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
members are created equal --
Cory Monteith
(the show's hunky football captain) and
Dianna Agron
(the alternately caustic and vulnerable head cheerleader) can't sing nearly as well as their co-stars -- 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
) make a good argument for
being an ensemble production in disguise, but
still receives top billing, and she sings circles around most of the pop stars whose music is featured here. ~ Andrew Leahey