Customer Reviews

Battlestar Galactica

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The new Battlestar Galactica series on SciFi Network has radically "re-imagined" the original, upbeat 1978 cult series as seen through more jaded, post-9/11 eyes...and it works. The series is dark and melancholy - a moving story that plays upon the emotions of loss, defeat, and hope, and even moreso through its music.

The new score by Oingo Boingo's Richard Gibbs reflects this tone through a minimalistic score meant to pull at the heartstrings rather than make you salute the Colonial Fleet. With its Middle-Eastern chord progressions and vocals, distant ambient sounds and sparse percussive sequences, the individual pieces set moods and play to emotions, and do so masterfully.

Old-school BSG fans who (as I did at the tender age of 17) want to regale to the shiny happy 1978 version may find this new series difficult to connect with, since it combines bits and pieces of the original story with some very radical and interesting departures. I suspect this will impact listeners' interest in the soundtrack as well. That disco-era space opera feeling is nowhere to be found in the series, nor in the new soundtrack.

If you long for triumphant, feel-good trumpet lines, go buy an Aaron Copland CD. In producer Ron Moore's universe, however, the human race is nearly extinct. That calls for a minimalistic, tense, and melancholy score. For listeners who are looking for moving, emotive and ambient washes that reinforce this 2005-era remake: this is a great CD.

- weave

Please don't listen to the people who can't get beyond the original series. Yes, I too loved that series--when I was 12. This new series is more thoughtful, with better writing, direction, and infinitely better production values. The new soundtrack is correspondingly updated, as well. It's great: non intrustive and atmospheric at times, and extremely tense and driving at others. It's great soundtrack for a great reimagining of the series.

Television scores are a notoriously tricky genre. Often, even if they're great scores, they tend to be heavily reliant on synthesized sounds, and the scores can sound rather cheesy when put onto a CD by their lonesome. This is true not merely for sci-fi television, but for television in general.

Richard Gibbs' score for the "Battlestar Galactica" miniseries isn't necessarily one of the best scores in the history of the world, but it is definitely a good one. It's a minimalist composition, in some ways, and if you want a couple of similar scores offered up, here goes: the remake of "Solaris" for one, and "The Ice Storm" for another. The music isn't very similar to those scores, but some of the instrumentation is.

As for comparing this score to Stu Phillips' music for the original... why would you do that? This is, like the miniseries itself, something new. It's good, too: bold and daring, even.

In other words, it ain't the same old thing you always hear on this type of show. I, for one, am glad of it.

I was really captivated by the music while watching the mini series, It never overwhelmed the imagery, didn't try to sound over the top. It worked it's magic in a very subtle manner.

I was so happy to learn of the release of this soundtrack. I had really missed most of the music, because it was so subtle. This music is beautiful and haunting in some spots.

The series is pretty good, too! And this is coming from a non-Sci Fi fan.

When I first heard about a remake of the "Battlestar Galactica" TV Series, I was excited for several reasons, one of which was the score. Who was going to compose it? Would they use the original theme? When I saw the music would be composed by Richard Gibbs, a composer that I was not familiar with (although I listen to a huge amount of soundtracks). I was never-the-less quite disappointed.

My opinion has changed immensely since my original impression! After viewing the mini-series (which I was *extremely* pleased with), I have to say the score was terrific! It's completely different from Stu Phillips' approach to the original 70's series, and still a great listen.

Some of the tracks, such as Track 4 ("To Kiss Or Not To Kiss") has a theme in it that literally brings tears to my eyes. It's a very emotional theme that has a certain "tribal" quality to it. In fact, most of the music has this sound...kind of a "Thomas Newman meets Hans Zimmer" flair. But I do not mean this to describe Gibbs' score as a knock-off of anything else...it's entirely original and I am thrilled that it got a release on CD.

I look forward to what Richard Gibbs will bring us once the series premieres in the fall of 2004 on the Sci-Fi Channel.

As a fan of Stu Phillips' wonderfull score for the original 1978 version of Battlestar Galactica I was keen to hear it revived again for the new Sci-fi Channel miniseries. This was not to be the case!
The director wanted a non-intusive, minimalist approach to scoring this new "re-invented" version of the show.
Composer Richard Gibbs (Queen Of The Damned) was given this difficult task and (along with assistant Bear McCreary) composed a score that not only compliments the imagery on the show perfectly but stands alone as a great listen on CD!
At first I found it too subtle or gentle but the more I heard it the more it grew on me. It's use of ethnic instuments mixed with western styles works well. Some tracks really stand out for their sheer beauty. 'To Kiss Or Not To Kiss' is lovely and 'The Storm And The Dead' is just glorious! The "action" tracks are simple but very good in their use of Japanese taiko drums with synth backing.
If you only like your "space opera" music in the vein of Star Wars, Star Trek or the original Battlestar style then perhaps this score isn't for you. I love all of the above but found this new approach of minimalist action scoring refreshingly different. I'm very pleased with this soothingly stylish addition to the sci-fi music universe. Bravo Mr. Gibbs!

Richard Gibbs had the unenviable task of following up to Stu Phillip's iconic score for the original Battlestar Galactica. However, rather than go with the now formulaic big and brassy space opera score that he chose a more minimalistic and tribal score. It is not only a perfect match for the reimagination of the Galactica universe, but it's a pretty decent score on its own.

Gibbs hits the kind of atmosphere that Evan Chen tried to hit with his soundtrack to 1999's "Crusade", but does it with much more restraint and must less dissonance. He uses traditional orchestral arrangements with electronic percussion to great effect, blending tribal beats with more conventional underscoring. The first track "Are You Alive?" sets the tone with an understated drum theme that reappears throughout the soundtrack, before the score veers into pulse-pounding action tracks like "Launch Vipers" and pieces that brilliantly reflect the struggle of the Galactica's crew against overwhelming odds.

If you're a fan of traditional space opera scoring, you'll probably be disappointed with this album. If you like a more restrained and atmospheric score, this is a worthwhile album.

The first thing I noticed about the show was the music- it fits the mood perfectly and is not the usual fare that tries to tell you what to feel. Then again, BSG 2003 doesn't need that. It enhances the action and doesn't distract.

Excellent and very different...just like the show.

...this is an amazing score. The direction taken was a refreshing change from the usual bombastic orchestral or, god forbid, the synth that we are so used to in productions of this genre. I was very pleased with the end result. The tribal drum rolls, light synth, and passionate vocals really made this score stand out from everything I've heard in recent years. Though some may find the styles of several tracks to be repetitious, I can be very sure that the soundtrack deserves at least an honorable mention. Though Bear McCreary should also be credited for several tracks. Many of the better ones too. Look forward to the release of the first season's soundtack.

I love Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams as much as the next SF buff, but I was knocked back on my heels by how different the soundtrack to the Galactica miniseries turned out to be! Instead of shouting trumpets and fanfare and the 'space opera' panache of a typical Williams work, Gibbs takes the opposite road and often sets moods with subtlety, employing a range of non-traditional instrumentation including Japanese Taiko drumming and indonesian gamelan. Synthesizer is also employed, with judicious precision, and the entire work compliments the tight, skillfully written, acted, and shot movie right down to the last scene.

I purchased this several weeks ago, and have listened to it many, many times since. Hearing the score without the film actually reveals further levels of richness that I didn't detect while watching the movie, and certain tracks, such as 17 and 22, really attain a heightened level of emotional and aural impact that I found most remarkable.

Kudos for Ron Moore and Co. for having the daring(?) to use Gibbs, who has created a most unusual and delightful soundscape for this most unusual and remarkable remake of a traditional popcorn Saturday afternoon SF classic.

The new score, like the new series, stands impressively on its own. Bravo!