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Final Fantasy X: Suteki Da Ne - Rikki :: Review by Dave
OverviewWith "Suteki Da Ne" being the third vocal theme from a Final Fantasy game, the publishers behind this single have a good idea of what the fans would like. Final Fantasy VIII: Eyes On Me - Faye Wong featured one new theme, the original theme, and a karaoke version, and Final Fantasy IX: Melodies Of Life - Emiko Shiratori stayed along the same lines with an English version of the original track being the only change besides "Galway." So, here this album is, and the team have made it a much more valuable experience once more by introducing two new themes. Rikki certainly has a lot to live up to; with the previous albums being almost flawless in nature, this album would have to be something special. Nonetheless, read on to see what I thought of "Suteki Da Ne" and the new tracks: "The Moon ~Utikisama~" and "Pure Heart." Body"Suteki Da Ne" is nearly the best vocal ballad that the series had seen at that point in time. Admittedly, Rikki's voice is nothing compared to the freshness of Emiko Shiratori's voice or the beauty of Faye Wong's, but with there being some fantastic instrumentation in the track, it is far better than "Eyes on Me" and "Melodies of Life." Nonetheless, there is one theme that is better, and this is Hamaguchi's arrangement, "Suteki Da Ne -Orchestra Version-." To me, is the best vocal theme in the series! Why this arrangement was left off this album, I don't know, but I personally would have preferred this instead of "Suteki Da Ne." Each theme featured on the Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack, so it definitely wasn't overlooked. Nonetheless, what's done is done, and we are left to appreciate a lesser theme that still has a lot of kick to it. Takahiko Ishikawa starts the track off with a carefully played acoustic guitar that is soon followed by a glorious violin melody. Rikki's voice comes over this, and although her voice is slight unsuited to the theme due to its sharpness, it does the job quite well. The track starts to get going around the 1:40 mark where the violin line and the rest of the string accompaniment gain in passion and action, and with this followed soon by a complete violin solo, the overall effect of wonder, perfection, and beauty is given off. The translation of the name of the track is "Isn't it Beautiful," and if you just listen to the karaoke version of the track at the end of the album, you will see that it is a perfect reflection of what the track reveals. All in all, this is a clever and impressive track from Uematsu, and despite the fact that he needed to be assisted with the album at the time, I can guarantee you that everything from this theme is solely from him. It is a pity in this respect though, that Hamauzu arranged it to even better standards. "The Moon ~Utikisama~" is an original theme that is solely composed by Rikki. The theme doesn't hold the same amount of instrumental variety as "Suteki Da Ne," but rather a simple piano line that is full of heart and wonder. The theme is slow, quaint, and well formed, but once again, Rikki's voice is a main problem. She tries to reach for notes that she just can't manage, and that just makes the image a little less perfect in my eyes. Her fascination with The Moon in this track is emphasised towards the end where she starts to howl as she suspends a high pitched note. Although the representation of a werewolf was most likely an unintended effect, I feel that it adds quite a bit of originality to the theme. There is very little to say about this theme, but one asset that stands out amongst the melody is the piano solo. Although the piano doesn't go into a parade of excellence and power, the harmonious solo that it yields is effective, and probably more fitting, too. Of course, the theme doesn't have the same amount of flair as "Galway" or "Red Bean," but with it perfectly representing the type of song that you would expect in a private concert at a stately home, I think that it is very fitting. Indeed, a theme like this would make a perfect accompaniment to a credits sequence of a game, so I would have welcomed it on the Original Soundtrack. On the whole, this is a promising track that brings out Rikki's voice pretty well, and despite a few melodic stumbles, she performs it beautifully. The last theme on the album, "Pure Heart" is a pleasing reprise of "Aerith's Theme" from the Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack. Yuji Hasegawa plays the acoustic guitar in this track, and it is this that provides the bass for the introduction and the majority of the later track. The introduction is also made up from a violin and a lightly played acoustic bass, so almost instantly, it feels like a Celtic theme. Nonetheless, it proves to be much more of a traditional Japanese theme when the violin joins the acoustic guitar and yields little but an intriguing melody. Rikki sings the original melody to justice, but once again, I find the sharp tone that she seems all so fond of, quite annoying. The acoustic bass becomes a lot more prominent towards the centre of the track when some drums are also added, and, not surprisingly, the theme becomes a lot more emotive here, too. Rain effects are also added, so it almost gives the impression of Aerith's descent into water, which I feel is a nice touch. The lyrics are perfectly fitting, too, and although I urge you to look at the lyrics page for this track, the main verse says "The passionate feelings that were beginning to vanish once again sway in radiance in my chest." This track is a beautiful ballad, and as you will see, the words fit right in with the music. There is very little that this theme lacks, and although it can't beat "Suteki Da Ne," the sentimental value is extremely high. SummaryOn the whole, this album is better than the two that precede it. Rikki's voice may not be perfect, but the instrumentation and the charm behind the melodies really make it a wholesome experience. As I stated near the start of the review, this album would have been so much better if it had Hamaguchi's glorious "Suteki Da Ne -Orchestra Version-" arrangement. I was quite disappointed to see that it wasn't present, especially since it would have made the album an even better experience. As the Final Fantasy series progresses, the vocal albums that are released alongside them just get better and better. Overall, and impressive set of tracks that hold a lot of emotion and relaxing vibes. Please note that the grade has been marked down due to the length of the album. Percentage Overall Score: 76% |
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