AMAZON
If you've ever cringed in anticipation of the schmaltzy warbling in a Disney picture, then this could be the album to confound your expectations. The idea of Phil Collins is a great start anyway, with his huskily strained vocals bringing a very different sound. On top of that, the marriage of his songs and voice into Mark Mancina's rollicking score is done in a very successful way. Their goal was to integrate Collins as a singing narrator, the trick being to avoid a clash between score ending and song beginning. Pleasingly the album retains much of that seamlessness. You might feel you could do without reprising duets with luscious boy band 'N Sync, but thanks to the jungle rhythms of Speed king Mancina, they do actually feel like a part of the whole. "Two Worlds" is a definite highlight of the collaboration for musicality, but "Trashin' the Camp" has the inventive laughs. And yes, it does finish on the famous Tarzan yodel! --Paul Tonks