(Adam Rose/Fox)
Music gift guide
The cast and creators of a certain hit TV show on Fox are hoping that you want to have a “Glee’’-ful holiday season. If you’re a fan of the show, then “Glee: The Music, the Christmas Album’’ is probably just what you ordered from Santa, as it finds everyone’s favorite McKinley High School warblers cheerfully tackling the sounds of the season in their peppy Broadway-meets-Top 40 fashion. (Although the Jewish faith of two of the characters — Puck and Rachel — has been referenced on the series, this is mostly Christmas music. But hey, Rachel’s idol Barbra Streisand did it.)
Among bright and shiny versions of the expected carols (“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’’) and holiday chestnuts (“Jingle Bells’’) are a few “Glee’’-ish twists. Chris Colfer (Kurt) and Darren Criss (Blaine) give a swellegant performance of the divine “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,’’ making the most of the song’s inherently sassy panache. And k.d. lang lends her inimitable pipes to a playful take on “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.’’
The show’s trademark mash-ups materialize in a fusing of “Deck the Halls’’ and “Up on the Rooftop.’’ Each cast member gets a moment to shine with Matt Morrison (Mr. Schuester) soloing on “O Christmas Tree’’ and Amber Riley (Mercedes) knocking the reindeer off the roof with “Angels We Have Heard on High.’’ The showiest glory notes, of course, are reserved for Lea Michele (Rachel) who summits “O Holy Night’’ with ease.
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