Where The Water Tastes Like Wine Soundtrack

Where the Water Tastes Like Wine (Original Game Soundtrack)

Overview

For game music fans, quality cowboy music is in no brusk supply. This past decade alone has given rise to hits of the wild westward variety such as Ruby Dead Redemption, Breastwork, and West of Loathing. Even just terminal month, Ryan Ike – composer of W of Loathing – published his latest shot at the genre: an original soundtrack to the indie western adventure game Where the Water Tastes Like Wine.

This isn't Ryan's beginning time at the rodeo, only where West of Loathing reveled in cartoonish whimsy, Where the H2o Tastes Like Wine strives to paint a more authentic picture of the onetime west. With "over a dozen alive performers" – co-ordinate to the album description on Bandcamp – and numerous American musical genres represented on the album, Where the Water Tastes Like Wine is certainly well-equipped for the challenge. Just how well does this thirty-runway homage to a bygone age capture its target artful?

Body

The most of import facet of American western music is that this category isn't itself a genre. Rather, information technology'southward a nod to the wide array of cultures that collided as the U.s. of America took form, and to the songs and traditions they brought together. No i way comprises the unabridged 19th century American experience, and no i ready of musical traditions defines western music in its entirety. As "a large fan of how people from different backgrounds can come together to grade one musical culture," Ryan Ike understands the importance of representing a latitude of American musical traditions. To that end, he sets out to comprehend as much territory equally possible, leading to some interesting emotional contrast along the style.

For instance, in album's first stop, "Soulsucker Blues," vocalist Akenya'south wicked crooning fits right in with the grungy steel string acoustic guitar backing her up, and her resonant low notes lend a sense of authenticity to lyrics like, "Now I got a crater in my breast || This hole ain't gonna heal || And the sting of guitar strings || is 'bout the merely thing I feel." Merely a few tracks down the line, however, "Miles of Smiles" turns the tables with an upbeat jazz tune, complete with ragtime piano and a swinging upright bass. At times the anthology drives home the iconic image of the lonely cowboy, be it through the reflective fingerpicking odyssey of "Breathe the Blackness," the argent banjo solo "Dust to Grit," or the combination of banjo, guitar and dry violin in "From This Field I Wish to Rise." Yet swing jazz choice-me-ups like "Noodle Information technology Out" and "Read 'Em and Weep" stand by gear up to sweep listeners back into a lively positivity.

Ryan'south album runs the gambit of genres associated with the sometime west, from the Native American-inspired flute and pulsate musings of "The Road Remembers" to the bluegrass banjo-guitar ballad of "Rail Hoppin'." What actually takes Where the Water Tastes Like Wine to the next level, though, are the genres explored that fall outside of stereotypical old western music tropes. A solo accordion waltz may be the last affair that comes to listen when thinking most the age of western expansion, but "Shining Isles of Ivory" delivers just that. "Rainbow on Wheels" dusts off the album'south overwhelming sense of historical nostalgia for a fun land rock interlude. Not all of these diversions striking the right notes: "This Trench Was Dug For Me" starts off as a respectful funeral march, simply when the forlorn brass gives way to toy-like twinkling percussion and piccolo, the mournful consequence gets lost. Still, most tracks on the anthology succeed in feeling non just consummate in their realization, but likewise distinct from any other tracks on the album.

This is in large function due to the many talented musicians Ryan Ike has assembled for the project. Listeners can virtually hear the ghost of Johnny Cash in "White Rider" cheers to vocalist Joshua Du Chene'southward macho baritone vibrato. That same quality makes Joshua a great lucifer for the bright and wistful vocals of May Claire La Plante in "Heavy Hands." Stronger nevertheless is Akenya's raspy return in "Tear It Down," a gospel blues rail forged from kicks, claps, and rich organ playing. Akenya'south lilting melodies are heart-wrenching and appropriately powerful for delivering lines similar, "We gonna drive the hurt and heartache out || With a wild and righteous sound || And when they attempt to throw a wall upwards || We gonna tear it downwards."

Nowhere is the collective talent backside Where the Water Tastes Similar Wine more apparent, all the same, than in "Vagrant Vocal." At its core, "Vagrant Song" is as biting a tune about solitude and bloodshed as they come, proclaiming "Well, I || Got no companion || 'Cept the wind || And the ocean || And when I'm || Cold and empty || They're the ones || Who'll coffin me." That cadre, even so, is reimagined in a wide diversity of contexts across the album. The song kickoff appears in its "Deep Due south" course, courtesy of Joshua Du Chene on vocals and guitar. Yet its next grade, "Appalachia," features banjo, bass, drums, fiddle, and a much more upbeat performance from singer Jillian Aversa. "Vagrant Vocal (Midwest)" introduces an Irish flare in a swung meter, affording Elizabeth Zharoff a more leisurely stride with the lyrics. The "Southwest" iteration sees May Claire La Plante and Jose and Daniel Ruiz translating the tune to Castilian in a flamenco-style reimagining with staccato guitar, trumpets and shakers. Each new take on "Vagrant Vocal" is a surprise compared the concluding – for instance, those expecting yet another vocalist to take up the reigns in the final "Northwest" iteration will exist treated instead to an instrumental rendition performed by the Videri String Quartet. This eclectic mix of approaches to a single piece of music speaks to the level of diversity on offer.

Summary

With Where the Water Tastes Like Vino, Ryan Ike makes his most meaningful contribution to American western video game music notwithstanding. The field may already be stacked with some vehement competitors, but Where the Water Tastes Like Vino stakes out its own turf thanks to some polished songwriting and a comprehensive overview of musical traditions from the American expansion. Ryan's latest western soundtrack is a respectful emulation of its inspirations and deserves a listen from anyone who ever fancied themselves a lone ranger at heart.

Where the Water Tastes Similar Wine (Original Game Soundtrack) Reilly Farrell

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4.5

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Reilly Farrell. Concluding modified on April 9, 2018.

Tags: Materia Commonage, Ryan Ike

About the Writer

Reilly Farrell is one part Bay Area electronic composer and one part capybara fanatic. He loves video game music and rodents of unusual size and wants the world to know how not bad they both are. Personal favorite soundtracks include The Legend of Zelda, The Fable of Legacy, The Legend of Dragoon, The Legend of Mana, and Katamari Damacy - which is likewise legendary. Drib a line anytime!