Taisho Yakyuu Musume Ongaku Shuu – Review

Tracklist:
[spoiler]

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Review: I can usually watch an anime series and tell you whether the soundtrack is going to be enjoyable, but there are notable exceptions where the quality of the in-show music and the soundtrack CD are out of alignment. Taisho Yakyuu Musume’s soundtrack falls into this latter category, which is disappointing because I had high hopes for Taisho’s music after watching the anime and finding its lighthearted orchestral melodies to be charming. The music on the soundtrack isn’t bad per se, but its presentation is suspect given that there were long stretches where the music was abjectly dull as though it was content to serve its role in the background rather than rise to its full potential.

Up until the halfway point, most of the tracks manage to please as it offers a range of music that helps establish the setting to those that depict a strong sense of determination. An example of the former is in “Taisho Hiyori,” which uses a combination of clarinet and shamisen to create a melody that transplants the listener right into an era long past where life goes at a slower, relaxing pace. The idyllic atmosphere that this piece channels contrasts nicely with the next track, “Pai-No-Pai-No-Pai (Tokyo Bushi)” which injects a dose of energy and excitement into the listener through Kanae Itou’s adorable delivery as it imparts that infectious optimism that a young person living in a Japan on the cusp of modernization might experience. This song, in conjunction with the visuals, makes for an unforgettable moment and if you’ve seen this segment, you may find that it gives you the urge to watch that scene over and over.

Taisho Hiyori
[audio:02 Taisho.mp3]

Pai-No-Pai-No-Pai (Tokyo Bushi)
[audio:03 Taisho.mp3]

After going through the upbeat track used for the title screen, the music that follows depicts the many themes one might expect from a sports show featuring girls living in the Taisho Era. “Asou no Machi Name” sounds deceptively charming as though it were sculpting the image that the girls want others to see before the piece dispenses with the violin chords which gives off a feeling of determination on the part of the girls to show that they are capable of playing a boy’s sport. The theme of determination is also carried in tracks like “Play Ball!,” which exhibits an inspiring fanfare that calls upon the girls to give it their all in playing the game and their efforts all come together in “Soshite, Aruki Dasu,” which uses an upbeat enka melody to convey just how much hard work they are willing to put into baseball to play at a competent level.

Asou no Machi Name
[audio:05 Taisho.mp3]

Play Ball!
[audio:11 Taisho.mp3]

Soshite, Aruki Dasu
[audio:46 Taisho.mp3]

Even with baseball as the backdrop, it’s natural to have moments where the girls are allowed to relax from the rigors of play and tracks like “Futari no Kyori” illustrate that through a soft, simple piano melody that is emotional as it depicts the sense of hope and happiness that the girls experience. “Hitori ja nai kara’s” acoustic guitar goes at an even slower tempo as it offers a chance for both the players and the viewer to take a step back and evaluate how far the girls have come in learning the game. This introspection allows the girls to reaffirm their motivations for playing baseball and as the piece closes, one gets a feeling that they still have a long way to go, but that they will tackle any obstacle with gusto.

Futari no Kyori
[audio:13 Taisho.mp3]

Hitori ja nai kara
[audio:20 Taisho.mp3]

But once you go past the halfway point, things take a turn for the worse. The issues that plague the second half of this album include from nondescript and repetitive melodies which bore me over the span of as many as six tracks before a dynamic piece can wake me from my stupor. It puzzling how someone could put a track like “Nayami Taki Toshigoro” as is into the album because its plodding pace comes with an utterly uninteresting melody that can drive you mad as it subjects you to its version of the Chinese water torture. Other tracks, like “Pinch desu wa…” and “Seigen Jikan” don’t inspire much more beyond what they’re trying to depict. In the former’s case, it’s the stereotypical DANGER!! track that uses ominous melodies and chords to achieve its intended effect but fails to expand beyond that. As for “Seigen Jikan,” it’s just altogether gloomy and even though it has moments where it carries some promise, all of that is undone by the drab, repetitive melody that never goes anywhere.

Nayami Taki Toshigoro
[audio:32 Taisho.mp3]

Pinch desu wa…
[audio:38 Taisho.mp3]

Seigen Jikan
[audio:43 Taisho.mp3]

In listening to Taisho Yakyuu Musume’s soundtrack from the second half onwards, I can’t help but think that many of these pieces could easily have been cleaned up if they were developed further. The foundation that some of the boring tracks have are completely salvageable and furthermore, one can combine tracks depicting a certain mood into one track, yielding some variety, making it more engaging as a result. At this point though, such a concept is wishful thinking and the reality is that there are quite a few strong tracks, but all of that is dwarfed by the second half of this album which leaves one wanting and not even the adorable rendition of “Pai-No-Pai-No-Pai (Tokyo Bushi)” is capable of turning this album into a real keeper.

Rating: So-so