Pink iPod of Doom: Samurai Deeper Kyo: Capriccio, Wolf's Rain, Evanglion III, Technolyze: Music Only Music But Music, Akira Symphonic

By: Lauren Goodnight
Date: Tuesday, August 02, 2005

The Pink iPod of DOOM was feeling artistic this week! Some classics, some total misses, and a few real hits, straight out of the park. The iPod commands you to read on...



The fourth and final part of "Lauren and the DOOMPod clean up the review pile" consists of the Samurai Deeper Kyo Capricco disc, an unsteady but enjoyable outing from Yoko Kanno in the form of the Wolf's Rain disc, the third Evangelion TV disc, and two amazing musical triumphs: Technolyze - Music Only Music But Music & Akira Symphonic Suite. I could not have ended the cleaning run with a better duo of discs. Please enjoy, and don't be shy about finding these releases!

Samurai Deeper KYO Original Soundtrack Capriccio

Geneon Entertainment



There is a 6-second track on here that isn't the eyecatch. The eyecatch track is actually longer than 6-seconds. It starts, it splurts, it ends. ARGH! That aside, this CD has some great dramatic music and I really enjoyed the variety of songs that I was presented with, but some of the tracks stopped abruptly without real endings, and when it comes to the flow of an album, nothing gets under my skin like that. Please, take 2 or 3 more seconds and finish your song! I liked the use of electric guitars, and the rock element was very much present in this samurai drama. You can see this even more in the soundtracks to Peacemaker Kurogane and Samurai Champloo. One of the cute things was the ED, Love Deeper, sung by Yuiko Tsubokura. I love it when the more rough-edged singers get exposure over here, even if it is just a small ED to a B-title. Rock lives!!

Where I took it, and where it took me: Its a short outing at under 45 minutes, so I didn't have much time to take it anywhere. It started, it jarred me with abruptness, it ended.

Standout track: Sad Story - This was a solid track, full of beauty and emotion.

Skip-it track: Sabutaitoru - It was only 6 seconds long. If you listen to it with a fade on the end, you almost miss the whole track! A waste.



Rating: 2.5 of 5

Wolf's Rain Original Soundtrack

Bandai Entertainment



This disc was supposed to be one of the first I would ever review for Animeondvd.com. I have been avoiding it for over a year now, and now the time has come to face up to it and tackle the fan favorite monster. Yoko Kanno does a masterful job of expressing many different sceneries and scenarios in the many anime disc she's done, and this is of course no exception. The Brazilian influence is strong here, and every instrumental track is unique and yet brilliantly placed in the mix. It is the vocal tracks that put me off, or rather, the most prominent vocal track, 'Stray'. I cannot express my full distaste for this track. Upon hearing it over a year ago, this disc went straight to the bottom of my pile. The problem being, the other tracks ended up being brilliant Kanno fare. 'Strangers', 'Dogs & Angels', 'My Little Flower' (always glad to see the Warsaw Philharmonic keepin' it real in anime), 'Hot Dog Wolf', and 'Gravity' were so much fun! It seems that the real mess here were the two tracks that have Steve Conte's vocals and guitar work. I hope that mistake isn't ever repeated!!


Where I took it: I christened my new computer with this disc.

Where it took me: Soft, snow-covered hills showed me their loneliness and the dead among them.

Standout Track: I cannot pick one track to stand alone as the best. There were so many. Gravity may be the best Maaya Sakamoto track I've ever heard.

Skip-it Track: Both Steve Conte songs, 'Stray' and 'Could You Bite the Hand?', were dismal.



Rating: 4 out of 5

Neon Genesis Evangelion III

Geneon Entertainment



Reviewing this, to me, is like reviewing any of the Utena discs. I have had the discs for so long before the domestic releases came out that its either like meeting with an old friend or reinforcing what you hated about your old rival. Here, its a mixed bag. 12 more versions of Fly Me To The Moon here bring the domestically released total to 24 versions of FMttM (3 on vol.1, 5 on vol. 2, 12 on vol. 3, 1 on 2nd Impact, and 3 on Refrain, and this isn't counting 'Those women longed for the touch of other's lips, and thus invited their kisses', a instrumental version). Still, there is both a sense of completeness that comes with this disc: you can pick your favorites now that you have them all. Onto the other tracks. 'Childhood Memories, Shut Away' may be my favorite simple piano piece in all of anime. 'Do you love me?' is suitably chilling. 'Good, or don't be' is a pianoforte version of 'Cruel Angel's Thesis'. I love this disc for old time's sake. I would recommend it to anyone who loved Evangelion. However, if you didn't love Eva and just wanted some good music, I might not hand you this disc and expect you to appreciate it.

Where I took this, and Where it took me: This disc has lived through two major moves with me, and the domestic version filled my whole house with so many engrish versions of 'Fly Me to the Moon' until I couldn't stand it anymore. (I still like Aya Bossa Nova version best!)

Standout track: Background Music III - This track crystallizes the feelings that Evanglion evokes.

Skip-it track: Eternal Embrace - I could never really make myself care about this wishy-washy ballad. You thought I was going to pick a version of 'Fly Me to the Moon', didn't you?



Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Technolyze ~Music Only Music But Music~

Geneon Entertainment



Its rock, techno, chill-out, spanish guitar, experimental noise, and jazz, but really, its more than the sum of its parts. Music Only Music But Music is a rare beast: a disc that gets under your scalp and sinks into your skull with deep hooks, intending to drag you away from whatever you were doing to become one with its matrix. I normally shy away from experimental noise, but here, it more than serves its purpose. You cannot look away, like an accident meant to change your life. This is the disc to give someone who hasn't bought any new music for the last 20 years, because it is an all-encompassing shock to the system as well as a full-body musical massage. Created in Tokyo, New York, and Rome, you will feel the power of this disc if you give it your time. And trust me, time is all it wants.

Where I took it: I attempted to take this out shopping. I stayed in instead. I must watch Technolyze now.

Where it took me: I went to the back of my brain and scooped out some of the subconscious, living it through my sense of hearing and experiencing the lightness of being alive within it.

Standout track: I am very very hard pressed to find the best track here because they are all so damned excellent.

Skip-it track: Poem of the Moon - Gackt fans can kill me now. Its such a sweet and delicious song, but it isn't the way to end this magic carpet ride.



Rating: 5 out of 5

Akira: Symphonic Suite

Geneon Entertainment



Let me explain now that I have never seen Akira in its entirety. However, I remember someone very special to me making me a set of mix tapes with this music on it about 9 years ago. I had no intention of seeing Akira then, but I remember thinking that this was some of the most lovely music I'd ever heard. I still believe that, and listening to a CD-quality version brightens the experience considerably. Reading the accompanying liner notes and understanding the creators' intentions with this recording enhances the experience greatly, so if you load this into your iPod of DOOM, grab the booklet before you head out. I love how the explanation of the 'Tetsuo' track went deeply into technical specifics ("polyrhythmic triple measure and quadruple measure") and how that reflected the character ("Tetsuo's unrighteous 'laughter'").

Where I took this: I went shopping around the mall with this in my ears, and I found myself on one of the benches reading the liner notes intently.

Where it took me: This is a truly astounding artistic movement within popular Japanese entertainment, and I felt like I was being challenged in one of the best ways.

Standout track: Shohmyoh - Wow! This is a true example of complexity arising from the simple. Exquisite use of traditional Buddhist tempo and subtle synthesizers. Yes, it is over 10 minutes, but if you ever get a chance to hear real Buddhist chanting, especially Tibetan Buddhist chanting, it takes much longer, but it feels much shorter to your soul.

Skip-it track: Battle Against Crown - I've never liked this track, and now I can put my finger on exactly why. The chaos here builds in a slightly different way than the other tracks, and when you hear it, you'll know what I mean. Sometimes I think this track may be art for art's sake.



Rating: 4.5 out of 5