You're most likely to recognize Dustin Branscum (AKA DusK) from his shredding video game remixes, but he also has some cool side projects that stray into totally different territory. Either way, he is clearly a man of integrity-- we know this because his Splatoon tactics are sound and he knows a lot of Genesis music. To hear about this and more, it is recommended that you listen to this episode of Train Station at 8!

Follow DusK on Twitter! Follow DusK on YouTube! Don't follow him in real life; that would be creepy and invasive.

This week's Open Question: "What are some of your favorite character themes?"

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Steel Axe - Keiki Kobayashi, Tetsukazu Nakanishi, Inon Zur
• Online Selection Screen - Toru Minegishi, Shiho Fuji
• Shop - Toru Minegishi, Shiho Fuji
• It Has To Be This Way (Platinum Mix) - Jamie Christopherson, Logan Mader
• Gimme Chocolate!! - BABYMETAL
• It Doesn't Matter ver. 1 (Instrumental) - SEGA, Jun Senoue
• In the Name of the Father - Akitaka Yohyama
• Bastila Shan's Theme - Jeremy Soule
• Shinobi Walk - Hirofumi Murasaki, Morihiko Akiyama, Masayuka Nagao
• On Parade - Tomoko Sasaki, Naofumi Hataya, Masafumi Ogata
• Carnival Night Zone Act 1 - Probably like Michael Jackson or something
• Sega Logo (Comix Zone) - Howard Drossin
• Ruins - Naofumi Hataya
• Stage Clear (Gunstar Heroes) - Norio Hanzawa 

Steven Reich, ruler of the Pokemon Internet Radio Network, is back again to decipher the insane language of licensed music, particularly where Pocket Monsters are concerned. Makoto of the Pikipi Podcast is here, too, lending her expert knowledge of Pokemon anime to the show. Stand by for a blast(oise) of fun facts in rapid(ash) succession, giving you plenty of knowledge to (pika)chew on for quite some time!  

Steven is on Twitter, sure, but don't forget about Pokepress the Pokemon Internet Radio Network. As for Makoto, you can find her on Twitter or the Pikapi Podcast. Click on every link!

This week's Open Question: "When does licensed music work for a game and when doesn't it?"

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Main Title - James Horner
• Twister - Takeharu Ishimoto
• Sunlight Filtering Through the Trees - Revo
• Spring Emotions - Tomoya Ohtani
• Stay Fresh! - Ben Briggs
• Dash Cancel - Nutritious
• Team Rocket Hideout - Junichi Masuda
• Pokemon Report - Ikuko Mimori
• Wild Pokemon (Pokemon Ranger) - ???
• Battle! Team Galactic - Junichi Masuda
• Pokemon Trading Card Game Title - ???
• Cele-B-R-A-T-E - Russell Velazquez

Music man Michael "Flexstyle" Birch is here with us tonight-- you might know him from OverClocked ReMix. He has a healthy respect for Rayman and Ace Combat music, so he's all right in our book, but he still must overcome the oceanic quiz segment we cooked up for him. So water you waiting for? Dive in! (Our deepest apologies for that.)

Michael's on Twitter (and OverClocked ReMix, too) so go forth and click related links!

This week's Open Question: "As a game series grows, the music changes along the way. What are some of your favorite and least favorite instance of this?"

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Singularity - Masseve
• Lava Mountain Zone (Sonic Runners) - Tomoya Ohtani
• Bark (Original Mix) - Infected Mushroom
• World Map (Rayman) - Remi Gazel
• World Map 1: Jibberish Jungle - Christophe Heral, Billy Martin
• Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer E3 2015 Trailer - ???
• 12pm (Animal Crossing) - Kenta Nagata
• Get Off Him - ???
• "Rebirth" from Sand Storm - Keiki Kobayashi
• Ryu's Theme (Super Smash Bros. fro Wii U) - ???
• Under the Sea - Kiyohiro Sada, Minako Adachi
• Hydrocity Zone Act 2 - No one can be trusted
• Splash Woman Stage - Manami Matsumae
• Veniccio - Tomohito Nishiura
• Water World - Eveline Fischer
• Deep Sea of Mare - Koji Kondo, Shinobu Tanaka

Timaeus is a man of numerous talents, but the reason he's on the show today is because of his place in the video game music community. His ReMix skills are nothing to sneeze at, ladies and gentlemen, and he spares a few minutes to chat about how he (and we) found ourselves knee deep in the coolness that surrounds us.

This week's Open Question: "How did you enter the video game community?"

Explore the world of Timaeus on Twitter and his website!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• How of the White Wolf - Adam Skorupa & Kryzsztof Wierzynkiewicz
• Memory Reconstruction - Olivier Deriviere
• Express UG (Train Stage) - Ippo Yamada
• Azure Blue World - Jun Senoue
• Sweet Mountain (Act 1) - Kenichi Tokoi
• Battle for Justice [Chain Band version] - CHAIN Band 
• All Hail Shadow - Magna-Fi
• Professor Sycamore's Theme - Shota Kageyama
• Darkwing Duck Theme - Yasuaki Fujita
• Elevator - ???
• Stage Clear (Gunstar Heroes) - Norio Hanzawa
• Mega Man Battle Network 4 Theme - Toshihiko Horiyama

We've upended the tea table again to bring you a fresh new format that ditches our old song-of-the-week deal for a variety pack of sorts. The show still kicks off with What Have You Been Listening To? but is now followed by the Open Question, News from the City, and Train Your Brain. What are these mysterious segments? Find out alongside your usual duo of hosts and Emily Reese of the Top Score podcast, our distinguished guest!

You can follow Top Score (and consequently Emily herself) on Twitter, and check out the show page on Minnesota Public Radio as well.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Operation - Tetsukazu Nakanishi
• Big Baroque Box - Various Artists (Can't remember which song-- there are a lot!)
• Banana Blitz Title - Hideki Naganuma
• Tavern Tomfoolery - Peter McConnell
• Theme of Grandia - Noriyuki Iwadare
• Jungle Challenge - David Wise
• Jungle - Grant Kirkhope
• Against the Clock - Peter McConnell
• The Scavenger's Den - Jason Graves
• The Spirit Tree (feat Aeralie Brighton) - Gareth Coker feat. Aeralie Brighton
• Trojan Shores - Mario Aristopoulos
• Hold Your Breath (Underwater) - Super Marcato Bros.

Train Station at 8 returns with one last hurrah for the single song episode format! You heard right: times will be changing next week, but for now we take a look at Guild Wars 2 and its Saga of the Norn. Syl from fellow video game music podcast Battle Bards is by our side to brave the brass of Jeremy Soule-- who knows else we'll find along the way?

If you want to follow Syl on Twitter, by all means, do so! We also recommend that you check out Battle Bards, a video game music podcast all about MMOs. Syl is 1/3 of the crew over there!

Listen to "Saga of the Norn" here!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• The Tower of Eternity - Ryo Kunihiko
• Beatbuddy Swing - Parov Stelar
• Like a Seagull - Kazutaka Fujimoto, Keiichi Okabe, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kawada
• El Dorado - Kohta Takahashi
• Liquid Air - Go Shiina
• The Unsung War - Keiki Kobayashi
• Ding Dong Dell ~ The Cat King's Castle - Joe Hisaishi
• I So Hate Consequences - Relient K
• The Adventure Begins - Christophe Heral
• Saga of the Norn - Jeremy Soule
• Dragonsreach - Jeremy Soule

The 50th episode of Train Station at 8 is crowned with a video game deserving of the notably round number: Super Mario 64. Christophe Blondel, also known as CarboHydroM, is a dude with a deep appreciation for the art of music-making and star-collecting, so we've got him on board again. The three of us happily jump back into the magical painting of the past to compare Koji Kondo variations, make observations on how soundtracks changed with polygons, and simply remember good times.

Christophe is on Twitter, by the way, and don't forget about his website!

Listen to "Super Mario 64 Theme" here!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• You Will Know Our Names - ACE+
• Hometown - Yoko Shimomura
• Try to Keep Up! (Athletic) - Super Marcato Bros.
• Jambone - Snarky Puppy
• Super Bell Hill - Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Yasuaki Iwata, Koji Kondo
• Plessie's Plunging Falls - Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Yasuaki Iwata, Koji Kondo
• Champion's Road - Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Yasuaki Iwata, Koji Kondo
• Super Mario 64 Title Theme - Koji Kondo
• Bowser's Theme (Super Mario 64) - Koji Kondo
• Penguin Cap - CarboHydroM
• Inside the Castle Walls - Koji Kondo
• Slider - Koji Kondo
• Snow Mountain - Koji Kondo
• Starman Theme (Super Mario Bros.) - Koji Kondo
• Powerful Mario - Koji Kondo
• Metallic Mario - Koji Kondo
• Starman Theme (Yoshi's Island) - Koji Kondo
• Cave Dungeon - Koji Kondo

Metal Gear Solid 2 is a trippy ride, thanks in no small part to the oddball assortment of antagonists in rogue government unit Dead Cell. Jared Ettinger has gone toe-to-toe with these bosses and knows their theme song like the back of his hand, so together we revisit old friends on the unpredictable (musically and otherwise) Big Shell. 

Jared is on Twitter, and you could be too!

Listen to "Yell Dead Cell" here!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Stuff we talked about:

• Pixel Pizza

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Ready Aim Fire - Incompetech
• Forest Interlude - David Wise
• Disco Train - David Wise
• Relaxing in Nature - DJ Cutman
• The Last Cake - Sebastian Martensson & Joel Sandberg
• Strange World ~ Marching Through the Fields - Koichi Sugiyama
• Palm Brinks - Tomohito Nishiura
• Yell Dead Cell - Norihiko Hibino
• Auriel's Ascension (Prescription for Sleep) - Gentle Love
• Theme of Splash Canyon - Tomonori Sawada

The epic conclusion to our trilogy of experimental episodes is here: A Case Study of Sonic Adventure 2. It's time to give this insane, wonderful, terrible, nostalgic soundtrack the detailed investigation in deserves, so buckle up for an episode that leaves no tune unturned. How did this Dreamcast swan song come to be? Who composed the music? How many different genres does it cover again? If you're looking for a comprehensive guided tour of Sonic Adventure 2's audiological escapades, this is the place to be.

If you want to buy the complete Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack, check out Volume 1 and Volume 2 of the official release. You can also buy the vocal tracks from Sonic Adventure games in both original and instrumental formats. Sega has finally made everything available in a tidy, legal, well-credited package, so hats off to them!

If you want to quiz Stephen and Bryan on obscure Sonic facts, Twitter is the place to be.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme)  - Bryan Kelly
• SA2... Main Riff - Jun Senoue
• A Ghost's Pumpkin Soup - Tomoya Ohtani, Hunnid-P
• Chu Chu Rocket Title - Tomoya Ohtani
• Coco Tapioka the Huge Dancer - Kenichi Tokoi
• Event: Reunion - Kenichi Tokoi
• High and Broken - Fumi Kumatani
• Green Grove Zone 1 - Jun Senoue
• Takin' Me Down - Hardline
• Open Your Heart - Crush 40
• Live & Learn - Crush 40
• Escape from the City - Jun Senoue, Ted Poley, Tony Harnell
• Mr. Unsmiley - Jun Senoue
• It Doesn't Matter ver. 2 - Jun Senoue, Tony Harnell
• It Doesn't Matter ver. 2 (Instrumental) - Jun Senoue
• Escape from the City (Instrumental) - Jun Senoue
• That's the Way I Like It - Jun Senoue
• Won't Stop, Just Go! - Jun Senoue
• Rumbling HWY - June Senoue
• Down in the Base - Jun Senoue
• Chasing Drive - Jun Senoue
• Unknown from M.E. ver. 2 - Kenichi Tokoi, Hunnid-P
• Unknown from M.E. ver. 2 (Instrumental) - Kenichi Tokoi
• Space Trip Steps - Tomoya Ohtani, Hunnid-P
• Throw it All Away (Instrumental) - Fumie Kumatani
• Rhythm and Balance - Fumie Kumatani
• Remember Me? M.F.M. - Jun Senoue
• Trespasser - Jun Senoue
• 34°N, 12°E - Fumie Kumatani
• Bright Sound - Fumie Kumatani
• Chao Race Extended Mix (Doki-Doki Banana Chips Run Mix) - Tomoya Ohtani, Fumie Kumatani
• Chao Garden Extended Mix (Chao's Wack-Wack Up and Down the Ground Mix) - Tomoya Ohtani, Fumie Kumatani
• Event: The Last Scene - Fumie Kumatani

It's time for another experiment! Last week was Rhapsody Roulette #1, next week it'll be a Super Fun Secret, and this week it's our first attempt at a Freestyle episode. We show format the doormat so we can hang out free of stress to chat about whatever's musically on our minds. You can expect to hear about Club Nintendo's promotional Super Smash Bros. album, the profound work of Jeremy Soule, the pop music stigma, and Stephen's heartfelt appreciation for Home Made Kazoku (among many other subjects). So come in, relax! That's what we're doing.

Stephen and Bryan are both on Twitter, in case you were wondering.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Stuff we talked about:

• Super Marcato Bros. Favorites with the Kelly Brothers
• Whales are Whales Pod-Cast

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme)  - Bryan Kelly
• Who Likes to Party - Incompetech
• Ground Theme / Underground Theme (Super Smash Bros. for 3DS) - Tesuya Shibata
• Super Mario 3D Land Title Screen - Takeshi Hama
• Shonen Heart - Home Made Kazoku
• Dragonborn - Jeremy Soule
• Iwatodai Dorm - Shoji Meguro
• Goron City - Koji Kondo

The birds aren't singing. There's an odd tingling in the air. The proverbial castle has been flipped upside-down. You know what this means, right? Train Station at 8 is introducing something new: Rhapsody Roulette. Instead of discussing a single song with somewhat prepared pre-show research, Stephen and Bryan are shuffling randomly through their iTunes libraries to chat about five songs in daring, off-the-cuff manner. It's messy, sure, but trying new things is the bomb.

If you'd like to issue a formal complaint (or say howdy) tweet out to Stephen and Bryan on Twitter!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme)   Bryan Kelly
• Blue Star - Kenichi Tokoi
• Heroes of the Storm menu theme - Glenn Stafford, Jason Hayes
• Metered Parking - Karl B and the Soul Surgeons
• Temple of the Five Dawns - ???
• The World Adventure (Piano Version)   Tomoya Ohtani, Takahito Eguchi
• The World Adventure (Orchestral Theme) - Tomoya Ohtani, Takahito Eguchi
• With Heat - Kota Hoshino, Akayo Minami
• The Field of Honor - Junichi Nakatsuru
• Living in the City (Instrumental) - Richard Jacques, TJ Davis

It's time to celebrate the launch of Majora's Mask 3D, and our old Whales are Whales pal Cameron is back again to join in on the unsettled whispers and dismayed discoveries we all witness along the way. Understated with a tingly (not that Tingle) sense of mystery, the opening to this infamous Zelda title is the subject of this week's discussion. We stay up late and almost hallucinate to get this episode out on time, so pardon the mild madness-- it's only partially brought on by our own mortality reflected in that horrific moon's ember-orange eyes.

If you want to follow Cameron on Twitter, we won't stop you!

Listen to "Majora's Mask Opening" here!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Escape From the City - Ted Poley & Tony Harnell
• In Hushed Whispers - Trevor Morris
• Majora's Mask Opening - Koji Kondo
• Fairy Flying - Koji Kondo
• Stone Tower Temple - Koji Kondo
• Stone Tower Temple Inverted - Koji Kondo
• Ikana Valley - Koji Kondo

We're chilling out in our familiar, laid-back home of Animal Crossing this week to chat about its memory-filled title theme. There's not a guest in sight on this duo-based dive into the mellow, but we talk about lots of other cool video game music podcasts to make up for it. Also, we have some good news! Train Station at 8 is heading back to a weekly schedule as we strongly disliked the fourteen-day gap between episodes. Hey, we gave it a shot! 

Oh, oh, ALSO! In honor of a rather super great first year anniversary for Train Station at 8, I put together a reference guide for my favorite fellow video game music podcasts. Definitely go check that out if you want some nifty recommendations!

Listen to "Animal Crossing Title" here!

Don't forget to follow Stephen and Bryan on Twitter! It's fun for all ages.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Nilin the Memory Hunter - Olivier Deriviere
• Memory Reconstruction - Olivier Deriviere
• If You Believe - Zach Parrish (feat. Jeff Ball, Michaela Nachtigall & Alex Ripple)
• To the Stars - Stephan Wells (feat. Laura Intravia)
• Where I Belong - Switchfoot
• Fighting for Survival - Michael Hoenig
• Crank the Heat Up!! - Jun Senoue
• Cowabunga! (Technodrome ~ Let's Kick Shell!) - WillRock, Sixto Sounds
• Animal Crossing Title - ???
• Battletoads Title - David Wise

We here at Train Station at 8 like to shine a positive spotlight on music that we think makes the world a better place, but this episode is somewhat of a... cautionary tale. Zachary Walton, a Whales are Whales man and Japanese RPG connoisseur, has brought with him a song from Blue Dragon that combines legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu with prog rock sensation Deep Purple. It gets weird.

Buy "Eternity" here!

Zachary can be found on Twitter if you've a penchant for video game talk and occasionally NSFW visual novels.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Vampire Roadshow - The OneUps
• Lampshades On Fire - Modest Mouse
• Dtw to Dia (The Travels of Mr. B) - Griz
• Eternity - Nobueo Uematsu (feat. Ian Gillan)
• Violent Storm - Motoi Sakuraba
• You Will Know Our Names - ACE+

We listened to a lot of wonderful music and met a lot of wonderful people during Train Station at 8's first year of podcasting, so we decided to say farewell to 2014 with a tribute celebrating all of those good times. The invitations went out and resulted in this mega-sized episode featuring Jayson Napolitano, Alyssa Menes, Will and Karl Brueggeman, Andrew Luers (OA), Deia Vengen (DragonAvenger), and Matthew Tucciarone (Major Third). It's a packed table this week and there's way too much to talk about, so sit back and join us for a two-hour adventure into the past!

Make sure you stick around until the very end for guest appearances by Christophe Blondel (CarboHydroM), Joe and Christina Walker, Morgan Sleeper, Kevin VanOrd, Stevo Bortz (Level 99), and DiGi Valentine. We like them a lot.

Lastly, we'd like to thank every guest and listener we've ever had. We're grateful to the max that you've shared your time and enthusiasm with us, so stick around as we have no intention of stopping now!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Stuff we talked about:

• Super Marcato Bros.
• Scarlet Moon Productions
• Major Third
• OverClocked ReMix
• OverClocked University
• Alyssa Menes Music
• The Backlog with Joe Walker
• CarboHydroMusic
• GameSpot
• Zone Runners

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Super Smash Bros. Wii U Menu - Junichi Nakatsuru
• Super Smash Bros. Melee Opening - Shogo Sakai
• King Dedede's Theme Ver. 2 - Hideki Ishigaki, Hideki Onoue (HIDE HIDE)
• Fortress Boss (Super Mario World) - ACE (TOMOri Kudo / CHICO)
• Between Light and Shadow - Revo
• Laputa: Castle in the Sky Suite - Eminence Symphony Orchestra
• Mario Kart 8 Title - Shiho Fuji, Atsuko Asahi, Ryo Magamatsu, Yasuaki Iwata
• Mute City (Mario Kart 8) - Shiho Fuji, Atsuko Asahi, Ryo Magamatsu, Yasuaki Iwata
• Evergreen Wind - Nobuo Uematsu
• 2014 'til Infinity - Zone Runners
• No Way, Sir J! - Zone Runners
• A Glass to the City of Stars - Zone Runners
• Hyrule Field: 1st - Masato Koike, Yuki Matsumura 
• Under Siege - Koji Kondo, Masato Koike, Yuki Matsumura
• Departure - Motoi Sakuraba, Yuka Kitamura
• Majula - Motoi Sakuraba, Yuka Kitamura
• Shovel Knight Main Theme - Jake Kaufman
• Strike the Earth! (Plains of Passage) - Jake Kaufman
• Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Staff Credits - David Wise, Minako Hamano, Daisuke Matsuoka, Riyu Tamura, Shinji Ushiroda
• Windmill Hills - David Wise, Minako Hamano, Daisuke Matsuoka, Riyu Tamura, Shinji Ushiroda
• Scorch and Torch - David Wise, Minako Hamano, Daisuke Matsuoka, Riyu Tamura, Shinji Ushiroda
• No Tree Grows to the Sky - Austin Wintory
• South Park: The Stick of Truth Main Theme - Jamie Dunlap
• Theme of D4 - MANYO
• Old Friends - Darren Korb
• The Awakening - David Wise
• Excerpt from the Hope - Michael Salvatori, C Paul Johnson, Martin O'Donnell, Paul McCartney
• Waltz of the Troupple King - Jake Kaufman
• The Starlit Wilds - Jake Kaufman
• Pull up a Chair - Peter McConnell
• Two Rogues, One Mark - Peter McConnell
• Thwomp Ruins - Shiho Fuji, Atsuko Asahi, Ryo Magamatsu, Yasuaki Iwata
• Tomodachi Life 3DS Menu Jingle - Daisuke Matsuoka, Asuka Ito
• Dream - Daisuke Matsuoka, Asuka Ito
• Album - ???
• Skyloft: Skyward Sword (Hyrule Warriors) - Masato Koike, Yuki Matsumura
• Beautiful Days - Masafumi Takada
• How Did it Come to This? - Austin Wintory
• We Will Not Be Forgotten - Austin Wintory
• Crab Boss Battle (Yumi's Odd Odyssey) - Atsuhiro Motoyama, Shinji Tachikawa
• Mount Wario - Shiho Fuji, Atsuko Asahi, Ryo Magamatsu, Yasuaki Iwata
• Soaring Illusions - Minako Adachi, Go Ichinose, Hitomi Sato, Junichi Masuda
• Hi☆sCoool! - ???

Neal Acree (seasoned composer of film, television, and Blizzard) tells the story of Nightsong, a song from World of Warcraft: Cataclysm that almost never was. We also veer into topics like Video Games Live, creative collaboration, and the Darnassian language. If you're ready to step back into Azeroth (like we are) then hesitate no more and start the episode!

Buy "Nightsong" here!

You can not only follow Neal on Twitter, but visit his exceptionally classy website!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Flight of Santa - CarboHydroM
• Nightsong - Neal Acree
• Lament of the Highborn - ???

Alyssa Menes is back again for another Sakurai-fueled adventure, lending her voice to a rousing discussion about

SUPER. SMAAAAAAASH. BROOOOTHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERSSSSS!!!

The newest entry in this legendary series crashes onto the scene with a pumped up menu theme to bring out the joy and excitement from everyone present, so leap into the auditory fray and let's do this!

Listen to "Menu Theme" here!

Alyssa is on Twitter, so if you have any Hylian/Waluigi follow-up questions you know where to go.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Full of Hot Air - The Marcato Bros.
• Menu Theme (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U) - Junichi Nakatsuru
• Menu Theme (Super Smash Bros. Melee) - Hirokazu Andō, Tadashi Ikegami, Shōgo Sakai
• Menu Theme (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) - ???

Josh Whelchel, composer of many uber cool songs, has brought a rousing arrangement of Final Fantasy VIII to our attention. This snippet of a grand medley draws the three of us into a conversation about tone, tempo, and the ramifications of music distribution platforms. It's possible you might even learn something-- we did! 

Buy The Legendary Beast here!

If you want to follow Josh on Twitter, you can make that happen right now!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Thwomp Ruins - Shiho Fuji, Atsuko Asahi, Ryo Magamatsu, Yasuaki Iwata
• Catherine's Freedom - Robyn Miller
• A Ghost's Pumpkin Soup - Tomoya Ohtani, Hunnid-P
• Graveyard Theory - The Zone Runners
• The Legendary Beast - Marc Papeghin

Stuff we talked about:

• Game Music Bundle
• Loudr

Let us leap from the heavens and into the mighty spaceship bristling with bad guys, futuristic technology, and AA (anti-angel) weaponry. Alyssa Menes joins us to talk about Kid Icarus: Uprising and its phenomenal soundtrack; specifically, In the Space-Pirate Ship. It's a great time, you should listen in!

Listen to In the Space-Pirate Ship here!

By the way, following Alyssa on Twitter would be a pretty smart move!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Hope Rising - Jillian Aversa, zircon
• Making Planetfall in the Wetlands - Will Brueggman
• Game Over - Hirokazu Tanaka
• In the Space-Pirate Ship - Noriyuki Iwadare
• Boss Battle 1 - Yasunori Mitsuda

The final part of our World of Warcaft series concludes with recent expansion Warlords of Draenor and all the majesty it brings to our respective ears. Magnificent Desolation tells us a tale of the tragic, howling Frostfire Ridge, drawing us into a wonderful discussion about storytelling, artistic themes, and orcish valor. We're going out with a bang and will be back next week with something new!

Download Magnificent Desolation here!

Durotan doesn't have a verified Twitter account yet, but you can follow Stephen and Bryan instead if it makes you feel better.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Sounds of Liberty - CarboHydroM, Scardism
• Dreaming - Karl Brueggemann
• Magnificent Desolation - Russell Brower?
• The Streets of Whiterun - Jeremy Soule

Warlords of Draenor has taken the world by storm, but we still have one last stop before joining the march to Draenor: Mists of Pandaria. This tranquil, thought-provoking expansion is home to The Golden Lotus, a vanguard of staunch defenders and a song of the same name. With warm, fluffy, Pandaren feelings in our hearts, we explore.

Listen to The Golden Lotus here!

While you're deciding whether you should follow the path of Tushui or Huojin, consider following Stephen and Bryan on Twitter!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Winter (Basse Dance) - Blackmore's Night
• The Clicker - Petri Alanko
• Welcome to Bright Falls - Petri Alanko
• Echoes at the Mountain Peak - Kumi Tanioka
• I'm Moogle - Kumi Tanioka
• Depature - Kumi Tanioka
• The Wandering Isle - Russell Brower, Neal Acree, Sam Cardon, Edo Guidotti, Jeremy Soule
• The Golden Lotus - Neal Acree

David Arkenstone, wisdom-emanating musician and World of Warcraft composer, has brought a track of his own from Cataclysm. Surrender the Booty (of Booty Bay fame) is a song of high adventure, blazing pirate ships, and fun-filled villainy; it also acts as a springboard for all kinds of fascinating discussion on how we create and listen to music. We'd love for you to join us on this especially special episode!

Listen to Surrender the Booty here!

David is on Twitter, so it is recommended that you follow him and maybe say hi while you're there.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Grunts' Place - David Arkenstone 
• Pig and Whistle - David Arkenstone
• Betrayal - Jake Kaufman
• Betrayal (NES) - Jake Kaufman
• Blind Spot - Junichi Nakatsuru
• Surrender the Booty - David Arkenstone

We take a break from traipsing about Azeroth to chill with Thomas Spargo in the colorful soundscape of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker's title theme. Its earthy, simple beauty is a gentle reminder that you don't need much to have a whole lot.

Listen to Title Theme (Wind Waker) here!

We personally suggest following Gamer's Rhapsody on Twitter, and visiting its website, too-- after all, Thomas is putting in bunches of work to make it rad!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Prairie Land 1 - Karl Brueggeman
• Title Theme (Wind Waker) - Kenta Nagata
• Title Theme (A Link to the Past) - Koji Kondo
• Title Theme (Ocarina of Time) - Koji Kondo
• Title Theme (Twilight Princess) - Toru Minegishi, Asuka Ota, Koji Kondo
• Title Theme (Majora's Mask) - Koji Kondo
• Full Mast - Preenus
• Wind Waker Unplugged - FreddeGredde
• Takt of Wind - Yoshihiro Arita

This is the first of five World of Warcraft episodes (each covering a different expansion) leading up to the release of Warlords of Draenor, the newest addition to this musically inclined MMORPG. We go back to the beginning with a song that's been in the game since day one: Teldrassil, in all its earthy, mystical beauty. Tune in next week when the Dark Portal opens once again!

Buy the Teldrassil here!

Follow Stephen and Bryan on Twitter if that sounds like a nice time to you.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• The Traveler's Path - ???
• The Path of the Tushui - ???
• Freezeezy Peak - Grant Kirkhope
• Freezeezy Peak (With Christmas Bells) - Grant Kirkhope
• Freezeezy Peak (Aquatic) - Grant Kirkhope
• Freezeezy Peak (Wozza's Cave) - Grant Kirkhope
• Freezeezy Peak (Wozza's Cave - Aquatic) - Grant Kirkhope
• Valley of the Blinding Mist - Mikolai Stroinski
• Rotten Priest - Mikolai Stroinski
• Universal Mind - Liquid Tension Experiment
• Teldrassil - Jason Hayes
• Legends of Azeroth - Jason Hayes

We're not talking about a video game song this week, but hold your Rapidashes-- it's tangentially related! Gym Leader Steven Reich probably knows more about Pokemon than any mortal ever will, and that knowledge base includes the original anime's theme song, which just happens to be the topic at hand. The guy runs the Pokemon Internet Radio Network (PIRN), for Pichu's sake, so expect an information-filled leap back into the late nineties.

Buy the Pokemon Theme here!

To learn more about the gargantuan world of Pokemon, you can follow Steven on Twitter or visit the PIRN website!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Seascape - Morten Sorlie
• Cerulean DanceFloor - RoBKTA
• Gotta Catch 'em All - Powerglove
• Double Trouble (Team Rocket) - Louis Cortelezzi

It's been a long time coming: Train Station at 8 is finally talking about local favorite Sonic Adventure. Music-making bad dudes halc and DiGi Valentine are pumped to chat up the podcast with opinions on Crazy Robo, a frenetic boss ditty with more depth than meets the ear. It's a good time!

Buy Crazy Robo here!

Follow halc and DiGi on Twitter if you've a mind, and check out their (coming soon) Sonic-inspired hip hop album Zone Runners while you're at it!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Stuff we talked about:

• Zone Runners

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• New Jack Mantle - DiGi Valentine, Tryezz
• Blooper Reeling - halc
• Trick Track Part 1 - Hideaki Kobayashi
• olgaFLOW - DiGi Valentine
• The Whole New World - Hideaki Kobayashi
• Jealous Gods - Poets of the Fall
• Crazy Robo - Fumie Kumatani
• Theme of E-102 Gamma - Fumie Kumatani
• ZERO The Chase-master... - June Senoue
• Find My Own Way - Brandon Strader, Level 99
• Unknown from M.E. ver.1 - Marlon Saunders, Dread Fox
• Space Trip Steps - Tomoya Ohtani, Hunnid-P
• Sand Hill - Kenichi Tokoi
• Digital World - DiGi Valentine

Matthew Tucciarone (known as Major Third on his YouTube channel) is back again, and this time he's packing arts and crafts. Butter Building from the exceptionally lovable Kirby's Epic Yarn is his choice for this episode, which makes for a delightful addendum to our previous puffball-centric excursion. Prepare yourself-- it's about to get cute in here.

Listen to Butter Building here!

Matthew might have his own place on the Whales are Whales Friends Page, but we'd like to remind you about his Twitter account and YouTube channel all the same.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Battle Against an Unsettling Opponent - Keiichi Suzuki, Hirokazu Tanaka
• Butter Building (Kirby's Epic Yarn) - Hirokazu Ando
• Green Greens (Kirby's Epic Yarn) - Jun Ishikawa
• Gourmet Race - Jun Ishikawa
• Vs. Kracko - Tomoya Tomita

Host of VGMpire-- a fine video game music podcast, in case you weren't aware-- Brett Elston share his memories of Mario Kart 64 and its extraordinarily moving credits theme Victory Lap. MAGFest and Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) pop up here and there as well, but our hearts are set on that most special of Mario Kart songs, and we hope yours is, too. 

Listen to Victory Lap here!

Brett Elston is a pretty cool guy, so think about following him on Twitter or visiting the VGMpire website.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Gnorman's Theme - Guy Whitmore
• 1812 Overture (excerpt) - Stan LePard & Dynamedion GbR
• Lazy Days (Livin' in Paradise) - Jun Senoue, Fumie Kumatani
• Trophy Presentation - Kenta Nagata
• Victory Lap - Kenta Nagata
• Day's End - Sole Signal (Audix), Tweex

Chance Thomas had some Howard-Shore-sized boots to fill when scoring The Lord of the Rings Online expansion pack Riders of Rohan, so we brought Jamie Christopherson on board to give us a composer's opinion.  He's written his own Lord of the Rings music thanks to the Battle for Middle-earth series, and now the magnificent, melodic fields of the Riddermark beckon. Onward to Theme for Rohan!

Buy Theme for Rohan here!

If you'd like to know more about Jamie, try following him on Twitter or visiting his website.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Men of the West - Jamie Christopherson
• Theme for Rohan - Chance Thomas
• The King of the Golden Hall - Howard Shore
• He's a Pirate - Klaus Badelt
• Reign of the Septims - Jeremy Soule

BioWare masterwork Dragon Age: Origins and its logically titled theme song "Dragon Age: Origins" descend upon the podcast to share hope, death, and glory with you good listeners. Stephen and Bryan greatly enjoy the discussion, but it's mostly an excuse for them to play through Dragon Age again.

Buy Dragon Age: Origins (the song) here!

Stephen and Bryan are both on Twitter, so go ahead and follow them if you like!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Shoot 'em Down! - WillRock
• Sand Blues - Kota Hoshino
• Sevcon (Chipzel Remix) - Chipzel
• Dragon Age: Origins - Inon Zur
• The Fighting Uruk-Hai - Howard Shore
• The Caverns of Isengard - Howard Shore
• Counterattack - Kow Otani
• Revived Power - Kow Otani
• Khazad-Dum - Howard Shore
• Leliana's Song - Steve Schnur, Raphaella Lima

Three OverClocked ReMixers gather around microphones with us this week-- OA, DragonAvenger, and Level 99-- to get lost in the jazzy, frenetic car crash (but in a good way) that is NiGHTS and Reala from NiGHTS Into Dreams. It's worth listening just for the piano solo.

Buy NiGHTS and Reala here!

Andrew (OA), Deia (DragonAvenger), and Stevo (Level 99) can and should be followed on Twitter; the same goes for their band OverClocked University, too.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Stuff we talked about:

• OverClocked ReMix
• OverClocked University
• Herp Alpert Goes With Everything
• Vanguard Valkyrie
• Lucid Dreaming
• MAGfest
• DragonAvenger Crafts

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Wrath of the Lich King (Main Title) - Russel Brower
• SoftMuseumJam - McVaffe
• Tomorrow Should Have Been Last Night - DragonAvenger, OA
• Welcome to Christmas NiGHTS - Naofumi Hataya
• The Nemesis Schema - Avaris, Level 99, prophetik
• Growing Wings - Tomoko Sasaki
• Suburban Museum - Tomoko Sasaki
• Course: Dream Valley - Richard Jacques
• NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams - Tomoko Sasaki / Yutaka Minobe
• Holiday with Mia Fey - OA
• Morning, Thinker - DragonAvenger, Mattias Häggström Gerdt

Welcome to Season 2 of Train Station at 8! We're still here every Saturday, ready to talk about video game music-- that hasn't changed-- but now we're looking at just one piece of music per week. The shift in structure was inspired by our Island Swing episode during which we learned how much mileage and excitement you can get out of a single song. Not only that, but the eight question format is gone, replaced by a simpler set of dual topics: the chosen song and our history with it. We hope you enjoy the change in tempo, and please let us know what you think!

It's just the two of us (Stephen and Bryan) in this season opener, and we've gone back to our roots for a closer look at our new theme song. "8pm" from Animal Crossing: Wild World is the source tune, transporting us to memories of warm summer evenings in the good company of K.K. Slider and the Monkey Porter. A new chapter fueled by nostalgia!

Stephen and Bryan are both on Twitter, so go ahead and follow them if you like!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

Stuff we talked about:

Real-time Animal Crossing music player

Music used in this episode:

• Chilling with the Monkey Porter (Train Station at 8 Season 2 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Plateau - SoundTeMP
• Antique Cowboy - SoundTeMP
• Watchman's Ease - Jeremy Soule
• The Mountain - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• Factory Tour -  Jun Ishikawa
• 12pm (Animal Crossing) - Kazumi Wada / Kenshirou Ueda / Kunio Watanabe / Nate Bihldorff / Rich Amtower
• 5pm (Animal Crossing: Wild World) - Kazumi Totaka / Asuka Ota
• 6pm (Animal Crossing: New Leaf) - Manaka Kataoka / Atsuko Asahi
• 8pm (Animal Crossing: Wild World) - Kazumi Totaka / Asuka Ota

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a lot of things (most of them radical), but today it is a music box that serenades us with pleasant memories. It was a magical time back then in the '90s, and the past has a lot to teach us music-lovers in the future. Here to join in on the fun are Joe and Christina Walker, two Train Station at 8 veterans and SNES enthusiasts; they also fill the gaping Earthbound hole, which is really just a public service.

You can follow Joe and Christina on Twitter, so do that!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTunes and YouTube, or maybe sending an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our day and then some!

The 8 Questions. Give us your answers, too, so we can talk and stuff!

1. What have you been listening to?
2. What’s your history with the SNES?
3. What’s your standout soundtrack from the SNES?
4. What are some of the SNES’ greatest musical strengths and weaknesses?
5. How do you think nostalgia affects your opinion of SNES music, and do you know what you’d think of it without that context?
6. What’s an underappreciated soundtrack from the SNES?
7. How do you think game music changed in the transition from the NES to the SNES?
8. What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

The Backlog

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Trisection - Hitoshi Sakimoto
• Ant Land - ???
• Be Immune - Jivemaster
• Stages of History - Bryan Kelly
• Castle/Fortress - Koji Kondo
• Bonus Room Blitz - David Wise
• Choose a File - Hirokazu Tanaka, Keiichi Suzuki, Hiroshi Kanazu
• Wind Scene - Yasunori Mitsuda
• The Ocean - Koichi Sugiyama
• Go Go Power Rangers - Iku Mizutani, Kinuyo Yamashita
• Game Over - Koji Kondo
• Title (Plok) - Tim Follin

The Elder Scrolls world is vast, epic, beautiful, and archetypal/archetypical; so is the music, which is mostly the part we care about right now. Josh Wise (old podcasting buddy and PhD student of systematic theology) and Kevin VanOrd (another fellow podcaster and GameSpot senior editor) lend their voices to a rigorous discussion on the sights and sounds of Tamriel. Join the adventure!

Josh and Kevin are both on Twitter, which is a pretty solid way of keeping tabs on them.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions. Give us your answers, too, so we can talk and stuff!

1. What have you been listening to?
2. What’s your history with The Elder Scrolls?
3. What do you like about Elder Scrolls music?
4. What do you not like about Elder Scrolls music?
5. What’s your personal favorite Elder Scrolls soundtrack?
6. How does Elder Scrolls music complement the gameplay and world, and how could it improve on this?
7. If you had to describe Elder Scrolls music in a single word, what would it be?
8. What have you been working on?

Stuff We Talked About:

• A Feast for Crows: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 4
• Welcome to Night Vale
• Past the Sky's Rim: The Elder Scrolls and Theology
• GameSpot GamePlay
• No Avatars Allowed

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Red Hands - Walk Off the Earth
• Hyper Camelot (Guest Director Boss Battle) - Jake Kaufman
• Standing Stones - Jeremy Soule
• King and Country - Jeremy Soule
• The Road Most Traveled - Jeremy Soule
• Unmarked Stone - Jeremy Soule

Mario Kart 8's live jazz band ensured that Train Station at 8 would be dedicating an episode to the series. Composer (and Mario Kart remixer) Christophe Blondel-- also known as CarboHydroM-- agreed that this would be a swell idea and here is the result!

You're more than welcome to follow Christophe on Twitter (CarboHydroM). Visit his lovely official website to learn more about him and download a bunch of super cool music at his other lovely website.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions. Give us your answers, too, so we can talk and stuff!

1. What have you been listening to?
2. What’s your history with Mario Kart?
3. What do you like about Mario Kart music?
4. What do you not like about Mario Kart music?
5. What’s your personal favorite Mario Kart soundtrack?
6. What makes you notice the music in Mario Kart while playing, and how noticeable do you think it should be?
7. What’s something you’d like to see Mario Kart music try that it hasn’t yet?
8. What have you been working on?

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Planetarium - CarboHydroM
• Strike the Earth! (Plains of Passage) - Jake Kaufman
• A Thousand Leagues Below (Iron Whales) - Manami Matsumae
• La Danse Macabre (Lich Yard) - Jake Kaufman
• Fighting With All Our Might - Jake Kaufman
• Character Select (Super Mario Kart) - Soyo Oka
• Title Screen (Mario Kart 8) - Shiho Fuji / Atsuko Asahi / Ryo Magamatsu / Yasuaki Iwata
• Baby Park - Shinobu Tanaka / Kenta Negata
• Koopa Beach - Soyo Oka
• Moo Moo Meadows - Shiho Fuji / Atsuko Asahi / Ryo Magamatsu / Yasuaki Iwata
• Bowser's Castle - Kenichi Nishimaki / Masanobu Matsunaga / Minako Hamano
• Mount Wario - Shiho Fuji / Atsuko Asahi / Ryo Magamatsu / Yasuaki Iwata

The year is about halfway over, so it's time we look to the future. 2014's E3 exploded with loudness and excitement, so it takes a careful ear to parse the fragmented songs from trailers and uncertain hints at soundtracks to come. Stephen and Bryan, fearless and guest-less, take on the task with whatever strength they can muster. 

This show is sponsored by Stephen and Bryan Kelly, which isn't really news in and of itself, but follow them on Twitter for kicks!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1. What have you been listening to?
2. Which E3 soundtrack got you the most excited?
3. Which musical E3 moment surprised you the most?
4. Which E3 soundtrack has you the most concerned?
5. What composer/series were you most disappointed to find missing during E3?
6. If you could score any game that appeared at E3, which would it be?
7. How do you feel about the Future of Video Game Music?
8. What have you been working on?

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Cartographer's Symphony - Steven Jablonsky
• Magnet Mines - Karl Brugermann
• Song of Joy - Erutant
• Sliabh Gal Cua (Kishor's Tune) - Tony McManus
• Curse of the Worgen - Russell Brower
• Jake’s Theme - Yoshito Hirano / Kenji Yamamoto
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl Main Theme - Nobuo Uematsu
• Confrontation - Junichi Nakatsuru

All ships, report in! Slippy's out for repairs, but we've got Matthew "Major Third" Tucciarone as a wing man this week, and the soundtrack of Star Fox is in his sights. Lylat is a system at war, and its music is every bit as conflicting thanks to a bumpy ride across multiple composers, genres, and degrees of quality. It certainly isn't a boring trip!

If you want to here more from Matthew, you ought to consider following him on Twitter or watching his YouTube show.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1. What have you been listening to?
2. What defines Star Fox music and sets it apart?
3. What are some of the biggest weaknesses in Star Fox music?
4. What’s your personal favorite Star Fox soundtrack?
5. What style or genre of music do you feel best captures each character in Star Fox?
6. What are some of the standout stylistic departures of Star Fox music?
7. What’s something you’d like to see Star Fox music try that it hasn’t yet?
8. What have you been working on?

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Mercury, the Winged Messenger - Gustav Holst
• Verisimillitude - Steve Jablonsky
• Old Friends - Darren Korb
• Heroic Pursuit - Yoshie Arakawa / Yoshinori Kawamoto
• Title Screen (Star Fox 64) - Koji Kondo
• Main Title / The Ice Planet Hoth - John Williams
• Fox's Forgotten Love, Krystal - Hajime Harasawa
• Frontier Serenade - Yoshie Arakawa / Yoshinori Kawamoto
• VS Katina - Yoshie Arakawa / Yoshinori Kawamoto
• Thorntail Hollow (Night) - David Wise
• Fossil's Oasis - Level 99 / LulzA

If you’re on iTunes, simply subscribe to the new podcast; the one with Whales are Whales listed as the author.

If you follow us via RSS feed, it’s as simple as using the brand new link included on the website.

Any past reviews and ratings for iTunes have been lost in the transfer, so we would dearly love to hear your thoughts in the new version. Taking a bit of time can help us out a great deal.

Thank you for listening and have a pleasant life. 

It's an all-you-can-eat buffet and Kirby music's on the menu! Float along with returning guest Morgan Sleeper and all-new ally Jon Wahlgren (both of whom write for Nintendo Life) as they rejoice in the musical whimsy of Dream Land. Feel the beat of Butter Building and the gusto of Grape Garden in a shower of MP3 stardust as we salute the chipper good times our pal Kirby has provided. 

Both Morgan and Jon can be found on that Twitter thing, and you can read their writings at Nintendo Life.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1. What have you been listening to?
2. What defines Kirby music and sets it apart?
3. What are some of the biggest weaknesses in Kirby music?
4. What’s your personal favorite Kirby soundtrack?
5. How is the use of instrumentation different between the two games?
6. What are some of the standout stylistic departures in Kirby music?
7. What’s something you’d like to see Kirby music try that it hasn’t yet?
8. What have you been working on?

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Puppy Love - George & Jonathan
• Across the Ocean - Zircon
• Kirby Dance - Jun Ishikawa / Dan Miyakawa
• Title Screen (Epic Yarn) - Tomoya Tomita
• Green Greends (Epic Yarn) - Tomoya Tomita
• Vs. Krakko (Epic Yarn) - Tomoya Tomita
• Quilty Square - Tomoya Tomita
• Opening (Canvas Curse) - Jun Ishikawa / Tadashi Ikegami
• A Green Green Dedede  - Sir NutS
• PopStar Level Select - Jun Ishikawa / Hizokaru Ando

The first ever direct Train Station at 8 sequel picks up where the last episode left off. After exploring the obtuse differences between Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask with Cameron Nutter, fellow Disembodied Voices member Zachary Walton joins us to sail the seas of Wind Waker and fall into the shadows of Twilight Princess. The two games couldn't be more contrary to one another, and they provide a whole mess of opinionated analysis-- even if the people holding those opinions admit they have no idea what they're talking about.

Zachary Walton is an old pal of Whales are Whales, and you can hear his weekly JRPG confessions on Disembodied Voices. If you only want 140 characters worth of Zach at a time, Twitter isn't a bad way to keep up with him.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1. What have you been listening to?
2. What’s the most striking difference between the two soundtracks for you?
3. How do the musical mechanics in the game (the wolf howl, the Wind Waker) compare, and what do they say about their respective games?
4. How are the overworld themes differ, and what do they say about their respective games?
5. How is the use of instrumentation different between the two games?
6. What is the biggest strength of each soundtrack?
7. What is the biggest weakness of each soundtrack?
8. What have you been working on?

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Desert of Despair - Falcom Sound Team jdk
• Super Mario Galaxy 2 Theme - Mahito Yokota
• Meow - Anamanaguchi
• Flute - Koji Kondo
• Hyrule Field (Twilight Princess) - Toru Minegishi / Asuka Ota
• Skyview Temple - Hajime Wakai
• Farewell Hyrule King - Zelda Reorchestrated
• Midna's Theme - Toru Minegishi / Asuka Ota
• Orchestral Piece 2 - ??? (If you know who composed this track, let us know!)

Worlds collide as Link falls from the classical music of Hyrule into the experimental noises of Termina; meanwhile, Disembodied Voices member Cameron Nutter finds himself in the unfamiliar Train Station at 8. He's a big fan of both Zelda classics, but knows full well that Ocarina of time and Majora's Mask are like backward versions of one another-- this provides for a twisting, fascinating journey into the depths of thematic meaning. How deep are these depths? The very conception of Majora's Mask falls into question repeatedly, forcing everyone on the show to ponder the passage of time and death itself. That's how deep.

Cameron, of course, is a member and close friend of Whales are Whales, having starred in such shows as Disembodied Voices and self-titled Horror Cam. You can find the dude on Twitter, but he might think you're a spam bot if you don't introduce yourself proper-like.

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1. What have you been listening to?
2. What’s the most striking difference between the two soundtracks for you?
3. How did the ocarina songs change between games, and which song is your favorite?
4. Do you think reusing music from Ocarina of Time in Majora’s Mask was a good effect, or would more original material have been better?
5. Is Deku Nut’s Palace the best song ever?
6. What do you think about the use of motifs in the two games and how do they differ?
7. What are the core emotional themes in each soundtrack, and do they match their respective stories?
8. What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

• Disembodied Voices
• Horror Cam
• Zelda Reorchestrated

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Song of Storms - Koji Kondo
• Zelda's Lullaby - Koji Kondo
• Clock Town (3rd Day) - Koji Kondo
• Deku Nut's Palace - Koji Kondo
• Deku Nut's Palace - Zelda Reorchestrated
• Termina Field - Koji Kondo
• Majora's Mask Title - Koji Kondo
• Ocarina of Time Title - Koji Kondo
• Zelda's Theme - Koji Kondo

If you want to find someone who knows a thing or two about overworld tunes, RPGFan is the place to look. It's lucky, then, that Stephen Meyerink and Derek Heemsbergen (both hosts of music-focused podcast Rhythm Encounter) have agreed to lend their expertise and vocal chords in an episode all about exploration themes. We travel to the heights of Hyrule and the depths of Resident Evil: Director Cut's basement, so hold onto your hats.

Visit RPGFan if you want to hear more from cool people like the ones featured in this episode. When it comes to Twitter, you've got options: You can follow Stephen Meyerink, Derek Heemsbergen, RPGFan, or all three (recommended).

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1. What have you been listening to?
2. What makes an effective exploration theme?
3. What are your most memorable exploration themes?
4. What are some lackluster exploration themes, and why don’t they work?
5. How do Eastern and Western games approach exploration themes differently?
6. How can combat music add to (rather than subtract from) exploration music?
7. If you could change one exploration theme, why and how would you do that?
8. What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

• RPGFan
• Random Encounter
• Rhythm Encounter
• Twilight Symphony
• The Resident Evil: Director's Cut Basement Theme

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• John Hughes - Anamanaguchi
• Seaside Hill (Act 2) - Jun Senoue
• Open Your Heart - Crush 40
• Unknown From M.E. - Marlon Saunders, Dread Fox
• Funky Dealer - Hideki Naganuma
• Shed Your Travails - Jeremy Soule
• The Great Sea - Kenta Nagata
• Hyrule Field (Ocarina of Time) - Koji Kondo
• Hyrule Field (Twilight Princess) - Toru Minegishi / Asuka Ota / Koji Kondo
• Terra's Theme - Nobuo Uematsu
• Inside the Castle Walls - Koji Kondo
• Title Screen - Karl Brueggemann
• Strange World (Marching Through the Fields) - Koichi Sugiyama
• Termina Field - Koji Kondo

SEAL OF POOR QUALITY: To our great distress, the recording for this episode came out the other end with a baffling reverb that we were unable to correct. Faced with either sacrificing quality or throwing the episode out altogether, we chose the former. Sorry for the audio issues and we'll get things sorted out for next week. Thanks a lot for listening!

Stephen and Bryan are joined by a pair of brothers who run a video games music podcast and no cloning was involved! Will and Karl Brueggemann of the Super Marcato Bros. keep the sibling theme rolling with enough Mario Bros. love to fill Soda Lake three times over. Information and enthusiasm are interchangeable in this episode,  and you just might gain a new favorite podcast along the way!

By all means, you should be following the Marcato Bos. on Twitter, but don't forget about their website, too!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1. What have you been listening to?
2. What defines Mario music and sets it apart?
3. What are some of the biggest weaknesses in Mario music?
4. What’s your personal favorite Mario soundtrack?
5. What style or genre of music do you feel best captures the essence of Mario?
6. What are some of the standout stylistic departures in Mario music?
7. If Waluigi had a theme song, should it be an operatic vocal solo? (Sub-question: DOES Waluigi have a theme song?)
8. What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

• Super Marcato Bros.
• Sonicesque
• Mega Buster
• Dear Mario
• Major Third

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Sweet Memories of Earth - HydroCarboM
• Blossoms Falling - David Wise
• Legend of Zelda - the Winder Waker: Dragon Roost Island - London Philharmonic Orchestra and Andrew Skeet
• Ghost House - Mario 3D World Big Band
• Mario Kart Double Dash!! Main Theme - Kenta Nagata / Shinobu Tanaka
• Bowser's Theme - Koji Kondo
• Underground Theme - Koji Kondo
• Bob-omb Battlefield - Koji Kondo
• Slider - Koji Kondo
• File Select - Koji Kondo
• Inside the Castle Walls - Koji Kondo
• Title Screen - Karl Brueggemann
• Endless Stairs - Koji Kondo
• Koopa Troopa's Theme - Davor Valuma / Scott McFadyen
• New Super Mario Bros. Theme - Koji Kondo
• Lose a Life - Koji Kondo
• Waluigi's Theme - Davor Valuma / Scott McFadyen

Matthew Tucciarone-- known as Major Third on his video game music show-- has amicably agreed to expound with us on the nature of dynamic music, spreading knowledge throughout the world as he goes. What's the difference between dynamic and static music exactly, and where does Luigi's Mansion fit into the picture? These sorts of questions are exactly what Train Station at 8 tries to answer this week.

Head over to Twitter if you'd like to stay in the know with all of Matthew's dealings!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1: What have you been listening to?
2: What is dynamic music-- and what is static music?
3: When does dynamic music really work well?
4: And when does it really not?
5: What genres tend to use dynamic music the most, and why?
6: Has dynamic music changed much over the years?
7: What are some ways you'd like to see dynamic music used?
8: What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

• Major Third
• Laser Time

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Silver Surfer Title - Tim Follin
• Living in the City (Instrumental) - Richard Jacques (feat. Stephen Kelly)
• The Sin'dorei - ??? (If you know who composed this track, let us know!)
• Those Who Bear Their Name - ACE+
• Drumbeat of the Dunmer - Jeremy Soule
• Luigi's Mansion Title - ??? (If you know who composed this track, let us know!)
• Game Boy Horror - ??? (If you know who composed this track, let us know!)
• Luigi whistling - Charles Martinet
• Luigi humming - Charles Martinet

A trio of newcomers appears on the scene this episode with retro thoughts in their hearts: Joe Walker of The Backlog, Christina Walker of Reginald the Vegan Zombie, and Morgan Sleeper of Nintendo Life (a music-maker in his own right). The good old days bask in the glory of this week's discussion, guaranteed to bring you back to another time whether you're a fan of Genesis voice samples or prefer the classically constructed WonderSwan.

You can follow Joe, Christina, and Morgan on Twitter, and honestly, who wouldn't?

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1: What have you been listening to?
2: Do you play any instruments?
3: What's the earliest game in which you can remember hearing live instruments?
4: Was anything lost in the transition from MIDI to live instruments?
5: What are some personal favorite instruments to hear in game soundtracks?
6: What are some musical genres or styles you think need more representation in gaming?
7: Which soundtracks would you most like to hear live?
8: What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

• The Backlog
• Reginald the Vegan Zombie
• Nintendo Life
• Morgan's Soundcloud page

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Battle! (Trainer Battle) - Junichi Masuda / Shota Kageyama
• Island Relics - Tomoya Ohtani
• Click Clock Wood - Grant Kirkhope
• DK Rap - Grant Kirkhope
• Tetris Opera - Video Games Live
• Damn It! - ??? (If you know who composed this track, let us know!)
• Mario Paint BGM 1 - ??? (If you know who composed this track, let us know!)
• Battle Against Belch - ??? (If you know who composed this track, let us know!)
• The Ocean - Koichi Sugiyama
• Bridge Zone - Yuzo Koshiro
• Clock Town Days 1, 2, and 3 - Koji Kondo
• Kai Highway - ??? (If you know who composed this track, let us know!)

Longtime Blizzard composer Jason Hayes is here to tackle the topic of live instrumentation and the long, twisting journey from the days of MIDI. This timeline spans from the creation of the Protoss briefing room theme to cautious placement of the erhu in Mists of Pandaria-- the Lost Vikings even gets a brief mention because life is grand.

You can also follow Jason on Twitter!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1: What have you been listening to?
2: Do you play any instruments?
3: What's the earliest game in which you can remember hearing live instruments?
4: Was anything lost in the transition from MIDI to live instruments?
5: What are some personal favorite instruments to hear in game soundtracks?
6: What are some musical genres or styles you think need more representation in gaming?
7: Which soundtracks would you most like to hear live?
8: What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

• The Looking Planet
• Critical Hit

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Invincible - Video Games Live
• Go For Distance - Big Giant Circles
• Hogger of Hedges - LONELYROLLINGSTARS
• ??? (Outcast) - Lennie Moore/Franck Sauer (If you know which track this is, let us know!)
• Wacky Workbench (Bad Future) [US] - Spencer Nilsen
• Sonic the Hedgehog: Staff Credits - Video Games Live
• Protoss Ready Room - Jason Hayes
• One Final Effort - Martin O'Donnel
• Dun Morogh - Jason Hayes (we think...?)
• Pull Up a Chair - Peter McConnell
• The Last of Us (You and Me) - Gustavo Santaolalla
• Legends of Azeroth - Critical Hit

Kevin VanOrd, Senior Editor of GameSpot and musical aficionado, pays a visit to Train Station at 8 for the express purpose of chatting about orchestral video game music. Nigh countless soundtracks are recalled and discussed with relish-- and speaking of relish, this episode dips into Kevin's dinnertime, proving his dedication to the arts (and multitasking skills) once and for all.

If you still can't seem to get enough VanOrd in your life, follow him on Twitter or listen in on his (often musical) podcast GameSpot GamePlay!

How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter and subscribing on iTunes, or maybe send an email to TrainStationAt8@gmail.com. Hearing from you would make our collective day!

The 8 Questions:

1: What have you been listening to?
2: Who are some of your favorite orchestral composers?
3: Have you been surprised to hear an orchestra in a game?
4: Have you run across a game soundtrack that feels held back without a full orchestra?
5: Have you felt an orchestra in a game was unnecessary?
6: What orchestrated soundtracks affect your emotions the most?
7: What are some favorite orchestrations we haven't had a chance to talk about?
8: What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

• GameSpot
• GameSpot GamePlay

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Finlandia - Jean Sibelius
• Into Free - B'z
• Fishing Hole - Zelda Reorchestrated
• Drumbeat of the Dunmer - Jeremy Soule
• Far Horizons - Jeremy Soule
• Decisive Souls - Eminence Symphony Orchestra
• To the Ancient Land - Koh Otani
• Nilin the Memory Hunter - Olivier Deriviere
• Asphalt and Ablution - Martin O'Donnel, Michael Salvatori
• Course Clear - Koji Kondo
• Message From Nightopia - Naofumi Hataya
• NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams - Tomoya Ohtani
• Dive Into the Mellow ...for Aquatic Mine - Tomoya Ohtani, Hunnid-P
• Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo) - The Andrews Sisters, Danny Kaye
• What Remains - Inon Zur
• Tempest's Wake - Glenn Stafford
• Seascape - Morten Sørlie
• Snow in Summer - Square Enix Music

You may know him as the tiny yet enthralling voice from Extra Credits, or perhaps as OC ReMixer sephfire, or possibly as an animator with a good eye for quality cartoons. Regardless, Daniel Floyd is here with Train Station at 8 to talk about fond memories of days gone by and how video game music taps into that sentimental spirit we all have. He also shares a bit of cinema wisdom and agrees that the Nintendo 64 is great.

If you want to see what Dan has been up to, follow him on Twitter or catch an episode of Extra Credits!

The 8 Questions:

1: What have you been listening to?
2: When you think of nostalgia in relation to video game music, what first comes to mind?
3: Is there a game soundtrack that directly links your brain to a certain time of life?
4: What's the most recent soundtrack you'd consider personally nostalgic?
5: Have you listened to anything recently that you might call nostalgic years from now?
6: Do you think nostalgia is a barrier to accepting new ideas?
7: What are nostalgic musical memories we haven't had a chance to talk about yet?
8: What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

• Extra Credits
• OverClocked ReMix

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Intro - She
• Crash Man - Takashi Tateishi
• Entwined Destiny - Junichi Nakatsuru
• Want to be Close - ??? (If you know who composed this song, let us know!)
• Into Free - B'z
• Penguin Cap - CarboHydroM
• Everything Is Awesome!!! (Feat. The Lonely Island) - Tegan and Sara
• Love For My Insane Lover - Akira Yamaoka

Creator of various songs and video games (including Frog Fractions and its Kickstarter-fueled successor) Jim Crawford joins Train Station at 8 to speak on the subject of how music can set the mood-- successfully or otherwise. Not only is the theory behind Frog Fractions' distinct brand of inconceivable weirdness pontificated upon in this intellectual discussion, but the answers turn out to be "bugs" 78% of the time. 

SPOILER WARNING: Punches are not pulled regarding the ins and outs of Frog Fractions, and it's not something you want ruined. Do yourself a favor and try it out for yourself before listening (it's very free).  And hey, while you're at it, browse the rest of Twinbeard.com and follow its master on Twitter.

The 8 Questions:

1: What have you been listening to?
2: Melodic versus ambient music: which do you prefer and when do you use what?
3: When did a soundtrack particularly draw you into the moment?
4: Can/should Frog Fractions act as a dietary supplement?
5: When did a lack of music particularly draw you into a moment?
6: When did a soundtrack particularly kick you out of the moment?
7: How can visual elements complement/affect the music, and vice versa?
8: What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

• Frog Fractions
• Frog Fractions 2 Kickstarter

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Never Meant to Know - Tally Hall
• supersonic - she
• Theme of Splash Canyon - Sonic Riders
• Through Traffic - Shooting Star Story (Zero Gravity Tracks)
• Catch Me If You Can - Shooting Star Story (Zero Gravity Tracks)
• The Lead-Up to the Decisive Battle - Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
• "Rebirth" form Sand Storm - Ace Combat: Assault Horizon
• Aqua Petzold - Frog Fractions
• A History of Boxing - Frog Fractions
• Go! Go! Foreign Emissary - Frog Fractions
• Knight's Charge - The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
• Children of the Elder Gods - Old Gods of Asgard (AKA Poets of the Fall)
• Pond Life - Frog Fractions

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Jayson Napolitano of Scarlet Moon Productions joins us to talk about soundtrack releases from across the ages, spanning the days of Nintendo Power promotional CDs to the modern digital sound files as we know them today. Album names fly furiously from all panelists, but Jayson inevitably puts the humble hosts to shame with a high-five worthy collection of soundtrack and knowledge stored with loving care. Best of all, the winner between the American and Japanese Sonic CD soundtrack wars is determined to be both of them!

Don't forget to visit Jayson on Twitter and the Scarlet Moon Productions website!

The 8 Questions:

1: What have you been listening to?
2: What is the first video game soundtrack you ever owned?
3: Where do you buy soundtracks?
4: Which soundtrack releases do you wish were out there but aren't?
5: What do you think about soundtracks as part of special promotions? (Pre-orders, deluxe editions, lotteries, rodeo prizes, etc.)
6: What are your go-to soundtracks?
7: What's the most recent soundtrack you bought?
8: What have you been working on?

Stuff we talked about:

• Dragon Fantasy Book II soundtrack
• Saturday Morning RPG
• Just Fun Kickstarter (The Kickstarter is over and it was a crazy success!)
• Chrono Trigger Symphony Volume 3

Music used in this episode:

• KK Podcasting (Train Station at 8 Theme) - Bryan Kelly
• Tornado Man Goes Clubbing - Zircon
• Nerevar Rising - Jeremy Soule
• He's a Pirate - Klaus Badelt
• Reign of the Septims - Jeremy Soule
• A New Challenger!! (Theme of Apex 2014) - John Ryan
• S-Tier - OA, Flexstyle
• Elav the Terrible - Wolfstone
• Rage Valley - Knife Party
• Escape - Vince DiCola
• Stardust Speedway "P" Mix - SEGA
• Escape From the City... for City Escape - Jun Senoue, Ted Poley, Tony Harnell
• A Ghost's Pumpkin Soup - Hunnid P
• Unknown From M.E. - Marlon Saunders, Dread Fox
• Spagonia (Night) - Kenichi Tokoi