Regular Toon Talk readers may recall in my
Disney song special a few weeks ago this plea: "Where, oh where is the House of
Mouse soundtrack?" Well, all you House fans out there, it has finally
arrived. And all who have been delighted with that series' cleverness and slyly irreverent
humor since it's debut last January will not be disappointed by this fun collection of
songs from the Emmy-winning, Annie-nominated program.

Have you been chomping at the bit for the next
season of House of Mouse to begin? Well, this album serves as a sneak preview, as
most of the songs are from episodes that have not yet aired. Consider that a spoiler
alert for those who don't want to hear or read about the new songs until after they
have seen the new episodes.

For those of you who may not be familiar with House
of Mouse (what, have you been hiding under Skull Rock all year?), the series is set in
the titular club, co-owned by Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. The night spot, located on
downtown Main Street in Toon Town USA, has a very exclusive clientele: namely, the stars
of every Disney animated film, short and television series past, present and future.

At one table, you may see Timon and Pumbaa
sitting next to a very nervous Jiminy Cricket, while at the next table Cruella de Vil is
measuring Lady and the Tramp for the newest additions to her wardrobe. The series is full
of wry sight gags and in-jokes, and is a must see for any Disney fan.

(House of Mouse is part of ABC's One
Saturday Morning block of children's programming. Check local listings for showtimes.)

Part of the entertainment at the House of
Mouse (in addition to the MouseWorks cartoons shown on the big screen) is live
performances by the club staff (including Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto) and
various Disney guest stars (O'Malley & the Alley Cats being a constant no-show). These
are the songs featured prominently on this soundtrack.

Included in my aforementioned Toon Talk Top
101 Disney songs, the theme song to House of Mouse, "Rockin' at the House of
Mouse", was written, produced and performed by Brian Setzer. Setzer gained fame as a
member of the late, great Eighties rock band The Stray Cats, and was at the forefront of
the recent revival in the popularity of swing music. He brings touches of both styles,
rock and swing, to the theme song, making it, well ... rock and swing. Two
versions of the song appear on the album, the track used in the show itself and an
extended, Radio Disney-friendly cut. You will be hard pressed to resist the urge to get up
and boogie along with this one.

Aside from three instrumental tracks (two
jammin' bridge tracks performed by the "House of Mouse Band" and a MouseWorks
theme medley that is pure toon tunes), the remaining songs are split between take-offs
of classic Disney songs and musical theater-style originals.