I figured that while I’m doing the other stuff, I’d just sit down and review the music of Get Backers too. It’ll be in three parts– Get Backers OST I, OST II, and the opening/ending themes. I won’t be reviewing the ‘Bonus tracks’, seeing as they’re not songs.
Get Backers: OST I
Composer: Taku Iwasaki
01. Getbackers
02. Gymnopedie?
03. Honky Tonk Wan
04. Obsession I
05. Electric Shock
06. Lady Poison
07. Reminiscence
08. Chameleon Guy
09. Obsession II
10. Bloody Rain
11. The Roaring Of Beasts
12. Tiny Waltz
13. Makubex
14. Dubious Answer
15. Wire Doll
16. J
17. Bloom
18. Awakening And Rage
19. Gib Mir Dinen Giftstop Bzahn
20. Domestic Babylon
21. Even If You Are In The Distance
The Get Backers is a nice way to open the album, as it reflects the opening of the entire series (remember the crow and Ban’s eyes fluttering open?). It’s an average but upbeat and fun song, and the saxophone seems to be a recurring instrument in order to bring a down-to-earth and street flair to the album as a whole.
Continuing the laid-back atmosphere is Gymnopedie? another saxophone-based song. Depending on one’s mood, it could be either relaxing or boring. Honky Tonk Wan is the final song in the string of atmospheric songs. A nice melody, but once again, nothing too great musically.
These first three songs really do set the whole Get Backers mood…if you’re not bored by them. Overall, these tracks are more atmospheric than anything else, and reminiscent of the lazy (filler) Get Backers episodes.
Then things get a little more serious with Obsession I! The moment you hear this, it’s dark, gritty sound will definitely transport you to a fight– just before the song changes gears. It becomes more upbeat with a brass taking the melody lead, but it is still fight oriented. Overall, Obsession I is a skip-able track unless it gets stuck in your head of course…in which case you’ll have to listen to it over and over.
Electric Shock is another song I find myself skipping often, although it is placed very well on the album, continuing the line of upbeat street fight songs.
The theme continues with Lady Poison, but the difference is that this song has a different quality and texture altogether. If the previous songs were about raw power, this one focuses more on technique, agility, and speed– a song worthy of Himiko’s battle style. So far, it’s the best song on the album.
…and then Reminiscence starts playing. It has a beautiful melody with the saxophone (again!!) holding a duet with a piano, and the result is gorgeous. There’s a slight climax (which was something lacking in the previous tracks), and a calm, drifting song, it segues into–
Chameleon Guy. Yikes. The “street” saxophone makes its appearance again. It’s not bad, but I feel like the flow was interrupted here. Oh well. Another skip-able song.
Obsession II–it’s darker and subtler than it’s predecessor “Obsession I”, and brings a whole new mood to Get Backers–the feeling of intense premonition and ‘something evil lurks’. There’s also a hint of sadness and fear, the very essence of the Limitless Fortress, or someone’s dark, secret past. It has three parts/themes to it (or that’s the feeling I get), and the last one is more fight oriented while still keeping the serious tone. You’ll definitely recognize Obsession II when you hear it.
Sigh. Bloody Rain, I’m not really a fan of. My friend really likes this song for it’s dark, blatant reference to Akabane, but I never really feel like listening to the whole thing. I usually skip it after 30 seconds, and it’s relative shortness makes it more of an interlude type thing anyway.
The Roaring Of Beasts continues the series of serious battle songs, but it’s good listening to if you have it stuck in your head. Otherwise, it’s just a song that will remind you of scenes in Get Backers, nothing more really.
And it jumps to Tiny Waltz! Yes, I know that “Roaring Of Beasts” was Shido’s song, and to put Madoka’s alleyway song right after is in interesting contrast, if not clever. It’s a fun, lighthearted tune.
Oh, wow. The contrasts continue. MakubeX depressing as hell, but it’s beautiful. As opposed to the uplifting solo violin in “Tiny Waltz”, “MakubeX”, and the continuation of this theme Dubious Answer use a full orchestra and rich chords and melody. So far, these two are the richest and most carefully contructed tracks.
Wire Doll is just one weird track. It’s most similar to “Obsession I” in its use of synth-like factors, but it hardly evokes that same feeling of mystery. It’s an underground almost rock-ish song with it’s odd melody (if there eve nis one). The tune is dictated by beats and rythm, and I listen to it if I’m in the mood for a quirky, beat-driven song (which is not necesserily a bad thing).
J is a song similar to “Bloody Rain” in it’s overall mood and harshness. It’s quite grating (of course, it was meant to be that way) with it’s clashing notes and ferocity– and it’s interesting, but once again, nothing too great.
Bloom, which comes right after seems likely an oddly placed track, but its initial calmness is deceptive. The orchestra does a nice job segueing into the upbeat (and once again), fight-oriented track, but this is less of a “fight-mindlessly” aura and more of a graceful and playful mood. Once again, it was placed perfectly–it’s a deceptive lead into “Awakening and Rage”.
I love the next three songs, which are similar in mood. Awakening and Rage and Domestic Babylon really build up, and the climax is astounding and powerful. These aren’t bittersweet, sad, or happy songs. They’re about premonition, power, and domination. Taku Iwasaki can really employ the orchestra well, and there are subtle tones that make these songs an enjoyable experience even now. As for Gib Mir Dinen Giftstop Bzahn, it’s the best “fight” song on the entire album, and I feel that the only song that matches it’s scope is “Battle on the Warship Isle” in Get Backers OST II.
The album ends with one of my favorite songs of all time– Even if you are in the Distance. As its title implies, it’s nostalgic, beautiful, and bittersweet. The orchestra is at its height here, and even now (after 5 years), I love it. It’s beautiful, and its sad warmth (especially when contrasted with the previous track, “Domestic Babylon”) really characterizes the messages and themes in Get Backers about loss, friendships, betrayals, and the good and bad things about everyday life. I know I’m sounding really sappy and overdone right now, but I just can’t recommend this song enough, as I feel it is the best track on the entire album.
Overall, Get Backers OST I does what it needs to do–capture the essence of the Get Backers. Although I feel Taku Iwasaki could have done better considering his Rurouni Kenshin soundtracks, he uses the saxophone and orchestra skillfully to create the variety and contrasts that the show/manga is filled with. Get Backers is all about those things. One one hand, we have the tracks which are raw, unsubtle and harsh, exemplifying the Get Backer’s life on the streets and their rough times. On the other hand, we have the tracks which are sad, melodic and sweet, reminding us of the subtle and heartwearming moments of the show. It’s a varied album (so I’ll do a breakdown), and I do recommend it if you are looking for an atmospheric yet engaging experience.
The only thing that I really regret is that there are a few songs which were not included, which I’ll also breakdown and maybe upload.
Rating:
7.5/10
As used in the show:
9/10
Recommended Tracks:
Lady Poison, Tiny Waltz, MakubeX, Dubious Answer, Gib Mir Dinen Giftstop Bzahn, Domestic Babylon, Even if you are in the Distance
Breakdown:
(note that some songs fall in between categories, so I’ll star them according where they could be)
Calm, Laid-back (*)
Gymnopedie, Honky Tonk Wan, Chamelon Guy
Upbeat, Fun (**)
The Get Backers, Tiny Waltz, (7*)Obsession I
Sad, Pensive (***)
MakubeX, Dubious Answer
Melodic, Mysterious/Deceptive (4*)
Lady Poison, **Bloom, (7*)Obsession II
Nostalgic (5*)
Even if you are in the Distance, Reminiscence
Powerful and Thematic (6*)
Awakening and Rage, Domestic Babylon, Gib Mir Dinen Giftstop Bzahn
Fast and Fighting-oriented (7*)
Everything else!
Missing Tracks
*until I can figure out how to clean up the talking, the uploads will remain as a direct rip from the video to the mp3.
1. A saxaphone melody (you think they would have included this!)
*appeared in the 1st episode
Saxaphone (raw)
2. “Even if you are in the Distance” piano version that starts out nostaligically and builds into a powerful and hopeful, full-blown orchestra theme
*appeared in episode 25, at the ending of the ending of the Limitless Fortress Arc, so it was big!! For such a grand and epic song, I’m so surprised that the people didn’t add this one in.
Even if you are in the Distance (raw)
3. Babylon City– a theme similar to that of “Domestic Babylon”, but not so similar that they should exclude it. This song and “Domestic Babylon” have a relationship akin to “MakubeX” and “Dubious Answer”.
*appeared in episode 49, the end of the entire series. So once again, I express my surprise and disappointment at it’s exclusion.
Babylon City (raw)
Get Backers 
My name is David, and wanted to congratulate you, what a great page realistic.
but I have a question about the lost tracks of Get Backers:
in the last episodes of the series talks about the Brain Trust and the truth of unlimited strength and this scene is accompanied by a mysterious track, it’s like a choir of monks, and that is my question, what is called the track, who composed it and where you can buy?
thank you
Bye