Battlestar Galactica: Season 2 Original Soundtracks

About the Composer:Bear McCreary took over as the composer for the hot new science fiction series Battlestar Gallactica when the series went it normal production in 2004. McCreary expanded upon some of the original mini-series (2003) composer Richard Gibbs's themes, but quickly developed a style of his own characterized by a mix of tribal beats, ethereal vocals, and electronics. His season 1 Battlestar Galactica soundtrack was very well received, and has been considered an instrumental part of the success of the series. McCreary is comfortable writing and making use of traditional orchestra ensembles, string quartets, electronic compositions, rock flavored guitar, and more traditional folk arrangements. I'd describe his style as actually being similar to European "fusion" music, which mixes electronics with a variety of music styles from around the globe.About the Soundtrack:This disk is packed with over an hour of some of my favorite musical tracks from BSG season 2. Though the series itself reused some of the music originally scored for season 1, with only a few exceptions this soundtrack actually focuses on highlighting the new music introduced in season 2. In season 1, McCreary established a few theme songs that we incorporate with specific characters and those themes are worked into new pieces for season 2. Starbuck's theme is masterfully mixed into "Escape from the Farm" and Baltar's theme is integral to "Baltar's Dream" (the track ties into "The Shape of Things to Come" from the season 1 disk). Aside from those two tracks and Richard Gibbs main title sequence (sort of a must for a television soundtrack disk), the rest of the material is not available on the previous disk.Recommended Tracks:* Pegasus* Lords of Kobol* Martial Law* Black Market* Prelude to War* Something Dark is ComingThough amazon allows you to sample the music, their choice of what part of the tracks to sample does not always highlight what I like about many of these tracks. For example, the sampled version of "Lords of Kobol" (sung by jazz singer Raya Yarbrough) doesn't feature her vocals ... which are amazing! Raya's lyrics, sung in Sengalese, are really one of the most moving pieces on this disk and it is a shame you will not be able to sample them before making your purchase! On the other hand, the amazon sample of "Martial Law" is very true to the track. Basically the disk is better than the samples.What I liked most about this soundtrack was its diversity. "Black Market" is a dark fusion of industrial guitar riffs and a middle-eastern flute / drum rhythm (it sounds like a seedy restaurant). Yarbrough's heavenly vocals on "Lords of Kobol" add an emotional and uplifting human touch. "Martial Law" is a chilling styled cold war / eastern bloc styled piece that is completely unlike "The Cylon Prisoner" which has a mix of blues and southwestern American folk. All of these different styles work together as an audio exploration of the state of the human condition - which ultimately is what the series itself is about!

I've had this CD since 2006 (Amazon tells me so), 6+ years it's still fresh, it still catches me and I stop whatever I'm doing for a few moments then when I go back to the task at hand shaken from a daydream, it's not the same task.The first track, "Colonial Anthem," has an interesting treatment. I've heard it in my car and on several different PC speakers and it starts out the same, distant like a memory. If you were listening to some "too stuck on themselves producer" on a DVD commentary track they would use the gods awful word "homage." This beginning treatment isn't like that, it isn't oh we have to have this theme. It's distant, like waking from a dream or remembering days when you were a kid. (And yes I am old enough to have watched the original BSG when it originally aired.) But then the percussion comes in, the subtleties of timing--the drum beats staggered just a bit--and when the horns return you are awake and you are in the present.As for the rest they all have their merit and they don't fit a mold. Themes are adjusted as they need to for the characters or the plot which makes for a richer listening experience. Whether it's the loving strings on "Rosalin and Adama," the frantic nature of "Escape from the Farm," the mid-eastern feel of "Baltar's Dream," the haunting Civil War feel of "Reuniting the Fleet," or the `Deliverance' and up s*** creek wail of "The Cylon Prisoner."Among my favorites though are "Martial Law" even now it reminds me of decision we make but don't want do and the builds and recesses of "Prelude to War" and "Worthy of Survival." I find it interesting that something so beautiful would be titled "Something Dark is Coming." Crap now I have to dig out the DVD to find out when this was playing...

The liner notes from Ron Moore and from Bear in this Season 2 offering give us a pretty strong hint -- more than in Season 1 -- of the grueling, frustrating, mind/soul-frakkin' work that it is to be a composer for a series like BG.Knowing this, and hearing what Bear was able to create from that chaotic miasma, is nothing short of miraculous. To Ron Moore I say, "let the boy on set!" so he can partake of some of that camraderie -- the totally unexpected goofiness of Mary McDonnell, the sly humor of Jamie Bamber, the crusty stoicism of Eddie Olmos. Imagine what a Bear fueled with this input could do? Get Bear to the set!Rant finished.It's no doubt wonderful to hear Bear's work stripped of the visuals and the competing dialogue and sfx tracks. There was a lot of stuff going on in Season 2 and, while watching the episodes, I felt we weren't allowed to hear as much of Bear's thematic underpinnings as we did in Season 1. Now you can hear every note played and sung."Roslin/Adama" is stunningly lyrical, poignant. Can't you just see the two of them, waltzing slowly around a room in that 3/4 time? Some room somewhere? Some time in the future?"Reuniting the Fleet" -- yea! Always great to hear that taste of Home."A Promise to Return" -- sweet and synchronistic when you read of the tragedy that befell the violinist who performed on the track.Bottom line -- Bear is the perfect foil for the dramatic gravitas of this series. He "gets it." And, because he does, we do, too.To all those creators and advocates and people seeking to make the world better, pick up this CD and make it one of your "soundtracks of life." Play it while you're tackling the tough, dramatic stuff we have to tackle, because Bear's music says "yes we can" and "we'll be better off for the tackling."

McCreary excels himself here, surpassing even his near flawless work on the first season. He still pays tribute to Galactica's established and Richard Gibbs's motifs and hallmarks (eastern modalities, ethnic instrumentation blending with orchestra and synths, pounding percussion and soaring sopranos), but what marks this score out as special is the full flowering of McCreary's own voice. His testosterone-fuelled take on Philip Glass minimalsim is beautiful to behold (Glass's Metamorphosis One featured early in the secon season in a nice tribute and nod from McCreary), indeed some of his beautiful scoring for strings would have done the old maestro himself proud.Bear McCreary is a name to watch in the world of TV and film composing, his scoring lithe yet muscular, visceral yet emtionally thrilling, dark yet yearning and hopeful - he is indeed a young master of extraordinary talent.

I cannot give an unbiased review because I am a huge fan of the television series, however as has been detailed by other reviewers, if you like the television series you are sure to enjoy the soundtrack. Many of the tracks are classical and orchestral, with one or two more modern tracks thrown in for good measure. If you enjoyed the orchestral moodiness that took the television show to another level, this CD is something that you should own.

McCreary has combined Celtic, Arabic, and Eastern elements to create a tribal / military / emotional collection of tunes that really give the series feeling.

A great soundtrack... I'm sure BSG fans do not need me to go on about it but the quality was very good!

Great sound track