Album Review: Glee Cast - Glee: The Music, Vol. 3 - Showstoppers (4/5)

I've had "This House Is Not a Home" stuck in my head for the last week. As sung by Glee's Chris Colfer (Kurt), delivering his best vocal performance yet, it's given me a new appreciation for Burt Bacharach, from whom Glee used two songs for the episode "Home." Kristin Chenoweth (April) also appeared that week, proving again that she is one of the most appealing guests stars to have appeared in the series. "This House..." makes a second appearance as as second half of a medley with Bacharach's "One Less Bell to Answer" sung as a duet between Chenoweth and Matthew Morrison (Will Schuester). It's a gorgeous duet on which both Broadway veterans sound great. Chenoweth is also really good on "Home" (from "The Wiz"), pushing the hairs on my neck up when she hits that final high note.

These are just three of many highlights on Glee: The Music, Vol. 3 - Showstoppers, which, although it arrives just one month after The Power of Madonna EP (and one month before the season finale EP, Journey to Regionals, is more than a welcome addition. Jonathan Groff, added to the cast as Rachel's (Lea Michele) romantic interest and male counterpart in rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline, appears on several tracks, most notably a stirring rendition of Lionel Richie's "Hello," sung with Michele. Also making a wonderful addition to the cast is Idina Menzel (anyone recall her 2008 pop single "Gorgeous?") as Vocal Adrenaline coach Shelby Corcoran and (spoiler alert) birth mother of Rachel Berry. Menzel and Michele team up for a quite delightful re-arrangement duet of Lady GaGa's "Poker Face." The other GaGa song, "Bad Romance," as performed by Kurt and the girls, is fine, but sticks to the original sound of the song; however, it was a lot of fun on the show. Then there's Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, Doogie Howser MD), also a Broadway man, who duets with Morrison on Aerosmith's "Dream On," another memorable moment.

While these dynamic guest stars contribute to many of the best moments on this album, the cast proper has quite a few winning numbers too, particularly their take on "Total Eclipse of the Heart," and a bouncy Rachel-led rendition of All-American Rejects' "Gives You Hell." Mark Salling (Puck) gives his Robbie Williams best on "The Lady Is a Tramp," giving the now mohawk-free bad boy a great stand out number. He's less effective, but still fun to listen to on the Kiss ballad "Beth." A few numbers are a bit pedestrian, such as Amber Riley's (Mercedes) rendition of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful," or the group's take on U2's "One." Fine songs, but Glee doesn't offer much new for them.

As the show wraps up its award-winning and now quite popular first season the music continues to sound great, if not improve.

Best: Hello, Poker Face, One Less Bell to Answer/This House Is Not a Home, This House Is Not a Home, Home, Dream On, Total Eclipse of the Heart. The Lady Is a Tramp, Gives You Hell