Train Station At 8: A Video Game Music Podcast

We here at Train Station at 8 like to shine a positive spotlight on music we think makes the world a better place, but this episode is somewhat of a... cautionary tale. Zachary Walton, a Whales are Whales man and Japanese RPG connoisseur, has brought with him a song that combines legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu with prog rock sensation Deep Purple. It gets weird.

We listened to a lot of wonderful music and met a lot of wonderful people during Train Station at 8's first year of podcasting, so we decided to say farewell to 2014 with a tribute celebrating all of those good times. The invitations went out and resulted in this mega-sized episode featuring Jayson Napolitano, Alyssa Menes, Will and Karl Brueggeman, Andrew Luers (OA), Deia Vengen (DragonAvenger), and Matthew Tucciarone (Major Third). It's a packed table this week and there's way too much to talk about, so sit back and join us for a two-hour adventure into the past!

Neal Acree (seasoned composer of film, television, and Blizzard) tells the story of Nightsong, a song from World of Warcraft: Cataclysm that almost never was. We also veer into topics like Video Games Live, creative collaboration, and the Darnassian language. If you're ready to step back into Azeroth (like we are) then hesitate no more and start the episode!

Alyssa Menes is back again for another Sakurai-fueled adventure, lending her voice to a rousing discussion about SUPER. SMAAAAAAASH. BROOOOTHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERSSSSS!!! The newest entry in this legendary series crashes onto the scene with a pumped up menu theme brings out the joy and excitement from everyone present, so leap into the auditory fray and let's do this!

Josh Whelchel, composer of many uber cool songs, has brought a rousing arrangement of Final Fantasy VIII to our attention. This snippet of a grand medley draws the three of us into a conversation about tone, tempo, and the ramifications of music distribution platforms. It's possible you might even learn something-- we did!

Let us leap from the heavens and into the mighty spaceship bristling with bad guys, futuristic technology, and AA (anti-angel) weaponry. Alyssa Menes joins us to talk about Kid Icarus: Uprising and its phenomenal soundtrack; specifically, In the Space-Pirate Ship. It's a great time, you should listen in!

The final part of our World of Warcaft series concludes with recent expansion Warlords of Draenor and all the majesty it brings to our respective ears. Magnificent Desolation tells us a tale of the tragic, howling Frostfire Ridge, drawing us into a wonderful discussion about storytelling, artistic themes, and orcish valor. We're going out with a bang and will be back next week with something new!

Warlords of Draenor has taken the world by storm, but we still have one last stop before joining the march to Draenor: Mists of Pandaria. This tranquil, thought-provoking expansion is home to The Golden Lotus, a vanguard of staunch defenders and a song of the same name. With warm, fluffy, Pandaren feelings in our hearts, we explore.

David Arkenstone, wisdom-emanating musician and World of Warcraft composer, has brought a track of his own from Cataclysm. Surrender the Booty (of Booty Bay fame) is a song of high adventure, blazing pirate ships, and fun-filled villainy; it also acts as a springboard for all kinds of fascinating discussion on how we create and listen to music. We'd love for you to join us on this especially special episode!

We return to our six-part World of Warcraft series with the cinematic intro music from Wrath of the Lich King. Arthas, My Son tells a sad, twisted story in just three minutes; we add our own ponderous thoughts to it and the expansion as a whole.Buy Arthas, My Son here!Stephen and Bryan can both be found on Twitter, so go be their friends. They are very nice.How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!Music used in this episode:Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan KellyArthas, My Son (Cinematic Intro) - Neal Acree

We take a break from traipsing about Azeroth to chill with Thomas Spargo in the colorful soundscape of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker's title theme. Its earthy, simple beauty is a gentle reminder that you don't need much to have a whole lot.

Part II of the World of Warcraft series marches on The Burning Crusade, the game's first expansion and a bastion of fond memories for Stephen and Bryan. Silvermoon City, home of the Blood Elves, is a glorious achievement of the magic-fueled race, yet runs deep with an unsettling air of darkness. This week we're talking about how it sounds.Buy Silvermoon City here!Don't forget to follow Stephen and Bryan on Twitter for kicks!How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!Music used in this episode:Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Seas

This is the first of five World of Warcraft episodes (each covering a different expansion) leading up to the release of Warlords of Draenor, the newest addition to this musically inclined MMORPG. We go back to the beginning with a song that's been in the game since day one: Teldrassil, in all its earthy, mystical beauty. Tune in next week when the Dark Portal opens once again!

We're not talking about a video game song this week, but hold your Rapidashes-- it's tangentially related! Gym Leader Steven Reich probably knows more about Pokemon than any mortal ever will, and that knowledge base includes the original anime's theme song, which just happens to be the topic at hand. The guy runs the Pokemon Internet Radio Network (PIRN), for Pichu's sake, so expect an information-filled leap back into the late nineties.

It's been a long time coming: Train Station at 8 is finally talking about local favorite Sonic Adventure. Music-making bad dudes halc and DiGi Valentine are pumped to chat up the podcast with opinions on Crazy Robo, a frenetic boss ditty with more depth than meets the ear. It's a good time!

Matthew Tucciarone (known as Major Third on his YouTube channel) is back again, and this time he's packing arts and crafts. Butter Building from the exceptionally lovable Kirby's Epic Yarn is his choice for this episode, which makes for a delightful addendum to our previous puffball-centric excursion. Prepare yourself-- it's about to get cute in here.

Host of VGMpire-- a fine video game music podcast, in case you weren't aware-- Brett Elston share his memories of Mario Kart 64 and its extraordinarily moving credits theme Victory Lap. MAGFest and Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) pop up here and there as well, but our hearts are set on that most special of Mario Kart songs, and we hope yours is, too.

Chance Thomas had some Howard-Shore-sized boots to fill when scoring The Lord of the Rings Online expansion pack Riders of Rohan, so we brought Jamie Christopherson on board to give us a composer's opinion. He's written his own Lord of the Rings music thanks to the Battle for Middle-earth series, and now the magnificent, melodic fields of the Riddermark beckon. Onward to Theme for Rohan!

BioWare masterwork Dragon Age: Origins and its logically titled theme song "Dragon Age: Origins" descend upon the podcast to share hope, death, and glory with you good listeners. Stephen and Bryan greatly enjoy the discussion, but it's mostly an excuse for them to play through Dragon Age again.

Three OverClocked ReMixers gather around microphones with us this week-- OA, DragonAvenger, and Level 99-- to get lost in the jazzy, frenetic car crash (but in a good way) that is NiGHTS and Reala from NiGHTS Into Dreams. It's worth listening just for the piano solo.