Album: Glee: The Music: Season One Vol. I (Columbia)
In stores: Now
Chorus lines: I’m not allowed to criticize Glee in my house. If I utter one churlish thing about Fox’s geek-chorus dramedy — for instance, its delicate balance of surreality and reality will be impossible to maintain (plus that phantom pregnancy plot line is lame) — I’m immediately banished somewhere dark, cold and without cable. But hey, this is my column, so just try and stop me. This new soundtrack compiles 17 of the show’s reimagined pop hits. (A second volume will be released in December.) Without the visuals, the music isn’t nearly as fun. And although Lea Michele (who plays overachiever Rachel) can sing for sure, Cory Monteith (Finn) is even more digitally pitch-tuned than you thought. (Can’t Fight This Feeling — yikes.) Too many songs (No Air, for instance) are presented without any Glee-ifying; that’s called karaoke, folks. But when he’s inspired, producer-arranger Adam Anders, who cut his teeth on the High School Musical franchise, blends amateur-hour enthusiasm and drama-club exuberance to delirious effect. The sunbursting vocals on Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ have helped that cover version sell more than 500,000 copies. A downright religious reworking of Queen’s Somebody to Love is even better. And bad-boy Puck’s Sweet Caroline and teacher Will’s Gold Digger have sweet, nerdly appeal.
Reminds us of: After a two-week layoff, Glee is back on Wednesday. I hope my family lets me watch. I’ll be good...for the most part.
Download these: Don’t Stop Believin’, Somebody to Love, Sweet Caroline
Grade: B-