The final chapters in Bear McCreary’s epic Battlestar Galactica tome are collected in this collection of cues from the two feature-length TV movies, The Plan (2010) and Razor (2007), and much like their stories, the music ties together major themes from the series, none less robust than their prior incarnations.

The disc begins with “The Apocalypse,” the vocal track (in ancient Sanskrit), which builds towards a ferocious combo of ethereal lyrics, electric guitar, and crunching percussion. Perhaps more than the recent BG albums, the opening cue compels one to crank up the volume, since McCreary’s writing seems to be designed for a higher aural output. Maybe it’s the bass and lyricism glued into his style, but Louder is Better when it comes to his BG music.

This album is a bit more unique in sequencing cues from both films together rather than chronological order, which works, since they cohere due to a dominance of melody and repeated use of thickening percussion textures (“Attack on the Scorpion Shipyards”).

Perhaps it’s fitting that the futuristic world of BG – which concerns elements of ancient cultures – includes ancient instruments and languages. It’s a change from the eighties when it was believed music of the future would have to be abstract and electronic, which is naïve when one considers rhythm has always been a prime ingredient in any culture’s effort to express itself.

La-La Land’s CD runs more than an hour, and comes with a bonus live version of the “Apocalypse” theme, with a long guitar solo around the midsection. McCreary also contributes personal liner notes, and the album art is amusingly dominated by a headshot of the composer deep in the groove during a live performance.

A fitting epilogue to one of the most musically gripping series.

© 2010 Mark R. Hasan