Music Books

One of the best word books for people who need drugs words at the tip of the fingers. Very good choice for people who type.

This pharmacy drug book helps me out a lot with my medical transcription job I do from home. It has the generic in lower case so I know when I am transcribing if I should capitalize it or not. It has the doses that the medication comes in and that helps. I like this book the best from all the other pharmacy drug books I've seen.

I use the Saunders Pharmaceutical Word Book (2008) in my work as a medical transcription QA specialist. New drugs are coming out all the time and I consider the book, updated yearly, to be an essential part of my job.

All the latest drug titles help me keep up with what the doctors are prescribing. Perfect for transcriptionists.

This book is a real life saver! I am a transcriptionist and this saves so much time!

My 22 month old son is fascinated with buses. This is a great book for toddlers who love interaction. Not only is this book about a bus but the bus is full of animals. We read this book to our son at least 5 times a day and it never gets old.

I'm a preschool teacher, and my 3-5 year olds loved this book!
It's one they ask for over and over again.

This is such a funny little book. My 3 year old loves to sing along while I read this book to him. It makes me laugh every time I read it to him. It's high quality for a paper back. Fantastic addition to my collection.

I started reading to my son Owen when he was just a few months old, and this charming book was one of the first ones he reacted to. Now at 19 months, it's still his favorite. Colorful pictures, repetitive text, and the opportunity to use puppet-style hand gestures while you read make this a great interactive story for very young children. This book has earned its place, at least on our bookshelf, alongside classics like Bill Martin/Eric Carle's "Brown Bear, Brown Bear..."

Long before illustrator G. Brian Karas captured the world's attention with his not-particularly-groundbreaking-but-still-interesting, "Muncha Muncha Muncha" he helped author Lenny Hort create a sweet little selection entitled, "The Seals On the Bus". Taking silliness to a whole new level, "Seals" replaces those tired old standby lines found in the song, "The Wheels On the Bus" and replaces them with a convoluted carnival of copious critters. It's silly, frenetic, and thoroughly enjoyable to the kiddies.

A small family of four wait patiently at a bus stop. The kids are unencumbered and their parents read their book and newspaper respectively. Once on the bus, however, everything goes higgledy-piggledy. First some seals come on board (accompanied by the text, "The seals on the bus go errp, errp, errp"). I've always thought that seals were prone to more arfing than errping, but that's just me I guess. Suddenly the seals' boisterous errps make the driver more than a little angry. The driver, to the surprise of his human passengers, is actually a tiger. So the text says, "The tiger on the bus goes roar, roar, roar". This is where things start picking up. Geese jump aboard the bus, with the appropriate geese sounds in tow. Next come rabbits. Then monkeys, then vipers, then sheep. In a way, it's the final skunks that push the grownups completely off the deep end. Fortunately, at this point the bus as ended at a fabulous party and the kids are more than happy to join in the fun.

Lenny Hort is the official author of this tale, and it's a funny enough concept I'll grant you. Still, it's Karas who brings the entire enterprise to full glorious life. I wasn't a particular fan of his work on "Muncha Muncha Muncha", I'll admit. Maybe that was because he didn't include any seals. Cause let's face it, the man is an excellent seal-artist. The book itself has a kind of faux sloppiness to it. At first, it looks like the pictures were just randomly brought together. But on closer inspection it's clear that Karas uses his gouache, acrylics, pencils and cut paper to the best of his ability. I was particularly interested in how the buildings and reading materials in this story were created out of real honest-to-goodness newsprint. Partly these amused me because Karas would carefully smudge important names on that newsprint. Partly they amused me because they were often ads of boring grown-up business/stock information (apropos when using that same material to create houses and buildings). As for the characters themselves, Karas is far better at drawing animals than people. In "Muncha" this was a problem. Here, it's an advantage. You may notice the family from time to time, but the real heroes of this tale are the myriad of different animals filling each and every page. And great seals. Great great seals.

All in all, "The Seals On the Bus" takes an old song, modernizes it with silly and ridiculous images, and has a great time doing it. Consequently, your kids will have a ball reading it. And if you happen to be the kind of adult that can repeat the words, "Errp, errp, errp", over and over with the right amount of aplomb and humor, this will become your children's favorite bedtime story of the year. Definitely consider checking it out.

"Short and Sweet" is just that. Jerry Maren's book covers his 60+ year career in and out of Hollywood, and is loaded with rare photos. Who knew Maren was in Star Trek the original TV series, Lidsville, Bewitched, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, New Zoo Revue, and many others, in addition to well known roles such as a Munchkin in Oz. Edited by Stephen Cox, author of some of the best TV and movie books ever written.

Very enjoyable! What a great career Jaren Maren has had -- so much more than the Lollipop Munchkin that I never knew. His story is told in a very down-to-earth manner, with lots of great behind-the-scenes photos and anecdotes. I'm glad that I've had the chance to meet this Hollywood Legend in person, and now know his history a lot better!

Jerry Maren's "Short and Sweet" is an absolute must-read!!

While many only associate Jerry Maren with his iconic role of the Lollipop Kid in the Wizard of Oz, this pint-sized super star has done so much more!

Savor the hundreds of rare photographs and clippings that Jerry has kept in his own personal collection for decades. Many of the photographs have never been published before.

You'll be amazed by the list of stars that Jerry has worked with. He was the entertainment for Jimmy Stewart's bachelor party. Yes, THAT Jimmy Stewart! And, did you know Jerry and his tiny, talented wife, Elizabeth, were in the classic Seinfeld episode "Yada, Yada, Yada"?

While reading this book, you'll follow Jerry not only along the Yellow Brick Road, but through the streets of Hollywood, until you land on the Munchkins Star on the Walk of Fame.

Short and Sweet is the one sweet treat you can devour and not have to worry about the calories!!

The book is terrific. It reads like a sincere account of Jerry's life told in his own words and from his own perspective. His candid opinions and anecdotes about famous people and situations puts this in a class of its own. I can only imagine Andy Williams's face when he read what Jerry had to say about the odor emanating from his writers' offices, for example. I was expecting to read something about Shatner but I suppose his co-stars have already done that to death.

I couldn't believe the number and quality of projects Jerry's been involved in. Some I already knew of and others were interesting to learn about. The book brought back memories of my own childhood with Buster Brown, the Wienermobile, Mayor McCheese and the gang, H.R. Puffnstuf, etc. I especially enjoyed the Oz stories and the question-and-answer format. That was a nice idea. I certainly learned a lot.

A must read for the fan of, well, anything!

Jerry Maren is as sincere as his book. He is a warm and gentle person. I know because he is married to my sister Elizabeth. The book is a honest account of his life in Hollywood and is worth the reading. Tony Barrington

While this slight volume can't hold a candle to something like Will Friedwald's comprehensive analysis of Sinatra's recorded career, it's quick and handy. Moreover, while the authors' selections will inevitably produce disagreements, their choices are unlikely to provoke incredulity (no "My Way," or recommendations from the "Duets" albums). And when there are multiple versions of the same tune, which is more often than not the case, the authors give helpful rankings of the best choices. But just to give you an idea of how necessarily inadequate a collection limited to 101 recordings is, Sinatra's absolutely sublime, definitive Reprise recording of "I Hadn't Anyone Til You" is not mentioned. Still, I find myself making more use of this book than any other about Old Blue.

The music of Frank Sinatra is timeless and though the title contains the words "the 101 Best Recordings", you may find that it is just a starting point and find your own 101 favorites. You have over 1000 songs to choose from so your picks are bound to be different than the authors. The book lays out 101 excellent songs, gives information to listeners (date recorded, album it can be found on, arranger, etc.) and tells the background of the song and sometimes an anecdote about when it was recorded. The book is not only for longtime fans of Sinatra's work (though they will be more familiar with all the names, etc.). If your Sinatra cd collection extends to one cd of his greatest hits, then this book can help you figure out where to go next. The stories and anecdotes may not mean much but you can figure out if you want to explore Frank's Columbia, Capitol, or Reprise years. For the experienced Sinatra listener, the book is excellent for starting debate with fellow Sinatra fans or perhaps rediscovering a gem you've forgotten or never really listened to before. Obviously, it is not a biography so don't expect stories about Frank the man, just Frank the singer. My only complaint is that I wish they gave more detail to the songs. I realize they had 101 songs to review, but I wanted more background about the recording session and Frank's opinions and views of the songs. However, there are other books for that.

Sinatra's approach to lyrical interpretation and his unique sense of tempo is what set him appart from the rest. Sinatra 101 is an excellent compliment to any Sinatra record collection. Too bad there is not a CD Box set of all the songs listed in the book so that readers could read along as they listen to the master at work. As a vocalist and student of Sinatra's sound, I have greatly benefited from Sinatra 101. Sinatra 101 has expanded my knowledge of the music and provides an excellent reference source which I have used to educate audiences during live performances. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED READING FOR ANY SINATRA FAN.

How do you pick the 101 greatest Sinatra recordings? The authors certainly came up with arguably the definitive list,and presented it in a most enjoyable read.Another reviewer wished there was a CD boxed set to accompany the book. I did the next best thing. I have an extensive Sinatra collection and I happen to have all the 101 songs(the correct versions). I bought some high quality cassettes and simply went through my CDs and tapes and put together the audio to the book..three 90 minute and one 60 minute tape covered the 101 songs.Needless to say, it was a labor of love putting these songs in order and is fascinating to read the descriptions and history of the songs as they are playing.

While the popularity of the Sinatra persona will rise and fall as fashions change, the music is timeless. "Sinatra 101'' spotlights the songs and the stories behind them. In concise, to-the-point language, the authors, Ed O'Brien and Robert Wilson, offer the sort of critical insights that will send you rushing back to the songs themselves, giving you the chance to fall in love with the music all over again. What more can you ask?

Judy Collins somehow made it through the worst time of her life and she shares it with us, plus a CD included to boot. Who can ask for anything more?

Judy Collins shares her life lessons, pain, and joy with her millions of faithful fans. This book is very emotional, spiritual and inspiring. The CD songs are just beautiful! Buy it now for the CD insert is only for a limited time only. :)

While listening to the current recordings of this remarkable performer, humanitarian, and personality, one is immediately struck by the warmth of her voice and its enduring stamina and honesty, the same can be said about, "Singing Lessons, A Memoir of Love, Loss, Hope, and Healing. If anyone wonders if it is possible to survive unbearable tragedy, and thrive, they only have to read this book. If anyone wonders about physical, spiritual, and emmotional vibrancy, beyond the age of 40, they have only to read this book! It has been said that to survive any great tragedy, you have to go through it and experience it honestly. For those of us who have gone through far less than the loss of an only child, this book is a triumphant road-map on how to grow and survive any of lifes unfathomable, unexpected, and unreal experiences. Judy Collins is a shinning example, not only for those trying to cope with an enormous tragedy, but many of the new comers in todays music and entertainment industry who could well learn a "lesson" from her tremendous example on how to be a "good" star, someone who is truly grateful for the position they have achieved, and seeks to give back to the world, a true sense of caring, a steady sense of responsibility, and most of all, an enduring sense of the "real" kind of love, that makes this book "sing," and the journey possible and worth the effort to continue.

Read SINGING LESSONS by Judy Collins . . . this is a very
touching memoir of her life, her son's suicide and companion's
serious illness, and how she managed to survive these
events.

Judy Collins has always been one of my favorite performers . . . I also enjoyed reading about how her career evolved, as well as how she played with such other favorites of mine as Tom Paxton, Leonard Cohen, Joni, Mitchell, and Peter, Paul and Mary.

Best of all, the book came with a four-song CD (much to my
surprise) . . . what a treat to be reading her words at the
same time I was listening to her sing!

There were many memorable passages; ...P>[Andrew Weil confirms what I have learned through trial and
error about depression.] "The best single treatment (for
depression) is vigorous, regular aerobic exercise, at least
thirty minutes a day, five days a week." Most of the time, after I spend a half hour or more exercising, any cloud of depression lifts so completely that I feel a small miracle has been accomplished.

The writting style is stunnigly beautiful and impressive,just as authour's music always had a certain healing power.Many singers/actors are not capable to remember anything more than their LP's and awards - celebrities memoirs are too often simply boasting about their career - but Collins have a perfect ballanced view on her past and she writtes about her inner life much more than her career,which is mentioned basically briefly. Portraits of her father and mentor Anthonia are described with affection and of course the book never stops reflecting on her son.This is a clear picture of Judy Collins life from her point of view - no celebrity gossip,no recording dates,what really matters here are feelings and precious memories she shares with reader.At times I thought her story about son sounds a bit obsessive - until it made me realise that I think about my mother every day and she died 12 years ago,so I guess we never really let go.Not only that second half of the book brings very helpful observations how to cope with depression,Collins also have sharp witt and she saved certain original sense of humour which must be life-saving quality (on her knees in the bathroom of the White House,she laughs at herself),the whole book is a warm,affectionate celebration of spirit still shining bright after tragedy and life downfalls.

Sonar 2.0 is such a complicated program. I haven't even messed with many of the features, including MIDI, but have gotten quite good at audio editing. This book made a huge difference. I found it much clearer and easier to follow than the online help or manual that came with Sonar. Highly recommended!

I'm using Home Studio 2002 XL, which as one of the reviewers pointed out is basically just a cut down version of Sonar 2. I had hoped that this book would help me to really learn how to use the advanced features of Home Studio/Sonar, but I was disappointed to find little advice on technique in the book.

It's a very comprehensive overview of the features of the program, but apart from a few small features I'd overlooked there was very little that I hadn't managed to already learn from the included help files (which are pretty good) or previous experience with Sequencers and using MIDI.

In particular I was interested in more information on how best to arrange and mix songs, in particular using aux-buses, but I found that less time was spent on this topic than on explaining the different effects (in more detail than I thought necessary).

Perhaps I'm being a little harsh, and perhaps I'm looking for a different kind of book. I work with computers for a living, so I'm used to finding my way around new software - I guess if you aren't then this is probably a good tour of what the software can do.

I review this book as one who does not own this particular piece of software, but as a prospective Sonar user. I wanted to do a little research to see if Sonar was the way I wanted to go, and I found this book extremely informative. It makes what might be a scary program for the novice very approachable and user-friendly. If I do wind up purchasing Sonar, it's unlikely I'll even need to read the manual with this excellent resource available to me. Outstanding!!

Sonar 2 Power! is an excellent book. It is, by far, the best book available on Sonar, and a must have for anyone who uses Sonar. I have found it was great for intitially getting up to speed on the software. And now that I know the software much better, it is still full of tons of helpful information. Sonar 2 Power! lets you quickly dive right into those features you are interested in. Best of all, the author, Scott Garrigus, is able to make learning quick and enjoyable. It is clear that Scott has a great deal of enthusiasm for making music using his computer and Sonar; he does a very good job of getting this enthusiasm across, which makes the book all the more enjoyable to read. The author has a Website...for his readers.

This is a good book for Cakewalk Home Studio 2004 (and XL) users as well, because Home Studio 2004 is basically the same as Sonar 2 with a few missing features that Home Studio 2004.

I did a comparison of it to my recently acquired 2004 XL upgrade and other than the synchronization function, a couple of UI changes (Snap to Grid button changed locations), and a few effects that Home Studio XL doesn't give you, everything works identical to the Sonar 2 version in the book.

I haven't read the Cakewalk Power Book, but I did notice it looked thinner on the shelves than Sonar 2, and chose to buy Sonar 2 because I thought it was more comprehensive. I've been very happy about the purchase and what I've learned about Home Recording.

A simple technique to understanding the work words do in poerty and song writing. The practice is gentle and not difficult to perform.
Of all the praise I could heap upon Pat Pattison, the one bonus dimension is that of nuances, which are able to enhance poetry through the use of subtile qualities that words may possess, such as, shades or implications or reflections as to a more appropiate choice of words for a greater Songwriting experience: Essential Guide to Rhyming: A Step-by-Step Guide to Better Rhyming and Lyrics (Songwriting Guides)]].
I have sent this book to collegues and students to share the potential for skill enhancement.

This book does an excellent job of explaining the types of rhymes available to songwriters. How to choose the appropriate rhyme, and where to find it in a rhyming dictionary. I have had no previous experience in lyric writing or poetry and it was very easy reading, yet there is enough depth to last a very long time. You will need a rhyming dictionary for the exercises in this book, Pattison recommends 'The Complete Rhyming Dictionary' by Clement Wood. Overall this book is excellent for beginners, with enough content to assist more advanced lyricists.

This book explains rhyme and its importance to writing and inspiration. The author lays out the approach to writing much differently than I have been approaching it for years. This has opened up a whole new level for me in lyric writing - inspiration is much less of an issue because of this book. I highly reccomend this book for beginners, but it can improve even the best lyrical writings. This book is filled with exercises to improve your writing, and if you take the time to do them, you will be a better writer.

You will need a rhyming dictionary to use this book, as it is primarily an instruction on getting the most from your rhyming dictionary. This book explains how you can put a complete idea together using only a rhyming dictionary.

I happened to mention to a couple of friends of mine that I was reviewing a book on rhyming this month and one of them said, " What a dumb thing to write a book about, dude, I mean, a word either rhymes with another word or it doesn't...so you don't need a whole book for that, duh!?!"

My other friend was shaking his head in affirmation of this noble theory.

This confirms that I really need to do whatever it takes to find some smarter friends.

Songwriters need to be expert rhymesters and despite what the rest of the world might think about it being the most natural thing in the world, it's an ability that's got to be developed to the extreme for us to be able to write great songs to the extreme.

Enter: the book!

Songwriting: Essential guide to Rhyming by Pat Pattison.

Pat begins this book by describing the number one "rhyme crime" in the business, transitive verbs. It's the rhyme that you find when a good rhyme doesn't show up so you flip the sentence upside down and jam it into your song like, "My love for you is not a fake, your heart I will now pledge to take".

By the time the listener gets to the verb "take", they have to try to remember that the "heart" was the object. It forces the listener to think backwards as they listen forward and this confusion will not attract your listener to your work.

Yoda, from Star Wars speaks almost exclusively, using transitive verbs like, "Much to learn, you still have". This may work for Yoda but it has no place in a song, so unless Yoda suddenly gets a major label deal...

Back to the book.

Pat offers some great solutions for transitive verbs and also solves the other problem that goes along with them which is how to express universal themes without cliché rhymes. This will be amazing stuff to check out.

Pat also deals with a problem that I have whereby, I don't really like to write with a dictionary and a thesaurus and a stack of grammar books on my piano but he writes convincingly that a good rhyming dictionary is good to keep at arms reach since rhyming is a purely mechanical thing and may help find you the word you need fast enough to keep your muse on track. This now makes a lot of sense to me.

Through the remaining chapters, Pat shows you all the types of rhyming available to you and if your anything like me and don't know all that much about; masculine and feminine rhymes, identity, mosaic rhymes, perfect and imperfect rhymes, additive and subtractive rhymes, assonance and alliteration then you need to get your hands on this book.

The real point of the book, really, is to lay out the rhyme types and let them expand you opportunities to BOTH say what you mean AND rhyme. The book presents the rhyme types in descending order, from the closest to perfect rhyme to the most remote rhyme types. And better, the book shows you how and when to use the different rhyme types.

This is the last of the three books by Pat Pattison that I have had the pleasure of reviewing in these last three issues of The Muse's News. They were, "Songwriting: Essential Guide to Lyric Form and Structure", "Writing Better Lyrics", and "Songwriting: Essential Guide to Rhyming".

I have almost run out of superlatives to express the value of the material in Pat Pattisons books but I would have to say that his books actually define lyric writing for me and have impacted my work like no other outside influence. If this is what you want to bring to the table for your next songwriting project, hit a good bookstore...

I think this book is the greatest, but practically on the
first page, the author proves to his readers that they must
use a rhyming dictionary to create. Going it alone is pure
"silly". He says "finding rhymes is almost never a creative act. It is a purely mechanical search."
Well, I have a small rhyming dictionary by Webster, but this is
not a good one at all. I need specifically The Complete Rhyming Dictionary, edited by Clement Wood (Doubleday) because "it divides rhymes into Masculine, Feminine, and three-syllable rhymes."
Once I get that, then I can really work with Pattison book and
learn.
So if you are buying this book also buy the Wood Rhymer right away and save postage.

This is not a book for beginners. But for the rest of us, it's the best book you can buy on this subject. In most audio literature you'll find the same old info you have already read in other books or know by experience. Not so here: this book is a treasure!

By Bob McCarthy.
This is a essential toll to your knowledge.
Even if you're unconversant with the high techniques on sound design and alignment. But prepare yourself to spend a lot of time on this book.
Get serious....
Thak you Mr.McCarthy.
Carlos Guinle.
[Milton Nascimento & Jobim Trio FOH enginner]

I'm can honestly say, this book is changing (the more I read) how I think about designing the systems I've been setting up for the last 17 years.

I am so glad I have this tool.

Peter Thompson- Thunder Audio Inc. Detroit MI

What surprised me most about this book was how readable it was. OK, I know it's not going on Oprah's book club list, but I was expecting a book that I wouldn't be able to understand beyond certain basics. Kind of like my 10th grade math book. But the way McCarthy works his way through the subject was well organized, clear AND at time humorous. I think that it's an excellent book that most sound engineers are going to want on their bookshelf.

Bob McCarthy did a great job. This book cover the black holes on sound systems design.
No matter how good audio guru you are, this is a MUST HAVE TOOL!.

Stairway to Heaven is an interesting, informative book about the final resting places of some of rock music's legends. Many of the graves of famous stars are photographed and accompany the text. It's a book you pick up to read and can't then put down. Excellent to return to again and again.

I have 2 main interests. Rock and ghosts.Not just ghost but i think graveyards are cool. So this book was perfect for me. This book taught me so much and i love reading it. It's awesome for anyone who is interested in music!!!!1

This made an excellant gift for a rock fan and someone that is somewhat of a historian and likes things like this...

interesting and fascinating all at the same time. The photos were
wonderful and the text was clear. Highly recommend for both the browser and the reader

Have you ever gone to see your favorite artist in concert only to go home somewhat upset because they didn't play this song or that song? Well,I thought I would be thinking that way when I purchased this book,thinking that it would not have the gravesite(s) of this artist or that artist or so on. WAS I WRONG!!! This is like a who's who of dead people of the music world. The book in no way caters to just one genre of music. It practically contains every dead artist from all genres of music. From country (Johnny Cash,Hank Williams) to rap (Jam master Jay,Eazy E) to classic rock (Brian Jones,Jimi Hendrix) to blues (Muddy Waters,John Lee Hooker) to punk (Sid Vicious,Johnny Thunders) to even Tejano (Selena),this book has it all. From members of the beatles to members of MC5 and from members of Lynyrd Skynyrd to members of The Ramones and The New York Dolls,no band is left out. There are roughly 100 artists in this 160 page book which includes artist and gravesite photos as well as the stories behind their deaths. No music fan is left out. It is a masterpiece worth buying. Although it contains no directions to getting to the sites,it still can also be used as the perfect travel guide for the rock n roll historian. Rock on!!!!!

They should've gotten Ron Jones to do First Contact instead of Goldsmith. This is the kind of score you need for an epic battle with the Borg. Wonderful action sequences with stirring strings and threatening brass. And the Borg theme is just marvelous. Ron Jones or Dennis McCarthy or even Jay Chattaway should do all future Star Trek motion picture scores.

I consider the two-parter The Best Of Both Worlds© to be Star Trek™'s most pivotal & influential episodes, and the soundtrack does a beautiful job in adding to the feel and suspense. Although Ron Jones' compositions on this CD aren't quite as ambitious as the tunes one would hear in the Star Trek™ movies, his efforts did help make these two watermark NextGen episodes seem truly grand and larger than life. The military style of some of the tunes also gives a warlike tone to the show, as the Enterprise™ and the Federation™ fight desperately to stop the Borg™ invasion.

Each track complements the scene it plays in almost perfectly. One good example is Hansen's Message©, which plays through the end of the scene in Part One when the crew sees the Borg™ ship for the first time. The moment itself is chilling, but with the music, along with the crescendo at the climax, it becomes even more suspenseful! Another great tune to complement the moment is Intervention©, heard in Part Two when Worf™ and Data™ sneak into the Borg™ ship to rescue Picard™ (now changed into the Borg™ Locutus™) and get him back to the Enterprise.

Thanks to the synergy between the music and the scenes, The Best of Both Worlds© becomes a whole lot more than the sum of its visual & musical parts!

'Late

I LOVE it it is so very relaxing to listen to on occations when you need a dose of Star Trek.

Without comparing this TV score to that of a film, I would consider this an excellent TV score. Hearing the Alexander Courage's version of Jerry Goldsmith's Star Trek theme really opens the album up. It is really a shame that it appears only once or twice in minor situations because then it would mean this score has some trace of thematic development like film scores do. The Borg theme, played by a synthesized chorus, sounds very mysterious yet somewhat hostile and threatening. You have to have seen the show to know what's happening because there's barely any thematic music to base what's happening on. The strings and celeste playing on the tracks before the borg encounter adds the sense of mysterious but foreshadowed danger. The battle tracks between the borg and Enterprise aren't upbeat like scores from John Williams or Horner but sound much more suspenseful and average-paced like on Crimson Tide. Ron Jones seems to back off on fast-paced string and brass parts and prefers edgy brass and percussion coupled with electronics. Away Team Ready is a haunting, military-like cue as some people prepare to board the borg ship. An unused cue for the exploration of the borg ship sounds very far and dissonant like on The Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi, and Aliens. Both are very original sounding. Let me admit that the music on the second and final fight between the Enterprise and Borg ship heats up but leaves more to be desired. Of course, this is a TV score scored under a period of a week so forget what I just said for any film score fan. After a bittersweet ending stopping with an afterthought, the brilliant Star Theme comes up for the credits and draws this score to a close. I recommend this original score for anyone who has seen the borg episode of TNG but don't expect a Star Wars score here for any film score collectors.

Fans of the syndicated television show "Star Trek: The Next Generation" may remember the two-part episode "The Best of Both Worlds" as a high point for the series, and for science fiction television in general. This cliffhanger and its resolution constituted the third season finale and fourth season premiere. In the story, the United Federation of Planets faces an invasion by the Borg, a seemingly unstoppable cybernetic race that "assimilates" whole civilizations into its insect-like "collective." Captain Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise represent the Federation's only hope against this relentless enemy.

Such an epic tale calls for an epic musical score, and composer Ron Jones delivers. His music pounds with excitement during the thrilling space battle sequences. He makes brilliant use of eerie musical effects to capture the alien nature of the Borg Collective and its dispassionate "drones." He also brings out all of the emotion of the heroic struggle of the Enterprise crew to save the Federation from conquest and assimilation. But it's not all big, bombastic space opera music; Jones also pays attention to more intimate moments between the crew.

Yes, "The Best of Both Worlds" was a landmark in the ongoing, multigenerational "Star Trek" saga, and Ron Jones' superb score is an integral part of the story. This is an essential disc for fans of science fiction soundtracks.