The GHZ Forum

Sega Japan is releasing a Sonic Adventure album, which features remastered songs from both the Dreamcast launch title and its sequel.
The music mostly seems to be the character themes with both lyrical and instrumental versions.

Rapper Hunnid-P who did the Knuckles theme in SA2 actually mentioned working on a new Sonic project way back in 2012, so presumably he was referring to this album.

Isn't Hunnid-P in jail or something right now? When was this album recorded?

big_smile wrote:

passionAndPride_VOX.jpg

NO SONIC YOUR EARS AREN'T THERE THAT'S NOT HOW HEADPHONES WORK

This is a bit of a strange release, especially as it doesn't tie into anything (e.g. It's not the anniversary of any of the games).
With Hunnid-P mentioning an unnamed project back in 2012, I'm guessing it was supposed to tie in with the release of SA2 HD and then was delayed. (Although it isn't actually clear if Hunnid has recorded any new work for this release).

The only thing I can say about the timing of this is that it's at about the point where the kids who played Adventure 1 when they were 6 or 8 would have some dough of their own to burn. It's probably just banking on not-too-distant nostalgia.

That said, I wish they would give some of the level music itself the Generations treatment. I'd love to see how'd they'd reinterpret Lost World or Final Rush.

Have those instrumental themes ever been officially released before? If so, I'm unaware of it. I kind of want this album just for the instrumental tracks.

Yeah... I've wanted a vocal-free version of Tails' SA1 theme for ages!

Hold it! We're talking 'lyric-', not 'vocal-free', here! I'd hate to strip Mystic Ruins and Tikal's theme of their mesoamerican chanting. (I mean, yeah, we'll always have to originals, but c'mon they're essentially instruments)

Incidentally, have any of you heard to "Club Sega 2" version of Work it Out? That lady doesn't hold back.

AceZX02 on Sonic Retro posted "It Doesn't Matter RMX 2.014k" (It's from the iTunes preview):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KjdV9a4Ie8#t=93

Lots of Sonic Retro fans were really impressed by it. I think it's okay. It's not bad, but it's nothing amazing either.

That repetitive, loud, out of key snare gets really old after a while.

Im at a point in my life where I can't stand any of these songs. The guitar shredding nature of this soundtrack is obnoxious and completely dated in the most embarrassing way. I never want to hear "Escape from the city" or "live and learn" again.

And just like that I've gone full curmudgeon.

I prefer the original. I could say that this new song opts more for a more experimental approach as opposed to following a more predictable melody, but the original is so ingrained in my head (it's still my favorite theme from the Adventure games) that any variation on it seems unorthodox.

I mean

...The new remix is fine but there's dozens of little nitpicks I have with this compared to the original that make it hard to just sit back and enjoy this. I'm sure listening to the remix first would've caused me to enjoy it more on its own merits as a jaunty little rock ditty.

(I apologize for splitting the post... Lousy fat phone fingers...)

Radrappy wrote:Im at a point in my life where I can't stand any of these songs. The guitar shredding nature of this soundtrack is obnoxious and completely dated in the most embarrassing way. I never want to hear "Escape from the city" or "live and learn" again.

And just like that I've gone full curmudgeon.

Wasn't it very dated back in the day? I don't know much about music, but I always thought it had an '80s vibe to it. (This was something several UK magazines picked up on as well, so maybe it's just a UK thing).

--

My issue with this remix is that it's not very different with the original. Generally Sonic Remixes go for a completely new style.

I don't think anything good can dated. Take Sonic Boom for instance; it has a wailing guitar but it takes a back seat to the lilting female singers.

SA1's soundtrack is probably second only to Triple Trouble in scattershot soundtracks. (Did I already mention I love Mystic Ruin's theme?)

I for one love the Sonic Adventure soundtrack. All the characters have distinct music and so do the levels and they are all catchy. I was listening to it the other day when I was painting and I think it holds up well compared to a lot of other sonic game music.

Also the third music part of ice cap is still super bad ass. 90's music made such great use of the saxophone.

Oh don't get me wrong, I love the SA1 level music and instrumental business. The dawn segment of Speed Highway and the sax portion of Ice Cap are brilliant. It's the vocal songs I can't stand. Songs like "Sonic Boom" and "Super Sonic Racing" are simple and light hearted enough for me to accept. I think its how serious that the SA1 vocal tracks take themselves that turns me off. Something about the over abundance of power chords and whiny wailing voices doesn't help either.

Radrappy wrote:how serious that the SA1 vocal tracks take themselves

Here I come
Rougher than the rest of them
The best of them
Tougher than leather
They call me Knuckles
Unlike Sonic I don't chuckle
I'd rather flex my muscles

Hey big guy, hey little guy
Can you tell me who came first
Sorry, but I don't know
We are simply natural
Okay, all you have to do is sit up, look left, right, up, and down

I actually think Big's theme is pretty funny.

Neo wrote: Here I come
Rougher than the rest of them
The best of them
Tougher than leather
They call me Knuckles
Unlike Sonic I don't chuckle
I'd rather flex my muscles

Granted, some of them are fine. But there's nothing tongue in cheek or funny about Open Your Heart and It Doesn't Matter. They're just terrible power ballads.

Radrappy wrote:They're just terrible power ballads.

How can one man alone have such bad taste.

I am curious what you'd define as a "good" power ballad. Is there such a thing?

What about E.G.G.M.A.N.?

Personally, speaking about Ted Poley's tracks, Open Your Heart, It Doesn't Matter, Escape from the City and E.G.G.M.A.N. are all great songs that embrace the silliness of the Sonic universe while at the same time being straight enough that they get you hyped for playing the game. I particularly liked how Open Your Heart is not overused throughout the game at all like you'd expect, and then really hits the spot when it backs the final boss battle.

Live and Learn, What I'm Made Of and I Am are what I would consider too serious (though Shadow's intro video is hilarious to watch in its own right), while Sonic Heroes and We Can are too campy to really be enjoyable.

But god damn it if the man can't inject hype into every one of his songs.

I'd like Eggman's SA2 theme if it didn't expressly mention the Ark. I doesn't work removed from the context of that game. (also why does the sound test play only the first verse!?)

"Save the planet from disaster," is an obvious allusion to Little Planet, but it could mean any planet. Versatility!

Dr. BUGMAN wrote:(also why does the sound test play only the first verse!?)

Because they got rid of per-character credits and no cutscene is long enough to warrant having the entire song on the disc.

Dr. BUGMAN wrote:"Save the planet from disaster," is an obvious allusion to Little Planet, but it could mean any planet. Versatility!

"Ark" could also refer to the Egg Carrier or any of Eggman's other air/space ships! But I'm pretty sure they were told to work in some key words in there. It's incredibly blatant in Sonic Heroes' tracks, which clumsily cram in all the character names for no good reason. (It only really works out for Team Chaotix's theme, Team Chaotix, because it's such a cheesy anthem to their own greatness.)