© 2008 Lawrence Tuczynski

Title	Ostinato
CD Label:	Toho Music Corporation
CD Number:	GX-7
Composed and Arranged by:	Akira Ifukube
Conducted by:	Hiroshi Kumagai
Number of tracks	25
Running time	58:59
Number of discs	1
Year of release/manufacture	January 31, 2008

REVIEW

March 03, 2008 This is basically the same recording with booklet cover picture as this "Ostinato" and the other "Ostinato" elsewhere on this site. It appears that this is a reissue of the original LP that contained 17 tracks plus 8 other "bonus tracks". Review courtesy of Matti Keskiivari The second bonus disc in the fifth Godzilla Soundtrack Perfect Collection box set is a reissue of Ostinato, a record dedicated to Akira Ifukube's music from the Showa era. The tracks on the CD are in the same order as they were on the original LP record. The first "side" contains Ifukube's music from the Showa Godzilla movies up to Destroy All Monsters (1968). Three of these tracks, "Godzilla Title", "Godzilla vs. the Special Vehicle Squad" and "Great Monster War March", are already familiar as they were used on the soundtrack of Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). Also, "The Seahawk's SOS" and "The Three Monsters' Ferocity" were used in Godzilla vs. Biollante trailers. The second "side" is dedicated to Ifukube's music from Toho's other kaiju/scifi movies. "Pursue Rodan" is familiar to most listeners, as it was used in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991). The bonus tracks weren't featured on the original LP, but they were included on the two CD releases of Ostinato. This may be the first time that my favorite disc in a Godzilla Soundtrack Perfect Collection box set is a bonus disc. Ostinato is simply a great collection of Ifukube's best work from the Showa movies. Needless to say, these stereo tracks sound faithful to the original mono recordings. The disc features a lot of tracks, which are rarely heard in stereo, like "Dogora vs. the Self-Defense Force" and "Latitude Zero Title". Some of the highlights on this CD are "Crisis at the Capital", "Preparing for Mysterian Attack", Battle in Outer Space March", "Maser Beast Killer Ray Vehicle March" and "The Invaders' Premonition". I even prefer some of these stereo tracks rather than the original mono ones, especially "Dogora vs. the Self-Defense Force" and "Rodan Appears in Fukuoka". The only problem on this disc is the fact that the tracks have been recorded at different volumes. For example, most of the tracks of LP side 2 have been recorded at a low volume level, while the bonus tracks sound noticeably louder. It's not a huge problem though, and won't distract from the listening experience. The booklet follows the same trend with all the other bonus discs in the Perfect Collection box sets. Toho Music has done a good job in reproducing the front and back covers of the original LP release. The booklet contains information about Ostinato's origins and the tracks, and also an interview with Kensho Yamashita, the director of Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994). Overall this new release of Ostinato is great, and a welcome addition to the fifth Godzilla Soundtrack Perfect Collection box set. All die-hard collectors who are looking for this rare CD, along with Symphonic Fantasia (also included in this box set), shouldn't hesitate in buying this box set.

Ostinato Track listing courtesy of Jolyon Yates LP Side 1 GODZILLA Title Crisis at the Capital 'The Seahawk' SOS Godzilla vs Special Vehicle Company Mothra Sets Off Three Giant Monsters' Ferocity Great Monster War March ALL MONSTERS ATTACK March LP Side 2 Pursue Rodan Prepare for Mysterian Attack BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE March (first time on CD) Volunteer Squad Sortie Dogora vs Self Defence Force Frankenstein's Theme MASER Beast-Killer Ray Vehicle March KING KONG ESCAPES Title LATITUDE ZERO Title Bonus Tracks Premonition of Invaders Frankenstein's Heart Special Vehicle Squad March Preparation for Burial Strategy Mysterious Rocket Earth Defence Conference Rodan Appears in Fukuoka BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE March (expanded edit)