Under Armor

Céline Dion and Peabo Bryson "Beauty and the Beast"

Want to know why the crop of American young adults now between the ages of about 23 and 29 (i.e. those of us born when Reagan was President) are going to rule the world, especially in entertainment? For one, we come from tail-end Baby Boomer/early Gen X parents - the ones after the hippies and racists of the '60s but before the uptight post-Vietnam Gen X-ers of the '80s - who generally struck just the right balance between apathy and helicopter parenting, plus they had fantastic taste in music. We also were the main beneficiaries of the Disney Renaissance, the period between 1989 and 1997-ish when entertainment for children was perhaps the best and most influential it has ever been, led of course by the revitalized Disney animation studios and the string of masterpieces from The Little Mermaid ('89) to (depending who you ask) The Lion King ('95) or Hercules ('97). If you need to ask how that has anything to do with global domination potential, then obviously you weren't there for it (as a kid or a parent) and probably wouldn't get or accept an explanation; if you were, you know what I'm talking about (*high five!*).

The greatest of those films, and in my opinion the greatest of all Disney films, is Beauty and the Beast ('91) which long had the distinction of being the only animated film ever to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture (Pixar's Up made the newly expanded list of ten nominees last year). The second release in Disney's new golden era was exquisitely drawn, elegantly scripted and performed, and features one of the best scores in film history, composed by Alan Menken with songs by Menken and Howard Ashman, the great lyricist who died of AIDS not long before the film premiered. The score and three of the songs were nominated for Oscars, and while glorious opening number "Belle" and showstopper "Be Our Guest" were both fully deserving, no jaws dropped when statues went to the score and the elegant title ballad.

"Beauty and the Beast" was sung by Angela Lansbury in the film, but a re-imagined pop version ran over the credits and was released as a single, starting what would become a lengthy tradition. The adult contemporary cover featured a duet by established R&B star Peabo Bryson and then-little known French Canadian singer Céline Dion. It reached the top ten in the U.S. and many other countries, becoming Dion's international breakthrough and winning a Grammy for the two singers.

Coming from a family of music snobs, I rarely got to hear the duet version before someone got to the VCR eject or the car stereo track skip button, and even as an adult I've had to be rather surreptitious about my occasional re-visitations with the syrupy, overproduced ballad. But since today Disney is bringing Beauty and the Beast out of the so-called "vault," I can't think of a more defensible and appropriate time to indulge my little guilty pleasure. (A new cover by American Idol champ Jordin Sparks has been prepared to support the DVD re-release.)

"Beauty and the Beast"

Céline Dion and Peabo Bryson

Beauty and the Beast

(Walt Disney, 1991)

Wet Jeans

Wanna Touch Me In My...

Aside from the fact that Animal is actually, despite what tag-along critics would have you believe, a pretty good pop album, and a great debut album, there exists, out in the world, a veritable horde of unreleased Ke$ha tracks. I don't mean like that leaked "demo" of Britney's "Telephone," I mean, for the most part, full-on, mostly- to fully-produced tracks (Ke$ha is not primarily a singer, of course, but is equally into songwriting - she wrote The Veronicas' "This Love," among others - and production, with iconic producer Dr. Luke as a mentor). There are different genres represented, too: some are the electro-pop of Animal, while others are more formulaic pop songs one might write as a label's in-house songwriter; others still have a more rock edge, varying from teeny-bop Hoku-style rock to more along the lines of the Donnas; then, finally, there are the ever-so-thrilling experimental pieces, which I particularly love and am especially excited to discuss and share.

But I actually started writing this in the first place because a friend of mine said she needed a reason to wear red lipstick tonight, and the idea finally took root. So here, without further ado, is your first bit of unreleased Ke$ha goodness, appropriately titled "Red Lipstick." This one is from her rocker-chick side, certainly, but what I love most about it is how fun, amusing, and typically Ke$ha (dear God, that dollar sign is going to be the death of me...more on that later) her asides are. This is an artist who truly has a great time in the studio, and it comes across on the best of her records with a glee that has captivated millions (and millions of those dollar signs, too) and made her an inescapable star who may just have gotten too big too quickly for a musician who is not, I strongly believe, destined to be a flash in the unforgiving pop music pan. More on that later, though. Now, to my friend and to all of you, I'm gonna put on ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-my "Red Lipstick!" Enjoy. (Just try it.)

Buffness

I'm a Graffiti Girl

Over the Shoulder

Dry Off

Guess the Change In My Pocket Wasn't Enough

Recently I came across a tweet from a friend of mine, emerging young R&B/soul singer Elle B. Elle has spent much of the last several months gallivanting across the globe backing up Katy Perry on the pop goldmine's promotional tour for the new album Teenage Dream (which as you might have heard dropped a week ago; look for Vertigo Shtick's review later this week). Nation-specific music releasing/availability being what it is, it's a bit of a challenge for our dear Elle to keep up with new releases when the California Gurls are abroad, hence her tweeting search for a killer new track that debuted on YouTube ten days ago and, according to releasing label, has since been featured on over 4500 music blogs. Since I'll do anything for a good friend or a good artist (especially if she's both) and because it's one of the most joyous, deliriously enjoyable new soul tracks in recent history and therefore grade-A evidence disproving the supposed decease of the genre.

You've heard of Cee Lo Green - or at least you've heard him, even if you don't know it. Green is best known as half of the critically worshipped duo Gnarls Barkley (with Danger Mouse), although he had a pair of modest hits in 2002-03 and even sang background vocals on TLC's 1995 megahit "Waterfalls." (He also co-wrote the Pussycat Dolls' debut single "Don't Cha," but bear with me.) Now Green, in advance of his upcoming solo album The LadyKiller, has unleashed upon the world a single with a title almost as surprising as how the song more than lives up to the hype such a title invariably (and shrewdly) creates. "Fuck You" is a kiss-off to a gold-digging ex-girlfriend and the fool whose arm on which she now hangs. Not exactly groundbreaking lyrical subject matter, perhaps, but the packaging is a disarming and rare delight: instead of angry guitars and caterwauling, "Fuck You" is a raucus, up-tempo and upbeat 60s-throwback number that could easily be performed by a church gospel choir without anyone raising an eyebrow, so pleasant and joyful is the presentation.

"Guess he's an X-Box and I'm more an Atari," Green sings (not dating himself at all or anything), but after one spin of this I'm guessing you'll be ready to go back and play some Pong.

Goggly Eyes