News:

Local man invests life savings into turnips. When asked whether it was a wise decision he responded, "Eh. I'm sure someone will buy them."

Main Menu

Slow Reviews Soundtracks: A NinSheetMusic Column

Started by SlowPokemon, August 13, 2011, 07:36:18 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Kman96

Slow, you make me jelly in everything you do. I wish I knew how to get soundtracks like you do... :'(
Party Hard!
[close]

Yugi


Kman96

Quote from: SocialFox on November 11, 2012, 01:35:37 AMLook around.
...Slow is the best of the very best. I go to him when I can't find anything else. He has some kind of magical power that my internetz cant handle.

...Idk. I try, but I fail. and then I go to Slow, and honestly I ask too much of him. I am not worthy.
Party Hard!
[close]

EFitTrainr

I like food.

SlowPokemon

Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

SlowPokemon

#155
Re-reviewing this score because my original reviews here sucked and this deserves better. I will leave the other one up for anyone who wants to remember how sucky I was at talking about music. I will most likely revise other reviews as well.

Soundtrack Review: Howl's Moving Castle by Joe Hisaishi

Howl's Moving Castle is an interesting film. It is highly popular with his fans and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature, yet is generally agreed to be one of Miyazaki's worst among critics--notably Roger Ebert, who typically has nothing but praise for Miyazaki yet awarded this film two and a half out of four stars. It's one of my favorites in the Ghibli canon, and while the film is a huge part of that, almost as big a factor is the score. This, you see, was the first movie in which I noticed the background music. As anyone who knows me will attest, I am a film score fanatic--and this is where it all started. I will be reviewing all three albums released based on the movie: the soundtrack album from the film, the image album (which Hisaishi wrote based on early storyboards of the film), and the single album (containing the ending theme "The Promise of the World" as well as the instrumental version of that song and the full version of "The Merry-go-round of Life").

The most recognizable theme from the score, the one that anyone familiar with the work can hum on cue, is the "Merry-go-round of Life" theme which pervades most of the score. In its complete form, it begins with a slow piano waltz and progresses into a full-blown orchestra piece. As it sways effortlessly through the orchestra, one cannot help but to be profoundly moved by its wise journey that tells of love, heartbreak, and, above all, life--as suggested by the title. The best rendition of this piece is that which is found on the single album, and it is easily Hisaishi's most moving piece to date. It is scattered throughout the soundtrack album as well, but interestingly is not found on the image album. The reason for that is Miyazaki was not impressed by the image album, finding it lacking in continuity and too orchestral, with no clear motif. The piece came to be when Miyazaki requested a clear main theme for the film, as was the tradition. And indeed, as mentioned previously, the theme is found all over the score. From Hisaishi's signature comical pizzicato representations in "Sky Stroll" and "Vanity and Friendship" to a courageous, 6/8 march in the second half of "Suliman's Magic Square / Return to the Castle," as well as the tear-jerking piano renditions in "In the Rain" and "It's Love, Isn't It?", this theme never tires and truly is a masterpiece. "Flower Garden" also gets special mention: the slow string version of the idea is absolutely gorgeous.

And that is a very good thing, as without that theme the score would be a bit vague in intentions and listenable material. There are, however, a number of great themes for this work, highlighted by the "Cave of Mind" theme on the image album. On the soundtrack, it appears in "The Secret Cave" and "The Boy Who Drank Stars." This suggests hope and sorrow and while it is at first a bit too long-winded for the casual listener, with repeated listenings one grows to love the meandering trumpet solo and the strings' passionate journey into Howl's mind. Indeed, this piece is more instantly moving than even the merry-go-round theme, although it perhaps does not resonate quite as well.

Another impressive identity is the theme for Calcifer, the fire demon that controls Howl's castle--originally intended to be Howl's theme, as suggested by the image album. Characterized by the opening chord progression do-re-sol which sinisterly lurks and stews at the bottom of the orchestra, it soon becomes an impressive if slightly wacky idea that traverses the orchestra before sneakily taking over the woodwinds to represent Calcifer. On the soundtrack album, the best representation of this theme is "Magic Door" while on the image album it appears in "The Wizard of the Moving Castle."

The theme for the sense of family among the inhabitants of the castle is also a joy. It first appears in hesitant snippets at the introduction of "Magic Door" as a theme for Markl (the only member of the family at the time) and later is used in full within "Moving" and "Family," which makes sense as the family has fully developed by that time. It is truly heartwarming, if a bit underused within the film. On the image album, this theme is found as "Sophie's Tomorrow," which is most similar to "Moving."

The last theme worth mentioning here is the "danger" theme, which starts out on very low, barely audible instruments backed by a harsh timpani. Represented on the image album by "The Allure of Dawn," its most effective representation on the soundtrack is the first half of "Suliman's Magic Square / Return to the Castle" as well as the track "Escape." While the panicky strings heard as the piece develops do convey danger, they become a bit tedious separated from the film. If the entire piece stayed within the style of the introduction (with the harsh timpani) it would be a bit more effective.

Finally, the ending theme, "The Promise of the World," is absolutely beautiful. Hisaishi didn't compose it, but he arranged it, and his flair for piano and orchestra makes this song one of the best from the film. It's performed by Chieko Baisho, the Japanese voice of Sophie (old and young). On the soundtrack album, it's combined with the bare-bones version of the merry-go-round theme which plays over the end credits. The single album gives this piece its dues, with the song by itself as well as an instrumental version. It honestly sounds better with lyrics, but the instrumental version is a great way to notice the details of the backing orchestra.

The rest of the score consists of individual tracks that tend to be a bit tiresome. "Courageous Cavalry" is an example of this; the triumphant brass-led waltz is obviously a victory theme for Sophie's country as they're at war, but is quite annoying and I find myself thanking Hisaishi for making the cue less than a minute.

Overall, this score is far more accomplished than 2001's Spirited Away which was already a great feat. This is due to the presence of a very solid main theme and a backup reservoir of other themes. The soundtrack album is all most will require, but the image album is a great expansion of themes that aren't given proper representation on the soundtrack, as well as material not used in the final film. The single album is truly for diehard fans, but is worth obtaining due to the instrumental version of "The Promise of the World" and the full version of "The Merry-go-round of Life."

Rating: *****

Track listings (excellent tracks in red):

Soundtrack Album
1. -Opening- The Merry-go-round of Life
2. Courageous Cavalry
3. Sky Stroll
4. Heartbeat
5. Witch of the Wasteland
6. Wandering Sophie
7. Magic Door

8. The Indelible Curse
9. Spring Cleaning
10. To the Lake of Stars
11. Quiet Feelings
12. In the Rain
13. Vanity and Friendship
14. A 90-Year-Old Girl
15. Suliman's Magic Square / Return to the Castle
16. The Secret Cave
17. Moving
18. Flower Garden

19. Run!
20. It's Love, Isn't It?
21. Family

22. Love of War
23. Escape
24. Sophie's Castle
25. The Boy Who Drank Stars
26. -Ending- The Promise of the World / The Merry-go-round of Life


Image Album
1. Mysterious World
2. The Wizard of the Moving Castle
3. Sophie's Tomorrow
4. Boy
5. Moving Castle
6. War War War
7. Wizard's Waltz
8. Secret Garden
9. The Allure of Dawn
10. Cave of Mind

Single Album
1. The Promise of the World
2. The Merry-go-round of Life
3. The Promise of the World (Instrumental)
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

SlowPokemon

#156
Soundtrack Review: Porco Rosso by Joe Hisaishi

Porco Rosso is that interesting film which is great but perceived to be lackluster. This, of course, is due to Miyazaki's other films, which are generally considered to be of a higher quality, leaving this one quite literally the runt of the litter. Despite that, I personally enjoy his tale of Porco's exploits, and it stands as a wonderful if underappreciated effort.

The score for Porco Rosso is a gem for Hisaishi collectors. While it doesn't quite match most of his other works, there is plenty to love about it. One would think that, given the premise for the film, Hisaishi would have concentrated on a comedic style; however, there are several pieces in which he seems to have gravitated toward a melancholic, passionate aspect of the story. The theme for Marco and Gina, heard best in "The Bygone Days" (which also serves as Hisaishi's signature piano performance), is a beauty in its nostalgic longing for the past. Its glittering arpeggio chords give the impression of shimmering flight and memories.

However, it is true that much of the score functions as comedy--though this by no means detracts from the work. The opening piece, "The Wind of Time: When a Human Can Be a Human," is my personal favorite track on the album. The sharp, flighty strings perform a rising-falling introduction, with the odd tritone chord to create a distinctly zany sound. The mischievous flute, soaring brass and cutting cellos expand on this idea, creating a triumphant and perfectly off-kilter theme for the flying pig. I wish that Hisaishi would have used this theme in the rest of the film, but as mentioned earlier it would seem that comedy is not the main focus for the hero. While this idea is only briefly referenced in two other cues, a very similar style is employed in cues such as "Dog Fight."

The comedy in the score mainly comes from the various marches of the rival pirate gangs. "MAMMAIUTO," "Serbia March," and "Flying Boatmen" all use a distinct march rhythm with a triumphant victory melody foreshadowing the style of his later "Courageous Cavalry" piece for Howl's Moving Castle.

Hisaishi's theme for Piccolo and his granddaughter Fio seems to head in the direction of playfulness, particularly when the token pizzicato strings complement the idea in "Women of Piccolo." "Fio: Seventeen" is a more exotic representation of the motif, effectively characterizing the mischievous yet lovable character Fio. It's difficult to tell if the brief tango-esque section in "Doom / Cloud Trap" was meant to foreshadow Porco's involvement with these characters, as the ideas are similar in structure if not identical.

Intentionally or not, Hisaishi frequently sounds similar to his most recent work, Kiki's Delivery Service, particularly in the enjoyable waltz heard in "To the Adriatic Sea," which is almost a carbon copy of the main theme from Kiki. The opening of "Porco e Bella (Ending)" also sounds similar to the ending track of that score. Interestingly (though this is going in a completely different direction), the "Porco e Bella" theme also sounds similar to Hisaishi's next work, Princess Mononoke.

Overall, this score is worth downloading for any true Hisaishi fan. At no point will you be bored or want to drift off during the score, though after the excellent opening titles, at no point will you be awed either. Unfortunately, this very good score (much like its film) seems doomed to forever languish as less than great when compared with other productions by the Miyazaki-Hisaishi team.

Rating: ***

Track list (excellent tracks in red):
1. The Wind of Time: When a Human Can Be a Human
2. MAMMAIUTO
3. Addio!
4. The Bygone Days
5. A Sepia-colored Picture
6. Serbia March
7. Flying Boatmen
8. Doom / Cloud Trap
9. Porco e Bella
10. Fio: Seventeen
11. Women of Piccolo
12. Friend
13. Partnership
14. Madness / Flight
15. To the Adriatic Sea
16. In Search of the Distant Era

17. Love at First Sight in the Wilderness
18. At the End of the Summer
19. Lost Spirit
20. Dog Fight
21. Porco e Bella
22. The Time of Cherries*
23. Once in a While, Talk of the Old Days*

*Performed by Tokiko Kato
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

Bubbles

I cant remember any music from that movie, but I do remember laughing. It was so good

And I promise Ill actually read these once I find the time

SlowPokemon

It's okay if you don't, I mostly write these for myself XD
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

Meta-Ridley

Hey, I have a request! Would you mind doing the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe? It's composed by Harry Gregson-Williams.

SlowPokemon

#160
Soundtrack Review: Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward by Shinji Hosoe

Aksys games took a big gamble in localizing the visual novel/puzzle game Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors for North Americans, who had never quite seen anything like it despite the genre being a big hit in Japan. It was met with universal acclaim and has acquired a large cult following due to its fascinating characters and intriguing, mind-bending story. So naturally many were concerned when announcements of a sequel, entitled Virtue's Last Reward, surfaced. Could the game possibly live up to its predecessor? Would a sequel spoil what was so great about the first game's plot? How would the game be without the cast of characters that were already beloved? As it turns out, very good indeed. You can read my spoiler-free review of the game here.

Now I take some time to do a review of only the soundtrack. It is quite similar to that of 999. In the game, several pieces are directly ported from that game and played in fitting times, including when events from that game are referenced. A few others are lucky enough to get a remix. However, the vast majority of pieces are brand-new, making this soundtrack able to hold its own.

Rather than the escape and story themes being dispersed randomly across the two discs, as they were on the 999 album, the two discs are split into the "escape" portion and the "story" portion. This is much better and also easier to listen to--the pieces flow much better. However, the escape side is much more accessible and fun to listen to, meaning that the story pieces on the other disc will undoubtedly receive some neglect that they might not have otherwise. Because unfortunately, the story pieces just aren't as easily accessible outside of the game. Pieces like "Sinisterness" simply serve as mood music: they work fantastically within the game, making the player feel very uneasy, but they don't serve much as music one would listen to in their free time unless he or she wanted to feel like he was playing the game. It's all very horror-centric and minimalist.

The piano is used quite frequently within the story's score. Whether it's meandering malevolently in the aforementioned "Sinisterness" or "Portentousness," darkly brooding in "Placidity," or weeping sorrowfully in "Confession," it is heard quite frequently and one gets the feeling Hosoe enjoys composing for the piano, as heard in the previous soundtrack's "9years."

The overarching theme for the series, heard in the previous game's "Morphogenetic Sorrow," continues to develop in "Virtue's Last Reward ~Orchestra~" and "Virtue's Last Reward ~Piano~," both of which serve as end credit themes. The piano version is ultimately the better incarnation, but both are tremendously moving and invoke sorrow in the listener before breaking off into an ominous techno theme not unlike the main theme from the previous game, "9hours, 9persons, 9doors." The melody itself is relentlessly sad and moved me to tears several times throughout the game's 11 "real" endings after which it plays. "Blue Bird Lamentation" seems to take a cue from those pieces, a broken music box performing a pitiful melody before wavering strings take over. Finally, the strings break forth with the melody, powerful and unbelievably sorrowful. It sounds like a young girl sobbing to me, poignant and expressive.

The electronic theme heard in the main theme serves as foreshadowing for the escape themes, which continue to include crazy and catchy percussion and odd sound effects. Repetitive, simple, and often utterly devoid of melody, the escape themes are nevertheless the more successful themes on the album. The most familiar is "Ambidexterity," which is a remix of "Unary Game" from the previous soundtrack. It doesn't work quite as well, and goes on a bit too long, but it's a nice throwback and certainly reminds of Junpei trying desperately to escape that cabin filling up with water. The electric guitar, in particular, suits the Ambidex Game's high-pressure "ally or betray" situation very well. "Lounge" is wonderfully eerie, a synthesized bass melody providing an eerie intro before the catchy percussion comes in. The strange, unsettling chord progression used throughout allows for an effectively tense, mysterious, and frightening piece. "Cabin" is the first time we hear that signature upbeat, chaotic tempo Hosoe perfected in 999. It manages to simultaneously frighten and hype up the player--like all of the other escape themes. "Gaulem" is very much an effective piece, the electronic noises and metal-sounding percussion fitting the room full of humanoid robots. "Pantry" is one of my personal favorites: its main beat sounds like someone drumming on a kitchen pot with a spoon, and the off-kilter rhythms that follow include a stomping noise that suits the situation perfectly. "Decompression" includes a similar stomping noise as well as kettle drums used to complement its uneasy melody--this is one of the more frightening pieces on the album. "Biology" is exceedingly strange, the main sound effect utterly unidentifiable and sounding like something squishing or a person saying "waaah."

"Biotope" is the oddity of the group, ironically for being too normal. I don't care for its laid-back style--it doesn't fit in with the other pieces. The mallets in "Data" are unnerving, and the unconventional rhythm effectively complements this feel. "Annihilation" is truly unsettling, though--this sounds like one could be killed any second. "Monitor" seems like a "last-ditch" effort, an all-or-nothing type of thing. One gets the idea of importance and determination from these dedicated synthesizers. "Director" achieves a similar result, but takes a different pathway--this sounds so dangerous that I half-expect something to start screaming. Finally, the airy tone of "Q" seems a bit of a lackluster conclusion.

I realize that I probably repeated myself a bit with the escape themes (and I didn't even mention all of them) but the main idea is that they hype up tension while also unsettling the listener and engaging him or her through the use of very catchy percussive rhythms.

In conclusion, the album is more successful than 999 despite having less effective story themes. The escape themes are much more engaging than those in 999 and the two main theme tracks as well as "Blue Bird Lamentation" are alone worth downloading the album for. For Zero Escape fans, there shouldn't be any question--though there is something here for everyone.

Rating: ****

Track list (excellent tracks in red):
Disc 1 (Escape Side)
1. Virtue's Last Reward ~Orchestra
2. Ambidexterity
3. Lounge
4. Dispensary
5. Cabin
6. Gaulem

7. Recreation
8. Pantry
9. Decompression

10. Biology
11. Treatment
12. Biotope
13. Data
14. Annihilation
15. Monitor
16. Director
17. Q

Disc 2 (Story Side)
1. Sinisterness
2. Placidity
3. Eeriness
4. Strain
5. Consternation
6. Desperation
7. Anxiousness
8. Portentousness
9. GLTM-KM506
10. Confession
11. Clarification
12. Sublimity
13. Divulgation
14. Demise
15. Blue Bird Lamentation
16. Virtue's Last Reward ~Piano~
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

SlowPokemon

#161
Soundtrack Review: The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya by Satoru Kosaki, Ryuichi Takada, Keigo Hoashi, and Kakeru Ishihama (featuring classical music by Erik Satie)

WARNING: Minor spoilers to follow

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is an anime wildly popular in both Japan and North America despite (or, rather, because of) its quirky storytelling, strange characters and bizarre situations. It is in itself a parody of anime, clearly acknowledging anime tropes such as fanservice, otaku, and contrived plotlines while emulating those same tropes. Based on an award-winning series of novels, the anime ran for two seasons and released one theatrical feature film before being put on hiatus indefinitely. The film in question is The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, based on the fourth novel in the series and taking place after the chronologically final episode of the anime. The music was largely composed and produced by Satoru Kosaki (who also wrote the score for the anime) and also features a few pieces by collaborating composers as well as classical pieces by French romantic composer Erik Satie.

It's hard not to smile at the Kosaki's orchestral interpretations of his main background theme from the anime, "The Usual Scenery," which bookends this album. "The Story Begins With the Usual Scenery" begins as a simple recreation of that piece, with the full orchestra eventually picking up the theme."The Story Ends With the Usual Scenery" is a further extension, playful pizzicato strings and brass backing the main melody after everything ends well. Its laid-back, meandering melody celebrates the idyllic normalcy portrayed at the beginning and end of all of Kyon's would-be adventures. It's more than enough to satisfy Haruhi fans looking for musical nods to the anime, which is good as the rest of the album contains no references whatsoever. It's worth noting, however, that the second and third tracks, particularly "SOS Brigade Christmas Party," follow in a style very much like anything else from the anime, even though they aren't direct references to any existing theme.

Much of the album takes its cue from string pieces, whatever the style is. Fast-paced excitement flows throughout "The Clue of Haruhi Suzumiya," one of the score's most effective pieces: the repetitive strings move Kyon along on his journey to find Haruhi, soaring and flying through truly wondrous musical ideas, perfectly emulating the situation. A very similar style is heard in "Chasing the Memory of That Day." "SOS Brigade Once More" oddly reminds of a leitmotif from Pirates of the Caribbean, but soon deviates into playful fun as Haruhi gathers up a bewildered SOS Brigade in an altered universe. Asakura's themes are perfectly unobtrusive while also effective at tensing up the audience. "The Woman Named Ryoko Asakura" is sharp, jagged and fragmented in its cello patterns, dragging out Kyon's initial view of her entering the classroom and briefly deviating in the middle for an angelic choir as her face is finally shown on screen. "Turning Point of History" is astoundingly horrific, as a stabbing string section emulates Bernard Herrmann's work on [/i]Psycho[/i] and a harsh choir tragically underscores the scene. In its latter half, truly angelic vocals accompany Kyon's rescue.

The album is most effective, however, when the string section is utilized for more poignant, subtle motifs. The best instance is in "Ready?" which provides a sense of mourning and hope. "Within the Heart of Yuki Nagato" tends to be more obviously sorrowful while also using more light chords to balance out the sadness. Strings are finally used as a tender, heartfelt device in "Meeting Brigade Members Once More," which in its nostalgic smile carries a truly moving main idea which no doubt ensures that tissues are a prerequisite for this film. The film definitely takes a departure into the serious, whereas the anime was often quite silly, and this is proof of Kosaki's flexibility and ability to provide fitting music for both styles.

The classical pieces by Erik Satie are performed as they originally appeared on piano, with the exception of "Gymnopédie No. 2" on the first disc, appearing as an orchestra rendition. The pieces themselves are interesting choices for this film. The Gymnopédies in particular are soft and tender, but carry a significant amount of dissonance. The Gnossiennes are more obviously dissonant, while "Je te Veux" is more than a little out of place as an extravagant piano waltz. The piano is noticeably absent from much of the score, and these pieces fill in the gaps as a device to represent Yuki and the poignancy of Kyon's relationship with her. They fit very well with the film and do not sound awkward amidst the original pieces.

In conclusion, this is a great album for any fan of film scores, string pieces, piano pieces, Haruhi Suzumiya, or good music in general. This represents what all film scores should strive to be--music that complements the film perfectly while also  performing well on its own. The score will no doubt be most pleasing to Haruhi fans, but some of the string pieces--most notably "Ready?"--are great concert pieces that will appeal to any lover of classical music. This is an album that will tug at your jacket and your heartstrings.

Rating: *****

Track list (excellent tracks in red):
Disc 1:
1. The Story Begins With the Usual Scenery
2. SOS Brigade Christmas Party
3. Noisy Time
4. Everyday Things Lie Ahead
5. The Woman Named Ryoko Asakura
6. From Anxiety to Fear
7. Betrayed Expectation
8. Lonely World's Expanse
9. The Pros and Cons of a Changed World
10. The Clue of Haruhi Suzumiya
11. Popular Spirit and Feet That Won't Move
12. Memories Tied Together
13. SOS Brigade Once More
14. Ready?
15. Chasing the Memory of That Day

16. Words Spoken by the Leading Woman
17. Footprints to the Future
18. Gymnopédie No. 2
19. Within the Heart of Yuki Nagato
20. Awakening Self-Consciousness
21. Turning Point of History
22. Meeting Brigade Members Once More
23. The Story Ends With the Usual Scenery


Disc 2:
1. Gymnopédie No. 1
2. Gymnopédie No. 2
3. Gymnopédie No. 3
4. Gnossienne No. 1
5. Gnossienne No. 2
6. Gnossienne No. 3
7. Je te Veux
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

Waddle Bro

A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

K-NiGhT

Now do the Les Miserables soundtrack!

Oh, wait. That's like the whole movie. Lol.
Quote from: NocturneOfShadow on April 28, 2015, 06:48:06 PM
what are you doing stop making nsm a better place by spreading happiness

Mashi

Quote from: Waddle Bro on January 12, 2013, 01:08:33 PMA+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++