a listen.
