The Advantage – s/t
(5RC)

Isn’t it weird how music has the ability to unlock memories that had been hidden away in your mind for years? That’s surely the only feasible explanation for why retro 80’s music is still being played nowadays. As we all know, music has some magical nostalgic properties, but it’s the bits and pieces of music you pick up subconsciously in your day to day life that are especially potent. Stuff like jingles from commercials, TV theme songs and (if you’re a child of the 80’s) video game soundtracks are all stored away in that grey matter somewhere just waiting to be revived at a later date.

It should come as no surprise then that some people are die-hard fans of old video game music. Ever heard of The Minibosses? They’re the first band that I’m aware of who decided to dedicate themselves completely to playing songs from video games. Other bands have covered the odd game tune here and there for a joke, but these guys went all out, sticking to entire sets of music from the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. It brought them a lot of popularity and acclaim, but when you’re the originator of a good idea you have to expect that at some point someone may come along, steal your idea and do it better than you. And that’s what The Advantage do.

Taking their name from the arcade style joystick that was released for the NES, The Advantage are 4 amazing musicians putting their talents to use in a way that many people would consider a huge waste of time. Where The Minibosses tend to play distorted and muddled medleys that are vaguely familiar, The Advantage are very tight and play songs that are instantly recognizable. It’s strange how accurate their renditions are considering they use only 2 guitars, drums and bass, without much in the way of effects. Part of the reason why they can pull this off is simply because of their proficiency with their instruments. You might think of video game music as simple bleeps but the 8-bit Nintendo had some pretty complicated synthesized sound going on, with speed and precision that only electronic music can deliver.

The band consists of members of Crime in Choir and Hella, among others, and if you’re familiar with the explosive two-piece experiment that is Hella then you can be pretty sure you’re in for a ride here. Spencer Seim, the guitarist from Hella, is one of the best guitar players I’ve ever heard, and the really unexpected thing is that he plays drums in this band. He knows how to play though, as do the other members, giving them the ability to remake songs that you never would have thought possible.

There are 26 tracks on the record covering about 20 different Nintendo games, everything from well-known classics like Super Mario Bros. 2 and 3, Zelda and Bubble Bobble to slightly more obscure favourites such as Blaster Master, Marble Madness and Ghosts’n'Goblins. Their choice of songs is impeccable, often singling out lesser known pieces instead of the trademark theme song from certain games (ie. the Fortress song from Zelda instead of the main theme). Some of the real highlights include the jittery and authentic Ninja Gaiden – “Mine Shaft”, the epic Contra – “Snow Fields” and “Boss Music”, and the atmospheric Castlevania 3 additions.

Inevitably The Advantage have chosen some songs that The Minibosses also perform, but they are noticeably different in most cases. Goonies 2 (actually an instrumental adaptation of Cyndi Lauper’s “Goonies R Good Enough”) includes a cool lead-in that The Minibosses do not play, and The Advantage’s sped-up version of the Wizards And Warriors intro blows the skidly Minibosses rendition out of the water.

While there are tunes here that just about anyone will know, you don’t necessarily need to be familiar with the games to enjoy their music. Unless you absolutely hate video games or can’t stand instrumental music, I think this album is surprisingly easy to get into. A lot of the music is comparable to instrumental surf music — guitar driven melodic pieces that get inside your head and won’t go away.

There may be a few boring or repetitive tracks (I could do without Bomberman 2 or one of the Double Dragon 2 songs) and a few really short ones, but the number of tracks still makes it worthwhile. The recording quality is definitely lo-fi (more so in some cases than others), but it still sounds decent and passable for what it is.

While an album like this could easily be gimmicky and disposable, I haven’t been able to stop listening to it since I bought it. Granted, I am probably the ideal target audience for such a record, but I think it shows that much of video game music from the 80’s was great stuff that can stand on its own. It kind of puts the songs in a new light and gives you more of an appreciation for the people who composed the original stuff (many of whom get little to no recognition for their work). You might also think that an album of video game music could get really annoying really fast, but the album has a lot of variety and is totally listenable from beginning to end.

Of course, if you grew up playing Nintendo’s 8-bit system in the 80’s I’m sure you’re already sold on this album. It’s a trip down memory lane you won’t want to pass up. I do feel bad for The Minibosses though, as their time in the spotlight is quickly fading. I sure hope they didn’t quit their day jobs. — Sean