Wolf's Rain OST Review
Wow, Kanno-san proves, yet again, that she is one of the preeminent composers and musicians in music today.
Hearing the full version of Stray makes me like much more than the way the edited it for the opening credits. From then it is like driving the streets on a Friday evening. Music of different kinds, drifting in, some playing well with others, some blending well like scents of perfume.
Kanno-san, as a penchant of hers, steers clear of Japanese lyrics, in this case sticking to English, French, and Portuguese. The layering is wonderful, especially on Coração Selvegem which is a wonderful vocal piece. In _leaving on Red hill_ she goes from 1 guitar as a baseline to adding a guitar, or English horn, or bowed bass, or steel electric to move the melody, the last handing off the melody to a string section and taking over the acoustic's tracking line.
In _dogs and angels_ she uses her Jazz vocal design prowess from Cowboy Bebop and her work with Seatbelts to create a wonderful little vignette that isn't scat per se, but it doesn't have lyrics. In _strangers_ it sounds like something that should be in the _La Femme Nikita_ soundtrack, or done by Luscious Jackson. Again, the layering, with so much to listen to, a trumpet line, bass line, accompanying piano, snare rim line, shakers, and a simple synth line, all very distinct, but blended very well.
Steve Conti's work on this is very good (if you like the "abusive to the instrument" method of playing acoustic guitar *). His very American voice, is a contrast to many of the pieces on this OST, but in _could you bite the hand_, his playing is fast, clear and very good. It is somewhat reminiscent of Tim Reynolds if I had to compare a more "popular" person.
Following onto this cut is _valse de la lune_, a French song in 6/8 with an airy (airey? *) glide through with strings and accompaniment.
Throughout, the guitars are very good and many styles are represented (dime store ruckus, to flowing steel guitar lines to classical overtures). The bass lines are hidden in picking, but not in sound. I had to listen for them specifically a few times, and found so much going on in that line, I was surprised how well it blended. I think the one of the big things that I have taken away from this album is that, as a musician, you figure out "cool shit" while jamming, but never figure out how to make them fit into something useful. Kanno-san uses them with abandon, and the just work.
I love the consistency of production on this disc, especially since it was mixed in 4 countries. For Kanno fans, this is a must purchase. For fans of good music, it is worth a look, but the diversity density may be a little much for some, however, that is why we have iPods, iRivers, and winamp, yes? ^_^
Hearing the full version of Stray makes me like much more than the way the edited it for the opening credits. From then it is like driving the streets on a Friday evening. Music of different kinds, drifting in, some playing well with others, some blending well like scents of perfume.
Kanno-san, as a penchant of hers, steers clear of Japanese lyrics, in this case sticking to English, French, and Portuguese. The layering is wonderful, especially on Coração Selvegem which is a wonderful vocal piece. In _leaving on Red hill_ she goes from 1 guitar as a baseline to adding a guitar, or English horn, or bowed bass, or steel electric to move the melody, the last handing off the melody to a string section and taking over the acoustic's tracking line.
In _dogs and angels_ she uses her Jazz vocal design prowess from Cowboy Bebop and her work with Seatbelts to create a wonderful little vignette that isn't scat per se, but it doesn't have lyrics. In _strangers_ it sounds like something that should be in the _La Femme Nikita_ soundtrack, or done by Luscious Jackson. Again, the layering, with so much to listen to, a trumpet line, bass line, accompanying piano, snare rim line, shakers, and a simple synth line, all very distinct, but blended very well.
Steve Conti's work on this is very good (if you like the "abusive to the instrument" method of playing acoustic guitar *). His very American voice, is a contrast to many of the pieces on this OST, but in _could you bite the hand_, his playing is fast, clear and very good. It is somewhat reminiscent of Tim Reynolds if I had to compare a more "popular" person.
Following onto this cut is _valse de la lune_, a French song in 6/8 with an airy (airey? *) glide through with strings and accompaniment.
Throughout, the guitars are very good and many styles are represented (dime store ruckus, to flowing steel guitar lines to classical overtures). The bass lines are hidden in picking, but not in sound. I had to listen for them specifically a few times, and found so much going on in that line, I was surprised how well it blended. I think the one of the big things that I have taken away from this album is that, as a musician, you figure out "cool shit" while jamming, but never figure out how to make them fit into something useful. Kanno-san uses them with abandon, and the just work.
I love the consistency of production on this disc, especially since it was mixed in 4 countries. For Kanno fans, this is a must purchase. For fans of good music, it is worth a look, but the diversity density may be a little much for some, however, that is why we have iPods, iRivers, and winamp, yes? ^_^