Glee

Glee - Episode 15: The Power of Madonna

This week's episode of Glee focused on the Power of Madonna. Described by various members of New Directions as a genius, and icon, and a "hall of fame MILF" (thanks, Puck), the overall theme of the show is reverence of Ms. Ciccone, and the message (and we know Glee loves a good message) can best be described through a quote from the Material Girl herself; "I'm tough, ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay." In honor of the female-empowering attitude, this week's Gleecap will focus on our all-female clients - those being the Virginia Belles, Duke Lady Blue, Duke Out of the Blue, and Men in Drag from the University of Chicago.

In light of the recent lack of respect shown to the women in New Directions by the Y-chromosomes in the group, Mr. Schuester decides - after seeing the Cheerios perform "Ray of Light" with stilts - to have the entire club incorporate songs by Madonna. The men are less than enthusiastic about the assignment, but the women quickly shame them into submission with an ass-kicking, name-taking rendition of "Express Yourself," complete with brightly-colored corsets and tailored black suits probably stolen from the storage space used to house Madonna's Blonde Ambition Tour memorabilia. It's rife with girl power, though, like Out of the Blue's version of the Dixie Chicks' unapologetic anthem, "Not Ready to Make Nice" off of Code Red. The sass is also turned up to an 11, rivaling Lady Blue's take on Ciara's "Like a Boy" from Off the Record.

Wil points out that Madonna's legend status actually transcends the music itself, because of her persistent message about independence and confidence, regardless of your gender or the roles that gender should fill according to society. He makes the men sing though, "What it Feels Like for a Girl," but if this weren't a theme episode, I would recommend some serious gender-bending. Take, for example, the Virginia Belles' bravado in making a feminine but powerful performance of a U2 song - "Beautiful Day" off AcaBELLEa.

Already plagued by a dire lack of awareness for up-to-date fashions, the students of this MidWestern high school fall further into a sartorial time warp as the episode progresses (for more information on this, check out Brittany's lacy gloves, sangs fingertips, and the montage of various Madonna looks during Rachel and Finn's duet on "Open Your Heart." Their sweet, plaintive vocals are reminiscent of Men in Drag's hit single, "Goodbye, My Almost Lover" originally by A Fine Frenzy, or "Superman (It's Not Easy)," off their album No Pants, No Problem.

Along with the Madonna-centric theme, several of the characters in the show come face-to-face with the prospect of losing their virginity - namely, Finn, Rachel and Emma. The "to do, or not to do" question stares all three in the face on the same night, and we see their feelings depicted - how else - through song. All three sing "Like a Virgin" while imagining what their first time will be like. The simultaneous vulnerability and catchiness is not unlike the Virginia Belles's "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie, off of AcaBELLEa. Ultimately, Finn sees things through with Santana, though feels nothing afterward as he doesn't care for her. Emma is unable to seal the deal with Wil, though, and winds up fleeing his apartment. The same goes for Rachel with Jesse, and though it's because she too is not ready, she pretends to feel reluctance due to the star-crossed nature of their romance.

But then, after that night, New Directions acquires a new member - Jesse himself. The rest of the kids - minus Rachel - are less than thrilled with this turn of events, but Wil stands by his decision... a decision later comes back to haunt Wil, as he finds Mercedes and Kurt as the newest members of the Cheerios, in Sue's latest bid to win Nationals. After a heart-pounding, cheerleader-backed version of Madonna's duet with Justin Timberlake, "Four Minutes," the duo explain their desire to have a moment to shine. It's their own version of taking a stand, like Out of the Blue does with their in-your-face take on Evanesence's "Call Me When You're Sober" off Code Red.

More drama to come next week, so stay tuned! And also, with more artists soon to be released, keep checking our website for updates!

Glee returns: Hell-O

Well, Hell-O, and welcome back, Glee fans! After a cold and lonely winter, our favorite campy hour-long weekly musical is back in business. And with new characters entering the lives of our favorite high school glee club, New Directions, we're in for a very exciting ride to Regionals.

The episode starts with Rachel, Mercedes and Kurt extolling the virtues of their Sectionals win - namely, that they would become high school royalty in the wake of their success. They may have spoken too soon, however, as Rachel barely finishes her assertion that they're destined to rule the school when they are hit with a triple slushie attack. They may have to take Regionals before they earn the respect they so desire. But in their way stands Carmel High School's Vocal Adrenaline - more of a phantom menace for the first part of the season, they are front and center in the minds of New Directions. And rightfully so - during the episode, we're blown away by a high-octane rendition of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" - complete with pyrotechnics. It's electrifying, not unlike Acquire A cappella's rendition of "I'm On a Boat", or the UNC Clefhangers' take on Robert Randolph and the Family Band's "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That" off of "Sing V: Groovus."

Fronting Vocal Adrenaline is Jesse St. James (played with simultaneous bravado and charm by Lea Michele's rather delicious "Spring Awakening" co-star, Jonathan Groff). Rachel and Jesse seem destined to be, after meeting in a music store to sing through Lionel Richie's "Hello." It's sweet and soulful, and much like one of the earlier episodes this year, shows us what a well-executed ballad sounds like. Deltacappella's rendition of "Chasing Cars", originally by Snow Patrol, off their self-titled album also shows us the power inherent in slower, softer numbers - when done right. But Rachel's fellow teammates don't approve of her new love, so for now, their romance must remain a secret. Jesse isn't the only man in Rachel's life, either. Finn is still in the picture, though he inevitably blows it with her early on in the show by breaking up with her for the sake of what he probably thought would be a letter to Penthouse Forum with Brittany and Santana, but turned out to be a lame date at a fabricated Olive Garden with the two trading hilarious barbs about their classmates. Rachel gets her revenge though, the only way she knows how - through song. She verbally pitch-slaps Finn during rehearsal with a dance-in-your-seats rendition of "Gives You Hell" by the All-American Rejects. It's the kind of rock-fueled empowerment shown to us by the Amalgamates in their version of Alanis Morrisette's torn but passionate "Uninvited" off of Prime.

Wil is also pulling double duty in this episode. He tries to work things out with Emma, though we soon learn he may subconsciously still have feelings for Terri, after he mistakenly makes Neil Diamond's "Hello Again" his and Emma's song while forgetting it was his and Terri's junior prom number. I suppose it's the kind of song you can't get out of your head, much like Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now' (c'mon, Queen is catchy!) - especially if it's VoiceMale's version off of Where's the Album?. He and Emma also have another roadblock in their way, with the revelation that Emma is a virgin and needs for things to progress slower than Wil initially anticipated. He lets off some of that steam though with Broadway superstar Idina Menzel, who is playing Shelby Corcoran, the coach of Vocal Adrenaline.

In case anyone was curious, Ms. Corcoran and Jesse are clearly up to no good, but we'll learn more about that in the upcoming weeks.

And speaking of those who are out to sabotage New Directions, Sue Sylvester is already back - it really wouldn't be Glee without her - thanks to a date rape drug and an incriminating picture with Principal Figgins. More on Sue and her general existence as an epic win next week (here's a hint: if you haven't seen her version of Madonna's "Vogue" video yet, you either live under a rock, or harbor deep feelings of self-loathing). Tune in next week for Glee's much-anticipated Madonna episode! And until then, you can rock out to our clients' music!

Glee - Episode 13: Sectionals

All aboard the Sue Sylvester Express... Destination: Horror! Wow, what a show!

For starters, Finn found out Puck was the father of Quinn's baby, which threatened to tear the group apart. As if that weren't enough, the other groups at Sectionals wound up stealing from New Directions' initial set. But in the end, good prevailed, as Sue was fired and our favorite Glee Club won the show! New Directions fought their way past Sue's deviant moves by piecing together new songs at the last minute, under Rachel's direction.

First was "Don't Rain on My Parade," a big theatrical number not unlike University of Oregon On the Rocks' rendition of "Kyrie" by Mister Mister and a sign of an ever-increasing use of legitimate theatrics in vocal ensemble music. Next was "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by the Rolling Stones. Everybody loves a throwback, such as when Stuck in the Middle recorded and released their take on "I Second That Emotion" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. And then, to finish out the set was Kelly Clarkson's powerful "My Life Would Suck Without You," which is always a crowd-pleasing pop tune. Her songs always make for a "Happy Ending," much like Catholic University Take-Note's rendition of the Mika classic. No wonder they pulled out the win, even with all the adversity they faced.

And on a final, love-ly note? Sue's dismissal wasn't the only faculty drama of the night - Emma got dumped, then found herself in the arms (and on the lips) of one Will Schuester! Oh, what a night, and what a way to end off before their long break. Until April 13th, you can keep warm with our ever-expanding catalog of music. See you then, Gleeks, and for now, Happy Holidays!

Glee - Episode 12: Mattress

Holy GLEE, Batman! One week before the mid-season finale, and GLEE is pulling out all the dramatic stops in order to lock us further into its magnetic draw! This week, we got fake baby bumps, real baby bumps, Sue at her most evil, Will reduced to tears... and that's just the start!

This week brought us the return of Emma and Ken (welcome back!) and a reminder that their wedding is not far off. Of course, so are sectionals and - surprise! - they're on the same day! Ken's sticking to his guns here, guys. Of course, if I saw my girlfriend in the arms of Will Schuester, I'd be a little worried too! On the competition front, Sue's had some work done in order to prepare herself for one of the most anticipated - or dreaded, in the case of the Glee Club - events of the school year... yearbook photos! Unfortunately, Will can only snag enough space for two Glee Club members, due to Sue's determined to cut the club out of everything. With Rachel voted captain unanimously by the club (none of whom want to have their pictures effaced, as Kurt explains), Will tasks her to find a co-captain. Rachel, of course, convinces Finn, and we get our first song of the night, "Smile," by Lily Allen. For another great pick me up tune, you can check out "Don't Cha Wanna Ride" by Joss Stone, ably performed by this year's hostesses of SoJam, Duke's Out of the Blue.

Of course we come to the day of the pictures and Finn, feeling a little heat from his teammates, bails and leaves Rachel to take the picture alone. Rachel has a momentary lapse of confidence, but then picks herself back up in her usual, admirable way (giving us a sneak preview of our last song of this show at the same time) and pulls off some fierce photos. You're ready for Elle Magazine, girl! At the end of the shoot, when Rachel finds out that the photographer is directing a local commercial, she recruits the entire Glee Club to participate. The result is one of their best performances to date - "Jump" by Van Halen. If show choirs never used mattresses before, Sealy better lock down their stock now, because I fear their staple sheep may be out of a job! Want more rocking tunes from before you were born? Jam out to "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night as performed by Middlebury College's slyly named Stuck in the Middle .

At this point, Glee takes a sharper, noticeably darker turn, unlike any we've seen in recent history. Will, who's willing to pay for the quarter page ad in the yearbook, comes home and discovers that Terri isn't pregnant after finding one of her fake bellies in a drawer. Amid the hysterical apologies, Will, teary eyed and heartbroken, walks out. Sue, after finishing a particularly foul "Sue's Corner" on the local television station, sees the club's commercial and proceeds to get them tossed out of Sectionals for profiting from their work. Will is further heartbroken upon hearing the news, coupled with the realization that, by sleeping on one of the mattresses after storming out of home, he effectively disqualified the group from competing. Quinn, however, has had enough. After realizing who she is and what she wants, Quinn blackmails Sue Sylvester into giving the Glee Club one of the Cheerio's six pages for free, and adds a warning to Sue that she will divulge all the secrets of the financial kickbacks the Cheerios have received if Sue doesn't watch where she steps and gets back on the team. Disgusted with Sue, Quinn refuses, walking out. About time she grew up!

In the final scenes of the episode, Will resigns from Glee Club, telling the kids that if they can't win Sectionals without him, he hasn't done his job and encourages them to go get "all gussied up" for their full-page photo in the yearbook. As the kids get ready, we hear an amazing version of "Smile, " the classic song first heard in instrumental version accompanying Charlie Chaplin's videos, and since covered by such people as Michael Jackson and more. It reminds us that, even when things have come to their worst, we can still smile. A great message for not only Will and the kids of Glee Club, but for all of us, especially around this time of year. For me, another song I am always drawn to when I'm down is Josh Groban's "Lullaby,' beautifully arranged and sung here by University of Oregon's On The Rocks . And so ends another episode of Glee.

Tune in with us next week as we wrap up the first half of the first amazing season of this BRILLIANT show. Until then, what are YOUR favorite GLEE moments?

Glee - Episode 11: Hairography

Glee's back again, and another episode brings New Directions closer and closer to sectionals. This week also brings us back to a devious, plotting Sue Sylvester. This time she's undermining the efforts of the club by doling out their set lists to their Sectionals competition, which ultimately inspires Mr. Schuester to give the kids a "Hair"/"Crazy in Love" mash-up to perform. It's fun, but if you really want something vocal and original to move to, check out Naturally 7's "Wall of Sound," which appeared on Sing V: Groovus.

Their interactions with their competition reached an especially emotional level when the deaf school performed a tasteful rendition of John Legend's "Imagine," made better by New Directions joining them during the course of the number. Vocal music can produce some truly emotional moments - listen to Emory Aural Pleasure perform "Winter" by Tori Amos on Sing: A Vocal Explosion. I must also say that, though some activist groups don't approve of the show, I happen to feel their attention to diversity is wonderful. The LBGT community, minorities, handicapped persons and actors of ALL sizes are represented in positive lights.

This week also brought back the baby drama in full force, and the interweaving plots left most of the cast - and audience, probably - feeling crazy (or "Crazy in Love"... sorry, I couldn't resist). But at the same time, this week was also decidedly more, well, "high school," with a heavy emphasis on relationships - namely, trying to break up the one between Finn and Quinn. Rachel seeks advice from Kurt, but he misleads her in the interest of keeping Finn to himself (honey, it's not gonna work). She winds up adopting Sandy's style from the end of "Grease," much to Finn's chagrin. Poor Rachel - she just needs to take some advice from the Virginia Belles and "Hold On." Quinn meanwhile tries to spend time with Puck (who, as we all know, is that actual "baby daddy"). Though their babysitting adventure goes well (thanks to a great rendition of Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach"), Santana bursts Quinn's bubble by informing her that she and Puck were "sexting" during their babysitting play date. Perhaps if Quinn had performed "Heartbreaker" like the Tufts Amalgamates did, she would have held his attention better.

So it looks like the dream couple won't be torn apart anytime soon. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for us Gleeks and our new favorite show - time is running out before we lose Glee from our lives until April! Once the hiatus begins you can get your fix of creative vocal wonderment by checking out our catalog of amazing a cappella recordings!

Glee - Episode 11: Hairography

Glee - Episode 10: The Crush Ballad

This week's "Glee" brought back fond memories of my first teacher crush. Oh c'mon, we all had one! Who was yours? For me, it was Mr. Smith... if you're out there, Mr. Smith, I would have sang Diana Ross' and Lionel Richie's "Endless Love" to you any day! I would not, however, have cleaned your apartment. Rachel really pressed her luck with Mr. Schuester this week, crossing several boundaries. Though Will's face during their duet was hilarious, Rachel was coming on far too strong. It's an emotion the Tufts Amalgamates sweetly described as "Crazy Love." I guess ballads do more than melt hearts.

Well, not everyone's heart was touched by ballad week - especially not Quinn's uptight parents. But those slow, emotional numbers came in handy when the cast needed to say what was on their minds. Finn may have wanted to serenade Quinn with Paul Anka's "Having My Baby" at a more private time, but it was a sweet gesture all the same. Rachel's take on "Crush" by Jennifer Paige was also, for lack of a better word, awkward. Ballads are powerful though, and must be used carefully. Take Will's attempt to dissuade Rachel's infatuation through a fun and completely adorable rendition of "Don't Stand So Close to Me" by the Police. Sorry Mr. Schu, but if you wanted to help her move on, maybe belting out classic 1980's rock songs to her while looking super-cute isn't the best way to go about it. I'm sure it's a probably Colorado College's Back Row has experienced whenever they sing the Boyz II Men classic, "I'll Make Love to You."

But aside from the lighter-hearted aspects of tonight (namely Rachel's temporary obsession, though even she tugs at the heart strings by the end of tonight during her apology for her behavior), this episode kept up the trend of adding heart and depth to the characters and their plights. Quinn's confrontation with her father (after their pregnancy is outed to her parents through song) was especially emotional. Sadly, Quinn's parents can't find it in themselves to be there for her in her time of need, and kick her out of the house. They could have used the Amalgamates here also, to find encouragement through their take on Seal's "Don't Cry" or Duke Out of the Blue's "Breathe (2 a.m.)" by Anna Nalik.

Thankfully, Finn's mother was more than understanding to the couple's predicament, as well as the other members of New Directions, who came to the rescue showing their love and support by using what they know best - their vocal chords. Their soulful rendition of "Lean on Me" took a turn halfway through the song, giving it a funky, fun-loving feel to end another powerful episode. The previews for next week's show seem to herald the return of the fun-loving "Glee" we first fell in love with - which, after the tearjerker scenes we've gotten the past two weeks, may be quite refreshing, like eggs Sunny Side Up!

Glee - Episode 9: Wheeling and Dealing

Glee is back, and during its time away, grew some real heart. Tonight's show focused on Artie's disability, an issue that spidered into the lives of other Glee characters in ways we could not have anticipated. It's also the first episode to bring to light off-the-set controversy - many in the disabled community have expressed upset with the show's decision to cast Kevin McHale in the part of Artie, even though he is not actually handicapped, and see it as disregarding an opportunity to feature an actual disabled person prominently and in a positive light. The producers insist, though, that they searched for a wheelchair-bound Artie, but ultimately needed to enlist McHale's musical abilities. You can read more about it at Us Magazine's Web site .

Whichever side you land on in the debate, you have to admit that tonight's show brought the issue to light - even going so far as to have Mr. Scheuster force the members of New Directions into wheelchairs for three hours a day, for an entire week, so that they could understand what their fellow glee club member deals with every day of his life. The effort was also an attempt to stave off some of the isolation Artie feels after the others refuse to put forth the effort to get a wheelchair accessible van to take them to sectionals together. He also expresses himself early in the episode during a fun rendition of Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself ". With the song, he basically was saying "This is me and this is who I want to be". The 80's is always a great source of powerful, but fun, songs, just waiting to get the aca-treatment, as demonstrated by the Tufts Amalgamates with their rendition of "Heartbreaker." Looks like everyone wants to "Just Dance" - like the Red States' cover of the Lady Gaga tune , found on Sing Six: Sunny Side Up, says.

And in addition to understanding persons with disabilities, other obstacles were introduced - namely the sing-off between Kurt and Rachel for the "Defying Gravity " solo, originally from Wicked. In the a cappella world, there's nothing wrong with gender bending - just ask the Brown Bear Necessities, who put together a great cover of the Weather Girls' "It's Raining Men." Those high notes at the end were make-or-break for both competitors, and hey, we in the a cappella world understand the importance of money notes. One group that employs them beautifully into their arrangements, and executes them with powerhouse conviction, are those in the Stanford Harmonics. The last minute of their rendition of "Sound of Silence" leaves me with goosebumps every time.

And the kicker of this episode was a high-octane, wheelchair-friendly version of Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" with a stage setting of ramps, provided by Sue Sylvester (who was finaly humanized, and wonderfully so, toward the end of this week's show). "I Feel the Earth Move" by Carole King/Sly and the Family Stone, as done by Awaken A Cappella. And with a great closer to a surprising episode, this show should be proud to move in a great direction.

Glee - Episode 8: Mash Up

For all you tigers out there, don't let yourselves get caged in - go on out there and bust a move! Or perhaps you prefer to "...Push It To Delight," as per the University of Virginia's Academical Village People with their hip-hop medley . Speaking of caged in, however... this week's episode was not the best Glee offering to date, if I'm being honest, and by the end, I felt a bit trapped into watching. But at least the show maintained it's excellent musical diversity, covering artists from Sisqo to My Fair Lady.

And any missteps the show may have taken were compensated by the increased presence of Puck - I now understand why some girls go for the bad boys! That is one beautiful - if not manipulative and ornery - piece of eye candy! And he even showed his (slightly) sensitive side when he busted out Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline," a song which no person, no matter how surly, is impervious to, in regards to its sing-along powers. It's one of those classic tunes that gets everyone around you singing and feeling happy, much like Journey's "Don't Stop Believing ," which we've obviously heard on this show, but has also been expertly covered by Virginia Tech's Juxtaposition.

But yes, last call songs aside (no, no Cornell Last Call - I mean the lights-on, bar's-closing last call), there was, as I mentioned earlier, an appearance of music from The Dragon. That's a dude who needs to get back in the studio, however (and preferably not with a new smash hit extolling the virtues of bras - you mined the underwear route sufficiently, Sisqo). As for the Glee kids, they should stick with more modern hip-hop. Seriously, Nelly? Sisqo? Way to play to that choral nerd stereotype regarding ignorance of current top-40 hits. Why not perform some Justin Timberlake, like the University of North Carolina Clef Hangers did with "My Love ," or even some N'Sync?

The big focus of the episode, however, seemed to be those slushie attacks. Honestly, has anyone out there attended a school where this is a common practice? It seems like it'd be cold enough in the Midwest without tossing frozen beverage treats at one another (and also, what a waste of high-quality sugar). I suppose a trip to the day spa can fix any skin, hair or clothing issues resulting from a deluge of slush, but I'll simply say this: If anyone ever tossed one of those bad boys in MY face? "I would get them a kitten. I would let them fall in love with that kitten. Then one night, I would sneak into their house and punch them in the face." Perhaps that's just me, although after awhile, I'm sure the cold would leave me "Comfortably Numb " (a la the Stanford Harmonics's rendition of the Pink Floyd/Scissor Sisters classic).

Glee - Episode 7: Throwdown

What in the name of Glee is going on?!? This week's episode featured delusional baby theft, teacher in-fighting, neglected minorities, Cheerio flunking... and Drizzle? Thankfully the insanity taking over Lima is balanced out beautifully by some amazing music-making, and between the clever writing and the powerhouse song selections, Glee's writers and producers are churning out pure genius.

Mercedes started things off right this week by belting out Jill Scott's "Hate On Me". There's nothing better than a powerful vocalist ripping a song to shreds -- not unlike the University of Virginia's Academical Village people in their take on the Weather Girls' female power anthem, "It's Raining Men." And I loved taking a trip back to the fabulous days of ridin' dirty with Nelly's "Ride Wit Me." Nine years later, Nelly has ridden into the dirty sunset, but at least we have other hip-hop greats to cover in a cappella land, as demonstrated by Rutgers' Casual Harmony on Kanye West's "Stronger ", not to mention the ladies of Divisi from University of Oregon with their breakout cover of Usher's "Yeah! ."

On the love front, it seems as though our leading man and lady -- Finn and Rachel -- are progressing further into their relationship. After their show-stopping performance of "No Air" (originally by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brow), the romantic tension is tough to deny. For another fantastic version of this modern day power ballad, check out Catholic University's Take Note A Cappella's rendition, on their upcoming premiere album to be released this November. A truly outstanding R&B a cappella cover is tough to find, yet the Tufts Amagamates take on "Don't Cry " wonderfully, as do the Virginia Bells with "Kiss From A Rose " -- and in both cases, they're taking on Seal, a true master of smooth R&B love. Unfortunately, the ever-developing nature of Fin and Rachel's relationship leaves our distressed Quinn out in the cold. Thankfully, she's able to warm things up with a fun rendition of "You Keep Me Hanging On" by The Supremes. The noticeably delicate, pop-ish quality of Quinn's voice serves as a nice contrast to the blasting voices of the other ladies on the show.

Nothing made me happier, though, than the all-out brawl between Mr. Schuester and Coach Sylvester. Thankfully Sue stepped down from her co-director position, but not before twisting the proverbial knife one last time by forcing Jacob to run an article on his Gossip-Girl-reminiscent blog about Quinn's pregnancy. Thankfully she has the Gleeks on her side, as represented by their emotional performance of Avril Lavigne's "Keep Holding On". The comforting message of this song is one we can all afford to pay some attention to -- especially in these times when so many of us can sympathise with the sad feelings of the gleek crew in this episode.

Glee - Episode 6: Boys vs Girls

As Dale Earnhardt once said, "Second place is just first loser." The members of New Directions certainly adopted that mentality for this week's episode, which featured a boys-versus-girls inter-group competition, orchestrated by Will after noting the group's complacency with their proress. Each team was charged with the task of arranging their favorite mash-up of two songs, and performing it full-out, with costumes and choreography. And full-out their performances were... probably thanks in large part to the performance-enhancing drugs doled out the new school nurse, Terri Schuester. It's probably not wise to encourage the effects of the drugs on the kids, but if I'm being honest, their performances really rocked!

You may be gender-biased as to which team "won," but to me, it was honestly a toss-up. The guys immediately set the bar high with their mash-up of "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi and "Confessions (Pt. II)" by Usher. Another popular all-male group, Stuck In The Middle , may have a prescription for Vitamin D themselves, with their high-energy performances. And for more all-male, drug-free aca-fun, check out Virginia Tech Junxtaposition, who will have your heard naturally racing with their take on Josh Gracin's "Stay with Me" .

But in the end, while it was tough to choose, I must maintain that girls rule, and boys decidedly drool. They rocked the proverbial house with their "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves/"Halo" by Beyonce mash-up. There are many sunny, sweet lady groups in the aca-world, but one that stands out to me is the Virginia Belles, who work hard toward a polished sound, featuring intricate arrangements and a bevy of pop ballads. Listen to one of my favorite Belles arrangements, originally by Seal. And of course, you can't have a discussion about powerful female groups without mentioning Divisi from the University of Oregon. Their take on Usher's smash hit "Yeah" put them on the map (and on several compilation CDs, including Sing II: Electrice Boogaloo).

Next week will be high on comedy, as Terri's pill-pushing antics lead to the best mash-up of all - Sue Sylvester gets hired as co-director of the glee club after Will is forced to take the blame for his wife's actions. I can't wait!

Glee - Episode 5: The Rhodes Not Taken - Somebody to Love

In the real world, when an a cappella group's star diva drops out, they don't have the option of replacing her with a Tony award-winning musical theater star. Most groups don't exist at the fictitious William McKinley High School, though, where Kristin Chenoweth is an available substitute. Unfortunately, in the "Glee" universe, Chenoweth cannot stay to play for long, but during her short, pickled time in New Directions, she made quite an impression. Thankfully, the conventions of musical comedy allowed our ingenue Rachel to rejoin the group during intermission of the big show of the week, which led to some legitimate onstage magic.

Chenoweth's number was incredible, though it's doubtful any high school group would really be allowed to sing "Last Name " by Carrie Underwood - and I'll just assume it wasn't on the "Yay Jesus/pro-balloon" list of approved songs. After their assembly performance of "Push It " by Salt-n-Pepa, they should have gone for something a little less risque, like the Cornell Hangovers' take on "You Got a C " by Alan Menkin, or perhaps another belt-tastic, female-fronted song in the vein of Kelly Clarkson's "Gone " or Christina Aguilera's "Mercy on Me " (which came out a considerable amount of time after her "Dirty" days, making it suitable for minors). Those would have been show-stopping options that wouldn't have the Principal's office flooded with calls the following morning.

Speaking of show-stoppers, who enjoyed their take on Queen? Some may feel Queen shouldn't be touched by anyone whose name doesn't begin with "F" and end with "-reddie Mercury," but I personally thought our Gleeks did a fantastic job. Also, I really enjoy the show's versatility in terms of the genres and eras of music it chooses to adapt. In just this one episode, they got to "Last Name ," "Somebody to Love ," as well as 1980's rock ballad "Alone " by Heart (a band with its own epic lead singer) and a Cabaret number. The latter especially impressed me, as musical theater songs do not usually translate so well. One great example of musical-theater-gone-a-cappella though is "Mama Who Bore Me " by Divisi (hailing from the University of Oregon). Their rendition of that "Spring Awakening" classic even earned them a spot on Sing V: Groovus .

The show also took steps forward in the plot, in addition to their musical leaps, being successful yet again in making us care about these kids beyond their performances. Pregnancy, hormones, underage drinking, infidelity, insecurity... it's not pretty, but it's the truth, and "Glee" is all about telling it like it is, with the message that, through all those things and more, you need to fight for what's important.

Glee - Episode 4: Singin' Football Glory

Sorry, Taylor Swift. I'm really happy for you, and I'll let you finish your career, but Kanye was right - "Single Ladies" by Beyonce really is the best video of all time. Big thanks to "Glee" for pointing that out! Seriously, if anyone out there hasn't hopped aboard the "Glee" train, now would be the time, because tonight's episode was easily the best so far since the pilot.

The plot thickened this week with some VERY unexpected news - not to mention the best dance routine to date. The fact that it took place on a football field only made the moment that much sweeter. However, while none of us at ACR are NFL football officials, we're pretty sure dancing mid-field is illegal. (Football Geek Editor's Note: were this to elicit a yellow flag, especially if the dance were led by one or several players from a single team, I'm pretty sure it would be deemed unsportsmanlike conduct.) If choreographed numbers are in play, where do I auditio--er, sign up? I bet I could rock some pads and cleats. Though, the thought of helmet hair is somewhat of a deal-breaker.

But speaking of unexpected, I found myself pleasantly surprised that the "Glee" cast could rock a Celine Dion number. Most divas are, after all, untouchable - Celine, Whitney, Mariah, Christina, Aretha... you know the ladies I mean. But Rachel came rather close to out-singing "the greatest singer in the world." No easy feat, if you ask me. Rachel's take on Celine may be no match though for the Tufts Amalgamates cover of "I'm Your Baby Tonight," which is available through ACR (and was also featured on BOCA 2001). Coincidentally, that Whitney hit also relates to tonight's episode... which is yet another reason this show will be a success. Their willingness to explore weighty topics while delivering something that is still, primarily, comedic and musical is the sure sign of a hit show with a bright future.

But for now, some advice to the high school crowd: lay off the wine coolers!

Next week, "Glee" continues to take on some musical titans, this time venturing into the oh-so-tricky land of covering Queen a cappella. I suppose you must be a fan of "Taking Chances" to find "Somebody to Love" your show.

Glee - Episode 3: Acafellas Unite

Everyone out there in a cappella land with all fingers and thumbs in working order had best get them into "L" formation in honor of the latest "Glee" episode!

For starters, though the Acafellas were missing some integral parts of the human hand, they more than compensated for the lack of digits with a surplus of sweet moves. To be honest, however, there's just one fella I want to discuss - JOSH GROBAN (hereby known to me as Joshypoo, because when two people are in love, such pet names are acceptable... call me!). Surprisingly, there was no (angelic, beautiful, gorgeous) singing to be heard from my beloved, but his one-minute cameo surely brought inner harmony to Gleeks the world over. He certainly translates well to our cherished art form, as proven by On the Rocks (from the University of Oregon), who recorded a wonderful rendition of "Lullaby ."

The major earworm of the night, though, has to be "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan, with its groove-tastic R&B feel. For me, it's reminiscent of the Cornell Hangovers' "Ignition" remix . Say what you will about R. Kelly's apparent extra-curricular activities, but at least breaking windows didn't enter into the list.

So who do you think will come out on top next week? An epic battle is set between the Gleeks and the Cheerios, so as Michael Buffer puts it, "Let's get ready to rumble!" As for last night's episode, I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up, and a

Glee - Episode 2: Showmance Meets Romance

Last night's episode of "Glee" was, for me, a perfect musical adaptation of high school life. The rivalries and hierarchies so important to high school culture - and so pointless to those of us living beyond it - were enough to keep me entertained once again. The greatest part about "Glee" so far is that it's breaking the tried, true and predictable musical theater pattern of "talk-action-song, lather-rinse-repeat," bursting that admittedly tame cycle not only on the stage, but through our TV screens as well.

The "Glee" cast especially earned a curtain call for their renditions of some, well, pretty sexy numbers - was anyone else sweating during their take on Salt N Pepa's "Push It? " Pelvic thrusting and sex jabs definitely pushed some boundaries, yet they managed to work in a message with their noticeable digs toward plot devices such as God-squadders, the abstinence campaign, homophobia and school politics (serious topics which may garner "Glee" some Emmy attention, when the time comes). Groups in the real world have also been using sex to sell - hey, it works, right? Colorado College's all-male a cappella group Back Row did so with their new release of Justin Timberlake's smash hit "Sexyback ."

And Glee's "Take A Bow " (Rihanna) highlights the cornerstone of high school hell - wearing a mask in the face of unrequited love. Johns Hopkins University's Octopodes expressed in their version of Kelly Clarkson's "Behind These Hazel Eyes ." But on the surface, the matriculating public of McKinley High School are, above all else, mean - the most realistic aspect of all. It makes this show genuine, yet also stirring enough to elicit joy from its viewers. And as Glee Club advisor Will told us, that is the very definition of "Glee."

Glee Re-Premeirs

Don't worry - "Glee" is no "High School Musical," lest you felt the temptation to toss your musical cookies at the thought of another fabricated scholastic world of song.

If you weren't one of the millions of viewers who tuned in to the "Glee" pilot this past May, FOX replayed it this past Wednesday, in the hopes of luring you and others into the upcoming season, which premieres September 9th. And if you're already a fellow 'Gleek,' the long summer wait is almost over, with more tunes and edgier twists soon to come.

The show's main draw is its music, which an eclectic playlist including Aretha Franklin's "Respect," featuring the sort of belted, rif-tastic pop soprano voice that garners instant attention, Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl," and musical theater classics like "Mr. Cellophane" from "Chicago" and "On My Own" from "Les Miserables." Future episodes will show us creative covers of top-40 tunes like Chris Brown's and Jordin Sparks' "No Air," as well as fresh renditions of classic songs like Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline."

Speaking of the music... is anyone else still humming "Dont Stop Believin'," or is it just me? Virginia Tech's Juxtaposition released this Journey anthem a few years back, but like the original, the a cappella cover is timeless. Genre novices and enthusiasts alike would be wise to check out this hot group - and for the ladies, "hot" applies to more than their vocal chops. In particular, this cut may itch your scratch for some Journey cravings: http://bit.ly/2ztseM . In that same vein, "Any Way You Want It" is a head-banging classic, and Awaken from UCLA released a sexy, energized version that reminded me of "Glee," which can be heard here: http://bit.ly/BSBzM .

The show's infectious nature comes not only from its catchy a cappella covers, but also it's humorous, yet accurate, depiction of average high school life. Each character's stereotype embodies someone we've all known from our respective pasts - I know I personally can relate to the divas, the jocks, the gifted and talented, the bullies and bullied, and so forth.

I applaud FOX for putting a fresh, youthful spin on the performance quality, and for avoiding the Disney route - no break-out songs about product-placement glitter backpacks and lackluster cafeteria food will be found here. Even higher on the pro's list, though, would be the show's ability to embrace multiple genres of music to cover, from musical theater to rock to hip-hop and rap. The pilot overall did a fantastic job of touting these and many other positive attributes of "Glee," leaving fans excited for the upcoming full season.

After all, when it comes to fledgling shows? Some will win, some will lose. Yet Glee will never end, it goes on... and on... and on...