In this weekly feature, I recommend game soundtracks. I share a few of my favorite tracks, talk about why everyone should listen to the soundtrack, and a little bit about the composer. This week's choice is The Last of Us by Naughty Dog.
THE STATS
Name: The Last of UsDeveloper: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Release Date: June 14, 2013
Genres: Action-adventure, survival horror
Composer(s): Gustavo Santaolalla
MY FAVORITE TRACKS
(The titles link to YouTube videos... and I highly recommend some good headphones to best enjoy all of the subtle elements of the music!)
(Length: 3:03) This is my absolute favorite from the entire soundtrack. The guitar sound in this reminds me vividly of The Eagles' Journey of the Sorcerer, and I love it. It even progresses into something broader with more sound and more instruments just like The Eagles' song. It's great composition from start to finish! (And does it also remind you a bit of the Sherlock theme?)
(Length: 1:42) What I like best about this is that the bass is playing the theme alongside the main guitar, and then there's a flood of whisper-quiet, semi-dissonant orchestral instruments that add layers of noise. It's the sound of the difficulty of a decision.
(Length: 3:07) More of an artistic track, this one uses prolonged sounds and distortions to set a mood, but it works very well.
(Length: 2:54) This is my second-favorite track. You just can't go wrong with cello and an accompaniment of other orchestral instruments. The airy flute carries the theme nicely, as well. It's a beautiful piece you wouldn't expect from a survival horror game.
(Length: 2:47) This has a very cowboy-riding-into-the-sunset vibe, and as a result it sounds more hopeful than other tracks. I haven't played the game, but this sounds like end credits fare to me. A good note to end on and leave you wanting a sequel game.
WHY I RECOMMEND IT
It's incredibly low-key for a survival horror game, isn't it? (Yes, it is. Go have a listen.) And I think that's why a lot of people enjoy it. It breathes life into the theme of survival and the bleak realities that people have to face in difficult situations where other people are dying all around them. There is also some absolutely fantastic guitar in these tracks. If you're an audiophile, you won't regret giving this soundtrack a listen from start to finish.
THE COMPOSER: GUSTAVO SANTAOLALLA
Well, where to start here? I'd actually never heard of Gustavo before researching for this blog entry, but I am familiar with several things he has worked on over the years. For starters -- do you remember that movie called Brokeback Mountain? Yeah, he won an Academy Award for the Original Music Score for it. He's also known for his music in The Motorcycle Diaries, The Book of Life, Babel, and Making a Murderer. He's had a long musical career (which started in 1967 Argentina when he co-founded the group Arco Iris), and amazingly... he doesn't know how to read or write musical notation! How's THAT for musical talent, folks? He also doesn't use an orchestra for his soundtracks. He is, of course, composing the music for The Last of Us Part II.
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