Train Station at 8: A Video Game Music Podcast
64 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 8 years ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsHomepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Starting a New Show
November 09, 2015 00:06The Train Station at 8 is shutting down. We're turning off the lights and Monkey Porter is hanging up his little monkey hat, at long last able to retire. Why would such a thing ever happen? Well, listen to this special announcement episode to find out! But the short version: We're starting a new video game music show called the OverClocked PodCast for, yes, that's right, OverClocked ReMix! Letting go of TSa8 is sad business, don't get us wrong, but we have high hopes for this new venture a...
60: Remembering Memories with Laura Intravia
July 25, 2015 15:55Laura Intravia does a lot of musical things. She composes, performs, teaches, tours with Video Games Live-- you know, the usual. She also guests on podcasts, apparently, because here she is for a fun-filled episode of Train Station at 8! We talk about Banjo-Kazooie, Shadow of the Colossus, Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda... all the good stuff. So don't be a square; be a square wave and tune in! (I promise that isn't our new catchphrase.) Where can you find Laura on the internet? Try...
59: Doing What Nintendon't with Bev Wooff (Rexy)
July 19, 2015 05:28Bev Wooff (AKA Rexy) is known for her work at RadioSEGA among other musical accolades, but Stephen leaped at the chance to theme the entire episode after Sega because of course he did. Everyone brings a list of their top five Sega soundtracks and the quiz focuses on, surprising nobody, Sega! You can find Bev on Twitter and over at Overclocked Remix. So do it! Now! Go! This week's Open Question: "What are your top five Sega soundtracks?" How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lo...
58: Building Character with Dustin Branscum (DusK)
July 11, 2015 17:52You're most likely to recognize Dustin Branscum (AKA DusK) from his shredding video game remixes, but he also has some cool side projects that stray into totally different territory. Either way, he is clearly a man of integrity-- we know this because his Splatoon tactics are sound and he knows a lot of Genesis music. To hear about this and more, it is recommended that you listen to this episode of Train Station at 8!
57: Catching 'em All with Steven and Makoto
July 04, 2015 20:16Steven Reich, ruler of the Pokemon Internet Radio Network, is back again to decipher the insane language of licensed music, particularly where Pocket Monsters are concerned. Makoto of the Pikipi Podcast is here, too, lending her expert knowledge of Pokemon anime to the show. Stand by for a blast(oise) of fun facts in rapid(ash) succession, giving you plenty of knowledge to (pika)chew on for quite some time! Steven is on Twitter, sure, but don't forget about Pokepress the Pokemon Internet R...
56: Changing Things Up with Michael Birch (Flexstyle)
June 20, 2015 13:27Music man Michael "Flexstyle" Birch is here with us tonight-- you might know him from OverClocked ReMix. He has a healthy respect for Rayman and Ace Combat music, so he's all right in our book, but he still must overcome the oceanic quiz segment we cooked up for him. So water you waiting for? Dive in! (Our deepest apologies for that.)
55: Expanding Our Minds with Shariq Ansari (Darkesword)
June 14, 2015 04:00Shariq Ansari, also known as Darkesword, is one of the top minds at OverClocked ReMix and, as it turns out, a professor of Sonic the Hedgehog music trivia. He tells of tales of ReMix tournaments and last minute music production crunches before pondering how we've all changed as humans beings-- at least so far as music is concerned. To hear what he (and we) have to say, all one must do is tune in! Want to learn more about Shariq and his endeavors? Follow him on Twitter and check out OverClo...
54: Setting the Mood with Rich Vreeland (Disasterpeace)
June 06, 2015 18:46This week we have a very nice chat with Rich Vreeland, known to some as Disasterpeace, to others as the man behind the Fez soundtrack, and to Bryan as "that Cat Astro Phi guy." We cover all of the important things such as Splatoon's way funky tunes and also website domains for some reason (www.whalesarewhal.es coming soon). To top it off, Rich tallies up an impressive Train Your Brain score-- we think. The math was sort of confusing. Learn about all things Disasterpeace at his website (www...
53: "Entering the VGM Community" with Timaeus
May 30, 2015 14:58place in the video game music community. His ReMix skills are nothing to sneeze at, ladies and gentlemen, and he spares a few minutes to chat about how he (and we) found ourselves knee deep in the coolness that surrounds us.
52: "The Trouble of Discussing Music" with Emily Reese
May 23, 2015 18:08We've upended the tea table again to bring you a fresh new format that ditches our old song-of-the-week deal for a variety pack of sorts. The show still kicks off with What Have You Been Listening To? but is now followed by the Open Question, News from the City, and Train Your Brain. What are these mysterious segments? Find out alongside your usual duo of hosts and Emily Reese of the Top Score podcast, our distinguished guest!
51: "Saga of the Norn" with Syl
May 16, 2015 14:27Train Station at 8 returns with one last hurrah for the single song episode format! You heard right: times will be changing next week, but for now we take a look at Guild Wars 2 and its Saga of the Norn. Syl from fellow video game music podcast Battle Bards is by our side to brave the brass of Jeremy Soule-- who knows else we'll find along the way?
50: "Super Mario 64 Theme" with Christophe Blondel
April 26, 2015 21:49The 50th episode of Train Station at 8 is crowned with a video game deserving of the notably round number: Super Mario 64. Christophe Blondel, also known as CarboHydroM, is a dude with a deep appreciation for the art of music-making and star-collecting, so we've got him on board again. The three of us happily jump back into the magical painting of the past to compare Koji Kondo variations, make observations on how soundtracks changed with polygons, and simply remember good times.
49: "Jump On In! (Overworld)" with the Super Marcato Bros.
April 18, 2015 15:43The talented Super Marcato Bros. have recently shared their double album tribute to Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island, Hello World, with... well, the world! We've got all three of them here to tell us the tale of how they stepped into Koji Kondo's venerable shoes and created two SNES soundtracks from the ground up. Karl, Marty, and Will always have interesting stuff to say and this is no exception, so pull up a seat and enjoy this most brotherly of episodes. You can find Karl and Will a...
48: "Yell Dead Cell" with Jared Ettinger
April 04, 2015 18:03Metal Gear Solid 2 is a trippy ride, thanks in no small part to the oddball assortment of antagonists in rogue government unit Dead Cell. Jared Ettinger has gone toe-to-toe with these bosses and knows their theme song like the back of his hand, so together we revisit old friends on the unpredictable (musically and otherwise) Big Shell.
47: A Case Study of Sonic Adventure 2
March 22, 2015 01:00The epic conclusion to our trilogy of experimental episodes is here: A Case Study of Sonic Adventure 2. It's time to give this insane, wonderful, terrible, nostalgic soundtrack the detailed investigation in deserves, so buckle up for an episode that leaves no tune unturned. How did this Dreamcast swan song come to be? Who composed the music? How many different genres does it cover again? If you're looking for a comprehensive guided tour of Sonic Adventure 2's audiological escapades, this is t...
46: Freestyle #1
March 14, 2015 13:47It's time for another experiment! Last week was Rhapsody Roulette #1, next week it'll be a Super Fun Secret, and this week it's our first attempt at a Freestyle episode. We show format the doormat so we can hang out free of stress to chat about whatever's musically on our minds. You can expect to hear about Club Nintendo's promotional Super Smash Bros. album, the profound work of Jeremy Soule, the pop music stigma, and Stephen's heartfelt appreciation for Home Made Kazoku (among many other su...
45: Rhapsody Roulette #1
March 07, 2015 16:59The birds aren't singing. There's an odd tingling in the air. The proverbial castle has been flipped upside-down. You know what this means, right? Train Station at 8 is introducing something new: Rhapsody Roulette. Instead of discussing a single song with somewhat prepared pre-show research, Stephen and Bryan are shuffling randomly through their iTunes libraries to chat about five songs in daring, off-the-cuff manner. It's messy, sure, but trying new things is the bomb.
44: "Image of Hero" with Joe Walker and Alyssa Menes
February 28, 2015 18:37It's high time Phantasy Star Online got its due, and we've got old pals Joe Walker and Alyssa Menes in our party to remind everyone what a musical masterwork that Dreamcast game is. Image of Hero (the character creation theme) is our subject this week, so prepare yourself for the smooth electronic groove of everyone's favorite (or at least top three) sci-fi/fantasy hybrid. You can find Joe and Alyssa on Twitter, which is where this whole episode idea began! Buy "Image of Hero" here! How...
43: "Majora's Mask Opening" with Cameron Nutter
February 21, 2015 16:39It's time to celebrate the launch of Majora's Mask 3D, and our old Whales are Whales pal Cameron is back again to join in on the unsettled whispers and dismayed discoveries we all witness along the way. Understated with a tingly (not that Tingle) sense of mystery, the opening to this infamous Zelda title is the subject of this week's discussion. We stay up late and almost hallucinate to get this episode out on time, so pardon the mild madness-- it's only partially brought on by our own mortal...
42: "Animal Crossing Title"
February 14, 2015 17:34We're chilling out in our familiar, laid-back home of Animal Crossing this week to chat about its memory-filled title theme. There's not a guest in sight on this duo-based dive into the mellow, but we talk about lots of other cool video game music podcasts to make up for it. Also, we have some good news! Train Station at 8 is heading back to a weekly schedule as we strongly disliked the fourteen-day gap between episodes. Hey, we gave it a shot!
1st Anniversary Podcast Recommendations!
February 14, 2015 17:31Okay, folks, grand announcement time. February 10th, 2015 marked the first anniversary of Train Station at 8! With a whole year under our belt, I'm confident in saying that this is one of the most fulfilling projects I've ever worked on-- it's certainly made us the most friends! Why, we've put out 42 episodes with a combined total of 33 guests, which is undeniable proof that we didn't do this alone. To celebrate this fact, you can scroll down this page and feast your eyes (and potentially...
Episode 41: "Eternity" with Zachary Walton
January 31, 2015 17:52We here at Train Station at 8 like to shine a positive spotlight on music we think makes the world a better place, but this episode is somewhat of a... cautionary tale. Zachary Walton, a Whales are Whales man and Japanese RPG connoisseur, has brought with him a song that combines legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu with prog rock sensation Deep Purple. It gets weird.
Episode 40: 2014 - An Encore
January 18, 2015 03:13We listened to a lot of wonderful music and met a lot of wonderful people during Train Station at 8's first year of podcasting, so we decided to say farewell to 2014 with a tribute celebrating all of those good times. The invitations went out and resulted in this mega-sized episode featuring Jayson Napolitano, Alyssa Menes, Will and Karl Brueggeman, Andrew Luers (OA), Deia Vengen (DragonAvenger), and Matthew Tucciarone (Major Third). It's a packed table this week and there's way too much to t...
Episode 39: "Nightsong" with Neal Acree
December 20, 2014 18:42Neal Acree (seasoned composer of film, television, and Blizzard) tells the story of Nightsong, a song from World of Warcraft: Cataclysm that almost never was. We also veer into topics like Video Games Live, creative collaboration, and the Darnassian language. If you're ready to step back into Azeroth (like we are) then hesitate no more and start the episode!
Episode 38: "Menu Theme (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U)" with Alyssa Menes
December 14, 2014 00:09Alyssa Menes is back again for another Sakurai-fueled adventure, lending her voice to a rousing discussion about SUPER. SMAAAAAAASH. BROOOOTHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERSSSSS!!! The newest entry in this legendary series crashes onto the scene with a pumped up menu theme brings out the joy and excitement from everyone present, so leap into the auditory fray and let's do this!
Episode 37: "The Legendary Beast" with Josh Whelchel
December 06, 2014 16:41Josh Whelchel, composer of many uber cool songs, has brought a rousing arrangement of Final Fantasy VIII to our attention. This snippet of a grand medley draws the three of us into a conversation about tone, tempo, and the ramifications of music distribution platforms. It's possible you might even learn something-- we did!
Episode 36: "In the Space-Pirate Ship" with Alyssa Menes
November 29, 2014 22:11Let us leap from the heavens and into the mighty spaceship bristling with bad guys, futuristic technology, and AA (anti-angel) weaponry. Alyssa Menes joins us to talk about Kid Icarus: Uprising and its phenomenal soundtrack; specifically, In the Space-Pirate Ship. It's a great time, you should listen in!
Episode 35: Magnificent Desolation (Warlords of Draenor)
November 22, 2014 18:33The final part of our World of Warcaft series concludes with recent expansion Warlords of Draenor and all the majesty it brings to our respective ears. Magnificent Desolation tells us a tale of the tragic, howling Frostfire Ridge, drawing us into a wonderful discussion about storytelling, artistic themes, and orcish valor. We're going out with a bang and will be back next week with something new!
Episode 34: The Golden Lotus (Mists of Pandaria)
November 15, 2014 18:25Warlords of Draenor has taken the world by storm, but we still have one last stop before joining the march to Draenor: Mists of Pandaria. This tranquil, thought-provoking expansion is home to The Golden Lotus, a vanguard of staunch defenders and a song of the same name. With warm, fluffy, Pandaren feelings in our hearts, we explore.
Episode 33: Surrender the Booty (Cataclysm) with David Arkenstone
November 08, 2014 19:46David Arkenstone, wisdom-emanating musician and World of Warcraft composer, has brought a track of his own from Cataclysm. Surrender the Booty (of Booty Bay fame) is a song of high adventure, blazing pirate ships, and fun-filled villainy; it also acts as a springboard for all kinds of fascinating discussion on how we create and listen to music. We'd love for you to join us on this especially special episode!
Episode 32: Arthas, My Son (Wrath of the Lich King)
November 01, 2014 21:44We return to our six-part World of Warcraft series with the cinematic intro music from Wrath of the Lich King. Arthas, My Son tells a sad, twisted story in just three minutes; we add our own ponderous thoughts to it and the expansion as a whole. Buy Arthas, My Son here! Stephen and Bryan can both be found on Twitter, so go be their friends. They are very nice. How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iTun...
Episode 31: Title Theme (Wind Waker) with Thomas Spargo
October 25, 2014 16:37We take a break from traipsing about Azeroth to chill with Thomas Spargo in the colorful soundscape of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker's title theme. Its earthy, simple beauty is a gentle reminder that you don't need much to have a whole lot.
Episode 30: Silvermoon City (World of Warcraft)
October 18, 2014 17:20Part II of the World of Warcraft series marches on The Burning Crusade, the game's first expansion and a bastion of fond memories for Stephen and Bryan. Silvermoon City, home of the Blood Elves, is a glorious achievement of the magic-fueled race, yet runs deep with an unsettling air of darkness. This week we're talking about how it sounds. Buy Silvermoon City here! Don't forget to follow Stephen and Bryan on Twitter for kicks! How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then c...
Episode 29: Teldrassil (World of Warcraft)
October 11, 2014 18:10This is the first of five World of Warcraft episodes (each covering a different expansion) leading up to the release of Warlords of Draenor, the newest addition to this musically inclined MMORPG. We go back to the beginning with a song that's been in the game since day one: Teldrassil, in all its earthy, mystical beauty. Tune in next week when the Dark Portal opens once again!
Episode 28: Pokemon Theme (Original Anime) with Steven Reich
October 04, 2014 17:50We're not talking about a video game song this week, but hold your Rapidashes-- it's tangentially related! Gym Leader Steven Reich probably knows more about Pokemon than any mortal ever will, and that knowledge base includes the original anime's theme song, which just happens to be the topic at hand. The guy runs the Pokemon Internet Radio Network (PIRN), for Pichu's sake, so expect an information-filled leap back into the late nineties.
Episode 27: Crazy Robo (Sonic Adventure) with halc and DiGi Valentine
September 27, 2014 16:47It's been a long time coming: Train Station at 8 is finally talking about local favorite Sonic Adventure. Music-making bad dudes halc and DiGi Valentine are pumped to chat up the podcast with opinions on Crazy Robo, a frenetic boss ditty with more depth than meets the ear. It's a good time!
Episode 26: Butter Building (Kirby's Epic Yarn) with Matthew Tucciarone
September 21, 2014 05:07Matthew Tucciarone (known as Major Third on his YouTube channel) is back again, and this time he's packing arts and crafts. Butter Building from the exceptionally lovable Kirby's Epic Yarn is his choice for this episode, which makes for a delightful addendum to our previous puffball-centric excursion. Prepare yourself-- it's about to get cute in here.
Episode 25: Victory Lap with Brett Elston
September 14, 2014 01:28Host of VGMpire-- a fine video game music podcast, in case you weren't aware-- Brett Elston share his memories of Mario Kart 64 and its extraordinarily moving credits theme Victory Lap. MAGFest and Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) pop up here and there as well, but our hearts are set on that most special of Mario Kart songs, and we hope yours is, too.
Episode 24: Theme for Rohan with Jamie Christopherson
September 06, 2014 17:01Chance Thomas had some Howard-Shore-sized boots to fill when scoring The Lord of the Rings Online expansion pack Riders of Rohan, so we brought Jamie Christopherson on board to give us a composer's opinion. He's written his own Lord of the Rings music thanks to the Battle for Middle-earth series, and now the magnificent, melodic fields of the Riddermark beckon. Onward to Theme for Rohan!
Episode 23: Dragon Age: Origins
August 30, 2014 16:16BioWare masterwork Dragon Age: Origins and its logically titled theme song "Dragon Age: Origins" descend upon the podcast to share hope, death, and glory with you good listeners. Stephen and Bryan greatly enjoy the discussion, but it's mostly an excuse for them to play through Dragon Age again.
Episode 22: NiGHTS and Reala with OverClocked University
August 23, 2014 16:38Three OverClocked ReMixers gather around microphones with us this week-- OA, DragonAvenger, and Level 99-- to get lost in the jazzy, frenetic car crash (but in a good way) that is NiGHTS and Reala from NiGHTS Into Dreams. It's worth listening just for the piano solo.
Episode 21: 8pm (Animal Crossing: Wild World)
August 16, 2014 23:20Welcome to Season 2 of Train Station at 8! We're still here every Saturday, ready to talk about video game music-- that hasn't changed-- but now we're looking at just one piece of music per week. The shift in structure was inspired by our Island Swing episode during which we learned how much mileage and excitement you can get out of a single song. Not only that, but the eight question format is gone, replaced by a simpler set of dual topics: the song and our history with it. We hope you enjoy...
Episode 20: Songs of the SNES with Joe and Christina Walker
August 03, 2014 03:42The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a lot of things (most of them radical), but today it is a music box that serenades us with pleasant memories. It was a magical time back then in the '90s, and the past has a lot to teach us music-lovers in the future. Here to join in on the fun are Joe and Christina Walker, two Train Station at 8 veterans and SNES enthusiasts; they also fill the gaping Earthbound hole, which is really just a public service.
Episode 19: Inspiration Strikes with Mega Ran and Zach Walton
July 26, 2014 17:05Sometimes the world becomes a little brighter when a certain song enters the scene, and that's what this episode is all about. Raheem Jarbo (also known as Random or Mega Ran) joins Zachary Walton (fellow Disembodied Voices member) and your regularly scheduled co-hosts for a look at music that inspires them. Head over to Twitter and follow Raheem and Zachary both! How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" then consider following Train Station at 8 on Twitter, subscribing on iT...
Episode 18: The Sounds of Tamriel with Josh Wise and Kevin VanOrd
July 19, 2014 16:53The Elder Scrolls world is vast, epic, beautiful, and archetypal/archetypical; so is the music, which is mostly the part we care about right now. Josh Wise (old podcasting buddy and PhD student of systematic theology) and Kevin VanOrd (another fellow podcaster and GameSpot senior editor) lend their voices to a rigorous discussion on the sights and sounds of Tamriel. Join the adventure!
Episode 17: The Driving Beat of Mario Kart with Christophe Blondel
July 12, 2014 20:59Mario Kart 8's live jazz band ensured that Train Station at 8 would be dedicating an episode to the series. Composer (and Mario Kart remixer) Christophe Blondel agreed that this would be a swell idea and here is the result!
Episode 16: The Emotional Spectrum with Mike Raznick
July 05, 2014 22:18Emotion is a complex beast, but composer Mike Raznick has made a video game song or two thousand in his time (you've probably played a game he wrote tunes for) and helps to figure out which musical elements have power over our feelings and why. You might learn something about composition, instrumentation, and most importantly, yourself. Mike is on that Twitter thing and also has a website of his own, so click on Mike-related things! How did you like this episode? If the answer is "lots" t...
Episode 15: Island Swing with the Marcato Bros.
June 28, 2014 15:34Karl and Will Brueggemann, collectively known as the Marcato Bros., are back again to bring knowledge and enthusiasm to Train Station at 8. This brings the group count to four, but only one song is on the menu today; namely, the world famous Island Swing from Donkey Kong Country. You might think that such a focused, limited discussion would mean a shorter episode this week, but you would be wrong, good listener. You would be wrong. By all means, you should be following the Marcato Bos. on ...
Episode 14: Changing Tempo with Jayson Napolitano
June 25, 2014 18:13The inescapable drumbeat of change has caught up with Train Station at 8 and now-- if you will pardon the pun-- it's time to face the music. The soundtracks of some game series stagnate over decades while others can't help but to reinvent themselves at every turn, so we brought Episode 1 veteran Jayson Napolitano on board to help dig into this reality and what it means for us all. You can catch up with Jayson on Twitter (via his company or personal account) and, of course, visit the highl...
Episode 13: E3.mp3 (2014)
June 17, 2014 00:28The year is about halfway over, so it's time we look to the future. 2014's E3 exploded with loudness and excitement, so it taks a more careful ear to parse the fragmented songs from trailers and uncertain hints at soundtracks to come. Stephen and Bryan, fearless and guest-less, take on the task with whatever strength they can muster.