The Country Bears
The movie may not have bared its teeth at the box office, but that's no reason for the soundtrack to slip into early hibernation, especially considering the musical talent liningThe Country Bears' den. Singer-songwriterJohn Hiattowns this disc--cover him in fur, blacken his nose, and fiddle with his incisors a bit and it might as well be him peering back at you from the cover art. In addition to performing four of 14 tracks, the live "Straight to the Heart of Love" withDon HenleyandBonnie Raittincluded, Hiatt wrote eight of these tunes. On a couple, you'd never guess it: Krystal Marie Harris's "The Kid in You" matches Stevie Wonder-like funk with stylish new-school R&B;, andJennifer Paigegrinds out pop power on "Kick It into Gear." Hiatt contributions aside,Béla Fleckbrilliantly plucks his way to "Bear Mountain Top," while theByrdsclassic "So You Want to be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" andElton John's sincerity-drenched "Friends" round out the offerings. Few soundtracks are as solidly built, track for track, especially in the G-rated sector.--Tammy La Gorce