AnimeSuki Forums

Biswa · 2004-12-30, 14:49

(topic) anyone? anyone?

lolicon · 2004-12-30, 15:06

There is a huge difference between making a bad track, and releasing it. Every musician has tons of stuff thats just unfinished, ideas that were never developed, weird experimentation, and just plain bad stuff. I think most of Yokko Kanno's reputation comes from the fact that she won't release a track of hers unless it has a certain level of quality, and that she's also a very good judge of whether an idea for a song is worth working on or not.

I'm sure that she's had at least more than one completely generic background filler song, though.

Spiggy · 2004-12-30, 15:30

Nice post lolicon!
Sidenote: And what may sound good to one person may not sound good to another. I love her works but there are some that just don't click as well as another. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

Soconfused · 2004-12-30, 23:55

Although Yoko Kanno is my favorite composer, there are some songs I could do without. Just like with any artist, there's bound to be some songs you don't like.

kujoe · 2004-12-31, 02:46

I think "bad" isn't the right word. As for me, I think Yoko Kanno is a very talented and versatile composer in her own right, but at the same time there are just some works of hers that I'm not particularly into.

In my opinion, her best works are from Macross Plus and Arjuna. I also like most of her tracks from GITS:SAC and some of those found in Wolf's Rain as well. There are some who prefer her other works though--and in this respect, it just becomes a matter of personal taste.

Azulet · 2004-12-31, 14:03

I personally like Escaflowne and Cowboy Bebop. At first I didn't know the two were composed by the same person! It was kind of funny. I also enjoy Arjuna (sounds totally different, again). and of course Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone.
I'm actually not a huge fan of the Stand Alone's second OST, I think it's the robot sounding one? maybe I Just need to finish the series first. tachikomas are cute but a whole soundtrack devoted to them is a bit much. It's not one of those CD's I can listen to all the way through.
I want her to release Escaflowne and Cowboy Bebop CDs here!

pyu · 2005-01-01, 00:40

Have you guys ever listened to her work for KOEI Games? Its quite amazing to hear such a difference and it really shows how versatille she is...

Biswa · 2005-01-02, 20:46

ah, these are good posts. thanks for the replies guys. Hopefully i didn't come out sounding too much of a dope with a rather simple question. Yeah, i do suppose opinions will always vary too, so not a lot of people will like all her music (she is definitely versatile).

However, i want to know whether if any of the shows she made the soundtrack for ever been unsuccessful. I think her music also has a big part in the show's success.

The reason for this post really was for me to avoid anything i blindly walk into, thinking that Yoko Kanno is invincibly good (which is definitely what i think so far).

hooliganj · 2005-01-04, 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biswa

However, i want to know whether if any of the shows she made the soundtrack for ever been unsuccessful. I think her music also has a big part in the show's success.

I remember hearing that the soundtrack to Brain Power'd outsold the DVDs for the series, since the show was awful but had what some consider Yoko Kanno's best work. That was probably just hearsay, but it's a good example of the type of quality she lends to any show she works on.

kujoe · 2005-01-04, 21:16

Brain Power'd has a good soundtrack actually--the ED theme in particular. And you might want to research on her rarer works. I hear she has worked on commercials and documentaries too.

prince leon · 2005-12-18, 19:04

First off, she is one of my top composers of all-time. I wouldn't say that she's made a 'bad' piece but there are some that I love more than others.

Vantage · 2005-12-20, 02:39

Did you all know that Yoko is Gabriella Robin ? Welllll... I might be going out on a limb there, she denies all these claims, but many believe that she is. I'll try to find the link that I found a month ago discussing it. Anywho, I guess I brought this up just to show that not only is she a stellar composer, her voice is fantastic as well. Certianly one of the greatest musicians, dare i say...ever ?

Biswa · 2005-12-30, 00:37

Bahahahha. It looks like i posted this almost exactly 1 year ago. Now i can come back and reflect on what i said and after having listened to a LOT more of Yoko Kanno's music, i can say some things about it.

Now, when someone says "bad tracK" it's entirely subjective. But what makes Yoko Kanno special is her creativity in her music, as well as a professional and absolute effort in all of her music. Therefore, i would say she really hasn't made a bad track. Some of her tracks may be difficult to listen to and enjoy, but a song's strangeness has reasons too. Sometimes the weird tracks go very well into the show. So sometimes watching a show actually makes the songs sound better.
So it may not be really bad music, but just difficult music to get used to. Sometimes i'd have to listen to a song several times before it clicks and i get addicted to it. (This was true with Inner Universe... i was freaked out by that song at first. I thought it sounded too weird :P). The day i'll find one of her tracks "bad" is when it sounds hackneyed with no effort put into it. I HOPE she dosen't do that

.
Anyway, i am also currently hooked on Ghost in the Shell: SAC soundtracks. Anyoen else :P?

arias · 2005-12-30, 01:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vantage

Did you all know that Yoko is Gabriella Robin ? Welllll... I might be going out on a limb there, she denies all these claims, but many believe that she is. I'll try to find the link that I found a month ago discussing it. Anywho, I guess I brought this up just to show that not only is she a stellar composer, her voice is fantastic as well. Certianly one of the greatest musicians, dare i say...ever ?

Saying that she's the greatest musician ever will definitely garner you flames from the "classical elitists".. : p To them no music is greater than that of Mozart's, Brahm's.. Tschaikovsky's... etc. It's abit unfortunate, in my opinion..

But Yoko Kanno is amazing. Versatile. Talented. I'm not concerned with whether she's produced bad tracks (she definitely must have, of which were all dumped and never see the light of day).. but how many outstanding, memorable songs she has produced. And that, we all know, is aplenty

I just thank god she's still quite young (~40?) and will have many years ahead of her.

Potatochobit · 2005-12-30, 07:12

there is more music outside of the anime and classical world... -___-

i wouldnt dare u say it in public, you might get 'labeled' by your peers.

Biswa · 2005-12-30, 14:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Potatochobit

there is more music outside of the anime and classical world... -___-

i wouldnt dare u say it in public, you might get 'labeled' by your peers.

Indeed. I very much agree with you, but it's not difficult to go in both directions. The problem is the peers don't take the time to atleast check out the anime and classical world. So i go out and listen to other stuff, but they never listen to this stuff >_<.

ujiuji · 2005-12-30, 15:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by arias

Saying that she's the greatest musician ever will definitely garner you flames from the "classical elitists".. : p To them no music is greater than that of Mozart's, Brahm's.. Tschaikovsky's... etc. It's abit unfortunate, in my opinion..

While I don't think any music is greater than than Mozart etc. at their best, there's still music I love just as much. Comparing, for example Motown with Bulgarian folk music & trying to say which is "best" doesn't seem to make much sense they're too different. The only thing they have in common, for me, is that they evoke an emotional response.

Now as for Yoko Kanno, I think she's written some beautiful songs like "Voices" from Macross Plus and "Tsuki no Mayu" from Turn-A Gundam. Actually "Tsuki no Mayu" is one of my favourite anime songs. Some of her instrumental & orchestral music sounds derivative though; of just about every major classical composer of who worked in the first half of the twentieth century. While it's certainly not bad I sometimes find myself feeling I'd rather be listening to real Ravel, Shostakovitch, Holst etc. Hope that doesn't sound too elitist.

What I'm trying to say is I think she's at her best when she's being herself rather than imitating people she admires. (I believe she's a big Ravel fan). Anyway I like her music enough to have bought five albums.

P.S. I like her Sharon Apple songs too!

wingdarkness · 2005-12-31, 04:26

Damn, tuff question...I can't think of one...and I'm currently watching GITS 2nd Gig and My God this sdtk is as good if not the best yet...I didn't think she could do Jazz on par with bebop, but damn....The music in episode 3 is hypnotic...

I went to like 4 different malls in Austin and Houston and every Suncoast I went to the Yoko Kanno section is always sold out which shocked me, because it just tells you how mainstream this "underground industry" has become...

Ilpalazzo-sama · 2005-12-31, 04:50

Hehe, good question, can't think of any. She is truly one the best composers out there...of course she is not perfect, so I'm sure there are some.

青和紙 · 2006-01-03, 23:52

Nobody's perfect, but Kanno-san is one of the people you consider just one level below.

2004-12-30, 14:49	Link #1
Biswa Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004	Yoko Kanno (topic) anyone? anyone? Last edited by xris; 2006-10-20 at 04:46.

2004-12-30, 23:55	Link #4
Soconfused Old God Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: you....don't wanna know Age: 37	Although Yoko Kanno is my favorite composer, there are some songs I could do without. Just like with any artist, there's bound to be some songs you don't like. __________________ What exactly is the point of becoming powerful if one cannot indulge the hedonistic opportunities that come with it?

2005-12-18, 19:04	Link #11
prince leon red knight Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: The Bahamas Age: 38	First off, she is one of my top composers of all-time. I wouldn't say that she's made a 'bad' piece but there are some that I love more than others. __________________ :: キタぜ陰謀! ::

2005-12-31, 04:26	Link #18
wingdarkness Retweet Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: ニュー・オーリンズ、LA	Damn, tuff question...I can't think of one...and I'm currently watching GITS 2nd Gig and My God this sdtk is as good if not the best yet...I didn't think she could do Jazz on par with bebop, but damn....The music in episode 3 is hypnotic... I went to like 4 different malls in Austin and Houston and every Suncoast I went to the Yoko Kanno section is always sold out which shocked me, because it just tells you how mainstream this "underground industry" has become... __________________ Fly since ↔...

2004-12-30, 15:06	Link #2
lolicon Member Join Date: Oct 2004	There is a huge difference between making a bad track, and releasing it. Every musician has tons of stuff thats just unfinished, ideas that were never developed, weird experimentation, and just plain bad stuff. I think most of Yokko Kanno's reputation comes from the fact that she won't release a track of hers unless it has a certain level of quality, and that she's also a very good judge of whether an idea for a song is worth working on or not. I'm sure that she's had at least more than one completely generic background filler song, though.

2004-12-30, 15:30	Link #3
Spiggy Invisible Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Ohio for now Age: 44	Nice post lolicon! Sidenote: And what may sound good to one person may not sound good to another. I love her works but there are some that just don't click as well as another. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

2004-12-31, 02:46	Link #5
kujoe from head to heel Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada Age: 42	I think "bad" isn't the right word. As for me, I think Yoko Kanno is a very talented and versatile composer in her own right, but at the same time there are just some works of hers that I'm not particularly into. In my opinion, her best works are from Macross Plus and Arjuna. I also like most of her tracks from GITS:SAC and some of those found in Wolf's Rain as well. There are some who prefer her other works though--and in this respect, it just becomes a matter of personal taste.

2004-12-31, 14:03	Link #6
Azulet Member Join Date: Nov 2003	I personally like Escaflowne and Cowboy Bebop. At first I didn't know the two were composed by the same person! It was kind of funny. I also enjoy Arjuna (sounds totally different, again). and of course Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone. I'm actually not a huge fan of the Stand Alone's second OST, I think it's the robot sounding one? maybe I Just need to finish the series first. tachikomas are cute but a whole soundtrack devoted to them is a bit much. It's not one of those CD's I can listen to all the way through. I want her to release Escaflowne and Cowboy Bebop CDs here!

2005-01-01, 00:40	Link #7
pyu Crouchety Old Man Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Singapore	Have you guys ever listened to her work for KOEI Games? Its quite amazing to hear such a difference and it really shows how versatille she is...

2005-01-02, 20:46	Link #8
Biswa Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004	ah, these are good posts. thanks for the replies guys. Hopefully i didn't come out sounding too much of a dope with a rather simple question. Yeah, i do suppose opinions will always vary too, so not a lot of people will like all her music (she is definitely versatile). However, i want to know whether if any of the shows she made the soundtrack for ever been unsuccessful. I think her music also has a big part in the show's success. The reason for this post really was for me to avoid anything i blindly walk into, thinking that Yoko Kanno is invincibly good (which is definitely what i think so far).

2005-01-04, 21:16	Link #10
kujoe from head to heel Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada Age: 42	Brain Power'd has a good soundtrack actually--the ED theme in particular. And you might want to research on her rarer works. I hear she has worked on commercials and documentaries too.

2005-12-20, 02:39	Link #12
Vantage Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2005	Did you all know that Yoko is Gabriella Robin ? Welllll... I might be going out on a limb there, she denies all these claims, but many believe that she is. I'll try to find the link that I found a month ago discussing it. Anywho, I guess I brought this up just to show that not only is she a stellar composer, her voice is fantastic as well. Certianly one of the greatest musicians, dare i say...ever ?

2005-12-30, 00:37	Link #13
Biswa Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004	Bahahahha. It looks like i posted this almost exactly 1 year ago. Now i can come back and reflect on what i said and after having listened to a LOT more of Yoko Kanno's music, i can say some things about it. Now, when someone says "bad tracK" it's entirely subjective. But what makes Yoko Kanno special is her creativity in her music, as well as a professional and absolute effort in all of her music. Therefore, i would say she really hasn't made a bad track. Some of her tracks may be difficult to listen to and enjoy, but a song's strangeness has reasons too. Sometimes the weird tracks go very well into the show. So sometimes watching a show actually makes the songs sound better. So it may not be really bad music, but just difficult music to get used to. Sometimes i'd have to listen to a song several times before it clicks and i get addicted to it. (This was true with Inner Universe... i was freaked out by that song at first. I thought it sounded too weird :P). The day i'll find one of her tracks "bad" is when it sounds hackneyed with no effort put into it. I HOPE she dosen't do that . Anyway, i am also currently hooked on Ghost in the Shell: SAC soundtracks. Anyoen else :P?

2005-12-30, 07:12	Link #15
Potatochobit Certified Organic Join Date: Dec 2005	there is more music outside of the anime and classical world... -___- i wouldnt dare u say it in public, you might get 'labeled' by your peers.

2005-12-31, 04:50	Link #19
Ilpalazzo-sama Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005	Hehe, good question, can't think of any. She is truly one the best composers out there...of course she is not perfect, so I'm sure there are some.

2006-01-03, 23:52	Link #20
青和紙 Aowashi Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Age: 37	Nobody's perfect, but Kanno-san is one of the people you consider just one level below.