Song of the Day: “Bulldozer”

It’s the last Song of the Day (and post on Harmony Avenue, for that matter) of the year! Sniffle, sniffle. What shall it be? How ’bout a little something called…

“Bulldozer,” by Bess Rogers!

I got this song just yesterday thanks to a free sampler NoiseTrade (an absolutely terrific site where you can find lots of free music from up-and-coming artists, I highly suggest you check it out) and Bess herself were offering this week. (It’s still available for a short time, so go forth and get it! It features a collection of 9 great songs from her various EPs, along with a few other tracks.) I’m not quite sure how I stumbled upon it, but I do remember checking out Bess’s music on iTunes about a year ago and loving it (but sadly, my wallet didn’t love it, and I couldn’t buy any at the time). She’s toured with the one and only Ingrid Michaelson (in fact, in the live version of “The Chain” on Ingrid’s compilation CD “Be OK,” Bess is one of the trio vocalists), and all her music is absolutely terrific. I just can’t get enough of this particular song, especially (I’m getting close to just sticking it on repeat, since I’ve already listened to it so much)…it’s peppy, but deep; the chord progressions are just SO good, and Bess’s voice is full of power and personality. I highly recommend you close out 2010 with this fine number…and bonus! Here’s a firecracker live performance of the song, courtesy of Blender (the embedding thing didn’t work for some reason, so just hop on over to the link):

http://www.blender.com/video/live/85036/bess-rogers-bulldozer.html

Have a great New Year’s, everyone! See you all in 2011, with lots more musical goodness here in Harmony Avenue. (And if you’re looking for a blog-y way to celebrate, how about subscribing? It’s the best, most convenient way to keep up with everything happening here. Just click on the button on the right.)

Artist Spotlight: Brooke Waggoner

In a backwards turn of events today, I’ll take care of all the me rambling stuff at the end. Let’s not pass go, not collect $200, and shine the final Artist Spotlight of the year on…

Brooke Waggoner!

Brooke’s music first came to my attention thanks to one of iTunes’ free Discovery Downloads of the Week a little more than two years ago. It was an utterly lovely song called “Young Friend,” off Brooke’s then-just-released first full-length album, called “Heal For The Honey.” I was particularly floored by the outstanding, somewhat innovative piano lines in the song, and how it was just so darn catchy…but totally full of substance and life. You can hear it for yourself here (courtesy of Brooke’s own SoundCloud page):

That very song is now the most-listened to track on my iTunes, with 57 plays. I often have a habit of listening to new tunes I love a sizable number of times, but then dumping them for a while once I get tired of them, then listening to them occasionally in the future. “Young Friend” is one of the songs that I just keep coming back to…again. And again. And yet again. Every so often, I just feel like listening to it a few times. I’m pretty sure I still haven’t gotten tired of it.

So anyways, I quickly fell in love with Brooke’s music…so much that I eventually bought all of her songs, plus got her debut EP (which was then available for free; sadly, I think that deal isn’t available any longer)…and listened to them tons of times too. In fact, to bring out my nerdy side for a second again, out of the 25 songs I currently have of hers, the play count average is 18 times. Her songs are just intoxicating to me. But why? Before I go into what I (think I) love about her music, here’s another something to enjoy, a heartbreakingly beautiful track from her EP (“Fresh Pair of Eyes”) called “I Am Mine”:

So, why do I love Brooke’s music so darn much, as evidenced by the high play counts? A key element of her music is the piano, which according to Wikipedia (which is not always entirely accurate, but is usually good enough to get by on), probably comes from 17 years of classical training. Her piano lines are always gorgeous and utterly sweeping, and she incorporates them brilliantly into everything she does. In fact, I think her classical training informs her musical style in general for the most part…but in an unique way. Her songs don’t necessarily sound “classical,” per se, but it shines through in her beautiful use of strings & piano. In fact, her songs almost sound like mini-symphonies in a way…but in a very accessible way. Her music is far from “heady” or hard to follow…it hits the ears like a soft, comforting blanket. (But conversely, it’s not lightweight. It’s just the right balance of deep and deliciously listenable.)

Anyways, enough of me typing, eh? The best way for you to discover her music and (hopefully) fall in love with it is to listen. A few more closing tracks of goodness (including a music video! since visuals & music are always a plus, at least in my book). The first one is the closing track from her EP, the second one is the title track of her debut long-play, and the third one is the title track of her most recent album, which came out last year:

Before I go…I promised I’d do a little end-of-the-year housekeeping in this post, since it’ll be the last one of the year (well, actually, I might post a Song of the Day tomorrow or New Year’s Eve, but this will be the last big, bad, shiny post of the year). Many thanks to all of you for making my first few months of this blog (and ironically, the last few months of 2010) very, very great ones. Thanks for all the page visits (even if a lot of them the past few weeks were from people looking for stuff about “The Sing-Off,” and it didn’t appear that they stayed very long ), the comments, the links, recommendations, and everything. Running this blog has been a blast so far, and it’s been the kind of rewarding experience I haven’t had with a blog yet. Special thanks go out to Lucy Schwartz for tweeting my Artist Spotlight link to her followers a month or two ago, and thanks to Julia Barry for graciously arranging an album review/giveaway/interview party. It’s been a great few months, and I can’t wait to show you what I have in store in 2011! Look out for one more Song of the Day before the year is over, and after that, see y’all right here in Harmony Avenue…next year!

My Best Songs of 2010

Like I presume most of you do, I enjoy looking at end-of-the-year “best-of” lists (of which there are countless numbers, all across the Internets). They’re just interesting and fun, and when they’re written by someone with good taste, they’re especially great to read. That said…I’m not good at ranking things…or choosing a specific, small number of favorites…or making best-of lists…at least when it comes to music. (And movies. And TV.) But thankfully in the case of music, my iTunes kind of does it for me. About two years ago, I made a few auto-playlists…one of them with my Top 40 most-played songs, one later with my Top 100 most-played songs, and just for overkill’s sake (:)), one with my Top 200 most-played songs. And so that’s where I got this best of 2010 list from…I went through the Top 200 list and picked the 43 songs in it that were officially added to my music library in 2010. (A majority of them were released in 2010, but a few of them are from previous years.) It goes without saying that all of them are highly recommended. (P.S.: I’m calling this “my best songs of 2010″ because I don’t want to call it “the best songs of 2010.” Music is a highly subjective thing to look at most of the time, and everyone has their different favorites. Plus, after all, this is a very scientific best-of list. I couldn’t have picked them manually myself, even if I tried.) So now…my top 43 songs of the year. (P.P.S.: I like random stats in most cases. A lot. So you’ll be treated to a few key ones for each song on the list, along with some at the end. What can I say, I’m a nerd sometimes. Well, all the time. But it shows itself especially strong only some of the time. )

1. Rain City–Lucy Schwartz (#2 on my most played, 53 plays, added Aug. 16)
2. Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)–Laura Marling (#8, 35 plays, added Oct. 28)
3. Flume–Peter Gabriel (#12, 33 plays, added Feb. 19)
4. I’d Do It All Again–Corinne Bailey Rae (#14, 32 plays, added Jan. 12)
5. Hengilas–Jonsi (#17, 32 plays, added Jun. 25)
6. Beggar’s Prayer–Emiliana Torrini (#24, 30 plays, added Jul. 19)
7. Mirrorball–Peter Gabriel (#30, 28 plays, added Apr. 27)
8. Something In The Water–Brooke Fraser (#33, 27 plays, added Aug. 20)
9. Hurricane Drunk–Florence + The Machine (#38, 27 plays, added Oct. 14)
10. King of Anything–Sara Bareilles (#44, 27 plays, added Sep. 6)
11. Sticks & Stones–Jonsi (#49, 26 plays, added Jun. 24)
12. Help Me! Help Me!–Lucy Schwartz (#53, 25 plays, added Jan. 19)
13. Your Song–Ellie Goulding (#59, 24 plays, added Dec. 16)
14. Virtual Insanity–Jamiroquai (#63, 24 plays, added Jul. 9)
15. 9,000 Days–Overtone w/Yollandi Nortjie (#64, 24 plays, added Jul. 24)
16. Are You Here–Corinne Bailey Rae (#69, 23 plays, added Jan. 26)
17. Drumming Song–Florence + The Machine (#70, 23 plays, added Oct. 14)
18. Telephone–Pomplamoose (#72, 23 plays, added Mar. 15)
19. You’ve Changed–Sia (#74, 23 plays, added Mar. 6)
20. Life In Letters–Lucy Schwartz (#79, 22 plays, added Oct. 22)
21. Those Days–Lucy Schwartz (#80, 22 plays, added Jan. 19)
22. Dear Laughing Doubters–Sondre Lerche (#84, 22 plays, added Aug. 31)
23. The Writer–Ellie Goulding (#93, 21 plays, added Dec. 16)
24. Gone Away–Lucy Schwartz (#98, 21 plays, added Oct. 22)
25. July Flame–Laura Veirs (#106, 20 plays, added Jan. 20)
26. When You Give Your Heart–Laura Veirs (#107, 20 plays, added Sep. 8 )
27. Graveyard–Lucy Schwartz (#117, 19 plays, added Aug. 10)
28. Playing In Traffic–Peter Eldridge (#122, 19 plays, added Aug. 12)
29. Starry Eyed–Ellie Goulding (#127, 18 plays, added Dec. 16)
30. Mixtape–Jamie Cullum (#130, 18 plays, added Feb. 11)
31. Airplanes–Local Natives (#135, 18 plays, added May 12)
32. Respect–Lucy Schwartz (#137, 18 plays, added Jan. 19)
33. The World Keeps You Waiting–New York Voices (#140, 18 plays, added Mar. 17)
34. My Body Is A Cage–Peter Gabriel (#141, 18 plays, added Apr. 27)
35. Uncharted–Sara Bareilles (#144, 18 plays, added Sep. 6)
36. Little Fly–Esperanza Spalding (#152, 17 plays, added Aug. 19)
37. Bird Song–Florence + The Machine (#154, 17 plays, added Oct. 14)
38. Mouse World–Theodore Shapiro (from the “Dinner For Schmucks” score) (#171, 17 plays, added Aug. 31)
39. The I Love You Song–Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lisa Howard, & Derrick Baskin (from “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”) (#177, 16 plays, added Nov. 30)
40. The Sea–Corinne Bailey Rae (#178, 16 plays, added Jan. 26)
41. Dedicated To You–Kurt Elling (#191, 16 plays, added May 12)
42. Running Too Fast–Natalia LaFourcade (#194, 16 plays, added Sep. 4)
43. O Canada–Nikki Yanofsky (#196, 16 plays, added Feb. 11)

Lucy Schwartz by far makes the most appearances on this list, with 7 entries (including the top spot). Florence + The Machine, Peter Gabriel, Ellie Goulding, and Corinne Bailey Rae each follow with 3, and Sara Bareilles, Jonsi, and Laura Veirs are after that with 2. Ellie Goulding’s 3 entries are interesting, because I just got her songs less than 2 weeks ago…I guess they’ve just caught my fancy a lot. And finally, only 12 of the songs on this list are by either male solo artists, or primarily male bands/groups.

I was going to make the rest of this a little end-of-the-year speech, but I’ll leave that to my final artist spotlight (to be posted tomorrow). Thanks for reading! Make sure to subscribe (can we get at least one subscriber by the end of the year?), share, and check out all my other posts. See you tomorrow!

Song Shuffle Game: Christmas/Holiday Edition!

Better late than never, eh? I’m cutting it a bit fine posting a Christmas-themed Song Shuffle Game on…Christmas Eve, of all times, but I’ve been meaning to post this for a while, so I might as well do it now. This time I’m coming up with the questions before I choose my songs, so it will be slightly less…crazy? Something like that. I’ll be picking 10 songs from my iTunes shuffle setting…5 from a search for “Christmas,” 5 from a search for “holiday.” (P.S.: Since my shuffle keeps trying to go back to MoTab, Ella Fitzgerald, or Harry Connick Jr., I’ve instituted a one-song-per-artist rule for my list this time. )

1. Once In Royal David’s City–Mormon Tabernacle Choir
2. Sleigh Ride–Ella Fitzgerald
3. Auld Lang Syne–Harry Connick, Jr.
4. Carol of the Bells–Natalie Cole
5. Deck The Halls–Pomplamoose
6. The Christmas Song–Diana Krall
7. Winter Song–Ingrid Michaelson & Sara Bareilles
8. Wish List–Neon Trees
9. The First Noel–David Archuleta
10. Silent Night–Sarah Brightman

 

1. When was song 6 added to my iTunes library?

December 20, 2008. So wow, a little more than 2 years ago.

2. How does song 3 convey the spirit of Christmas (to me)?

Bahaha…oh dear, that was probably not the best song to land on spot #3. Well…I guess it talks about being together and having good times as friends/a family. So that goes with Christmas being a time to spend with family.

3. When’s the last time I listened to song 5?

Yesterday, at…well, let’s just say it was at night. Sort of.

4. Name another version of song 7.

Well, I’m definitely proving I really did type these questions and assign the numbers before I chose the songs, aren’t I? There isn’t any other recorded version of this tune, because it was only written a year or two ago. If you were Facebook friends with me, though, you could find a version that me and someone in my dorm at BYU did for a talent show. But it’s probably best you don’t go looking for that too hard.

5. Who would be a good artist to cover song number 1?

Someone classical…or maybe not. I don’t know. Charlotte Church? Sure, that sounds good. (I really shouldn’t use this question next time… )

6. Quote the first TWO lines of song number 2. (That’s one more than I asked myself to quote the last time. I’m movin’ on up… )

Yes, an easy one! I could recite this whole song in my sleep. “Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling too…c’mon, it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you. Outside, the snow is falling and friends are calling ‘Yoo-hoo!’ C’mon, it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.” (That was kind of more than 2 lines. What can I say? I’m cool like that. )

7. Translate song number 8 into Spanish. (And don’t use Google Translate this time…)

La lista de deseos. (K, I totally cheated. My translation without resorting to Google was too badly botched.)

8. How did I find out about song number 4?

I’m a Natalie Cole fan, and once a few years ago (I think way back when I used MSN Music), I checked out her second Christmas CD, and listened to all the 30-second clips. I absolutely LOVED this take on “Carol of the Bells” from the clip I heard, but it took me a while to finally get the song on my iPod. (AKA I just put it on a week or two ago. Yeah. I’m slow sometimes. )

9. Describe song number 9 in three words. (Another upgrade from the last Song Shuffle Game, y’all. )

Pretty, but middling. (David Archuleta is terrific, but I felt his Christmas CD kind of let him down a bit. The arrangements were kind of bland and overblown, and it just didn’t jibe for me with David’s heartfelt, genuine artistic style. And yeah, that was way more than three words, but at least I used only three to start off this parenthetical ramble.)

10. How many times have I played song number 10?

Apparently, only once…in December 2008. Sarah Brightman’s version just isn’t one of my favorites of the song, I guess. It’s beautiful, and her voice is lovely, but it doesn’t really bring anything new to the song. (I have a few other versions that really turn the song on its ear and/or serve it well, and those tend to be a lot more played.)

Well, there you have it. A quick, painless Song Shuffle Game for your Christmas Eve delight. (Or horror. ) Make sure to play along in the comments (pick a few of your own songs, use some of my questions…or your own; etc.), and I hope you all have a very merry Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate). See you in a few days with some end-of-the-year Harmony Avenue goodness (I actually make a Best of 2010 list! I give you one more Artist Spotlight to close out the year!), and have a wonderful Christmas Eve.

“The Sing-Off” Finale Recap: We Are The Champions

Really? Season 2 of “The Sing-Off” is already over? Craziness. Pure craziness. So…there was a bunch of interesting performances happening tonight. I’m not quite sure how to approach this recap, really. It might be kind of a mess. Also, our TV was being incredibly temperamental for the first hour of the finale, so I was a bit distracted for most of the first half. If…recap…start…cutting…out….times…then…cheese….(static)… Whoops, had some technical difficulties there. Anyways, the point is, I might be kind of spotty on remembering some of the performances, mostly because for an hour or so, I was trying to make sure our digital antenna actually let us see them in the first place. Sorry about that. Oh, and now that I’ve babbled enough, who won the whole thing tonight?

That would be…well, we’ll get to that, won’t we? For now, we’ll start at the beginning…

The Celebrity Guest Performances/Collaborations

Committed kicked things off (well, after the loads-of-fun group performance opened the show) by singing with Boyz II Men on “Motownphilly.” It was an interesting little puppy. That bald member of the Boyz in the middle kind of had some shaky moments, but aside from that, it was a good time. After that, The Backbeats took on “King of Anything” with…SARA BAREILLES!!!!!!!!!!! (Excessive exclamation points and all. Don’t worry, this blog has NOT been hijacked by a 13-year-old girl. [Yet.] I just love Sara Bareilles. A lot. ) The Backbeats sounded a tiny bit off pitch-wise, but Sara nailed it, and I loved them together. Nicole earned her keep for the entire season with some fiery vocals with Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town on “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and although at times it seemed like she was auditioning for the lead role in a Diana Ross biopic, Jerry and her sounded great together, and the backing vocals were soulful and rock-solid as always. (Sadly, my TV decided I didn’t need to hear the final notes of the performance. Boo hiss, cheap antenna…boo hiss.) Finally, Street Corner Symphony rocked it with Ben Folds (AKA the coolest judge ever) on his own song, “Gone.” The rest of my family, which was paying cursory attention to the show tonight, didn’t dig Ben’s voice, but I thought he sounded terrific live, and the arrangement was outstanding. Another win for Street Corner Symphony, y’all.

But wait, there’s more! (That informercial-esque moment was provided by…well, it just mostly happened out of the blue, really. ) Sheryl Crow and  a nameless backing vocalist/co-guitarist took the stage with The Backbeats and Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town for a wonderful take on “Long Road Home.” I really dug the acoustic guitar-a cappella sound combination, and even though I guess you couldn’t truly call it a cappella, it was an awesome performance, and I really loved it. (Add Sheryl to the long list of performers who sounded stellar in a live setting tonight.) Neil Diamond proved that he’s a legend…and also that he’s getting a wee bit older…with a fine, world-weary “Ain’t No Sunshine,” in conjunction with Street Corner Symphony & Committed. It was just good, solid music…and although Neil isn’t quite the belter he used to be, he still can give a great performance, and SCS & Committed’s backing vocals were, as always, deliciously warm and inviting. Finally, all the groups came out and had a party with Nick Lachey singing “What Christmas Means To Me.” COURTNEY SANG LEAD! She really rocked it. Nick can sing much better than he hosts, and all in all, it was one of the most delightful performances of the night, and it was very cool to see all the last 4 groups together.

Inspirational Tunes

You know, I could break out the bullets again, but I don’t think I will. I guess they have the night off. (Oh, and before I forget…I enjoyed how they had the eliminated groups each have a chance to sing us into the commercial breaks. Even if the first group to do so, the Whiffenpoofs, sounded incredibly off-key. Also, seeing all the finalists go and give back to the community was very sweet.) Anyways…The Backbeats started off this round with a terrific performance of Katy Perry’s “Firework.” Kenton really shined on this song, and I think he does best when he tones it down a bit and just…sings. Wonderfully. Without acting all crazy and whatnot. (P.S.: I was fishing around on SoundCloud a few days ago and stumbled across a solo tune of Kenton’s. It was surprisingly terrific. Just look up “The Backbeats” and you’ll probably find it pretty easily, I believe.) My TV was acting up quite a bit here, but I think Courtney was also featured as a soloist here, and once again, she really did amazing. Committed sounded simply beautiful with “Hold My Hand” (a song I’ve pretty much never heard before, but loved anyway). Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town were a wee bit shaky on “Love Train,” but I still liked it…how can you not dig them? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…they have soul, class, and everything they do is solid. They just make good music, and at the end of the day, what more can you need? Finally, Street Corner Symphony closed off the round with a gorgeous take on “Fix You.” I thought it was weird that they had all the other groups come out mid-song, at first (that didn’t happen with the other three finalists…), but the effect was so cool, and the sound so beautiful, that I really didn’t mind by the end. Shoot dang, I was pretty close to crying, in fact, seeing all the finalists up there, singing a heartbreakingly lovely Coldplay song, and looking like they were one big, happy family. One of the best moments of the season, for sure.

After that, things got tough, and the two groups that didn’t get enough votes to be the Top 2 were announced. As I had suspected, those 2 groups were Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town, and The Backbeats. It was a real bummer to see them go, but they both helped make this an absolutely terrific season. Jerry & the boys gave a groovy (yeah, I know, strange word choice, but it just seems right) farewell performance of “Hit The Road, Jack” (aw, Jerry, I’m going to miss you…), and The Backbeats kind of stumbled a bit as they exited, handing the lead vocal reins to one of the lesser-featured members, a blonde girl who didn’t sound that great, and singing a song that I didn’t even know. I still love them, though. They really gave some truly outstanding performances this season, and I hope to see them around soon. (Especially Courtney. She’s the tops. )

And then…finally…they announced the winner, after going through some “let’s look at their journey” montages that made me all warm & fuzzy inside. Even though I knew one of my very two favorite groups would take home the grand prize, that didn’t make the suspense waiting for the name of the winner any less intense. Who did America vote the winner of Season 2 of “The Sing-Off”? That would be…

Committed!

It was so awesome to see Committed win, even though it was sad to see SCS fall just short of the title. (Their “swan song” performance of “Drift Away” was awesome, btw.) Just seeing them hold up the (kind of random) trophy, and hearing them talk about how they hope to be touring with some of the other groups in the future, and knowing that they’ll be coming out with an album soon…it just made me really happy. They’ve delivered some top-notch music this season, and I think they fully earned their win. Congrats to y’all, Committed. (Also, having all the groups in the entire competition come and hang out with them at the very end, when they were singing “We Are The Champions,” made me the tiniest bit teary. So much talent! So much love! I absolutely loved, loved, LOVED this season.)

So there you have it. Season 2 of “The Sing-Off.” It’s done. Finished. It’s been great recapping all the episodes, and with this post, I’ve reached a blogging milestone…this is the very first season of a reality show that I’ve fully recapped (from the beginning to the very end)! I know, it’s embarrassing that it took me this long to do so. And granted, this particular season was only five episodes. Still, it’s a step forward for me, and it’s been fun. See you later this week with some Christmas music goodness (that Song Shuffle Game I’ve been promising is first on my to-do list, and of course it will have a holiday theme), and thanks for reading. (P.S.: Be sure to subscribe, using that handy dandy little button on the right-hand side. It’s the best way to keep up with all the good stuff happening here at Harmony Avenue, and the more, the merrier!)

“The Sing-Off” Recap, Episode 4: Let’s Stay Together

Well, this was an interesting episode, wasn’t it? I think I loved it. Basically. Aw heck, I’m just going to jump into things. FYI, not one, but two polls after the recap, one about who you think will win, and who you want to win. (And dang, I’ll have to pick a favorite. This. Is. Too. HARD…) This time, I’ll split the recap into rounds rather than groups, since methinks that works a little better for the way this particular episode was structured.

Superstar Medleys

• On The Rocks (with an Elton John medley): I was torn on this one tonight. It brought back some of the things that make On The Rocks enjoyable and fun to watch…their zippy performance energy, clever choreography, and strength in numbers (well, I guess they really hadn’t ever lost that last one, unless they killed someone off and then brought them back to life… )…but it also had some weird moments where the harmonies weren’t quite as straight-out perfect as they should have been, and although I actually liked the arrangement for the most part, at times it didn’t quite serve them very well. (There’s also the fact that the first song of the medley basically repeats “b—-” over and over and over again, but we’ll put the blame for that one on Mr. John and Mr. Taupin.) It was a good recovery from the weak pair of songs they performed on Monday night, but it wasn’t quite good enough for me. It was nice, though, to see them return to form a bit.
• Committed (with an Usher medley): Given the kind of in-your-face nature of the Usher repertoire (good heavens, did I just use the phrase “Usher repertoire”? Hmmm…) has, this medley couldn’t help seeming a little frenetic, but the absolutely gorgeous harmonies of Committed, combined with their understated but palplable energy (yeah, I’m totally trying to make up for that “Usher repertoire” thing ), really sold this performance for me. There was a weird chord somewhere in the first song, but aside from that, it was wall-to-wall good sounds, good blend, good stuff. They made Usher sound cool. And delicious. And fun. And accessible. (Apparently 90% of the sentences in this recap are going to be only two words?) A nice job by the boys from Alabama.
• Street Corner Symphony (with a Beatles medley): I totally saw that John Lennon-lookalike comment directed towards one of the members of the group (sadly, don’t know his name off the top of my head) coming. It’s uncanny! Anyways…I have to admit this wasn’t my absolute favorite performance by SCS. I was expecting amazing things from them (one of my favorite groups in the competition coupled with one of my favorite bands of all time? Heck yes), and I got…great things, but not quite amazing, it seemed. It started off great with “Eleanor Rigby,” but didn’t quite gel. “Help!” really took off, I thought, but then “Hey Jude” lacked a little punch for me. It was probably the one song in the medley (and in fact, in the entire season for Street Corner Symphony) where the lack of instruments was pretty apparent. It didn’t kick as much as it should have…which is weird, since we know that SCS can really bring the sound. So I wasn’t in love with their Beatles medley, but I really liked it. And it definitely was not a performance worthy of elimination, that’s for sure. After all, every great musician or group has at least one slip-up, no?
• The Backbeats (with a Lady Gaga medley): The judges’ fairly enthusiastic praise for this song kind of threw me. I didn’t hate it…but I was expecting them to go to town on it. “Poker Face” felt kind of rushed, and I wasn’t really digging the soloist. “Paparazzi” really did come together, and I really liked the Joanna-led female solo trio thing. The last song (“Just Dance,” yes?) kind of felt a little thin, though, and once again, not a particularly appealing soloist. It felt like there were a few pitch issues, and the whole thing felt kind of garish and overblown. But…the judges really did help put it into perspective, I think, with their comments about how the material was pretty tough to pull off in an a cappella setting. Lady Gaga’s music is very electronically driven, there’s a lot of complex beats and everything (not saying the songs are necessarily that complex, but the mountain of stuff behind them is very layered…all the drum beats and loops and whatever else goes into it), and most importantly, although Lady Gaga has one heck of a voice, her studio-recorded music is often pretty Auto-Tuned. That makes it an uphill battle to recreate all that in a setting sans instrumentation, and while the Backbeats’ Lady Gaga medley didn’t quite take with me then, in hindsight, they did a solid job with what they were given. It still was probably my least favorite performance of theirs, though.
• Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town (Otis Redding medley): I feel like I’m saying this pretty much every time with Jerry and the boys, but once again…this was solid, classy, and full of soul and heart. There were a few tiny weird moments…maybe it was the pitch, maybe it was the blend (but probably not, since their blend is very locked in and great to listen to), but it wasn’t perfect. Still, the fact that Jerry & Talk of the Town are always able to sound good, even if they aren’t quite as current as the other groups, is a testament to their talent. Can I see them winning yet? Not really. But I certainly couldn’t see them getting eliminated with this performance, either.
• The First Elimination: None of the groups really spectacularly did badly in this round, so I wasn’t sure where the judges were going to go with this. Thankfully, they made the logical decision and sent the fun, but slightly faltering, On The Rocks home. Whatever their shortcomings were in the competition, that was one of the classiest, coolest exits on the show this season. One of the group members making a cheeky farewell speech, featuring every single one of the judges’ and host’s names, was brilliant. Plus I loved how their ‘swan song’ was “The Final Countdown.” (Probably the cheesiest song ever, but you gotta love it.) The best of luck to y’all, On The Rocks.

Judges’ Choice

• Committed: Smooth. Subtle. Beautiful harmonies. Laid-back approach, but it never seemed phoned-in. Full of soul and flavor. Terrific falsetto on the solos. The group’s placement on the stools definitely added to their performance. All in all…an outstanding job, and a performance definitely worthy of the finals. That’s pretty much all their is to it. (Oh, and the song was “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green. Sorry I left that part out… )
• Street Corner Symphony: “Down On The Corner” was definitely a fine choice for SCS by the judges, and it also gave them an opportunity to insert their group name into the lyrics. OK, besides that…wow. Awesome, awesome performance. I agree with the judges that it really built up naturally and beautifully, and that the group did a terrific job of keeping their take on the song both reverent to the original, and strikingly fresh and modern and unique. Tons of those harmonies were simply stunning. This is why I love Street Corner Symphony, y’all. This is why.
• The Backbeats: As you’ve probably noticed, I hadn’t been feeling the past few performances by the Backbeats quite as much as I had their one-two punch of “If I Were A Boy” and “Breakeven” on the first two nights of the competition. It’s not that they’re one-note…they can do uptempo stuff exceptionally well. It’s just that they really have a magic formula with their ballads. They’re emotional, they’re strong, they’re absolutely gorgeous…they aren’t just good, not even just great…they simply blow me away. “Landslide” tonight was no exception. The choice to keep it simple and go for the more guitar-driven feel of the original (and of most of the covers I’ve heard of the song) was an excellent call, and putting Joanna back at the lead vocals was a great choice. I loved how she stayed mostly in her lower register tonight for this number, but still delivered a strong, assured vocal. She never lost any of the notes, and never sounded like they were a stretch. What’s more, she once again brought an emotional interpretation to the song. It’s not necessarily that it feels like she’s telling a story…in fact, far from that. I think it’s more that she shows her commitment to the lyric and to the melody, and that way the listener is able to paint their own picture to go with the music, and feed off that commitment and feel a strong, palpable emotional response. Shawn’s comment that you could “see the sound” and that you could close your eyes and hear the beauty in it was very spot-on. (Also, I thought Kenton’s vocal-cello bit was pretty cool and added to the effect of the arrangement. Something he doesn’t annoy me at! Maybe he’s cut out to be a vocal-instrument-imitator? ) The Backbeats may have had a few ups and downs (at least for me personally), but this performance really played to their strengths and showed why they’re still in the competition.
• Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town: Going into this performance, after seeing what a terrific job the first three groups had done this round, I have to admit I was a bit ready to write Jerry & the Talk off. That feeling didn’t last long. The fact that Jerry & the boys were able to take a song like “House of the Rising Sun” (which is about prostitution, no less) and, almost effortlessly, turn it into a soulful, beautiful, subtly powerful gospel-style number…that’s true artistry, right there. I just couldn’t find much to dislike about this performance. It hit all the right notes. (For once, that pun was not intended. ) Say what you want about how the judges have been ignoring the group’s shortcomings (I agree, they have at some points), but this was just plain great music. And if I hear great music, guess what? I’m going to love it.
• The Second Elimination: Committed & Street Corner Symphony were announced safe, and my heart was at peace. But then I wondered who the heck the judges were going to eliminate afterwards, seeing as all four performances in the judges’ choice round were top-notch. Let’s go to what Nick said at that point (perhaps a bit paraphrased, I can’t remember it exactly verbatim): “And moving on to the finals…The Backbeats!” (pause while I expressed my happiness, and my grandma, a recent convert to the show as of tonight, expressed her disappointment at Jerry & Talk of the Town not moving…wait, Nick’s talking again?) “and Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town!” Whoa. Did not see that coming. I had expressed my sentiments before the elimination started that I wished all four groups could move on…but I had no illusions that that would seriously happen. I definitely think it was the right choice. All four groups delivered their very best and then some in the second round tonight, and whatever my feelings about them beforehand, there was simply no clear choice for elimination tonight after those 4 great performances. This will make voting for the finale pretty dang intense…but we’ll see what happens. I’ve grown to love all four of the final groups, so although I certainly have my favorites, whoever wins…earned it.

Before I poll it up for you to give me your picks for the winners (and who you think will win)…here’s my final take:

My picks to win are either Street Corner Symphony or Committed. Both of them have delivered inventive, strong, delightful performances throughout the episodes, and they both have a unique group identity that makes them ideal recipients for the grand prize (a recording contract with Sony, and of course $100,000). I just can’t choose between them, dang it. I’ll probably close my eyes and point to one of them when I vote in the poll below. (Don’t even ask me how I’m going to distribute my call-in votes yet… ) The Backbeats & Jerry Lawson and Talk of the Town are terrific, and like I said, I would be fine with them winning…but I have to go with SCS and Committed for the win. Let me know what you think in the comments! Plus be sure to vote in the polls, and to subscribe, so you won’t miss a beat (OK, that pun was intended) here on Harmony Avenue. See you soon with some more new posts, and next Monday with my recap of “The Sing-Off” finale! (P.S.: I CAN’T WAIT FOR SARA BAREILLES! Sorry. But I honestly audibly shrieked at her name in the promo for the finale after the show. No joke. )

Artist Spotlight: Sondre Lerche

It’s been a while since I’ve posted an Artist Spotlight, eh? I hope to correct that this week with one or two more aside from this one. After all, there’s lots of outstanding artists I’d love to share with you. Today, the spotlight shines on a singer/songwriter from Norway you may or may not have heard of, depending on whether you’ve seen two certain Steve Carell comedies recently. His name is…

Sondre Lerche!

So how did I get into Sondre’s music? Well, I’m not quite sure, to tell you the truth. My best theory is that I had seen his name a bit on iTunes or MSN Music or some music website or something a few years ago, and decided to check out his music on an impulse. After all, you don’t see a name like his every day. (In fact, you don’t see a name like his, period. I’m still not entirely sure I’m pronouncing it right. ) So however I discovered his stuff, here’s the excellent title track to his second album, “Two Way Monologue,” that was one of the first songs I heard of his, if I remember right. (I didn’t realize until posting it just now that it’s nearly 6 minutes long. Trust me, it’s worth the time…a great word to describe it would be “tour de force.” It’s a good example of how much of a stylistic chameleon Sondre can be.):

Like I said, Sondre is somewhat of a stylistic chameleon. He goes all over the place, and then some. The cool thing about his ever-changing music, though, is that it never seems disjointed or lost. Sondre delivers it all with flair, confidence, and his own individual spin…qualities that any singer/songwriter worth their salt have. Here’s a music video from his follow-up to “Two Way Monologue,” which was a jazz CD of all things. The album was called “Duper Sessions,” and this song is called “Minor Detail.” It’s very beautiful. (P.S.: Apologies if you hit an ad before watching the video.)

After “Duper Sessions,” Sondre went to the first place all musicians go after cutting a jazz album…rock. OK, so he’s probably one of the few musicians to do that. Here’s the title track for that album, called “Phantom Punch.” It well, packs a pretty mean punch… (Bonus! Another cool music video.)

So if you weren’t paying attention earlier…Sondre has, coincidentally, been part of the soundtrack for 2 Steve Carell films. The first one, “Dan In Real Life,” was scored entirely by Sondre. The songs are all his, and he composed the music for the scenes. The short, sweet waltz he composed for the very beginning of the movie:

The second recent Steve Carell movie he provided music for was “Dinner For Schmucks” (which I didn’t love as much as “Dan In Real Life,” but wasn’t too bad). The (paraphrased) story behind this song, taken from Sondre’s blog…the composer for the film, Theodore Shapiro, wanted to have “Fool On The Hill” by the Beatles accompanying the opening credits scene. However, he didn’t think he’d be able to get the rights, so he contacted Sondre and had him compose an original song to play during the opening credits…but then the Beatles ended up granting permission. So his song was played during the closing credits instead. A pretty good deal, I would say. It’s a beautiful song, a little reminiscent of “Fool On The Hill,” but also very unique.

To close it all off, the terrific opening track from Sondre’s latest album, “Heartbeat Radio.” Sorry I’m just mostly throwing songs at you, but although I could talk about Sondre’s style a bit more (jazz/bossa-nova/even 80s music influenced at most times), or why I love his music, it’s probably best just to have you listen for yourself. This song, called “Good Luck,” is another tone-shifting tour de force (like “Two Way Monologue”), and ends with one of the most intense string outros I have ever heard:

Check out Sondre’s website here. See y’all tonight with a recap of the fourth episode of “The Sing-Off,” and later this week with another Artist Spotlight, and Song Shuffle Game.

“The Sing-Off” Recap, Episode 3: Ch-Ch-Changes

And so it goes, on nearly the 1-year anniversary of the elimination of one of my favorite a cappella groups ever (that would be Noteworthy, y’all) from the first season of “The Sing-Off,” that the first painful cut of Season 2 (at least for me) occurs. This third episode of the competition was a great one…but although all the groups left are stellar (I don’t even hate any of them), and they each had two songs to shine and wow us with, I couldn’t help feeling it was a little rocky tonight. Am I confusing you more than Nicole does when she does her ‘critiques’? Probably. Let’s just jump in, shall we? I’ll be trying a slightly different recapping format this time, btw…plus adding a little ranking-the-top-5 thing (yes! I can rank…sometimes) and…gasp, a poll!

The Backbeats

• “You Give Love A Bad Name”: I have to admit I missed the first half of this, so I’m not quite sure how it sounded, and thus I have no second opinion to add to the judges’ thoughts that it didn’t work quite as well as the first half. I did agree with them that the second part was indeed rockin’, and I really liked it. It was a slightly different side of the Backbeats (though not as different as their second number), and that was refreshing. The harmonies were solid, as always.
• “Love Shack”: Well, this was something. It was this close to falling apart for me, mostly because of Kenton (I’m sorry, but I just don’t dig his voice or his mannerisms), but it ended up being a really fun, inspired choice for them, and it really fit the “Guilty Pleasure” theme quite nicely. Courtney’s moment in the spotlight was a delightful addition, the juxtaposition of soloists worked really well, and I loved how this was a complete stylistic 180 for the ‘Beats…but they were just as harmonically put-together and vibrant at high tempos as they are with their ballads, which is something I could most certainly not say for last season’s SoCal-area group (called, naturally, The SoCals).
• Overall: I have to admit I wasn’t as wildly in love with them tonight as I was last week, but they’ve definitely continued to earn their place in the competition. I personally think their strength is in the ballads, but they acquitted themselves quite nicely tonight on more uptempo fare as well.

Street Corner Symphony

• “Creep”: Why hasn’t there been a prominent a cappella rendition of this song before? As Nicole noted (yes, I’m citing the crazy judge), it almost sounds better in a cappella setting. What I thought really worked incredibly well for Street Corner and this particular song was its stark intimacy. It’s a song meant to be stripped down and sung with rawness and power, but it’s also meant to be sung beautifully and with control and nuance. SCS really nailed both of those qualities tonight. The lead vocal really cut to the emotional heart of the song, and he really commanded the stage as well (especially during his belting moments). The rest of the group served as a terrific backdrop…or actually, more as an equal partner to the beautiful music being made. The shift in dynamic at the very end, after the climax of the song, was absolutely stunning. Radiohead would be proud.
• “Come On Eileen”: After this performance, I wasn’t quite sure what had just happened, but I knew I loved it. SCS didn’t just demonstrate their versatility with this number, they showcased it. I’m pretty sure they went through about 5 tempos and different styles…but somehow, it all worked, brilliantly. The arrangement never seemed to fall apart, they emanated fun (the square-dancing choreography at one point? Weird, but nice), and the harmonies stayed quite intact even with all the shifts in tone and style. It was a wild ride, for sure…but really showed what an inventive group Street Corner Symphony can be.
• Overall: They just keep on getting better and better. Stunning vocals, great blend, cool arrangements, charming performance energy…definitely a strong front-runner to win, in my view.

Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town

• “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”: Jerry & the boys let themselves loose on this Stones classic for sure, and I liked it…though Jerry’s vocal had a few rough patches, mainly because he was doing his best to deliver a high level of rock swagger. (I think he did a great job in that regard.) It was a great performance, with solid harmonies (as always), and a good level of performance energy. They put their own spin on the Rolling Stones, and I think it worked out pretty well.
• “Easy”: I’m not quite sure how this is a “guilty pleasure” (it’s Lionel Richie, for Pete’s sake!), and that kind of hampered my enjoyment of this performance, but once again, another solid, classy performance by a solid, classy group. The falsetto moment by the second soloist was a fun deviation, and the song just really came off as smooth and, well, ‘easy.’
• Overall: Jerry & the Talk are doing great, but the creeping feeling that they’re not as fresh and exciting as the other groups remaining in the competition continues to dog them, at least for me. They’re not really experiencing any growth in the competition, just showing their outstanding artistic chops and their veteran status, and that’s kind of a concern. I love them and their performances a lot, and they really have a distinctive, clear style (which is a great asset), but I just can’t see them winning the whole thing, which probably isn’t the best sign at this point.

On The Rocks

• “Pour Some Sugar On Me”: I’m not quite sure what to say about this one. I realized from the beginning that this song ain’t no wallflower, to put it gently (AKA: more innuendo than a marathon of “The Match Game”), and I definitely remembered that while watching the performance, but it still didn’t stop me from forming the opinion that On The Rocks laid it on a little thick. The lead’s come-hither faces didn’t quite work for me (I was having unpleasant flashbacks to both Pitch Slapped and the devil children those college kids I didn’t like alright, the Beelzebubs, which wasn’t good news), and the choreography got a little out of control, with the part where the lead got on his back and simulated humping motions being the nadir. I think me not quite digging this performance was probably a matter of personal taste…but On The Rocks just seemed to overdo the sex appeal of this number a bit too much. Add to that the fact that the harmonies were once again a bit thin and unfocused, and the pitch wasn’t perfect, and you’ve got a recipe for an under-par performance in my book. On a positive note, however, I disagreed a bit with the judges on the quality of the lead vocalist in this song…I thought he sold it exceptionally well.
• “Kyrie”: On The Rocks didn’t fare much better in the second set either. While it wasn’t straight-up serious and somber, it was a bit of a departure from the high-energy, no-holds-barred performance style that On The Rocks have showed off so far, and thus it put the focus on the vocals. (The judges dutifully noted the amusing irony of the fact that the group was focusing on their artistry…in the “Guilty Pleasure” round, where everything was supposed to be fun and crazy.) Putting the focus on the vocals, especially in such a stagnant, cheesy song as “Kyrie,” probably wasn’t the wisest choice for OTR, I thought. There were some weird pitch issues (was it just me, or did they go sharp quite a few times before the key change?), the lead vocalist wasn’t completely up to the challenge, and it just didn’t quite do it for me. It wasn’t a complete disaster by any stretch of the imagination, but it didn’t shine as much as OTR’s other songs have. At least when they weren’t all vocally there before, they had a bunch of energy and spark to fall back on. With this performance, that safety net wasn’t there, and it hurt them a bit.
• Overall: I’m still liking On The Rocks, but I have to say that they were definitely my pick to leave tonight. They’re fun, they’re energetic, they’re strong in numbers, they’re crowd-pleasing…but they’re just not the complete package. It’s a blast to watch them, but listening to them isn’t anything particularly special. They’re certainly a great, talented group…but they’re not cutting it against the rest of the (very formidable) competitors, and I think it’s about time for them to go.

Groove For Thought

• “Changes”: A very interesting choice of song by GFT, and admittedly not the ‘rockiest’ of tunes. Putting Amanda, a vocalist whose strength lies more in nuance and skill than in sheer vocal power, was a move that I think served this song very well, but also hurt the group just a tiny bit in terms of comparison. Jazz singers, however incredible they are, are just a different animal than more belting-oriented vocalists. (Also, she did flub the lyrics just a tiny bit at the very end, and her last line or two sounded a bit shell-shocked from that slip-up.)  Still, the arrangement really helped her (and the rest of the group, delivering incredible harmonic precision as always) shine, and it was yet another outstanding performance from Groove For Thought. Sadly, the judges disagreed by a country mile. I don’t really get Shawn’s sentiments that the performance didn’t rock enough, and that they should have stepped a bit out of their comfort zone. I thought it did an excellent job of merging the worlds of rock and jazz, and I also feel that GFT has done a terrific job of carving out a niche and distinctive style for themselves, but at the same time not being afraid to push their boundaries a bit. The balance between staying true to themselves and adapting to a different genre was very clear for Groove For Thought in this performance, and in that I took issue with the judges’ comments (which said otherwise).
• “You Make My Dreams”: Groove For Thought didn’t go as all-out crazy as some of the other groups in the “Guilty Pleasure” round, but they still managed to show a more fun, uptempo (both in terms of song speed, and personality) side of themselves while putting a really cool spin on Hall & Oates’ really pretty much un-hate-able song. The upright-bass-inspired beginning was hot (sorry to go all Paris Hilton on you there, but I thought that seemed like a good word to describe it ), the harmonies were complex and inventive, but never got in the way of the level of enjoyment, the soloists were all very solid, and I really dug that little momentary tone shift in the bridge (from what I remember, it seemed a bit like a five-second jam session) where the group definitely went all out. Fun, effortless, and classy.
• Overall: I wasn’t very happy at all with Groove For Thought’s elimination tonight, but I had been worried about them getting an early exit for quite a while. As much as I absolutely love, love, love vocal jazz music, it’s just plain out of the mainstream a cappella world. It’s more subtle, and slightly polarizing in some cases. This isn’t me trying to say something snobby like “some people just don’t get vocal jazz,” because I don’t quite think that was the case here. The judges seemed to really love it, which I really appreciated. I think in the end, the judges felt that GFT’s more subdued, solid approach wasn’t up to par for them, and sent them home over the more flashy On The Rocks. I disagree with this decision, and I definitely would have made a different cut had I been on the panel…but I had a feeling it was going to come, whether I liked it or not. The great thing is that Groove For Thought did a terrific job representing the vocal jazz world, opening new doors and gaining new fans (hopefully ones that might never have thought jazz was something they would end up liking in the first place), and although they didn’t make it all the way like I hoped they would, they definitely made some great inroads for the jazz community, and for that I’m very grateful.

Committed

• “Every Breath You Take”: Oh bother, the second half of this recap is ending up being something close to a novel. I’ll try to keep it down from here on out, but I can’t make any promises. Anyhow…here’s another time where I disagreed with the judges. I really dug Committed’s take on this Police hit (a song that I’ve loved for a while, as I grew up with the Police’s greatest hits CD in our house), and although there were a few shaky moments, I thought they really sold it. That reharmonization in the chorus (or at least thereabouts) made me audibly excited. I just love those little moments where the group delivers an unexpected chord or two, and turn the songs on their ears a bit. It really adds to the performance for me. The bridge went a little funky (I wasn’t entirely sure if they were exactly on key), but they quickly recovered from that small detour, and hit the rest of the song home. In short…I wasn’t in line with the judges’ comments at all. They weren’t ultra-harsh (after all, they coated most of their critiques with well-deserved praise for what Committed does right), but I wasn’t quite feeling them on this one. I thought Committed delivered another solid performance here, and continued to shine and demonstrate a great level of stylistic confidence and maturity.
• “I Want It That Way”: Solid, fresh, and fun. A nice touch to dedicate the song to Nicole, and the harmonies were (sorry if I’m sounding like a broken record here) top-notch. I don’t really have anything special to say about this performance…other than that it was really, really great. They made a Backstreet Boys song, of all things, sound wicked cool, and thus they deserve major props. (It’s also funny that Nick’s old group, 98 Degrees, was left out in the cold. Did they even have any major, major hits like Backstreet or N’Sync did? I do remember hearing a Christmas album of theirs, though, once upon a time in my high school carpool one winter, though. It wasn’t too bad.)
• Overall: And I go into a tangent. Of course. Getting back to Committed, they’re definitely one of my very favorite groups, and I still see them as a major contender for the top prize. It’ll be criminal if they don’t survive the next cuts on Wednesday, because they have certainly earned their spot in the finals, in my book.

So how would I rank the groups? All of them are terrific (finally! a show where I don’t hate/dislike any of the people left in the competition!), but I’m beginning to form stronger and stronger opinions of each of them as the show goes on, and here’s my current halfway-point ranking for the 5 groups left in the running:

1. Street Corner Symphony/Committed: I can’t really choose one over the other at this point…they’ve both delivered highly inventive approaches, tons of energy, lots of great vocals, and have a really charming group put together. Either of them are my pick to win at the moment.
2. The Backbeats: They started off strong, and they delivered some solid stuff tonight, but they have a bit of ground to gain on SCS and Committed. They’re awesome, but not quite up to a winning standard yet. A strong chance they’ll make the finals, however, and I really hope they do.
3. Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town: I love them, they’re solid, and very, very classy. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that they’re a bit out of place at this point, surrounded by 4 other terrific groups with a bit fresher approach. I wouldn’t hate it if they made the finals, but I think they’re not quite evolving enough in the competition to warrant a spot. Talented, yes. Legendary, most certainly. But the future of a cappella? Not exactly.
4. On The Rocks: The boys from Oregon had a weak night tonight, and although I still very much enjoy watching them, their shortcomings are beginning to become more and more prominent. They’ve done quite well to come this far, but I think next episode should be the end of the line for them.

And now, to tide y’all over until Wednesday’s recap, here’s a poll asking who’s your favorite in the competition. Since I’m all undecided and whatnot over who should hold the top spot in my book, you can choose up to 2 faves.

See you on Wednesday with another recap! I’m looking to post tomorrow with either a new Artist Spotlight, or Song Shuffle Game, or both, so be on the lookout for one or two of those. Make sure to comment…I’d love to hear what you think! I’d also love for you to subscribe, so you can keep up with what’s cooking over here at Harmony Avenue. The more, the merrier!

“The Sing-Off” Recap, Episode 2: Cooler Than Me

Holy cowpies, was this a good episode tonight. The second group of 4, in particular, was stacked with some dang solid numbers (I even kind of liked one of my least favorite groups). So let’s cut all the mishegas and get down to brass tax. (Enough figures of speech/vaguely Yiddish terms for you? ) What happened tonight on “The Sing-Off”…after these messages.

• Actually, it’s just one. I don’t usually comment on ads in my recaps (even if they’re hilariously/painfully bad and I have something snarky to say about them), but HOW FUN was that “Despicable Me” short? Honestly. It made me smile and laugh until the cows came home. If only all ads/product placement could be as awesome as that. (“BANANA!”)
• On The Rocks: Anyways, now that you’re potentially convinced I’m a corporate shill…I thought On The Rocks weren’t too bad tonight. What really made their performance for me, once again, was their boundless (yet not too grating) energy. They’re just lots of fun. But not terribly annoying…yet. “Live Your Life” probably wasn’t the best song for them to break out of the “we’re rowdy college kids who like to push boundaries, yo” mold, but the rap sections weren’t too painful (miles better than the devil children…OK, Beelzebubs…murdering the already bad “Right Round” last year), and the harmonies were hit-and-miss, but mostly a hit. I still have a feeling On The Rocks aren’t solid enough to make it all the way, something that Ben sort of nailed on the head tonight with his “fun/artist” balance comment. They’re entertaining to watch…but their vocal artistry isn’t quite the best. With a field this stacked, there’s a good chance On The Rocks might get lost in the shuffle, even though they haven’t truly stumbled yet.
• Street Corner Symphony: You’d think a group saddled with such an overplayed song like “Hey Soul Sister” would be in big trouble, but when you’re a group as good as Street Corner Symphony…you’ve probably got nothing to worry about. The lead vocals were stellar, the arrangement was very inventive, and once again, the SCS folks brought an interesting dynamic to the stage. It felt intimate and classy, just like last night, but also brought the goods when it needed to (also just like last night). The middle part with the different soloist felt just a tiny bit muddled, but the effect afterwards when they shifted back into the chorus (“Hey, soul sister…”) was really cool, so it really didn’t hurt the performance too much at all. Street Corner Symphony definitely has kept themselves in the running for an incredibly strong shot at the title. I’m continuing to dig their sound, their vibe, and their arrangements.
• Eleventh Hour: The high schoolers of Eleventh Hour did about as well as they did last night…a respectable job, but not a standout. Ben was right in pointing out that their arrangement of “Just The Way You Are” (the Bruno Mars tune, which I have recently come to appreciate a lot more) wasn’t very by-the-numbers, and did a great job of recreating the atmosphere of the song fairly effectively in an a cappella setting (not an easy feat). So they did that part well. However, a lot of the last half of the song went into a weird place for me…it felt like they were veering a bit too much out of tune. It might have been the soloist (who, I might add, was OK, but not stellar). This definitely wasn’t a trainwreck, but it wasn’t hit out of the park, in hindsight. The judges definitely made the right decision in sending them home. Hopefully they’ll have many opportunities in the future to learn and grow, since they have potential, and there’s a bit of time for that to happen for them.
• Jerry Lawson & the Talk of the Town: Another solid, rootsy, vintage performance by Jerry Lawson and his boys. I wasn’t quite sure they’d be able to pull off “Mercy” at first (even with their excellent preview of it on Monday), and I have to admit some small parts felt the tiniest bit off. Still, the overall effect of the performance was smooth, assured, and excellent. It was an interesting variation on Duffy’s version. Jerry kind of (to borrow a phrase that interestingly, Committed used later) “took it to church.” His lead vocal wasn’t as hard-hitting as Duffy’s was, but it conveyed just as much power and emotion. I really enjoyed this performance, and even if Jerry & The Talk might not take it all the way (the judges love them, and so does the audience, it seems, but there’s so many great groups left that they might not be able to pull it off, however hard they try), the road to wherever they’re going in the competition is quite a delightful one.
• (Eleventh Hour went home in the first elimination of the night. Props to those talented high school kids for getting this far, and the best of luck in the future, but it was a logical choice for the judges. They just didn’t bring enough of a spark and polish.)
• (Oh, and Nota [the awesome winners from last year] came and rocked the house. LOVE them. I remember taking a listen to clips from their CD online a month or so ago, so I’d heard a bit of their version of “I Gotta Feeling” already, but they still knocked my socks off. I love how it subtly veered from a kind of slightly upgraded take on the song to a totally Nota-tastic tropical party of love. That was so not a technical description whatsoever. But I don’t care. )
• The Backbeats: I have to admit, even though I absolutely loved The Backbeats’ performance on Monday night, I wasn’t quite sure they’d be able to pull off another heartbreaking ballad tonight in “Breakeven.” Well…yeah. I was totally wrong. Their trifecta-of-lead-vocalists technique was pretty darn effective for the song, the arrangement was absolutely gorgeous and complex (the “barely breathing” effect took my breath away…pun intended, but really, it was dang cool ), and everyone just went for it and nailed it. This group just never fails to deliver an incredibly solid performance. Probably the only thing that could hurt them down the road would be that their first two songs were somewhat melancholy ballads. I personally don’t mind it at all…but it might not hurt to branch out. Of course, next Monday is Guilty Pleasures Night, so I doubt the Backbeats will have much trouble with that. (P.S.: YES for Courtney Jensen’s peerless beatboxing skills getting spotlighted by a few of the judges. She really helped this song come alive with her vocal percussion, and I think she totally deserved the extra praise she got. Over and out.)
• Committed: I loved their performance last episode, but somehow, I loved their performance tonight even more. Yesterday I was a solid fan…now (even with all the outstanding groups still in the mix), I’d be quite willing to hand over the win to these talented gospel guys. They really did a terrific job…and with “Apologize.” That OneRepublic song that’s been played/covered to death! And they made it sound fresh and new and amazing! Their vocals were just as smooth and rock-solid as the first time they came out, but what impressed me even more was the top-notch, creative arrangement. They added a little reharmonization in the mix that really brought the song alive. The familiarity of it brought us in…and then the subtle, delicious little twists they added, combined with their ultra-classy performance energy, made the whole thing soar. And that part where the soloist was all by himself…and then the rest of the group came in…wow. They seemed just a tiny bit flat in one or two spots, but that was probably just me, and it didn’t affect their performance in the slightest. There’s a lot of love in my heart for almost all the groups that are left…I’d be happy if any of them won…but with such a great performance tonight, Committed just may end up on top.
• Groove For Thought: Still one of my favorites in the competition, though I’m still afraid they might be the victims of an early exit. (I guess I’m still scarred by Noteworthy getting booted in the second episode last season?) “Cooler Than Me” isn’t a song I particularly love, but GFT did a STELLAR job with it tonight. For once, the judges’ overuse of a particular word actually made sense…they kept repeating “cool,” mostly because that was the perfect way to describe their performance. It was just…dang cool. The harmonies were intricate and zippy. The bass of the group imitating an upright bass was a nice touch. That one soprano knocked it out of the park. The soloist was (to switch into Nicole mode for a second) like butter. Even the movements of the group added to the smoky, engaging effect. It was classy, smooth, and vivacious. (AP word of the day? ) Groove For Thought may not be the absolute flashiest group at the end of the day, but their artistry is, in my view, subtly brilliant. It sneaks up on you, and before you know it, you’re in love. I hope they continue to go far, because I’m loving every minute of their music.
• The Whiffenpoofs: And then there were those guys from Yale. I have to say that they definitely improved on Monday night, and there were some very cool harmony moments within their performance. Still, after the powerhouse 3 groups that preceded them (were the producers trying to make the second group crazy competitive? It seemed much more stacked than the first half to me), their more traditionally-rooted (and beatbox-free) take on “Haven’t Met You Yet” couldn’t help but seem a bit under par. Shawn was correct in pointing out that their lead vocalists were a bit weak (they just didn’t really cut it for me…especially that guy with the black hair who sang WAY too operatic for an a cappella group, if you ask me), and that combined with just a little something off in the general feel of the arrangement did them in, in the end, I think. They brought the fun, they brought the solid harmonies, but it didn’t pop as much as it should have. And thus, with that…
• (They were the second group of the night to go home. I was on pins and needles for the elimination, mainly because 3 out of 4 of the groups were huge faves of mine, and given the judges’ history last season, anyone is in danger at any given time. Thankfully, they did this year what they just couldn’t do last year [no matter how much I wanted them to], and sent home the prestigious collegiate male group I didn’t really care for. Which this season would be the Whiffenpoofs. In case you’re wondering who I’m referring to last season, just think…devil children. )

And that’s the long and short of it. By the way, how awesome was that opening song? Monday’s was hot and spicy and peppy, and when I heard the opening line of “Use Somebody” (a beautiful but very mellow song in most cases), I expected it to be just alright. Um, no. It was incredible. I told you they have some great talent this year. Anyways, see y’all on Monday for another recap, and look for some more non-reality-TV related features here on Harmony Avenue in the meantime. Give me some love (or some calmly worded disagreement/hate, if you’re so inclined ) in the comments. I’d love to hear what you think. And be sure to subscribe!

Music Video of the Day: “Christmas Lights”

Howdy once again, Harmony Avenue readers. Rather than a Song of the Day today, I’m going to step it up a bit and do a Music Video of the Day. This is also a little preview of the holiday-tastic goodness I’ll hopefully be diving into later this month. Today, take a gander at the lovely video for…

“Christmas Lights,” by Coldplay!

I’m a huge Coldplay fan, and I’ve stayed that way for years. I love X&Y AND Viva la Vida (a rarity, yes?), and all their other albums to boot. They just keep putting out such beautiful, engaging, well-crafted songs. They definitely don’t deserve all the hate piled upon them for supposedly being a subpar/mediocre/middling band. Anyways, I was excited to hear their new single for the Christmas season, “Christmas Lights.” It certainly didn’t disappoint…it’s a subtly, simply gorgeous song, and the lyrics are a lovely balance between the sadness and hope found in the winter months. But if it was only just a terrific song, I wouldn’t be showing you the music video, would I? The video clip that goes with this song is quirky (Coldplay has become a little delightfully random lately, probably because they’re British and have been together for so long), beautifully shot, and with a really cool progression. The shining lights on the trees…the moving cardboard cutouts in the back (look for what happens to the fish midway through)…the somewhat inexplicable but totally fun string players/Elvis impersonators in the background (the words on top of wooden stage Coldplay performs on also have a connection to this)…a stunning view of the Thames at night (I really want to visit London)…and the soaring touch of a group of fans on the boat chiming along in the video (my favorite part). It’s just a wonderful, soaring, optimstic video, paired with a great song to match. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, it’s a great way to ring in the holiday season. Enjoy!