My Amazon Reviews: Glee "Presents The Warblers"

Let's All Sing Like The Birdies Sing  
5 Out of 5 Stars

When Glee originally started, I have to admit that I expected a lot more vocalistic music than what ultimately began appearing on the soundtrack CD's. While I have found each of the discs to be enjoyable, they've often had their share of Karaoke Plus type of moments, and rarely outdid the original versions of the songs they started off covering. "Glee Presents The Warblers" changes that.

For starters, they enlist an actual Glee Club (the Tufts' University Beelzebubs) to perform the bulk of the vocal work. Then they give the lead focus to Darren Criss (Blaine on the show), one lead to Chris Colfer (Kurt) and a pair of duets for the two. It centers the album more than the other soundtracks, essentially making this Criss' debut album. Criss has a pleasant, boy-band type of voice, while Colfer sounds like the show-tunes worshiping kid he plays on the show when it's time for him to hit The Beatles' "Blackbird." (He's good on the Lennon-McCartney numbers; Colfer's version of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" remains a series standout).

The selection is a solid representation of any typical "Now That's What I Call Music" CD, with current pop holding court. I was already partial to The Warblers' version of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream," then they chart similar courses on Beyonce's "Bills Bills Bills" and Maroon 5's "Misery." They redeem the long reviled McCartney "Silly Love Songs" and manage to make Barbra Streisand's "What Kind Of Fool" into the kind of song the Bee Gees might have done if Barry Gibb had kept the song for himself. (However, I doubt anyone will every be able to sing "Do You Think I'm Sexy" and make it anything better than a piffle.)

The consistency of "Glee Presents The Warblers" make it the best of The Glee series. It also may be the first starmaker of the series, propelling Darren Criss into a promising solo career. Now where's Colfer's solo?