So they got Jeremy Soule in to do the music for the original Company of Heroes, and it’s his usual plinky plonky generic crap. Then they get a different guy in (one of the many, many Ian Livingstones working in the games industry) to do the music for Opposing Fronts, and the result is that the British end up with the best music in the entire game.
Huh… yeah – not bad. I do wish Jeremy Soule would do more variable music. He’s clearly a very good composer… just needs to get more variety there.
“usual plinky plonky generic crap”
…
“jeremy soule sucks”
A matter of taste, is it not? I have the opposite opinion for Jeremy’s music, and find it brilliant. A work of an exceptionally talented individual. Even when the track is fairly “loud” it is never tiresome to listen to.
My dislike of Jeremy Soule is almost pathologic at this point, but you’re right that it’s a matter of personal taste. Everyone is going to have different opinions about music. For what it’s worth I think that he’s responsible for some of the best tracks in gaming — the Morrowind theme, the Total Annihilation soundtrack — but usually when he’s hired to do music he turns in something that is, to my ears, irredeemably bland. But then when you do the volume of work that he does that’s probably going to be unavoidable to a degree. He does have a lot of talent and can do excellent work, he just needs to focus himself.
(Also he needs to be surgically separated from his orchestra and try some more unorthodox instruments. The first forty seconds of the Skyrim theme are amazing. The last four minutes are eminently forgettable.)
I have His Skyrim soundtrack, but have not had the time to listen to it as a whole for 2 reasons:
1. I have little time for such things at the moment…
2. I was enthraled by His (cannot remember the exact name) Skyrim Ambient track, which is around 40 minutes long! It is such a beautiful ambient music, if not the best I have heard, then one of my top 5 tracks ever. So soothing, peaceful, just pure pleasure to listen to it.
Like I said, a matter of taste.
jeremy soule is good, but overused. he’s the nolan north or troy baker of gaming, at first it’s like “wow they’re really good” but then you hear them again… and again… and again… no variation, they’re hired for their distinct tone, it gets old after the 2nd game and you can tell without looking at credits. jeremy soule is hired for making forgettable music.
jablonsky on the other hand… that is a genius (even though he does plinky plonky shit for sims games, at least it sounds different than his other stuff).