(2) German Trance project of Ralph Fritsch & Detlef Hastik, active throughout the 90s which ended with the double A-side release: "You're My Angel / The Moon Is Shining" in 2003. "You're My Angel" was later covered by the UK duo Styles & Breeze.
(For Final Fantasy videogames, please use 植松伸夫 and other respective composers. More information available on Wikipedia or just use Musicbrainz Picard).
Further information on (1) entry below:
The Canadian musician decided to stop using this moniker in December 18th, 2009 and start using his own name, Owen Pallett, as he planned to release his third album in the Japanese market, where the name 'Final Fantasy' may have conflicted with the famous video game franchise. He also announced that previous albums will be re-released under his name
Owen Pallett is a violinist and singer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is the principal member of the band Final Fantasy, which is essentially a solo group, although Leon Taheny is also credited as drummer and engineer. (This band should not be mistaken with Square Enix's famous game series "Final Fantasy" - its music is mostly composed by 植松伸夫. The name "Final Fantasy" is in fact a tribute to the well-known video game series.) On September 18th 2006, Final Fantasy won the inaugural Polaris Music Prize for the best Canadian album (based solely on artistic merit).
Pallett has been noted for his live performances, wherein he plays the violin into a sampler controlled by foot pedals, which then loops back one or more of the previously played musical phrases as he plays additional parts simultaneously. He has also performed with more traditional string quartets as backing musicians.
He believes his work is somewhat influenced by his sexuality, saying "As far as whether the music I make is gay or queer, yeah, it comes from the fact that I'm gay, but that doesn't mean I'm making music about it." in a recent interview.
"I'm taking a cue from Joel Gibb," he begins. "He and I are very different people, and we're very different in terms of the way we've assessed our sexual identities, but one thing I really respect about him is that his music has less to do with his identity and more to do with the more interesting aspects of himself." He states in an earlier interview in Toronto's NOW Magazine concerning his sexual identity and its use in his music.
On 12 February 2005, his debut album, Final Fantasy Has A Good Home, was released by the recording club Blocks (sometimes referred to as 'BlocksBlocksBlocks'), a cooperative, Toronto-based record label of which he is a member. A second album is entitled "He Poos Clouds", and inspiration for the songs are based on the eight schools of magic used for Dungeons & Dragons and how they relate to modern times. It is released under Tomlab.
His previous projects included a 3-piece Toronto-based band, Les Mouches, now defunct. He is still a member of another Toronto band called Picastro. Owen has also recorded and toured with The Hidden Cameras and The Arcade Fire. One of his songs, "This Is the Dream of Win & Regine", was inspired by the principal members of the latter group, Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, and a Dntel song of a similar name (This is the Dream of Evan & Chan). Owen also co-wrote the orchestral arrangements for both of The Arcade Fire's albums, along with Régine Chassagne.
This is the Dream of Win & Reg
Final Fantasy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't wait until you, can't wait 'til you unsubscribe
I'll be a lonely scribe
But - what if they like it
And lock us in a cannery with your accordion
Until we canned our love?
We can get along
Montreal might eat its young
But Montreal won't break us down
Now I got a VCR
If we put our hearts in twenty thousand tiny jars
They'd never leave their homes
We can get along
We can get along
Montreal might eat its young
But Montreal won't break us down
I tried and tried and tried and tried
and tried and tried to keep the crowds away
I tried and tried and tried and tried
and tried and tried to keep the crowds away
The opening line of "Crown myself the prince of buzz" suggests that the singer believes they are the center of attention, and perhaps even hold power over others. But the following line reveals a somewhat darker side to this perception, as they express their hope that others will unsubscribe - leading to the singer being alone with their thoughts as a "lonely scribe." The second verse expands on this loneliness, with the imagery of being locked in a cannery with only an accordion for company, and the suggestion that the singer and their companion could "can their love" - a reference perhaps to preserving something that is precious, but also perhaps fleeting.
The chorus brings a sense of hope, as the singer declares that they can get along and resist the challenges they face (such as being eaten by Montreal, a metaphorical idea that could mean destruction or assimilation into mainstream culture). The song's second half adds more images of isolation and the desire to hold onto something meaningful - even if it's just in tiny jars that will never leave their homes. The repetition of "We can get along" gains more importance in this context, as it suggests the resilience and determination of the pair, and perhaps an acknowledgement that, while there are challenges to face, they can weather them together.
Overall, "This is the Dream of Win & Reg" presents a complex picture of loneliness, creative struggle, and the desire to hold onto something meaningful in the face of outside forces that may threaten to break it down.
Line by Line Meaning
Crown myself the prince of buzz
I am promoting myself as the king of the popular scene
Can't wait until you, can't wait 'til you unsubscribe
I am eagerly waiting for you to become disinterested or annoyed with me so I can prove my self-sufficiency
I'll be a lonely scribe
I will willingly and happily play the role of the solitary writer
But - what if they like it
What if, despite all my grandstanding, people actually enjoy my work?
And lock us in a cannery with your accordion
What if, as a result of our unexpected popularity, we are confined to a life of monotony?
Until we canned our love?
What if our creative inspiration is sapped by the endless repetition of our successful work?
We can get along
Despite the challenges, we can find a way to coexist and continue our work
Montreal might eat its young
Although working in a competitive and critical environment, we will not let it defeat us
But Montreal won't break us down
We have a determination to succeed and resist defeat, especially by those who are unsupportive
Now I got a VCR
My possession of a VCR symbolizes my deteriorating relevance in the contemporary technology-driven world
If we put our hearts in twenty thousand tiny jars
If we channel our emotions and experiences into addressing the minutiae of our lives, we can find inspiration and purpose
They'd never leave their homes
If people could experience the depth of our work, they could find meaning within their own lives and wouldn't feel the need to leave
I tried and tried and tried and tried and tried and tried to keep the crowds away
I attempted to resist and exclude the popularity that was initially unwanted, but ultimately, we cannot control our success
Contributed by Chloe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@vnssgrc
after all these years I still wake up to this violin melody in my head every now and then
@yatima2975
What if they like it? // Montreal might eat its young // The *best* violin solo of modern times (don't want to diss Mozart et al).
I could write another paragraph about the similarities with Grimes' Oblivion video and (duh) The Handmaid's Tale.
@vnssgrc
@yatima2975 no dissing, BUT..........
@jordanmcminn998
Insane how time goes by. As a teenager exploring music this was pivotal. As an adult, Owen Pallett's music is just as important to me
@adiscofromhell
This is still one of my favourite songs & definitely my favourite music video :)
@ErieMaxwell
This song never fails to make my day a little bit better. Thank you so much for posting!
@lukejones6293
we need this song on spotify. barely listen to it as much as i would... love this song so much
@willtaylor5981
It is on Spotify now
@talidemon
I love you, Owen. Thank you so much for your amazing music. You bring a fellow artist so much joy. To be honest, you are the only one I can listen to.
@MultiWindchime
wow ive been waiting for music with such passion and dynamics to whom it may concern: i am very appreciative of this musical blessing - remember to appreciate and love