Battlestar Galactica: Season 3
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Free Music Notes for Battlestar Galactica: Season 3
Free Music Review: All Along The Watchtower alone worth 20$
Hit: 5 Stars
Incredible CD. The final song, All Along The Watchtower alone was worth the price of buying the cd. I've been looking forward to listening to this version of the song for a while, and it did not disappoint!
5 stars.
Free Music Review: Yeah, what everyone else says!
Hit: 5 Stars
Without a doubt, Bear McCreary's finest work to date, though I could sense that throughout Season 3 itself. I'm constantly amzed by the shear variety of arrangement, instrumentation and moods McCreary uses and conveys in his score, and this CD reminds us that his contribution to the show is as important as the SFX, the writing, production and acting. McCreary will be a force to be reckoned with for decades to come. I do have one minor complaint, but won't take away a star. Possibly the most important musical segment of S3 was that in the "Crossroads" finale. Although this adaptation of "All Along the Watchtower" is a remarkable piece, I too would have like to have had the mix as it was used in the show itself. As it stands here, it just doesn't have that same epic feel as it did in the finale.Free Music Review: Go and get that Grammy, Bear ! You deserve it
Hit: 5 Stars
If TV land is even slightly fair then Bear McCreary should get at least a Grammy and/or Globe for this magnificient achievement. With each passing score for "Battlestar Galactica" it gets better and better and this is the best score from the four that have been published.
I can't think of any series sci-fi, drama that publishes a soundtrack for each passing season but BSG does and for a good reason too. I don't know where to start. Maybe at the beginning.
Like the scene in the episode ("Occupation Part 1") the track "A Distant Sadness" gives you goosebumps. Raya Yarbrough sings Armenian lyrics that are beautiful and deeply sad and haunting. Interestingly enough the first few tunes are the ones from "All Along the Watchtower". Maybe a hint of things to come.
"Precipe" is a simple tour de force through percussions similiar to the track "The Olympic Carrier" from the season one score. "Admiral and Commander" is a beautiful rendition of the Adama father and son theme with Ulliean Pipes, a guitar and orchestra. It soars and is yet gentle. Off we are to "Storming New Caprica", which uses the percussions in the most furious and effective way ever. Heavy Teiko rythmns make it almost Japanese. It also mixes Ullian bagpipes to show that both Pegasus and Galactica under the Adamas have arrived and they won't give up without a fight, in the middle there is a moment of sadness and defeat. I remember that scene well. It seemed as if the Galactica had lost the battle and was doomed to a firey death. A very intense moment but then the percussions return with force.
"Refugees Return" is not as some would expect a joyful track but a very sad one. Everyone is tired, hurt and deeply sad. So many loved ones lost their lives on New Caprica. The face of Saul alone when he looks at Bill made me cry. "Wayward Soldier" is another wonderful percussion track and then comes "Violence and Variations". Bear McCreary writes a real symphony on a variation here. Each score has a track likes that. It started with "Passacaglia" in S01, moved on to "Allegro" in S02 and now has its third movement with "Violence and Variations". I already realized that when I saw "Unfinished Business" and was giddy to hear the track alone on the CD and it is as wonderful as I hoped.
"The Dance" is nothing else but a very cheerful and jaunty Irish dance song in the best fashion. =) "Adama Falls" is a short track but made my shipper heart happy because it is a short rendition of the theme for Bill and Laura!!!! She is after all there for him and holds him up when he leaves (and is probably also the one who cleans him up in his cabin). "Under the Wing" is again a short track and features the melody that we already heard in "Violence and Variations". It must be for Kara or Kara and Lee.
"Battlestar Sonatica" already stuck out in the series and Ron D. Moore explained that they used the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven as Temp Music while cutting the scenes and he wanted to have something similiar since he couldn't use Beethoven (his music is unlike the music from Philip Glass simply too recognizable and "earthly"). The track that McCreary composed is a wonderful, slightly modernistic piece with touches of Glass and huges touches of Beethoven. "Fight Night" - back to the percussions plus erhus for the mix which reminded me of a cue from the season two score but I can't think which one it was. "Kat's Sacrifice" boy did I cry at the end and I didn't even like Kat! This track stands out because brass is so very seldom used. Percussive elements join and make the theme very heroic and majestic. Lovely.
"Someone To Trust" is a slow piece in which the electrical violin dominates. the ending of the piece is rather eerie and disquieting. Like the memories Bill has of his late second wife. "The Temple of Five" begins with wind chimes tinkling and the strange sound that I also associated with the ruins from Kobol in which Baltar had the vision, which is fitting since D'Anna does have a vision of the Final Five. The music swells and percussive elements join. The whole track has as most tracks who deal with Kobol and Earth a middle eastern touch (the Duduk is to blame).
"Dirty Hands" is weird. It reminded me a bit "Cowboy Bebop" and I am not quite sure why. It is a dark, western style cue with percussive elements and a bass and some strange acoustic guitar. Refreshing because different. This is what I love about BSG. The plethora of styles! "Dirty Hands" is followed by a track that should have been featured earlier chronologicalywise but was probably added this late for best listening experience. "Gentle Execution" from "Exodus Part 2". The scene was very painful to watch. Like Kat, Elen had not been my favourite character but that scene hurt. Michael Hogan did an amazing job there. The track itself is the reprisal of the wonderful track "Worthy of Survival" with only slight use of percussive elements ("Worthy of Survival" had heavy Teiko drums).
"Mandala in the Sky" is nothing special. Heavy Teiko rhythms. "Deathbed and Maelstrom": That track was used for the flashback scenes in which we see the death of Kara's mother. The track is decidedly Asian flavoured due to the inclusion of the Ehru. What IS really intriguing is the short snippet of the theme we heard already in "Kobol's Last Gleaming". Why did McCreary add the theme there? Does he know something we don't? Why use a theme that was used for the foreshadowing of the Cylon future? "Heeding the Call" is just plain genius. It uses snippets of "All Along the Watchtower" and builds up more and more and leads into the song itself. I really like the version from Bear McCreary. So cool.
My final verdict: Buy it, buy it, buy it. You won't regret it. The score is just plain amazing!
Free Music Review: A great soundtrack, minor difference from show at end
Hit: 4 Stars
The soundtrack is great. The modern world music brings a great feel to all the tracks, and every fan of the show will appreciate the music. Many non-fans would probably enjoy many parts of the album not even knowing it's a soundtrack.
The only criticism is that the last track of the album, the complete remake of "All Along the Watchtower", is the studio version of the whole song and NOT exactly the TV show version. There are differences. It's too bad, actually, as I really enjoyed the song as on the TV show as I watched it over and over on my DVR over several months. I think the TV version is more "epic". Why couldn't they have included both? Or make the TV version a download somewhere. This IS a soundtrack, so I kind of was hoping for the TV version.
But overall, I'm very glad to have this CD and it's definately worth getting for all BSG fans, and for many non-fans, also.
Free Music Review: Outstanding, Phenomenal -- I can't stop listening!
Hit: 5 Stars
I believe that McCreary's music is, sadly, overlooked and underrated, yet it is a critical element of the re-imaged Battlestar Galactica series that helps make it the most interesting and captivating thing on television - feature film quality effects, acting, drama and of course, music. Without McCreary's outstanding talent it would not be the same series.
Having the complete BSG Soundtrack in my collection, I was anxious for the release of the season three album. Not only does McCreary not dissapoint, he has turned out the most interesting and complex BSG soundtrack yet! Captivating themes, heavy drum use, continued bag-pipe placement, subtle placement of previous themes and dynamic changes in music pacing keep the listener tuned-in and engrossed. I love this album and have not been able to stop listening to it!
I personally think that any self-respecting Battlestar fan should have all the soundtrack albums, but if you can only have one - Season Three is the one to have! Stop reading this and buy it now.