Overview

As is normally the case with Tenpei Sato releases, an arranged album for Soul Cradle was also produced. Given his normal arrangement efforts or lack thereof, does Soul Cradle fall into the same trap as the others, or is there some improvement? Read on to find out.

Body

On the whole, a lot of this arrangement album follows in the footsteps of predecessors, such as Phantom Brave. However, there is definitely sign of improvement. One clear example is that of "Flaxen Necklace." As opposed to just a remastering of the original, with crisper orchestra to accompany the violin melody, Sato decided to give us a nice little treat comprised of dual violin lines and a piano line used to accent the violins. It's very classical sounding in nature and a vast improvement over past arrangements in earlier albums.

"Love Letters," while more similar than different, features a much crisper acoustic guitar, as well as the inclusion of a more pronounced violin (with solo). As I've said in the original soundtrack review, this piece is one of my favorites on the soundtrack. It's also a favourite here as an extremely beautiful piece of music.

Small differences can be heard in "Requiem of Gemini," such as the development of brass and some ethereal vocals in addition to the choral portions already heard. "December Street" is another one that distinguishes itself slightly from its original counterpart. There is a nice opening that wasn't featured in the original, or rather that wasn't as defined. In addition, there is just a nice jazzier feel on this album.

Summary

In the end, is this an improvement over previous Sato arrange albums? I definitely think so. Is it a vast improvement? No, but it features some of the best tracks on the original soundtrack. In addition, the tracks that did feature an overhaul helped to strengthen the originals. Even the tracks with little to no change sound a bit fresher. Do I recommend this album? Ultimately, being a huge Tenpei Sato fan, I'd say yes, but be aware that in terms of arrangements, it's still not the strongest album.