Among the many variables that contribute to a successful musical recording there is only one that absolutely cannot be compromised in order for it to be success: the singers involved need to be able to sing.

That is the primary area where "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Once More With Feeling" fails. Originally part of a musical episode of the television show (wherein a demon forces everyone to sing compulsively until they explode), it is unquestionably filled with the same spirited wit of the program. Unfortunately the cast is not up to the task of vocalizing well enough to carry the songs.

The tracks explore a variety of styles, from traditional musical theater to Jesus-Christ-Superstar style rock-opera ("I Have a Theroy/Bunnies") to pop balladry ("Under Your Spell"), and no one can criticze the arrangements, which are flawless. Most of the supporting cast is actually quite good vocally, notably Head (Giles) and Benson (Tara,) but regulars like Hannigan (Willow) and notably Gellar (Buffy) are unbarable to listen to.

One might speculate that if one is singing in character, a'la Tracey Turnblatt in "Hairspray," then a charactarized vocal contributes to the song's quality. However these Buffy characters are just folks, not larger-than-life sketches of Broadway, and so they don't sound interesting: just bad.

Nowhere is this more noticable than in the aforementioned "Theory/Bunnies," a track that finds the whole cast trying to figure out what has control over them in this strange sing-song-scenario. The big joke of this song is when the character of Anya busts up their little Sondheim-style ditty with a rock opera explosion about how bunnies are secretly evil. But later in the song Gellar cuts in with a super-sappy ballad section about how they call face anything if they stick together. Well...anything except the judges of American Idol.

Fans of the series, especially the episode, will revel in reliving the songs and their signifigance to the plot of the episode. A personal favourite is the Tara track "Under Your Spell" which is almost Prince-like in it's veiled sexual explicity. "Spread beneath my Willow tree," she double-entendres, "You make me come....plete..."

A plus for effort to be sure, but the casual listener will want to pass this one over.

Recommended: No

Great Music to Play While: Driving