P-Vock's Music Box: My Favourite

Hello and welcome back to P-Vock's Music Box. I've been feeling really well lately. I've had a lot of little things go my way and it put me in a good mood that just has not gone away for a few weeks now, which means I'm overdue for something terrible to happen.

But, until that happens, I want to keep feeling good.

It's been more than a little while since I last discussed my favourite OST of all time.

So to help spread some good vibes, let's step back in time and Trigger one of the greatest triumphs in the history of music.

Chrono Trigger. It's a classic for so many reasons. Its story is memorable and full of great moments. Its cast of characters are varied, deep, and oh-so-entertaining (shout-outs to best girl Lucca and best boy Robo). Its world is iconic and feels genuinely lived in. Its even a 90s turn-based RPG that is so fluid, well-paced, and interesting to play I bet even the most aggressive deniers of that genre would have a good time.

But, above else, it has a soundtrack that was an instant classic, receiving covers and discussion at a fervent rate even almost 30 years after it graced the Super Nintendo.

If you're lucky enough to play this gem of a game, it hits you immediately.

What sheer confidence for an intro to start with such an emotional theme before jumping into something so bombastic, energetic, and in-your-face. It even manages to include sounds from the various scenes accompanying it and never has them distract or take away from the incredible music.

I could talk about how each individual scene is, but how about the music?

Chrono Trigger, the track that accompanies the bulk of that opening, is such an infinitely memorable tune that stands among the greats as something that has wormed its way into the minds of anyone who has ever played it.

After that magnificent intro concludes, because this game can't flex hard enough, we are treated to a simple menu. A simple menu with simple music that ALSO delights your ears and remains beyond iconic, while also being so thematic brilliant at it echoes the pendulum swings of a grandfather clock, absolutely brilliant for a game about time travel.

THIS is how you set the stage for a piece of media.

But enough waffling for now, let's start the game and properly set the Wind Scene.

As spring approaches, I look forward to brisk mornings full of dew as I look out into the natural areas around my home. I don't think many pieces of music capture that vibe anywhere near as well as Wind Scene (or Yearnings of the Wind to some). The melody is steady and peaceful, much like the scenery that it accompanies. The sounds are perfectly harmonious to let you take in the scene while still being a constant presence for your ears as you journey through the areas as if reflecting a nice morning where you can hear the trees rustle gently in the wind with birds calling out for all to hear.

I can't imagine a theme that would ever do a better job of capturing the vibe of the area in which it takes place...

This is it. This is the one. This is the greatest map theme ever composed. Corridors of Time for the Kingdom of Zeal is everything a map theme should be. It nails the prideful, yet deeply somber, vibe of its kingdom with perfect harmony. The melodies and notes are so uniquely wonderful that you probably already have some of the track memorized after hearing it for just a few minutes.

Aided by the fact that Zeal is where so many imperative plot revelations and moments occur, Corridors of Time stands as what I honestly believe to be the best theme for a single area I have ever heard. It will not leave my mind and I am perfectly okay with that.

It may not be my favourite video game of all time, but Chrono Trigger absolutely contains my favourite overall soundtrack I have ever heard. There is not a single track within that I do not like. There is not a single track that I can't immediately identify because of its unique composition and memorable notes. Each track is varied and wonderful at capturing the moment during which it plays and each moment is equally enhanced by the stellar music accompanying it.

Chrono Trigger is simply sublime. That statement stands for both the OST and the game as a whole.

It is a tough bar to clear, but I hope your weekend is anywhere near as stellar as Chrono Trigger's legendary OST.

Thank you so much, as always, for checking out my nonsense and I hope to catch you back here next time with another suggestion from my Music Box.

Stay Brutal!

PS. Here's one of the cut tracks from Chrono Trigger's OST. THIS absolute masterpiece blows most of the music in almost any other game out of the water and this was something that DIDN'T make it into Chrono Trigger.