Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 10
 Bear McCreary jumps to another landmark! July 22, 2009
I. Sidhu (London, UK)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Battlestar Galactica Season 2 Soundtrack - Bear McCreary.
My Review:
After the recent success, and end, of one of the best shows ever made, Bear McCreary has made not 1 but 2 CD's of emotionally drawing and complex scores ever from the show. He continues the sweeping multi-faceted talent of instruments at his use. Bear McCreary gets really into it, adding and mixing constantly what feels right at that right moment, intricacies levelled throughout the entire album, adding true emotion, you may never catch the deepness of these songs the first time and they only get better with time; with clever cross-cut shots to coincide with his musical taste, drama and real build-up of tension unlike most shows these days.
There are many songs that stand out, the ones for me were,
Disk 1
Gaeta's Lament, The Signal, Resurrection Hub, Roslin Escapes, Among the Ruins, Cally Descends, Funeral Pyre, Roslin and Adama Reunited, Gaeta's Lament - Instrumental, Elegy, The Alliance, Blood on the Scales, Kara Remembers, Boomer Takes Hera, Dreilide Thrace Sonata No. 1, Diaspora Oratorio.
Disc: 2
Caprica City, Before the Fall, Laura's Baptism, Adama in the Memorial Hallway, Assault on the Colony, Kara's Coordinates, Earth, Goodbye Sam, The Heart of the Sun, Starbuck Disappears, So Much Life, An Easterly View.
Verdict:
This is the extraordinary talent of Bear McCreary. 9.5/10.
Battlestar Sonatica August 10, 2009
Hugh C. Morley (Ashford, UK)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Bear McCreary's work for the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica has received substantial critical acclaim, and with good reason. His scores for seasons one to three have been some of the finest music produced for either television or film. Season four is, incredibly, an improvement on even these towering soundtracks.
The music comes on two CDs, one featuring the standout music [i.e. not the many character and location motifs that were re-used from previous soundtracks in the actual TV shows] for the majority of season four, and the other containing the full score for the two-part finale - 'Daybreak'. Beginning with Alessandro Juliani's [Lt. Felix Gaeta] haunting and beautiful lament, it just keeps getting better and better. Aside from the tearful lament, real highlights of the set for me are the last three tracks on the 'Daybreak' CD, which tie in to some of the most emotional moments in the entire series. The 15 minute epic 'Assault on the Colony' is similarly superb - it even trumps season's three highlight - 'Storming New Caprica' - in terms of it's epic quality and ferocity.
I simply cannot fault the music or the product, if you're a fan of the show then this is a must.
The final chapter August 1, 2009
Mr. S. Ferrick (Ireland)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The wait is over and the final soundtrack of Battlestar Galactica is here. There are so many differing emotions that this album creates that it is difficult to discuss them all. Beginning the haunting vocals of Alessandro Julianni singing his Lament, this is an altogether more mature experience than the previous albums. Whereas before, the soundtracks produced wonderful music and score, this fourth displays Bear's growth within the show. The first disc is the, slightly, more traditional of the two. Hailing from the first 19 episodes of the season, it deals with spirituality (The cult of Baltar), emotional farewells (this seasons fantastic arrangement of 'Wander my Friends' in 'Farewell Apollo'. The use of bagpipes on this track gives the piece an even more militaristic feel, as Lee leaves the service), the wonderful Roslin-Adama love theme returning as they are 'Reunited' (this time containing a lovely ebellishment of the B theme). For me, the stand out track on this disc is 'Among the Ruins'. It contains two of the most heart-wrenching themes in the show - Kara's destiny theme and Tigh's theme. The episode, Sometimes a great notion, was a difficult experience, and the music reflects this. Strings in high registers depict the near-panic and true horror of the episode, while the drawn-out destiny theme displays Kara's confusion and pain. The piece comes to a thrilling conclusion with Tigh's theme returning as never heard before. This piece is a stunning example of a fantastic composer.
Disc 2 contains the entire score from 'Daybreak', the finale. It contains more lush music and less of the traditional thematic material from the show (that said, 'Assault on the Colony', coming in at a whopping 15minutes, conatins virtually all character themes). It's score is reminiscent of the new show, Caprica. This disc is an enjoyable fare in itself - 'Heart of the Sun' is a wonderful piece for all those who watched the original series as well. :) 'Starbuck disappears, for me, is the emotional high-point of the disc as she and Lee part. The epilogue, 'The passage of time' is a knowing and touching ending as 'one year later', the theme from the last episode of season 2, returns and closes the show.
This soundtrack is, among other things, a fantastic example of music that deserves to be heard. It displays the last season of an extraordinary television show, but even more than that, it closes Bear Mccreary's invovlement with it. Accordingly, the music is emotional, exciting, evocative and captivating.
The best television soundtrack August 11, 2009
R. Goforth (North East England)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Bear McCreary's soundtracks for Battlestar Galactica have moved from strength to strength as his style developed and even improved throughout the show. Bear's music is haunting, emotional, uplifting and heartbreaking, and is completely different from any more traditional television soundtrack.
You only need to listen, and read his blog to know how much effort he's put into making his music the best it can be to accompany the show. Not content with simply going through the motions he goes much deeper into what emotions are required and therefore his music becomes almost an extra character and a narrative in itself.
From the muscal climax to Season Three onwards, Battlestar's Season Four brought greater referral back to the music within the show itself than any really thought possible - with one of the major musical themes actually becoming a major plot device and an entire episode almost entirely devoted to this music - so the Season Four soundtrack becomes practically a must-have for all Battlestar fans.
It's more vocal than the previous seasons boxsets, with 'Gaita's Lament' featuring the actor Alessandro Juliani, and Kandyse McClure singing on 'Funeral Pyre'; there are also many choral pieces as well.
Each track is excellently rearranged and crafted - I'm particularly keen on the arrangement of 'Kara Remembers'. The extra work put into the rearrangements makes it's much more easy to just listen to the music than most other soundtrack albums (BSG Season One, for example).
La-La Land Records have done a fantastic job on the production of the disc and the insert for this, their 100th soundtrack album production.
Very very highly recommended.
WOW The Best Soundtrack Of All Time! August 14, 2009
Stuart R. Baldry (UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Wow this is the most amazing soundtrack of any TV series and season 4 is no exception to this.
I have been waiting for ages for this to arrive and as soon as it did I listened to both CD's and was amazed.
The music just makes you feel like your there, some tracks make you feel as if your living on Caprica walking through the parks and looking up at the amazing skyline and the ships passing over you.
Even if you haven't seen the TV series, which if you haven't why the heck not!, then buy this CD just for the music!
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