Train Station at 8: A Video Game Music Podcast: Recent Episodes
Whales are Whales
The Train Station at 8 is shutting down. We're turning off the lights and Monkey Porter is hanging up his little monkey hat, at long last able to retire. Why would such a thing ever happen? Well, listen to this special announcement episode to find out! But the short version:
We're starting a new video game music show called the OverClocked PodCast for, yes, that's right, OverClocked ReMix! Letting go of TSa8 is sad business, don't get us wrong, but we have high hopes for this new venture and we'd love for you to come along with us.
Learn all about the OverClocked PodCast! http://www.whalesarewhales.com/overclocked-podcast/
Learn all about OverClocked ReMix! http://ocremix.org/info/About_Us
Music used in this episode:
- Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
Laura Intravia does a lot of musical things. She composes, performs, teaches, tours with Video Games Live-- you know, the usual. She also guests on podcasts, apparently, because here she is for a fun-filled episode of Train Station at 8! We talk about Banjo-Kazooie, Shadow of the Colossus, Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda... all the good stuff. So don't be a square; be a square wave and tune in! (I promise that isn't our new catchphrase.)
Where can you find Laura on the internet? Try her website and/or Facebook, and don't forget to read her blog. You'll learn stuff, you will!
This week's Open Question: "What are some of your best video game musical memories?"
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!
Music used in this episode:
- Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- High School Love - Laura Intravia, Nicole Intravia, Joe Popson, Omar Najmi
- The Spirit Tree (feat. Aeralie Brighton) - Gareth Coker feat. Aeralie Brighton
- Now or Never (Final Stage) - Super Marcato Bros.
- Seirines - "Sirens" (feat. Anonymous 4) - Christopher Tin
- Yoshi's Woolly World (Remix) - Taku Inoue
- Seven Songs for Seventh Saga: II. Water - Sebastian Freij
- Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Trailer Arrangement) - Mahito Yokota
- You've Got to Eat Your Vegetables - Bobby Prince
- Castle/Fortress (Super Mario World) - Koji Kondo
- A Violent Encounter - Kow Otani
- Revived Power - Kow Otani
- Nerevar Rising - Jeremy Soule
- Click Clock Wood (Spring) - Grant Kirkhope
- Song of the Ancients (NieR) - Jillian Aversa, Doug Perry
- Item Catch (The Legend of Zelda) - Koji Kondo
- Item Catch (A Link Between Worlds) - Ryo Nagamatsu
- Item Catch (Link's Awakening) - Yoshiaki Koizumi
- Item Catch (Ocarina of Time) - Koji Kondo
- Item Catch (The Adventure of Link) - Takashi Tezeku
- Item Catch (Wind Waker) - Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, Toru Minegishi, Koji Kondo
- Item Catch (Twilight Princess) - Toru Minegishi, Asuka Ohta
Bev Wooff (AKA Rexy) is known for her work at RadioSEGA among other musical accolades, but Stephen leaped at the chance to theme the entire episode after Sega because of course he did. Everyone brings a list of their top five Sega soundtracks and the quiz focuses on, surprising nobody, Sega!
You can find Bev on Twitter and over at Overclocked Remix. So do it! Now! Go!
This week's Open Question: "What are your top five Sega soundtracks?"
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!
Music used in this episode:
- Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- Fast Lane - Rushden & Diamonds
- Rough and Lady - Nazo Suzuki
- Jet Squid Radio - DJ Cutman
- Sonic Youth - Crush 40
- Let the Speed Mend It - Kenichi Tokoi, Runblebee
- Fly Away - Tomoya Ohtani
- Let Mom Sleep - Hideki Naganuma
- Casino Night: Act 2 (Sonic Generations) - Jun Senoue, Atushi Kosugi
- His World (Instrumental) - Tomoya Ohtani
- Crisis City - Tomoya Ohtani
- Message from Nightopia - Tomoko Sasaki, Naofumi Hataya
- Riders of the Light - Hiroshi Yamaguchi
- Azure Blue World - Jun Senoue
- That’s the Way I Like It - Jun Senoue
- Pioneer 2 - Hideaki Kobayashi
- Stage 1 (Streets of Rage) - Yuzo Koshiro
- Start Your Engines - Takenobu Mitsuyoshi
- The Concept of Love - Hideki Naganuma
- Vyse’s Theme - Yutaka Minobe
- Character Select (Sonic Advance 3) - Hideaki Kobayashi, Kenichi Tokoi
- Boss Battle Tori - Yuri Fukuda, Takashi Nagasaka, Hideki Naganuma
- Alien Breakdown - John Baker
You're most likely to recognize Dustin Branscum (AKA DusK) from his shredding video game remixes, but he also has some cool side projects that stray into totally different territory. Either way, he is clearly a man of integrity-- we know this because his Splatoon tactics are sound and he knows a lot of Genesis music. To hear about this and more, it is recommended that you listen to this episode of Train Station at 8!
Steven Reich, ruler of the Pokemon Internet Radio Network, is back again to decipher the insane language of licensed music, particularly where Pocket Monsters are concerned. Makoto of the Pikipi Podcast is here, too, lending her expert knowledge of Pokemon anime to the show. Stand by for a blast(oise) of fun facts in rapid(ash) succession, giving you plenty of knowledge to (pika)chew on for quite some time! Steven is on Twitter, sure, but don't forget about Pokepress the Pokemon Internet Radio Network. As for Makoto, you can find her on Twitter or the Pikapi Podcast. Click on every link! This week's Open Question: "When does licensed music work for a game and when doesn't it?" How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some! Music used in this episode: Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Main Title - James Horner Twister - Takeharu Ishimoto Sunlight Filtering Through the Trees - Revo Spring Emotions - Tomoya Ohtani Stay Fresh! - Ben Briggs Dash Cancel - Nutritious Team Rocket Hideout - Junichi Masuda Pokemon Report - Ikuko Mimori Wild Pokemon (Pokemon Ranger) - ??? Battle! Team Galactic - Junichi Masuda Pokemon Trading Card Game Title - ??? Cele-B-R-A-T-E - Russell Velazquez
Music man Michael "Flexstyle" Birch is here with us tonight-- you might know him from OverClocked ReMix. He has a healthy respect for Rayman and Ace Combat music, so he's all right in our book, but he still must overcome the oceanic quiz segment we cooked up for him. So water you waiting for? Dive in! (Our deepest apologies for that.)
Shariq Ansari, also known as Darkesword, is one of the top minds at OverClocked ReMix and, as it turns out, a professor of Sonic the Hedgehog music trivia. He tells of tales of ReMix tournaments and last minute music production crunches before pondering how we've all changed as humans beings-- at least so far as music is concerned. To hear what he (and we) have to say, all one must do is tune in!
Want to learn more about Shariq and his endeavors? Follow him on Twitter and check out OverClocked ReMix!
This week's Open Question: "How have your music tastes changed over the years-- or have they?"
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!
Music used in this episode:
- Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- A Kingdom Fallen (Main Theme) - Sixto Sounds
- ??? (DS) - Yuzo Koshiro
- ??? (Retro) - Yuzo Koshiro
- Town Theme - Jake Kaufman
- Super Sonic Racing (Sonic Pinball Party) - Tatsuyuki Maeda, Teruhiko Nakagawa, Yutaka Minobe
- Casino Paradise Zone Act 1 - Tatsuyuki Maeda, Yutaka Minobe
- Knuckles' Theme - Howard Drossin
- Sonic 3D Blast Title (Genesis) - Jun Senoue
- Aquatic Ruin Zone - We don't even know anymore
- Aquatic Base Zone Level 1 - Mariko Nanba
- At Dawn - Jun Senoue
News sources:
- Final Fantasy II: Rebellion
- Adventures of Pip OST
This week we have a very nice chat with Rich Vreeland, known to some as Disasterpeace, to others as the man behind the Fez soundtrack, and to Bryan as "that Cat Astro Phi guy." We cover all of the important things such as Splatoon's way funky tunes and also website domains for some reason (www.whalesarewhal.es coming soon). To top it off, Rich tallies up an impressive Train Your Brain score-- we think. The math was sort of confusing.
Learn about all things Disasterpeace at his website (www.disaster.pizza, of course). You can also track him down on Twitter.
This week's Open Question: "Do you play certain songs, albums, and artists to fit different moods?"
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!
Music used in this episode:
- Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- Grant Kirkhope plays Ukulele for Yooka-Laylee!! - Grant Kirkhope
- Dwarven Stone Upon Dwarven Stone - Adam Skorupa, Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz
- Skies of Deception - Arika Yamasaki
- Avengers - Alan Silvestri
- Super Smash Bros. Melee Menu - Hirokazu Ando
- The Dark World - Koji Kondo
- L.A. Noir Theme - Andrew Hale
- TERNAL - Zan-zan-zawa-veia
- Westopolis - June Senoue
- Sarasaraland Online - coda
- Single Player Theme / Gusher Gauntlet - Toru Minegishi, Shiho Fujii
- Vampire's Ball (NES) - Jake Kaufman
- Stairway to Revelation - flashgoodness
- Wars World News - Advance Wars
- On the Beach of Dreams - Yasunori Mitsuda
- Rick the Hamster - Hirokazu Ando, Ikegami
News sources:
Mario Sound Test compliation soundtrack a tribute to Nintendo from The Ongaku
place in the video game music community. His ReMix skills are nothing to sneeze at, ladies and gentlemen, and he spares a few minutes to chat about how he (and we) found ourselves knee deep in the coolness that surrounds us.
We've upended the tea table again to bring you a fresh new format that ditches our old song-of-the-week deal for a variety pack of sorts. The show still kicks off with What Have You Been Listening To? but is now followed by the Open Question, News from the City, and Train Your Brain. What are these mysterious segments? Find out alongside your usual duo of hosts and Emily Reese of the Top Score podcast, our distinguished guest!
Train Station at 8 returns with one last hurrah for the single song episode format! You heard right: times will be changing next week, but for now we take a look at Guild Wars 2 and its Saga of the Norn. Syl from fellow video game music podcast Battle Bards is by our side to brave the brass of Jeremy Soule-- who knows else we'll find along the way?
The 50th episode of Train Station at 8 is crowned with a video game deserving of the notably round number: Super Mario 64. Christophe Blondel, also known as CarboHydroM, is a dude with a deep appreciation for the art of music-making and star-collecting, so we've got him on board again. The three of us happily jump back into the magical painting of the past to compare Koji Kondo variations, make observations on how soundtracks changed with polygons, and simply remember good times.
The talented Super Marcato Bros. have recently shared their double album tribute to Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island, Hello World, with... well, the world! We've got all three of them here to tell us the tale of how they stepped into Koji Kondo's venerable shoes and created two SNES soundtracks from the ground up. Karl, Marty, and Will always have interesting stuff to say and this is no exception, so pull up a seat and enjoy this most brotherly of episodes.
You can find Karl and Will at the Super Marcato Bros. website and Marty on Twitter!
Buy "Jump On In! (Overworld)" here!
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!
Music used in this episode:
- Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- Hello World: Adventures in Mushroomland - Super Marcato Bros.
- Hello World: Journey to Dino Island - Super Marcato Bros.
- Super Mario World - Koji Kondo
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - Koji Kondo
Metal Gear Solid 2 is a trippy ride, thanks in no small part to the oddball assortment of antagonists in rogue government unit Dead Cell. Jared Ettinger has gone toe-to-toe with these bosses and knows their theme song like the back of his hand, so together we revisit old friends on the unpredictable (musically and otherwise) Big Shell.
The epic conclusion to our trilogy of experimental episodes is here: A Case Study of Sonic Adventure 2. It's time to give this insane, wonderful, terrible, nostalgic soundtrack the detailed investigation in deserves, so buckle up for an episode that leaves no tune unturned. How did this Dreamcast swan song come to be? Who composed the music? How many different genres does it cover again? If you're looking for a comprehensive guided tour of Sonic Adventure 2's audiological escapades, this is the place to be.
It's time for another experiment! Last week was Rhapsody Roulette #1, next week it'll be a Super Fun Secret, and this week it's our first attempt at a Freestyle episode. We show format the doormat so we can hang out free of stress to chat about whatever's musically on our minds. You can expect to hear about Club Nintendo's promotional Super Smash Bros. album, the profound work of Jeremy Soule, the pop music stigma, and Stephen's heartfelt appreciation for Home Made Kazoku (among many other subjects). So come in, relax! That's what we're doing.
The birds aren't singing. There's an odd tingling in the air. The proverbial castle has been flipped upside-down. You know what this means, right? Train Station at 8 is introducing something new: Rhapsody Roulette. Instead of discussing a single song with somewhat prepared pre-show research, Stephen and Bryan are shuffling randomly through their iTunes libraries to chat about five songs in daring, off-the-cuff manner. It's messy, sure, but trying new things is the bomb.
It's high time Phantasy Star Online got its due, and we've got old pals Joe Walker and Alyssa Menes in our party to remind everyone what a musical masterwork that Dreamcast game is. Image of Hero (the character creation theme) is our subject this week, so prepare yourself for the smooth electronic groove of everyone's favorite (or at least top three) sci-fi/fantasy hybrid.
You can find Joe and Alyssa on Twitter, which is where this whole episode idea began!
Buy "Image of Hero" here!
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!
Stuff we talked about:
- [NUREN] The New Renaissance
- SpaceKappa
- A.C Menes Music
Music used in this episode:
- Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- Beautiful Days - Masafumi Takada
- Desert Highway - Satoshi Okubo
- Power Off, Power On! - ???
- COE-OPERATION - Jake Kaufman
- Mango Tango - Jake Kaufman, Jessie Seely
- Image of Hero - Fumie Kumatani
- Mario 64 File Select - Koji Kondo
- Pioneer 2 - Hideaki Kobayashi
It's time to celebrate the launch of Majora's Mask 3D, and our old Whales are Whales pal Cameron is back again to join in on the unsettled whispers and dismayed discoveries we all witness along the way. Understated with a tingly (not that Tingle) sense of mystery, the opening to this infamous Zelda title is the subject of this week's discussion. We stay up late and almost hallucinate to get this episode out on time, so pardon the mild madness-- it's only partially brought on by our own mortality reflected in that horrific moon's ember-orange eyes.
We're chilling out in our familiar, laid-back home of Animal Crossing this week to chat about its memory-filled title theme. There's not a guest in sight on this duo-based dive into the mellow, but we talk about lots of other cool video game music podcasts to make up for it. Also, we have some good news! Train Station at 8 is heading back to a weekly schedule as we strongly disliked the fourteen-day gap between episodes. Hey, we gave it a shot!
Okay, folks, grand announcement time. February 10th, 2015 marked the first anniversary of Train Station at 8! With a whole year under our belt, I'm confident in saying that this is one of the most fulfilling projects I've ever worked on-- it's certainly made us the most friends! Why, we've put out 42 episodes with a combined total of 33 guests, which is undeniable proof that we didn't do this alone.
To celebrate this fact, you can scroll down this page and feast your eyes (and potentially your ears) on a collection of video game music podcasts that I personally tune into near every week. Everyone approaches the subject with a different perspective, so I encourage you to give them all a listen and see which ones stick with you. I know I'm grateful to have so many creative voices out there talking about, as Grant Kirkhope would say, good tunes.
VGMpireI've been listening to Brett Elston and his ne'er-do-well cast of friends chat amongst themselves much longer than Train Station at 8 has existed. A different theme or game series is spotlighted each episode, but if there's one thing I love about this show, it's the genuine love Brett has for all the music he dredges up from a varied past of video game joy. He'll often preface a song with stories of his days working at the gaming section of Toys R Us or playing Redbook Audio CDs in his car, teenaged public opinion be damned. Fellow podcasters from Laser Time (a pop-culture-focused Whales are Whales to put it somewhat reductively) come and go, giving VGMPire a super relaxed vibe to hang out in. Brett's been on Train Station at 8 before, so check that out if you'd like a sample!
Super Marcato Bros.Will and Karl Brueggeman are classy as all get out. Their format is fairly straightforward-- pick a general theme and discuss songs one at a time-- but it's the knowledgeable back and forth discussion that sets these guys apart. Both of them are talented composers, so they've got musically sound opinions and terminology out the wazoo. They run a tight ship, those Marcato Bros., and I've learned a lot about composition throughout my hours of listening. Since destiny demands that two pairs of brothers who host video game music podcasts must join forces, Will and Karl have been on Train Station at 8 several times in the past, and we've guested on their show as well. It's a beautiful friendship.
Rhythm EncounterI'm not much of a JRPG guy, and that's precisely why I enjoy listening to Rhythm Encounter. As I find myself unwilling to play through the majority of 50+ hour eastern epics out there, I turn to the official music podcast of RPGFan to fill me in on all the astounding music. This fine show is hosted by Stephen Meyerink, Caitlin Argyros, and Mike Salbato; although we had Derek Heemsbergen on the show with Stephen a while back, he's no longer in the hosting seat. All of these people know a thing or two about RPGs, however, and share with their audience a whole bunch of their favorite songs from the genre.
Battle BardsI have a soft spot for MMO music, and this thematically appropriate show directly stabs that soft spot with the blade of memorable melodies. I appreciate Battle Bards not only for creative editing (a rarity with most podcasts) but for living up to their name and breaking out the verbal weaponry. Steff, Syp, and Syl don't hesitate to disagree with one another or flat-out decide that they don't like the music at hand, even though they couldn't be friendlier in the process.
Top Score with Emily ReeseI'll admit that I've only heard a small handful of Emily's episodes, but I don't hesitate for a moment to recommend Top Score wholeheartedly. These brief, well-produced snippets of Minnesota Public Radio-- yes, this is a real deal radio show-- interview some of the sharpest minds in the video game music scene, bringing our beloved culture to a whole new audience. If you don't want to take my word for it, know that the Marcato Bros. hold up Top Score as a major inspiration for their own show!
Pixelated AudioThe most recent of my podcast discoveries, Pixelated Audio features a duo of dudes who like to reach back into their retro past for musical ammunition. Bryan (not our Bryan) and James don't just discuss the music, however; they often compare notes on the games proper and how they've enjoyed playing through them. These guys are fairly new to the podcasting scene, and I welcome them with a thumbs up and a spot on this list!
That just about rounds out my current rotation of video game music podcasts, but I'm always looking for more, so drop me a note if you have any favorites missing in action. Thank you so many times for listening and, in this case, reading. We'll see you around!
- Stephen
We here at Train Station at 8 like to shine a positive spotlight on music we think makes the world a better place, but this episode is somewhat of a... cautionary tale. Zachary Walton, a Whales are Whales man and Japanese RPG connoisseur, has brought with him a song that combines legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu with prog rock sensation Deep Purple. It gets weird.
We listened to a lot of wonderful music and met a lot of wonderful people during Train Station at 8's first year of podcasting, so we decided to say farewell to 2014 with a tribute celebrating all of those good times. The invitations went out and resulted in this mega-sized episode featuring Jayson Napolitano, Alyssa Menes, Will and Karl Brueggeman, Andrew Luers (OA), Deia Vengen (DragonAvenger), and Matthew Tucciarone (Major Third). It's a packed table this week and there's way too much to talk about, so sit back and join us for a two-hour adventure into the past!
Neal Acree (seasoned composer of film, television, and Blizzard) tells the story of Nightsong, a song from World of Warcraft: Cataclysm that almost never was. We also veer into topics like Video Games Live, creative collaboration, and the Darnassian language. If you're ready to step back into Azeroth (like we are) then hesitate no more and start the episode!
Alyssa Menes is back again for another Sakurai-fueled adventure, lending her voice to a rousing discussion about SUPER. SMAAAAAAASH. BROOOOTHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERSSSSS!!! The newest entry in this legendary series crashes onto the scene with a pumped up menu theme brings out the joy and excitement from everyone present, so leap into the auditory fray and let's do this!
Josh Whelchel, composer of many uber cool songs, has brought a rousing arrangement of Final Fantasy VIII to our attention. This snippet of a grand medley draws the three of us into a conversation about tone, tempo, and the ramifications of music distribution platforms. It's possible you might even learn something-- we did!
Let us leap from the heavens and into the mighty spaceship bristling with bad guys, futuristic technology, and AA (anti-angel) weaponry. Alyssa Menes joins us to talk about Kid Icarus: Uprising and its phenomenal soundtrack; specifically, In the Space-Pirate Ship. It's a great time, you should listen in!
The final part of our World of Warcaft series concludes with recent expansion Warlords of Draenor and all the majesty it brings to our respective ears. Magnificent Desolation tells us a tale of the tragic, howling Frostfire Ridge, drawing us into a wonderful discussion about storytelling, artistic themes, and orcish valor. We're going out with a bang and will be back next week with something new!
Warlords of Draenor has taken the world by storm, but we still have one last stop before joining the march to Draenor: Mists of Pandaria. This tranquil, thought-provoking expansion is home to The Golden Lotus, a vanguard of staunch defenders and a song of the same name. With warm, fluffy, Pandaren feelings in our hearts, we explore.
David Arkenstone, wisdom-emanating musician and World of Warcraft composer, has brought a track of his own from Cataclysm. Surrender the Booty (of Booty Bay fame) is a song of high adventure, blazing pirate ships, and fun-filled villainy; it also acts as a springboard for all kinds of fascinating discussion on how we create and listen to music. We'd love for you to join us on this especially special episode!
We return to our six-part World of Warcraft series with the cinematic intro music from Wrath of the Lich King. Arthas, My Son tells a sad, twisted story in just three minutes; we add our own ponderous thoughts to it and the expansion as a whole.
Buy Arthas, My Son here!
Stephen and Bryan can both be found on Twitter, so go be their friends. They are very nice.
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!
Music used in this episode:
- Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- Arthas, My Son (Cinematic Intro) - Neal Acree
We take a break from traipsing about Azeroth to chill with Thomas Spargo in the colorful soundscape of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker's title theme. Its earthy, simple beauty is a gentle reminder that you don't need much to have a whole lot.
Part II of the World of Warcraft series marches on The Burning Crusade, the game's first expansion and a bastion of fond memories for Stephen and Bryan. Silvermoon City, home of the Blood Elves, is a glorious achievement of the magic-fueled race, yet runs deep with an unsettling air of darkness. This week we're talking about how it sounds.
Buy Silvermoon City here!
Don't forget to follow Stephen and Bryan on Twitter for kicks!
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!
Music used in this episode:
- Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- E.G.G.M.A.N. - Paul Shortino and Jun Senoue
- Aquatic Lagoon - Zone Runners
- The Sin'dorei - Russell Brower (?)
- Silvermoon City - Russell Brower (?)
This is the first of five World of Warcraft episodes (each covering a different expansion) leading up to the release of Warlords of Draenor, the newest addition to this musically inclined MMORPG. We go back to the beginning with a song that's been in the game since day one: Teldrassil, in all its earthy, mystical beauty. Tune in next week when the Dark Portal opens once again!
We're not talking about a video game song this week, but hold your Rapidashes-- it's tangentially related! Gym Leader Steven Reich probably knows more about Pokemon than any mortal ever will, and that knowledge base includes the original anime's theme song, which just happens to be the topic at hand. The guy runs the Pokemon Internet Radio Network (PIRN), for Pichu's sake, so expect an information-filled leap back into the late nineties.
It's been a long time coming: Train Station at 8 is finally talking about local favorite Sonic Adventure. Music-making bad dudes halc and DiGi Valentine are pumped to chat up the podcast with opinions on Crazy Robo, a frenetic boss ditty with more depth than meets the ear. It's a good time!
Matthew Tucciarone (known as Major Third on his YouTube channel) is back again, and this time he's packing arts and crafts. Butter Building from the exceptionally lovable Kirby's Epic Yarn is his choice for this episode, which makes for a delightful addendum to our previous puffball-centric excursion. Prepare yourself-- it's about to get cute in here.
Host of VGMpire-- a fine video game music podcast, in case you weren't aware-- Brett Elston share his memories of Mario Kart 64 and its extraordinarily moving credits theme Victory Lap. MAGFest and Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) pop up here and there as well, but our hearts are set on that most special of Mario Kart songs, and we hope yours is, too.
Chance Thomas had some Howard-Shore-sized boots to fill when scoring The Lord of the Rings Online expansion pack Riders of Rohan, so we brought Jamie Christopherson on board to give us a composer's opinion. He's written his own Lord of the Rings music thanks to the Battle for Middle-earth series, and now the magnificent, melodic fields of the Riddermark beckon. Onward to Theme for Rohan!
BioWare masterwork Dragon Age: Origins and its logically titled theme song "Dragon Age: Origins" descend upon the podcast to share hope, death, and glory with you good listeners. Stephen and Bryan greatly enjoy the discussion, but it's mostly an excuse for them to play through Dragon Age again.
Three OverClocked ReMixers gather around microphones with us this week-- OA, DragonAvenger, and Level 99-- to get lost in the jazzy, frenetic car crash (but in a good way) that is NiGHTS and Reala from NiGHTS Into Dreams. It's worth listening just for the piano solo.
Welcome to Season 2 of Train Station at 8! We're still here every Saturday, ready to talk about video game music-- that hasn't changed-- but now we're looking at just one piece of music per week. The shift in structure was inspired by our Island Swing episode during which we learned how much mileage and excitement you can get out of a single song. Not only that, but the eight question format is gone, replaced by a simpler set of dual topics: the song and our history with it. We hope you enjoy the change in tempo, and please let us know what you think! It's just the two of us (Stephen and Bryan) in this season opener, and we've gone back to our roots for a closer look at our new theme song. "8pm" from Animal Crossing: Wild World is the source tune, taking us back to warm summer evenings in the good company of K.K. Slider and the Monkey Porter. A new chapter fueled by nostalgia!
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a lot of things (most of them radical), but today it is a music box that serenades us with pleasant memories. It was a magical time back then in the '90s, and the past has a lot to teach us music-lovers in the future. Here to join in on the fun are Joe and Christina Walker, two Train Station at 8 veterans and SNES enthusiasts; they also fill the gaping Earthbound hole, which is really just a public service.
Sometimes the world becomes a little brighter when a certain song enters the scene, and that's what this episode is all about. Raheem Jarbo (also known as Random or Mega Ran) joins Zachary Walton (fellow Disembodied Voices member) and your regularly scheduled co-hosts for a look at music that inspires them.
Head over to Twitter and follow Raheem and Zachary both!
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!
The 8 Questions. Give us your answers, too, so we can talk and stuff!
1. What have you been listening to?
2. Is there a specific moment you recall music giving you inspiration?
3. What kind of game music inspires you creatively?
4. What kind of game music inspires you personally or emotionally?
5. What kind of game music inspires you while doing grunt work?
6. What’s your primary motivation when creating art of your own?
7. How do you go about sharing music you love?
8. What have you been working on?
Music used in this episode:
- KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- FIGHT - D&D Sluggers
- Bark - Infected Mushroom
- Unbreakable Wings - CarboHydroM
- Oath of the Matron - Alexander Brandon
- Suburban Museum - Tomoko Sasaki / Fumi Kumatani / Naofumi Hataya
- On That Day 5 Years Ago - Random and Lost Perception
- To the Moon Main Theme - Kan R. Gao
- Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz Title - Hideki Naganuma / Yuri Fukuda / Takashi Nagasaka
The Elder Scrolls world is vast, epic, beautiful, and archetypal/archetypical; so is the music, which is mostly the part we care about right now. Josh Wise (old podcasting buddy and PhD student of systematic theology) and Kevin VanOrd (another fellow podcaster and GameSpot senior editor) lend their voices to a rigorous discussion on the sights and sounds of Tamriel. Join the adventure!
Mario Kart 8's live jazz band ensured that Train Station at 8 would be dedicating an episode to the series. Composer (and Mario Kart remixer) Christophe Blondel agreed that this would be a swell idea and here is the result!
Emotion is a complex beast, but composer Mike Raznick has made a video game song or two thousand in his time (you've probably played a game he wrote tunes for) and helps to figure out which musical elements have power over our feelings and why. You might learn something about composition, instrumentation, and most importantly, yourself.
Mike is on that Twitter thing and also has a website of his own, so click on Mike-related things!
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!
The 8 Questions. Give us your answers, too, so we can talk and stuff!
1. What have you been listening to?
2. What are some of the most emotional soundtracks for you?
3. Are there any instruments that get to you in specific ways?
4. Which emotions are the trickiest to coax out of listeners/players?
5. Are the emotions in a game inherently different than another medium? Should they be?
6. Where is the line between conjuring up emotion and trying too hard?
7. Which emotional spectrum would you like to see games explore more often?
8. What have you been working on?
Stuff we talked about:
- Spate
Music used in this episode:
- KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- Title / Main Menu - Sega/ Richard Jacques
- Ready Thy Shovel - Jake Kaufman
- Swag - Lindsey Stirling
- Freedom - David Housden
- Nerevar Rising - Jeremy Soule
- BioShock Main Theme - Gary Schyman
- To the Ancient Land - Koh Otani
- Demise of the Ritual - Koh Otani
- Revived Power - Koh Otani
- Winds and Memories - Junichi Nakatsuru
- Peace of the World - Dark Cloud 2
Karl and Will Brueggemann, collectively known as the Marcato Bros., are back again to bring knowledge and enthusiasm to Train Station at 8. This brings the group count to four, but only one song is on the menu today; namely, the world famous Island Swing from Donkey Kong Country. You might think that such a focused, limited discussion would mean a shorter episode this week, but you would be wrong, good listener. You would be wrong.
By all means, you should be following the Marcato Bos. on Twitter, but don't forget about their website, too!
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!
The 8 Questions:
1. What have you been listening to?
2. What stands out to you most about this piece?
3. What are some of this piece’s biggest weaknesses?
4. What do you think about the instrumentation of this piece?
5. What does this piece say about what it’s used for in the game?
6. How does this piece compare to other songs/games in the series?
7. What are some existing or potential remixes of this piece you find interesting?
8. What have you been working on?
Stuff we talked about:
- Fireflower: An Original Musical Comedy
- Harmony of Heroes
Music used in this episode:
- KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- Chozo Ruins - Kenji Yamamoto / Kouichi Kyuuma
- Stained Glass - Darren Korb
- Spirit [feat. Anthony Jackson] - Hiromi
- Battle: MINIBOSS - Jake Kaufman
- Song of the Ancients - Prescription for Sleep
- Island Swing - David Wise
- Sing, Sing, Sing - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
- Raiders March - John Williams
- Mining Melancholy - David Wise
- Donkey Kong Country Intro - David Wise
- DK Rap - Grant Kirkhope
- DK Isle - Grant Kirkhope
- Jungle Hijinx - Minako Hamano / Masura Tajima / Shinji Ushrioda / Daisuke Matsuoka
- Kongo Jungle - Hirokazu Ando
The inescapable drumbeat of change has caught up with Train Station at 8 and now-- if you will pardon the pun-- it's time to face the music. The soundtracks of some game series stagnate over decades while others can't help but to reinvent themselves at every turn, so we brought Episode 1 veteran Jayson Napolitano on board to help dig into this reality and what it means for us all.
You can catch up with Jayson on Twitter (via his company or personal account) and, of course, visit the highly classy Scarlet Moon Productions website.
How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!
The 8 Questions:
1. What have you been listening to?
2. What are some game series that haven’t changed much musically?
3. What are some game series that are now musically unrecognizable from their origins?
4. What tends to be your reaction to changing styles?
5. What are some of your favorite dramatic shifts in a series’ music style?
6. What do you think about shifting styles/consistency in a single game?
7. What are some series that need a new direction?
8. What have you been working on?
Music used in this episode:
- KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
- Temple of the Sky - Erutan
- Roads to Anywhere - Argle
- Peach's House Party - Sir Jordanius
- Perilous Pathway - Nutritious
- River of Life - Adam Skorupa
- Travelling Theme - Jake Kaufman
- Unblessed Soul - Akitaka Tohyama
- Ordinary Pain - Asuka Sakai
- Blind Loyalty - Ryuichi Takada
- Phantasmagoria - Junichi Nakatsuru
- Amid the Pure Insanity - Hiroki Kikuta
- Ice Cap Zone Act 1 - We don't even know anymore
- Mechanical Resonance... for Final Egg - Kenichi Tokoi
- Bloody Tears - Taro Kudou / Masanori Adachi
- Belmont's Theme - Oscar Araujo
- Gotta Stay Fly - Rio Hamamoto
- Plains of Eternity - Joelle
- The Woods of Light - Eric Chevalier
- Thirty Seconds Out - Ramin Djawadi
- Into Free - B'z
- Unknown From M.E. - Marlon Saunders, Dread Fox
The year is about halfway over, so it's time we look to the future. 2014's E3 exploded with loudness and excitement, so it taks a more careful ear to parse the fragmented songs from trailers and uncertain hints at soundtracks to come. Stephen and Bryan, fearless and guest-less, take on the task with whatever strength they can muster.
All ships, report in! Slippy's out for repairs, but we've got Matthew "Major Third" Tucciarone as a wing man this week, and the soundtrack of Star Fox is in his sights. Lylat is a system at war, and its music is every bit as conflicting thanks to a bumpy ride across multiple composers, genres, and degrees of quality. It certainly isn't a boring trip!
Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? We at Train Station at 8 have a brief announcement, and it’s rather super important. If you are subscribed to our iTunes or RSS feeds, we recommend switching over to the new ones just recently created. They’re bigger, faster, and stronger too-- not to mention active, which the old ones won’t be for much longer. If you’re on iTunes, simply subscribe to the new podcast; the one with Whales are Whales listed as the author. If you follow us via RSS feed, it’s as simple as using the brand new link included on the website. Any past reviews and ratings for iTunes have been lost in the transfer, so we would dearly love to hear your thoughts in the new version. Taking a bit of time can help us out a great deal. Thank you for listening and have a pleasant life.
It's an all-you-can-eat buffet and Kirby music's on the menu! Float along with returning guest Morgan Sleeper and all-new ally Jon Wahlgren (both of whom write for Nintendo Life) as they rejoice in the musical whimsy of Dream Land. Feel the beat of Butter Building and the gusto of Grape Garden in a shower of MP3 stardust as we salute the chipper good times our pal Kirby has provided.
The first ever direct Train Station at 8 sequel picks up where the last episode left off. After exploring the obtuse differences between Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask with Cameron Nutter, fellow Disembodied Voices member Zachary Walton joins us to sail the seas of Wind Waker and fall into the shadows of Twilight Princess. The two games couldn't be more contrary to one another, and they provide a whole mess of opinionated analysis-- even if the people holding those opinions admit they have no idea what they're talking about.
Worlds collide as Link falls from the classical music of Hyrule into the experimental noises of Termina; meanwhile, Disembodied Voices member Cameron Nutter finds himself in the unfamiliar Train Station at 8. He's a big fan of both Zelda classics, but knows full well that Ocarina of time and Majora's Mask are like backward versions of one another-- this provides for a twisting, fascinating journey into the depths of thematic meaning. How deep are these depths? The very conception of Majora's Mask falls into question repeatedly, forcing everyone on the show to ponder the passage of time and death itself. That's how deep.
If you want to find someone who knows a thing or two about overworld tunes, RPGFan is the place to look. It's lucky, then, that Stephen Meyerink and Derek Heemsbergen (both hosts of music-focused podcast Rhythm Encounter) have agreed to lend their expertise and vocal chords in an episode all about exploration themes. We travel to the heights of Hyrule and the depths of Resident Evil: Director Cut's basement, so hold onto your hats.
Stephen and Bryan are joined by a pair of brothers who run a video games music podcast and no cloning was involved! Will and Karl Brueggemann of the Super Marcato Bros. keep the sibling theme rolling with enough Mario Bros. love to fill Soda Lake three times over. Information and enthusiasm are interchangeable in this episode, and you just might gain a new favorite podcast along the way!
Matthew Tucciarone-- known as Major Third on his video game music show-- has amicably agreed to expound with us on the nature of dynamic music, spreading knowledge throughout the world as he goes. What's the difference between dynamic and static music exactly, and where does Luigi's Mansion fit into the picture? These sorts of questions are exactly what Train Station at 8 tries to answer this week.
A trio of newcomers appears on the scene this episode with retro thoughts in their hearts: Joe Walker of The Backlog, Christina Walker of Reginald the Vegan Zombie, and Morgan Sleeper of Nintendo Life (a music-maker in his own right). The good old days bask in the glory of this week's discussion, guaranteed to bring you back to another time whether you're a fan of Genesis voice samples or prefer the classically constructed WonderSwan.
Longtime Blizzard composer Jason Hayes is here to tackle the topic of live instrumentation and the long, twisting journey from the days of MIDI. This timeline spans from the creation of the Protoss briefing room theme to cautious placement of the erhu in Mists of Pandaria-- the Lost Vikings even gets a brief mention because life is grand.
Kevin VanOrd, Senior Editor of GameSpot and musical aficionado, pays a visit to Train Station at 8 for the express purpose of chatting about orchestral video game music. Nigh countless soundtracks are recalled and discussed with relish-- and speaking of relish, this episode dips into Kevin's dinnertime, proving his dedication to the arts (and multitasking skills) once and for all.
You may know him as the tiny yet enthralling voice from Extra Credits, or perhaps as OC ReMixer sephfire, or possibly as an animator with a good eye for quality cartoons. Regardless, Daniel Floyd is here with Train Station at 8 to talk about fond memories of days gone by and how video game music taps into that sentimental spirit we all have. He also shares a bit of cinema wisdom and agrees that the Nintendo 64 is great.
Creator of various songs and video games (including Frog Fractions and its Kickstarter-fueled successor) Jim Crawford joins Train Station at 8 to speak on the subject of how music can set the mood-- successfully or otherwise. Not only is the theory behind Frog Fractions' distinct brand of inconceivable weirdness pontificated upon in this intellectual discussion, but the answers turn out to be "bugs" 78% of the time.
Jayson Napolitano of Scarlet Moon Productions joins us to talk about soundtrack releases from across the ages, spanning the days of Nintendo Power promotional CDs to the modern digital sound files as we know them today. Album names fly furiously from all panelists, but Jayson inevitably puts the humble hosts to shame with a high-five worthy collection of soundtrack and knowledge stored with loving care. Best of all, the winner between the American and Japanese Sonic CD soundtrack wars is determined to be both of them!
