Artist: Glee
Album: Glee: The Music, Vol. 4
Album: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: 5
Oh, you know you want to buy this album. Glee: The Music, Vol. 4 includes songs performed on the first few episodes of the show’s second season, and there are some real standouts. Who can forget the Dalton Warblers’ “Teenage Dream,” featuring real-life a capella group the Beelzebubs, Gwyneth Paltrow’s surprisingly solid “Forget You,” or Kurt’s heartbreaking rendition of the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand?” Though the album is mostly lacking in genres other than pop, like Broadway or rock, the arrangements are fresh and completely addicting.
Vol. 4 demonstrates just how crucial song selection is on Glee. Give the cast songs with heart, intensity and soul, and the vocals and energy soar. When the songs are mere pop fluff, like the Britney Spears tracks, the vocals sound like karaoke. Vol. 4 sets a high bar for the rest of the season, and with Vol. 5’s debut only weeks away, we’ll see if the momentum is maintained.
Give these tracks a listen: “Empire State of Mind,” “Teenage Dream,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
For fans of: Colbie Caillat, Bruno Mars, Cee-lo Green
– Robin Migdol
