Posted on 31 May 2010

Glee Cast
Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna
Sony Music


“Faaantastic. I know.” That’s how Sue Sylvester described her Madonna bra in Glee’s tribute to the singer; a taste of what it would be like if someone came up with a Mamma Mia-style Madonna musical, with the vocally talented cast of Glee giving a new, very theatrical dimension to some of Madonna’s hits – the best example being “Like a Virgin”, reconstructed as a key dramatic plot point and with four voices.

If the episode focused on Madonna’s empowering attitude, the album is a reminder of the great music she has recorded through the decades, which is as iconic as Michael Jackson’s, yet usually ignored because of her multiple scandals and generally snobby attitude.

For Madonna fans, it’s a shame that Glee creator Ryan Murphy doesn’t seem to enjoy her music after 1990, focusing mainly on her 80s hits and choosing only two songs from her prolific post I’m Breathless era – the relatively unknown “What It Feels Like for a Girl” (from 2000’s Music) and her last big hit “Four Minutes” (from 2008’s Hard Candy).

While there’s not much to say about “Express Yourself” and “Like a Prayer”, given how similar they are to the originals (and the same can be said about the extra track on the iTunes version, “Burning Up”, which is the EP’s weakest), the ones that do change are the real highlights.

For example, the addition of male voices to Madonna songs gives them a new dimension – the duet in the “Borderline / Open Your Heart” mash up, or the above-mentioned “What It Feels Like for a Girl”, which was essential in the episode’s storyline about the Glee guys being insensitive to the ladies.

And while Jane Lynch does a respectable “Vogue” that is close to the original (just like the TV performance recreates the music video perfectly), her two Glee plot-related changes to the song’s rap (“Sue Sylvester, dance on air” and “Will Schuster, I hate you!”) provide a very welcome touch of comedy. Sue Sylvester, we love you!

Verdict:
A great homage to the Queen of Pop; bring on Vol. 2!

Miguel Gonzalez