Tracklist

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Review: Clannad/Tomoyo After’s “Piano no Mori” revels in simplicity. The ornamentation that accompanies these piano arrangements are fairly orthodox; there’s nothing in this album that’s too surprising. Everything about this album is predictable; the tracks that were chosen, the manner in which they’re arranged, the list goes on. But for fans of the Clannad franchise, this album is exactly what they’re looking for. Nothing more, but definitely nothing less.

Even though the track selection and the creativity that goes into the arrangements leave a bit to be desired, the piano music does convey the sentiments of Clannad well. “To the Same Heights” starts this album off on a splendid note. Its soft introduction is tentative, but it exudes a growing optimism through a crescendo that radiates hope through its trickling, engaging melody. The glowing outlook and determination it conveys is wonderful and this piece does well in setting the tone for the tracks that follow.

To the Same Heights

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“Isle of Joy,” an arrangement of the OP, “Mag Mell,” is even better than its source material, granted, I wasn’t too keen on the original because its melody has the feel of a generic, upbeat opener rather than a song that encompasses the scope of the anime and game (despite what the lyrics say). This version’s tones are warmer as the piano transitions smoothly from the energetic lead-in into the gentle verses complete with the brief moment where the piano takes to the higher registers to highlight the piece’s most heartfelt section. After that, “White Clovers” takes over with a slow, calming sound that moves along serenely at first. But the piece really shines once it hits the buildup where the happiness that’s been simmering emerges with confidence, and with it, delivers optimism, painted through an incredibly bright future.

White Clovers

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But nothing nails the optimistic sentiments quite like the iconic “Tiny Palm” which exudes joy and happiness from every pore. The piece starts off softly, but little by little, it gathers strength, imbued by a wondrous sense of gladness that drifts in and slowly uplifts. Its initial calming ardor gels all of the scattered loving emotions into a greater whole, reflecting the strengthening of those familial bonds. These emotions really come to fruition once the piano enters the high registers. From there, the piece flows with comfort and hope, stirring my heart and soul as it affirms the unbreakable bonds formed before ending sweetly as the familiar motive from “Nagisa” sets in with its gentle, loving tones.

Tiny Palm

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The Clannad chapter closes with “Two Shadows;” “Dear Old Home” opens the Tomoyo After story. The music used for this story arc is more somber and packs a tragic aura. “Dear Old Home” doesn’t quite go that far, but it does have a dab of the melancholy in the introduction before it gradually shifts to a tone of quiet determination. “Rivulet” follows suit in retaining some of that determination, but on the whole, the warm tones beckon and love remains the dominant theme, conveyed through the melody’s warm, reassuring fabric.

Rivulet

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Beyond this point, the music is seeped in sadness and this is where the tragedy really makes itself apparent. The lonely sound coming from “Worth Living” is distressing as the introspective thoughts that flow forth do so forlornly. It is as if the subject of this track has lost their way and is struggling to find some direction to proceed and patch together a shattered life. The feelings it depicts are bleak, bordering on despair, as the problems grow ever more burdensome with each passing note. “Harmony with Sorrow” is even more despondent though listening to this becomes almost annoying because the piece repeats the same motives a bit too often for its own good without doing anything to adorn the melody in a way that will further plumb the piece’s emotional depths.

Worth Living

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But the album wraps up nicely through “Love Song,” which slowly sheds the despair in favor of a blossoming happiness that remains quiet and subtle. Its tones are uplifting; not quite at the level of “Tiny Palm” perhaps, but its brightness is heartening, especially when it comes after two very gloomy tracks. To close, though this album is far from being the be-all-end-all of anime piano music, the tracks are competently arranged and highlight some of the more memorable moments in Clannad and Tomoyo After. It’s definitely recommended listening if you seek to enjoy the Clannad soundtrack through a different instrumental lens.

Rating: Good

Tracklist

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Review: The first Clannad image album, Sorarado, features six arrangements based off tracks from the Clannad Original Soundtrack and sung by riya, Eufonius’ talented lead vocalist. The entire album is extremely impressive: where the temptation might have been to make six songs that stick strictly to the pop formula, we instead get arrangements that show a great deal of sophistication. New layers are constantly added where appropriate, vocal harmonies echo and depart from the main melody, and, more often than not, the standard verse-chorus structure is ignored. The result is an uplifting, almost surreal experience that, ironically, is grounded by its meticulous arrangements.

The Girl’s Fantasy

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“The Girl’s Fantasy” starts off slowly, and riya sings above a lingering bassline with deliberateness. The song is in no rush… it isn’t until more than two minutes in, after steadily adding layers, that the song takes on a more urgent tone, at which point percussion is introduced. It’s here that the song takes on a more dreamlike feeling, one which will become fairly familiar by the end of the album. The vocal harmony is hymn-like, and the overall song almost feels like it’s set in a peaceful savannah. The end of the song crescendos, building up not to a climax, but a perfect segue into the next track, the iconic “Over”.

Over

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“Over” is most recognized among anime fans as the insert song that plays at the end of the episode 18 of the first season of Clannad. It’s vastly different from every other song on the album, but while it stands out, it also stands tall. It’s more of a traditional J-pop song than the rest of the tracks, invigorated by a vibrant energy which so suits Fujibayashi Kyou, the character whose theme song, “Sore ha Kaze no Youni,” “Over” is based on. It’s catchy, cute, but also extremely well-sung and is just as multi-layered as the rest of the tracks on this album. The bridge is a bit more typical of the general tone of the album, emitting the same abstract, removed feeling as many of the other songs. I don’t think anything would rock my face off harder than to hear Hirohashi Ryou sing this song.

Roaring Ocean

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There’s something earnest about riya’s singing at the beginning of “Roaring Ocean.” Soon after the introduction, riya becomes subdued as a tender piano melody plays, but she quickly breaks out into a strong voice, showing, in a very short burst, just how versatile a singer she is. My only complaint is minor, but this song weakens with the introduction of percussion about halfway through. It is almost as if the song had run out of things to do, and needed to extend itself, but the percussion undermines it, sounding tinny and obviously synthesized (or poorly recorded).

Memories of a Distant Journey

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“Roaring Ocean” melts into “Memories of a Distant Journey,” again an example of the impeccably-executed segues that allow Sorarado to flow. “Memories of a Distant Journey” is almost a sadder version of “Roaring Ocean” and has something of a Celtic feeling. Riya deliberately lets her voice waver, adding emotion to it and again demonstrating her skill. The harmonies in this song are much deeper than most of the other songs, and also have a hymn-like feeling.

Ten Thousand Places

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“Ten Thousand Places” is a rather flighty song compared to the more slow-paced arrangements that dominate Sorarado. This is the point in the album where the multi-layered transforms into the eclectic, and the song has some rather abrupt transitions that, for some bizarre reason, work. The percussion is also tinny here, which is unfortunate, but riya’s short burst singing accompanied by a sitar (of all things) is again striking. The vocal harmonies both echo and preempt riya’s singing, and continue to be a highlight of each arrangement. An almost entirely new song breaks out during the bridge, a much more subdued theme reminiscent of the tone of Clannad’s background music, before suddenly snapping back to its normal energetic self. It’s not a bad song, but it sticks out, even moreso than “Over”, and if this album has a weak point, this is probably it.

Shining in the Sky

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The introduction of “Shining in the Sky” is almost like a lullaby. riya’s voice is soothing, and the violins that carry her voice are smooth and continuous. However, the lyricless middle section of the song is arguably the highlight of the entire album. A mixture of choral harmonies, violins, a recurring piano melody and an irregular baseline, this segment is surreal and haunting but also, strangely, warm and sweet.

Rating: Very Good

Disc 1

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Disc 2

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Disc 3

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Tracklist and miscellaneous album information provided by VGMdb.

Review: Watching the entirety of the Clannad anime (including the After Story) felt like completing a long journey that, looking back, yielded a mix of wonderful and bittersweet moments in the life of its two principal characters. Much of the show’s success is derived from seeing the personal and emotional growth that its protagonists, Tomoya Okazaki and Nagisa Furukawa, undergo as they fall in love and together, face the obstacles that fate has put in their path. Through it all, the series serves as a firm reminder that no matter what tragedies one may have to endure, the family will always provide that firm bedrock of support that one can celebrate along with in the best of times, but also rely upon in the worst of times.

And as we sit through Tomoya’s ups and downs, the music is always hovering just out of sight, but the impact it delivers when it needs to can transform a scene that’s merely sad into one that’s emotionally wrenching. The credit goes to Key’s Jun Maeda, Shinji Orito, and Magome Togoshi for delivering unto us a soundtrack that is absolutely beautiful in the way it captures the mood of the series and to Lia and riya, whose performances made this album truly shine as my favorite soundtrack to a Key/Kyoto Animation collaboration.

The question is where exactly one starts when addressing this soundtrack? There’s no doubt that the characters themes are particularly delightful. For example, Fuko’s theme, “Hurry, Starfish,” will elicit cheers and groans depending on one’s perception of her, but there’s no denying that the piece’s light-hearted aura gets her eccentric, capricious nature down pat through the piano introduction that depicts the appearance of a whimsical sprite. Kotomi’s theme, “Études pour les petites supercordes,” uses the violin in a rather bumbling manner which fits with her socially awkward tendencies, but it retains her good-hearted nature that is positively endearing.

Hurry, Starfish
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Of all the character themes though, I consider Nagisa’s to be the most important because of the role she plays in Tomoya’s life and, by extension, in the anime. Her theme may be simplistic, but it illustrates her warm personality, her caring nature, and her determination to see things through to the end in spite of her health problems. This piece is one that I will return to a few times because it represents so many of Clannad’s themes, from the sense of hope that things will turn out for the best to the ensuing tragedies that come up along the way, but regardless of the ups and downs that the audience experiences, “Nagisa’s” beautiful melody reassures us that happiness lies in store at the end of it all.

Nagisa
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After all, “Nagisa” makes its appearance after “Town, Flow of Time, People,” which is depressing as it illustrates the hopeless, despairing thoughts that have encumbered Tomoya’s mind through the piece’s grim aura that leads one to believe that the city’s atmosphere is slowly suffocating him with the painful memories he’s associated with it. But “Nagisa” comes in like a healing wind, and this transformation results in Tomoya’s prospects brightening up considerably, making way for tracks like “Spring Wind” and “Country Lane” which brings in an air of optimism into his day to day life and allow the listener to take in the relaxing aura and enjoy the brief moment of happiness that Tomoya experiences through his daily interactions before things take a turn for the worse.

Town, Flow of Time, People
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Spring Wind
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The point at which tragedy strikes is where the second disc takes over since most of the melancholy themes that one associates with Clannad’s downhearted moments are found here. For example, “Snowfield” exemplifies the same sort of hopelessness that “Town, Flow of Time, People” carries by hinting at the tragedies that are soon to come. What really struck me when listening to “Snowfield” was the sense of loneliness that emanates from this track. Not only does it hammer the feelings of despair, this suffering is something that Tomoya goes through alone as the person he cares for most is taken from him. This emotional turmoil is also evident in “Roaring Tides II” which moves at a slower, more deliberate tempo as though to illustrate the extent of the despair that has engulfed Tomoya, weakening him and making him especially vulnerable to what will happen next.

Snowfield
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“Nagisa ~ Farewell at the Foot of a Hill” deals him the final blow, and by incorporating Nagisa’s theme into the piece, the audience too acutely feels his pain. While I have discussed the effect of this piece during the scene which depicts Nagisa’s passing, it bears repeating that what makes this piece so powerful lies within the context of the scene. When the music plays, it sparks one’s memories and one cannot help but remember all the times Tomoya and Nagisa spent together and how her death profoundly affects him. By using a synth as a backdrop towards the end of this piece, we are encouraged to reflect upon those happier times as her death finally sinks in and Tomoya’s life unravels from the shock and pain.

But amidst the melancholy and despair are some bright spots like “To the Same Heights” and “Shining in the Sky.” “To the Same Heights,” in particular, raises the specter of hope that things don’t have to be so bad as long as that familial foundation of support still exists. This bittersweet brew tastes more sweet than bitter and the message I got from this wonderful piano melody is that fate may deal one a terrible hand, but by maintaining one’s relationships, one can overcome those difficulties and soar on to a brighter tomorrow. That it’s used as the basis for “Toki wo Kizamu Uta” makes for an interesting comparison since my first impression of this piece had been an uplifting one rather than the mournful feel that I derived from the After Story opening.

To the Same Heights
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“Shining in the Sky” is also mentioned as a bright spot. This track carries an aura of contentment as it brings its air of finality through the crescendo around 1:53. Through the music, one gets a feeling that the struggles had been a valuable lesson and the characters have learned to move past the tragic events to become stronger as a result. “Country Train” takes the feeling of optimism further by adding in a dose of resolve through its rhythm and tempo which allows one to not only hear the swift-moving train, but to also feel as though Tomoya has awakened from the pits of despair as he pours his heart into making amends (especially towards Ushio) and reconnect with the people he cherishes so much.

Shining in the Sky
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Country Train
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The best aspect of the second disc belongs to the three vocal pieces though. “-Two Shadows-” has a nostalgic feeling imparted through riya’s upbeat and emphatic delivery and “Ana” is also a beautiful track that utilizes Lia’s ability to express herself wonderfully. Although the lyrics which can be incoherent at times as it talks about a paradise that goes through cyclical changes, Lia’s soaring vocals carry a peaceful, almost ethereal aura which channel the song’s lofty sentiments.

-Two Shadows-
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Ana
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Of the three vocal songs, “Tiny Palm” is absolutely unforgettable. It starts with the theme from “Nagisa” but quickly makes way for riya’s heartfelt delivery which takes us through the story from start to finish. The initial meeting with Nagisa is heard at the very beginning and through that fateful encounter, their lives are changed, and for the better. Although the feelings of love take awhile to build up, when it shines, it does so radiantly through the chorus where riya expresses the characters’ hopes and dreams as they vow to face life’s challenges as a couple. I cannot get over how beautifully this song imparts its themes as it uplifts the spirit through the genuine emotions it instills in the heart of the listener and it is by far the best song on the soundtrack.

Tiny Palm
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Although the third disc consists of arrangements that are enjoyable, but nowhere as integral as the first two discs, it’s worth finishing since it’s the conclusion of a long, but fruitful journey in the same way the anime series is. Through it all, the music succeeds in being a heartfelt addition as it not only takes us through the joys and the sorrows, it also serves as a subtle reminder to us all to cherish the relationships we have and to build new ones along the way.

Rating: Excellent