or fans, the music most closely associated with Babylon 5 has always been
Christopher Franke's energetic electronic soundtracks. But for the show's
stars--especially those who spent hours every day in the alien makeup
trailer--artists like Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt and B.B. King actually left
a more lasting impression. That's because each morning, as they were
transformed into their Minbari, Narn and Centauri alter egos, Mira Furlan
(Delenn), Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar) and Bill
Mumy (Lennier) found themselves listening to songs from these musicians. Over
time, the tunes inspired the four actors, along with fellow cast member
Claudia Christian (Susan Ivanova), to form The Be Five and record their own
CD.
Trying to Forget is a 12-cut collection of original, non-genre
compositions from this ad hoc quintet. The opening number is a bluesy ditty
titled "Tell Me How," which showcases the combined efforts of all five
Be Fives. Other melodies spotlight the individual vocal talents of the
various Fives. Christian adopts a sultry singing persona for "Lovely in
Loveland," while Katsulas' gruff voice graces the gritty "Can't Imagine
Blues." Meanwhile, Jurasik struts his rock 'n' roll stuff on "Put It On
Down," Furlan enhances the bossa-nova beat of "I Don't Know Who You Are" and
Mumy, who wrote or cowrote every tune, revs up the spirited "Might Be You."
The collection ends with another ensemble selection, a humorous nod to
Babylon 5 dubbed "It's Just A TV Show."
The liner notes include over a dozen candid stills of the singers in the
studio, along with brief comments from each player. The booklet also features
photos of fellow Babylon 5 actress Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander),
who provided background vocals on a couple of cuts.
So bad it's good
Ever since William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy beamed down to recording
studios in the late 1960s, the concept of singing SF stars has struck fear in
the hearts of both music and science fiction fans alike. Yet, as the saying
goes, "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," and
though the efforts by The Be Five aren't wholly horrific, Trying to
Forget definitely falls into the "so bad it's good" category.
Ironically, those actors who seem to be participating purely as a lark
offer the best performances. Mumy--a professional musician with two solo
albums and numerous group projects to his credit--is clearly having fun with
"High On The Strength Of Your Love," a lively track that complements his
dynamic guitar and singing skills. Katsulas, who openly acknowledges in the
liner notes that his vocal abilities are "less-than-amateurish," does a
passable job growling away on the blues-infused "How Was I To Know," as does
Jurasik on the soft, cocktail-jazz melody "When You Were By My Side."
However, the other tunes are more problematic. Furlan's severely limited
range douses the fiery torch song "The Touch Of Your Hand," while Christian's
spunky interpretation of "If You Want Candy" is far too forced for the
come-hither composition. And, when all of the voices are heard back-to-back
on the two ensemble works, the inherent weaknesses become even more prominent
(although the droll lyrics of "It's Just A TV Show" save that particular
piece from being completely dreadful). While it probably wasn't the band's
intent when naming the album, Trying to Forget accurately predicts the
mental state of most listeners after hearing this CD.
