A Whole New Sound: A Disney Adult's Dance with the Pop Punk Updates
Now here is an album I didn't expect to actually see come to life.
There have been rumours of this for years, ever since the time of Punk Goes Pop series of albums that would come out when we were all teenagers in high school - and too cool and too emo to admit that we actually just enjoyed the original pop music that was being covered, so we needed to exclusively listen to the punk version because it made it better and more tolerable to listen to.
For those teenagers who have grown up and become parents and don't want to admit that they actually just enjoy a Disney song - or want the alternative rock versions of nostalgic classics that they grew up listening to because you fear being called a Disney Adult if you just listen to the original - then this is the album for you.
I am admittedly a Disney Adult, and I am also still that person who enjoys a good pop punk cover of something, so I was very excited when I heard that this record was even in production and going to be released. So my plan of attack was to listen to both the cover, followed by the original song to see how the new rendition stood up to the original and whether it should have remained untouched as a classic; or if the new version was an instant hit. Let's begin...
To start with, I really don't know how the tracklist was picked, nor do I understand how the bands were picked to be part of this, and while I know this seems like a brutal comment off the bat, this is important to keep in mind as I get further into the review. But for now, I want to talk mostly about the absolute highlight tracks that immediately stood out to me and made me love what the album was all about.
The Highlights
The first song from this record that I ever heard is one that I wasn't familiar with at all, but it ended up being one of my favourites on the entire album even post-release. That is Magnolia Park covering 'I2I' from A Goofy Movie. I admittedly have never seen this film, however I know Disney fans who have and absolutely swear by how good it is.
It wasn't until writing this review that I listened to the original song and it is VERY 80's electropop in style in a way that my brain can almost picture the neon outfits of people listening to the track back when it was released on the soundtrack. I personally prefer the newer, updated version as I think it stays as true to the 80's vibe as possible while bringing it into the modern era and stylising it into a punk song. I think the vocals are incredibly well done and suited to what Magnolia Park were going for.
The next song which really stood out to me is 'A Whole New World' from Aladdin. This is a beautiful cult classic that everyone knows and loves... how can you not? A duet about falling in love? It's what we all want in life and truly is one of those songs that makes you think of a "Disney Romance".
This is covered by Yellowcard feat. Chrissy Constanza and honestly, just bravo to them. Plain and simple. Chrissy as Jasmine is a beautiful fit as she can hit those high notes, sound soft and fit the brief of what was trying to be achieved in changing the style ever so slightly, and Ryan Key of Yellowcard has the perfect voice to carry the male lead vocals in this. The way that the pair can harmonise and blend so seamlessly together does have the feel of it that is remeniscent of the original and I definitely think this version will hold up to the test of time without ruining or overshadowing the classic song.
The next track that took me by absolute surprise is 'You've Got A Friend In Me' from Toy Story, which is covered by Meet Me @ The Alter. I'm personally not too familiar with the band's work, however I am VERY familiar with this song, and Toy Story. I will literally walk around quoting or referencing the movie on a near daily basis. When I lose my voice? I'm Wheezy when he's sitting on the top shelf. When I'm losing my mind? I am Mrs Nesbitt. In terms of Disney movies, this one is right up there for my absolute favourite, so I was very shocked when I was highly impressed with a cover of a song so close to my heart.
Edith Victoria really does just absolutely kill it on the vocals, giving me the exact vibe of what I was expecting from this record when I first heard it was going to be released. It is fun, funky, upbeat and a bit rocky. The only minor critique I have of this cover is that in some of the sentences, the lyrics feel to be a little bit mumbled, so I can't quite catch where in the song we're at to be able to sing along, and I already know the words inside and out.
The final cover that really took me by surprise is 'You'll Be In My Heart' from Tarzan, originally performed by Phil Collins. Now here's some Disney trivia for you - Collins wrote this song for his daughter, Lily, who was 10 years old at the time. This particular track is another one that I hold a very special place in my heart for, personally.
You'd think when you're covering such a beautiful track like this and having such big shoes to fill, it would be a big task, but for Boys Like Girls, it was like a duck to water. They did possibly the most impressive job of this song that you could - staying true to their own sound (as they should) but also staying true to the sound of the original song. They didn't try to dress it up, make it too punk, have too much creative freedom - they just did a simple cover and I think that is the reason that it shines so bright. This classic has always given me such an emotional reaction and I felt they really hit the nail on the head and it still gave me that same reaction. Maybe not to the same degree as the original, but it definitely still gave me the same feeling.
The Lowlights
Now to the songs that took me by surprise but not in a good way, and I will admit, yes, as much as I thought I would love every cover - I don't.
'Surface Pressure' from Encanto, covered by The Plain White T's. Now, I haven't seen Encanto, and I wasn't one of those people who was obsessed and needed to watch it a million times, but the original is far better than this cover. It has more personality and you can hear the character being quite expressive in the words she's singing, whereas this cover is just.. kind of boring if I'm honest.
'Friend Like Me' from Aladdin, covered by Bowling for Soup. Oh boy. I have to give them props, they had fun with it and they played around with the character voices of Genie, just like in the original, and the Will Smith remake, but I think they just ever so slightly missed the mark on this one. They hit the brief of making it into a pop punk song and having a hell of a good time with it, but I think in this case, it is the opposite issue to Boys Like Girls with their cover - Bowling for Soup had such big shoes to fill, given that the original was sung by Robin Williams and well.... Nobody can ever really top that one, can they. Will Smith did do a good job in his reprised role of Genie, but he is a comedian by nature so all of the characters moments are melded into the song seamlessly with his knowledge of comedic timing.
The final song that just wasn't for me - 'Colours of the Wind' from Pocahontas, covered by Tokio Hotel. Now I'm sorry if this opinion rubs some people the wrong way but I straight up think this was boarderline an inappropriate song choice and should not have been touched at all. The original song is Pocahontas singing as a Native American woman, about her culture and how she feels connected to the land she lives on and questioning whether the white people coming to take over can connect in the same way as she can, and it is a very slow, melodic, powerful song with strong emotions, but Tokio Hotel have not only cut out the first verse entirely from their cover, but tried to make it far too upbeat, fun, funky and it's just... not the right song for that expression. The lyrics quite literally say, "You think you own whatever land you land on, The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim, but I know every rock and tree and creature, has a life, has a spirit, has a name".
I don't think there is any possible way you can jazz this up to make it sound fun and fresh. I think they could have easily chosen a completely different movie and/or song and it would have been fine.
The Rest and The Wrap
Every other song that is on this album that I haven't highlighted in my review is actually quite a good cover and I will find myself going back to listen to the album every so often, but I don't think (for me) that overall it really hit the mark I was expecting it to. I don't really know what I was expecting when I heard this album was going to be released, but I don't think it was this.
I will score A Whole New Sound a solid six at best. As you can tell, there are a few where I'm of the opinion that the song hits the way it should, and this is exactly what I was expecting to hear from the record as a whole, but then the rest is mostly trying too hard and missing the mark, especially as someone like myself who is so much of a Disney and pop punk music fan, I wanted so much for this to be more than it is.
What do you think?
Disney - A Whole New Sound Tracklist
1. Part of Your World - New Found Glory (The Little Mermaid)
2. Remember Me - Mayday Parade (Coco)
3. Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Simple Plan (The Lion King)
4. I2I - Magnolia Park (A Goofy Movie)
5. A Whole New World - Yellowcard feat. Chrissy Constanza (Aladdin)
6. Go The Distance - We The Kings (Hercules)
7. Surface Pressure - The Plain White T's (Encanto)
8. You've Got A Friend In Me - Meet Me @ The Alter (Toy Story)
9. You'll Be In My Heart - Boys Like Girls (Tarzan)
10. Colours Of The Wind - Tokio Hotel (Pocahontas)
11. Let It Go - LØLØ (Frozen)
12. Friend Like Me - Bowling For Soup (Aladdin)
Rating 6/10
A Whole New Sound is available now! Get it here
Review by Heather McNab @heathermcnab
