Cradle of Forest - Why?

[lonehusky]

OK at the risk of getting flamed...

And this is NOT against anyone who loves these songs, it's just my opinion and I'm wondering if anyone else shares it...

Who else hates Cradle of Forest and any other song with that vocalist? To me it sounds awful, totally awful. My least favorite, easily. However, I've seen that many people love it and I'm curious why. Feel free to explain if you wish or agree/disagree with whatever reason.

[alx]

Cradle of Forest didn't do anything for me, but Hometown was simply amazing. Even if you don't like the wannabe Bowie vocalist, the lyrics are choice

Me, I pretend that it is Bowie singing Hometown...

[dreggnog]

I don't like the children dancing parts of Cradle of Forest much. They seem cheesy and just not my style. However, I like the rhythm and the chorus is great.

As for Hometown, I loathed it when I first heard it in the credits, and still do when I hear it in the credits, but I like listening to it on my PSP. I don't know what the difference is, but listening to it during the final boss of Final Fantasy V was awesome.

[AlexY]

I don't like it, but I don't exactly hate it. Not my style, certainly, but it fits into the mood. The voice and lyrics, I mean.

I wouldn't listen to it repeatedly, though.

[Father Vincent]

I rather liked Joe Romersa's vocals, and I wish he'd have done more songs.
That's obviously just me, though.

[Tabris]

A lot of people trash talk the hell out of that guy. Me, I never really knew why. For some reason though, I can understand why.

I actually really enjoy Hometown and while I like Cradle of Forest a lot less, I enjoy it too. I also try to pretend it's Bowie singing it.

The lyrics and overall sound to Hometown is something I always loved. For some reason I have a really hard time outside of that explaining why. The only thing that REALLY pissed me off is the annoying delay between Hometown and the 'secret' track I Want Love. This was cool in the early mid 90s! Piss off with secret tracks! It's not clever anymore ~ ~

Cradle of Forest though, I do like quite a bit less. Never really minded it though. I find myself skipping it a fair amount, but I often do with most vocal tracks. Not through dislike (I adore McGlynn as much as the next SH fan) but simply wanting to just listen to the ambient tracks. I don't think I ever really took the time to sink my teeth into this track. Guess I found it to be somewhat cheesy.

I guess it's obvious why he's not doing vocals for any SH songs anymore.

[Lolli]

I didn't really like Hometown, I thought it was tedious listening that seemed to drag on forever. Cradle of Forest however, I loved. For me it was the actual beat of the song not the lyrics or the voice, I like the actual tune that accompanies the vocals. Joe Romersa's voice doesn't do anything for me personally.

[patient]

I guess I'm one of the odd ones out, because I like both of his songs. I usually don't go for that kind of singing, or that kind of voice, but for Silent Hill somehow I find that it fits. I like Cradle of Forest's rhythm. I always sing along to it and Hometown. Hometown just seems like the classic Silent Hill theme to me...

but I get tired of so many, many songs being by that female vocalist. I think they need a bit more variety with the singers.

[Alone]

I've never listend to "Cradle of Forest" before, but I have listened to "Cradel of Forest."

I enjoy the lyrics, but I HATE the transition from "Melancholy Requiem." It goes from a nice and quiet "hmmm-hmmmmm........hmmm-hmmmmmmm" to a loud and obnoxious "BA-BA-BUM!" right away in the US release that was included with the game. Completely ruins the mood for me every single time.

While I enjoy Joe Romersa's voice, I feel that it's a bit too operatic in Cradel of Forest to be fitting with the melancholy of what Silent Hill is to me. The lyrics are nice, but it just doesn't strike a good enough mood for me as something like "Room of Angel" does. I do enjoy hearing his voice in "Hometown" because the lyrics are more fitting because the sound of his voice conveys a long and winding road.

In the end, I agree with Father Vincent. I wish he'd have done more songs, if for no other reason than to get a better feel for the moods of Silent Hill.

[Tabris]

Yea, I agree that Hometown was kind've a theme for Silent Hill at the time. It contained a 'full circle' feeling during that time, when it was only the three games.

Cradle of Forest is anti-climatic to me. As I said before, I think the song is great. I agree with Alone that it doesn't fit in with the melancholy feeling. SH4 as a whole has a very surreal, melancholy feeling and Cradle of Forest is a bit too intense and loud. Would've made a great B-side or something.

Would've fit in just fine with the OST if it was more indirect and not so in your face.

I do feel he was a wasted voice in the Silent Hill series. Used properly, he could've been thematic like McGlynn.

However, I think a lot of people disliked him more than they didn't. I remember when Akira first said he was going to use vocals in the theme for SH3. People were downright pissed (when aren't they about any changes at all in this series?) but it really didn't take long for people to adore McGlynn and her talents. Romersa though? I definitely recall in SH3 and 4 people downright hating on him.

I even remember a claim that he died just to hate on him more hah.

[The Crimson One]

Yeah, I was initially distraught by that guy's vocals as well. It sounds like a lounge singer that is trying to sound like a lounge singer. Or something like that. It's strange however, I find it grows on you. Acquired taste?

Definitely doesn't hold a candle to McGlynn imho. She is like the voice of Silent Hill now to me anyway. So melancholy and tormented sounding. Love it!

[dreggnog]

Aug 24, 2009 16:08:42 GMT Tabris said:

The lyrics and overall sound to Hometown is something I always loved. For some reason I have a really hard time outside of that explaining why. The only thing that REALLY pissed me off is the annoying delay between Hometown and the 'secret' track I Want Love. This was cool in the early mid 90s! Piss off with secret tracks! It's not clever anymore ~ ~

Oh, that's why there's that gap! I thought it was just an accident, I didn't know that the last track was supposed to be secret.

[Tabris]

Sept 6, 2009 16:33:36 GMT dreggnog said:

Aug 24, 2009 16:08:42 GMT Tabris said:

The lyrics and overall sound to Hometown is something I always loved. For some reason I have a really hard time outside of that explaining why. The only thing that REALLY pissed me off is the annoying delay between Hometown and the 'secret' track I Want Love. This was cool in the early mid 90s! Piss off with secret tracks! It's not clever anymore ~ ~

Oh, that's why there's that gap! I thought it was just an accident, I didn't know that the last track was supposed to be secret.

If you can even really call them secret tracks anymore. That's why I find it so annoying hah.

It used to be cool in the 90s I guess because you'd leave the CD playing and there'd be that lengthy pause of silence and suddenly a another song surprises you. Yippy. But SH3 was released in 2003.

So annoying! Artists STILL do it!