What do you get when you combine a group of high school music nerds with the queen of pop? An epic trip down Madonna lane, that's what.

Last week's preview of "Vogue,"  with Sue Sylvester channeling the Material Girl, certainly set the bar high. But I must say, I was humbled and amazed by the sheer artistry of the "Glee" cast this week.

The first Madonna song of the episode was "Ray of Light" a la the Cheerios.  The choreo was substantial, although the use of stilts was adequate at best.

"Express Yourself" (photo above) was nearly flawless, with Rachel, Mercedes and Quinn sharing the lead.  The presentation -- from the hairstyles to the suits -- was an impeccable replica of the original video, and the choreography clearly paralleled it.  My only complaint with the number lies with the unity of the dancers.  The cast obviously spent ample time on the song, but at several points the movement lost synchronization (unlike the vocals, might I add)...

The next noteworthy cover, "Open Your Heart," was a refreshing and innovative duet between Rachel and Finn.  Their vocals displayed a mastery of blend and intonation. (Example: When the word "the" arises, both Rachel and Finn default to "tha," ensuring the overall blend. Classic.)  And the song selection gave Finn a chance to show that he really can sing. His melodic echoes of the originally synthesized instrumental part were sung on the core of his voice, and phrased quite perfectly.

The "Like A Virgin" sextet (Rachel/Jesse, Finn/Santana, Mr. Shue/Emma) was clever, albeit a little more pure in sound than what I was hoping for. While they did a fantastic job of introducing more solo candidates to the lineup (Naya Rivera, I totally dig your sound), it was more than obvious that Lea Michele had recorded the majority of the number.  Not that I mind at all, but don't try to play it like there were six voices sharing the lead....ya know?

"4 Minutes" and "What It Feels Like for a Girl" were nothing less than first class, and absolutely worthy of commentary (perhaps in the a.m.?), but what I must get off my chest tonight is the total brilliance of "Like A Prayer." 

I've heard literally hundreds of versions of this song (thank you, A Cappella), however, the "Glee" rendition leapt from the pack. It was angelic. The squeaky consonants we've come to love from Rachel, combined with Mercedes' soulful and run-filled approach, were simply inspiring.  And really, what song isn't better with a 20-deep gospel choir in the background?!?  Um... hello awesome. Welcome to "Glee."

More later. Sleep now.

Photo credit: FOX

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