American McGee’s Alice Game Score
The Luge on November 18th, 2009 at 3:05 am
Artist: ChrisVrenna
Album: American McGee’s Alice
Genre: Video Game Score, Soundtrack, Ambient, Experimental
Similarities: Fantomas (Delirium), Gerard Marino, The Residents (more recent works), Art of Noise, Craig Conner, Danny Elfman
Set years after Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, the game features an older, more cynical and macabre incarnation of Alice. Alice’s house is burned down by an accidental fire, killing her family, and leaving her as the only survivor. Due to her survivor’s guilt, she tries to commit suicide (bandages can be seen on her wrists), and becomes catatonic. She is institutionalized in Rutledge Asylum, where she remains insane and is consistently mistreated by the workers. Ten years later, the White Rabbit summons Alice to aid a radically altered Wonderland, which became a twisted version of itself as it came under the despotic rule of the Queen of Hearts. The Cheshire Cat serves as Alice’s companion throughout the game, frequently appearing to guide her with cryptic comments.
I’m Not Edible
The Centipede
All of the music created for the fittingly twisted official American McGee’s Alice soundtrack was written and performed by Chris Vrenna with the help of guitarist Mark Blasquez and singer Jessicka. Most of the sounds he used were created using toy instruments and percussion, music boxes (in a short documentary about the making of the game that appeared on TechTV, the music box used appears to be an antique Fisher-Price music box pocket radio), clocks, doors, and sampled female voices were manipulated into nightmarish soundscapes, including instances of them laughing maniacly, screaming, crying, and singing in an eerie, child-like way.
The music creates an eerie feel to the world Alice is in. The Pale Realm theme, as well as I’m Not Edible, features the melody of the chorus of a popular children’s song, “My Grandfather’s Clock”. As well as this, there are a great many instances of the ticking & chiming of clocks being used as a musical accompaniment.
With a movie adaptation of McGee’s Alice in the making, Electronic Arts had also expressed interest in releasing a remake of the game, although initially details were unclear whether it would be a remake, an update, or a sequel. On 19 February 2009, EA CEO John Riccitiello announced at D.I.C.E. 2009 that a new installment to the series is in the works for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. It is being developed by Spicy Horse, who recently worked on American McGee’s Grimm. 2 pieces of concept art were also released, depicting Alice & large allied birds fighting an oversized, snail & its children on top of a lighthouse, and Alice swimming in a pond, with the Cheshire Cat’s face in the background. Although no official date has been announced, it is planned for release early 2011.
Download American McGee’s Alice Here. (102MB – 20 Tracks & Cover Art)
The Funhouse
Battle with the Red Queen
Pool of Tears
Late to the Jabberwocky
Village of the Doomed
American McGee’s Alice Sequel Concept Art
** Audio use is for preview listening purposes only, all tracks can be found (for extremely cheap) via itunes, legalsounds.com as well as CD purchases through a number of online music stores. Any persons involved in the writing and.or production can contact me (kilby@knifefightingjesus.com) and links will be removed if desired.
4 Comments
kilby | December 2nd, 2009 at 1:32 pm
cant tell how sarcastic that is… almost pj peters confusing
Beezard | December 2nd, 2009 at 10:57 pm
not at all sarcastic. I really like it.
Beezard | December 2nd, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Especially “Pandemonium” and “The Funhouse”.
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I listen to this a lot.