Love Will
Grow is the second installment in the Final Fantasy Vocal
Collection, an Uematsu series that, based on the misguided
execution of previous FF anthologies, could've been quite
horrible but actually turns out to be quite a fulfilling listen.
It's richer than the other FF arranged CDs; the tracks may
not make as strong or immediate an impression at first, but
their beauty is far deeper - you discover more and get more
out of the CD with each play.
Take,
for example, "Long Distance", the arrangement of
FF4's overworld theme, which seems quieter and a bit more
swiftly-moving than the original yet still manages to effectively
convey its sense of wonder. After a few runthroughs, though,
the undertones of longing and loneliness become more pronounced,
and the piece takes on a new dimension. If you have a copy
of the translated lyrics, you'll find that Uematsu intended
"Long Distance" as sort of a musical haiku, examining
a seemingly routine event or natural phenomenon (here, the
fact that the light from a dead star is visible from distant
worlds years after its demise) to find the set-up to a greater
truth; the idea the words convey fits the mood of the piece
perfectly.
There
are new versions of other old favorites here as well - a serene
and delicate piano-and-strings rendition of "GAIA",
FF1's overworld music, a long-overdue proper arrangement of
Relm's theme (unspoiled by blaring bagpipes) in the form of
a soothing a cappella lullaby, a spicy "Melody of Lute"
featuring easy-going, flowing Portuguese lyrics, and a charming
"Prelude" - a simple-yet-snazzy duet set to a 30's
Big Band/jazz rhythm with stilted "Engrish" lyrics
(beats me why they did this, as the English found in the other
songs is perfectly fluent). Half of the tracks are taken from
yet-untranslated (at least officially) games, but that won't
prevent anyone from appreciating the impish fun of "Have
You Ever Seen Me?", the sad, reflective "Tooi Hibi
No Nagori", a perfectly painted portrait of isolation,
or the emotional power of the tour de force that is the title
track. Special kudos must go to Risa Ohki, the beyond-gifted
chanteuse who is called upon to perform in a wide range of
moods and styles in four languages (plus backwards Japanese!)
and pulls it off spectacularly. All in all, a refreshing take
on Uematsu's work that's one of the most satisfying FF CDs
on the market.
