Vida Mickey
Mickey Mouse, like legions of his non-rodent countrymen, has leaped aboard the Latin-music bandwagon.  In fact, he's gone so loco for the genre's steamy sounds that here's his 14-track fiesta of salsa-, mambo-, and tejano-inspired tunes. Aimed at the tough-sell 'tween crowd (9- to 13-year-olds), the record has some familiar fare will certainly delight. "Livin' La Vida Mickey" is a redo of theRicky Martinstaple, with Minnie "into dancing Latin / Yellow shoes and cell-phone calls." And "Disney Mambo #5 (A Little Bit Of...)" is a minor reworking of theLou Begasmash performed by the artist himself, who, instead of crooning for Jessica, Erica, Sandra, and Rita, turns his more chaste attentions to Minnie, Mickey, Donald, and Daisy. The "Conga/Rhythm Is Gonna Get You/Get on Your Feet" medley metes out a dose of the Miami sound that most prepubescents have wiggled wildly to at one time or another. Otherwise, tucked among a handful of heavy-duty Disney cuts like the "Mickey Mouse Club March" and "Mickey's Cup of Life" are two songs the company particularly hopes will perk the next wave of teen ears. "Magic Carpet Ride" is an English-language version of the Spanish song "Bailo La Rumba" byMDO--the formerMenudo. Even more enthusiastically billed is another "Magic Carpet Ride," this one a Latin-poppy cover of theSteppenwolfclassic, sung sweetly and convincingly in a debut performance by 13-year-old Myra, the first teen artist on Disney Records' roster. In all,La Vida Mickeyis a well-rounded package perfect for punching up piñata parties; more generally, though, it will captivate the ever-swelling crowds of caliente-crazed kids.--Tammy La Gorce