Podcast Summary: Ben Shapiro Reacts to Clair Obscur Expedition 33 | Violinist Analysis

Podcast: The Ben Shapiro Show
Host: The Daily Wire
Episode Date: December 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ben Shapiro dives into a musical and cultural analysis of the video game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, focusing especially on its award-winning soundtrack and the performance of its violinist. Ben offers a combination of skepticism, humor, and genuine musical insight as he breaks down several tracks from the game, drawing on classical music theory and personal taste to critique the compositions. The discussion expands to include broader points on modern game music, dissonance, and what makes for compelling musical storytelling in contemporary media.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (01:27–02:51)

• Ben admits no prior knowledge of the game, but highlights its indie origins and remarkable sweep at the awards circuit:
  • “Apparently it is the first video game made by a French indie studio called Sandfall Interactive… it won nine awards out of the 13 it was eligible to win…” (01:31)
  • Offers a sardonic take on online conspiracy theories about the game show results: “people thought that it was rigged. But the people are retarded, apparently.” (01:45)

Initial Impressions & The Setting (02:12–02:51)

• Ben listens to in-game narration and summarizes the premise: artists wield supernatural powers involving life and death, inspiring expeditions to stop them.
  • “Okay, so it’s the end of Avengers again.” – Ben’s tongue-in-cheek characteristic comparison (02:35)

Lyrical Analysis and French Language Commentary (02:51–03:47)

• Ben reads translated lyrics, humorously claims ignorance of French:
  • “I do not speak French because I am, of course, not a communist.” (02:51)
  • Jokes about historical ironies: “they should feel lucky that they speak French still and not German.” (02:56)
• Lyrics summary: Themes of guardianship and loss, referencing French painters and impressionistic imagery.

Musical Analysis: Structure, Melody, and Critique (03:47–04:55)

• Ben wears his “music hat” and offers direct, honest feedback:
  • Critiques a lack of dynamic structure: “I was waiting for the actual chorus and there was no chorus to that song…a main critique of many modern songs, including apparently ones for video games. The song has to go somewhere.” (04:30)
  • Enjoys the instrumentation: “I’m a sucker for like anything that shows me a slow mo picture of a Steinway viola. Okay, again, like, give me instruments.” (04:40)
  • Ultimately, he finds the piece repetitive and unsatisfying.

Track-by-Track Impressions: The Soundscape Approach (05:34–07:20)

• Ben reviews additional tracks:
  • On “Dicherie la Troile”: “I don’t pronounce any of the Ls in French…” (05:46)
  • Observes that many tracks function as ambient soundscapes rather than songs with pronounced crescendos or climaxes: “It’s kind of a soundscape. All right. Not terrible. Not terrible.” (06:10)
  • Collaborates with co-host/listener input: “Video game elevator music is an excellent take. Savvy. That is right. But dramatic elevator music. Slightly dramatic elevator music in a foreign language. It’s a creepy elevator. Slightly creepy elevator. And this is widely considered to be the best song in the game.” (06:20–06:35)

Emotional Impact and Fight Themes (07:20–08:15)

• Moves on to a track played during a major in-game boss fight:
  • Initially perplexed by the mood: “This does not sound like it's near a fight. What kind of fight is it? Is it a fight where you pose a lot?” (07:28)
  • Compliments a piece for building towards something: “Well, I like that the song actually built towards something, so that's good.” (07:48)
  • Notices most pieces don’t venture into new registers, but appreciates when some musical progression is present.

Violinist and Final Boss Theme Analysis (08:15–09:58)

• Focuses on the final boss theme, “The Paintress”:
  • Applauds appropriate use of dissonance for villainy: “They're using dissonance. Right? …which is what you should use for a villainous character.” (08:20)
  • Technical critique: “You had the violinist up top, but the violinist wasn't actually doing anything difficult there. The violinist is just playing very high notes repeatedly... This is not super demanding.” (08:35–08:55)
  • Recognizes the talent of the performers, but notes that the composition isn’t particularly virtuosic.

Deep Dive: Classical vs. Modern Harmony and the Use of Dissonance (09:58–11:12)

• Ben pivots to music theory, offering educational insights:
  • “A lot of music is about creating intensity and then dissipating the intensity. So this was one of the things about classical, original classical [music]. Like if you listen to baroque music, there's almost no dissonance. It was supposed to be pleasant.” (09:59)
  • Outlines intervals and their emotive impact—for example, the “devil’s harmony” of the seventh interval, and how classical pieces resolve dissonance into harmony.
  • Uses Bartók as a case study for effective modern dissonance: “If you listen to Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra… The first movement is enormously dissonant. And then it resolves into this thundering horn section... It really is stirring because you went from dissonance into harmony.” (10:50)
  • Stresses the importance of knowing compositional rules before breaking them.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Modern Music Structure:
  “The song has to go somewhere. If the song goes nowhere and you just get me. Bum bum bum But a bum bum bum But a bum bum bum like over and over and over. That's not a full song. That is the intro to a song.” – Ben Shapiro, (04:25)

• On French Language and Humor:
  “I do not speak French because I am, of course, not a communist.” – Ben Shapiro, (02:51)
  “They should feel lucky that they speak French still and not German.” – Ben Shapiro, (02:56)

• On the Soundtrack’s Style:
  “Video game elevator music is an excellent take. Savvy. That is right... Slightly dramatic elevator music in a foreign language. It's a creepy elevator.” – Ben Shapiro, (06:20–06:35)

• On Classical Dissonance:
  “If you play a seventh, that was called the devil's harmony… because [it] sounds like it needs to resolve to the octave. It wants to go somewhere dissonant. Harmonies want to move to harmonies that are pleasant to the ear.” – Ben Shapiro, (10:10)

• Closing Reaction:
  “That was the thing that happened in my life just now.” – Ben Shapiro, (11:12)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:27] – Introduction to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and its indie origins
• [02:12] – Game premise and narrative setup
• [02:51] – Lyrical analysis; French language jokes
• [03:47] – First musical critique: song structure and repetition
• [05:34] – Analysis of “Dicherie la Troile,” elevator music analogy
• [07:20] – Assessment of a boss fight track, praise for musical build
• [08:15] – Discussion of violin technique in the main boss theme
• [09:58] – Music theory breakdown: dissonance, classical vs. modern harmony
• [10:50] – Bartók’s orchestration as an example
• [11:12] – Episode’s dryly humorous conclusion

Conclusion

Ben Shapiro’s foray into analyzing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s music is an engaging blend of sharp critique, music theory education, and playful sarcasm. He’s ultimately left unimpressed by the soundtrack’s repetitive, atmospheric style, craving more melodic and structural development—but still finds value in the discussion of musical techniques, especially around dissonance and artistry. The episode is equal parts review, lesson, and entertainment, with plenty for both music fans and Shapiro’s regular followers.