Music

Battle Bards Episode 140: Piano piano!

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It’s one of the most powerful and versatile of musical instruments, and now the piano is getting its own featured show here on Battle Bards! The crew re-assembles, not to avenge, but to uplift beautiful, striking, and moving piano themes from MMORPGs. So tickle the ivories with Syl, Steff, and Syp as they listen to today’s signature tracks.

Episode 140 show notes (show page, direct download)

  • Intro (feat. “Breezewind Park” from Blade and Soul, “Main Theme” from The Secret World, and “Piano Works #1 Serendia” from Black Desert)
  • “Theobomos Hotel” from Aion
  • “Purple” from Worlds Adrift
  • “Kaelar and Empyrean Freeholds” from Ashes of Creation
  • “Tieve’s Theme” from Vindictus
  • “Lullaby” from Chronicles of Spellborn
  • “The Die is Cast” from Tree of Savior
  • “Ancient City” from FFXIV
  • Which one did we like best?
  • Listener mail from Katriana and IronSalamander8 [link]
  • Jukebox picks: “Chiasm” from GRIS, “Main Theme” from Neon Chrome, and “The Beginning” from Resident Evil 2 Remake
  • Outro (feat. “Hywel” from Mabinogi)

Retro Reprise Episode 17: The shareware show!

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They might not have been the AAA-budget titles of the 1990s, but shareware games were perhaps even more well-known due to the proliferation of these demos. Studios such as id, Epic, and Apogee made their mark with these titles — and the simple but memorable tunes from each got lodged into our brains. Joining Syp today is Chaos Constant from Occasional Hero, who is a self-professed retro game music fan and has plenty to say about the shareware era!

Show notes (episode download, episode page)

  • Intro (feat. “Cruising with Stryker” from Major Stryker and “The City Streets” from Duke Nukem 3D)
  • “Title Theme” from Halloween Harry
  • “Toy Factory Table” from Epic Pinball
  • “Main Theme” from Duke Nukem 3D
  • “Welcome to a Kick in the Pants in Good Old Hillville” from Commander Keen 4
  • “Main Theme” from Mystic Towers
  • “Spiders” from Jill of the Jungle
  • “Shooting Star” from Major Stryker
  • “Episode 1 Levels 4-6” from Stargunner
  • Outro (“Beach Bunnies” from Jazz Jackrabbit)

Battle Bards Episode 139: Return to LOTRO

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It has been a good long while since the Battle Bards walked the road that led them from the Shire to Mordor, but now they’re back in Lord of the Rings Online — and they have a lot of positive things to say about this beloved soundtrack. If the word “quaint” can ever be used as a recommendation for a score, it has to be done so here! Tune in as these three Minstrels share a few favorite tracks you may not have heard before.

Episode 139 show notes (show page, direct download)

  • Intro (feat. “Let Us Sing Together,” “Rivendell,” and “Urgent Errands”)
  • “Coronation of Aragorn”
  • “Mug in Your Hand”
  • “Brigand’s Tale”
  • “Night in the Shire”
  • “Malthellam, the Steward of the Vale”
  • “Tavern Lore”
  • “Cape of Belfalas Housing”
  • Which one did we like best?
  • Listener mail from Hamblepants and Jaedia
  • Jukebox picks: “Chicken Illuminati HQ” from Guacamelee 2, “Menu Music” from Kingdom Hearts 3, and “Towergrounds” from Forgotton Anne
  • Outro (feat. “Battle of Pelennor Fields Final Victory”)

Battle Bards Episode 138: Wild wild westerns

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Boy howdy, is it time for another highfalutin Battle Bards episode? Shucks, looks like! In this week’s show, the trio saddle up for a ride through the tumbleweeds and mesas of western MMO tunes. It may be slim pickins, but the pickins are actually pretty good!

Episode 138 show notes (show page, direct download)

  • Intro (feat. “Renewal” from Fallen Earth, “Ashe” from Overwatch, and “Crimson Hills” from Aion)
  • “Calm Guitar” from Crossout
  • “Thermock Hold” from WildStar
  • “Way Out West” from LEGO Worlds
  • “Main Theme” from Wild West Online
  • “Eyes of Ice” from Aion
  • “Cool Ranch Tumbleweed Explorer” from Pirate101
  • “Main Theme” from Dino Storm
  • Which one did we like best?
  • Listener mail from Katriana and PanagiotisLial
  • Jukebox picks: “Legend of the Eagle Bearer” from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, “Into the Wilderness” from Wild Arms, and “Escape” from Return of Obra Dinn
  • Outro (feat. “Antique Cowboy” from Ragnarok Online)

Retro Reprise Episode 16: Amazing Amiga

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The Amiga series of computers is renowned for its amazing sound — and the terrific scores that video game composers were able to wrangle. In this episode of Retro Reprise, Syl joins Syp for a look and listen back at this machine and the tunes that carry on its legacy!

Show notes (episode download, episode page)

  • Intro (feat. “Space Ninja” from Lotus 3)
  • “Theme” from Deflektor
  • “Ending” from Fuzzball
  • “Hymn to Aurora” from Horace Wimp
  • “Theme” from The Humans
  • “Theme” from The Carl Lewis Challenge
  • Outro (feat. “Theme” from Hero Quest)

Battle Bards Episode 137: League of Legends’ hero themes

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What’s your hero’s theme? If you play League of Legends, you know the answer to that already, because every hero in that game has his, her, or its own musical motif, from the dour to the delightful. In this episode of Battle Bards, the crew turns to this popular MOBA to see what heroic themes are pure ear candy.

Episode 137 show notes (show page, direct download)

  • Intro (feat. “Elementalist Lux,” “Odyssey Login,” and “Snowdown 2018”)
  • “Irelia”
  • “Arcade Ahri”
  • “Dragon Trainer Tristana”
  • “Kindred”
  • “Lulu”
  • “Tahm Kench”
  • “Braum”
  • Which one did we like best?
  • Listener mail from Mika, Thomas, and Katriana
  • Jukebox picks: “Warsongs: Silver Scrapes (ProtoShredanoid Remix)” from League of Legends, “Can’t Wait Until Night” from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and “Stars at Our Backs” from Monster Hunter World
  • Outro (“Jinx, the Loose Cannon”)

Battle Bards Episode 136: Overlooked MMO soundtracks

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Ever feel like the Battle Bards have covered every MMO soundtrack in existence? It’s actually far from true, and today’s episode is Exhibit A to prove it. The team looks at seven online RPGs that have never had a single track featured on a Battle Bards show — and it’s a fun discovery process! So settle back as we roll out 100% debuts!

Episode 136 show notes (show page, direct download)

  • Intro (feat. “Terminus” from Pantheon and “Main Theme” from Otherland)
  • “A Harsh Winter Fell” from Camelot Unchained
  • “Intro Theme” from Rising Force Online
  • “Aman’s Theme” from Lost Ark
  • “Outdoors” from The 4th Coming
  • “Sea of Hakanas” from Riders of Icarus
  • “East Sea Plain (night)” from Dream of Mirror Online
  • “The Magic Shop” from PlaneShift
  • Which one did we like best?
  • Listener mail from Mika, Theldos, Myre_Test, Mike, and Raphael
  • Jukebox picks: “Sea Theme” from Heroes of Might and Magic IV, “Dog” from MineCraft, and “Cave” from Blue Dragon
  • Outro (“Lorencia” from Mu Online)