Seaquest DSV

After first attracting the attention of sci-fi nerds via his work on the syndicated TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation, composer John Debney transitioned from outer space to ocean floor with his scores for the short-lived NBC prime-time series SeaQuest DSV. This Varese Sarabande soundtrack CD compiles Debney's scores for three episodes of the series, and the emphasis here is on pure action. The music does a vivid job of evoking the mystery and danger of the undersea milieu, employing old-fashioned brass and strings to conjure the cliffhanger heroism of cinematic adventures of yore. A little of SeaQuest DSV goes a long way, however, the restraints of episodic television force Debney to operate within a narrow stylistic window, and while he proves eminently capable of sweeping action themes, one wishes the show's producers would allow him the chance to score some more intimate and human sequences as well. ~ Jason Ankeny|