Jeff Bond at the Mothership has written a review of 'Best Of Star Trek Volume II', the recently released CD from GNP Crescendo offering musical scores from all four Trek series. Here's how Bond starts his review:

For fans of the original series' in-your-face music, bristling with danger, sex and sentiment, GNP's dominance of this highly focused market has been a mixed blessing. On the one hand, we know there's a reliable record company seeing that this music gets released.

On the other hand, we also have to have our Classic TREK tunes mixed in with the somewhat less compelling music from the modern STAR TREK incarnations like THE NEXT GENERATION, DEEP SPACE NINE and VOYAGER. The TREK franchise is one of the few television venues that allows for full-scale orchestral scoring, but the TREK TV music of the last fifteen years has been necessarily bloodless as dictated by producers who want the music to play more of a background, supporting role in the action.

That makes compilation albums like THE BEST OF STAR TREK a mixed bag for all concerned. People who like the soothing, streamlined strains of Dennis McCarthy's take on STAR TREK will be horrified by the percussive, bellowing sounds of Fred Steiner from TREK's early days, while fans of Steiner's approach probably won't be able to sit still for the modern stuff.

In related news, the Mothership and SciFi.com have announced their two sites will be merging. Here's the full press release:

NEW YORK, NY (June 20, 2000) -- USA Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: USAI) and Centropolis Entertainment today announced a merger between their interactive science fiction assets to build an unrivaled network of SCIFI Web sites. The combination of the two largest players in the space will leverage the global reach of the Internet to bring SCIFI news, entertainment, programming, e-commerce, and community to a mass audience. This exclusive agreement combines the vast media and e-commerce resources of USAi with Centropolis' creativity and innovative storytelling. Terms of the merger were not disclosed.

"We very much believe in original, clearly directed content for the Internet. We think SCI FI is getting to be the perfect pitch for its audience and by joining with Centropolis' fine creative work, we will continue to grow, sharpen and focus SCI FI's interactive presence," said Barry Diller, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, USA Networks, Inc.

SCIFI.COM and Centropolis Entertainment's Mothership.com are pioneers in developing next generation entertainment content on the Internet. SCIFI.COM, a "People's Choice" Webby Award winner, was the first Web site companion to a cable channel and the first to create and stream original programming. Since then, SCIFI.COM has established itself as the premier SCI FI destination on the Web. Centropolis has been at the forefront of science fiction on the Web, creating the first movie Web site for their 1994 release "StarGate" and one of the most successful Web sites of all time, Godzilla.com. Centropolis Entertainment has produced films such as "Independence Day," "Godzilla," and the highly anticipated "The Patriot" starring Mel Gibson.

"We are thrilled to be working with people who understand and are as passionate about the genre as we are. Together we will have the opportunity to blow the roof off science fiction entertainment as we know it," said Centropolis principal Dean Devlin, who will serve on the Advisory Board for SCIFI.COM.

Anchored by SCIFI.COM, the network will offer a rich media experience, including animation, streaming audio and video programming, keeping the network at the forefront of digital convergence. Designed to be a one-stop destination serving all varieties of SCI FI entertainment, the new network will link directly with Mothership.com, among other sites.

The network will feature branded community sites where fans can chat and post news on bulletin boards as well as create their own SCI FI homepages. SCIFI.COM will fuel the network with the world's largest database of science fiction news and reviews. It is expected to go live today.

"We've always been dedicated to creating SCI FI entertainment, no matter what the medium. This is a great day for the fans," said Centropolis principal Roland Emmerich.

About USA Networks, Inc. USA Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: USAI) is a diversified media and electronic commerce company with assets that include the following: USA Cable, comprised of USA Network, SCI FI Channel, TRIO and NewsWorld International; Studios USA; USA Films; USA Broadcasting; Home Shopping Network; Ticketmaster; USA Electronic Commerce and Services which includes Precision Response Corporation and USA Networks Interactive, which includes the Hotel Reservations Network (NASDAQ: ROOM), a majority-owned subsidiary of USAi, SCIFI.COM, USAnetwork.com, studiosusa.com and the Internet Shopping Network, whose primary services are FirstAuction.com and FirstJewelry.com. The company also owns a majority interest in Ticketmaster Online-CitySearch, Inc. (NASDAQ: TMCS), the leading local network, enabling people to get the most out of their city.

About Centropolis Entertainment Centropolis Entertainment is a multi-faceted entertainment organization that develops and produces genre film, television, music, publishing and interactive projects. Centropolis Interactive Inc. has established several innovative Web sites including mothership.com, a favorite destination for SCI FI entertainment and news on the Web, featuring EON Magazine. Centropolis Entertainment's feature films include "StarGate," "Independence Day," "Godzilla," and the forthcoming revolutionary war drama, "The Patriot" starring Mel Gibson.

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