Glee: The Music, Vol. 1 - Glee

Oct 30, 2009 03:10 pm

The great thing about "Glee"—Fox's new glammy musical comedy series—is that when you see the cast has covered "Somebody to Love" on the show's first soundtrack, you know straightaway that they're doing the hit by Queen instead of Jefferson Airplane.

Like the High School Musical franchise, Glee became more than a TV show when several of its songs cracked the Hot 100, including the number four hit "Don't Stop Believing." That song kicks off this soundtrack, the first in a series of albums cataloging the music performed by the show's cast. Not all Glee members are created equal -- some castmates are far better actors than singers -- but this soundtrack has enough star power to keep things trucking along, especially when powerhouse alto Lea Michele takes the wheel. She sounds fantastic throughout, whether she's holding her own during a duet with Broadway queen Kristin Chenoweth, or covering the likes of Jordin Sparks, Avril Lavigne, and Queen. The soundtrack is mostly a vehicle for her voice, yet it also gives ample stage time to Matthew Morrison, who downplays his own Broadway career by rapping on two different tracks. Tuneful performances by Mark Salling (the Neil Diamond-loving jock) and former boy band member Kevin McHale (the wheelchair-bound Artie) also point to the fact that Glee is an ensemble production in disguise, but Lea Michele still receives top billing, as she sings circles around most of the pop stars whose music is featured here. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide