You know, it seems like a lot of people, particularly die-hard Star Trek fans, have a great distaste for this soundtrack album from the fourth (and arguably most popular) movie, but I’ve always had a soft spot for it. As you may have read in my critiques of the movie scores by Dennis McCarthy and Cliff Eidelman, I like it when a Star Trek movie’s musical sound isn’t just a repetition of previous scores, but has something new to say. I will be the first to admit that this movie, in venturing into 1986 San Francisco, made it easy going on the composer by allowing him to come up with contemporary, less orchestral music, but the tidbits of movie score that are present on the Star Trek IV soundtrack aren’t bad at all. From the more-celebratory-than-usual opening title (which plays almost like a Christmas carol) to some more menacing cues to accompany things like time travel and Earth-destroying alien ships, there really 
is no decline in quality compared to other Trek films where the music is concerned. And even the fusion jazz source music cues are good, performed by the Yellowjackets, a small jazz ensemble. For those fans put off by the lighthearted sound of this score, I can only say it’s not bad at all.
- Main Title (2:39)
- The Whaler (2:00)
- Market Street (4:39)
- Crash-Whale Fugue (8:15)
- Ballad of the Whale (5:03)
- Gillian Seeks Kirk (2:42)
- Chekov’s Run (1:19)
- Time Travel (1:29)
- Hospital Chase (1:13)
- The Probe (1:17)
- Home Again / End Credits (5:40)
Released by: MCA
Release date: 1986
Total running time: 36:16
