Glee: The Music, Volume 2 CD Review

In just one season, Glee has not only become a popular show but it has become a cultural phenomenon on the Fox channel.  Glee: The Music, Volume 2 is Sony Music’s second CD release, available in stores December 8th at a list price of $11.98, that celebrates the best of the resounding musical performances that drive the hit show.

Glee: The Music, Volume 2 released just last month on November 3rd.  Sales remarkably exceeded 113,000 units in just the first week.  The album earned the #4 spot on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart.  Even before the CD releases, Glee music downloads surpassed over 2.5 million in digital sales.

With 17 tracks, Glee Volume 2 includes several current hits along with a collection of popular older titles.  Performed by the show’s actors, the music often has a more cheery and definitely original feel.  Glee the show was awarded much hype among critics prior to its debut in September.  You could argue that the quality of the show itself has slightly underperformed expectations.  However, it is the musical numbers delivered by intriguing characters that make the show what it is.

Your appreciation for Glee: The Music, Volume 2 would likely depend on your obsession with original performances by original artists, or your ability to listen outside the box to fresh new interpretations of the hits.  Track 3, “I’ll Stand By You”, originally released by The Pretenders and re-released several times later (most recently popularized by Carrie Underwood), is one of the best tracks on the CD.  There are some songs that are original male, or original female, leads, that are gender-switched by the Glee music production.  This works in some instances, but John Lennon’s “Imagine” (female interpretation) is one of the best songs with the least effective presentation on the Glee music CD.

Void the connection to the Glee show, listeners might not be overly impressed by Glee: The Music, Volume 2.  However, fans of the show that appreciate the lively and talented musical performances will surely feel more connected to hearing the hits on the CD.

Glee: The Music, Volume 2 CD Tracks

1. Proud Mary
2. Endless Love
3. I’ll Stand By You
4. Don’t Stand So Close To Me/Young Girl
5. Crush
6. (You’re) Having My Baby
7. Lean On Me
8. Don’t Make Me Over
9. Imagine
10. True Colors
11. Jump
12. Smile (Cover of Lily Allen Song)
13. Smile (Cover of Charlie Chaplin Song)
14. And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going
15. Don’t Rain On My Parade
16. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
17. My Life Would Suck Without You

• Audio CD
• CD Release Date: December 8, 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Sony

CD Review by Neil of Movie Room Reviews

Tags: Glee CD, Glee music, Glee music downloads, Glee Volume 2