How does one go about reviewing this body of work? Do you compare it to other soundtracks out there? To other Disney soundtracks? To Phil's last Disney soundtrack? Or to his entire career as a pop artist? Each will have different vantage points. I, myself, had reservations about the quality of this work after being somewhat disappointed by Phil's last studio album, "Testify". Thankfully, with "Brother Bear", he's still got it, even if he does have to work a little harder to separate wheat from chaff.
First off, the world's a depressing place to be, with cynicism playing out overtly everywhere in the world, and film feeds off this mindframe. So it's different to hear an upbeat, happy soundtrack such as this. Enjoyment of it will depend upon in which state of mind you prefer to absorb yourself.
Compared to other Disney animation features, its production echoes that of "The Lion King"--fully orchestrated pop songs with heavy, rhythmic drums and a full choir to flesh out as much emotion as possible. Collins' relies on his standard formula of melody and simple, conversational lyrics. They can seem almost sing-songy, too ambiguous at times--trite when listened to in a vacuum. Setting them against the backdrop of the film will add more depth.
If you're looking for pop songs with tribal drum rhythms, like those in "Tarzan", you won't find them here. Afterall, "Brother Bear" is not set in Africa. If you enjoy the standard formula of pop melodies and simple lyrics to sing along to, it's very much like Tarzan. The biggest difference is the inclusion of other singers on some of these tunes--Tina Turner on "Great Spirits", a song that, oddly, does not have the punch that her vocals usually provide, the Bulgarian Women's Choir on "Transformation", the lyrics of which have been translated into Inuit, and The Blind Boys of Alabama on "Welcome". It adds a new dimension, making it a bit different from "Tarzan".
When compared to Collins' last solo album effort, "Testify", this provides a life-long fan of his music with evidence that his best days may not yet be behind him. While both "Testify" and this soundtrack are essentially happy albums, this has more depth. With more people to play more instruments and a wider array of them, it proves what potential the songs on "Testify" had, but the treatment they weren't given--a full orchestra, a choir (for the album version of "No Way Out" and Phil's version of "Transformation"), accordian and harmonica (found on "On My Way"), and so on. "Look Through My Eyes" does show that producer Rob Cavallo, who produced Phil's last solo studio effort, can come up with a good sound out of Collins. For a second attempt at an animated soundtrack, it's a success. But it's not something he should do for the rest of his career, for one can only use such simple lyrics as "when you see things through another's eyes," and "...everything you need to be the one you need to be..." so many times before you start to plagiarize even yourself.
