ExtraCareful's Soundtrack Pick of the Week

All right, yet another Soundtrack Pick of the Week. Here it is!

Ready!! (THE iDOLM@STER OP1)
765PRO Allstars

Are you ready?

I'm...well, let's not go there.

This is another OP that I feel like deserves a good boost even though it's so freshly out of the gates. Although a lot of the insert songs and EDs felt like filler just to show off the extreme range of crap iDOLM@STER could provide soundtrack-wise, this first OP at least felt like it was crafted carefully.

I like how it switches back between the voices to give it more variety and so the song can appeal to all of the demographics (except for maybe the "I don't like iDOLM@STER" crowd) and uses something that's not just pure synth or electric grinding or guitars. Yes, they use synth brass, but it's much better than nothing. The timing/climax and the syncopation on the offbeats was refreshing to hear and the tempo was nicely done. TO be quite honest, this almost never fails to cheer me up when I'm moody.

However, this doesn't mean it's not flawed. I wish the OP, for all the effort that was put into it, could have been a bit less repetitive and stronger vocally (I don't care if they're supposed to be teenage idols, they need to be able to sing). Also, what's up with the guitar solo in the instrumental? You have an entire OP that's just pitch shifting, singing, and brass. In what genre does an electric guitar solo fit in the midst of a brass harmony? Jesus. You could have been creative, but apparently not.

In the end though, the good sides of the OP heavily outweigh the minimal flaws that this has. Good job, iDOLM@STER...for giving us at least ONE song to enjoy.

Unfortunately, I could find no worthy remixes (no, the exit trance one is bad. Screw you). Please make do with this one.