The spirit of the resurrected Doctor Who endures in this latest soundtrack. There are very few tracks I would skip, and that's saying something given the huge number of tracks on the CD (thank you Murray, THANK YOU!!!). I definitely agree with an earlier reviewer, that this is the best soundtrack since Series 3 (a few more listening sessions will be required before I can ascertain if it is actually an improvement). I think it's fair to say that a soundtrack deserves a full five stars when hearing it repeatedly brings an uncontrollable smile to one's face.
One of the things I like most about the series 5 music is how Murray Gold slipped in a few tunes from the Specials music, essentially 'bridging' Series 4 and 5. For example, listen to the beginning of "The Sun's Gone Wibbly" from series 5 and then "The World Waits" from the Specials soundtrack. My inner-nerd squeals in delight when I recognise familiar tunes. At the same time, the new music sounds very distinct.
I think a real mark of the quality of a soundtrack is when it contains music that you didn't notice during the film/program, but absolutely love listening to on its own. This is the case for tracks such as "A Lonely Decision", and "Victory of the Daleks". Murray should also be commended for tracks such as "The Time of Angels". Normally I don't like intended-to-be-creepy music so much (with the exception of "Blink" from Doctor Who series 3), but the Angels track is just SO creepy. Doctor Who doesn't really scare me but this music would if I ever listened to it at night alone with the lights off (which I will never, ever do).
Of course, the soundtrack's crowning achievement is the new theme, titled under "I Am The Doctor". What an incredible tune! It encapsulates all the epicness, mystery and joy of Doctor Who. I'm still a little sad that the old Doctor's Theme has been decommissioned (Murray, if it made a few returns in later music, just every now and then, that would make my life), but "I Am The Doctor" is the perfect successor. I love how it's revisited in several tracks, without getting tiresome.
The only thing that prevents the series 5 soundtrack from being perfect is the omission of one of my favourite bits of music, from the "Amy's Choice" episode - there's a really rousing piece which plays while the Doctor is in the butcher's shop and he's trying to escape from the murderous geriatrics before he falls asleep again. I mourn its absence...