Slow Reviews Soundtracks: A NinSheetMusic Column

[SlowPokemon]

Re-review, Vol. 2
Soundtrack Review: Professor Layton and the Curious Village by Tomohito Nishiura

While not quite mainstream, the Professor Layton series has a large cult following due to its intriguing plots, addictive and challenging puzzles, and consistently high quality presentation. Produced by gaming studio Level-5 and published by Nintendo, the series has won over players and critics alike. Today I take a look at the soundtrack of the first game, Professor Layton and the Curious Village. This was my first introduction to the franchise and I was very impressed with the music upon hearing it.

One cannot analyze Professor Layton music without mentioning the accordion. Its distinctive sound is omnipresent throughout the entire series, and the game's European setting is effective thanks in no small part to this instrument as it effortlessly glides through the score. Chimes and mallets are also incredibly frequent. That being said, with so much of those instruments it does occasionally become tiresome, especially in some of the more formulaic tracks.

The opening "Professor Layton's Theme," which is by far the most fun piece, opens with a distinctive and quirky piano bouncing as a solo violin cuts through, occasionally passing the meandering melody to the accordion, with an incredibly catchy beat led by the piano underscoring the whole affair. Unfortunately, this piece tends to clash a bit compared with the rest of this album. Not much else in the score is really in this style of music. That's absolutely fine, as the rest of the music suits the game perfectly. The story is first and foremost a mystery, and the title theme, "St. Mystere," creates a mood to match. Its main melody is darkly mysterious, and the entire piece feels mechanical, with a guiro, tambourine, and triangle behaving like clockwork as the accordion accents the offbeats. Two string instruments carry the main melody and bass line, which suits the feel of the piece. This main theme is rearranged in "About Town," which mimics the clockwork with a mallet instrument and accordion comprising of the entire ensemble. The bass melody is unusually high, and at some points the accordion even dips below the mallets. Be that as it may, this theme, while repetitive, perfectly suits the town of St. Mystere and despite the fact that it is played constantly within the game, it never feels overused or annoying.

The "Puzzles" theme develops in a similar way, with high chimes and mallets creating an atmosphere that can only be described as utterly mechanical yet wholly elegant. "Baron Reinhold" begins with the same instruments, but adds the accordion after the piece's introduction. This piece is quite fitting for a mystery; it sounds like an old cheesy mystery film with its over-the-top suspicious atmosphere. It goes hand-in-hand with "The Plot Thickens," which begins a bit annoyingly yet progresses into the closest thing to the jazz heard in the main theme. The rhythm in this piece is addictive in its exotic nature, and the accordion's melody is catchy and complements the mallets very well. Unfortunately, the mallet/accordion combination doesn't fare well at all in "Crumm's Cafe," which is just plain grating with its spinning "melody"--I use quotes because the melody is more a series of repetitive trilling mallet notes. "Down the Tubes," which concentrates heavily on mallets and accordion while adding a bass and bassoon, is also quite tiresome after the interesting tritone chord at the beginning degrades into typical mystery-esque music that becomes too repetitive. "Deserted Amusement Park" also fails to bring much worthwhile, though while bland its inherent waltz tempo is more interesting than either of the previous two.

A few of the more relaxed themes, however, use chimes and accordion to their advantages-- "The Veil of Night" is incredibly repetitive, with chimes performing the same four notes throughout the entire lengthy piece, but the mood established by this piece is incredibly effective. The relaxing nighttime image is lovely in its innocent sleepiness. "The Mysterious Girl," in contrast, feels more like a lullaby; the chimes carry the melody before the accordion squeezes in, sounding wistful, nostalgic, and lonely. "Setting Out" and "End Theme," which segue into one another, offer some of the best of the album, their simple melodies managing to capture the series's charm and heart.

The rest of the score treads a variety of territories. "The Great Don Paolo" is an obvious highlight, providing the most innovative use of the accordion on the album. The wacky villain's theme is nothing more than a few manic accordions ranting wildly, but its effectiveness is astonishing, and the track offers a welcome comical deviation. In contrast, the lumbering accordions in "The Looming Tower" provide a great and engaging setup that never really goes anywhere. "The Village Awakens" is in a similar boat, with an ominous bouncing piano and forlorn accordion highlighting a somewhat meandering piece that doesn't quite develop fully.

The real prizes of the soundtrack album are the bonus tracks. The soundtrack for Curious Village contains four arranged tracks performed by the Layton Grand Caravan Orchestra. The obvious highlight is of course "Professor Layton's Theme," a piece that was destined to be performed live. Much of the piece's mechanical nature has been removed, replacing it with a sense of genuine jazz, and the orchestration is sublime. "End Theme" is also wonderful, the main melody allowed to truly shine on instruments other than the in-game version's mallets and accordion. The percussion is quite effective at complementing the oboe and various strings that enhance the quality of this piece. "The Veil of Night" is exquisite in its quality and orchestration, but at 5+ minutes it does tend to drag on. "The Looming Tower," in a track that is actually a good bit shorter than the in-game version, develops its theme a bit more effectively with the aid of strings and other instruments.

Other bonus tracks include welcome "high quality" versions of three tracks, all of which sound crystal clear. While there are no differences in the actual pieces, these use a more polished, realistic-sounding soundfont.

In general, the soundtrack for Professor Layton's first adventure is thoroughly charming and quaint and offers a few gems that stand very well on their own, despite containing an undeniably large number of pieces that strike the listener as bland and formulaic. It is a solid effort from Nishiura, but demands more in the future.

Rating: ***

Track list (excellent tracks in red) [official English sound test names]:
1. Professor Layton's Theme
2. St. Mystere
3. The Adventure Begins
4. About Town
5. Puzzles
6. Baron Reinhold
7. The Plot Thickens
8. Crumm's Cafe
9. The Mysterious Girl
10. Down the Tubes
11. Pursuit in the Night
12. The Veil of Night
13. Deserted Amusement Park
14. The Great Don Paolo
15. The Village Awakens
16. The Looming Tower
17. Memories of St. Mystere
18. Setting Out
19. End Theme
20. Professor Layton's Theme
21. The Veil of Night
22. The Looming Tower
23. End Theme
24. About Town
25. Baron Reinhold
26. The Village Awakens

[MassiveMayhem]

<3 You approach these reviews with such accuracy precision. I love it. Awesome review.

[SlowPokemon]

Thanks bud. <3

Have you played Layton or heard the music?

[SlowPokemon]

Re-review, Vol. 3
Soundtrack Review: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box by Tomohito Nishiura

Following the first game in the Professor Layton series was Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, my personal favorite of the video games. With a polished gameplay and puzzle system, a rather darker plot, and several new settings to explore, the game successfully improved on the last one while bearing in mind the age-old expression "If it isn't broke, don't fix it." The music takes a similar cue, using essentially the same ensembles of instruments and using plenty of accordion. However, this soundtrack greatly benefits from the lack of chimes and bells which so often pervaded the first installment.

The opening "The Elysian Box Theme" continues in the same vein as "Professor Layton's Theme" (which here serves as the title piece), with a mysterious piano opening, soon backed by a low string instrument. This piece is significantly darker than the aforementioned one, especially in the introduction, which fits as the plot of Diabolical Box is much darker than that of Curious Village. However, it is classic Layton jazz as soon as the more upbeat rhythm begins, the instruments performing perfect underscore for the passionate final scene. However, it is worth noting that this theme does not develop as well as it could, and it seems that it ends too soon; the ending feels abrupt and forced. Nishiura's "Puzzles Remixed" theme borrows heavily from the first game's puzzle theme, virtually identical other than percussion and a few subtle noises in the second half. It's just different enough that anyone who made it through the first game will be able to tell the difference immediately. However, it seems a bit odd that a new puzzle theme was nixed in favor of the existing one, considering the theme uses elements from the score of Curious Village.

"In London" introduces the first of several London themes that will be heard later on, and the accordion's dirty sound perfectly suits the nasty streets of the city. This theme is introduced as a major key piece in "The Molentary Express," one of the better tracks on the album. One can hear the train rocking as Layton and Luke explore the area and the French waltz tempo is a great use of the accordion. "The Village of Dropstone" takes a similar cue; despite its 4/4 time, it borrows heavily from the style of waltzes and primarily uses the accordion. These three pieces are quite similar to the style of Curious Village; however, the tone begins to change with "An Uneasy Atmosphere," which marks the start of the more dark themes on the album. That piece in particular is quite a tone shift, switching from a merry accordion ballad to a string-centered piece featuring a lot of harsh timpani. "Folsense" uses piano and accordion with violin to create a very lonely, haunting, and sorrowful tone, hypnotic in its beauty and sadness. Similarly reflective is "The Dark Forest," which is very effective at evoking a sense of sad beauty in the listener, turning something frightening into something sorrowful.

"The Town's Past"  is the oddity of the bunch, concentrating on bassoon and oboe to establish a relaxingly dull tone. It tends to drag on, but despite this is an interesting change of pace, its tones warm and inviting. "The Somber Castle" is arranged in a similar fashion, but with harpsichord and violin leading the dignified and solemn piece. "Unspoken Feelings," its counterpart, uses chimes and violin in a rather ineffective droning way, giving the unfortunate impression of being a carbon copy of some of the Curious Village themes. "Into the Depths of the Dark," too, sounds incredibly similar to Curious Village, seeming a more fast-paced extension of "The Looming Tower." The fact is, this piece could benefit from instruments other than the accordion.

With all of the depressing themes on the album, "Time for a Break" is a welcome relief with its upbeat and relaxed jazz style. Folsense is a lonely place, and though the darkness is intriguing and engaging, the game definitely benefited from the lighthearted minigames. "The Ball" is the only orchestral waltz to be found on the album, which is a shame as Nishiura really seems to master the art of arranging for chamber strings. The sweeping melody is swaying and contagious, an excellent ballroom dance. The choral piece "The True Folsense" is also achingly beautiful, but unfortunately suffers from a short runtime that doesn't allow any development.

The best piece in the game, in my opinion, was not a work of Nishiura and does not even appear on the soundtrack; the ending theme, "Iris." It is only represented on the soundtrack as a music box solo, and while calming it does not come close to representing this wonderful piece. Heartbreaking and beautiful, "Iris" appears in the Japanese game as a song performed by Salyuu, whose lovely voice passionately conveys the central relationship in the game. The English games instead receive an instrumental version, with violin and accordion handling the main melody. It is still beautiful, but in my opinion not as effective as the vocal version. I'd recommend adding this piece to your iPod, despite its lack of inclusion on the official album, and most downloads of the soundtrack include these pieces as bonuses.

Once again, the listener is treated to four live arranged tracks and three high quality tracks. The live performances are the real prizes, beginning with "The Elysian Box Theme." At over three and a half minutes, the piece is finally allowed to develop fully, with a great sense of tragedy amid its catchy jazz rhythm. "Folsense" is the best of the arranged tracks, featuring a great orchestra and retro style in its second half. It may be small, but I really appreciated the echoing "drip" sound effect applied in the second half; it added to the depth and emotion. A guest appearance is made by "Don Paolo's Theme," which is performed by world-famous accordionist Tetsuya Kuwayama. It is thoroughly enjoyable, despite its repetition and wacky polka-like nature. It is laugh-out-loud outrageous, a welcome addition to the album. "Time for a Break," unfortunately, tends to drag on after its great first act, the arrangement a tad too long for the lack of melody and exaggeration of smooth jazz; however, jazz enthusiasts will adore this arrangement.

The high quality arrangements are phenomenal once again, "The Dark Forest" benefiting the most from the soundfont upgrade. Great substitutions for the actual pieces.

Overall, the soundtrack is about as accomplished as its predecessor, but due to the smaller number of pieces, the lengthy nature of some of the more dull themes, and occasional over-reliance on accordion, tends to be a bit disappointing, especially coupled with the absence of the ending theme, "Iris," which is an absolute must-have addition to the soundtrack.

Rating: ***

Track list (excellent tracks in red) [official English sound test names]:
1. The Elysian Box Theme
2. In London
3. Puzzles Remixed
4. The Molentary Express
5. Suspense
6. The Village of Dropstone
7. An Uneasy Atmosphere
8. Folsense
9. The Town's Past
10. Time for a Break
11. The Dark Forest
12. Into the Depths of the Dark
13. Unspoken Feelings
14. The Somber Castle
15. The Ball
16. The True Folsense
17. Iris (Music Box Version)
18. The Elysian Box Theme
19. Folsense
20. Don Paolo's Theme
21. Time for a Break
22. The Town's Past
23. The Dark Forest
24. The Somber Castle

Also check out:
25. Iris
26. Iris (Instrumental Version)

[Bubbles]

Track list (excellent tracks in red) [official English sound test names]:
1. The Elysian Box Theme
2. In London
3. Puzzles Remixed
4. The Molentary Express
5. Suspense
6. The Village of Dropstone
7. An Uneasy Atmosphere
8. Folsense
9. The Town's Past
10. Time for a Break
11. The Dark Forest
12. Into the Depths of the Dark
13. Unspoken Feelings
14. The Somber Castle
15. The Ball
16. The True Folsense
17. Iris (Music Box Version)
18. The Elysian Box Theme
19. Folsense
20. Don Paolo's Theme
21. Time for a Break
22. The Town's Past
23. The Dark Forest
24. The Somber Castle

Also check out:
25. Iris
26. Iris (Instrumental Version)

fixed

[Waddle Bro]

good fix

[SlowPokemon]

Re-review, Vol. 4
Soundtrack Review: Professor Layton and the Unwound Future by Tomohito Nishiura

The final game in the first trilogy of the Professor Layton series, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future is to this day generally hailed as having the best plot of the games, with an intriguing tale of time travel and a genuinely moving conclusion. The soundtrack, much larger in quantity, does a lot more of the same, treating the listener to Nishiura's signature Layton sound.

The album begins with a bang. "The Unwound Future" marks the first time that a live orchestra recording was used within the games, and it is easily the most energetic piece on the album. It blends together the jazzy piano, subdued violins, and meandering accordion sound from "Professor Layton's Theme" and "The Elysian Box Theme" while also introducing much its own style. This piece feels more epic than its predecessors, with a sense of tragedy and climactic action that propels it forward. One of Nishiura's best jazz efforts to date, and certainly fitting for the game.

As usual, the rest of the tracks don't relate much to the main theme. Smooth jazz is surprisingly infrequent throughout the score, the energetic piece "The Gilded 7 Casino" being a highlight. The piano, violin, drum set, and saxophone ensemble is perfect for what is actually a great jazz piece. In addition, "The Professor's Deductions" provides a nice throwback to "Professor Layton's Theme" with its mysterious piano performing the same chords and the violin meandering in a similar manner.

The chimes make their return in "Puzzles Reinvented," which sounds exactly like clockwork, brisk and mechanical. A straightforward minor key melody is the focus here, not as memorable or effective as the original puzzle theme but a welcome bit of new material. The theme is used several times throughout the score. "Suspicion" is the piece that plays during mystery exposition sequences as well as the recap that plays before resuming your game, and it's very much the same instrumentation as "Puzzles Reinvented." Far too typical and perhaps overlong, the piece is nevertheless effective at enhancing the mysterious aspect of the plot. "Puzzles Reinvented 2" is a carbon copy of the original piece, played a bit faster and with a few odd chords to the effect of hyping up the danger ever so slightly. "Puzzle Battle" goes absolutely crazy in its bouncing accordions, very reminiscent of "Don Paolo's Theme." The puzzle theme doesn't appear until well into the piece, but its brief violin passage is a great nod, winking at careful listeners while not being so lazy as to use the exact same music.

Accordion-led waltzes have become by this point a staple in the Layton series. There are several themes representing London in this score, all of them waltzes and most of them accordion-led. "London Streets," the theme for London in the present, is extraordinarily catchy. The fragmented, minimalist piano, dirty-sounding accordions, sly violin, and wandering clarinet perfectly convey an upbeat, swing melody. "Searching for Clues" is a bit more happy in its approach, the calm accordions perfectly underscoring the violin's brief passage. "More London Streets" is the closest thing London has to a main theme, the accordions and violin performing an almost tragic melody as Layton's gang wanders amiably through Future London. Love them or hate them, the accordions in this piece perfectly suit the dirty streets of London. "A Quiet Town" rounds off the London themes, ignoring the accordion and instead opting for a string waltz. It represents the lighter, more elegant aspect of London, still melancholic in nature but undeniably more graceful.

The chimes are at their most prominent in "Chinatown," whose Asian tones and fragmented melancholic ideas complement the mechanical waltz tempo. "The Towering Pagoda" takes a large cue from "The Looming Tower" and "Into the Depths of the Dark" from previous installments. I hardly think it's necessary at this point to include such familiar tower themes; either of the aforementioned tracks could have achieved the exact same effect as "The Towering Pagoda."

Some of the more tragic themes are too generic and simply unmoving, most notably "Sorrow" and "Memories." The former is simply too overplayed and fails to evoke emotion, and the latter sounds utterly forced and familiar (not to mention extraordinarily repetitive). Luckily, the themes for danger and action more than make up for this, nearly all of them being exciting and worthwhile. "Tension" and "Crisis" do well to set things up, particularly the latter in its uneasy accordions. "The Research Facility," however, is where things get truly exciting. Its perfect structure builds tension and places the listener in a state of fascinated uneasiness and discomfort. "The Mobile Fortress," however, while definitely tense and frantic, feels a bit too anticlimactic; it's clear that "The Unwound Future" was meant to play during the climax, leaving this section of the album seemingly empty and unfinished.

This awkwardly segues into the minigame theme, arranged three different ways: "The Picture Book" is a cute, lullaby-like chime piece, "The Toy Car" is an upbeat romp, and "The Parrot" is yet another accordion waltz. The melody is passive and catchy, and never gets too annoying, making it the perfect fit for each of these. With all the hours you'll put into the minigames, you'll undoubtedly be humming this tune for quite a while.

The ending theme, "Time Travel," as with the previous game, was not composed by Nishiura and is represented on the album by a piano solo. The original and its instrumental counterpart are both beautiful, and the piano version on the album is a great substitute (as compared to "Iris" which only received a music box version). Its sad but comforting melody is a great way to slowly console yourself after you inevitably broke down sobbing at the ending.

The live arrangements are once again a highlight. "More London Streets" is easily the best in this category; rather than accordions, elegant strings take up the melody, which becomes shimmering and beautiful rather than melancholic and droning. "The Research Facility" is also great, the piece allowed to really expand with more instrumentation and development and more of a sense of climax than the original. Unfortunately, "The Mobile Fortress" benefits very little, the arrangement basically serving as a high quality version of the original. The real problem, though, does not lie with the arrangement--rather, this was not a great choice to pick for a live performance. It only leaves me wondering what an arrangement of "London Streets" or "Chinatown" or "Puzzle Battle" would have sounded like. The high quality tracks, "The Toy Car" and "The Towering Pagoda," prove less worthwhile than those in previous album releases, much for the same reason as "The Mobile Fortress"'s live arrangement--they simply were not the right choices.

Overall, while the live arrangements and high quality bonus tracks are something of a disappointment, the rest of the score clearly surpasses the previous two Layton soundtracks, if only by a small margin. An absolute must-have for any fan of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future.

Rating: ****

Track list (excellent tracks in red) [official English sound test names]:
1. The Unwound Future
2. Puzzles Reinvented
3. London Streets
4. Searching for Clues
5. Tension
6. More London Streets
7. A Quiet Town
8. The Gilded 7 Casino
9. Sorrow
10. Suspicion
11. Chinatown
12. Puzzle Battle
13. Memories
14. The Towering Pagoda
15. The Professor's Deductions
16. Crisis!
17. The Research Facility
18. Puzzles Reinvented 2
19. The Mobile Fortress
20. The Picture Book
21. The Toy Car
22. The Parrot
23. Time Travel ~Piano Ver.~
24. More London Streets
25. The Research Facility
26. The Mobile Fortress
27. The Towering Pagoda
28. The Toy Car

Also check out:
29. Time Travel
30. Time Travel (Instrumental Version)

[Bubbles]

Track list (excellent tracks in red) [official English sound test names]:
1. The Unwound Future
2. Puzzles Reinvented
3. London Streets
4. Searching for Clues
5. Tension
6. More London Streets
7. A Quiet Town
8. The Gilded 7 Casino
9. Sorrow
10. Suspicion
11. Chinatown
12. Puzzle Battle
13. Memories
14. The Towering Pagoda
15. The Professor's Deductions
16. Crisis!
17. The Research Facility
18. Puzzles Reinvented 2
19. The Mobile Fortress
20. The Picture Book
21. The Toy Car
22. The Parrot
23. Time Travel ~Piano Ver.~
24. More London Streets
25. The Research Facility
26. The Mobile Fortress
27. The Towering Pagoda
28. The Toy Car
Also check out:
29. Time Travel
30. Time Travel (Instrumental Version)

Fixed :3

[blueflower999]

I probably shouldn't read this >.<

[SlowPokemon]

I probably shouldn't read this >.<

Eh there are very minimal spoilers, mostly stuff that could be read in a review or in some cases even the back of the box! But you can at least read the curious village one, lol.

Also thx for feedback bubbles

[Bubbles]

Yeah, dont read them just yet XD

And np slow

[FSM-Reapr]

Waddle keeps bugging me that I should play Layton more than just the Unwound Future.

The music is awesome, so perhaps I will.

[SlowPokemon]

Soundtrack Review: Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time by Yoko Shimomura

In an unusual turn of events, today I'll be reviewing a soundtrack that never received an official release, other than a few selections on a compilation soundtrack. The soundtrack is that of Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, the wonderful, bizarre, and utterly hilarious sequel to GBA hit Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. The music was composed by series veteran Yoko Shimomura, who is most well-known for her acclaimed music for the Kingdom Hearts series as well as Super Mario RPG. Without further ado, let's take a look at the soundtrack and evaluate how well it complements the game.

The music is distinctly Shimomura. Her talent for bouncy, upbeat, and zany music makes her the perfect fit for this oddball series, and that talent is showcased very well here. Mallets, pizzicato strings, and timpani are the most frequently heard instruments, allowing for an appropriately off-kilter, idiosyncratic tone, as showcased very well in "Chaos!" which serves as go-to music to underscore anything particularly funny or bizarre that befalls the bros. "Prince Bowser's Theme" is comical and cute, establishing the playful character of Prince Bowser. However, despite Shimomura's obvious touch, her themes fit right into the Mario world and she even takes the liberty of arranging some of the classic Mario themes in her own style. The obligatory main theme and underground theme remix are found in "Hollijolli Path" and "Gritzy Caves" respectively, the former being entertaining in its upbeat mallets and the latter extremely catchy in its lazy electronic rhythm. The jazzy ensemble in "Peach's Castle" will undoubtedly invoke nostalgia in anyone who played Super Mario 64. Likewise, "E. Gadd's Theme," led by a sneaky bassoon, mallets, and flute, will have Luigi's Mansion fans grinning from ear to ear. Shimomura's music blends right in with the classic Mario tunes and her original compositions are indistinguishable from these.

It's worth noting that this soundtrack is considerably darker than its predecessor, or really anything Shimomura has done before or since. Considering that this game is at its heart about the Mushroom Kingdom being invaded by aliens, that is perhaps fitting and the game definitely benefits from the use of upbeat yet minor key pieces. Immediately in the prologue we are introduced to "The Shroobs' Themes," which takes liberal use of the tritone chord and using an otherworldly sound for the aliens not unlike Danny Elfman's music for Mars Attacks!. This idea is later used in a more fleshed-out piece, "Shroobs' Castle," which utilizes a haunting choir to make the whole situation more ominous. "King Bowser's Theme" is another excellent example of this, the hulking menace perfectly represented by Shimomura's unique instrumentation and tone.

The music for the different worlds in the game tends to be minimalist and scary, a great Shimomura's clever minor key variant of Jingle Bells in "Hollijolli Village" feels incredibly sad and ominous, especially with the addition of the accordion. The groaning strings in "Bowser's Castle" really set the uneasy mood before the hyperactive mallets and plucking strings take over, referencing Prince Bowser's quirkiness. "Vim Factory" is definitely worth noting; despite its brevity, it is quite effective at hyping up tension. This piece is amazing at really sounding like what it is--a top-secret alien institution. "Toad Town" is very Elfman-esque in its chimes and incessant pizzicato strings. The overwhelming sorrow and heartbreaking depression conveyed in this piece is impressive, to say the least, and it isn't the type of music you expect to find in video games.

These darker pieces, however, do tend to clash with the more upbeat, pleasant sections of the score. It's jarring, for instance, to move directly from "Toadwood Forest" and "Vim Factory" to the exotic and joyful "Yoshi Village," which is wholeheartedly cute in its flute and mallets. "Yoshi's Island" is an unrestrained exercise in the typical music we hear from Mario, with the clapping and accordion adding a little of Shimomura's flair. "Yoob's Belly" is appropriately weird yet extremely appealing and catchy in its style. Nothing much happens in this piece, but its catchy way of moving along the story is very effective. "Gritzy Desert" is, in contrast, wholly appealing and the best desert theme that Mario has to offer, the percussion and strange instruments emulating the sound and feel of a desert. "The Koopaseum" is bouncy and quite fun, and effectively excites the player for the craziness that follows. "Thwomp Volcano" is quite intriguing, and the bouncing melody and instrumentation provide a wacky, enjoyable tune. "Thwomp Caverns" takes this theme and adapts it very loosely, choosing to focus instead on percussion and synth effects.

It could be argued that Shimomura's most effective contributions to the album are her battle themes, which are truly great. "Crisis for the Red and Green!" sounds almost like a carnival, again emulating Danny Elfman's work--this time reminding of his music for The Simpsons with the mallets' wacky sixteenth-note runs. "The Overture for the End" really gets things going though, with a tense and thoroughly great style for the "final" battle. The true final battle music, though, is where we finally see the beautiful, epic style of Shimomura that was so commended in Kingdom Hearts. The rare battle music that is sorrowful, "Yet Another Requiem" is utterly heartbreaking and tragic and somehow fits as final battle music to a dark, dark game. The ending credits, "Dance With Babies," is really quite sinister. A relatively small ensemble, featuring an ominous accordion, bassoon, and tambourine, performs a waltz that is thoroughly dark and creepy, especially for a Mario game. The creepy style is effective and relentless, only abating for a moment to accentuate the harp in light glissandos before resuming work. While some may find the end credits too dark a note for the adventure to end on, I think it suits the game very well, especially combined with the credits artwork, which recaps the bros.' adventures throughout the story.

Any fan of Yoko Shimomura would do well to obtain this soundtrack, considering that a good portion of the music rivals that of her more well-known work in the Kingdom Hearts series. A wonderful soundtrack, perfect for the game and still great on its own.

Rating: ****

Gamerip track listing (excellent tracks in red):
1. Hello, Time-Travelers!
2. File Select
3. The Shroobs' Theme
4. Peach's Castle
5. News Flash!
6. E. Gadd's Theme
7. Time Hole (To Past)
8. Hollijolli Path
9. Attack The Enemy!
10. Crisis for the Red and Green!
11. Battle Clear Fanfare
12. Hollijolli Village
13. Prince Bowser's Theme
14. Chaos!
15. Bowser's Castle
16. Time Hole (To Present)
17. Toadwood Forest
18. Vim Factory
19. Yoshi Village
20. Yoshi's Island
21. Yoob's Belly
22. Gritzy Desert
23. The Koopaseum
24. Gritzy Caves
25. King Bowser's Theme
26. Thwomp Volcano
27. Thwomp Caverns
28. Toad Town
29. Star Hill
30. Star Shrine
31. Shroobs' Castle
32. The Overture for the End
33. Final Boss Appears
34. Yet Another Requiem
35. Bowser Battle
36. Ending
37. Dance With Babies
38. The End

[Yugi]

37. Dance With Babies

?

And should I get this game?

[SlowPokemon]

If you had read the review, you'd know that's the staff credits theme.

And yes everyone should get this game.