Ageha Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 I registered just to post this, so I'm gonna toss in my two cents. Lava Reef is my favourite song from any Sonic game, period. I have every remix of it I can find, good or bad. Personally my favourite so far has been Jivemaster's remix of it, but this one is a really close second. I'm not a professional musician and I haven't sung since All State Madrigals many years ago, so take my opinions with a grain of salt. First, I think this remix really portrays the feeling - I can only assume as I wasn't there - of the night that these remixers had together. I don't think it's kind or that this is the place to deaden this expression by picking fights with them. Secondly, I really enjoyed it; but it could be because Pixie's style of vocals is something I've been trained in since I was younger, though not as extensively as she. My final verdict is that I love this song and its expression. I'll be looking for more awesome collab-work from you guys in the future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Particleman Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 I love this one, which is a bit odd, since normally I don't care for love songs, and I've never been particularly fond of the Sonic games either. Nevertheless, I think his mix is wonderfully done. The one very minor nitpick I have with this, though (and I'm not much of a musician, so I might be wrong on this, or maybe I'm imagining it), is that the male vocalist sounds just a bit flat when he starts singing. Regardless, this is one of my new favorite songs. I want to congratulate everyone involved with this for a job wonderfully done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Penwald Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 Don't know what the first eleven pages are about, but I bet it's the vocals. It's always the vocals. Me personally, I like it. This is the most emotional track that was posted since Tepids "A rose for Zelda". It just stays in my head and goes round and round...I also liked the guitar work very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaKitsune Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 Whoohoo! Instrumental version! This version pWNS! I'm sorry, I just REALLY don't like the vocals. I don't really know what it is about them that I hate, I think it would be the lyrics if anything...but I just don't like them. It's also mainly the male vocals, as the female vocals are awesome. (Is it just me, or does she sound like the chick in that song at the end of the original MGS?) But the music is KICKASS. Very well-done sequencing, and AWESOME guitar. Vocal mix: 6/10 Instrumental mix: 9/10 Keep up the good work, guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retlaf Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 When I started reading the reviews, I was quite surprised by the contraversy. I expected to see nothing but 11/10s. Of course, to each their own. I personally really enjoy it, regardless of the fact that I'm not a fan of vocal arrangements (as others have also stated). I've probably listened to this song fifty times. What makes this piece so great is that it was made by friends who each combined their unique talents. Someone else said that this song is not about being 'the best remix,' but rather about the feeling that was put into the song. I totally agree with this. So much, in fact, that I had some friends over to my place this weekend to work on a collaboration, simply just for the fun of mixing each of our unique skills into something. Of course, it doesn't compare to the brilliance found in Lover Reef, but we still had fun (edit: spelling/grammar) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Internecivus Raptus Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 This mix is just awesome. I love the vocals (especially Pixies!) and everything just seems to blend in so well My only complaint: I wish it was longer! 10/10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monobrow Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Hmmm...Sorry guys, I've given this a few listens, and each time I like it less and less...That's really weird for me, since usually a few listens do the exact opposite. I just really don't like the vocals...They rubbed me all the wrong ways. I know the reasons for why they are the way they are, of course, and I could try to listen to this song in the context of "fun" and memories and all that. But I wasn't there, I wasn't a part of whatever connection you shared, and with my bias as a person who listens to an OCRemix for what it is, for what is presented, and not for the context it should be taken in (unless it was judged by different standards) especially in comparison to every other remix on the site, I'm just going to be honest. It's strange, so far I get the notion that this song is supposed to represent a feeling that you guys had during this collaboration..."Sacred", but to me at least, this song doesn't represent that feeling very well. The connection you guys made doesn't seem to translate into this mix for me, I don't "get it" after listening. It has some great Taucer guitar work, and Jill has some good stuff, and also the arrangement is okay...but... Should this have been a direct post by OCR standards? Nah, at least I don't think so, with as many problems it has, to my ears. But eh, then again, would it have been posted any other way? I'm not a judge, but I've seen songs that had less flaws turned down flat, in comparison...Then again, I'm willing to bet that this would have gotten a resubmit...Because it has many good things going for it, and many "easily" fixed problems. But by "easily", that could have required you meeting again to change anything, and then, what would the fun be? Or Jill could have just used her mic, re-recorded the vocals at home, and shonen, also D-lux could have redone that...rap thing... And it would have turned into an internet-collab...Instead of the one or two takes this got at 5am (under my impression)...All in all, this is dedicated to that e-meeting...etc. And I guess the "spirit" of the thing matters here, especially to the artists, otherwise, under any other circumstances, this mix wouldn't be so much of a big deal...And ironically enough, it probably wouldn't have suffered so much production-wise either. Anyway, that's my take on it. DJP passes whatever he wants to pass, and he understood what kind of song this was, I am guessing...I have no problem with that...But to the artists, don't expect everyone else in the community to understand, or even if they understand, to appreciate this song the way you do. It's all just opinion anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Should this have been a direct post by OCR standards? Nah, at least I don't think so, with as many problems it has, to my ears. But eh, then again, would it have been posted any other way? I'm not a judge, but I've seen songs that had less flaws turned down flat, in comparison...Then again, I'm willing to bet that this would have gotten a resubmit...Because it has many good things going for it, and many "easily" fixed problems. Easily fixed problems don't mean a mix will be rejected. I personally have accepted plenty of mixes with easily fixable problems. Objectively speaking when I designed the arrangement here I did it in such a way to incorporate a good level of interpretation, variation, and original material. If this was put through the panel the arrangement factor would be fine every time. The vocals would be the only thing, if ANYTHING, that people would have a problem with, but again I have a pretty good grasp of vocal standards and this passes the bar in that category. But by "easily", that could have required you meeting again to change anything, and then, what would the fun be? Or Jill could have just used her mic, re-recorded the vocals at home, and shonen, also D-lux could have redone that...rap thing... And it would have turned into an internet-collab...Instead of the one or two takes this got at 5am (under my impression)...All in all, this is dedicated to that e-meeting...etc. And I guess the "spirit" of the thing matters here, especially to the artists, otherwise, under any other circumstances, this mix wouldn't be so much of a big deal...And ironically enough, it probably wouldn't have suffered so much production-wise either. Anyway, that's my take on it. Let me be clear for a minute. As I posted a few times, we didn't finish this entirely in one night. Most of it was sketched out and conceived in one night. The lyrics were all written out, the basics of the arrangements were set down, the guitar rhythms were set, and so forth and so on. But Jill's vocals were recorded on her setup at home, Taucer's guitars, Shonen's part.. those were sent to me online a few days later where I integrated them with the rest of the mix on my own computer and polished it from there. DLux's part was the one recorded on my mic, and as you can hear the recording quality is significantly lower. If everything else was done on that, you'd be able to hear it! DJP passes whatever he wants to pass, and he understood what kind of song this was, I am guessing...I have no problem with that...But to the artists, don't expect everyone else in the community to understand, or even if they understand, to appreciate this song the way you do. It's all just opinion anyways. Absolutely! Your feedback is much appreciated. Just clarifying a few things is all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmperorSteele Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 *looks at Shonen's pictorial reply* Okay, so I was wrong (it happens!). My bad, hope ya weren't offended =) I still say he has a sorta-nerdy voice =P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
your the man now dog Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Very good song, especially in the time span given. I'm becoming a big fan of Geoffrey Taucer's guitar work. I feel like any song with lyrics should also come with a non-lyrical version. The singing is very good here, but I'm not one for guy-girl sappy duets. Still, 9/10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ionyze Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 This is a great arrangement. Pixie's vocals are reminiscent of Evanescense. She has real talent. The male vocalist hit his notes and can carry a tune, but his inflection and the timbre of his voice is just a little square. I enjoyed the piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion_Black Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 This song is great, but the Male Vocalist could have worked on some things (but this could just be me being picky, being a vocalist myself). For one thing, the vowels aren't very clean at all. The vocal infliction, as previously mentioned, also could be worked on. It still sounds good though, so kudos to you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonen Samurai Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 Expect improved performance in my next piece, no doubt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mDuo13 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Just wanted to say that I'm more hooked than ever, almost two weeks later. The little things really don't bug me nearly as much as they did at first. Things this song has going for it: - awesome pads at the beginning - great guitar, especially the downright awesome solo. - THREE excellent sets of vocals, and lyrics that are quite pretty (though I still feel like they don't quite fit the mix itself so well). D-Lux's spoken lyrics are actually one of my favorite parts. - solid piano work I expect every OCR meetup from now on to produce a remix. Especially if they're going to be this friggin' awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 Love the song, though I wish it was longer. Again I would never have heard it if it wasn't for VGDJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaKitsune Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 After a while, the vocal piece has grown on me. 8/10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badhabit Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I like all parts of the song, especially after a few listens. Kudos to shonen for his performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaryMonkeyShow Posted April 2, 2006 Share Posted April 2, 2006 Just need to mention that not only did I love the version of the song with vocals, but the version without inspired me so much, that I contacted zircon and now have an opening to my podcast using the music. Great stuff, and something that I can listen to again and again without getting tired of it. And I must say, pixie's vocals in this were superb. Job well done folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TalonionPoet Posted April 2, 2006 Share Posted April 2, 2006 I like every aspect of this. The only thing in the first few listens through that didn't place right was when Shonen first started singing. Not the kind of inflection I like, but he hit the notes well, so it still sounded good. I liked D-Lux's part a lot (my first immediate thought was of Zyko's part in Invertebrate Retreat, which I also greatly enjoy, but many seem to have disliked) as well. The piece moved smoothly, the spoken part didn't seem out of place or jarring to me, and everything was just great. I really liked the guitar work all throughout. Favorite part of it wasn't the solo actually, but the almost italian-esque part during the spoken vocals. Nicely done, everyone involved. Thanks for making music at all, much less music that I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Taucer Posted April 2, 2006 Share Posted April 2, 2006 I really liked the guitar work all throughout. Favorite part of it wasn't the solo actually, but the almost italian-esque part during the spoken vocals. Thanks The mandolin during the rap section isn't me; in fact, it isn't even a real mandolin. Zircon gets credit for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonen Samurai Posted April 2, 2006 Share Posted April 2, 2006 I really liked the guitar work all throughout. Favorite part of it wasn't the solo actually, but the almost italian-esque part during the spoken vocals. I think that was actually a mandolin sample. edit: taucerpwnt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMage Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Taucer on guitar is love. If I didn't feel it would be some sort of sacrilege, I'd say that Mr Taucer has earnt the right to be referred to as Mr T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnsalot Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Been on repeat for a while. I really like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotd2242 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Hmm, well, although I'm new around here I'll see if I can post something about this that's worth reading. Here's my four cents (because two is never enough): There have been lots of complaints about voices and missing parts and people saying it was great given the short time etc. ad nauseum. I love Pixie's voice (she's cute too ). I have all the the Chrono Symphonic mixes, and the To Far Away Times one is by far my favorite just for that reason. And that kind of vocal quality can easily break other things (like overshadowing another singer) or ruin a piece for some if it's not up to snuff as some claimed. This mix sounds, to me, basically like a live jam, as though you had a bunch of random mismatched bands or musicians bored and hanging about the stage waiting for something or another, and they said, "hey, let's play something." It has that kind of quality. Everyone is trying to put their finger on just what is "off" about the mix, and I think that's why. Set your speakers to something like Concert Hall or Auditorium or something else with a bit of echo and you'll see how the whole thing just comes into focus with a more "live" feel. It reminds me of this Lynard Skynard/Metallica bit where they played "Tuesday's Gone" together on a whim. There are people jumping in at odd moments, and unpolished things everywhere, but it sounds great because it's not supposed to sound polished. It sounds like a bunch of people having fun and that's exactly how this mix sounds. So, I'd say fantastic job guys (and gal). I look forward to hearing more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyCovaHart Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 Hey, everyone. Newb to posting, but not to music, or the website... I think something is pretty clear, here... Aside from the token elitist who smirks while obnoxiously presenting negative criticism, I think the issue here is really that of possible NEPOTISM. It is understandable if people are angry because they think this submission is not being scrutinized like any other submission due to the "sacredness" of its birth (not to mention the "big guns" who were involved/present). Speaking as a musician/composer who wants to eventually submit a piece, as well as someone who has been left scratching his head at what the judges accept and reject...I'm not at all surprised at these responses. With that said, I have had the song on "super-repeat" for a while, now. I will withhold any criticism or praise of it and let that fact do the talking. I must say, though...I'm pretty disappointed at the amount of rudeness that pervades these forums. It's like some kind of powertrip to tear someone down with your opinion. Sadly enough, even in the Judges' Decision forum have I shaken my head at the lack of tact when "passing judgment." Comments like "Bleh" or "terrible" hardly seem necessary. Ideally, however, I would like to become a pleasant fixture here and maybe even be at any future meet-ups (I'm a NYC resident). My love for music, composition, and the great memories attached to video games is strong enough to endure any negative aspects I may find, here. My two cents. Oh... P.S.- The amount of nit-picking over something as ridiculously petty as the word "unthaw" is pathetically comical. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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