Lion King [2019 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

Twenty-five years after the release of the beloved original, Disney added The Lion King to the roster of live-action (or, in this case, "photorealistic" computer animation) remakes of golden era classics. 2019's The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack recruited the same team responsible for the original album -- including Hans Zimmer, Lebo M., Elton John, and Tim Rice -- with Pharrell Williams and Beyonce also contributing. On the orchestral side, Zimmer reimagined the original compositions, reinvigorating them with an energetic live band feel that finally adds appropriate African instrumentation and rhythms (the breakdown on "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" is a standout, transforming the song into a joyous jam session). Lebo M. also gets his due credit here, sharing the spotlight with "He Lives In You" (previously heard on Rhythm of the Pride Lands and in the Broadway show) and "Mbube," a cover of Solomon Linda's 1939 original that returns "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" to its African roots. Of the other positives, "Hakuna Matata" remains a delightful scene-stealer (with Donald Glover and Seth Rogen as welcome additions) and "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" is a stunner, playing Beyonce and Glover off one another in a lush, dramatic duet. The instrumental "Elephant Graveyard" and "Reflections of Mufasa" are similarly sweeping, packed with appropriate grandeur and emotion. The highlight of the album, however, is Beyonce's soaring "Spirit," a goosebump-inducing empowerment anthem co-written with ILYA and Labrinth that takes clear aim at the Oscar bullseye. Despite a few unnecessary moments, there are enough highs on The Lion King to warrant enjoyment of this soundtrack, an updated pairing to the classic original. ~ Neil Z. Yeung