As promised yesterday with the write-up of my experience with Persona 3 so far, I decided tonight would be the best time to do the first installment of Music! Persona 3 Edition (because I will assuredly need to do at least one more) since I've been playing the songs in my head all day. Also listening to them through my Vita's speakers. But mostly in my head. Of course, this isn't a recent development; ever since I got the original Persona 3 with the soundtrack included (at least, the 18-track one America got), I've listened to the music of Persona 3 with joy as it is fantastic, so this is pretty much just me getting re-familiarized with it as I actually play the game. In all honesty, as is usually the case with these Music! segments, I find it really, really hard to just narrow it down to three songs to feature, but I don't want to throw down the whole soundtrack and just say "There you go, it's all amazing". Even if it is. I'm sure you can understand why.
The first song I picked is the first song you'll likely hear if you're playing Persona 3. Because it's the song that plays during the intro bit. In a way, it's not actually one of my favorite songs on the soundtrack, but on the other hand it's such a good theme that I can't help but like it. I'm not sure if I'd say that it sets the mood for the game, as that is kind of a hard task to do, but it certainly does set -a- mood. It's inviting and interesting; the whole of it is just pleasant to listen to if you're not paying attention and if you are, there's something to grab you. If you're me at least, because hearing, "I once ran away from the God of Fear" grabs my interest real fast, even if it's just an abstract thing tossed out there. Which...with Persona, I'm not too sure if it is. Regardless, the first song here is "Burn My Dread (Opening)".
Like I said, it's not mind-blowingly great, nor is it particularly extreme in any fashion, but it's a nice, inviting theme, and I think that makes it the best choice for the opening track of the game. Even the 'engrish'-y bit doesn't really stick out once you've heard it enough times, though I'm not particularly bothered by that in the first place. If Persona 3 was a bit easier to pin down in mood (which, I assume, would make it a little less good of a game), I'd say this probably captures it well, but with the extremes, it really just can't touch all of the game, so it's not going to give you an overall just like that. But as something to play before the start menu, it works nicely and is just...well, pleasant to listen to.
The next song is one that will kind of show off the 'other side' of Persona 3, as it were. This sort of paints the picture as to why it's hard to capture the entirety of the game in just one or two songs, and why it's hard to point out three that are good to listen to while also giving a good approximation of the game itself. "Deep Breath Deep Breath" is a song that plays during more combat-oriented scenarios, namely some of the "Operations" you undergo in the game (as well as an Operation quite unlike the others, which makes it kind of hilarious) and does well enough for that as well. If I had to say anything about the whole of the soundtrack, about something that carries all throughout it (aside from quality), I'd say that it all has some level of "Funk", or another similar word that means kind of that. Even the above song has that sort of quality around it, and that type of catchiness pervades the entirety of the songs contained, and that's a good thing.
I think it's kind of hard to point at another song on the soundtrack (Aside from the last song I'm going to use) that is as opposite in mood from "Burn My Dread" really. Where "Burn My Dread" is light and, I hate to say 'cheery', but I'm sure you know what I mean, "Deep Breath Deep Breath" is darker and a bit more mysterious, perhaps conspiratorial even. (Once again, that's appropriate in both main situations it's used in, amusingly) I do think it helps accentuate my 'funk' theory at least, since it is quite a track for that. I think the rap helps with that, but just the way the song goes, it's pretty prevalent to me at least. It's just something about the song, I guess, but it really grew on me and is definitely one of my favorites.
The last song, though, is probably my favorite track off the whole OST. If this is not your first "Music!" post of mine, then you'll notice I generally like Battle Themes, especially when they're done well and Persona 3 is no exception in this. As for this particular song, there's really just no part of it that I don't like, though I'm sure it's a little easier to understand why after you listen to it yourself. And I -do- expect you to do so, if you don't listen to the others, at least listen to this one. It's "Mass Destruction" and as I said, it's the general battle theme for the game, thus you'll be hearing it a lot.
I honestly think that, without such a good battle theme, battles in Persona 3 would become a chore at a certain point. Even with it, they tend to come along that border, but not quite as close as it would without the song. This is probably my ultimate example of the overall 'funky' level that goes through the whole OST, though, since this song just -exudes- it with the female vocals scatting about. It's jazzy goodness, despite the, again, rap going throughout it and I personally just can't help but enjoy it no matter what. We just got hit with a Magarudyne that knocked out two members? "Ooo yeah~" I'm definitely going to lose this battle? "Baby baby~" It's infectious and I cannot help but mouth/sing along with the words even some thirty or forty hours into the game. I suspect that won't change no matter what, and I hope that the Girl side of the game retains at least that music, since it will ensure the maximum enjoyment. Since I am planning on doing that side of it.
Those are three of the songs that have made Persona 3 Portable quite enjoyable for me and ensured that I kept on playing it when I didn't think I would because I lost a game week of progress. Which I'm definitely not bitter about at all, nope, no sirree. I expect that at some point down the road, perhaps into the Girl course of the game, that I'll do another spotlight on the soundtrack, but I don't hope to get to doing it right away. While I write in 'Music!' posts, I'm not sure they can always be considered seriously written posts, though I'm sure -someone- might disagree with that. Regardless, I enjoy it, and I enjoy sharing the music since it is so often overlooked in favor of....well, most other parts of the game. Probably not so much with Persona 3 in particular, but you know what I mean.
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