Published on Jan 22, 1999
Reviewing soundtracks to movies that I’ve not seen is a
difficult enough challenge – but what about reviewing the
soundtrack to a videogame that I don’t even own the system for?
Yet, there I found myself, listening to The Sound Of Gran Turismo, and even without the benefit of a
Sony Playstation (no, this is not a plug featuring me begging for a product – the wife will kill
me if I bring one more electronic toy into the apartment), one can
get a feel for what the action of the game is like. I understand,
’cause I’ve been religiously playing Test Drive 5 for my PC… but
I guess I shouldn’t talk about the competition.) The soundtrack is
a virtual smorgasbord of alternative and electronica, but more
often than not, this disc takes off from the starting line.
At the absolute least, The Sound Of Gran Turismo is a great primer for some bands
whom you might not be familiar with. Groups like Ash (“Lose
Control”), Placebo (“Bruise Pristine”) and Feeder (“Shade,” “Sweet
16”) all shine on this disc, seeming to mromise a lot more
enjoyment if you take the time to check out their own respective
albums. Likewise, Garbage – a band I’ve not been overly impressed
with in my limited exposure to – pleasantly surprises me with “As
Heaven Is Wide”, and Blur comes through with a drag-race of a song,
“Chinese Bombs”.
In some cases, however, the material just fails to impress.
Groups like Terrorvision (“Conspiracy”), Bentley Rhythm Ace
(“Whoosh”) and Philadelphia Bluntz (“Sister Sister”) all include
songs that I could have easily lived without – even if I can get an
idea as to how they fit into the gameplay. (For that matter, the
interaction with the game itself could explain how these songs were
chosen.)
In still other cases, the material is very much dependent on
your personal tastes. I don’t know why David Bowie’s “Scary
Monsters (And Super Creeps)” was chosen over some of his other
work, but I can’t say this was my favorite work I’ve heard from his
catalog. Likewise, groups like Fluke (“Atom Bomb”) and Idlewild (“A
Film For The Future”) don’t impress me, but the performances are by
no means wretched. And Cubanate strikes out with one offering
(“Industry”), but shines on a second (“Skeletal”).
The suggestion is made that this disc be slapped on at high
volume while you play the video game. Again, not having tried the
game, I don’t know if it enhances your adrenalin rush or it helps
to distract you as you get tagged into the wall by the computer.
But, can’t hurt to try – and as long as you plan on being parked in
front of the Playstation for a while (and have built up the
necessary callouses), then this 73-minute album will probably seem
to fly by. (Even without the game, it seemed to be a quick
listen.)
The Sound Of Gran Turismo is not your typical soundtrack,
nor is it your typical experience listening to a soundtrack. But
you don’t have to be a videogame junkie or even a car buff to enjoy
some of the material on this disc. But be warned: Just like the
price of gas at the local Shell station, your level of pleasure
with the music can go up or down at the drop of a hat.