I’ve listened to a lot of game soundtracks before, but nothing has prepared me for Napple Tale’s. Yoko Kanno created something fresh and original, something oddly different yet compelling when she composed this album. There’s a lot of character to her music, and it’s so much fun to listen to. Napple Tale Vol. 2 ~ Illustrated Guide to the Monsters is the second of two albums containing the game’s music. Although I happen to like the first album better, there are enough enjoyable tracks here to keep me happy.
Consisting of the monster’s themes, the tone of this album is slightly darker than the first. That’s not to say the music is menacing or foreboding, it just doesn’t have as much of the bouncy/happy feel the first did, however, at parts it does seem to be a bit jazzier, though. There are some peaceful tracks to break up the soundtrack. However, one piece that really stood out for me was “Rabbit Bed.” It’s a hauntingly beautiful song that has a woman’s voice sighing along with the twinkling melody. I found it oddly reminiscent of some of Danny Elfman’s movie score compositions, and wonder if Kanno drew inspiration from him.
Scattered throughout the album are what I assume to be vocal interludes. They’re pieces that usually last between 30 and 40 seconds long with Maaya Sakamoto singing a short verse. They’re nice, but her beautiful voice makes me wish there were more to them. On the other hand, “Dreams in a Pie” full length, and in English! It’s a sweet but silly song that’s also very catchy. I constantly found myself humming to the tune.
All in all, I tend to like the first Napple Tale album tad better, but this one should not be overlooked. There are plenty of enjoyable pieces and pretty vocals, if you don’t mind goddess singing in your game music. It’s available at Otaku for about $27.
Editor’s Note: the soundtrack was printed in 2009 and will be available for the foreseeable future.
