Two Roger Corman quickies James Horner scored, BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS and HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP were previously available on LP and certain illegitimate releases. Now thanks to sci-fi soundtrack expert label GNPCrescendo, both of these early Horner efforts are preserved - much to James Horner's chagrin - forever. There's a story that says Horner was displeased with the performance of BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS, and in many respects he was right.
However, BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS/HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP is essential for any Horner fan who wants to pinpoint the nucleus of his compositional ideas -- they're all planted here and would manifest themselves in each score since - KRULL right on through to SNEAKERS, believe it or not. GNP's album is culled from various sources (says so right on the back), including vinyl "masters". The sound quality is a bit uneven - from excellent to good, but never worse. There are a few moments of warble - but no "cracks" or "pops" you'd expect from low-grade LPs. The orchestra flubs are sometimes painful (the brass fanfare in BBTS's "Epilogue/End Title" contains a major mistake). But these foibles add to the character of the BBTS, which is a blast to listen to. HUMANOIDS on the other hand is much more polished in execution but ultimately not as engaging. Together, they form a strong album that fills an important hole in James Horner's discography.
Recommended for fans of James Horner's STAR TREK 2 & 3 scores.