Video Games Live: Volume 1

Genre soundtrack Publisher EMI

Ever since the release of various Final Fantasy soundtracks, both OST and arranged, I’ve been saying that video game music has grown by leaps and bounds. In fact, if one did not know better, one might not know they were listening to a game soundtrack nowadays unless they were told. Along come Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, who have been saying the same thing since 2002, but with much more success. Per the CD inlet, Video Games Live was begun “[in order] to demonstrate how artistic and culturally significant video games have become.”

Every track on this CD is showroom quality sound, and if you gathered a large group of music aficionados who didn’t know the first thing about video games into Radio City Music hall and sat them down to some rather choice performances, I don’t believe you would hear many a slander or slant against the performance. Granted, now that you have licensed composers working on the music for video games, very rarely will you get something that will go from the drawing board straight to the dumpster. That being said, keep in mind that the track list for Video Games Live: Volume One was chosen based on highest quality and target audience popularity.

The show opens up perfectly with an arranged version of the Kingdom Hearts opening, immediately following up with a spectacular Warcraft suite that has my repeat feature forever targeted at Track 2. Track 5 is the Civilization IV medley, which is arguably the best song in the lineup. Superb vocals and a solid ethnic beat add a perfect blend of life and celebration that has not been heard since millions of people crammed into theatres worldwide in 1994 and first experienced the musical wonder that is Disney’s The Lion King. The addition of an Advent Rising suite was a move that caught me completely by surprise and certainly scores on the obscure bonus factor. On a similar note, Video Games Live: Volume One pays a well-timed homage to Tron on Track 9.

I only have three serious gripes about the CD. I saw absolutely no need to place a Halo suite piece in this collection. Opinion only, that has to be the biggest marketing flag for this CD and is one that should have been left alone. Secondly, the final track choice, Castlevania Rock, had no business joining this list. As an ending, there was a lot of live crowd roars and high energy, so it definitely packed that punch. However, not only did that punch seem forced, but it was rather plastic. Why finish out a great series of orchestrated arrangements with a hard rock concert? And finally, there were only three live performances. I may be swatting at gnats here, but if you’ve been on tour for over six years and the name of your album is Video Games Live, then cough up some more live recordings.

This disc could be priced at the cost of a moderately expensive engagement ring, and my suggestion would be to get your fiancé(e) a Bose Home Theatre package to round out the set. All I can say at this point is that I don’t want to be disappointed by a lack of a Volume Two through Ten. I will draft the contract myself if I have to. I’ll board up every member of the orchestra in my home if that’s what it takes. In the words of the modern Myspace crowd: MOAR!