Released 6 September
Disney Music
Disney have finally unleashed their “Punk goes Disney” compilation, titled A Whole New Sound, in anticipation of pop punk fans across the world. Here at PitPass, we’ve been all over this record since Simple Plan dropped their cover of ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight?‘ back in July. A Whole New Sound acts as a love letter to pop punk fans who also share a fondness for timeless Disney classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Toy Story. We know this concept has been a pipedream for many Disney music fans since we uncovered punk music and to have this in our hot little hands finally feels like a massive achievement.
What worked? What didn’t? Most importantly, who kept the overall Disney magic alive? Read our thoughts below!
First and foremost, this compilation of bands and songs is going to raise eyebrows for a few. Let’s just say, some song and movie choices were quite obscure and didn’t deliver that boost of seratonin we yearn for when it comes to a Disney film. The addition of Coco and Encanto must be for the next generation family because the two tracks featured here honestly didn’t make me feel anything. Mayday Parade’s rendition of the Coco lullaby ‘Remember Me‘ definitely felt more like a Mayday Parade original, whilst Plain White T’s take on ‘Surface Pressure‘ was just a bit too left field. I may need to watch Encanto before I get into this one though.
Another surprisingly yet questionable song choice came from Canadian alt/pop musician LØLØ. While it was an overall enjoyable listen giving one of Disney’s biggest films of the 2000s a pop/rock flavour, the high vocal range of the original track (performed by Idina Menzel) was absent here and didn’t have quite that big an impact. LØLØ is a fantastic artist in her own right though, but I don’t feel this track did her talent any justice.
Perhaps playing it safe will pay off, like it has for Florida pop/rock outfit We The Kings. The guys took on Hercules with the anthem of empowerment, ‘Go the Distance‘ and seemingly made this track fit in with the band’s catalogue of powerful yet playful brand of rock. Boys Like Girls also kept things tight and in solid motion with what fans are familiar with on Tarzan’s ‘You’ll Be In My Heart’. Vocalist Martin Johnson is swoonworthy on any love song he performs and this cover is going to make hearts melt everywhere.
Bowling For Soup have become renowned for being the voice of Phineas and Ferb thanks to their hit theme song, so it’s no surprise they were invited onto A Whole New Sound. This time however, Jaret Reddick and co. have gone with their pop punk instincts and given Aladdin’s Genie a fun, high-energy personality with ‘Friend Like Me‘. Fellow 2000s pop punk icons New Found Glory (who are infamous for their From the Screen to Your Stereo albums) are also here for that Disney nostalgia, giving a massive childhood film a hot pop punk take. ‘Part Of Your World‘ might be a pop culture phenomenon, so we’re not surprised with this choice. We’re also STOKED because the band absolutely crushed this.
Tokio Hotel is a band we haven’t heard in a hot minute, but their inclusion offers many a throwback. Pocahontas was a hugely popular film for many Millennial children back in 1995 and doesn’t often get a reawakening. ‘Colours of the Wind‘ ticks the box of inclusivity in 2024 and will rejuvenate your inner child like never before. This one’s easily the underdog track of A Whole New Sound.
1995 must’ve been the pinpoint for many Disney films because contemporary pop punkers Meet Me @ The Altar are also here with Toy Story’s ‘You’ve Got A Friend in Me’. Changing key and upping the tempo to stay aligned with their punchy melodies, this trio have kept the magic intact for an iconic film that remains as popular today as it did back in ’95. A Whole New Sound wouldn’t be complete without A Goofy Movie either and Joshua Roberts from Magnolia Park has seemingly fit into Powerline’s shoes perfectly with a catchy, memorable take on ‘I2I‘.
If we’re talking catchy, you’d be remiss not to include Canadian pop/punk outfit Simple Plan in this compilation. The first act to debut their Disney cover, a high-energy rendition of Elton John’s magical love ballad, ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight?‘, the much-loved act in the genre have spoilt us all with this equally magical version. In their own, unique Simple Plan way, the boys have injected new meaning and life that will ensure The Lion King lives on for generations to come.
But the icing on the cake here is an inclusion from Yellowcard and Aladdin’s most renowned them song to date, ‘A Whole New World‘. Alongside The Little Mermaid’s ‘Part of Your World’, the song has become synonymous with Disney nostalgia and there are countless covers in existence over the years. We honestly couldn’t pick anyone else better to take on ‘A Whole New World’ than Yellowcard. A band seeped in 2000s pop punk history, offering rock harmonies and pop sensibilities, frontman Ryan Key also elected Against the Current vocalist Chrissy Costanza to give Jasmine a new voice for the compilation. Together, their voices complement each other beautifully and have kept the magical love story of Aladdin unscathed.
Rating: 8/10
Review by Tamara May
A Whole New Sound is available on all streaming platforms now. Pre-order the vinyl for your collection here
A Whole New Sound tracklisting:
1. Part Of Your World (from ‘The Little Mermaid’) – New Found Glory
2. Remember Me (from ‘Coco’) – Mayday Parade
3. Can You Feel the Love Tonight? (from ‘The Lion King’) – Simple Plan
4. I2I (from ‘A Goofy Movie’) – Magnolia Park
5. A Whole New World (from ‘Aladdin’) – Yellowcard featuring Chrissy Costanza
6. Go the Distance (from ‘Hercules’) – We The Kings
7. Surface Pressure (from ‘Encanto’) – Plain White T’s
8. You’ve Got A Friend in Me (from ‘Toy Story’) – Meet Me @ The Altar
9. You’ll Be in My Heart (from ‘Tarzan’) – Boys Like Girls
10. Colours of the Wind (from ‘Pocahontas’) – Tokio Hotel
11. Let It Go (from ‘Frozen’) – LØLØ
12. Friend Like Me (from ‘Aladdin’) – Bowling For Soup
