Billboard requires a JavaScript enabled browser to get the full experience

Various Artists, "Glee: The Music Volume 1"

by Mikael Wood  |   October 30, 2009 3:59 EDT

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. Co-created by Ryan Murphy, who put together the high-camp cult fave "Popular," "Glee" speaks to the same constituency that recoiled in horror when Kris Allen beat Adam Lambert on this year's season of "American Idol." And as on "Idol," that aesthetic is most appealingly expressed here in the material that seems the least suited for it-i.e., mushy heartland rock ballads like Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' " and REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling," both of which these kids transform into stylish jazz-hands anthems. Spirited glee-club versions of Rihanna's "Take a Bow" and Jazmine Sullivan's "Bust Your Windows" are nice, too, but they lack a certain revenge-of-the-nerds triumph.-Mikael Wood

Up for Discussion

Connect with

More Features

All features

All of Billboard.com's Great Lists

Billboard chart app

Billboard archives

Thanks For Joining Billboard

Log in to create your profile, speak your mind and connect with listeners like you.

Why Join ?

Don't just hear it. Live it. Go deeper than a casual listen: Voice your feelings, build a profile around your favorite music, connect with people who share your passions and discover new ones. Sign up for free.

Complete Your Registration at Billboard.com!

Haven't Joined Yet ?

For the full Billboard experience, you need to be a member. Sign up. It's free.

Join Billboard

Forgot your password?

Enter the e-mail address you used to sign up and we will email you the password .

Email Sent !

Your password has been sent to the email address you provided. Please sign in below :

Log In

Forget your password ?

Action Successful

We'd love to hear your feedback on the new Billboard.com!

Whether it's a feature request or a bug

We want to hear from you. Please use this form to anonymously give us your input.