Macross Frontier OST 1

RELEASED: 06.04.2008
LABEL: flying DOG, Victor Entertainment
DL: uploading
TRACKLIST:
1. Frontier 2059
2. Welcome to my FanClub's Night! (Sheryl on Stage) by Sheryl Nome starring May'n
3. What 'bout my Star? (Sheryl on Stage) by Sheryl Nome starring May'n
4. Iteza☆Gogo Kuji Don't be late (Sheryl On Stage) (Sagittarius☆9pm Don't be late!) by Sheryl Nome starring May'n
5. Vital Force
6. Triangler by Sakamoto Maaya
7. Zero Hour
8. What 'bout my Star? @Formo by Sheryl Nome starring May'n and Ranka Lee = Megumi Nakajima
9. Innocent Green
10. Aimo
11. Big Boys
12. Private Army
13. SMS Shoutai no Uta ~Ano Musume wa Alien (SMS Platoon's Theme - That Girl is an Alien?) by SMS no Minna
14. Ninjiin Loves you yeah! (Carrot Loves you yeah!?) by Ranka Lee = Megumi Nakajima
15. "Chou Jikuu Hanten Nyan Nyan" CM Song (Ranka Version), "Super Dimension Restaurant Nyan-Nyan" jingle (Ranka Version) by Ranka Lee = Megumi Nakajima
16. Alto's Theme
17. TALLY HO!
18. The Target
19. Bajura
20. Kira Kira (Glitter)
21. Aimo ~Tori no Hito (Aimo ~Bird Humans?) by Ranka Lee = Megumi Nakajima
22. Take Off
23. Infinity by Sheryl Nome starring May'n
24. Diamond Crevasse by Sheryl Nome starring May'n

So after a lot of procrastinating, I finally decided to pick up Macross Frontier where I left it off at Episode 01. Thinking back, I'm a bit embarrassed by the sweeping way I judged this series. While Macross Frontier is indisputably mecha, it offers such an interesting array of characters with plenty of room for development, not to mention romance, that you never run out of things to admire about it.

Characters is one. Another is the music with a capital 'M.' I am positively in love with Yoko Kanno and proud of it! I just love her. Granted I haven't really listened to majority of her works -- she has an extensive resume -- what I have experienced I treasure, starting with the product of genius that is the Cowboy Bebop soundtracks and, I'm gonna have to say, this one.

BUY:

Macross Frontier OST 1 Nyan FRO @ Play-Asia
Macross F / Macross Frontier 2 DVD @ Play-Asia
Macross Frontier OST 2 @ Play-Asia
Megumi Nakajima - Seikan Hikou (Macross Frontier - Ranka Lee Debut Single) @ Play-Asia
Sakamoto Maaya - Triangler (Macross Frontier Intro Theme) @ Play-Asia
Sheryl Nome starring May'n - Iteza Gogo 9 Ji Don't Be Late (Macross Frontier Outro Theme) @ Play-Asia
Macross Frontier OST 1 @ Yes Asia

While the Macross Frontier OST does not have the quirkiness of Cowboy Bebop with its ingenious use of jazz and country / space opera, it earns plus points for its brilliant use of pop. Just the idea of a galaxy pop idol singing songs like What 'bout my Star? that could very well be sung by any decent popstar today is sheer musical magnificence. Not to mention franchising genius! Considering how music is made an integral part of the story.

Of course, being a story that is primarily set in space, the soundtrack is not without its space operatic themes. As a matter of fact, the album opens with a victorious ballad, Frontier 2059, which has all the elements of space opera. There are also some quiet piano and string moments, my favorite of which is Innocent Green, and march songs, complete with trumpets! But as to where the album shines, I think no one would disagree with me when I say that the vocalized tracks are the album's highlight.

Macross Frontier OST features the voices of no less than three artists. Sakamoto Maaya, who is no stranger to working with Yoko Kanno in previous projects, sings the first OP theme, Triangler. The song suffers from its TV-size cut-up version but isn't too bad on extended play. Her voice is too nasally in this track for my taste but that's Jpop for you. Incidentally, the song perfectly fits the tension between the three main characters, who form a love triangle.

The other artist is May'n who does the singing voice of Sheryl Nome, one of the show's protagonists. I have never heard of her before this series but apparently this is not exactly her first foray into music. Her character is a pop idol / singer so her songs pervade the series. Her voice is actually pretty good. I like how because the character is a popstar, her voice is also made to sound flashy and confident. As a matter of personal taste, the electronica that often accompany her songs don't appeal to me quite the same as her more soulful tracks like Diamond Crevasse.

In direct contrast, Megumi Nakajima (Ranka Lee)'s voice is soft -- timid even, but occasionally heart-wrenching that it's hard not to like every single one of her songs, even if some of them are weird-tastic and plain gibberish. Her character often lapses into songs when she has trouble conveying her real emotions so her songs are very often spontaneous and more natural-sounding because of that, with none of the glitter of Sheryl's pop numbers.

This album is a must-have because it has so many greats songs by two established artists and one budding one (I understand that this is Megumi Nakajima's debut as a seiyuu and as a singer). It does get so boring in some parts, as when the operatic themes come too closely together without let up, that it becomes hard to resist pressing the skip button. But it is altogether a great album. It deserves a listen.

MORE INFO:

OFFICIAL (Japanese)
Wikipedia
ANN