Unlike ALL other JDK Specials released (except the Dragon Slayer JDK Special), Ys III JDK Special is technically a “JDK Band” Special (it’s right on the front cover!). Along with normal JDK Special tracks (that are mediocre), we have here three JDK Band tracks and a vocal.
The JDK Special (X68000 synth versions) are nothing special…hehe, the JDK “Special” isn’t special, good one Ramza! Yeah…they’re not really good. If you read my review of Ys IV JDK Special my opinions there are basically the same here with these first 32 tracks. Of course, with the last four tracks, everything changes.
Track 33 has an AMAZING bass part (heard in the sample), and it’s absolutely the best to listen to when trying to get somewhere in a hurry by means of driving. The next track, which features a common chord progression, does have some wild guitar solos, so this is another good track. Track 35 is fun for me only because of the fact that it has two songs in it, and the transitions between them are done VERY well…at this point, the JDK Band thing begins to get sorta old, and track 33 was easily the best of the three, so I’m not a big fan of track 35.
The last track, “Departure at Sunrise”, is the original of one of Falcom’s best male vocal ballads ever…Probably the best ever. From what I know, the best version of the song is “Departure at Sunrise ’95” which is found on Falcom Special Box ’96 or Falcom Vocal Collection IV), and another version exists on Falcom JDK Band 3…There are plenty of instrumental versions too, but I must say that the vocal is mega-sweet. The original has some minor mixing problems, it becomes hard to hear the vocalist at some points, and they use way too much reverb in this version. Nonetheless, it was the beginning of one of the better Falcom vocals, so we have to give this CD credit for that.
So, are you the biggest Falcom fan? Prove yourself by digging up every single arrangement of all Ys music! And you can start by finding this CD! While it’s doesn’t come by much in American online stores/auctions, Yahoo! Japan Auctions have this CD listed very frequently (search for Ys or the catalog #, KICA-1002). If the seller sells internationally or you have a friend in Japan, you can probably get this CD for the total price of $30 that slow and innefficient way.
