Star Trek - Music From The Motion Picture CD Review

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Reviewed by Chris McEneany, 9th May 2009
Well, I like this score quite a lot. It is fast, dynamic and forceful when necessary, yet its calmer side is poignant, dignified and character-led. Sadly, there is not enough of Giacchino’s music on this disc. Varese Sarabande have simply put out the bare minimum on a mass-marketed, play-it-safe release. Although Giacchino’s work has been extremely well served on disc with extensive tracks and indulgent running times in the past, Star Trek, which is, inarguably the biggest project he has been associated with, fares the least well. At this moment in time, I simply cannot say whether a fuller, more comprehensive album will be released, but the enormous success of the new movie will surely bode well for fan-clamouring to be taken seriously by the label. They do, indeed, have a trend of releasing excellent expanded albums further down the line and we can only hope that the new Star Trek score receives such treatment.

But be that as it may, as far as this rebooted, overhauled and streamlined score goes, it definitely grows on you the more you listen to it, folks. And it suits the movie perfectly.

Exciting and catchy, the main theme for Kirk and Spock certainly gets inside your head like a Vulcan mind-meld. Darker themes for Nero provide some swirling glimmers of time-shifting menace. But, despite the meagre assortment of tracks presented here, Star Trek Giacchino-style packs a punch that definitely deserves further spinning. Certainly as engaging and as pulse-pounding as David Arnold’s Bond reboot, Casino Royale, and considerably better than his Quantum Of Solace follow-on, there's every hope that Giacchino is able to build upon his work here for the next instalment of the “New” Federation franchise and keep his Trek on track.

Short, sharp and supremely Star Trek. Not to get this would be illogical, Captain.


Read the full review...
 
I think you're absolutely spot-on with your review, Chris. I've read far too many complaints about the music on the internets, and I'm bewildered by the comments, I really am. I've been listening to the score constantly for the last few days - heck, I've got it playing right now. My favourite cue is 'Enterprising Young Men'.

As you say, people keep expecting music for the new movie that screams 'sci-fi', and when they don't get it they just seem to dismiss it out of hand.

What's funny is that Nick Meyer also wanted to move away from the grand, militaristic marches that became a pre-requisite for sci-fi flicks in the wake of Star Wars, and so we got something quite different for The Undiscovered Country. The music for The Voyage Home was also fairly off-beat for Trek, sounding very bright and optimistic compared to James Horner's work in the previous two films.
 
Hi there,

My first new post on this forum. I haven't seen the new Star Trek movie yet, but the music from the new movie is good. It's growing on me each time I listen to it, I have got OTS DJ in which I am listening to it converted from Mp3 Format.

But you cannot beat Jerry Goldsmith's & Alexander Courage's original scores both missed R.I.P

My very good friend Tony Alleyne who owns the Star Trek flat here in Hinckley, Leicestershire. Whent to the Premiere on Friday down in London I bet he loved it there

Take Care

Captain Cubbio 2009
 

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