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RWBY Vol. 9 Soundtrack - Reaction & Review (Patreon)

Published:
2023-08-10 11:31:44
Edited:
2023-08-14 11:59:58
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Google Drive Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lx7Oi8R0nz-se4fnuP8l5XelPCke_Dhx/view?usp=sharing


Hey everyone!  I'm back with the BEST DAY OF THE WEEK: RWBY DAY!!!!  You guys, I've been dying for this soundtrack!!!  And it did not disappoint!  I think Casey (and Martin) did an amazing job capturing the essence of what this volume was all about!  From the beauty and bliss of love, to the darkest depths of depression, all the way to the victory/comeback!!!  The lyrics were just spot on, and I LOVE hearing Casey's original style throughout the compositions too!  I love how layered sounds, different instruments, etc. are used.  It wasn't easy going through a lot of the pain again, but that's just what makes these songs so hard hitting - they really captured that feeling.  Excellent addition to the collection of RWBY musical masterpieces!!!!!  And now, we wait for Vol. 10!!!!  Enjoy!  ~ MH

Comments

Spadeas

Hi Hime :) Welcome to trauma, loss and a little love We wanted more songs for Ruby after Vol 1, but we didn't expect to be THIS (four out of eight) Inside is really more of a Ruby song than RWBY since it's about her inner conflict and that's really the heart of the volume. A perfect song to open this volume 9 then. Checkmate really feels like a previous RWBY song like the team is getting their fighting spirit back. Even if we know that at this moment, it is especially WBY which is at the heart of the action. Chatterbox about Neo and the Curious Cat is interesting, since even if the cat is talkative, he only expresses himself in riddles to decipher, all like Neo being unable to speak, must try to make herself understood. They are both people with things to say, but who do not want or cannot make themselves understood. Worthy is really sweet to me, my favorite part being of course the two "I love you" being sung together. Trapdoor is another Ruby song talking about her internalized trauma and even if it's my favorite of this volume, it's also because it's the one that makes me react the most. Like you, my eyes get watery hearing it. Quiet is confirmed as you said, to be Jaune's first song and again, about trauma, the two redheads he couldn't save, and all the other failed ones he had. Since the first episode, he's probably the one who has worked the hardest, so failing again and again is not easy... But in the end, he comes out grown and not aged. Guide my Way another song for Ruby, which is THE answer to Red like Roses part 2. When Summer asked her not to follow the same path as her, Ruby assures her now that she will be the same and even more, to the point to become a legend that will inspire. A great ending for our heroine who is finally sure of the path she is taking or at least of being in the right direction. Side note, speaking of a song that makes you cry, personally it's "The Path to Isolation", I try to sing it every time it comes out in my playlist, but can never finish it because I I have a tight throat. The Edge another beautiful song, which ends this volume in style. Another from Ruby's point of view, who comes out grown from this adventure, invites us to see her again and follow her for future adventures. This volume definitely sounds different, being Casey without Jeff, but as you point out, we have a different style. Jeff was more hard rock and disco funk with a touch of pop, Casey has her roots in progressive rock and metal and it shows. The composition is far from classic, the contribution of blues/jazzy or even electro sound brings another touch, which refreshes. I like the past songs written by Jeff, but Casey brings a new perspective that I'm ready to follow.

Supermonaman

I’m a little disappointed that Tyler didn’t include the Lo-Fi version of Wings that was on the soundtrack which Casey completely redid after 10 years since the original was made by her and Jeff. If by some miracle you haven’t listened to the soundtrack on your own multiple times here is the link to Wings Lo-Fi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac4jz6YGQjM maybe for a reaction but don’t feel bad that you didn’t realize it was on the soundtrack. No insult to Tyler though he did a wonderful job giving you all the links and especially with the amazing comments/notes of his and when not if we get volume 10 & another soundtrack comes out I to communicate with Tyler and maybe collaborate on getting the links. Would you want to include the hashtag #GREENLIGHTVOLUME10 in the title of your reaction when you release the video on YouTube I just thought of it after I saw someone else I watch do it? Anyway your reaction to this amazing soundtrack is awesome and I can’t wait to leave a longer comment here after I write it please keep up the great work. :-) <3

Tyler Stobbe

Hmm, I may have gone a little nuts on my analysis, but that’s to be expected. As for how I feel about the songs, well… Inside is a very interesting piece but it fits with the ethereal theme of the volume. Checkmate seems to be the runaway favorite for everybody in the Volume, can’t say I blame them. It’s pretty fun. Chatterbox would’ve been a lot harder to decipher if Flynt hadn’t gotten the lowdown from Casey soon after it’s release - imagine analyzing those lyrics with no context whatsoever. Song’s a banger, though. Worthy is probably the one I felt the most pressure to do well, because as you know, I’m not a big fan personally of the ship. But my personal feelings obviously aren’t being taken to account in this instance, so I hope what I provided was analysis that the people who are fans would find “worthy.” Also, now I’m going to make the bug spray joke cause the reaction’s over! 😉 Trapdoor felt like a really dark song (it is), but it did a good job catching the emotional turmoil in sound. Quiet didn’t really clue us on what it was during the show, but it’s interesting that you picked up on the ticking clock, I thought it was just percussion for a while. And yes, I’m pretty sure that’s the first Jaune song. Guide My Way was probably my second favorite, and it was probably the most fun analysis to write out. Oh, and yes - I went for the feels because I learned from RT. The Edge was probably the least memorable (not because it’s bad) but it’s just more of an ethereal sound experience than a song, but it works for closing the volume. Someone asked about a Lo-Fi of Wings - I briefly considered it, but well, I knew this video was going to be pretty long as is already, and seeing as it’s a song that’s already been done, and remixes are harder to find lyric videos for, I mainly put my focus on the new releases since those pop up almost immediately. Not that I do t think it’s good - it just didn’t seem necessary. If I had one thing to say, I’d hope that Casey does feel more comfortable branching into different genres, as it did feel like she used the same style for a few songs. Overall, I think she did a pretty good job for her first try though. Looking forward to Volume 10… because that BETTER happen. (Actually green light 11-13 while you’re at it!) Glad you found the lyric videos and notes useful! …You went to iTunes right after this, didn’t you? :P At least this time your chair was equipped to handle everything! 😉

kamenriderhime
>>114919880

Ohhh was it like a bonus track maybe? I'm not sure! It might be my fault, maybe I accidentally skipped something on the playlist! Oh that's an excellent idea on including the hashtag when this goes out to YouTube!! I definitely will!!! Thank you so much, I'm looking forward to reading your feedback!!! Thanks for being so awesome!!! ^_^

kamenriderhime
>>114958061

That's ok, I was happy to have some material to confirm/expand my theories in the moment! I agree about Inside and Chatterbox, and it's great that we got some more insight on Chatterbox because that one was a bit harder to read!! Total banger though! I hear you, I thought your notes for Worthy were great and very objective! I know from having disagreed with creative decisions on other series, how hard it can be to wrap your head around something that you wouldn't have chosen or would have done differently. You may spray away :P Trapdoor was so dark and really captured the despair of Ruby perfectly. Ohhh I'm glad I noticed the ticking clock in Quiet!! Guide My Way was so excellent, the notes definitely went for the feels lol!! I can see how The Edge would be more of a calming song, but yeah it worked! Oh no problem about the lo-fi version of Wings! That makes sense! I think it would be cool if Casey explored more genres too!! Omg yes, greenlight like 2 more decades of this show please :P Oh, it's on the iTunes, you know it is!!!! Hahahha thank God for the new chair!!! :P

Manny

I’ve missed this. So thankful to be back and listening with you all! Man Casey did an amazing job! It’s like Jeff never left. Fantastic numbers. I’m sure you know my favorite one *buzz buzz 🐝

kamenriderhime
>>115052723

YAY!!!! I'm so happy you're listening along here Manny!!! I know, I love what Casey did here, she really knocked it out of the park! Oooohhhh that's a good one to have as a fave <3333 I liked it so much I had to bring out my Blake and Yang for it hehehe!!!

Cody

This is unquestionably my favorite soundtrack. Every song sounds so experimental and unique compared to other volumes. As much as I love the previous songs, a lot of them have a similar sound or general rock vibe, whereas even the more rock oriented tracks here like Chatterbox and Trapdoor sound so unique. Most of them were also so emotional, I cried at every song but Checkmate and Chatterbox lol.

kamenriderhime
>>115237738

It's so good right!!! I agree, there's a really great range here. I think Casey outdid herself! Omg they were so emotional too, the lyrics just hit like a freight train for real. I'm glad you were moved too!!!

John J Ronald

Finally made it to Friday and can finally sit down and relax and enjoy the RWBY9 OST with you. Great reaction as always...the unexpected Penny reference, eh? Yeah. I love how some of these songs were just background element music in the actual show but have been crafted into full narrative songs for the OST. I love the wistful, ghostly, hopeful melody of the Genial Gems sequence....that moment where Jaune finds acceptance about the truth of the Tree and in a flurry of leaves they're all just suddenly, finally there.

kamenriderhime
>>116061319

Yay!!!! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!!! OMG the Penny reference D: I agree, they did such a great job! The Genial Gems sequence in particular too. I think Casey killed it with this!!!

Supermonaman (edited)

Comment edits

2023-08-29 20:15:45 This soundtrack is absolutely incredible Casey, Martin Gonzalez, the guest artists (Zac Zinger and Cenk on Checkmate & Ariyel on Worthy) & the musicians who worked on the music for the episodes with Casey and Martin Peter Jones, Matthew Wang & Martin De Lima did an amazing job. I thought your brief thoughts on the volume as a whole were very well said. I totally agree that while it was hard the characters especially Ruby & Jaune needed to face themselves, the negative emotions they were experiencing and the traumatizing things they have gone through. I also enjoy when media goes into hard topics like mental health. There is a lot of stuff to think about & I agree that the Summer stuff added a good amount of intrigue to what might come in the story. I was going to leave theories on my comment on your volume 9 finale reaction which I still plan on writing but I might put the predictions/theories at the end of this comment. I love all the artwork used for the lyric videos it’s all awesome. Like you said the art for Inside is great because it’s Ruby trying to hold onto her hope/resolve/light & look inside herself. Also I’m almost certain this artwork was made before we knew what the Blacksmith area looked like so it’s a cool coincidence that the background is the same greenish blue color as that area but I might be wrong. This is a great song to start the soundtrack with how well it shows the themes of the volume & what Ruby was going through at the start of the volume & went through throughout the volume. I love how rocking this song is. I know this song is mostly about Ruby but I think it’s also about Neo with the lyrics about vengeance & a family estranged. The gold and fire lines make me think of Yang which I think is intentional considering her connection to Ruby. The be happy without trying line is good because there are a lot of people have a hard time being happy which is an important thing to think about when it comes to mental health. Martin Gonzalez went crazy on the guitar in this song and while I think all his guitar playing on the songs where guitar was used as 1 of my favorite uses of it on the soundtrack. Although my favorite part of the song is the overlapping jumble of sentences not only because it represents Ruby’s inner turmoil although that’s a big part of it but also because it makes me think of Alice in Wonderland with how confusing/hard to navigate that world is & how that story involves a lot of characters with different mental states which would make sense since this volume seems to take a lot of inspiration from that story. As always I really like Tyler’s notes they are really concise & describe the songs well and some funny parts even when I see what parts of the songs are about that others don’t in my interpretation. I love Checkmate for the jazzy/funky bop it is even with the somewhat serious lyrics. The lyrics are really clever and cool & savage. I think everyone loves the girl kicking your ass line. I think the worth all the damage done line could be interpreted as Ruby wanting to ask the villains if what they want is worth all the terrible things they do. Your thoughts on this were great relating the song to a theme of control & how it relates to Ruby I didn’t think of that. The interpretation that some of this song is the Prince talking to the girls but personally I only see this as a fun song about how awesome and skilled the girls are although I do think the instrumental reflects that back & forth nature. Also in relation to Casey loving the 2nd verse she said it is the pettiest thing she has ever written LMAO. I love the concept of Chatterbox being a conversation between the Curious Cat & Neo inside their minds while inside the same body. It’s something I didn’t know I wanted but it was a happy surprise. I honestly think we might have gotten a scene like that in the volume if CRWBY had been able to do 12 episodes like they wanted. I love the artwork with how it reflects the duality of 2 characters in one body and conversation like nature of the song. I also think the art does a great job of showing the rage/obsession/madness both of them have. A nice detail in the picture is that there are tears in the eye that represents Neo. Curious calling her illusions weak feels like a reference to how much more powerful Curious is as a being compared to the people of Remnant. I like how a lot of the lyrics that represent the Curious Cat are like they are trying to entice/seduce Neo into completely giving up her body while basically saying I will get what I want but I can also help you get your revenge especially in the 1st verse and the whispery part of the song. The safe inside a box feels to me like Curious is are saying her brief has been set free after she realizes she’s still not happy after getting revenge on Ruby. I like that Neo doesn’t like that Curious isn’t upfront with how they think & just wants this Cat to say what they want from her out right. I love the lyric Symphony of technicolor rage is 1 of my favorite parts of this soundtrack even though it’s not my favorite song overall because it’s a really clever & cool way to describe how much anger Curious had inside. I like that Neo’s part of the chorus talks about love because of her connection & feelings towards Roman. It’s so interesting that the part of the chorus about the Cat talks about having also lost everything because it just emphasizes what an interesting character they were even before they revealed they were a villain. I still feel bad for him & hope Neo’s illusions didn’t count as true Death & they had the chance to be helped by the Blacksmith and ascend. They were such a great character. I love how much of a darker rock song this & Trapdoor are. Also the thing Casey was doing with the pitch of her voice you were impressed by I believe is called Vibrato. I love how Tyler put the interpretation of this song especially about both characters trying to point out the others hypocrisy while not seeing their own. Although I would disagree slightly by saying I think the Curious Cat is a little more self-aware about their hypocrisy but everything else is spot on. I knew you would immediately get excited going into Worthy/Bumblebee Part 2 1 of the songs I was most looking forward to seeing your reaction to. I love this song & I totally agree that the lyrics are beautiful & well-written. And yes it is Casey with another amazing singer Ariyel. For the most part Casey seems to be singing the parts that can be interpreted as being about Blake while Ariyel is singing the Yang parts. I love how sweet and soft the song is while also being triumphant & epic. I really enjoy how it starts out Acapella before transitioning to an orchestral sound. The vocals it starts out with do sound like breathing but a comment I saw made an excellent point is that it’s like nervous/anxious breathing which can be connected to Yang who displayed anxiety when the idea of saying I love you came up. I think a lot of these lyrics could be connected to both characters even if they lean closer to one or the other. I think we all enjoy the concept of destined love which the very 1st lyrics can be interpreted as being about but this was a destined love the 2 of them fought for physically, mentally & emotionally. I love how Blake’s lyrics talking about never having had a kind of love like this and mentions fear because of the relationship she had with Adam & in this relationship there isn’t any of that kind of fear. I like the lyrics talking about how when Yang fell in love with out really realizing it Blake did as well. The didn’t know how not to lose you again lyric is definitely about Yang with how she lost Blake when she left although it could be connected to both of them with the different ways they were acting once they were together again not sure how to act worrying something could cause them to lose the other again. I love how the 3rd verse is all about how both of them are able to be fully vulnerable with each other when that is something they both have a hard time doing with people. It could also be about how when they are together they can have some normalcy/time just being young they lost/didn’t get to have during the show & in their hard/complicated childhoods. Its really heartwarming that they can be that vulnerable and innocent with each other. I love the I will love you forever line it’s so sweet. The lyrics are also about how they are going to be there for each other & stay together because they are stronger and safer physically/emotionally together. The lyrics mentioning falling might also relate to how Yang fell. And then there’s the Worthy line which is about Blake for sure because of how for a long time in her life/the show she believed she wasn’t deserving of the people who cared about/love her but because of all those people she now knows she is deserving of love and is able to ignore the inner voice of self-hatred. Also just like you I immediately realized some of the lyrics that referenced the original bumblebee & was very excited they can’t get stuff past us bumblebee shippers LOL. I love how they start to harmonize together towards the end of the song especially when saying I love you. I think it’s great that the song talks about how they see all of each other & don’t see one another as lesser because of what others see as flaws like Blake’s faunas heritage, problems with self-hatred and Yang’s disability, anger/abandonment issues existing and both of them most likely having faced depression and definitely dealing with PTSD. The lyrics no matter the mistakes I have made to me are about both of them coming to terms with their own mistakes like Blake running/leaving Yang, all the white fang stuff, Yang letting anger/obsession control her at points of her life for too long, not being fair to Blake just wanting to be angry at/hate Blake after volume 3. But now they are promising to always be together no matter what issues they face or what has happened in the past. The song ending on I love you is perfect. Personally I think this is 1 of the best love songs out there I have listened to. The singing is so impressive I like how Casey stays in a higher pitch while Ariyel has a deeper voice they contrast each other well. 1 last thing I like is that the instrumentals are great but are more subtle and less important than the vocals at least to me. When you brought out your Blake & Yang figures to watch the song with you I had to laugh and thought you’re such a dork and I mean that in the best way because it shows how genuine you are and I think everyone is a dork about things they love sometimes. I love Trapdoor it’s great even though it’s depressing. The title is definitely a metaphor for how Ruby feels like she is constantly being thrown to the floor by all her burdens & is dragging everyone down with her. It’s so sad to think that she thought her friends would be better off without her especially when it felt like so many of them were moving forward and dealing with their problems when she wasn’t. And she’s shocked/angry/sad that they aren’t noticing how much she is going through with her grief, PTSD & trauma feeling like she’s just invisible. Then we get to the part of the song that is heavily connected to the focus on imposter syndrome surrounding Ruby’s arc this volume. She’s thinking I have so much pain that the cracks in my façade must be showing they have to see it that I am no leader, hero or anything of the sort they will see that I am a fraud especially if I show any of this weakness and mental turmoil I’m going through. Also if we extrapolate those thoughts she is thinking that the only reason she’s accomplished was only because of the people around her and the other heroes accomplishments should not be diminished but a big reason so many of them were able to push forward & not give up was because of the inspiring light she is. She felt like she’s been falling for so long especially with her feeling like she’s alone in the war against Salem or if you want to go metaphorical with it the war against herself and that sucks to think about someone going through that. 1 of my favorite parts of this song is how Casey sings the I am a trapdoor line with how she holds the note. The synthesizers are great but the best part is how the guitars and drums work in tandem because sometimes the guitar is the more prominent instrument & can overshadow the other instruments which isn’t always good. I agree this is a sad song if I didn’t know that things turned out OK I would have cried listening to this and as it was I still got really emotional. I agree the artwork is awesome the way her weapon is holographic almost like it could fall to pieces at any moment much like Ruby this volume. I love Quiet it’s such a great encapsulation of Jaune as a character. It’s interesting that this is the 1st song that is only focused on him but it makes sense since a lot of songs are about him & Pyrrha but it is great to get one that is just about him with his story especially in this volume. The artwork is incredibly sweet & sad even with everything he has gone through he is still so gentle with this depiction of baby Juniper. I should have known it would emotionally hurt you I’m sorry. I love how the song starts out with the ticking clock that continues on for a long while because of how it connects to what happened to him this volume. I really love the slow, soft piano in this song even with the somber/melancholic feel of parts of it. I think the no more sudden movements line is about how he doesn’t want his life to be turned upside down constantly anymore although more literally moving slowly is how you approach some scared animals like the artwork. It’s hard to hear the song talk about how exhausted he is from everything in the show and volume 9 his story is such a sad one. The haunted by you line is depressing with how it’s about how he lost Pyrrha & had to you know Penny both of which still feel fresh to him after years. The 2nd verse is well written and I love the performance but it’s more sadness. I like the mention of patience because of how the Ever After caused him to go through an extreme form of patience. I love how the verse goes into how he didn’t want to see what he saw as his fate to not be able to save people especially those he cares about & not being a hero even though we know that’s not true especially with how Weiss talked about things in episode 9. This part of the song also goes into how much like Ruby Jaune has the immense conviction/resolve to help & fight for people who need them but how that puts a very large weight on his shoulders especially with what they are fighting against & those both of them can’t save. I like how you can see this verse as his thoughts during everything that happened while he was waiting for his friends. The this is a miracle part of the song is really powerful & I love how it’s about how his hope has been restored & while it is connected to finding his friends again after so long I think it’s more about him seeing the Paper Pleasers come back & starting to come to terms with things that have happened and start to learn about acceptance. This is the song that got me very emotional & crying it hit me hard but I love how it ends on a hopeful note. Guide My Way/Red Like Roses Part III is most likely the best song on the soundtrack but I don’t know if it’s my favorite song but if it’s not it’s probably my 2nd favorite. The artwork being the iconic pose when she comes back is amazing. I love how the song is written like it’s Ruby asking all these questions of Summer but herself at the same time & that’s interesting since the part 2 of RLR is basically meant to be a conversation between her and Summer at least metaphorically. I love that a lot of this song is Ruby coming to terms with her mom not being this idealized person she always saw her as as well as figuring out who she herself is. I like that the start of the song seems to be about Ruby wondering if losing her way was always going to happen. It’s great that the start of the song is about her confusion & inner turmoil while she was deciding what she would choose during the ascension process with the Blacksmith. I love how the 1st guide my way out of this place lyrics is phrased as a question & every time those lyrics are said again it’s in a more and more confident way. The RLR motif starting to play is 1 of the hypest moments I have ever experienced in the show & it’s such a great part of the song I love how it was integrated it’s iconic. The way it transitions from the slow start to the fast, awesome rock is so good. I love how the 2nd verse starts out with this bad ass statement about the silver eyes but also about how Ruby is powerful just as herself as well not just because of her eyes. The they said their prayers line is savage because I interpret it as villains and monsters start praying when they see her coming. The can you hear me up there line is sad but heartwarming because of the idea/question if Summer is watching over her in the afterlife and I like to think she is. I like how this part of the song goes into wondering if Summer kept fighting & kept her resolve until the end even when she realized whatever her plan against Salem wasn’t going to work. I also didn’t realize the friend line was about Penny until I saw someone else point it out it’s kind of a devastating line but I love how it’s part of the song with how much Ruby loved and cared about her. I feel like the end of this verse is Ruby thinking about how what Summer did affected her until came to this. Also the when will I be whole part might be about how she has felt fractured & trying to figure out how to healthily deal with those feelings. I like the I can’t define lyric because of how she doesn’t know how to describe how she is feeling with everything going on & all her thoughts especially learning of the Summer stuff. And does that change my love for my mother as well as my desire/conviction to help others and since we know what happens I think she decides it changes things but not those things. I think the memory & foolish pride line is great because of how clearly it puts that the idealized version of Summer that she had in her mind foolishly caused her to not ask for help or talk about her feelings about the emotional/mental pressure/burdens she was experiencing because that would mean she was “weak”. I love Ruby saying she will be a hero like her mom but will be better not only because she will succeed where Summer failed but because unlike her Ruby will ask for help and let more people support her. The moment of quiet line is all about how Ruby just needed time to herself to think while having some peace so she could figure things out & I like how it then goes into how she reclaimed a life and promise having took control of her life back and getting the rose emblem she got from her mother back. The refection line to me is about how when she looks at herself she knows who she is and is no longer just always chasing after her mother’s reflection/memory. The lyrics I’m what inspired the fairytale are awesome it feels like Casey herself saying that legends will be written about Ruby because of the things she will do but can also be connected to getting her confidence/resolve & knowing how strong and worthy she is. I love how the 3rd time it’s said in a whisper it gives you the chills in the best way it’s impressive that Casey was singing while whispering. I love how the song ends with Ruby saying that she can find her way out of the darkness of despair and help her friends get home by being herself not her mother. I like how the song starts with I think it’s a bass and the drums that complement it. I love how after the RLR motif plays most of the song is Martin going hard on the drums besides the insane really fast guitar solo which is such a great drop in the song. I think the drums really stand out in this song. Also I think with this song Casey was doing an omage to her father’s classic style while still doing her own thing with Martin. I can’t say it enough but this song is so inspiring & empowering. I think the way you talked about the whole taking Summer off of the pedestal was well said emotionally about not having to be perfect. Tyler had a great comment as well. I love The Edge it might be my favorite song on the soundtrack. I love how this song is all about Ruby’s metaphorical & kind of literal rebirth and how it seems to be her saying this stuff to herself & to the Blacksmith. The should I kneel question is indeed interesting since the Blacksmith is basically the one God/Goddess that we know of in the RWBY universe and in religions kneeling is a sign of worship. Also where the volume ends could be considered the edge of the world since the origin of Remnant started in the Ever After. The lyrics about falling apart I interpret as Ruby saying she wants to be able to vent about all her emotions good and bad & like the volume went into not be perfect all the time. And hopefully with the lessons learned this volume & her friends by her side they will all support each other and be more open in the future. The lines about a castle that is falling down to me is that the castle inside Ruby is gone and a new more durable castle has taken its place which now has stronger supports/foundation because of what she went through this volume. Also this castle is something she can stand on with more confidence and sense of strength than before. I love the new beginning/different ending lyrics because of how much it fits with Ruby’s arc this volume and just the way Casey performs this part. Also the way it’s said multiple times with how it sounds it’s like the idea of a new beginning/different ending is echoing inside Ruby’s head. I love the everything and nothing all at once line because she’s everything because she’s this amazingly kind, strong & confident/resolved hero and she’s nothing because she’s just a regular person/only human who needs support/help and can’t do everything on her own. I know the songs are never 100% canon but I think the lyrics basically said we will meet again is saying we will see the Blacksmith again which I actually do think will happen in the show at some point near the end of the show. The final line of where I died I’ll be born again is really powerful after the journey of this volume but especially because of Casey’s powerful voice & how she projects. I love how right after this line is when the guitar solo kicks in and I like how it’s much calmer than the previous song. In fact the entire song is serene in its sound while being no less powerful which I love. I love the interpretation that this is Ruby reflecting on her adventures in the EA but I really like my thoughts as well especially for this song. The artwork is beautiful and to me heartwarming because I think Ruby has a small smile on her face as well as a look of wonder. Here’s the artwork Casey or RT had made for this song https://t2.genius.com/unsafe/680x680/https%3A%2F%2Fimages.genius.com%2F3385f58fc8fdda89bec0143e41ac35cc.1000x1000x1.png it’s amazing & most likely inspired the artwork in the video you watched. You’re right reaffirmation is a great word for this volume. I love the way you said that everything in your life both good & bad is what makes a hero it was beautiful. I completely agree everyone who works and has worked on the music for this show understand the show very well. The Lo-Fi version of Wings is incredible as a showcase of how much Casey has improved since volume 1 as well as her style of music. I think she picked it for that reason but also because if you look at the lyrics this song works well for this volume & what the characters especially Ruby and Jaune went through. If you haven’t listened to it yet I would definitely recommend listening to it on your own as soon as you can. If you have listened to it I would love to hear what you thought of it. Here are some fun facts about this soundtrack I don’t know if it’s all the volumes most of the volume have custom names for all the episode scores not volume 8 which used the episode titles but volume 9 went back to custom names like “Maybe That Girl Is Enough” & “True Balance”. Also all the songs were originally written as episode scores and were made into vocal tracks later in production which I find interesting. Now here’s the predictions I promised. I don’t have that many but obviously Mercury and Tyrian have been doing stuff in the background as the rest of the world has been coming together doing what they can to help Salem with her mission to get the relic at Vacuo. Also I think she and Cinder are staying away as they are planning something to counteract the world coming together thanks to Ruby’s message. I won’t be disappointed if this doesn’t happen but I would like there to be some flashbacks to what everyone has been going through in what we can assume has at least been at least months since RWBY and J fell especially characters like Emerald, Weiss’s family, Nora and characters that arrived later like Blake’s parents, Ilia and Qrow imagine all the interactions we might have missed as well as the possibilities of interactions we could see when we get volume 10. I am confident it wouldn’t be depicted as a humorous scene but I am getting more & more convinced that Team RWBY and Jaune are going to accidentally interrupt their own funerals which would lead to sad but joyous moments of the characters realizing they didn’t die when they fell although even if it’s not during something like that sad but happy moments will likely happen when they walk into the city alive. I will admit those last 2 ideas I thought of were because of a fan fiction I read focusing on the grief & character development the characters on Remnant were going through thinking RWBY & J were dead with character interactions that make sense but you might not expect like all the families and some you wouldn’t think of like Emerald and Ilia which is also a ship in the fandom. Also I think the show is not just going to say all of the mental health problems are fixed it will continue to focus on stuff like that. I can’t wait to see stuff from the books animated. My last prediction is that Raven is going to become involved in the story again especially now knowing that she knows stuff about Summer’s last mission. There’s also the theory some people have that Raven wasn’t able to use her semblance to get to Yang in the Ever After so she knows her daughter is dead at least from the logic of their world and if what happened in volume 5 with Yang, Ruby’s message hasn’t convinced her to do something especially if she has been having some introspection then Yang dying must have or nothing will. Finally here is how I rank the songs 1. The Edge, 2. Guide My Way, 3. Trapdoor, 4. Worthy, 5. Inside/Chatterbox, 6. Checkmate, 7. Quiet & honorable mention to the new version of Wings it’s not new but is amazing and I think it’s in its own category. If you have the time and like to do stuff like that I would love to hear your ranking of the songs on this soundtrack if not that’s OK too. This is a very long comment so please take your time responding & don’t worry about how long it Takes. Awesome reaction & thoughts. Keep up the great work. :-) <3
2023-08-29 14:29:01 This soundtrack is absolutely incredible Casey, Martin Gonzalez, the guest artists (Zac Zinger and Cenk on Checkmate & Ariyel on Worthy) & the musicians who worked on the music for the episodes with Casey and Martin Peter Jones, Matthew Wang & Martin De Lima did an amazing job. I thought your brief thoughts on the volume as a whole were very well said. I totally agree that while it was hard the characters especially Ruby & Jaune needed to face themselves, the negative emotions they were experiencing and the traumatizing things they have gone through. I also enjoy when media goes into hard topics like mental health. There is a lot of stuff to think about & I agree that the Summer stuff added a good amount of intrigue to what might come in the story. I was going to leave theories on my comment on your volume 9 finale reaction which I still plan on writing but I might put the predictions/theories at the end of this comment. I love all the artwork used for the lyric videos it’s all awesome. Like you said the art for Inside is great because it’s Ruby trying to hold onto her hope/resolve/light & look inside herself. Also I’m almost certain this artwork was made before we knew what the Blacksmith area looked like so it’s a cool coincidence that the background is the same greenish blue color as that area but I might be wrong. This is a great song to start the soundtrack with how well it shows the themes of the volume & what Ruby was going through at the start of the volume & went through throughout the volume. I love how rocking this song is. I know this song is mostly about Ruby but I think it’s also about Neo with the lyrics about vengeance & a family estranged. The gold and fire lines make me think of Yang which I think is intentional considering her connection to Ruby. The be happy without trying line is good because there are a lot of people have a hard time being happy which is an important thing to think about when it comes to mental health. Martin Gonzalez went crazy on the guitar in this song and while I think all his guitar playing on the songs where guitar was used as 1 of my favorite uses of it on the soundtrack. Although my favorite part of the song is the overlapping jumble of sentences not only because it represents Ruby’s inner turmoil although that’s a big part of it but also because it makes me think of Alice in Wonderland with how confusing/hard to navigate that world is & how that story involves a lot of characters with different mental states which would make sense since this volume seems to take a lot of inspiration from that story. As always I really like Tyler’s notes they are really concise & describe the songs well and some funny parts even when I see what parts of the songs are about that others don’t in my interpretation. I love Checkmate for the jazzy/funky bop it is even with the somewhat serious lyrics. The lyrics are really clever and cool & savage. I think everyone loves the girl kicking your ass line. I think the worth all the damage done line could be interpreted as Ruby wanting to ask the villains if what they want is worth all the terrible things they do. Your thoughts on this were great relating the song to a theme of control & how it relates to Ruby I didn’t think of that. The interpretation that some of this song is the Prince talking to the girls but personally I only see this as a fun song about how awesome and skilled the girls are although I do think the instrumental reflects that back & forth nature. Also in relation to Casey loving the 2nd verse she said it is the pettiest thing she has ever written LMAO. I love the concept of Chatterbox being a conversation between the Curious Cat & Neo inside their minds while inside the same body. It’s something I didn’t know I wanted but it was a happy surprise. I honestly think we might have gotten a scene like that in the volume if CRWBY had been able to do 12 episodes like they wanted. I love the artwork with how it reflects the duality of 2 characters in one body and conversation like nature of the song. I also think the art does a great job of showing the rage/obsession/madness both of them have. A nice detail in the picture is that there are tears in the eye that represents Neo. Curious calling her illusions weak feels like a reference to how much more powerful Curious is as a being compared to the people of Remnant. I like how a lot of the lyrics that represent the Curious Cat are like they are trying to entice/seduce Neo into completely giving up her body while basically saying I will get what I want but I can also help you get your revenge especially in the 1st verse and the whispery part of the song. The safe inside a box feels to me like Curious is are saying her brief has been set free after she realizes she’s still not happy after getting revenge on Ruby. I like that Neo doesn’t like that Curious isn’t upfront with how they think & just wants this Cat to say what they want from her out right. I love the lyric Symphony of technicolor rage is 1 of my favorite parts of this soundtrack even though it’s not my favorite song overall because it’s a really clever & cool way to describe how much anger Curious had inside. I like that Neo’s part of the chorus talks about love because of her connection & feelings towards Roman. It’s so interesting that the part of the chorus about the Cat talks about having also lost everything because it just emphasizes what an interesting character they were even before they revealed they were a villain. I still feel bad for him & hope Neo’s illusions didn’t count as true Death & they had the chance to be helped by the Blacksmith and ascend. They were such a great character. I love how much of a darker rock song this & Trapdoor are. Also the thing Casey was doing with the pitch of her voice you were impressed by I believe is called Vibrato. I love how Tyler put the interpretation of this song especially about both characters trying to point out the others hypocrisy while not seeing their own. Although I would disagree slightly by saying I think the Curious Cat is a little more self-aware about their hypocrisy but everything else is spot on. I knew you would immediately get excited going into Worthy/Bumblebee Part 2 1 of the songs I was most looking forward to seeing your reaction to. I love this song & I totally agree that the lyrics are beautiful & well-written. And yes it is Casey with another amazing singer Ariyel. For the most part Casey seems to be singing the parts that can be interpreted as being about Blake while Ariyel is singing the Yang parts. I love how sweet and soft the song is while also being triumphant & epic. I really enjoy how it starts out Acapella before transitioning to an orchestral sound. The vocals it starts out with do sound like breathing but a comment I saw made an excellent point is that it’s like nervous/anxious breathing which can be connected to Yang who displayed anxiety when the idea of saying I love you came up. I think a lot of these lyrics could be connected to both characters even if they lean closer to one or the other. I think we all enjoy the concept of destined love which the very 1st lyrics can be interpreted as being about but this was a destined love the 2 of them fought for physically, mentally & emotionally. I love how Blake’s lyrics talking about never having had a kind of love like this and mentions fear because of the relationship she had with Adam & in this relationship there isn’t any of that kind of fear. I like the lyrics talking about how when Yang fell in love with out really realizing it Blake did as well. The didn’t know how not to lose you again lyric is definitely about Yang with how she lost Blake when she left although it could be connected to both of them with the different ways they were acting once they were together again not sure how to act worrying something could cause them to lose the other again. I love how the 3rd verse is all about how both of them are able to be fully vulnerable with each other when that is something they both have a hard time doing with people. It could also be about how when they are together they can have some normalcy/time just being young they lost/didn’t get to have during the show & in their hard/complicated childhoods. Its really heartwarming that they can be that vulnerable and innocent with each other. I love the I will love you forever line it’s so sweet. The lyrics are also about how they are going to be there for each other & stay together because they are stronger and safer physically/emotionally together. The lyrics mentioning falling might also relate to how Yang fell. And then there’s the Worthy line which is about Blake for sure because of how for a long time in her life/the show she believed she wasn’t deserving of the people who cared about/love her but because of all those people she now knows she is deserving of love and is able to ignore the inner voice of self-hatred. Also just like you I immediately realized some of the lyrics that referenced the original bumblebee & was very excited they can’t get stuff past us bumblebee shippers LOL. I love how they start to harmonize together towards the end of the song especially when saying I love you. I think it’s great that the song talks about how they see all of each other & don’t see one another as lesser because of what others see as flaws like Blake’s faunas heritage, problems with self-hatred and Yang’s disability, anger/abandonment issues existing and both of them most likely having faced depression and definitely dealing with PTSD. The lyrics no matter the mistakes I have made to me are about both of them coming to terms with their own mistakes like Blake running/leaving Yang, all the white fang stuff, Yang letting anger/obsession control her at points of her life for too long, not being fair to Blake just wanting to be angry at/hate Blake after volume 3. But now they are promising to always be together no matter what issues they face or what has happened in the past. The song ending on I love you is perfect. Personally I think this is 1 of the best love songs out there I have listened to. The singing is so impressive I like how Casey stays in a higher pitch while Ariyel has a deeper voice they contrast each other well. 1 last thing I like is that the instrumentals are great but are more subtle and less important than the vocals at least to me. When you brought out your Blake & Yang figures to watch the song with you I had to laugh and thought you’re such a dork and I mean that in the best way because it shows how genuine you are and I think everyone is a dork about things they love sometimes. I love Trapdoor it’s great even though it’s depressing. The title is definitely a metaphor for how Ruby feels like she is constantly being thrown to the floor by all her burdens & is dragging everyone down with her. It’s so sad to think that she thought her friends would be better off without her especially when it felt like so many of them were moving forward and dealing with their problems when she wasn’t. And she’s shocked/angry/sad that they aren’t noticing how much she is going through with her grief, PTSD & trauma feeling like she’s just invisible. Then we get to the part of the song that is heavily connected to the focus on imposter syndrome surrounding Ruby’s arc this volume. She’s thinking I have so much pain that the cracks in my façade must be showing they have to see it that I am no leader, hero or anything of the sort they will see that I am a fraud especially if I show any of this weakness and mental turmoil I’m going through. Also if we extrapolate those thoughts she is thinking that the only reason she’s accomplished was only because of the people around her and the other heroes accomplishments should not be diminished but a big reason so many of them were able to push forward & not give up was because of the inspiring light she is. She felt like she’s been falling for so long especially with her feeling like she’s alone in the war against Salem or if you want to go metaphorical with it the war against herself and that sucks to think about someone going through that. 1 of my favorite parts of this song is how Casey sings the I am a trapdoor line with how she holds the note. The synthesizers are great but the best part is how the guitars and drums work in tandem because sometimes the guitar is the more prominent instrument & can overshadow the other instruments which isn’t always good. I agree this is a sad song if I didn’t know that things turned out OK I would have cried listening to this and as it was I still got really emotional. I agree the artwork is awesome the way her weapon is holographic almost like it could fall to pieces at any moment much like Ruby this volume. I love Quiet it’s such a great encapsulation of Jaune as a character. It’s interesting that this is the 1st song that is only focused on him but it makes sense since a lot of songs are about him & Pyrrha but it is great to get one that is just about him with his story especially in this volume. The artwork is incredibly sweet & sad even with everything he has gone through he is still so gentle with this depiction of baby Juniper. I should have known it would emotionally hurt you I’m sorry. I love how the song starts out with the ticking clock that continues on for a long while because of how it connects to what happened to him this volume. I really love the slow, soft piano in this song even with the somber/melancholic feel of parts of it. I think the no more sudden movements line is about how he doesn’t want his life to be turned upside down constantly anymore although more literally moving slowly is how you approach some scared animals like the artwork. It’s hard to hear the song talk about how exhausted he is from everything in the show and volume 9 his story is such a sad one. The haunted by you line is depressing with how it’s about how he lost Pyrrha & had to you know Penny both of which still feel fresh to him after years. The 2nd verse is well written and I love the performance but it’s more sadness. I like the mention of patience because of how the Ever After caused him to go through an extreme form of patience. I love how the verse goes into how he didn’t want to see what he saw as his fate to not be able to save people especially those he cares about & not being a hero even though we know that’s not true especially with how Weiss talked about things in episode 9. This part of the song also goes into how much like Ruby Jaune has the immense conviction/resolve to help & fight for people who need them but how that puts a very large weight on his shoulders especially with what they are fighting against & those both of them can’t save. I like how you can see this verse as his thoughts during everything that happened while he was waiting for his friends. The this is a miracle part of the song is really powerful & I love how it’s about how his hope has been restored & while it is connected to finding his friends again after so long I think it’s more about him seeing the Paper Pleasers come back & starting to come to terms with things that have happened and start to learn about acceptance. This is the song that got me very emotional & crying it hit me hard but I love how it ends on a hopeful note. Guide My Way/Red Like Roses Part III is most likely the best song on the soundtrack but I don’t know if it’s my favorite song but if it’s not it’s probably my 2nd favorite. The artwork being the iconic pose when she comes back is amazing. I love how the song is written like it’s Ruby asking all these questions of Summer but herself at the same time & that’s interesting since the part 2 of RLR is basically meant to be a conversation between her and Summer at least metaphorically. I love that a lot of this song is Ruby coming to terms with her mom not being this idealized person she always saw her as as well as figuring out who she herself is. I like that the start of the song seems to be about Ruby wondering if losing her way was always going to happen. It’s great that the start of the song is about her confusion & inner turmoil while she was deciding what she would choose during the ascension process with the Blacksmith. I love how the 1st guide my way out of this place lyrics is phrased as a question & every time those lyrics are said again it’s in a more and more confident way. The RLR motif starting to play is 1 of the hypest moments I have ever experienced in the show & it’s such a great part of the song I love how it was integrated it’s iconic. The way it transitions from the slow start to the fast, awesome rock is so good. I love how the 2nd verse starts out with this bad ass statement about the silver eyes but also about how Ruby is powerful just as herself as well not just because of her eyes. The they said their prayers line is savage because I interpret it as villains and monsters start praying when they see her coming. The can you hear me up there line is sad but heartwarming because of the idea/question if Summer is watching over her in the afterlife and I like to think she is. I like how this part of the song goes into wondering if Summer kept fighting & kept her resolve until the end even when she realized whatever her plan against Salem wasn’t going to work. I also didn’t realize the friend line was about Penny until I saw someone else point it out it’s kind of a devastating line but I love how it’s part of the song with how much Ruby loved and cared about her. I feel like the end of this verse is Ruby thinking about how what Summer did affected her until came to this. Also the when will I be whole part might be about how she has felt fractured & trying to figure out how to healthily deal with those feelings. I like the I can’t define lyric because of how she doesn’t know how to describe how she is feeling with everything going on & all her thoughts especially learning of the Summer stuff. And does that change my love for my mother as well as my desire/conviction to help others and since we know what happens I think she decides it changes things but not those things. I think the memory & foolish pride line is great because of how clearly it puts that the idealized version of Summer that she had in her mind foolishly caused her to not ask for help or talk about her feelings about the emotional/mental pressure/burdens she was experiencing because that would mean she was “weak”. I love Ruby saying she will be a hero like her mom but will be better not only because she will succeed where Summer failed but because unlike her Ruby will ask for help and let more people support her. The moment of quiet line is all about how Ruby just needed time to herself to think while having some peace so she could figure things out & I like how it then goes into how she reclaimed a life and promise having took control of her life back and getting the rose emblem she got from her mother back. The refection line to me is about how when she looks at herself she knows who she is and is no longer just always chasing after her mother’s reflection/memory. The lyrics I’m what inspired the fairytale are awesome it feels like Casey herself saying that legends will be written about Ruby because of the things she will do but can also be connected to getting her confidence/resolve & knowing how strong and worthy she is. I love how the 3rd time it’s said in a whisper it gives you the chills in the best way it’s impressive that Casey was singing while whispering. I love how the song ends with Ruby saying that she can find her way out of the darkness of despair and help her friends get home by being herself not her mother. I like how the song starts with I think it’s a bass and the drums that complement it. I love how after the RLR motif plays most of the song is Martin going hard on the drums besides the insane really fast guitar solo which is such a great drop in the song. I think the drums really stand out in this song. Also I think with this song Casey was doing an omage to her father’s classic style while still doing her own thing with Martin. I can’t say it enough but this song is so inspiring & empowering. I think the way you talked about the whole taking Summer off of the pedestal was well said emotionally about not having to be perfect. Tyler had a great comment as well. I love The Edge it might be my favorite song on the soundtrack. I love how this song is all about Ruby’s metaphorical & kind of literal rebirth and how it seems to be her saying this stuff to herself & to the Blacksmith. The should I kneel question is indeed interesting since the Blacksmith is basically the one God/Goddess that we know of in the RWBY universe and in religions kneeling is a sign of worship. Also where the volume ends could be considered the edge of the world since the origin of Remnant started in the Ever After. The lyrics about falling apart I interpret as Ruby saying she wants to be able to vent about all her emotions good and bad & like the volume went into not be perfect all the time. And hopefully with the lessons learned this volume & her friends by her side they will all support each other and be more open in the future. The lines about a castle that is falling down to me is that the castle inside Ruby is gone and a new more durable castle has taken its place which now has stronger supports/foundation because of what she went through this volume. Also this castle is something she can stand on with more confidence and sense of strength than before. I love the new beginning/different ending lyrics because of how much it fits with Ruby’s arc this volume and just the way Casey performs this part. Also the way it’s said multiple times with how it sounds it’s like the idea of a new beginning/different ending is echoing inside Ruby’s head. I love the everything and nothing all at once line because she’s everything because she’s this amazingly kind, strong & confident/resolved hero and she’s nothing because she’s just a regular person/only human who needs support/help and can’t do everything on her own. I know the songs are never 100% canon but I think the lyrics basically said we will meet again is saying we will see the Blacksmith again which I actually do think will happen in the show at some point near the end of the show. The final line of where I died I’ll be born again is really powerful after the journey of this volume but especially because of Casey’s powerful voice & how she projects. I love how right after this line is when the guitar solo kicks in and I like how it’s much calmer than the previous song. In fact the entire song is serene in its sound while being no less powerful which I love. I love the interpretation that this is Ruby reflecting on her adventures in the EA but I really like my thoughts as well especially for this song. The artwork is beautiful and to me heartwarming because I think Ruby has a small smile on her face as well as a look of wonder. Here’s the artwork Casey or RT had made for this song https://t2.genius.com/unsafe/680x680/https%3A%2F%2Fimages.genius.com%2F3385f58fc8fdda89bec0143e41ac35cc.1000x1000x1.png it’s amazing & most likely inspired the artwork in the video you watched. You’re right reaffirmation is a great word for this volume. I love the way you said that everything in your life both good & bad is what makes a hero it was beautiful. I completely agree everyone who works and has worked on the music for this show understand the show very well. The Lo-Fi version of Wings is incredible as a showcase of how much Casey has improved since volume 1 as well as her style of music. I think she picked it for that reason but also because if you look at the lyrics this song works well for this volume & what the characters especially Ruby and Jaune went through. If you haven’t listened to it yet I would definitely recommend listening to it on your own as soon as you can. If you have listened to it I would love to hear what you thought of it. Here are some fun facts about this soundtrack I don’t know if it’s all the volumes most of the volume have custom names for all the episode scores not volume 8 which used the episode titles but volume 9 went back to custom names like “Maybe That Girl Is Enough” & “True Balance”. Also all the songs were originally written as episode scores and were made into vocal tracks later in production which I find interesting. Now here’s the predictions I promised. I don’t have that many but obviously Mercury and Tyrian have been doing stuff in the background as the rest of the world has been coming together doing what they can to help Salem with her mission to get the relic at Vacuo. Also I think she and Cinder are staying away as they are planning something to counteract the world coming together thanks to Ruby’s message. I won’t be disappointed if this doesn’t happen but I would like there to be some flashbacks to what everyone has been going through in what we can assume has at least been at least months since RWBY and J fell especially characters like Emerald, Weiss’s family, Nora and characters that arrived later like Blake’s parents, Ilia and Qrow imagine all the interactions we might have missed as well as the possibilities of interactions we could see when we get volume 10. I am confident it wouldn’t be depicted as a humorous scene but I am getting more & more convinced that Team RWBY and Jaune are going to accidentally interrupt their own funerals which would lead to sad but joyous moments of the characters realizing they didn’t die when they fell although even if it’s not during something like that sad but happy moments will likely happen when they walk into the city alive. I will admit those last 2 ideas I thought of were because of a fan fiction I read focusing on the grief & character development the characters on Remnant were going through thinking RWBY & J were dead with character interactions that make sense but you might not expect like all the families and some you wouldn’t think of like Emerald and Ilia which is also a ship in the fandom. Also I think the show is not just going to say all of the mental health problems are fixed it will continue to focus on stuff like that. I can’t wait to see stuff from the books animated. My last prediction is that Raven is going to become involved in the story again especially now knowing that she knows stuff about Summer’s last mission. There’s also the theory some people have that Raven wasn’t able to use her semblance to get to Yang in the Ever After so she knows her daughter is dead at least from the logic of their world and if what happened in volume 5 with Yang, Ruby’s message hasn’t convinced her to do something especially if she has been having some introspection then Yang dying must have or nothing will. Finally here is how I rank the songs 1. The Edge, 2. Guide My Way, 3. Trapdoor, 4. Worthy, 5. Inside/Chatterbox, 6. Checkmate, 7. Quiet & honorable mention to the new version of Wings it’s not new but is amazing and I think it’s in its own category. If you have the time and like to do stuff like that I would love to hear your ranking of the songs on this soundtrack if not that’s OK too. This is a very long comment so please take your time responding & don’t worry about how long it Takes. Awesome reaction & thoughts. Keep up the great work. :-) <3

This soundtrack is absolutely incredible Casey, Martin Gonzalez, the guest artists (Zac Zinger and Cenk on Checkmate & Ariyel on Worthy) & the musicians who worked on the music for the episodes with Casey and Martin Peter Jones, Matthew Wang & Martin De Lima did an amazing job. I thought your brief thoughts on the volume as a whole were very well said. I totally agree that while it was hard the characters especially Ruby & Jaune needed to face themselves, the negative emotions they were experiencing and the traumatizing things they have gone through. I also enjoy when media goes into hard topics like mental health. There is a lot of stuff to think about & I agree that the Summer stuff added a good amount of intrigue to what might come in the story. I was going to leave theories on my comment on your volume 9 finale reaction which I still plan on writing but I might put the predictions/theories at the end of this comment. I love all the artwork used for the lyric videos it’s all awesome. Like you said the art for Inside is great because it’s Ruby trying to hold onto her hope/resolve/light & look inside herself. Also I’m almost certain this artwork was made before we knew what the Blacksmith area looked like so it’s a cool coincidence that the background is the same greenish blue color as that area but I might be wrong. This is a great song to start the soundtrack with how well it shows the themes of the volume & what Ruby was going through at the start of the volume & went through throughout the volume. I love how rocking this song is. I know this song is mostly about Ruby but I think it’s also about Neo with the lyrics about vengeance & a family estranged. The gold and fire lines make me think of Yang which I think is intentional considering her connection to Ruby. The be happy without trying line is good because there are a lot of people have a hard time being happy which is an important thing to think about when it comes to mental health. Martin Gonzalez went crazy on the guitar in this song and while I think all his guitar playing on the songs where guitar was used as 1 of my favorite uses of it on the soundtrack. Although my favorite part of the song is the overlapping jumble of sentences not only because it represents Ruby’s inner turmoil although that’s a big part of it but also because it makes me think of Alice in Wonderland with how confusing/hard to navigate that world is & how that story involves a lot of characters with different mental states which would make sense since this volume seems to take a lot of inspiration from that story. As always I really like Tyler’s notes they are really concise & describe the songs well and some funny parts even when I see what parts of the songs are about that others don’t in my interpretation. I love Checkmate for the jazzy/funky bop it is even with the somewhat serious lyrics. The lyrics are really clever and cool & savage. I think everyone loves the girl kicking your ass line. I think the worth all the damage done line could be interpreted as Ruby wanting to ask the villains if what they want is worth all the terrible things they do. Your thoughts on this were great relating the song to a theme of control & how it relates to Ruby I didn’t think of that. The interpretation that some of this song is the Prince talking to the girls but personally I only see this as a fun song about how awesome and skilled the girls are although I do think the instrumental reflects that back & forth nature. Also in relation to Casey loving the 2nd verse she said it is the pettiest thing she has ever written LMAO. I love the concept of Chatterbox being a conversation between the Curious Cat & Neo inside their minds while inside the same body. It’s something I didn’t know I wanted but it was a happy surprise. I honestly think we might have gotten a scene like that in the volume if CRWBY had been able to do 12 episodes like they wanted. I love the artwork with how it reflects the duality of 2 characters in one body and conversation like nature of the song. I also think the art does a great job of showing the rage/obsession/madness both of them have. A nice detail in the picture is that there are tears in the eye that represents Neo. Curious calling her illusions weak feels like a reference to how much more powerful Curious is as a being compared to the people of Remnant. I like how a lot of the lyrics that represent the Curious Cat are like they are trying to entice/seduce Neo into completely giving up her body while basically saying I will get what I want but I can also help you get your revenge especially in the 1st verse and the whispery part of the song. The safe inside a box feels to me like Curious is are saying her brief has been set free after she realizes she’s still not happy after getting revenge on Ruby. I like that Neo doesn’t like that Curious isn’t upfront with how they think & just wants this Cat to say what they want from her out right. I love the lyric Symphony of technicolor rage is 1 of my favorite parts of this soundtrack even though it’s not my favorite song overall because it’s a really clever & cool way to describe how much anger Curious had inside. I like that Neo’s part of the chorus talks about love because of her connection & feelings towards Roman. It’s so interesting that the part of the chorus about the Cat talks about having also lost everything because it just emphasizes what an interesting character they were even before they revealed they were a villain. I still feel bad for him & hope Neo’s illusions didn’t count as true Death & they had the chance to be helped by the Blacksmith and ascend. They were such a great character. I love how much of a darker rock song this & Trapdoor are. Also the thing Casey was doing with the pitch of her voice you were impressed by I believe is called Vibrato. I love how Tyler put the interpretation of this song especially about both characters trying to point out the others hypocrisy while not seeing their own. Although I would disagree slightly by saying I think the Curious Cat is a little more self-aware about their hypocrisy but everything else is spot on. I knew you would immediately get excited going into Worthy/Bumblebee Part 2 1 of the songs I was most looking forward to seeing your reaction to. I love this song & I totally agree that the lyrics are beautiful & well-written. And yes it is Casey with another amazing singer Ariyel. For the most part Casey seems to be singing the parts that can be interpreted as being about Blake while Ariyel is singing the Yang parts. I love how sweet and soft the song is while also being triumphant & epic. I really enjoy how it starts out Acapella before transitioning to an orchestral sound. The vocals it starts out with do sound like breathing but a comment I saw made an excellent point is that it’s like nervous/anxious breathing which can be connected to Yang who displayed anxiety when the idea of saying I love you came up. I think a lot of these lyrics could be connected to both characters even if they lean closer to one or the other. I think we all enjoy the concept of destined love which the very 1st lyrics can be interpreted as being about but this was a destined love the 2 of them fought for physically, mentally & emotionally. I love how Blake’s lyrics talking about never having had a kind of love like this and mentions fear because of the relationship she had with Adam & in this relationship there isn’t any of that kind of fear. I like the lyrics talking about how when Yang fell in love with out really realizing it Blake did as well. The didn’t know how not to lose you again lyric is definitely about Yang with how she lost Blake when she left although it could be connected to both of them with the different ways they were acting once they were together again not sure how to act worrying something could cause them to lose the other again. I love how the 3rd verse is all about how both of them are able to be fully vulnerable with each other when that is something they both have a hard time doing with people. It could also be about how when they are together they can have some normalcy/time just being young they lost/didn’t get to have during the show & in their hard/complicated childhoods. Its really heartwarming that they can be that vulnerable and innocent with each other. I love the I will love you forever line it’s so sweet. The lyrics are also about how they are going to be there for each other & stay together because they are stronger and safer physically/emotionally together. The lyrics mentioning falling might also relate to how Yang fell. And then there’s the Worthy line which is about Blake for sure because of how for a long time in her life/the show she believed she wasn’t deserving of the people who cared about/love her but because of all those people she now knows she is deserving of love and is able to ignore the inner voice of self-hatred. Also just like you I immediately realized some of the lyrics that referenced the original bumblebee & was very excited they can’t get stuff past us bumblebee shippers LOL. I love how they start to harmonize together towards the end of the song especially when saying I love you. I think it’s great that the song talks about how they see all of each other & don’t see one another as lesser because of what others see as flaws like Blake’s faunas heritage, problems with self-hatred and Yang’s disability, anger/abandonment issues existing and both of them most likely having faced depression and definitely dealing with PTSD. The lyrics no matter the mistakes I have made to me are about both of them coming to terms with their own mistakes like Blake running/leaving Yang, all the white fang stuff, Yang letting anger/obsession control her at points of her life for too long, not being fair to Blake just wanting to be angry at/hate Blake after volume 3. But now they are promising to always be together no matter what issues they face or what has happened in the past. The song ending on I love you is perfect. Personally I think this is 1 of the best love songs out there I have listened to. The singing is so impressive I like how Casey stays in a higher pitch while Ariyel has a deeper voice they contrast each other well. 1 last thing I like is that the instrumentals are great but are more subtle and less important than the vocals at least to me. When you brought out your Blake & Yang figures to watch the song with you I had to laugh and thought you’re such a dork and I mean that in the best way because it shows how genuine you are and I think everyone is a dork about things they love sometimes. I love Trapdoor it’s great even though it’s depressing. The title is definitely a metaphor for how Ruby feels like she is constantly being thrown to the floor by all her burdens & is dragging everyone down with her. It’s so sad to think that she thought her friends would be better off without her especially when it felt like so many of them were moving forward and dealing with their problems when she wasn’t. And she’s shocked/angry/sad that they aren’t noticing how much she is going through with her grief, PTSD & trauma feeling like she’s just invisible. Then we get to the part of the song that is heavily connected to the focus on imposter syndrome surrounding Ruby’s arc this volume. She’s thinking I have so much pain that the cracks in my façade must be showing they have to see it that I am no leader, hero or anything of the sort they will see that I am a fraud especially if I show any of this weakness and mental turmoil I’m going through. Also if we extrapolate those thoughts she is thinking that the only reason she’s accomplished was only because of the people around her and the other heroes accomplishments should not be diminished but a big reason so many of them were able to push forward & not give up was because of the inspiring light she is. She felt like she’s been falling for so long especially with her feeling like she’s alone in the war against Salem or if you want to go metaphorical with it the war against herself and that sucks to think about someone going through that. 1 of my favorite parts of this song is how Casey sings the I am a trapdoor line with how she holds the note. The synthesizers are great but the best part is how the guitars and drums work in tandem because sometimes the guitar is the more prominent instrument & can overshadow the other instruments which isn’t always good. I agree this is a sad song if I didn’t know that things turned out OK I would have cried listening to this and as it was I still got really emotional. I agree the artwork is awesome the way her weapon is holographic almost like it could fall to pieces at any moment much like Ruby this volume. I love Quiet it’s such a great encapsulation of Jaune as a character. It’s interesting that this is the 1st song that is only focused on him but it makes sense since a lot of songs are about him & Pyrrha but it is great to get one that is just about him with his story especially in this volume. The artwork is incredibly sweet & sad even with everything he has gone through he is still so gentle with this depiction of baby Juniper. I should have known it would emotionally hurt you I’m sorry. I love how the song starts out with the ticking clock that continues on for a long while because of how it connects to what happened to him this volume. I really love the slow, soft piano in this song even with the somber/melancholic feel of parts of it. I think the no more sudden movements line is about how he doesn’t want his life to be turned upside down constantly anymore although more literally moving slowly is how you approach some scared animals like the artwork. It’s hard to hear the song talk about how exhausted he is from everything in the show and volume 9 his story is such a sad one. The haunted by you line is depressing with how it’s about how he lost Pyrrha & had to you know Penny both of which still feel fresh to him after years. The 2nd verse is well written and I love the performance but it’s more sadness. I like the mention of patience because of how the Ever After caused him to go through an extreme form of patience. I love how the verse goes into how he didn’t want to see what he saw as his fate to not be able to save people especially those he cares about & not being a hero even though we know that’s not true especially with how Weiss talked about things in episode 9. This part of the song also goes into how much like Ruby Jaune has the immense conviction/resolve to help & fight for people who need them but how that puts a very large weight on his shoulders especially with what they are fighting against & those both of them can’t save. I like how you can see this verse as his thoughts during everything that happened while he was waiting for his friends. The this is a miracle part of the song is really powerful & I love how it’s about how his hope has been restored & while it is connected to finding his friends again after so long I think it’s more about him seeing the Paper Pleasers come back & starting to come to terms with things that have happened and start to learn about acceptance. This is the song that got me very emotional & crying it hit me hard but I love how it ends on a hopeful note. Guide My Way/Red Like Roses Part III is most likely the best song on the soundtrack but I don’t know if it’s my favorite song but if it’s not it’s probably my 2nd favorite. The artwork being the iconic pose when she comes back is amazing. I love how the song is written like it’s Ruby asking all these questions of Summer but herself at the same time & that’s interesting since the part 2 of RLR is basically meant to be a conversation between her and Summer at least metaphorically. I love that a lot of this song is Ruby coming to terms with her mom not being this idealized person she always saw her as as well as figuring out who she herself is. I like that the start of the song seems to be about Ruby wondering if losing her way was always going to happen. It’s great that the start of the song is about her confusion & inner turmoil while she was deciding what she would choose during the ascension process with the Blacksmith. I love how the 1st guide my way out of this place lyrics is phrased as a question & every time those lyrics are said again it’s in a more and more confident way. The RLR motif starting to play is 1 of the hypest moments I have ever experienced in the show & it’s such a great part of the song I love how it was integrated it’s iconic. The way it transitions from the slow start to the fast, awesome rock is so good. I love how the 2nd verse starts out with this bad ass statement about the silver eyes but also about how Ruby is powerful just as herself as well not just because of her eyes. The they said their prayers line is savage because I interpret it as villains and monsters start praying when they see her coming. The can you hear me up there line is sad but heartwarming because of the idea/question if Summer is watching over her in the afterlife and I like to think she is. I like how this part of the song goes into wondering if Summer kept fighting & kept her resolve until the end even when she realized whatever her plan against Salem wasn’t going to work. I also didn’t realize the friend line was about Penny until I saw someone else point it out it’s kind of a devastating line but I love how it’s part of the song with how much Ruby loved and cared about her. I feel like the end of this verse is Ruby thinking about how what Summer did affected her until came to this. Also the when will I be whole part might be about how she has felt fractured & trying to figure out how to healthily deal with those feelings. I like the I can’t define lyric because of how she doesn’t know how to describe how she is feeling with everything going on & all her thoughts especially learning of the Summer stuff. And does that change my love for my mother as well as my desire/conviction to help others and since we know what happens I think she decides it changes things but not those things. I think the memory & foolish pride line is great because of how clearly it puts that the idealized version of Summer that she had in her mind foolishly caused her to not ask for help or talk about her feelings about the emotional/mental pressure/burdens she was experiencing because that would mean she was “weak”. I love Ruby saying she will be a hero like her mom but will be better not only because she will succeed where Summer failed but because unlike her Ruby will ask for help and let more people support her. The moment of quiet line is all about how Ruby just needed time to herself to think while having some peace so she could figure things out & I like how it then goes into how she reclaimed a life and promise having took control of her life back and getting the rose emblem she got from her mother back. The refection line to me is about how when she looks at herself she knows who she is and is no longer just always chasing after her mother’s reflection/memory. The lyrics I’m what inspired the fairytale are awesome it feels like Casey herself saying that legends will be written about Ruby because of the things she will do but can also be connected to getting her confidence/resolve & knowing how strong and worthy she is. I love how the 3rd time it’s said in a whisper it gives you the chills in the best way it’s impressive that Casey was singing while whispering. I love how the song ends with Ruby saying that she can find her way out of the darkness of despair and help her friends get home by being herself not her mother. I like how the song starts with I think it’s a bass and the drums that complement it. I love how after the RLR motif plays most of the song is Martin going hard on the drums besides the insane really fast guitar solo which is such a great drop in the song. I think the drums really stand out in this song. Also I think with this song Casey was doing an omage to her father’s classic style while still doing her own thing with Martin. I can’t say it enough but this song is so inspiring & empowering. I think the way you talked about the whole taking Summer off of the pedestal was well said emotionally about not having to be perfect. Tyler had a great comment as well. I love The Edge it might be my favorite song on the soundtrack. I love how this song is all about Ruby’s metaphorical & kind of literal rebirth and how it seems to be her saying this stuff to herself & to the Blacksmith. The should I kneel question is indeed interesting since the Blacksmith is basically the one God/Goddess that we know of in the RWBY universe and in religions kneeling is a sign of worship. Also where the volume ends could be considered the edge of the world since the origin of Remnant started in the Ever After. The lyrics about falling apart I interpret as Ruby saying she wants to be able to vent about all her emotions good and bad & like the volume went into not be perfect all the time. And hopefully with the lessons learned this volume & her friends by her side they will all support each other and be more open in the future. The lines about a castle that is falling down to me is that the castle inside Ruby is gone and a new more durable castle has taken its place which now has stronger supports/foundation because of what she went through this volume. Also this castle is something she can stand on with more confidence and sense of strength than before. I love the new beginning/different ending lyrics because of how much it fits with Ruby’s arc this volume and just the way Casey performs this part. Also the way it’s said multiple times with how it sounds it’s like the idea of a new beginning/different ending is echoing inside Ruby’s head. I love the everything and nothing all at once line because she’s everything because she’s this amazingly kind, strong & confident/resolved hero and she’s nothing because she’s just a regular person/only human who needs support/help and can’t do everything on her own. I know the songs are never 100% canon but I think the lyrics basically said we will meet again is saying we will see the Blacksmith again which I actually do think will happen in the show at some point near the end of the show. The final line of where I died I’ll be born again is really powerful after the journey of this volume but especially because of Casey’s powerful voice & how she projects. I love how right after this line is when the guitar solo kicks in and I like how it’s much calmer than the previous song. In fact the entire song is serene in its sound while being no less powerful which I love. I love the interpretation that this is Ruby reflecting on her adventures in the EA but I really like my thoughts as well especially for this song. The artwork is beautiful and to me heartwarming because I think Ruby has a small smile on her face as well as a look of wonder. Here’s the artwork Casey or RT had made for this song https://t2.genius.com/unsafe/680x680/https%3A%2F%2Fimages.genius.com%2F3385f58fc8fdda89bec0143e41ac35cc.1000x1000x1.png it’s amazing & most likely inspired the artwork in the video you watched. You’re right reaffirmation is a great word for this volume. I love the way you said that everything in your life both good & bad is what makes a hero it was beautiful. I completely agree everyone who works and has worked on the music for this show understand the show very well. The Lo-Fi version of Wings is incredible as a showcase of how much Casey has improved since volume 1 as well as her style of music. I think she picked it for that reason but also because if you look at the lyrics this song works well for this volume & what the characters especially Ruby and Jaune went through. If you haven’t listened to it yet I would definitely recommend listening to it on your own as soon as you can. If you have listened to it I would love to hear what you thought of it. Here are some fun facts about this soundtrack I don’t know if it’s all the volumes most of the volume have custom names for all the episode scores not volume 8 which used the episode titles but volume 9 went back to custom names like “Maybe That Girl Is Enough” & “True Balance”. Also all the songs were originally written as episode scores and were made into vocal tracks later in production which I find interesting. Now here’s the predictions I promised. I don’t have that many but obviously Mercury and Tyrian have been doing stuff in the background as the rest of the world has been coming together doing what they can to help Salem with her mission to get the relic at Vacuo. Also I think she and Cinder are staying away as they are planning something to counteract the world coming together thanks to Ruby’s message. I won’t be disappointed if this doesn’t happen but I would like there to be some flashbacks to what everyone has been going through in what we can assume has at least been at least months since RWBY and J fell especially characters like Emerald, Weiss’s family, Nora and characters that arrived later like Blake’s parents, Ilia and Qrow imagine all the interactions we might have missed as well as the possibilities of interactions we could see when we get volume 10. I am confident it wouldn’t be depicted as a humorous scene but I am getting more & more convinced that Team RWBY and Jaune are going to accidentally interrupt their own funerals which would lead to sad but joyous moments of the characters realizing they didn’t die when they fell although even if it’s not during something like that sad but happy moments will likely happen when they walk into the city alive. I will admit those last 2 ideas I thought of were because of a fan fiction I read focusing on the grief & character development the characters on Remnant were going through thinking RWBY & J were dead with character interactions that make sense but you might not expect like all the families and some you wouldn’t think of like Emerald and Ilia which is also a ship in the fandom. Also I think the show is not just going to say all of the mental health problems are fixed it will continue to focus on stuff like that. I can’t wait to see stuff from the books animated. My last prediction is that Raven is going to become involved in the story again especially now knowing that she knows stuff about Summer’s last mission. There’s also the theory some people have that Raven wasn’t able to use her semblance to get to Yang in the Ever After so she knows her daughter is dead at least from the logic of their world and if what happened in volume 5 with Yang, Ruby’s message hasn’t convinced her to do something especially if she has been having some introspection then Yang dying must have or nothing will. Finally here is how I rank the songs 1. The Edge, 2. Guide My Way, 3. Trapdoor, 4. Worthy, 5. Inside/Chatterbox, 6. Checkmate, 7. Quiet & honorable mention to the new version of Wings it’s not new but is amazing and I think it’s in its own category. If you have the time and like to do stuff like that I would love to hear your ranking of the songs on this soundtrack if not that’s OK too. This is a very long comment so please take your time responding & don’t worry about how long it Takes. Awesome reaction & thoughts. Keep up the great work. :-) <3

Supermonaman
>>116295342

PS I need to emphasize how much I love your reactions with you dancing to the songs, your in-depth/poignant/insightful thoughts & how emotionally open/honest you are. I forgot to mention how amazing the artwork for the Worthy video is with the 2 of them being so happy/at peace/laughing together & “it’s canon baby!” Should be the slogan of all us bumblebee shippers. I love that Casey and Martin did a whole Q & A for the soundtrack. I was already impressed with Casey but the more I listen to the soundtrack the more I am impressed by Casey Lee Williams’s vocals & musical style. As always I love your reactions so, so much thank you for making life easier with your enjoyable videos. :-) <3

Nathan Poulain Cigrand

Loved your reaction to this soundtrack, it's good to have the best day of the week back one more time, and I'll give special mentions for my favorites tunes, checkmate and chatterbox. Gonna keep the message short this time, I'll come back to lurk when I'll be better. Take care and see you next time :)

kamenriderhime
>>116295342

Thank you SO much for all your amazing kind words!!!! I'm still working on my reply, just didn't want you to think I forgot!! And it means so much that you enjoy my videos and are always so kind and supportive!!! I truly appreciate it! I'll be in touch soon!!!

kamenriderhime
>>117012585

Thank you so much!!! YAY best day of the week!!! Those are god picks for sure! Sounds good, see you then!!! :D