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Game Music

Watch JDK Band Live 2010, Live!

August 20, 2010 | Justin Pfeiffer | 7 Comments Share this Watch JDK Band Live 2010, Live!

That’s right. Last minute update: Falcom just announced that their JDK Band summer concert on August 21st, 2010 at Liquid Room in Tokyo will be broadcasted live for everyone around the world via USTREAM. Lucky you! I’ll be there in person for both shows of course.

The first stage is a dramatic performance by the voice actresses from Sora no Kiseki set to BGM played live by JDK Band. [Update: Apparently the first stage will not be streamed, but at least you can catch the second stage from all around the globe. Our apologies!]

The second stage is JDK Band’s live performance. The big one. Expect to hear lots of songs from Falcom’s latest game Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga (which is mainly JDK Band remakes of previous Falcom themes anyway), as well as some old favorites from previous performances. Be sure to check that one out at 6:00PM Japan Standard Time.
Game Music

North American Ys SEVEN Limited Edition Includes Soundtrack CD

June 11, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on North American Ys SEVEN Limited Edition Includes Soundtrack CD Share this

But then again, the complete soundtrack for Ys SEVEN has already been released in Japan, and is probably worth checking out. XSEED has announced that they will be releasing a Ys SEVEN Limited Edition version which will contain the game, a soundtrack disc containing over 20 tracks from the game, a 60-page art book, and a nifty cloth map of the Ys universe. The Limited Edition will set you back $49.99, which seems like a fair price to pay.

I’m greatly appreciative of XSEED’s efforts in bringing over these soundtrack discs and making them even snazzier than their Japanese counterparts (the Japanese Ys SEVEN Mini Soundtrack only contained 7 tracks). We saw the same thing with the Fragile Moonlight Tracks album a few months back. While 20 tracks is less than half of the music featured on the 2-disc soundtrack that Wes reviewed earlier this year, it’s still a nice bonus, and I’d love to get my hands on that cloth map.

Are you looking forward to Ys SEVEN? Will you be picking up the standard edition or limited edition?
Game Music, Reviews

Achieving A Great Arrange: Sekaiju no MeiQ³ Super Arrange Version (Review)

June 7, 2010 | Wes Chung | 8 Comments Share this

Not all that long ago, OSV very favourably reviewed Yuzo Koshiro’s Original Sound Track for Sekaiju no MeiQ (Etrian Odyssey III) and generated some very interesting dialogue between the readers. The music for these games has enjoyed quite a history of love from OSV, and I’m quite happy to carry on that tradition, or perhaps happy that this album deserves it.

Considering Yuzo Koshiro’s Ys contributions were one of my prime motivations for getting into game music, my lack of interest in this particular series might be a bit baffling. On the other hand, I don’t own a Nintendo DS (they’re marketed as primarily a girl-gamer gadget here in Australia, funnily enough) and I don’t play all that much anymore anyway. Except Final Fantasy: Dissidia, and ironically I quite dislike the arrangements for that.

So what right have I, you may ask, to talk about this album? Have I played the game? Nope. Do I intend to? Nope! And here’s where I reply to the hypothetical query with my own: how good must the music be for someone who hasn’t played the game to want to tell you all about an arranged version? The answer lies a click away… (more…)
Game Music

Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga Dated, Pack-Ins Revealed

April 21, 2010 | Justin Pfeiffer | 10 Comments Share this

More Falcom news! In an official press release by Falcom, the company has revealed that first pressing limited editions of their PSP fighting spin-off title, Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga, are set to include a bonus package called “Falcom Collective Music Files” which will include three parts. First is the Ys. vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga Original Soundtrack, which will be two discs and include the entire original soundtrack plus newly arranged tracks. Next is Falcom Best Sound Collection -ALL in ALL-, a compilation album of various tracks that Falcom has chosen from over 4,000 of their game’s BGMs. Finally we have the Collective Music Files special booklet, which will include various information about Ys. vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga and other famous Falcom titles.

Not a bad bonus package. As Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga is a fighting game based on Falcom’s two most successful series, we can assume there will be lots of fast-paced arranges of our favorite themes from both games and hopefully some new music as well. Veteran Falcom music collectors probably won’t be too excited about the compilation album, but it’s a great opportunity for newer Falcom fans to get a taste of the company’s other titles. I’m curious what they’ll include this time (it’s like their 238743th, right?). Perhaps the booklet will offer some information about the arrangements of the soundtrack from Sound Team jdk. Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga is scheduled to release in Japan on July, 29th 2010.
Game Music

JDK Band 2010 Concert Date Announced

April 16, 2010 | Justin Pfeiffer | 2 Comments Share this JDK Band 2010 Concert Date Announced

Yay, Japan gets a concert! It’s been a while since we heard anything new from Falcom. In our last Falcom post, we talked about the jdk Special CD included with the PSP version of The Oath in Felghana, which comes out next week on April 22nd. Falcom has uploaded some clips to from the album to Felghana’s official site here (you have to click on the lower-right blue banner). They’re quite good so be sure to check them out.

Now then, Falcom just updated their site announcing that there will be a Summer JDK Band concert in Tokyo at the Liquid Room on August 21st. Their last concert (which we also covered) was in June of 2009, meaning they’ve started spreading out their concerts a bit. I suspect JDK Band will be playing new songs from their arrangements on the jdk Special album and perhaps give us a sneak preview of Legend of Heroes VII’s music. As of now, we only know the date and the venue of the Tokyo show, but Falcom will be announcing band members, other details, and perhaps an additional show in Osaka (please?) in the near future. For the time being, and to get you in the Felghana spirit for its PSP release next week, enjoy this clip of Valestine Castle from last year’s show.
Featured, Game Music

Soundtrack of the Month 02/2010: Ys: The Oath in Felghana Perfect Collection

February 1, 2010 | Patrick Gann | 3 Comments Share this

After the success of Ys SEVEN on PSP, Falcom announced they would be bringing many more of their titles to the PSP, including the highly-praised remake of Ys III, entitled Ys: The Oath in Felghana.

OSV was quick to note that the PSP version of Oath in Felghana would be packaged with a JDK Special album. So, while we’re all excited about even newer arrangements of this great source material, let’s step back a moment and take a look at one of 2004’s best soundtracks. Say what you will about the “remake machine” that Falcom is, but we’re quite happy with what they did for the Ys III soundtrack in the past decade.

After the jump, it’s our February 2010 SotM: Ys: The Oath in Felghana Perfect Collection. (more…)
Game Music

Ys III: Oath in Felghana is Back for the PSP With a JDK Band Bonus CD

January 22, 2010 | Justin Pfeiffer | 5 Comments Share this

Heads up Ys fans. Ys III remake for Windows, The Oath in Felghana, is being ported to PSP in Japan on April 22, 2010 and first-print editions will include a bonus CD called Ys: The Oath in Felghana jdk Special. Despite the nostalgic “jdk Special” title, a term that was formerly reserved for Sound Team jdk in-house arrangement albums and should bring back Soundboard II memories to old Falcom fans, this disc is set to include themes chosen and arranged by JDK Band. The bonus CD is being included with the first pressings of both the regular edition and the limited edition, with the limited edition to include a Felghana drama CD as well.

In addition to this news, Falcom has announced that the PSP version of Felghana will (in Falcom remake tradition) feature an option to choose 3 different BGM types: Felghana original (Windows), PC-8801, and X68000. Now you can play the game in two different styles of chip tunes! Actually, the PC-8801 version and the X68000 version weren’t all that different, aside from the stronger drum sampling in the X68000 version, so it would’ve been nice to get something more interesting like the PC Engine Super CD version, but I suppose that’s asking too much. Normally I would say, “Get over to Falcom’s page and reserve it right now!” but as of today, Falcom has yet to list it on their order page. They are instead referring to Japanese electronic store, Sofmap, as SofMap is running a promotion to include two different Felghana telephone cards with the order. Unfortunately SofMap doesn’t appear to ship internationally, so keep an eye on Falcom’s order page or seek it elsewhere.

Are you looking forward to playing Felghana on the PSP? What’s your favorite version of Ys III’s soundtrack?