Original Song

Tonight's Glee, the last new one for several weeks, was certainly songtastic. If you include all the failed attempts at original songs (and I'm just saying, I'd seriously consider buying "Trouty Mouth" on iTunes), there were 11 -- ELEVEN! -- musical numbers this week. Even if you count only the songs that were released as singles, this week's seven songs ties the record I believe.

All that singing couldn't possibly leave room for any plot, right? Amazingly enough, wrong! Not that there was a lot of story, but there was still time enough for "Scary Quinn" to brutally shred Rachel's ego, a scene to continue the incredible Santana-Brittany story from last week, and to finally and officially put Blaine and Kurt together as couple. Well done!

But since the episode was mostly all about the music, let's run through that. The Warblers had four -- FOUR -- songs this week. The opening number, "Misery," was good, but essentially a carbon copy of Mike Tompkins' version from YouTube. "Candles" didn't wow me, though I was glad to see Kurt get to sing at competition. "Raise Your Glass" was a fun toe-tapper, and in many episodes could well have been the best performance of the hour... but there were so many others against it.

I'll have to side with Blaine and say that of the Warblers' numbers this week, "Blackbird" was the one that moved me most. Okay, you have to ignore the fact that Kurt got as choked up over a bird as he did singing for his hospitalized father earlier this season. But Chris Colfer can definitely put an awesome spin on a Beatles tune.

A quick tour through the "failed" original songs. Rachel's "Only Child" served its story purpose of being a funny intermediate step between "My Headband" and a real song. As I mentioned earlier, I kind of liked "Trouty Mouth." And was laughing my head off the entire time. "Big Ass Heart" was surprisingly good too. Granted with those lyrics, the only radio it could play on would be the Dr. Demento Show, but still, catchy music. As for "Hell to the No" -- nothing against Amber Riley, who crushed it as usual, but I just didn't care for the song.

All I have to say about "Jesus Is My Friend" was that the Jewish star choreography at the end was funny, even if it was inspired by the swastika choreography from The Producers.

So then, the "real" original songs. Rachel's "Get It Right" certainly seemed heartfelt, and Lea Michele did what she does, good as she always does it. But I tend to need a few episodes between my "Rachel power ballad" moments, and I'm not sure it's been long enough for me since she sang "Firework." I found the song mostly forgettable, too.

But "Loser Like Me," on the other hand... yes, it was total bubble gum pop, prefab for top 40. The sort of music you're supposed to turn your nose up at, not like. But I loved it. It was bouncy and catchy as hell, and perfectly straddled the line of being a real song while feeling like something the kids might actually write. It's probably just plain wrong for me to pick this number over "Blackbird" for best of the week, but I think I have to. I expect both will be in heavy rotation on my iPod in the weeks ahead.

I'll reserve the full "A" for episodes that really sucker punch you with heart, episodes like Grilled Cheesus. But for good plain fun, tonight's installment still gets an A- in my book.