Mashups, or How I learned to stop worrying and hate Glee

I've just had the misfortune to witness an episode of Glee. 

Ok, back from vomiting. 

Now, I'll admit that I'm not Glee's intended audience; I'm not a teenage girl, I listen to music that's not on Video Hits and I'm not an overly camp gay man. Seriously though, the programme is a steaming pile of crap. I'm not saying that the kids can't sing, a couple can even without autotune, and there's the occasional joke that makes me chuckle. The problem is the music. Don't Stop Believin' wasn't that great when it was a hit for Journey, it didn't need to be resurrected for a generation that buys Ke$ha albums.

Autotune and well choreographed dance routines (yes, I'll admit this much) are no substitute for actual talent or failure to hold a note. Yes I'm talking to you modern pop artists and every single contestant on Australian/American/Pop Idol! If you can't hold a note, get off the stage, don't warble random crap until there's something in your range again. The cast of Glee have managed to butcher a range of popular songs, even stuff like Alicia Keys, that I don't enjoy myself, I'm still offended by how they're handled. 

Men Without Hats are turning in their career-graves. 

What? No, I don't give a shit about Rocky Horror. Glee can autotune-rap it for all I care. 

But a far worse crime committed by the makers of Glee is their overuse of mashups. I'm not sure weather young people love bad mashups before Glee did one or because they did, but it's still a terrifying trend. As mentioned above, I've just seen an episode of Glee and had the misfortune to see a Thriller/Heads Will Roll mashup. Why? The two songs have nothing in common! One is MJ's crowning MTV pop video achievement and the other is a Yeah Yeah Yeahs b-side club anthem. Yes, they're both great to dance to, but that's it. Well done Glee, you've ruined two great songs by great artists so that you can sell crap CDs to kids who don't know better. 

You want a good mashup? Look up Love Will Freak Us Apart. Two songs with a similar theme blended together perfectly to create something awesome. That's how you do a freaking mashup! When you use someone's work in your own, the idea is to do something new with it, not just combing two things you like in any way you see fit. 

Actual review soon - Hat Guy