Music: Glee - Showstoppers

I don't think I've ever mentioned my unashamed love of Glee on here before. Well, let me say now, against my better judgement, I am completely in love with Glee. It's fun, silly, upbeat and it is just what the world needs. I have to admit, there are episodes which I could live without, characters who grate and storylines that crash and burn. But the music, oh the music...

The latest of the 5 Glee albums (of which I possess 3) is called Showstoppers and features many of the big belting anthems from the most recent handful of episodes in the run up to the grand finale.

I love how this album journeys smoothly from covers of The Beatles Hello Goodbye, through Christina Aguilera's Beautiful, to Loser by Beck and U2's One finally arriving at a stripped down cover of Lady Gaga's Poker Face. It's pop, rock, jazz, showtune, rap, funk, ballad, swing and dance. A musical education in 20 tracks.

My stand out tracks are A House is not a Home, originally performed by Dionne Warwick. This song has been sailing around my head for two weeks. Chris Colfer (that's Kurt to you and me) and Cory Monteith (Finn) perform it beautifully. You cannot pass on Amber Riley's sensational rendition of Beautiful. She could be the only woman who can kill it like Christina. Another fantastic track is a cover of Safety Dance by Men Without Hats as performed by the wheelchair bound Artie (played by Kevin McHale). I use it to break up the monotany of working all day. The show's bad boy, Puck (played by the unfeasibly handsome Mark Salling) swings out to The Lady is a Tramp, joined again by Mercedes (Riley). It is fun, sexy and a complete surprise from these two performers.

My absolute favourite stand out track is one that has taken me by surprise. Chris Colfer performs an empassioned, powerful and near flawless cover of Rose's Turn from Gypsy. This boy has had no formal vocal training and yet turns out a brilliant performance of this track. I could listen again and again.

My rating: **** 4 stars

Recommendation: Watch the show. Take it with a pinch of salt. Buy the CDs. Dance, sing, smile and forget.