?Redemption Blues,? ?Zombie Holiday? + Gavin's Favorite Games of 2011

[MiracleOfSound]

?Redemption Blues,? ?Zombie Holiday? + Gavin's Favorite Games of 2011

A song you didn't quite enjoy, and Gavin's favorite games of the year.

Read Full Article

 

[GeorgW]

Nice to see you liked Arkham City, it seems to get overlooked in most GOTY lists I've seen.
I love that you made the Dead Island song to fit the game, even though you realised that most people probably wouldn't appreciate it.
Keep 'em coming!

 

[Phlakes]

I love how snarky you can get with those criticisms.

And keep up the good work. You're one of my three major inspirations and one of the most well handled Internet personalities I've ever seen. After what's happened in the last few months, just think where you'll be in a year or two.

 

[Formica Archonis]

I'm surprised that some people didn't get the juxtaposition of "Zombie Holiday". It seems kind of obvious. Missing it would be like complaining that Lore Sjoberg's "Nine Inch Noels" couldn't be used for caroling.

(Er, better explain that one: A medley of Nine Inch Nails song lyrics to the tunes of Christmas songs. The version of "Closer" is quite... interesting? No, really. (NSFW) [http://s91291220.onlinehome.us/formica/Lore%20Sjoberg%20-%20Nine%20Inch%20Noels.mp3])

 

[BrotherRool]

I think we can safely say this has been the best year for gaming this decade.

-----------
Great I have more incentive to go out and have another listen to your songs!
-----------
If I troll you a bit, does that mean I'd get to be quoted in one of your articles? Can't attention whore without some attention
-----------
On that front(this thought is actually connected to the last one! Level Up basic syntax!) I still haven't decided how I feel about how you deal with criticism. On the one hand, it's cool and makes you more human and it's great that you're not going to let the internet get to you, keep on fighting and producing the things you love!

But meeting hostility with hostility... I've loved the idea of turn the other cheek from the minute I first read it and I'm not sure hostility does anything but damage the person being hostile. A whole lot of e-drama has started from a creator responding to criticism. Maybe 'don't feed the troll' is the bible sentiment for our internet?
-----------
Whilst still on the subject of trolling, congratulations for the Duke Nukem review, I really felt that game connected with me on a deeper emotional level that most games can't fear to reach. Truly in no other way can people understand clearer that games are art.
-----------
You've got a knack for reviewing games. You managed to sum up some pretty subtle things that I completely agree with about those games. Do you ever right reviews or just sing them?
-----------
I don't really get music, but I love to here people talk about it the way you do, it feels like a real insight and it's still a mystery how people can express so much and put so many thoughts into a 4 minute tune. In that regard I almost love these articles more than the songs themselves!
-----------
Redemption Blues and Zombie Holiday were class, I'm glad you decided to speak about those today
-----------
I was a bit shotgunned for ideas today sorry Although I admit I cheated and added an extra two or three when I realised how uncollected I was

 

[SilverUchiha]

Nice to see you liked Arkham City, it seems to get overlooked in most GOTY lists I've seen.

Agreed. Everyone is so focused on fucking Skyrim. Not to hate on it or anything, but I'm just a bit tired of hearing about it. Why not any of the other hundreds of titles that came out since October? (Hell, there wasn't even a review for Sonic Generations here and I thought it was the best game yet).

OT: I'm looking forward to your Arkham City song. I certainly hope you do it justice. If it is anything like "Mind of the Bat" then I will be more than satisfied. (Speaking of which, can you do one of these on Mind of the Bat? That was a GREAT song! That or Wheatly's Song (because I just loved it)).

 

[Rusman]

"Until you get your act together I recommend against trying Skyrim, lest you want to be lynched by EVERYONE." Ahahahaha, hope that guy is choking on those words now as Sovengard Song was amazing, easily my favourite song of your's to date.

Also I really liked Zombie Holiday, despite not playing Dead Island yet. I guess I just really liked the mash up of two different styles of music.

 

[Flames66]

An interesting and informative article, as always. I particularly like your descriptions of the methods you use and am planning to try some of them myself in future music projects (when I eventually get around to doing any more).

 

[Spawny0908]

As a huge fan of Red Dead Redemption I LOVED your song. I got what you were saying and the feeling you were trying to convey. I'm surprised you didn't like Undead Nightmare though I can understand why. I felt the same way when they first announced it. But then I got that it was a what if deal and not to be taken seriously. I mean the main style of the soundtrack is surf rock in a western game for God's sake! I liked it but I guess it's not for everyone. Nice job on Redemption Blues, I bought it on iTunes and listen to it lots!

 

[putowtin]

"Until you get your act together I recommend against trying Skyrim, lest you want to be lynched by EVERYONE."
wow, since when was high praise and virtual cookies considered a lynching? cause that's what I shall give to you! Sovengard Song is amazing, not just one of your best songs, possibly one of the best songs of the year!

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to your Arkham City song. What is it with Batman that makes us love him and the grim world he lives in so much? It's an old philosophical question that would probably puzzle Ancient Greek philosophers if they were alive today. But I digress. I love your work man. Keep doing your thing.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Gavin is such a troll.

Anyway, I really liked Redemption Blues, it's in my Starred playlist at the moment, then again I haven't actually played Red Dead, so I didn't know what to expect.

Now I can't wait to hear about Sovngarde Song, my absolute favourite MoS song (to date). Actually I haven't even played it either yet, maybe a pattern there?

 

[04whim]

I've not once gone near a copy of Dead Island... I still got Zombie Holiday and it's definitely among your current top 25.

I'm also very curious what you'd do for a Saints Row song. I can't imagine you rapping or being that uninventive in the first place. I imagine it'd be something very bizarre in the ilk of the Toon World theme from Yu-Gi-Oh.
... I suppose you want a link to that...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zprs1qqXxIg

And as for the mystery song; I call Gundam Battle Assault 2.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Replace Dead Space 2 with AC: Revelations and your Top 5 is exactly the same as mine...

Anyways, loved Redemption Blues (mission fucking accomplished on the 'Justice ain't no lady' part btw). Was never that enthused by Zombie Holiday. Not to say it was 'bad', it just didn't stick with me like your best songs have. Mind you, that's probably more to do with my inability to get any kind of emotional response from the actual game itself than the song.

I think you'll struggle to find any negative comments to put up for Sovengard Song though for next time. I hope you'll have time to do a retrospective on all 3 Gears of War songs at some point.

 

[Darth Rahu]

Sounds like you and I have the exact same back catalog to get through, Gav, lol. It's always fun to see your creative process about your music, reminds me of the old days where me and some buddies would just deconstruct and examine just about anything we had recently read, listened to, watched, or played. Merry Christmas man.

 

[VectorZero]

Old classic?

KOTORKOTORKOTORKOTORKOTOR...

Ahem.

 

[Cain_Zeros]

-----------
On that front(this thought is actually connected to the last one! Level Up basic syntax!) I still haven't decided how I feel about how you deal with criticism. On the one hand, it's cool and makes you more human and it's great that you're not going to let the internet get to you, keep on fighting and producing the things you love!

But meeting hostility with hostility... I've loved the idea of turn the other cheek from the minute I first read it and I'm not sure hostility does anything but damage the person being hostile. A whole lot of e-drama has started from a creator responding to criticism. Maybe 'don't feed the troll' is the bible sentiment for our internet?
-----------

I think it's more that he gets frustrated when people completely miss the point and then lash out at him or his work because of it, but I could be wrong.

 

[Jungy 365]

Merry Christmas to you too Gav! Thanks for all the great songs over the year, and thanks for all these creative insights you give us. Couldn't agree more with the comment regarding RDR's calmer final act; it was that slowing down into peaceful life that made the ending all the more tragic, and made a game which was good great.

 

[Rack]

I was a bit confused about Redemption Blues "But when your borrowed time is through, I'll be with you~" But why is Abigail's time borrowed? It seems that would only apply to John and Bill. I'd almost considered that the song was about Bill for this reason except that's a bit weird. Anyway great song, I really loved it.

As for next year I imagineyou'll have fewer new titles to go to which is where you get room to revisit old classics. On a personal level I'd like to hear more songs on games you've already covered, it would be really nice to hear a few songs together on one subject. I'm sure you get a ton of requests on what to cover though.

Oh and the simplest lyrics are definitely the most powerful. Tricky ones are a ton of fun to sing along with though.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

What is it with Batman that makes us love him and the grim world he lives in so much? It's an old philosophical question that would probably puzzle Ancient Greek philosophers if they were alive today.

I'd imagine a big part of it is because he does what we wish we could do - lives by own rules and punches criminals in the face.

I was a bit confused about Redemption Blues "But when your borrowed time is through, I'll be with you~" But why is Abigail's time borrowed? It seems that would only apply to John and Bill. I'd almost considered that the song was about Bill for this reason except that's a bit weird. Anyway great song, I really loved it.

Think about it. It's a reference to death and how people believe they'll see their loved ones again after it, hence Abigail's borrowed time. Saying any more would be getting into spoiler territory.