‘Glee: The Music, Volume 1’

November 8, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

Various artists (Columbia)

Grade: B

Fans of Fox’s irreverent musical comedy “Glee” will love this soundtrack, which includes 17 songs from the show about a high school glee club performed by its talented cast.

They’ll remember cute teacher Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) pop-locking as he raps on Kanye West’s “Gold Digger,” feel self-centered star Rachel Berry’s (Lea Michele) heartache as she sings into a hairbrush on Rihanna’s “Take a Bow” and picture the fast-paced routine led by cheer captain Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron) to the Supremes’ “Keep Me Hanging On.”

They’ll relish the harmonies and recall the group’s triumph on Queen’s “Somebody to Love” and smile again at Will’s bowling-alley duet with Kristin Chenoweth on Heart’s “Alone.”

Though the vocal performances are top-notch, those unfamiliar with “Glee” may prefer the originals to the cover versions on the soundtrack. But the album’s eclectic mix of songs has its own appeal: Where else would you find a mix tape that includes tracks from Neil Diamond, Young MC, REO Speedwagon and “Cabaret”? Non-Gleeks also can appreciate the innovative choral arrangements on Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin”’ and the girls’ background harmonies on the 1989 rap hit “Bust A Move.”

— Sandy Cohen, Associated Press

‘Colour Me Free’

Joss Stone (EMI)

Grade: C

The American edition of “Colour Me Free” comes wrapped in an unsightly purple cover that looks like a rejected design for a “Taking Woodstock poster.” Joss Stone prefers the version of her fourth album that shows her crammed into a cage like a factory-farm chicken, her limbs numbered like a butcher’s diagram. The bizarre image, not exactly par for the slick soul singer’s course, refers to her ongoing battle with EMI, which refused to release her from her contract despite a reported buyout offer of more than $3 million. The album-opening “Free Me” bids for defiance, as she belts, “Don’t tell me that I won’t / I can.” Too bad Stone’s vision of independence is as colorless as that vague proclamation. The album’s swipes from Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, et al., are as accomplished as ever, but she has devolved from retro-soul to retro-retro-soul, re-creating other people’s simulations of a vintage sound. Freedom never sounded so constrained.

— Sam Adams, Philadelphia Inquirer

‘Raditude’

Weezer (DGC)

Grade: A-

Change is good — even for venerable veteran alt-rock acts.

Yes, on paper, things sound a bit worrisome for Weezer, stretching its boundaries on its seventh album, “Raditude” (DGC). The band teams with Indian musicians for the Eastern-flavored “Love Is the Answer.” They bring in Lil Wayne and Jermaine Dupri for the club-friendly “Can’t Stop Partying,” which even includes a rap break and the long-awaited rhyme “Weezer and it’s Weezy, upside down MTV.” The band has a song called “In the Mall.” And it brought in the All-American Rejects to help work on the yearning “Put Me Back Together,” a revved-up continuation of early hits such as “Don’t Let Go” and “Island in the Sun.”

It’s the kind of experimentation that could doom a weaker band, pulling it in all sorts of pandering, cool-hunting directions, but not Weezer. Rivers Cuomo and friends have such a sturdy foundation that they can seemingly work with anyone and keep their distinctive sound.

The unstoppable first single “[If You’re Wondering If I Want You To] I Want You To” is a hyperactive take on the blend of new wave and early-rock innocence from their debut. But it’s the anthem “Let It All Hang Out” — another collaboration with Dupri that could be the recession-era sequel to “Beverly Hills” with complaints about being overworked and underpaid for verses and a blowing-off-steam chorus — that actually proves the point. All these outside helpers simply make Weezer stronger.

— Glenn Gamboa, Long Island Newsday