Shnabubula Releases NES Jams, Brains Melt

The story picks up immediately where Game Genie ends. A young boy, Tommy, has just defeated his Game Genie, and in its place is a mysterious NES cartridge. Upon placing it in his NES, something wondrous occurs; the message PREPARE TO JAM appears and Tommy approaches his brother’s keyboard. Suddenly, the game and his fingers begin to play music together! Now, this is just a brief summation of the album’s story; the real beauty is the album itself. Just read with me as I take you on an aural tour through the 11 tracks contained on this album. Let us begin.

1. Underwater (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)     2:51

Starts out calm and aquatic sounding… 0:20 brings in some piano work. 0:40 brings in a nice little jazzy part. Pretty nice track; great way to kick the album off. 1:09 kicks off a bit of a calm section, and 1:18 or so is where it really kicks off with some nice arrangement. The piano and the NES accompaniment work phenomenally together. 1:56 or so brings in a series of crescendos. 2:10 is where you can tell the end is coming. Everything keeps on getting better and better until the finale begins at 2:44.

2. Temple (Zelda 2)     3:16

Source kicks off right away, of course. Sam keeps it simple, sticking to the source pretty tightly with minor changes with the accompaniment. 0:29 is where the accompaniment takes off, and the keys follow shortly after. The source is held tightly for the first minute, and then some nice arrangement comes in at 1:09 or so. This is probably one of the best renditions of this theme I’ve heard, and I’ve heard a few. 1:52 brings a breakdown, and it starts to pick up once again at 2:04 or so. 2:16 is where some real awesome piano comes in, and it only gets more awesome from there. The source is loosely held throughout this segment, and comes back in full force with crazy accompaniment at 2:56 or so. Final at about 3:09.

3. Alien Lair (Contra)     3:06

This one starts out kinda tense. 0:17 changes that in an instant; some big stuff is going down somewhere. 0:37 brings even more tension in, with force put into each and every piano note. 1:06 brings a very brief break. This song definitely has a nice feel to it, one that captures quite a few intense emotions in its many layers. 2:04 brings this point home, and even moreso at 2:15. The accompaniment goes pretty nuts from here on out. The end is definitely near at 3:01.

4. Night Sea (Little Nemo the Dream Master)     3:45

And now a well-placed calm spot; don’t be fooled, it’s just the calm before the storm. Shnabubula actually released a video of this track on his Youtube channel as a teaser for the album; it was the second such teaser. 0:32 brings in some nice bass. Nice work on the keys at 0:56 or so, and great accompaniment at 1:04 on. This song definitely has a great flow, one that makes me just want to sway back and forth to the rhythm. Some nice solo at 1:55 or so; back to the source at 2:10 with some embellishments. Naturally; wouldn’t be a Shnabubula track without them. Okay, so maybe not so calm; 2:40 or so brings some pretty crazy piano, and it calms down at 2:56. Very calm at 3:10 or so; it remains this way until the end of the track. The true finale begins at 3:34.

5. Dwelling of Doom (Castlevania 2)     3:16

Funky, just the way I like it! It starts getting even funkier at 0:22 or so. Even crazier parts begin at around 0:56; this song is focused mostly on the keys and the accompaniment only adds to the experience. It starts getting pretty crazy at 1:30 or so; breakdown at 1:50. It really picks back up at 2:07; signature Shnabubula insanity comes in not too long after. I’m still amazed that he can moves his hands as fast as he can; seriously, he must be part machine or something, because this skill is near-inhuman. The finale begins suddenly at 3:10.

6. Kung Fu Alley (NES Original)     4:42

This is completely original, and completely lacks the keys of all the other tracks. Fitting that it’s the middle track; five are before it and five are after it. Very nice rhythm, and very nice to listen to. Apparently, the track was supposed to loop at some point, but it wouldn’t. Ah well, it’s a great song nonetheless. Pretty nice part at 1:32 or so. Short breakdown at 1:58 or so, that goes into another great part; sounds like it could be a stage set atop some cliffs or something. 2:28 brings in some nice duality between dominant parts in the track, and 2:42 brings in some nice backing effects. 3:06 adds in a whole different part that fits in perfectly. Again, the song has some great flow and rhythm to it. Everything fits together perfectly, and it sounds phenomenal. There’s a feeling of something coming at 3:56 or so; probably signaling the finale. And the finale does come in at 4:28 or so.

7. Title (Double Dragon)     3:34

This was the first song Shnabubula released as a teaser on his YouTube channel. Source comes in at the ten-second mark. Very fast-paced, and great to listen to. 0:32 brings a slightly slower part. 0:54 kicks off more source usage and also signals the beginning of some awesome arrangement; check out 1:24. Just when you think the source is gonna kick off again at 1:38, Shnabubula switches it up with a rather beautiful breakdown. It starts picking up again at 2:02. Everything that follows is just pure greatness and insanity, especially at 2:32. Source leaps back in at 2:43, maintaining the same speed from the insanity. The finale kicks off for this song at 3:14. Yes, a 20 second long finale. Great work though.

8. Gemini Man (Megaman 3)     3:57

This is probably one of the more underrated MM3 tracks; let’s see what Shnab can do with this one. Some nice flair comes in at 0:12 or so in the form of source usage. More source usage at 1:06 or so. The accompaniment on this song works so well with the keys, and really helps to set the mood. 1:38 kicks off a nice arranged section. 1:59 brings in a breakdown, and it starts to come together once again at 2:17. 2:51 brings the source usage back into full force, with the usual additions and arrangement. 3:08 is where the accompaniment really adds a feeling of finality to the track; the end is definitely near. 3:24 on reinforces this point, and the finale finally begins at 3:48 or so.

9. Stage 1 (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2)     2:59

This kicks off instantly with a great speed and feel. 0:27 makes you just want to yell out HEROES IN A HALF-SHELL! TURTLE POWER! 0:52 has a pretty nice section of keys. 1:12 has the HEROES IN A HALF-SHELL part once again. 1:28 signals the start of a pretty sweet section, focusing on keys with some great accompaniment. 2:14 keeps the speed going with some awesome section, building and building until 2:35 when the finale starts with the HEROES IN A HALF-SHELL part and truly ending at 2:55. Such a great fast song.

10. Area A (Shatterhand)     3:25

In comparison to the previous track, this song is rather slow. But it’s still great; it picks up at 0:17. Okay, maybe it’s not slow; it’s pretty nice. A really smooth section begins at 0:47; 1:14 or so signals another pretty nice section. 1:38 has some more arrangement, and everything’s put together in a wondrous fashion. A sense of finality almost comes in at 2:17 or so; a small breakdown at 2:24 or so also sounds like it is leading up to the end. Some really awesome piano comes in at 2:46 with great crescendos on the accompaniment. The end is near at 3:10, and the song ends at 3:23.

11. Wood Man (Megaman 2)     3:37

Here it is, the final track on this album. Sticks to the source pretty strictly at the start, then takes off at 0:32 with the accompaniment first, and then it really begins with the piano at 0:42. There’s a great breakdown at 1:14, and it continues for some time. This part loosely adheres to the source, keeping the same rhythm but adding in many many more parts. Great work on the keys from 2:00 on. 2:19 keeps the insanity going. I’m surprised his hands aren’t on fire by now; this is such an insane speed. Some source resumes at 2:42 with more crazy piano playing; it normalizes at 2:55 or so. Some nice accompaniment effects begin at the three-minute mark, really adding to the sense of finality. They pick up even more at 3:22 or so. The finale begins at 3:32, and the end of the album is shortly after.

To help publicize the release of the album, Shnabubula organized a listening party on 3/15, hosted on Noise Channel Radio. The show, run by virt’s wife Truestar, peaked at 100 listeners, and the album is currently at #5 on the Bandcamp top sellers list. It’s actually pay-what-you-want, so if you want it free, you can get it for free. But I’m sure that Shnabubula would appreciate some payment on it; he certainly deserves it. The album can be found both on Ubiktune and Bandcamp; it’s well worth the download, and the money if you choose to actually buy it. Stay tuned for an interview with Shnabubula, among other things. Until next time, game on!

The Very Best That No One Ever Was! The Missingno Tracks

DISC 1

1. Fishy – Game On (~Opening~ Demo) 0:19
Starts out with the Game Freak sound effects, and then rocks the main theme like mad!

2. Level 99 РThe Mighty Mighty Pok̩mon (~Opening~ Demo 2) 2:48
Starts out with Stevo’s signature guitar sound! Pretty rockin’ track from the start. 0:30 shows off some source usage. 1:08 brings a breakdown… and then it builds back up without missing a beat. 1:31 brings in a solo. Source resumes at 2:01. Stevo rocks this track right to the very end! YEAH!

3. halc – Shades of Red (Theme of Pallet Town) 3:11
I thought this was a remix album… not a soundtrack. Starts out with almost straight source usage, and 0:18 brings in the remix. halc keeps on improving his skills! 1:25 brings in some solo action. 1:44 slows it down and breaks it down. Source returns with some mixage at 1:54. Everything slows down at 2:30. It all starts to fade away at this point as well…

4. Jaroban, Matt Beckemeyer, Fishy, Sam Cooper, Vralia, Jocelyn Holst, DJ Krisp-E, Chris Stibrany – My Greatest Rival (Battle! Rival) 5:28
Oooh! Starts out pretty ominous sounding… Also, it didn’t take long to get to the requisite mega-collab. 0:13 brings in guitar, and 0:20 brings in an epic voiceover. 0:36 shows source chippiness. Vocal track? No worries, the lyrics are pretty well written, and also pretty funny. 1:25 brings in a backup vocal. That’s great… We’ll see who has the bigger Pokéballs! Best line ever. This makes Gold out to be a loser of sorts and Silver to be a pimp. Then again, Silver is Giovanni’s… err… don’t want to spoil that. 2:50 or so brings in the chorus. 3:22 brings a breakdown of sorts. Whip out your Pokéballs! 3:37 or so brings in a battle scene voiceover with classic sound effects. The lyrics don’t take themselves seriously at all… I love it. 4:20 brings the chorus back. 4:58 ends the song, and ambience starts until the end, with the epic voiceover too… What a hilarious track.

5. ProtoDome – Rain Prayer (Road to Viridian City – From Pallet ~ Guidepost ~ Road to Cerulean – From Mt. Moon) 2:42
Piano, eh? Proto’s still got it. But why isn’t he saving Christmas: The Dangerous Formula? Eh, no matter… 0:22 brings in some chippiness with the piano. What a mellow jazzy track… This is a really good track right here; I love it! 1:25 or so brings in a piano solo. 1:38 brings in a chippy solo. Everything really picks up at 2:04 or so. Everything fades away at 2:36.

6. prophetik – Viridian Vibe (Theme of Pewter City) 3:29
Ambience, eh? Saxophone at 0:16 or so. Some electronica comes in at 0:38 or so. This is a beautiful track right here… 1:24 brings in a solo of the wind instrument. Source resumes at 1:50. The electronic sound in the background works beautifully. It keeps the track together in a cohesive unit. More solo at 2:38 or so. The finale becomes evident at 2:58. Ambience returns at 3:10, and the sax fades out to the end.

7. Cerrax – Out of Antidote (Viridian Forest) 3:41
Eh, eh? Okay, I had to do that. 0:08 brings in source, with creepiness to boot. This is how this track should be done! After all, they say that the forest is a maze. Great work from Cerrax here. What an eerie track; fitting for this creepy forest. 1:06 brings in some more creepy ambience, and is followed by a solo. There’s even more creepiness at 1:30!! Everything slows down and calms down at 1:45 or so, but builds back up 10 seconds later. Another solo of sorts at 2:10, with a breakdown included. It slowly builds up to what is sure to be an epic finale. A hint of the end at 2:48. 3:04 brings a return of the norm, but with a hint of finality. 3:26 proves that the end is near, and it breaks down to the end.

8. ProtoDome, Level 99 – Hope to See You Again Soon… (Pokémon Center) 2:21
A mellow mix for a mellow source. With “duh duh duh nuh nuh”s included. Looks like Stevo opted for acoustic here, and Proto opted for his usual quirkiness. A breakdown at 1:20 or so. The piano in the background is beautiful. 1:50 brings a solo of sorts. Fades to end.

9. Fishy – Battle for the Badge [Battle (VS Gym Leader)] 4:10
Starts out calm, but 0:05 brings in some epic music. 0:16 shows the source in full rockin’ glory! 0:37 rocks it even harder. Distortion at 0:58. This is a phenomenal track right here… just what a remix of this source should be and more! It’s hard to review because it’s so awesome. I only want to listen and not type! Woe… Anywho, 1:57 kicks off the solo; can’t miss that now can we? 2:17 brings in more of the solo, and it sure sounds epic. Source begins to return at 3:00 or so. Still a bit of a solo here… that’s over a minute now. Slowdown at 3:29. Calm music until the end… One hell of a track there.

10. ProtoDome – On the Origin of Species (Evolution) 1:35
This title makes me laugh… well done, Proto. Well done. A mellow track for a simple source. Nice breakdowns and usage of Pokémon cries. Yes, I can tell they’re cries by the sound. Yes, I’m a nerd. No I don’t care. Think I heard a Magnemite in there… Very well done, and very calm. Nice work. Ends with the classic finished sound.

11. Benjamin Briggs – Drowning Blue (S.S. Anne) 3:13
Piano/chiptune hybrid is evident in the first 20 seconds. Classic chthonic goodness here. 0:56 brings in some source usage. Slowdown at 1:22, and solo from there. Slight speedup at 1:44 or so. It works wonderfully. Also a bit of a solo at this point, until 2:27 when the source returns. Fadeaway at 2:54 to end.

12. Rozovian – Spume (Sea) 4:43
Oh, Rozo, what have you done here? Let’s see! Sonar blips? Nice ambience… signature for Rozovian. Everything keeps building and building up until 1:11 when more ambience comes in. What a buildup.. 1:26 brings in some source usage. I knew it was building to something! What a happy track! Scratch that, what a bipolar track. More so than Bipolar Bird from Essence of Lime… 2:12 brings in more source usage. 3:07 slows everything down, and brings back the sonar blips. 3:18 brings it all back again though. I like the tempo of this… Everything slows down for the last minute, and returns to the ambient beginnings of the track. Nice job, man!

13. Tweek – TEEM.ROKIT (Team Rocket Hideout) 4:31
Tweek, master of epic stuff, tackles the Team Rocket Hideout on his own. Err… the song, not the place. 0:20 proves the epicity of the track is easily evident. 0:44 brings in some heavy drums. What an epic track! No surprise though; it is Tweek. 1:14 or so brings a breakdown, but with all breakdowns it builds back up. Source usage is littered throughout this breakdown. 2:10 brings in some more solid source usage. 2:26 has the classic sound of the source that is probably ingrained in the memories of youth who played Red and Blue for hours on end. Gold and Silver too, for that matter. 3:00 or so shows another solo. If Team Rocket was this awesome, they just might have succeeded in their goals. Instead, they were foiled by a sixth grader. 3:50 shows that source one last time. Fades to end starting at 4:10.

14. pu_freak – Clash of the Titans [Battle (VS Trainer)] 5:55
Piano rendition of the battle theme? I’ll take it. 0:26 brings in some source usage. The original battle themes were the best. This is a pretty awesome track. On par with Rexy’s best, methinks. 1:15 or so is a bit of a solo. 1:30 brings in the source again. Speed up at 1:55 with more source. This style fits the source wonderfully… like a skintight bodysuit or something. Yeah, it’s that good of a fit. 2:50 or so has a slowdown, but 3:00 brings in more of the source. 3:25 or so breaks everything down to the simplest form… pure, slow piano at its best. This continues until 4:24 or so when it starts to build back up… slowly but surely the intensity increases with each key, each note, until 4:52 when it gets back to the source. And at 5:10 it is on the verge of exploding with the pressure and intensity. At 5:30 it explodes, and the remnants of the track fade away to the finish. Beautiful!! Bravo!!

15. Rozovian, WillRock – Blue Haze (Road to Viridian City – From Pallet) 5:21
Once again, ambience. This is also Will’s first track on the album, and his signature synth sound comes in at 0:48. This track keeps on building like so many others before it. Then again, that’s fitting for a Pokémon remix album. Have to build your monsters up too, right? 1:38 continues the building of the track… WillRock uses Source! It’s super effective! Listener takes 2:10 damage because that’s the time it begins at. 2:37 brings a hint of more to come. The title is apt; there’s certainly a haze in my ears with this song. And then at 3:00 or so, the main song cuts through the haze like a Razor Leaf. At 3:39 or so, WillRock uses Solo! It’s super effective! Yes, I’m gonna continue these jokes. With this album, it’s kinda mandatory, ya know? Everything builds up after this solo until 4:38, when a hint of the end reveals itself. 4:50 slows everything down to it’s base level. Ambience to finish. Great way to end the first disc.

DISC 2

1. WillRock – Champion’s Horizon (Route #26) 4:47
Starts out rocking right out the gate. Classic WillRock sound permeates this track, as with most of his other tracks. 0:29 brings in calm source usage. 0:39 is the return of the synth sound. 0:54 has the classic screaming guitar sound that is so beautiful. 1:17 brings in a solo. 1:53 or so brings more source usage. 2:12 has some piano; a rare calm spot for a WillRock track. But 2:25 proves it was just the calm before the storm, as everything intensifies tenfold from here on out. This is truly one heck of a track, and truly fantastic. 3:19 brings in some triumphant sounding guitar. 3:50 or so has a victorious solo. More calmness at 4:05 or so. 4:22 says PIKA!! And repeats a few more times until the end. Cute and unexpected.

2. Insert Rupee – Precious Metals (Goldenrod City) 2:25
Ben Briggs and halc team up once more for this song. Very evident source usage. Very happy as well; the musical glee is reminiscent of Why So Serious? More source usage at 0:58 or so, with a bit of a personalized touch. 1:12 has a solo using some classic sounds and Pokémon cries. 1:42 has another solo. It all breaks down to simplicity at 2:07, and continues until the end.

3. WillRock – Slowpoke Shuffle (Azalea Town) 3:49
Ttthhhiiisss tttrrraaaccckkk iiiissss sssslllloooowwww…. A very mellow track; very well done Will! I’m half-tempted to review this song in the conclusion as a joke, but I won’t. Source is very evient throughout this track. 2:00 brings in a slow solo… a slowlo if you will. Source usage returns to dominance at 3:00 or so. Calmness continues to the end.

4. Mattias Häggström Gerdt, GSlicer – Casino Lounge (Goldenrod Game Corner) 4:43
Anso’s electronic expertise and GSlicer’s skills combine for one trance-tacular track. Rhythm appears at 0:30 or so. Source usage at 1:45 or so. This is a very rhythm-driven song; it works though. A bit of a solo begins at about 2:10. It’s like Rain Dance and then a water move; one part emphasizes the other. Nice work. Source returns at 3:30 or so. Calmness begins at 3:58 or so, and then builds up to the finale. Solo beat at 4:18, and then fadeout until the end.

5. Chrono, Dragon Avenger – Divine Olivine (Violet City) 4:15
What a happy beat! If Deia’s involved, I’m expecting vocals to go with a beat like this. Chimes play throughout. Source at 0:32. 0:47 brings in Deia going “na-na-na” more than that recent My Chemical Romance song. This is cooler too. More source at 1:21. Short breakdown at 1:35 or so. 1:56 brings Deia back, with backup vocals by DragonAvenger. Pretty well done. 2:38 brings in some beautiful piano, that brings in even more of the source. 3:14 returns the source that had been used up until this point. Basic beat from 3:55 or so until the end, with occasional chimes.

6. DragonAvenger – Jiggly Choir (Jigglypuff’s Song) 0:42
Okay, creeped out a bit. Damn Jigglypuffs… Anyone else getting sleepy? All this track contains is Jigglypuff singing. Pretty funny for an interlude. Then again, Deia did those on the FF4 album too…

7. ProtoDome – Home Is Where the Luvdisc Is… [Hearthome City (Day)] 1:45
0:12 brings in some jazzy source. Piano is used equally as the brass instruments. A bit of a solo begins at about 1:05. This continues until the end; beautifully done, Proto. Beautiful!

8. halc – My Friend Mudkip (Dewford Town ~ Surfing) 3:13
And now for the only Generation 3 remix on the album. Begins with some nice chippiness, and a great take on the source too. 0:30 brings in some background music. Also, for the record, I do like Mudkip. This is a very happy track, and chippier than a truckload of Lay’s put through a wood chipper. 1:30 brings in the Surfing source. This is even better than Shades of Red, believe it or not. A bit of a calm spot starts at 2:15 or so. A bit like Pacifidlog Town itself. Except this doesn’t float atop a colony of Corsola. Calmness and bass to end from 2:50 or so.

9. The Orichalcon – Argent Vexemon (Ice Path) 3:33
This is a very frigid song; by that, I mean the sounds are very icy. Bells and the like are used. 0:37 starts some electronic sounds. This a very intense song; 0:57 brings in a heavy beat. More source usage at 1:23 or so. There’s a large focus on the main rhythm here. A bit of a solo begins at 2:27 or so. A buildup to the end begins after this solo; the end really begins at 3:12, when it all starts to fade to silence until the end.

10. ProtoDome – May I Have This Swords Dance? [Canalave City (Day)] 2:51
A very calm song… it starts to build right from the start until 0:23 when the source comes in. Some jazziness comes in at 0:37, taking on the source. This is a very well-balanced mix of chiptune and jazz. Chipjazz, if you will, is pretty much Proto’s specialty, it seems. Solo at 1:27 or so, and it’s beautiful. There’s some pitch bending at 1:46 or so; continues until 2:06 when a breakdown occurs. Sax-sound comes in at 2:11 and continues until the end. Piano finishes the track. Nice work by Blake the British guy who’s a bit strange…11. Fishy, Andy Jayne – Super Effective [Battle! Trainer (Johto)] 5:15
Ah, Fishy and Andy. A collab unseen since Summoning of Spirits. 0:20 brings in some epic guitar source usage. This song is even longer than Battle for the Badge; with this much rock I can’t wait to see how much it progresses. More source usage at 1:08. Some solo at 1:27 or so. Once again, it’s hard to review because all I want to do is listen. Mor source usage at 1:57 here. This song is certainly super effective against my musical tastes; I’m loving the dual guitars. More solo at 2:41, and this one sounds quite heavy. Source returns at 3:04 or so. Another solo at 3:17 that quickly returns to source usage. 3:47 brings in some more rocking on the source that is a mix between cover and solo as with so many other parts of this song. This is such a fast-paced song. Slowdown at 4:27 that brings in some piano. Slowness continues until 5:02 when it all starts to fade away.

12. WillRock, ProtoDome, halc – Bullet for My Piloswine [Route #225 (Day) ~ Ending] 4:00
Vocals at the start; Pretty rocking start. Chippiness comes in at 0:25. Also, this song is guilty of one of the most simultaneously horrid and awesome puns for a title ever. Rocking at 0:37 courtesy of Mr. Harby. More chiptunes at 0:53 or so. Heavy guitar at 1:25 or so. Solo at about 1:40. This is certainly an epic track. Piano comes in at 2:08, no doubt courtesy of Proto. Chiptunes at 2:23. More guitar at 2:33. Dual guitar sound at 2:48 or so. More awesome guitar at 3:20. Fade beginning at 3:49 or so until end.

13. pu_freak – Journey’s End (Ending) 3:09
And we come to the final track, with a very fitting title. What an aural journey it has been, too. Very awesome piano, here. Then again, what OCR album these days doesn’t have at least one epic piano track? Very slow track, but the source is highly evident. I don’t anticipate a huge buildup here, as it’s the last track, and relatively short too. But it does start to build starting at about 1:40. The finale is surely imminent. This such a beautiful track… it all starts to decline to silence at 2:30, with very calm piano dispersed throughout this final period. Ends with a classic sound effect.

CONCLUSION
Well, this album has been in the works for 4 years now, right around the time when Diamond and Pearl came out, heralding the beginning of Generation 4 and showing a grand total of 493 unique Pokémon. And now, in less than a week Black and White come out, starting off Generation 5 and bringing the total up to 649. This album has been a long time coming, and that’s a very good thing. A nice balance between jazz, chiptunes, and epic guitar-driven rock, among other things, it comes together nicely. It’s definitely worth a download, and every track has earned its place on my hard drive. A much anticipated album, and the expectations were never too high. The end result met them and exceeded them without a doubt. Great work from everyone involved, and I can’t wait to hear and review the next album, whatever it may be. The only sure thing is that it will be OCRA-0024. Until next time, game on!