ReMix:Super Mario Bros. 2 "Lizardiño Slayer Quartet" 2:14

By ilp0

Arranging the music of one song...

"Overworld BGM"

Primary Game: Super Mario Bros. 2 (Nintendo , 1988, NES), music by Koji Kondo

Posted 2007-06-06, evaluated by the judges panel


I've compared ilp0's stuff to Steely Dan (who I'm going to see again this summer at Wolftrap), and I still think it's a legit comparison... though this latest arrangement of the most famous theme from SMB2 features some fx, specifically backwards processing, that Donald Fagen might not employ, I can still hear an influence, conscious or otherwise. Which is great, by the way; despite apparently being dissed in Knocked Up, SD are great stuff. And so's ilp0 - his talent in particular for combining crunchy electric guitar with cleaner textures lends itself to the genre/material time after time. Jill writes:

"Ooh, fun! Despite the brevity of this arrangement, I actually felt like it went in some interesting directions. The mixing is rather dry, but that in combination with the classic rock beat and quirky bassline makes it sound very Beatles. I like the way electric guitar's sound sort of evolves throughout the mix. Good use of FX, and there was some decent original material from 1:05-1:15. Because the structure is basically identical to the original and you only did it once through, I'm a little concerned about the conservativeness of the arrangement. Still, the soundscape is so unique and varied internally that it would be a shame not to pass this."

Estradasphere covered this theme with a wonderful big band jazz style, Adrian Holovaty with a lovely gypsy jazz approach, and now Ilari Nieminen joins his jazz peers with a rock variation that works just as well. Jimmy adds:

"This is packed with Nintendo fun for the entire family. I'll say again, there's no plausible excuse for anyone to not smile, and maybe tap a toe or two to this. If a real Nintendo theme park ever does actually come into existence, I hope this will be looped all over the place there."

Pretty much; this one's a bit closer to the source than the artist's previous mixes, but still features the same distinct style and compelling instrumental work. I for one think it'd be interesting to see if Nintendo could get the SMB2 throwing gameplay mechanic & overall aesthetic to work in a 3D environment as successfully as they did the traditional mechanic with SM64; maybe after Galaxy? Who knows, but this would fit in a theme park just as well as it would a sequel, and makes for some great listening in any context.

djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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FL530
on 2016-06-22 05:21:50
On Thursday, June 07, 2007 at 0:38 AM, Decoy Octopus said:

something very Beatles-ish.

This would actually mesh pretty well with the vocals from "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". If someone does it, I'd listen to it a lot!

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Black_Doom
on 2015-12-06 09:57:18

Holy shit, that guitar is so damn funky! I'm big fan of ilp0's stuff, but this one is a standout example of his musical skills - everything is 100% perfect. Every litle detail - from vibes to guitar is extremely neat and works very well. Sick stuff!

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Marmiduke
on 2012-05-08 08:58:47

I'd be very surprised if this mix wasn't modeled off of Maxwell's Silver Hammer. The likeness is uncanny, and as a tribute to that great Beatles song and a great Koji Kondo song, I can't think of how it could be done any better.

Very much a conceptual piece, but not necessarily without extra merits. It's got great variety, it packs a lot of material and instrumental diversity into its swift running time, and its showcases the jazzy side of SMB2. It's a nicely crafted, well wrapped package that doesn't seem capable of offending anyone's ears. I wouldn't class it as super special, but its fun sound gives it staying power.

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Holy Land
on 2010-09-27 15:51:15

This is one of ilp0's greatest achievements.

nuff said

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Crulex
on 2010-02-27 16:05:18

A crazy and goofy little tune. I'll probably be one of maybe fifty people in the world to say that I always liked the SMB2 overworld theme more than the original Mario theme. That being said, being close to the original source was a plus for me and those instruments made me smile.

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KyleJCrb
on 2009-03-17 07:09:02

How have I not expressed just how awesome this remix is yet? Because it is. It kicks ass.

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OA
on 2009-03-16 11:27:13

I love ilp0's quirky genius, and this track is no exception. The varied sounds used throughout keep it progressing, and the sound effects and panning hold a lot of great surprises. His guitar playing style is really emotive too, but in a very playfully mechanical way. Like a little wind up toy that has a few dings in it, making it slightly unhinged. The filter on the lead tone helps this out, and ilp0's sonic signature is unmistakable.

Overall this is an exceptionally crafted mix, and nothing else will sound like this.

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Martin Penwald
on 2007-06-20 15:33:04

I, too, grinned when I listened to this song for the first time. It's a funny little tune, simply a good time.

I love the instruments used for this song; they give it a rather unique feel despite the closeness to the original melody.

Good stuff.

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tyler_lucero
on 2007-06-15 07:37:44

The originality of this mix stems from the sheer multitude and variedness of its instrumentation, not of the amount of original material. Although, there is (as Pixie notes) some ten seconds of quality creativeness – which serves to bridge verses. Also, it increases in complexity as it progresses. Nice xylophones (?!) on the lead at 1:18. Back to its roots (guitar) for the ending.

Good stuff indeed.

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Rekklis
on 2007-06-14 20:20:25

Mario's Silver Hammer? I seriously love this mix, and it makes me instantly think of the Beatles. Nice.

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Karrde
on 2007-06-14 01:16:49

Seargent Mario's Trippy Mushroom World Band? If it were a little more ragtime, I woulda said this might have been good BG music for a silent film ;P The song is goofy for some reason and I have to agree with everyone else. I felt like grinning like a moron listening to this. Personally, I think DJP was a bit harsh in his criticism of the mix when he called it conservative. It is a bit, but there's something about this piece that makes me think it wouldn't work as well if it weren't conservative. I love it as is.

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Fishy
on 2007-06-08 17:36:01

This is dementedly awesome.

I can picture someone totally mashed tripping off their face just walking down the street with the biggest grin you've ever seen.

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Arek the Absolute
on 2007-06-08 17:06:46

ahaha

-----

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Liontamer
on 2007-06-08 17:03:17
I hope I loose my virginity someday while listening to this song.

If that's what you're thinking...

I hope I loose my virginity someday.

Fixed.

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swampbug
on 2007-06-08 16:41:50

I hope I loose my virginity someday while listening to this song.

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Super Mario Bros. 2 (Nintendo , 1988, NES)
Music by Koji Kondo
Songs:
"Overworld BGM"

Tags (4)


Genre:
Rock
Mood:
Goofy
Instrumentation:
Electric Guitar
Additional:
Time > Duration: Short

File Information


Name:
Super_Mario_Bros_2_Lizardino_Slayer_Quartet_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
3,308,410 bytes
MD5:
4c46fac2de14a26681842b70b97a93fe
Bitrate:
192Kbps
Duration:
2:14

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