ReMix: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 'Her Smile in Every Summer'
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- Game: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Nintendo, 2003, GCN)
- ReMixer(s): Hot Freaks
- Composer(s): Hajime Wakai, Kenta Nagata, Koji Kondo, Toru Minegishi
- Song(s): 'Outset Island'
- Posted: 2012-04-02, evaluated by the judges
So yes, VocalClocked ReMix was, as most of you instantaneously deduced, an A1 thing. We wanted to have some fun, but it was also a pointed way of responding to the "vocal haters" that come out of the woodwork whenever a serious mix w/ vocals is posted. While I completely get & respect that there are some folks for whom instrumental music is a preferred sanctuary (especially when it comes to VGM), I'll never understand OR respect anyone's actual intolerance for ANY genre of music or aspect of instrumentation. You don't like it, we get it, 'nuff said. There are those with the audacity to make statements like "Vocals don't belong in VGM!!," or "You can't do jazz arrangements of Mega Man!!," for example. While you might not like vocals, whether or not they belong there isn't up to you, it's up to the artists. Laughably, there are even some who try to pass off as journalism (or at least semi-serious critique) what amounts to genre bias on the part of the critic. The bottom line is, never express your own personal preference as a prescription of what is natural or acceptable or universal in any way; you're walking in historically despicable footsteps when you do.
I'll get down off my soapbox now because you know I didn't just show up with words - we've got an absolutely amazing, throwback/vintage rock vocal arrangement of Wind Waker from newcomers Hot Freaks, a Minneapolis-based band that does Guided by Voices covers, among other things, making them my new favorite people. Vocalist Leo Vondracek writes:
"I always though this track could be a great single so I wrote some lyrics for it and played it indie-rock style with my band. Hope you enjoy it!"
Fittingly, this one is both on the house AND better than ever - I'm pretty much in love with the arrangement, the execution, and the overall experience, which Shariq sums up nicely:
"Dunno why this is even on the panel. Should be direct post IMO. It's got a lovely summertime vibe, like I'm out at the beach on a late afternoon with lots of friends. Great vocals! Just lovely all around."
Pieces of this reminded me of The Raconteurs (bits of 'Steady as She Goes'), GBV, and Weezer, and the lyrics are simple & perfect. Might be a carefree jam that's perfect for Spring/Summer, but I'm going to be playing this all year long, and it's the sort of surprise that makes running the site and posting mixes so rewarding. You never know what you're gonna hear, and what's gonna work, and it's a beautiful thing to still be geeking out and going fanboy after 12 years of doing this. Great, epic mix, instant classic in my book, and huge thanks to Hot Freaks for inspiring me, for one. And to all the artists out there, keep doing EXACTLY what you feel - it might not always be right for some people, and it may not even be right for OCR, but it'll always be right.
Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the - Power Smoothie on September 13, 2012
First of all, I wasn't familiar with the source, but still instantly fell in love with the remix upon hearing it. So after playing it on repeat a few times, I listened to the source on YouTube. After hearing the source as well, I have to say that for me, this remix epitomizes what VGM rearrangement is all about. I cannot believe how much of the source was used in this song, and woven together seamlessly into a rock song. Had I heard the song on its own, I would have just thought it was an original, and not any kind of rearrangement of anything, because everything flows and fits together so naturally.
Love the style. I'm a big Weezer fan, and I see the similarity there that Dave mentioned, so I would naturally be a sucker for this style. The playing and singing sound a little loose, which makes it very organic sounding, but at the same time they are spot on. The lyrics are amazing as well.
I don't know what else to say. I seriously think everything about this song is perfect.
- diotrans on September 4, 2012
<DragonAvenger> arrow
<DragonAvenger> http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02412/
<DragonAvenger> that one please
<Arrow> Oh god
<Arrow> I don't even know what to say about that one
<DragonAvenger> because its SO GOOD
<Arrow> Other than "I've been listening to this track at least once a day since it came out"
<DragonAvenger> for real
<Arrow> Like, I can't offer any actual legit commentary or criticism
<DragonAvenger> there is a reason
<DragonAvenger> my judgement of it
<DragonAvenger> is....short
<Arrow> All I could do in the review is just gush nonsensically
<Arrow> Actually, you know what?
<Arrow> I'll just post this convo text right in there AS a review
- Arrow on July 13, 2012
- DrumJ8 on June 27, 2012
- TJCliff on June 26, 2012
thinking about the lyrics in this song made me realize that it's probably rather fitting to how his fiancé feels right now (substituting "her" for "him" to make it work, of course)
so yeah, this song is now totally dedicated to them. at least, in my eyes it is.
- Mirby on May 6, 2012
I think I'm in love with that group... :D
But man this has a low volume...! I have to crank it up a lot...
- YoshMaster on April 14, 2012
It reminds me od the early Smashing Pumpkins somehow (which is a very good thing to me).
Thank you for sharing.
- UnholyGhost on April 12, 2012
nails the style, to a capital T. and I disagree with anyone complaining about the vocals. they are perfect exactly the way they are
this song is amazing.
- chthonic on April 9, 2012
- Dafydd on April 7, 2012
SwordBreaker;852770 wrote: Hale Bopp's "Summertime"[/b]
Shariq's comment about the "summertime vibe", pretz's mentioning a "throwback/vintage rock vocal arrangement" made me think the exact same thing. And given my deep and well established love of Hale-Bopp's mix, I must pay this song the highest compliment I can after mentioning it:
[b]This did not disappoint.[/b]
<3
Joining my oft referred to playlist of great OCR vocal mixes.
- ArmadonRK on April 6, 2012
EDIT- Yeah I said that this morning and now I love it. Fuck, that chorus.
- PROTO·DOME on April 6, 2012
Carrie-san;852989 wrote: You know, the first time I listened to this, while I found the lyrics cute, I wasn't sold on the majority of the vocals – they felt sort of strange and discordant to me. My favorite part was definitely the chorus.
This happened to me too! I have a feeling the panning has something to do with it...
- sergio on April 5, 2012
- Chizniz on April 4, 2012
Carrie-san;852989 wrote: You know, the first time I listened to this, while I found the lyrics cute, I wasn't sold on the majority of the vocals – they felt sort of strange and discordant to me. My favorite part was definitely the chorus.
Listening to it again almost immediately after that, though, the whole thing somehow meshed significantly better and I found myself digging it a lot more as a complete piece. I can only guess as to how that happened but I certainly won't knock it, haha! It's a pleasant surprise, to be sure.
This is exactly how I felt about this song. On first listen, when this came past the judges panel I wasn't sold at all on the performance or the execution, it all felt too underdeveloped and rough to me.
However, now that it's posted, I can see what all the hype is about. I guess the song just needed a few listens and some time past so that it could "click" in my head. Glad I'm not the only one who felt this way :-)
I've chatted with others before about this subject, and I've come to realize just how much potential that various Zelda tunes have to work brilliantly in an indie rock style, and this just confirms my suspicion. It captures the quirky, carefree, childlike nature of the original in both the lyrics and the arrangement, and makes me feel the same way while I'm listening.
Great stuff :-)
- Emunator on April 4, 2012
