Lakeshore Records, streaming now

Now including tracks from the second half of the season, soundtrack highlights from Star Trek: Picard’s launch season by the franchise’s current go-to composer Jeff Russo.

The opening titles of a Star Trek show has always been a big deal for fans, and there’s still those smarting from Enterprise’s warbling vocals. But after a majestic theme for Discovery, Jeff Russo seemed a safe choice for the latest iteration, Picard, and it’s not immediately what you expect.

Those anticipating a grand theme along the lines of Jerry Goldsmith’s The Next Generation titles (itself being co-opted from The Motion Picture) will be surprised that this is a lighter, mellower sound. Less Goldsmith and more Jay Chattaway’s The Inner Light, it’s a more reflective piece and the very definition of a grower. Those who have been following the show weekly will now have a familiarity with it, and both the standard opening and closing versions are on this release from Lakeshore Records.

With Dahj Activates and Dahj’s Last Fight the tone darkens and pace picks up. Twins is among the album’s longer cues, featuring some beautiful cello work, as well as playing out the end of the first episode and the big reveal of being on a Borg Cube. Picard Requests Help follows Jean-Luc to Starfleet, and it’s great to hear a blast of Alexander Courage’s original series theme and Goldsmith’s Next Generation alongside extrapolations of the new main theme.

Romulan Collusion brings back the theme for the show’s villains as showcased in Twins, darker and lower in register than Picard’s themes. Rafi Decides to Join plays us out of episode three, and understandably Picard’s ‘Engage!’ moment is played out with Goldsmith’s Next Generation. Happier Times is a light blast of nostalgia to when Picard first met a young Elnor, ethnic instruments and vocals establishing the Qowat Milat way of Absolute Candor. The episode ends with a confrontation between La Sirena and a classic Romulan Bird of Prey, underscored with a terrific action cue, Mystery Ship.

Soji and Narek Waltz is a beautiful would-be love theme for the mismatched couple as they slide around the floors of the Borg Cube, and Seven Needs Revenge is a multi-layered cue that gets tight to the heart of Stardust City Rag. The halfway point of the release is marked by two tracks from the related Short Treks, Children of Mars.

The music from the second half of the season (and the material that’s new to this release) begins with Jurati and Rios get Close, a softer refrain of the main theme, this tenderness continuing with the playful Raffi Calls Bosch and the bittersweet Raffi Opens Up. Borg Cube is one of the album’s atmospheric cues, electronica textures thudding beneath the primary theme. Walking Around Nepenthe injects a further blast of wonder as Picard and Jurati explore the magical planet, while Picard and Riker Reunite begins with (what else?) a soft recall of the Next Generation theme and a cello-led variation of the Picard theme. I was Human and Picard Bids Farewell are ethereal cues that contrast with action fare like Elnor Fights Narissa.

Other notable cues come from the two-part finale, Leaving La Sirena being an epic trek to the Borg Cube, culminating with a welcome bar or two from Voyager as Seven appears. Sutra Arrives lets Russo add some ethnic instruments to his palette, and then it’s all out drama with the two-part Romulans Arrive. Irving Berlin’s Blue Skies gets a wonderful, heartbreaking rendition by Isa Briones – no, I had no idea that she was an accomplished singer either – and the album concludes with a punchy, kinetic and brassy new version of the end credits.

Verdict: Now that we can enjoy cues from the whole season, this release gets top marks. An accomplished set of cues that are given the chance to mature across the ten episodes. You’ll be humming them for some time. 10/10

Nick Joy

 

[Portions of this review appeared previously for the Season 1 Chapter 1 part release]