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 the 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, an updated pairing to the classic original. ~ Neil Z. Yeung