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Diffstat (limited to 'album/genesis-frog.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | album/genesis-frog.txt | 38 |
1 files changed, 19 insertions, 19 deletions
diff --git a/album/genesis-frog.txt b/album/genesis-frog.txt index 9b8835ec..14a81778 100644 --- a/album/genesis-frog.txt +++ b/album/genesis-frog.txt @@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ Art Tags: - Genesis Frog URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/prelude -- https://youtu.be/MEFq6t5hpxY?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/MEFq6t5hpxY Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> This is an album about growth, so I wanted it to start very quiet and exposed. The piece opens with a quartal chord in the harp, and after the atmosphere is established a solo clarinet introduces the main theme of the album. A portion of the orchestra comes in after that and there’s a small swell before tapering off into a cello solo. The ensemble is pretty scarce in this one due to its subdued nature. There’s not a lot going on in this track overall, but it does its job both as the prelude to Pondsquatter and the album as a whole. @@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Art Tags: - Genesis Frog URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/pondsquatter -- https://youtu.be/tt9EOkbyv64?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/tt9EOkbyv64 Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> If Genesis Frog were a game, this would play at the title screen. It is a full realization of the album’s main theme, this time with the entire orchestra in tow and plenty of thematic development. I sort of have a love-hate relationship with this track. For one thing, it is the first piece I composed for the album and its melodic material served as its main groundwork, so it’s really important in that respect. But at the same time I had the least experience while initially composing it as compared the album’s other tracks, so I had to spend a lot of extra time fine-tuning it and developing it more (the original was barely under two minutes long). Still, considering the amount of work I had to put into it, it was one of the more rewarding tracks to work on. @@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ Art Tags: - Carapacians URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/our-glorious-speaker -- https://youtu.be/Xqf92y6W48M?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/Xqf92y6W48M Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> Much like Pondsquatter, the concept for this piece was conceived very early on in the album’s life before it became Genesis Frog. It was supposed to be a theme for the Prospitians, and it still mostly is, but now the piece focuses more on their devotion to the Speaker than the citizens themselves. The chess-people of Prospit are referenced a few times in Homestuck as worshipping the Genesis Frog, and it is through perusing their lore in various updates (mostly Seer: Descend) that I got inspiration for several tracks on the album, including this one. @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ Duration: 3:38 References: Pondsquatter URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/prospitian-folklore -- https://youtu.be/QLEJynNmhpM?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/QLEJynNmhpM Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> “Though we adore Him we shall never enjoy His beauteous Croak. We spill our blood on acres of black and white so they may cross the yellow yard. At last in Skaia’s reflection through broken glass He may find the pond in which He’s meant to squat.” – Book in Prospit Library (from Seer: Descend) @@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ References: - Thip of the Tongue URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/consorts-intermezzo -- https://youtu.be/kV5rl3XTgAE?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/kV5rl3XTgAE Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> Part 2 covers all the Consort themes! @@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ Art Tags: - Consorts URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/buy-nak-sell-doof -- https://youtu.be/ar66fitxQRs?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/ar66fitxQRs Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> Where do I even start? This is one of my favorite tracks that I’ve made, and by that I mean to say I’m really amused I was able to come up with this in the first place. It originally wasn’t part of this album at all—it was supposed to be a short jingle for the LOHAC Stock Exchange! But it was too much fun to let go of and soon it morphed into a full-fledged character theme for everyone’s beloved, excitable consorts. The general idea behind the music was this: Jit may have made a silly arrangement of Atomyk Ebonpyre, but what could I do to put it in an even more ridiculous context? And so it was that it became the manic violin and xylophone old-timey television music-inspired (this was my only frame of reference for what I thought stock exchange music should sound like) tune that it is now. And wouldn’t you know it, this type of music turned out to fit the personality of the Crocodiles like a crocodile-fitted glove. @@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ Art Tags: - Consorts URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/pink-shells -- https://youtu.be/CReFCSa8SFc?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/CReFCSa8SFc Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> This was a difficult one to compose. The Turtles in Homestuck haven’t been given much characterization other than the ones quaking in fear of Rose, and even then that characteristic is basically the extent of it. I wondered if it was even worth writing a theme for them, since their importance to the story is minimal; what kind of music would I compose for them, anyway? But in the end I decided if I was going to do a set of Consort pieces I was going to do it right and that meant composing the whole package. There was going to be a cycle of fun, lighthearted pieces on this album regardless of characterization or story relevance. @@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ Art Tags: - Consorts URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/entrance-of-the-salamanders -- https://youtu.be/kU55FMWbmaQ?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/kU55FMWbmaQ Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> This piece picks up where Buy NAK Sell DOOF left off, meaning it goes right back into a silly, dimwitted march. This time however, we are joined by John’s signature instrument, the electric organ! I also put some piano in there I guess, but baby, it is all about that organ. Maybe it gives it a bit too much of a “baseball flavor” but that’s okay, the Salamanders are sporting folks. Right off the “bat”, you will notice the opening ostinato bears a strong resemblance to Danny Elfman tomfoolery, which is entirely coincidental; not that I have any problems with Danny Elfman tomfoolery, in fact I enjoy it very much. @@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ Art Tags: - Consorts URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/thip-of-the-tongue -- https://youtu.be/AFPBfMdqKEU?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/AFPBfMdqKEU Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> If you asked me what title on this album I am most proud of coming up with, it would be this one. Ever since the Iguanas were introduced I was terrified someone was going to use this pun before I had a chance to put it out in an official capacity. I wanted to be the thip king, and despite being nervous about it for almost two years no one usurped my throne. Even as of this writing, searching for that exact phrase on the internet will yield no results. Obviously if you are reading this, that is no longer true. But I digress. @@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ Duration: 0:14 References: Pondsquatter URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/frogs-intermezzo -- https://youtu.be/lDGQ_3qgByU?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/lDGQ_3qgByU Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> This covers the Frog act of the album. One more Part to go after this! @@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ Art Tags: - Frogs URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/breeding-duties -- https://youtu.be/-BPCS9eHWFg?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/-BPCS9eHWFg Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> <code style="color: #008141">GA: But Regardless I Think Our Roles Are Approximately The Same Since We Are Both Stokers Of The Forge<br>GA: As Well As Holders Of Breeding Duties<br>GA: However I Should Clarify That My Earlier Counsel Was Mostly Academic<br>GA: It Takes Weeks To Do All Of It Properly<br>GA: You Wont Have Time</code><br><code style="color: #4ac925">GG: breeding duties?????</code> @@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ Art Tags: - Frogs URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/stoke-the-forge -- https://youtu.be/6jLZLPJE_Qc?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/6jLZLPJE_Qc Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> Why did I compose this piece? Well, mainly because I wanted something bombastic to use an anvil as percussion in. But I also wrote it because of its importance in the role of each Space player’s planet and their frog breeding duties. Not only that, but it acts as a transition from the darker Breeding Duties to the lighter, more energetic Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009. More specifically, it extends the idea behind Thip of the Tongue to three tracks instead of one; it is a progression from the planet’s frosty beginnings to a sudden and beautiful spring, and this piece heralds that moment. In any case, I ended up with a pretty fun piece that may not be the most impressive on the album, but it definitely serves a purpose and keeps the flow intact. @@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ Art Tags: - Frogs URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/great-lofaf-expedition-of-2009 -- https://youtu.be/J161hcxSTkg?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/J161hcxSTkg Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> Ah, frog-hunting music. I had the idea for this track brewing long before Homestuck Volume 8 was in the works, so you can imagine my horror when not one, but two tracks with this subject were on it. I have to give props to Jit and Bowman, those are a couple of great pieces and they both explore the idea in unique ways. I lamented however, worrying my track would be extraneous. How many times could we repeat the same, specific idea, after all? So I had to think outside the box a little bit. I would try to capture the entire experience of not just the hunt, but exploring LOFAF after the Forge had been stoked. This piece is programmatic in the same sense Breeding Duties is—it is meant to be a collection of musical ideas depicting any number of scenes the listener might imagine. Which isn’t to say the music isn’t thematically grounded; it is essentially based on one theme in addition to the Pondsquatter theme, which also has a large presence. @@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ Art Tags: - WQ URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/the-temples-withered-bloom -- https://youtu.be/wq6cPhclEsk?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/wq6cPhclEsk Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> This is an interesting one, since it has probably undergone the most change in terms of concept and musical ideas before I finally composed it in earnest. It started out as a general Frog Temple theme, and all along I had the idea to explore sweeping chords in the strings and choir, which I did end up doing, albeit in a very different fashion than I expected. I tossed around the idea of including material from Jit’s Ruins, then I thought about adapting an old wind ensemble piece of mine. Conceptually I switched from the idea of the Frog Temple to the hieroglyphics inside, tentatively naming it “Temple Walls”, then “Glyphs”. @@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ Art Tags: - Genesis Frog URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/bilious -- https://youtu.be/wyh3pBZZsaA?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/wyh3pBZZsaA Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> Poor Bilious Slick. Every iteration of Him we’ve seen in Homestuck has been brutally murdered in one way or another. As if that wasn’t enough, He is primarily known by the spiteful nickname Dersites have given Him. In composing this album, I would have missed a big opportunity if I didn’t take material from those in Derse that oppose creation, most specifically Jack Noir. The title of course came from the name Bilious Slick, but it also has the benefit of adding grotesque imagery to a piece of music about Jack slaughtering a giant universe frog. It is a continuation of The Temple’s Withered Bloom, and it picks up where it left off with Jack exiting the Lotus Capsule, escaping the session and eventually going on to destroy the universe he emerged from. @@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ Art Tags: - Genesis Frog URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/speaker-skaias-reflection -- https://youtu.be/zKpqOvFTvLA?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/zKpqOvFTvLA Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> Out of destruction comes nothingness, and the only sounds are sparse and atmospheric. The nothingness persists for a bit, a result of the universe’s destruction in the previous track. If I were feeling really dark I could just end the album there, but I wanted there to be a sense of conclusion and returning to what once was. What better way than to have the music rise from the ashes and the solo clarinet come back to play a new version of the Pondsquatter theme? The idea behind the countless Genesis Frogs is that they propagate one another, each frog producing the next, and behind this lies the idea of infinity and repeated processes. So I wanted the album to do a Mobius Double Reacharound as it were, and end as it began. So the pairing of Speaker and The Vast Croak echoes the earlier pairing of Prelude and Pondsquatter. @@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ Art Tags: - cw: body horror (abstract) URLs: - https://albatrosssoup.bandcamp.com/track/the-vast-croak -- https://youtu.be/gW0CGMh6CNg?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/gW0CGMh6CNg Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> After six notes from the drumset, the grand finale begins. I still don’t have a clear idea what prompted this sort of conclusion to the album. For the longest time I intended to end it the way Speaker did, and that track indeed had a finality of its own. But I wanted something exciting at the end, and I felt like there was still momentum left over from Bilious that I could do something with. So despite only having a vague idea of what the Vast Croak probably was at the time of this composing it, I ran with my assumptions and based the album’s last hurrah around that idea. What little information existed implied the Genesis Frog will Croak once He has matured, and I can only assume it signifies the birth of the new universe in some way. I hope my interpretation does not end up conflicting with canon, and even if it does with any luck the music will still match the tone of it and my thoughts will remain hidden in this commentary. @@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ References: - Great LOFAF Expedition of 2009 - Breeding Duties URLs: -- https://youtu.be/l07w1i-C7hs?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/l07w1i-C7hs Commentary: <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> This is the last of the commentary for Genesis Frog. It seems the hype wave has died down since its release by now. I hope people are still enjoying it and continuing to discover little nuances I hid in the music. Thanks so much everyone. @@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ Track Art: none Duration: 2:24 References: Pondsquatter, weird moody horse shit URLs: -- https://youtu.be/xINZv3-S6xU?list=PLia7MqxG6On5M5Z2OtoNgCWzNmCiRcWZo +- https://youtu.be/xINZv3-S6xU Commentary; <i>Alex Rosetti:</i> This was originally going to be in the album, but I excluded it because it didn’t fit enough with the orchestral feel and I didn’t really know where to go with it after the first minute. It’s still a very fun piece though, and I thought it was worth including as a little bonus. I may have employed heavy use of certain frog-related sound effects...it’s a bit of a weakness... |