So Macross Frontier is nearing the end of the story arc, and we're still no closer to figuring out why Alto is such a chump around women. And I thought I had cornered the market on that trait. Anyway, more importantly, the second bunch of songs from the soundtrack are out and it's my duty to report on whether they take off like a VF-25 or come crashing down like Sheryl's music career. Unlike the first full length album, these are two separate singles, one cleverly being marketed as Ranka's debut and the other a Sheryl-Ranka duet. Let's see...

Macross Frontier – Ranka Lee Debut



Since this is a one-woman show, Nakajima Megumi gets to hog the whole show for her debut, which is a good thing since she was the best singer in the first act. Things kick off with Seikan Hikou (Interstellar Flight). For the benefit of any Frontier viewers, that's the song Ranka used to neutralise the Zentradi at Gallia 4. For anybody else, I fear I've just let slip an unforgivable display of full frontal nerdity. Oh well. This song's a complete blast, something like upbeat Doobie Brothers and Abba smashed together and sped up. Easily the best reason to pick this single up.

Neko Nikki is an effective speed bump right after, a really sweet slow-tempo piano-driven pop number. It sounds awfully familiar, like it's really similar to some other popular song, but I can't get a hold of it at the moment. The part where the guitar and backing kick in is great enough to make you overlook how atrocious the lyrics are, at least what little you can make of them.

Next up is a special 'deculture edition' of Ai Oboete Imasuka from the original SDF-Macross series. While the original song is a proper 80s cheesefest ballad that sounds like it took a few pages from Killing Me Softly (the Roberta Flack one! Not the vague cover that The Fugees did), Yoko Kanno has put her own spin on it and thrown some electro effects in the mix, as well as a weird organ part at the tail-end. Overall, this piece is pretty minimalist and takes a while to grow on you, but grow it does. Plus, it probably has a lot of nostalgia value for old-time Macross fanboys.

Finally, there's Watashi no Kare wa Pilot (also originally a Lynn Minmei tune), the song that Ranka performed for the Miss Macross 2059 competition (dammit, did it again!). It's a cute midtempo song that's pretty catchy in its own right but really no match for Seikan Hikou. Then again, it caps off at barely 2 minutes, so that doesn't leave it much to work with. Check out those crazy chord changes, though – I'm pretty sure if you tried soloing over those, you'd end up with some esteem issues.

Instrumental versions of a couple of the tracks are included, no doubt to please the karaoke crowd, but I can't see anybody else getting much playtime out of them. Hmm...I wonder if they make good guitar backing tracks – must check that out some time.

Overall, it's some pretty superlative pop courtesy Yoko Kanno, who once again flaunts her authority as resident genius composer all over the place. I miss the orchestral breaks that the Vol.1 had, but this is great as well.


Year of release: 2008

Label: Flying Dog/Victor Entertainment

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Macross Frontier – Lion



These are basically the songs that replaced the intro and ending themes from earlier in the show. While there have been a few one-offs and special songs, these two look like they're going to hang around for a while longer.

I swear, the opener Lion opens like some Shadow Gallery track playing at 2x speed before the beats come bouncing in. With only two tracks here to speak of, I suppose they realised they had to forget about any extended buildup and so they get right to business, May'n and Nakajima Megumi trading vocals and hitting the harmonies for the chorus. The whole thing moves at a hectic pace and packs a hell of a lot of layers into the sound. Good thing the production's so kickass, otherwise it might have been a royal mess.

Northern Cross is darker in mood, and has the overdriven guitar showing a bit more presence, which is always a good thing. It just pisses me off that it's otherwise mostly in the background. The bassist is obviously having the time of his life and is nicely bumped up in the mix, and the drums are pretty thumping as well. Shame. It's also got some completely rapidfire vocal deliveries that end up being pretty infectious. Awesomely rocking song.

You've got karaoke instrumental versions of both songs as well, for what they're worth. The only problem with the single is that it's way too short. 2 tracks, come on! I can think of a few songs from the show that haven't been released yet; they should have tried slotting them in here. Definitely no complaints about the quality, this one's a winner as well.



Year of release: 2008
Label: Flying Dog/Victor Entertainment