Daily Staff Writer

“The Simpsons: Songs in the Key of Springfield”

Various Artists

For the past few years, the animated comedy, “The Simpsons,” has grown into a sort of pop-cult television series with a fan base comparable to that of “Star Trek.” It was only a matter of time for the original music that has made it onto the show to come out on its own soundtrack.

“The Simpsons: Songs in the Key of Springfield,” showcases the past few years of musical features that include the entire cast singing to compositions by Alf Clausen.

Included on this disc are such favorites as “We Do,” from Homer’s initiation into the Stonecutters mens group, the Cheers take off of “Flaming Moe’s” and the classic Springfield sing-a-long on “The Monorail Song.”

Also included are great instrumental variations on The Simpsons theme, including an “Australian” version and a “Hill Street Blues” version.

Many guest stars have appeared on both The Simpsons and this disc, including Jeff Goldblum, Phil Hartman, John Lovitz and Latin jazz master Tito Puente.

It’s easy to flip through 39 tracks to find something awesome and familiar. In fact, overplaying the tracks is almost a must since it can be difficult to catch the subtle humor on just the first listen.

Each track is well written and well performed and will give even those not very familiar with this comedy a chance to get acquainted with this great American satire.

5 stars

— Brendan Greiner