One of the truly great ironies of modern American pop culture is the evolution of Randy Newman, social critic and songwriter superb, into one of the 1990s' preeminent scorers of animated films. As in Toy Story, Newman's music for A Bug's Life forms much of the crucial human dimension of the computer-generated visuals, replete with an upbeat, if ever-so-slyly fatalistic "theme" song, "The Time of Your Life. " Newman's mastery of the orchestra sparkles here as he playfully romps from '40s-tinged big-band swing through Stalling-esque parodies and tomfoolery to mock-heroics worthy of Korngold and Waxman (or Randy's uncles-Alfred, Lionel, and Emil-for that matter). The brain trust at Pixar may have made impressive strides in forging their digital illusions of life, but they still seem eons away from replicating the musical synapses of Randy Newman's brain. If Walt's impending, much-rumored big thaw actually works out, will Newman be next in line for the Disney deep freeze? -Jerry McCulley.

As the bridging film of the original Star Wars trilogy, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) topped its predecessor in terms of story, character development, and special effects. Directed by Irvin Kershner, the sequel documents the relentless pursuit of the rebels by Darth Vader, a burgeoning romance between Han Solo and Princess Leia, and the training of Luke by the mystical Yoda. Taking advantage of his elaborate leitmotif design, composer John Williams introduces a wise, spiritual theme for Yoda and a delicate love theme that assumes a more dramatic profile after Han is betrayed and frozen into sculpture. The score is also an imaginative inventory of self-contained settings, whether it be the chilly Hoth soundscapes, the otherworldly choruses of Cloud City, or the intricate gymnastics written for "The Asteroid Field". Discarding the heroic optimism of his previous score, Williams enforces the film's overriding dark tone through the ominous, brassy "Imperial March". Appearing in virtually every cue, the march accompanies Vader's obsessive quest to kidnap and convert Luke to the dark side. A definitive accounting of the finest science-fiction score ever written, this remastered two-disc set (released concurrently with the special edition of The Empire Strikes Back in 1997) presents the complete score in its full glory. -Kevin Mulhall.

The tag-line emblazoned across the top of the WWF: Forceable Entry album cover reads, "All New WWF Superstar Themes That Rock!". On any compilation where songs by Limp Bizkit and Marilyn Manson are unremarkable for their fast pace and fury, it can be safely said that all of the songs do "rock". Careful work has gone into matching songs to the performers and the opportunity to listen to this album outside the context of WWF shows means that fans can live the fantasy any time they choose-all day long. Even Vince McMahon's theme strengthens the role he plays in the WWF plot: Dope's "No Chance" talks in the first person about a stupidly angry boss and connecting McMahon with this song is smart because everybody hates their boss on some level. This song only reminds the listener of McMahon's part in the drama. Along with "No Chance", some of the other numbers on WWF: Forceable Entry are new covers or remixes of wrestlers' theme songs. Here, this generally means a new version with dirtier guitar work throughout it. This will only bother listeners if they are really attached to the original version of one of the themes, such as Chris Jericho's "Break the Walls Down" (Sevendust), or Undertaker's "Rollin'" (Limp Bizkit). If you know the songs played upon the entrance of these wrestlers then you know which themes you like and which ones you don't-and you know whether or not you need this album. -Mark Huntsman.

These days entertainment is all about synergy and cross-merchandising baby, from the "free" toys at the burger joint to the pay-per-view rights, soundtrack CD, T-shirt sales, and cereal endorsements, et al. The wrestling establishment has become increasingly savvy at such activity, and this CD would seem to be the culmination of this marketing ethos. WCW Mayhem brings together new and exclusive tracks from some of the hottest hip-hop (Cypress Hill, Lyrical Giants), metal (Metallica, Slayer), and hip-hop-metal acts (Kid Rock, ICP) as well as the entrance themes for the hottest WCW superstars (from Goldberg to the Nitro Girls). Does it deliver? Absolutely; this disc is as rowdy and entertaining, boastful and testosterone-fuelled as the sport that it celebrates. -Mike McGonigal.

After the success of their score for The Little Mermaid, the songwriting team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken returned to Disney for their second fairy-tale adaptation. Sadly, it was the duo's last completed score before Ashman's untimely death at age 41. This soundtrack contains more-conventional show music than The Little Mermaid, owing in large part to Broadway stalwart Angela Lansbury and to Jerry Orbach's Yves Montand impersonation. Most of the songs here were included in the subsequent Broadway adaptation and its cast album, but this disc is superior in its studio polish and cast, which is better suited to the score. -John Sanchez.

In the 1960s, the comedy The Princess Diaries might have starred Walt Disney favourite Hayley Mills, who often found her characters in similarly farfetched situations. Forty years on, it's a Disney flick, but with a few crucial updates. Among them is this soundtrack album, which collects non-threatening tracks aimed as much at prepubescent kids as teenagers. (When Melissa Lefton chirps, "I love life, life loves me / Everything in the world makes me happy", it's a moment as far from Cobain-style angst as any in post-"Smells Like Teen Spirit" pop. ) Even the biggest names here (Backstreet Boys, Diaries co-star Mandy Moore) clock in with music hardly as interesting as their genuinely sweet hits; almost everyone else supplies producer-driven filler that seems barely able to rouse even the sunniest child listener. The cheerleading of B*Witched's "Hold On" and Lil' J's cover of Salt 'n' Pepa's "Ain't Nuthin' but a She Thing" are nothing to complain about, but the disc seems designed to go in one ear and out the other. -Rickey Wright.

Disney's score-heavy soundtrack to the animated Emperor's New Groove blends a scoop of splashy and sentimental contemporary tunes with a shovelful of evocative, masterfully crafted compositions. Big-name artists such as Shawn Colvin, Eartha Kitt and Tom Jones each signed on to sing one of five Sting-penned songs, and Sting himself lends vocals to two tracks (one a duet with Colvin), so the stars are flying high. But fans of these folks may feel they are forever flipping through the wordless orchestral numbers in search of the record's radio-friendly fare. But buyers with more eclectic listening habits are in for a fully engaging if sometimes jumpy sonic ride: Composer John Debney sends pulses racing then mellows them out on tracks teeming with tension ("Beware the Groove"), trepidation ("The Jungle Rescue"), or tenderness ("A New Hope"), and Sting as songwriter doses up splashes of spice by way of the salsified "Perfect World", for which Jones's considerable vocal energies couldn't be better suited, and the prickly "Snuff Out the Lights", which is put across with practised insouciance by a pucker-faced, still-out-of-this-world-after-all-these-years Kitt, who also plays the movie's devious diva Yzma. "My Funny Friend and Me", Emperor's end-title song and the record's first single, presents a more familiar Sting, and not only because he is its singer. Soundwise, it hardly strays from the artist's huge-selling adult-skewed ballads-his bread and butter in recent years-and as such, it, along with the tender duet "One Day She'll Love Me", grips the potential to send this record racing up the charts. -Tammy La Gorce.

While the inclusion of novelty songster Weird Al Yankovic (here with "Polkamon") and new-waver all-stars the B-52s (here with the playful "The Chosen One") sharpens the proceedings with their individual visions, most of the performers here have been coached by producer David Foster or other music industry veterans. Most successful is former disco diva Donna Summer, who emerges with the dramatic tune "The Power of One", which sneakily includes the Pokémon theme featured throughout the film. Twelve-year-old Alysha may be a burgeoning teen star with her surprisingly mature interpretation of "Dreams". The emphasis is on the current teen-pop trend: Dream Street, Christian boy band Plus One and O-Town (the band documented on a US TV series called Making the Band) all serve up the prescribed recipe for success: swooning harmonies, greeting-card lyrics, and near-operatic melodies designed for radio. You expected a movie starring Pokémon to miss a trend? C'mon. -Rob O'Connor.