While I found Abrams reboot of Star Trek invigorating and epic, I was manifestly disappointed in Giacchino's score. Expecting a fresh perspective while keeping with the majestic orchestral Trek themes of the last four decades left me with a theme barely memorable moments after walking out of the theater. Not even repeated listenings to the too-brief album create a sense of scale or memory for this score.

For me, the strongest tracks were "Labor of Love" and "Enterprising Young Men," with the former striking sympathetic chords during the birth of Jim Kirk while his father pilots the Kelvin to destruction; the latter serving as presage to the reveal of the Enterprise to Kirk and McCoy. But the latter invokes inevitable (and arguably unfair) comparisons to Jerry Goldsmih's epic "The Enterprise" from 1979's Oscar-nominated "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" score.

Although Giacchino employs some up-tempo moments, there is no lyrical theme that makes this score memorable. To the extent that it serves as the musical backdrop for the movie it is succesful, but it would seem numerous composers could have turned out a similar effort. This score ranges from the brooding to the cloyingly staccato, never truly taking much of a risk in an effort either to link to Trek's musical past or establish a strong thematic future.

Abrams Trek reboot is an unqualified success. It is manifestly disapponting a similarly successful score did not accompany it.