“The Sing-Off” Season 3 Finale Recap: Eye of the Tiger

After 2 long months of a cappella goodness (and just as much a cappella heartbreak), some great music, some OK music, and some incredibly outstanding music…Season 3 of “The Sing-Off” has finally come to a close, and with tonight’s finale, brought an often uneven, but ultimately rewarding, season to a fitting end. Who took the title? In the off chance that you’re reading this post specifically to find out, I won’t spoil you yet. I will hint right now that I think America made the right choice. Now, on to the beginning of the night’s festivities, where the groups tackled one more last individual performance before pairing up with the judges:

• Pentatonix (performing “Without You” by Usher feat. David Guetta): On a night where I was rooting for them to win it all (as I have for most of the season, of course), I’d have to say this was one of their weaker efforts. Not because of lack of strength in the arrangement…as always, it was a beautifully daring reinvention of yet another song we all know. Rather, I heard some pretty recurrent pitch problems pop up every time Pentatonix got to a particular reharmonization they made in the chorus (or at least, that’s where I think it was). Every time that chord came up, it didn’t quite click, and the soloist and the rest of the group sounded like they were in two different keys for a brief moment. All that aside…Pentatonix at their worst is just as good as the other two finalist groups at their best (sorry Urban Method, but it’s the truth), and everything else about it was top-notch (the solos, the arrangement, the blend), so I still enjoyed this performance immensely…the uncharacteristic pitch issues just got in the way a bit.
• Urban Method (performing “Stereo Hearts” by Gym Class Heroes feat. Adam Levine): Much like Pentatonix’s first outing tonight, I felt this wasn’t up to Urban Method’s usual standard, but I still really liked it. While at the start of the season, Myke’s rapping bugged me (apparently so much that I’ve been spelling his name wrong all season…sorry about that), by this point, I’m totally used to it, and it really works. Given the fact that this song is normally a rap/singing combo, it worked especially well here. The arrangement was nice and inventive, but it seemed a bit too unfocused at a few points, and I heard a few small pitch issues here and there. And when all was said and done, it really didn’t cohere as well as it should have. That said, it was a fine effort by Urban Method, and proof positive why it’s not a bad thing that they made the finals.
• Dartmouth Aires (performing “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” by Meat Loaf) (featuring AMY WHITCOMB!!!): By now, you probably know exactly what I’m going to say here. (The good news for you Aires fans is that you won’t have to hear me nitpick them any longer, after tonight.) And, well, that’s pretty much what I’m going to say. Michael is just not a good soloist. He has a voice, he can hold the notes, he can belt them out until the cows come home…but it doesn’t move me at all. It’s very Broadway, but not in a good way. It’s all flash and no substance, all shouting and no heart. It’s distinctive, for sure, but for all the wrong reasons. Anyways, enough yapping about how I can’t stand his solo work. Him aside, this performance wasn’t terrible (the background vocals weren’t significantly off, though they were as usual a bit nondescript), and if I’m remembering the original song correctly, the arrangement was a bit of a nice departure from Meat Loaf’s recording. My favorite element, however, had to be the surprise addition of Amy Whitcomb (of Delilah, formerly of Noteworthy, and soon to be a recording sensation if there’s justice in the world), who brought the whole performance up a notch, even if the material given to her (fawning over Michael while singing an 80s rock song) was a bit lackluster. Heck, if they had included a Delilah member in every performance, I might have not hated them as much…

After those three songs, each group got to perform with the judges. Well, sort of…more like two of the judges and our host. (Poor Shawn got left out of the proceedings.) Things were quite excellent here, and the round started off with:

• Pentatonix (performing “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)” with Nick Lachey): Nick may be, by far, one of the weakest and most stilted reality-show hosts out there (Tom Bergeron & Cat Deeley, just to name a few, could emcee circles around him), but I’ll give it to him, he has a great voice, and he really got to show it off here. My only experience with 98 Degrees and their music was years ago, hearing a tiny bit of their Christmas CD on a carpool ride, so I’m pretty sure this was the first song by the group I’ve heard. Pentatonix was on their A-game, Nick looked like he was having a blast getting to sing one of his group’s old songs, Kirstie looked charmingly starstruck (I wonder how many girls would have killed to be in her shoes, singing next to a boy-band icon?), the whole group and Nick played off each other perfectly, and it was, as a whole, tons and tons of fun. But it wasn’t just fun, I might add…it was high-quality music as well. (Take THAT, Aires.)
• Urban Method (performing “Gonna Get Over You” with Sara Bareilles): As you may recall, Sara Bareilles performed last season with the Backbeats, and I went into super-fan mode and loved it. Sara, and Urban Method, stepped it up with an infectiously delicious take on her new single “Gonna Get Over You” (which I posted about a month or two ago). Sara hit it out of the park, and Urban Method delivered one of their best performances of the season, perfectly capturing the energy of the song, and making it an absolute joy to watch and listen to. The choreography was clever, the arrangement was undeniably solid, and Myke even slipped in a tiny little rapping at the beginning that perfectly in the performance. (Look how far I’ve come since the first time I heard him…) While their first performance was proof why they belonged in the finals, this performance was proof that they’re true contenders. I loved it.
• Dartmouth Aires (performing “Not The Same” with Ben Folds, & the audience): I’d have to say this is my favorite Aires performance of the season…it only took the absence of Michael’s usual solo work, and the help of the entire audience, for me to finally get behind one of their songs. (I might…shudder…even consider buying this on iTunes. The pull of Ben Folds, it is too strong…) The audience harmony effect was ultra-cool, the background vocals by the Aires were a bit unfocused, but they worked well enough, and I may be in the minority, but I love Ben’s voice. It’s hard to get used to, but it works perfectly for the songs he writes, and he’s a perfect example of how a live performer can be unassuming yet completely energetic and charming. (Take notes, Michael.) I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did, but I thought it was a treat, even with the Aires on stage.

Now, things got group-tastic (excuse me while I go slap myself about the head for inventing such a lame word…) with two performances…one by the ladies of the top 10 groups, and the other by the men. The top 10 groups also got to sing us to commercial, which is always a nice touch, even though I wish I could see most of them perform a full song again. (Sad day for the other 6 groups. All they got was a seat in the audience.)

I’ve had the privilege of being on stage while Amy Whitcomb and a group of unbelievably talented girls (not Delilah, but the ladies of BYU Jazz Voices, a group I was in my freshman year of college) sang the heck out of “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman,” so seeing all the “Sing-Off” girls take on the song, with Amy contributing some kick-butt solo work in the second half of the number, brought me back to that thrilling experience. Everyone just rocked here. All the solos were strong and in the character of the song, the harmonies were gorgeous and full of life (that generally tends to happen when you get this many outstanding female vocalists together), and overall, it was terrific, and one of the highlights of the season. “The Sing-Off” needs more female-centric moments like this…here’s hoping they’ll include more than one all-girl group next season?

As for the boys, I must say my gender didn’t quite acquit themselves as well as the ladies did. Their take on “Born To Run” was solid enough, but it was marred by you-know-who (his name starts with an “M” and ends with an “ichael”) getting a large chunk of the lead vocals, the other soloists (aside from Scott) not quite standing out, and a bit too much going on in the arrangement at times. It was fun and full of energy, but coming off of the women’s fiery, darn-near-perfect performance, it couldn’t help but pale in comparison.

Afro-Blue got a deserving turn in the spotlight as well, getting to sing with R&B legend Smokey Robinson. I was thrilled to see them return to sing, and Smokey still has a terrific voice, even after all these years, but…I’d have to say it didn’t quite live up to expectations. Afro-Blue got little more to do than play second-fiddle, and Smokey seemed a bit disconnected from the group…in fact, after the performance, he gave a hug to Nick (rather than the people he just sang with…huh?) and awkwardly walked rather quickly off stage. (From what I remember, Smokey’s duet with Nota in Season 1 was similarly a bit chemistry-free where he was concerned.) I’m sure Afro-Blue had the time of their lives, though (how often do you get to sing with the guy who was one of the stars of the Motown era?), so that was wonderful to see.

After all these performances, it was time for the results to start rolling…and we discovered the 3rd place group ended up being Urban Method. It was a bummer to see them go out before the Aires (and it certainly made the final part of the show a tiny bit more nerve-wracking), but they really have come a long way, so making it to the finals in the first place is its own reward. The group bowed out with a fine rendition of “Coming Home” (delivered through tears at a few points), and off into what’s bound to be a bright future for them.

There were some breaks and montages in between that and the final announcement of the winner. The Aires’ “journey” package was a chore to sit through, and Pentatonix’s reminded me how Scott and Mitch (and maybe Kirstie too?) are NINETEEN YEARS OLD (chances are they’re also younger than me, since my 20th birthday is in less than a week), and therefore blow my mind exponentially. (They didn’t mention that specific fact, but they noted that they’re one of the youngest groups in the competition, which is crazy, and it jogged my memory to a week or two ago when the judges mentioned their young age.)

And after all that…plus an ungodly long pause by Nick (if anything, he knows how to draw things out…though I’m pretty sure they cover that in Reality Show Hosting 101)…we discovered the winners of Season 3 are…PENTATONIX! It’s the right result, and the group was clearly moved and thrilled to take the crown. $200,000 and a recording contract will really mean a lot to them, and I absolutely can’t wait to hear their CD. It was a great moment (made even better by the fact that the Aires’ swan song was relegated to an online clip), and a perfect end to a crazy season. Pentatonix really earned it, and I’m happy to see America agreed. They sang us out with “Eye of the Tiger,” and unfortunately got cut off by the dastardly credits, but…

We get to see them next week! Plus a bunch of great groups from all 3 seasons. (And, knowing the producers, some maddening ones as well.) “The Sing-Off” will have one last hurrah for the year with a Christmas special next Monday, and I’m quite excited to see that. I probably won’t be recapping that (after all, no one will be competing), but I’ll be watching it, that’s for sure, and loving it. It’s been an absolute blast recapping “The Sing-Off” this season, even with it being twice the length, and thus twice the posting. It’s been great to see a lot of reader interest over the past two months, and although I know most of you are here just because of the show, I hope you’ll stay around a while and follow my other posts as well. I’ll do my best to keep them coming, and not having as much of a lull as I’ve often had in the past. Thanks for reading, for commenting, and for visiting! It’s been a wonderful season. See you soon with more posts.

My Music: “Look No Further”

So I just watched “The Sing-Off” finale, and it was indeed a treat. But before I get to my recap (which I shall commence writing right after I post this), here’s a new cover I recorded just today. It’s a stark, low-key ballad from British singer/songwriter Dido, who’s probably best known for the song “White Flag,” which was so big a hit it’s still playing on most adult-contemporary radio stations to this day. (Funny story about that song: For about 2 years I kept hearing it and loving it, but it being before the widespread advent of lyrics sites, and also due to the fact that I couldn’t quite understand the chorus whenever it came on the radio, it was a long time before I finally discovered what it was called.) This song is off her most recent album, “Safe Trip Home” (highly recommended), and its name is “Look No Further.” It’s admittedly a bit in my lower range for the most part, but it’s such a beautiful (and simple) song that I couldn’t resist singing it. Hope it strikes your fancy…and stay tuned for a “Sing-Off” recap coming later tonight. Thanks, as always, for checking my blog out.

Holiday Song of the Day: “Love Is Christmas”

Lest you forget that I actually make posts on this blog that actually aren’t about that one “Sing-Off” show, here’s a quick Song of the Day to kick off the Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/whatever holiday you choose to celebrate season. Last year I kept Harmony Avenue’s Christmas festivities kind of low-key, but this year I plan to make them a bit more, y’know, festive. If you’re left cold (ba dum cha…) by the holidays, no worries, as I’ll be continuing some general posting throughout this lovely month of December. Now, to an absolutely stunning song that, coincidentally enough, is a bit “Sing-Off” related now that you mention it (the artist is of course a judge on the program)…

“Love Is Christmas” by Sara Bareilles!

Sara delivers a truly heartfelt, warm message of hope and love with this song, and it’s uplifting and tender without being too sweet or cliched. Backed primarily by just her own piano, she sings beautifully about the true meaning of Christmas, and the peace that we can find with those we love, during the holidays, and really, anytime in the year. It’s a sentiment that’s been expressed in countless Christmas tunes, but Sara finds a gorgeous, genuine new spin on it here. It’s the kind of Christmas song that will make you want to cry without you even realizing. It’s the kind of Christmas song that you don’t feel guilty for playing over and over and over again. And best of all, it’s the kind of Christmas song that’s truly timeless.

Coming up on the blog, since I haven’t done a to-do list in a while, and it will keep me honest at any rate:

• A few Christmas-themed Cover Stories. Think you’ve heard all there is to hear when it comes to your favorite (and least favorite) carols and chestnuts? I’ll be posting some top-notch versions of Christmas classics.
• An explanation of why it’s not Christmas for me without Johnny Mathis, and more personal Christmas music thoughts, memories, etc., via a Sketches post.
• An Artist Spotlight or two (it’s not Harmony Avenue without them, really)
• Two album reviews! One of the Christmas variety, and one of…not the Christmas variety.
• And of course, “The Sing-Off.” (Go Pentatonix!)

Thanks for reading (and thanks to the amazing a cappella blogger Warren Bloom for posting a link to my last “Sing-Off” recap on his Facebook page!), and see you on Monday with a finale recap!

“The Sing-Off” Season 3, Episode 10 Recap: We’ve Only Just Begun

Last night, “The Sing-Off” whittled its 4 semifinalist groups down to 3 finalists, and it’s a lovely finale we have before us…Afro-Blue, Pentatonix, and Delilah. I can’t wait for next…

Oh, that’s right. Delilah got eliminated two weeks ago. Sorry about that. I’m still in denial. OK, well then, the final 3 must be Afro-Blue, Pentatonix, and Vocal Point, right? I mean, who else would the judges pick if Delilah is gone? Vocal Point is terrific. So, like I was saying, next week will be…

Wait a minute. Vocal Point is gone too? Seriously? They really went home already?? Ah, that’s right. I had forgotten. So I guess the final 3 is Afro-Blue, Pentatonix, and Urban Method, then. That I can live with. I’m going to have a hard time choosing who to vote for the most, but I’ll…

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no…oh NO. You can’t be honestly telling me that Afro-Blue is gone. They got eliminated? Right before the finale? Are you KIDDING me? They’re terrific. They’re amazing. Last night they gave two of their best performances! So who advanced instead of them? The Aires? Please. Like that could happen…

Last night on “The Sing-Off,” for the third week in a row, the judges (and, I have reason to believe, possibly the producers…more on that later) made a horrific call. Last night on “The Sing-Off,” just a week shy of the finale, one of the competition’s most outstanding groups was eliminated, while a group that has been inconsistent, underwhelming, and overpraised the entire season sailed through to the finals. True, there was a few positive things to be found in the aftermath of last night…this season’s clear frontrunner is still cruising to a well-deserved win next week, and a group that has continued to successfully rebound from a mid-season slump was rewarded with a berth in the finals as well. But honestly…I can’t believe this. I really can’t. Let’s just jump into the recap now…I’ll find a way to vent some more throughout, most likely. First off, the group mastermix round (in which the groups had to take on two songs by different artists and mash them together in a “mastermix”):

• Pentatonix (performing a mastermix of “Forget You” by Cee-Lo Green & “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson): It’s become old hat to say that Pentatonix did an amazing job. But seriously…not only did they give these two songs a fresh, dynamic spin with, as always, some top-notch arranging, they were able to seamlessly blend these two contrasting numbers with a clever on-screen story that worked perfectly. What’s cool about this is that the choreography on stage enhanced the music beautifully, yet the performance works just as well on its own, with just the music to speak for it. That beatbox/bass battle between Kevin and Avi was a terrific touch, and the whole performance even further solidified Pentatonix’s pretty much set-in-stone status as the group to beat. The judges noted that there were a few fleeting pitch problems, but I didn’t notice them at all during the broadcast (and you know me and my pitch-police ways), and it was only after a few listens on iTunes that I finally spotted those small pitch issues. That’s how good Pentatonix is, yo.
• Urban Method (performing a mastermix of “Hot In Herre” by Nelly & “Fever” by Peggy Lee): I’m pretty sure no one expected these two songs to ever be sung within a mile of each other, but I thought Urban Method did a great job making them work in tandem very well. The fact that “Hot In Herre” is quite possibly one of the most lightweight, ridiculous songs in the history of music kind of hurt the enjoyment level of their performance  a bit (as talented as Urban Method is, there’s just not much you can do to make that song better), but I really loved what they did with their mastermix. Liz’s solo on “Fever” was restrained, gorgeous, and hit just the right tone, and the use of a female trio to keep the strand of “Fever”  going during a return to “Hot In Herre” towards the end was a smart arranging choice. Urban Method has really impressed me the past few weeks, and this performance was no exception.
• Afro-Blue (performing a mastermix of “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly & “Fly” by Nicki Minaj): Ballads are clearly one of Afro-Blue’s strengths, so it was kind of a given that they’d do well on “I Believe I Can Fly.” However, they did more than just ‘do well’…they brought the song to new heights with a gorgeous mix of complex harmonies and a strong sense of emotion and class. (In a nutshell, what Afro-Blue is at its core.) If that wasn’t enough, they brought in “Fly” (a tonally different song if there ever was one) seamlessly in the second half, with a showstopping rap/singing solo by Mariah, who proclaimed during the rehearsal package that she couldn’t rap, then proved otherwise during the performance. I know I say this a lot, but it just worked. Afro-Blue has a knack for making even the most subtle performances dynamic and engaging, and that’s a skill that really can’t be ignored. (Addendum to this section of the recap based on something Brandon noticed after he had written the first half, and subsequently listened to the iTunes recording: Not having heard “Fly” before, I didn’t even realize they actually introduced it much earlier in the mastermix. I quite honestly thought the first part of the performance was all “I Believe I Could Fly.” That’s how well Afro-Blue blended it in. And, admittedly, that’s how little I know about the music of Nicki Minaj…)
• Dartmouth Aires (performing a mastermix of “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones & “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga): This one was an unfortunate combo of weak songs and an unfocused arrangement, and while it wasn’t trainwreck bad, it certainly came close at a few points. Both soloists were not up to scratch…Brendan (who, by the way, always looks like he’s half-asleep, in the worst way) tends to growl aimlessly more than he sings, and while in theory it should have worked for a song like “Sympathy for the Devil,” it really fell flat for me. Michael, on the other hand, hit all his notes just fine, but sounded 10 times too formal and placed for a song like “Born This Way.” It’s a problem I’ve had with him all season…he’s talented, but he always sounds like he’s playing dress-up, rather than truly having soul, emotion, and maturity. That, combined with a strange onstage aesthetic (so the devil is fighting against Lady Gaga and her little Monsters?), along with yet another uninspired background arrangement fraught with pitch problems, made this by far one of the weakest outings of the night.

Now, the second round…the Judges’ Choice numbers:

• Pentatonix (performing “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + the Machine): There was a small part of me, in the corner of my mind, that didn’t think that Pentatonix could pull this off. I absolutely adore Florence + the Machine, and this song is of course one of my favorites of hers. That said, it’s pretty hard to do in a live setting, and more importantly, it’s even trickier to put an original spin on. Pentatonix most certainly accomplished both of these challenging feats. Their performance started off solid and only took off from there, building in an absolutely thrilling way, and culminating in a heartstoppingly beautiful, wonderfully unexpected solo turn by Mitch while all the other singers dropped out, then a rivetingly powerful ending with the whole group to top it all off. This was truly one of the most breathtaking performances of the entire season, and if I’m not mistaken, I think Pentatonix just won the whole show right then and there.
• Urban Method (performing “All of the Lights” by Kanye West feat. Rihanna): A Kanye West song (and on top of that, a Kanye West song I haven’t heard of) most certainly wouldn’t have been a place I would have expected to find one of my favorite Urban Method performances, but indeed, I think this was one of their best efforts, and a clear showing of why they earned their place in the finals. Mike’s rapping fit perfectly in the mix, the arrangement was powerful and focused, and the soloists were very on point. It seemed like Urban Method at their very best, and when they’re at their very best, they can certainly hold their own with the big boys (and girls). A few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have minded seeing Urban Method go home, to be honest, but after this performance, I was rooting for them to head to the finals.
• Afro-Blue (performing “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke): In recent years, “A Change Is Gonna Come” has been covered by quite a few people, and as a result, at times it feels a bit overdone. Which is why I was slightly worried when Ben, Sara, and Shawn gave it to Afro-Blue as a judges’ choice…I mean, what more can you do to such a timeless composition? Afro-Blue answered that question for me…with resounding, unequivocal musical brilliance. Their arrangement was devastatingly gorgeous, and their performance was stirring in all the right places. Christie is an endlessly gifted lead vocalist, and she struck a perfect balance between singing the song with all her heart and soul, and sounding natural and effortless at the same time. The background harmonies (especially in the moments where they swelled and stood out) were terrific. All in all, it was one of the most rewarding 2 1/2 minutes of the entire season. It’s performances like these that are why I watch “The Sing-Off.” Simply put, Afro-Blue absolutely nailed it.
• Dartmouth Aires (performing “Shout” by The Isley Brothers): The Aires certainly gave their all here. And even I have to give it to them, it was fun to watch. But as the judges noted, because of the sheer amount of performance energy they put out, musically, they really suffered. It wasn’t wildly off pitch by any means, but the group was clearly not paying attention to the harmonies. It all seemed muddled and unfocused. Once again, Michael sang powerfully, but emotionally, resonated very, very little. It was a dime-a-dozen lead vocal…there was no distinction to it, no soul. It wasn’t completely ineffective, and it was one of his better outings, but in the end, it didn’t stand out as much as it should have. This was a great way to close the show, but in the end, it should have been much more well-rounded and polished, and as is the case constantly with the Aires, it wasn’t.

Then came the announcement of who would make the finals. Urban Method was called safe first (somewhat surprising given the fact that coming into tonight, they certainly weren’t a sure bet for next week). Pentatonix was subsequently sent into the finale, a forgeone conclusion if there ever was one. After that, I fully expected the Aires to get sent home (after all, they were the only group that were truly given any points of criticism last night)…but then, with about 20 minutes left in the show (I was wondering how they were going to fill time…of course, seeing as this is taped and not live, everyone involved with the show already knew exactly how it would be filled), Nick announced that the judges hadn’t come to a decision on who to send home, and that there’d be a “Sing-Off Battle” where the remaining two groups would sing what they considered their best performance of the season. Afro-Blue wisely reprised their stellar Week 3 take on “American Boy” (one of their most clever yet accessible arrangements), and hit it home once again. The Dartmouth Aires, on the other hand, did the “Somebody To Love” portion of their Week 7 Queen medley. It was fine, I suppose, and Michael rather impressively held his glory note at the end of the number much longer than he did in the original performance (if Michael’s good at one thing, it’s belting out much more proficiently than I or many other people ever could), but it didn’t hold a candle to Afro-Blue’s repeat performance. It was abundantly clear that the Dartmouth Aires were outclassed, and as it came down to Ben as the deciding vote (Sara voted for the Aires to stay, a choice that caused me to impulsively shout “idiot!” at the screen…sorry, Sara…and Shawn stuck to his guns and voted for Afro-Blue), it was all set for Afro-Blue to make it to the finals next week…

But that didn’t happen. Ben’s vote was for the Aires, and thus the finale next week consists of Pentatonix, Urban Method, and a group that shouldn’t have even made it to the semifinals in the first place. This is all kinds of wrong, and even more frustrating coming off the heels of the all-too-early eliminations of Vocal Point last week, and Delilah two weeks prior. Why is there such a disconnect?

And here I briefly launch into mild “conspiracy theory” mode. From what I’ve heard, the decision to oust Afro-Blue was somewhat colored by producer involvement. That’s not to say that I think the judges wanted to put through Afro-Blue, the producers didn’t, then they made Sara, Shawn, and Ben go their way, because it’s definitely more complicated than that. But I do believe there was a bit of pressure from the powers at be to put through the more ‘exciting’ group because of the TV potential. The “Sing-Off Battle” seemed a bit contrived and tacked on at the end, and it all too easily could have been a way to try to convince viewers that the choice between Afro-Blue and the Aires wasn’t as one-sided as it should have been. If indeed the producers were behind Afro-Blue’s elimination, was it something that crossed the line? Of course not. They’re putting on a TV show at the end of the day, and it’s their right and prerogative to do whatever they think is necessary (within the rules of the show) to have that TV show produced the best they see fit. Do I think it was the right decision, though? Not in the slightest. It didn’t leave a bad taste in my mouth, per se, but I fully and completely disagree with how it played out.

Now to Afro-Blue for a moment. I’ve heard previous remarks to the end that they’re boring, that, as one commenter here put it, they’re “like a physics problem about a bridge that no one wants to see built.” I beg to differ. I know I’m a jazz fan, and as a jazz fan, I’m going to gravitate towards the groups that are driven by jazz. However, what Afro-Blue did this season was greater than jazz music, greater than one genre. They took jazz music and touched hearts with it. Their performances were anything but boring…they were inspiring, they were full of energy, they were fun when they needed to be, tender and soul-stirring when the occasion called for it. They showed that jazz music, and music as a whole, doesn’t have to be solely high-concept and go over people’s heads. It can be complex AND engage the average listener at the same time. They mastered the balance between innovation and accessibility, and for that I applaud them. They’re anything but “boring,” and for that they’re my winners.

It’s disheartening to see a finale more akin to Season 1 (an outstanding group, Nota, and two underwhelming groups, Voices of Lee and the Beelzebubs) than last season’s anyone-can-win powerhouse (the top-notch quartet of Street Corner Symphony, Committed, the Backbeats, and Jerry Lawson and Talk of the Town), and looking back on this season, the wonky eliminations have parallelled that first season’s barrage of questionable judging decisions much more than last season’s relatively peaceful journey. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Season 2, seeing as there wasn’t too much heartbreak (aside from Groove for Thought going way too early, and On The Rocks staying a week or two too long). That said, next week should be a great show (Afro-Blue confirmed on Twitter that they’ll sing with Smokey Robinson next week!), and things are looking great for the group that deserves to win (Pentatonix) taking home the crown. (I’ll be using my voting powers rather liberally to help make that the case.) As for now, I’m taking comfort in the fact that for my fallen faves of this season…Sonos, Vocal Point, Delilah, and now Afro-Blue…it’s only just begun. To close, a final pair of polls. I’ll see you later this week with more posts.

 

Song of the Day: “Estupida”

Here comes a Song of the Day…and this time around, it’s in Spanish! Take a look at this great salsa jam (yes, I just used the word “jam”)…

“Estupida” by India!

As is the case with a lot of songs I have, I found out about this one by a curious iTunes search. However, iTunes isn’t where I found out about India in the first place. My mom actually introduced me to her music…she’s a huge salsa fan (I am too at this point, but I wasn’t when I was younger), and one of the albums she had was a live recording of a concert (it was a 10th anniversary celebration for music  label RMM), and that concert featured a great song by India (known as “La Princesa de la Salsa,” or the “Princess of Salsa,” by the way) and legendary artist Oscar d’Leon. Anyways, long story short, years later I wanted to listen to more of her stuff (this actually isn’t the first time I’ve checked out more of her music), discovered this gem (and a few others) off her most recent album, and there we go. It’s a stunning combo of devastatingly delivered heartbreak (La India has a powerful voice, and it’s full of emotion here) and a dazzling salsa setting, and if you’re anything of a Latin music fan, it will probably get your finger stuck on the repeat button.

(Thanks for reading!)

“The Sing-Off” Season 3, Episode 9 Recap: Every Little Step

This is ridiculous. Absolutely RIDICULOUS. You know what I’m talking about. Yeah, you over there. It’s what I’ve been harping on since the competition began, and it’s what’s been bringing down this otherwise wonderful third season of “The Sing-Off” for me. Almost every week this season since the groups combined, a group ranging from good to great has gone home, while a group (oh, you know exactly who I’m referring to…more on that in a second) that has consistently underperformed continues to stay around (and, to boot, not even land anywhere near the Bottom 2). Much like last week, where Delilah rather unjustly was sent packing, this week was home (or rather, given the departing group’s swan song, “Home”) to an equally infuriating elimination.

I promised that this week I wouldn’t pick on the contestants as much as I did in my last recap, and I’m planning to keep that promise. However, I’m done with the Dartmouth Aires. I do have some good things to say about their performances below. But it is exceedingly clear they no longer belong in the competition, and I will most likely make that quite plain in the following paragraphs. Witness the following tweet by yours truly:

@B__O__o I am seriously done if the Aires make it to the finals. I. Am. DONE. #stillnotgonnatakeit—
Brandon Randall (@barandall800) November 15, 2011

Yep. I’m that ticked. Moving on from that…recovering from last week’s non-starter of an Arcade Fire cover (I never thought I’d be typing those words…), this week’s opening number was INCREDIBLE. Even though it was mostly started off (once again) by the Group Who Shall Briefly Not Be Named, it was high-energy from the start, the arrangement was outstanding, Katie ROCKED her solo work (I audibly cheered, “Go Katie!” after she belted that one note during “Crazy In Love”), as did everyone else except a member of the GWSBNBN. (I suppose I could have picked a better acronym there.) It was a great way to kick off the night, and I look back on it very fondly, given the roller-coaster of a show that was to come. First off, in the contemporary R&B round, speak of the devil, it’s…

• Dartmouth Aires (performing “Ignition [Remix]” by R. Kelly): Let’s get the positives out of the way. It stayed on pitch. It wasn’t a trainwreck. And it did have energy. I didn’t hate it, I’d have to say. Now the negatives (of which there are a few): Michael’s solo, for probably the billionth week running, was incredibly ineffective. His tone just bugs me…there’s a overly formal quality about it that undercuts any ‘soul’ or smoothness it might have had. (His speaking voice does the same for me too, but given the fact that judging on recordings I’ve heard of myself, my speaking voice sounds very weird and awkward, I’ll give him a pass on that for sure.) And the arrangement was just too dang chaotic. (Thank you, member of the group whose name I can’t remember, for using that word in the rehearsal package. It described your performance quite accurately, I’m afraid.) There was too much going on, and it ended up being more of an assault on the ears rather than a pleasant musical experience. Just par for the course for the Aires, and yet again the judges gave them a free pass. I’m aware they most likely come off much better in person than on TV, but tonight was Top 5 week. I have yet to see the judges really go after any weakness of the Aires besides their low end issues (and to be honest, those really aren’t their main problem at all, in my view), and after 9 weeks of competition, that’s just not right, under any circumstance.
• Urban Method (performing “Knock You Down” by Keri Hilson feat. Ne-Yo & Kanye West): This wasn’t quite perfect, but I really enjoyed it. After bugging me with it in the early stages of the season, I’ve really grown fond of Mike’s rapping and the whole “rapapella” concept in general. I don’t love it, of course…but it really seems to fit much better within the context of the performances now. (P.S.: He did a bang-up job in the opening number as well.) Katie and the other female soloist (sorry I don’t know your name!) did a fantastic job, although I noticed that I think I like Katie’s tone better in her upper register than in her lower. She can hit the low notes just fine…but they sounded a bit measured and formal, and when she really let loose and started belting towards the end, it came together nicely for me. It was a solid performance, not quite a standout, but an effort worthy of Top 5 week nonetheless. Urban Method is beginning to get their groove back (but can they continue the momentum enough to make the finals? I hope so).
• Vocal Point (performing “Every Little Step” by Bobby Brown): Last week I rather disappointingly found myself not being able to connect with either of Vocal Point’s performances. Whatever was off during Week 8, was on tonight, because this was, in my opinion, Vocal Point’s best performance of the season. The arrangement was absolutely terrific, even a little risky for Vocal Point (in all the right ways). That beatboxing section in the middle, particularly…gold. Pure gold. The performance popped, it shined, it was musical, it was entertaining, it was playful, it was inventive, it was all those things and more all at once. I unequivocally loved it through and through, and it really was a stylistic breakthrough for Vocal Point. And to top it all off…it became the very first song this season I’ve bought from the group on iTunes. (I’ve already listened to it three times in the last 30 minutes.) That’s how it’s done, boys. That’s how it’s done. (Side note: How fun was it to see little Provo boy McKay gleefully noting after the performance, “Sara Bareilles said I’ve got soul!”?)
• Afro-Blue (performing “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey): Propelled by a lovely, assured solo by Christie, this was yet another outstanding performance by Afro-Blue. And here’s where my beef with the judges creeps up again…while I kind of see how Ben and Co. are trying to find the sweet spot for the group, that balance between cutting-edge jazz and the inherent level of accessibility that a cappella requires…it can’t help but feel at this point like the judges are kind of jerking Afro-Blue’s chain. (Out-of-context “Sabrina” quote break! “Can I say that to a woman…’jerking your chain’?”) Not intentionally, of course, but it’s approaching what sometimes happens on another televised singing competition (perhaps you might have heard of it?), “American Idol,” where the judging panel often ends up offering conflicting advice to the contestants. Are Ben, Sara, and Shawn getting that bad? Of course not. They’re one of the best judging lineups on TV (way better than any of the “Idol”  judging table iterations). And they certainly did show their love for this terrific performance…I just wish they’d stop getting hung up on little things in Afro-Blue’s sound and overall vibe, things that don’t really get in the way of their performances at the end of the day.
• Pentatonix (performing “OMG” by Usher feat. will.i.am): (Brace yourself. There’s a corny joke on its way.) My reaction to this performance: OMG. (Ba dum cha.) But really. It was utterly, completely terrific. Yes, I know I end up falling in mad love with Pentatonix’s turns on the “Sing-Off” stage every week. Much like my unquenchable fire burning for Afro-Blue, I suppose it’s getting to be like a broken record in a few ways. But honestly…there are no other ways to describe it. They’re just consistently, continually, pretty much perfect. Their changing of the lyrics to reflect group member Kevin’s moral qualms with the song was a brilliant, nice touch. I never thought I’d hear a song with the phrase “oh my gosh” in it, on national television no less, and it made me very happy. (“Oh my gosh” is in fact the phrase I use instead of what OMG typically stands for, as well.) The arrangement was, as always, daring and truly riveting. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…at this point, Pentatonix can do no wrong.

Now, on to the R&B classics round:

• Dartmouth Aires (performing “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight & the Pips): This was one of Dartmouth Aires’ better performances, and it did some measure of justice to Gladys Knight’s classic. However, the arrangement was a bit static, and once again Michael was an underwhelming, inconsistent soloist. The judges said the performance was emotionally connected, but for me it felt more like any emotional weight the performance might have had was forced, rather than natural. The song didn’t flow, it didn’t glide…it was just there in many aspects. (Insert customary plea to the judges to stop giving the Aires free pass after free pass here.)
• Urban Method (performing “It’s Your Thing” by the Isley Brothers): So I didn’t know that “Isley Brothers” was pronounced “Eye-sley Brothers” until tonight. (The more you know…) Anyways, this was another quality effort from Urban Method. I can’t say it all came together for me for the whole performance…there were some spots where the arrangement seemed a bit overstuffed…but in many ways, this was an effective, outstanding job by the group. The soloist (who I believe hasn’t had much of the spotlight before?) was a perfect choice to helm the number, and she really worked the song, especially at the end. This performance kind of reminded me of Urban Method’s outstanding early-season take on “Dance To The Music” (if you’ll recall, their breakthrough in my eyes), and that is a very, very good thing. And once again, Mike’s rap work (there wasn’t much given the song, but there was a little bit of comping towards the end if I remember right) fit in like a glove, much to my surprise. A nice job by Urban Method, and a continuation of their comeback from a few weeks prior, where they really seemed to be struggling.
• Vocal Point (performing “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” by the Temptations): Coming off what I believe was their best performance of the season, Vocal Point had a lot to live up to here. I think they ended up doing so, albeit in a low-key, simple way. Their take on “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” was classy, energetic, and I actually thought the soloist did a fine job of capturing the soul that the song emanates. Perhaps it was just a tiny bit too squeaky-clean at one or two points, but overall, it was ultra-solid. Vocal Point sounded right at home here, and I really don’t get the judges’ small quibbles with the performance as a whole.
• Afro-Blue (performing “The Best of My Love” by the Emotions): I won’t lie…for the first time this season, I heard some fleeting pitch issues for Afro-Blue. And I will concede that the arrangement was at times ready to crack. However, it never did end up falling apart, and the small pitch fluctuations I heard towards the end didn’t detract from the performance for me. The song is probably a factor (it’s a deliciously infectious tune, and hard to get wrong), and the great solo work really brought it up to a whole new level as well. (Plus, as always, the choreography was eye-catchingly good. Still amazed how Afro-Blue can pay attention to that even with all that, y’know, singing going on.) I really, really enjoyed this.
• Pentatonix (performing “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye): How do you take on such an iconic song by such a legendary artist? Well, perhaps just like Pentatonix did tonight. The dynamic build was exhilarating, Scott’s solo work was the definition of ‘slaying it,’ and it really just rocked, on so many levels. The group really kept things beautifully simple throughout, but threw in some killer touches, and even a little reharmonization, in to make the whole thing even more refreshing and unique, all while keeping what made the original so timeless and enduring. (Plus Ben’s comment that the performance will likely cause a spike in births within 9 months was CLASSIC.) Pentatonix came into this week as the unquestionable frontrunners, and that’s how they leave this week as well.
• Hey, I’m kind of in a better mood now. That may change in about 5…4…3…2….OK, here it goes. I have to type these words, even if I wish that they weren’t true. As you may have been able to surmise from my sadness, Vocal Point went home tonight. The fine representatives of my beloved school were cut from the competition. And I still can’t understand why. (Once again, adding major insult to injury, the Aires escaped the clutches of the Bottom 2, and Afro-Blue was inexplicably placed in danger of going home for the second week running. As I said at the beginning of this recap: This. Is. RIDICULOUS.) It’s heartbreaking (well, reality-show-fan-style heartbreaking, not like oh-my-gosh-so-sad-and-depressing heartbreaking) to see them go when they should have gone all the way to the finals, and my only explanation at this point is that the judges must have heard their swan song of “Home” by Michael Buble, heard the lyrics (“Let me go hooooooooome….I’ve had my run, baby, I’m done…”), and then gone back in time to make sure their past selves complied with those nice boys from Vocal Point’s musical request. OK, so that’s probably not what happened. But it makes more sense than saying that Vocal Point truly deserved elimination tonight. Because they most certainly did not.

Disappointment is inevitable when you’re a big fan of an elimination-based competition reality show. I just wish it didn’t have to come so often this season on “The Sing-Off,” especially so late in the season. If you need me, I’ll be off mourning over Vocal Point, Delilah, Sonos, heck, even great groups from previous seasons (still haven’t gotten over it) like Groove for Thought, Noteworthy, and Maxx Factor. (Why the carnage? WHY?!?!?) For now, a poll, and a promise that I’ll be back later this week with more Harmony Avenue non-”Sing-Off” related goodness. As always, many thanks for reading.

Reprise: More Music From Lucy, Jamie, and Sondre!

Hey, a post that’s not about “The Sing-Off”! Those are becoming increasingly rare on this blog. My apologies to the non-”Sing-Off”-initiated. Anyways, here’s a new feature I’ve kind of spontaneously decided to introduce, called “Reprise.” I’m not sure if it will be recurring too often or not, but basically it’s an opportunity for me to share more music from those I’ve done Artist Spotlights (or other assorted posts that I’m not planning to formally follow up on) for. Either it came out after I posted, I didn’t know about it when I posted, or I was crazy enough to exclude it when I posted. Starting off, here’s three gems from Lucy Schwartz. One is a stunning track from her new EP, “Keep Me,” called “You Are You Are.” It’ll break your heart, pretty much. The next is an equally gorgeous cut from, of all places, the “Breaking Dawn” soundtrack. (Those Twilight movies may be awful, but Alexandra Patsavas, the music supervisor, picks some TERRIFIC music.) It’s a duet called “Cold” featuring terrific British musician Aqualung (stage name for Matthew Hales), who I will probably end up making the focus of his own Artist Spotlight sooner or later. The harmonies in this song are just devastatingly beautiful, especially in the last part of the song. The third song is Aqualung and Lucy’s previous collaboration (a bonus track on her “Life In Letters” album), a heartbreaking yet energetic piano-driven ballad called “Seven Hours.”

Now here’s the rest of Jamie Cullum’s music! Just kidding. I wish I had space to do that. Instead, I’ll share three great songs I hadn’t heard until a week or two ago. The first is an incredibly lovely, thought-provoking waltz-like ballad (in 5/4, no less) called “Oh God.” Jamie reportedly wrote it while watching coverage of the 2005 tsunami disaster on CNN. (This song is from his major-label sophomore effort, “Catching Tales.”) The second song is the emotional title theme  from Clint Eastwood’s 2008 film “Gran Torino.” (It was co-written by Eastwood himself as well as his musician/composer son Kyle, and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.) The third number? A rollicking party of a tune, and a bonus track off his latest album “The Pursuit,” called “I Love This.” (I certainly love this, indeed. )

Finally, some more music from Sondre Lerche, who released a new album (titled simply “Sondre Lerche,” perhaps a nod to the fact that it’s much more organic and acoustically driven than his previous recordings) after I made him the subject of an Artist Spotlight. The following tunes are the expansive, intoxicating “Domino,” peppy but deep “Private Caller,” and gorgeous opening track “Ricochet” (I love the outro).

OK, I might not be using this feature too often, seeing as I started it yesterday morning, and it took me until now to get it up because Jamie Cullum’s songs were particularly difficult to find. Also, I have no idea how well this page will load for most of you, seeing as it has 9 media items embedded on it. (Of course, I did have work, sleep, and other assorted activities in between. It’s not like it took me more than 24 hours to find them. ) Thanks, as always, for reading, and I’d love to hear your feedback about Reprise, or any other posts I’ve made.

“The Sing-Off” Season 3, Episode 8 Recap: Dream On

I’m not happy right now. Well, actually I am overall, because of this delightful piece of news here in my home state of Arizona. (Sorry to get all political on y’all for a fleeting second, but I couldn’t resist celebrating.) But about “The Sing-Off”…hmmm. Not so much. The result Monday night was a miscarriage of musical justice in my book, and it just seemed so wrong. So. Dang. WRONG.

Before we get to my airing out of grievances (which will most certainly involve the You-Know-Which group with “air” in their name), things started off kind of disappointingly with the opening number, “Wake Up.” If you would have told me beforehand that it would be an Arcade Fire song, I would have danced for joy and gladness. Arcade Fire and a cappella music? I never would have thought the twain should meet. However, unlike every other opening number this season, all of which have exceeded my expectations, this one just fell flat. It was kind of a combination of factors…the fact that the Dartmouth Aires started it off and I couldn’t quite tell what song it was at first; the truncated arrangement that excised one of my favorite parts of the song (the end where it switches from the well-known guitar riff to a shuffling, almost swinging bounce); the sad truth that even with all those tremendously talented vocalists on the stage, none of them really seemed to connect with the song whatsoever, instead choosing to riff all over the place in search of an emotion, but never finding one. OK, that was a bit harsh…but really, I expected more out of this, and I really didn’t get it. Feel free to keep trying, though, “Sing-Off” producers. (How about “No Cars Go”? It’s pretty much impossible to get THAT song wrong. And I’d kill to hear it in an a cappella setting.) Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever gone to town this much on a group number. And I’m afraid you’ll have to buckle your seatbelts, readers. There’s much more “going to town” where that came from. First off, the rock round…

• Pentatonix (performing “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf): Week after week, song after song, Pentatonix just keeps delivering electrifying performances and wonderfully daring arrangements. They constantly change it up, and it should have gotten old by now…but for me, at least, it most certainly hasn’t. There isn’t much this group has done, or can do wrong. This was a smart, edgy take on Steppenwolf’s classic, and it (like many of Pentatonix’s performances in the past) struck a nice balance between making the song completely their own, but making sure they didn’t take it too far from its roots in the process. And Kirstie (yay! a name I remember!) absolutely slayed her vocals, after being sick the whole week to boot. To me as a viewer, Pentatonix is unstoppable right now.
• Dartmouth Aires (performing “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister): The Aires chose an astute song title, because it described my feelings about their performance…and if we’re being honest, their continued presence in the competition…very accurately. I’m not gonna take it. I’M NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE. (Sorry for the yelling…but I do need those moments to let it out once in a while.) I will say that Michael’s lead vocal actually kind of worked for me. It fit the song well, which is a change from past weeks. They also had no significant pitch problems. And that’s all I can find to say that was positive. The second lead vocalist was trying way too hard to sound like a stereotypical “rock vocalist,” and failed miserably in the process. The arrangement was unimaginative and at times a bit frantic (a quality that’s been haunting the Aires’ performances all season). And why, exactly, are the judges raving so much about their energy and stage gimmicks, when let’s see, this is a competition for a RECORDING contract? They may be ‘fun’ and goofy and have a lot of tricks up their sleeve while on “The Sing-Off”…but all I can see a Dartmouth Aires CD being is just another cookie-cutter collegiate a cappella record. There is nothing special they have to offer in their sound, their soloists are wildly hit-and-miss, their performances are consistently mediocre, and I have run out of explanations as to why the judges are keeping them around (and what’s more, have kept them out of the Bottom 2 every week of the season to date). It’s frustrating.
• Afro-Blue (performing “American Girl” by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers): Once again the judges harped on Afro-Blue’s arrangement this week, but Ben offered a very, very wise piece of critique that really opened my eyes to what he, Sara, and Shawn have been trying to hit at with their “too ambitious”/”too complex” comments. He said something to the effect that intricate harmonies are fine…but it’s best to have them presented in a way that makes the listener forget that they’re complicated. Now, Ben and I disagree in how effective Afro-Blue has been at doing this…I’ve never really had concerns with the level of difficulty in their arrangements, and the complexity they display has always enhanced, rather than detracted from, the performances for me, but reminding Afro-Blue about that delicate balance between invention and accessibility was an important point to make, and I applaud him for it. And now that I’ve spent quite a few sentences not talking about the performance…I thought it was great, displaying a different side of Afro-Blue than we’ve really seen (they hewed much closer to the original song, and it was a different vibe that was intriguing to see at work), and although I kind of have to agree with the judges that the detour into the National Anthem was a bit strange, I felt this performance really worked. It was one of Afro-Blue’s lower-key outings, but that didn’t diminish how good it was, at least for me.
• Delilah (performing “Dream On” by Aerosmith): Just the sheer fact that Amy can hit those crazy-high notes never ceases to amaze me, but beyond the novelty factor of hearing her sing into the stratosphere, I thought this performance was very, very solid. With any other group, we’d have a strong lead vocalist try to live up to Steven Tyler’s iconic original vocal, and then some underwhelming harmonies firmly in the background, most likely. What Delilah gave us was a powerhouse lead vocalist that matched Steven’s firepower, AND some equally powerful surrounding vocals to boot. It really felt like the whole group collectively stepped up to the plate. I do agree a bit with the judges that the build of the arrangement was just a tiny bit off at one or two points, but overall, I was thoroughly impressed by Delilah’s take on Aerosmith.
• Urban Method (performing “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake): The girls certainly came out of their shell this week (Sara’s comment that it was like she was seeing Katie come alive on stage was astute…she burst out of the gate with a gale-force vocal in the opening number, and she certainly showed her pipes here as well), but aside from that, this performance was kind of…unmemorable, in a way. Adding rapping to the formula actually was a pretty shrewd decision this time around, I thought (it worked pretty well in the context of the song…I don’t think I would have been able to tell it wasn’t originally in the song had this not been Rock Night, and if I hadn’t heard the song before), but the harmonies were just…there. The arrangement didn’t have much punch musically, and although the ladies were confident and strong, it wasn’t enough to make this performance really stand out. It was alright, but it didn’t grab me like it should have.
• Vocal Point (performing “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks): It’s time to clutch your pearls and perhaps make an extremely cheesy gasp or two, but…I didn’t like this performance. I wanted to love it, I wanted to be blown away by it, but…I just couldn’t get into it. It didn’t work for me. Now, you know I’m a big Vocal Point fan. Mainly because they’re my fellow Cougars (that would be our school mascot, not an indication that we’re all middle-aged women looking for young boys to romance), but also because they’ve displayed a winning combination of infectious energy and top-notch musicianship thus far this season. This performance, however, felt like a combination of all the weaknesses that have been nagging me for a while about Vocal Point, and it seemed to fall flat. First case in point…although I’ve enjoyed pretty much every song by them so far…I have a confession to make. Out of all my favorite groups, Vocal Point remains the only one I haven’t bought a “Sing-Off” performance by from iTunes. They just never strike me as something I’d like to hear all the time on my iPod. This goes back to their sound…at times, there’s something just a little off with it. It’s not quite distinctive enough, and it feels a bit tinny. That came out in full force tonight, and the arrangement certainly did them no favors. It also really brought out their tendency to be a bit corny…and that came to a head with Ross, the lead vocalist. He sounded distractingly affected, his pitch was all over the place (and not in a cool “I’m a rock star and I don’t give a dang” way, more like in a “I’m trying to be a rock star and I still don’t give a dang, but I don’t sound good enough for you to not notice that” way), and it just felt like a boy playing dress-up, rather than a convincing lead vocalist on a rock-themed number. Not many things about this performance struck me as particularly effective, and although I’m very disappointed, with the small concerns that have been building between me and Vocal Point since the season began, I can’t say I’m surprised.

Whoa. I told you there’d be much nitpicking. And there’s more to come…here’s the country round (in which I wanted to mute Nick SO MANY TIMES for repeating a bunch of unbelievably stale country stereotypes, and being generally ridiculous overall):

• Dartmouth Aires (performing “Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy” by Big & Rich): Hate to continue the criticism-fest, but sorry…this was yet another performance I was unimpressed by this week. I’ve never been a huge fan of this song, so the Aires were already in hot water there. In addition to that…while Michael was actually pretty good on the first number, he absolutely bombed on this number (he is NOT a good country vocalist, that’s for sure), and took his co-lead vocalist, who was wandering around in his lower register with nary a correct pitch to be found, with him. Add to that the in-and-out background vocals and the distracting stage gimmicks and idiotic choreography, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a disaster. I’ll be quite frank with you…this performance actually moved me to audibly say the following words afterwards in response: “That was stupid.” Harsh, I know, but that’s what my immediate reaction was. And yet these fools live to see another week.
• Afro-Blue (performing “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum): Best of the night. I’ll say it right now, and you’ll probably disagree with me, but nowhere else on Monday night did you see this kind of stunning combination of outstanding musical skill, and absolutely devastating emotional impact. The arrangement was certainly daring…some of those reharmonizations they were undertaking were incredibly close to falling apart…but that inventiveness really added a riveting dynamic to the performance. The two leads (great move to keep the guy-girl duet structure of the original) were committed and flawless. You could tell the entire group was just completely tuned in to the song, and it resulted in a truly special listening experience. It allowed the listener to get lost in the music…in the most wonderful way. It’s performances like these that are why I truly love Afro-Blue, y’all. This is why.
• Urban Method (performing “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood): If Katie (hope I’m getting her name right, btw) stood out in the opening number and in Urban Method’s first performance, she shot out like a cannon here. That girl can SANG. (And she’s only 19?!?!?!? Lord have mercy, that boggles my mind. I’m 19 myself, and I could never belt out goodness like that.) Katie’s undeniably fiery vocals, and her two fellow ladies’ superb backup aside…the whole arrangement didn’t quite come together for me. It felt like there was one element in the powerhouse girl trio, and then another element in the background vocals, and neither of those elements felt truly, consistently united during the performance. Katie may have been a great lead, but the way the arrangement was structured, the background harmonies from the guys didn’t really stand out or adequately back her and the girls up. A cappella groups cannot live on strength of their leads alone, but they can coast. And what Urban Method did here felt a heck of a lot more like coasting than delivering the kind of all-around terrific performance I know they have in them.
• Delilah (performing “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry): You may have noticed in my “Sing-Off” recaps that I’m kind of a stickler for pitch. I tend to notice, and often get distracted, by performances with intermittent pitch problems. Which is why you’ll be surprised to hear that I thought Delilah actually stayed on pitch here. I do see where the judges were coming from in that the arrangement took a tiny bit to gel around Ingrid’s gorgeous lead (for a girl who amusingly thinks “country music is depressing”…well, I suppose when you end up choosing a song about dying young, you kinda have a point…she certainly can hold her own and then some while singing in said genre), but I really didn’t catch any significant note issues. What I did catch, however, was the beautiful emotional punch this performance packed, and the lovely build it had, something that time and time again Delilah has displayed its mastery of. I loved it, without reservation.
• Vocal Point (performing “Life Is A Highway” by Tom Cochrane): (Nick said it was by Rascal Flatts, but while I have a special place in my heart for the Flatts’ music, they most certainly aren’t the original artists. Do your research, Nick Nick’s writers!) This once again hurts me to say…this performance didn’t quite work for me. (Two Vocal Point performances in one night, and I enjoyed neither of them? I feel dirty.) The lead vocalists, much like the first performance, sounded a bit too affected, like they were trying to be country singers rather than sounding natural within the context of the song. The background arrangement felt a bit off to me…I think the cutesy banjo/steel guitar-like effects they were using was detracting from the overall tone of the group, bringing it that tinny quality I mentioned earlier. And the whole cowboy hoedown theme? Eh. It wasn’t original, and although the group was as usual full of energy, for some reason the performance came off as stale. I really hope that Vocal Point blows me away next week, because if they keep up at this rate, things are not looking good.
• Pentatonix (performing “Stuck Like Glue” by Sugarland): Here’s what I said out loud at the beginning of the performance: “Oh NO, they picked THAT song?!?!?” Here’s what I said at the end: “That was brilliant.” Leave it to Pentatonix to turn a song that bugs the living daylights out of me into 2 minutes of pure a cappella triumph. Kirstie nailed the lead vocals…not that Jennifer Nettles isn’t crazy talented and charming and everything, but her twang in this song is so dang annoying, and Kirstie’s smooth, assured take on it was much easier on the ears, without losing the infectious lightness that gives the song an underlying appeal and sense of fun. Scott also rocked the reggae section, and it really helped take the performance up a notch. (Once again, a marked improvement on Jennifer, who is great, but cannot sing-rap in a reggae style convincingly to save her life.) All in all, an outstanding, inventive, great way to end an up-and-down show.
• Well, at least until the elimination happened. And here’s where I get even more frustrated, angry, sad, insert your own negative emotion here. The judges sent Delilah home. In 6th place. I still can’t quite process it. Seeing the girls deliver a terrific swan song performance of “Survivor,” it just didn’t look right at all. How can Sara, Shawn, and Ben justify sending a group this talented and unique home at this point in the competition? And to top it all off, who was in the Bottom 2 with Delilah? Not the Dartmouth Aires. Not Urban Method. Not even Vocal Point (who I don’t want to go home yet, that’s for sure, but definitely could have used a brush with elimination as a kick in the pants). Those increasingly frustrating judges put AFRO-BLUE in danger of going home. I just don’t get it. At what stage of the game have either of these groups truly showed that they weren’t cutting it? I know it’s late in the competition and I know the eliminations are going to continue to sting, that talented groups are going to go to home no matter where you turn for the most part…but this is not right. The judges, without question, made the wrong decision this week.

OK, time to breathe. I was a little mean this week, but honestly, quite a lot of things about Monday night didn’t sit well with me. It was a bit of a low point in this “Sing-Off” season, and while I enjoyed this episode as a whole (you really can’t go wrong with this show…now if only a few more million viewers would feel the same way, and show NBC some love), I can’t say it was one of my favorites. (And I’m a country boy at heart, too. Bummer.) Things will be brighter next week, though. And there’s still a few more weeks for the Aires to get eliminated for the finale. And Delilah, I love you. That is all. See you later this week with non-”Sing-Off” posting, and thanks, as always, for reading.

ETA: Oops, forgot the customary poll. Here it is, in all its glory:

Song of the Day: “Don’t Stop”

Here’s a quick Song of the Day…but first, the moment all of you (or most likely, 6 of you) have been waiting for…the winner of the $15 iTunes gift card giveaway! The numbers have been crunched, and here’s a photo of the result:

That means shantay, you’re our winner! Come on down, you’re a contestant on…oops, got carried away there. Sorry. But yes, you do win. I’ll be contacting you soon to arrange the delivery of your gift card.

Now, to the Song of the Day…

“Don’t Stop” by Gin Wigmore!

This is a cheerful, addicting song with a unique spin, hit home by the charmingly intriguing vocals of Gin Wigmore (a singer-songwriter by way of New Zealand). The answer to how I found out about this song is pretty easy…from the Lowe’s ad that aired on TV, embedded below (not only does it utilize great music, but it has FANTASTIC art direction and a great hook…it’s one of the best commercials I’ve seen in years). Lowe’s was kind enough to put the artist and song at the end of the commercial, and unlike most cases where that happens and the song ends up being underwhelming (and then when I love the song, they don’t list it at the end of the commercial…sigh…), in this case I was head over heels in love with the music they chose. It goes perfectly with the commercial (and brings it a very fresh, innovative vibe that really sells it, if you’ll pardon the pun…), and what’s even better, it’s a bright, outstanding song on its own.

Thanks for reading! And thanks for all who commented for the giveaway. (Even though it’s over…comments are ALWAYS welcomed. )

Album Review: Knock On The Sky

It’s time for Anniversary Week (which is kind of a lie of a name, since it spanned a little more than a week, if you think about it…) to come to a close, with one final commemorative post (one, that if you’re an eagle-eyed reader, you’ll notice I’ve been planning for a while), one connected to my very first Sketches post, a rumination on my country music-listening heritage. This might end up being a bit stylistically different from my previous album reviews (the fact that it came out 9 years ago is a factor there…), but we’ll see how it turns out once, y’know, it’s all written. Also, a reminder that today is the last day to enter the iTunes gift card givewaway. We’re up to 5 entries, so your chances aren’t as good as earlier in the week when there were just 2, but you could still definitely be our potential winner. I’ll be hopefully doing the drawing tomorrow morning, so don’t miss your chance! Now, to a review of an album I’ve known and loved for years…

Album: Knock On The Sky

Artist: SHeDAISY

Released: June 2002

SHeDAISY has long been one of those groups that’s hard to categorize. Their music resides somewhere in the sweet spot between pop, country, rock, and who knows what else…they’ve gotten play on country radio, for sure, but at the same time their songs don’t quite seem to belong there in a few ways. If anything, the music of SHeDAISY is incredibly accessible…but what is it, exactly?

“Knock On The Sky” doesn’t bring the listener any closer to the bottom of that mystery, but it’s a beautifully crafted, undeniably fun ride nonetheless. One of the group’s notoriously weakest-selling albums, it never got much traction in the country market (and the pop market was never really an option for SHeDAISY to gain a foothold in, since their music is still clearly rooted in country tradition), but it stands out as one of the highest points in their long career. (They’re still making music, though unfortunately their latest album has remained unreleased for the past few years.) It’s full of high-quality songcraft, utterly infectious melodies, passionately delivered emotion, and the trademark sisterly harmonies that have made SHeDAISY a group to return to again and again. It’s hopelessly underrated, and intensely rewarding.

I grew up with this album. I (or rather, probably my parents) bought the CD soon after it came out, transferred it to a tape to play on my personal cassette player (yes, I still used one, even in 2002-2003), and listened to the songs over and over and over again. I’ve probably dived into the music on “Knock On The Sky” so many times now over the years that I could sing you any one of the songs in my sleep. Its appeal hasn’t dimmed in the nearly 10 years since…if anything, it’s evolved and perhaps even grown.

“Knock On The Sky” is in some ways like a concept album, tied together by theatrical touches like rain effects on “I Wish I Were The Rain,” switching to an old-time radio sound on “I’m Lit,” taking a kooky detour into a preacher’s sermon in “Repent,” and having a creepy voice-over at the beginning of “Everybody Wants You,” among other things. (Listening to the album straight through, you’ll notice all the songs are tied together with moments at both the beginning and end of each number.) The album would still be great without these bells and whistles, but they bring it to even greater artistic heights…SHeDAISY wasn’t just throwing together a bunch of songs with “Knock On The Sky”…they were making their own unique statement.

The production is impeccable and even a bit glossy, but it never feels distant or overdone. The instrumentation is intriguing and top-notch, and it feels like with this album, SHeDAISY was able to get things exactly how they wanted them. The vibe of this album is a bit daring and cutting-edge (the group pushes the boundaries of the country-pop mold in endlessly intriguing ways), but it still feels warm and inviting. “Knock On The Sky,” for all its risk-taking and innovating, doesn’t keep the listener at arm’s length…it quickly draws them into the music, and keeps them quite happy there.

Starting off with a gorgeous, addicting ballad like “Mine All Mine,” one would think it would be hard for the rest of the record to keep up, but there’s practically no weak spot to be found. “I’m Lit” finds a new spin on the oft-used “rowdy country” formula, “Man Goin’ Down” is benefited by an understated, insistent rhythm, and “Get Over Yourself” is 3 1/2 minutes of pure, infectious musical candy…but never ends up being too lightweight, thanks in large part to its underlying cleverness. “Rush” brings a surprising degree of subtlety to a power-ballad template, while “I Wish I Were The Rain” marries stunningly intimate verses with a catchy, heartbreaking chorus. “Repent” has the Osborn sisters letting their hair down in such a fun way that you hope they’ll keep things that way.

The second half of a country (or country-pop) album is where acts usually place their more forgettable songs, but that’s not quite the case with this album. “Everybody Wants You” is deliciously twisted, but also refreshingly grounded. “Now” is a heartwarming, but never cloying, ode to days gone by. “All Over You” is beautifully sophisticated, and “The First To Let Go” (the only cut on the album penned solely by the group’s own Kristyn Osborn, who co-writes every song on the record) is a powerful statement of heartbreak and acceptance. “Turn Me On” actually used to be one of my least favorite songs on the album, but its relentless pop-infused flavor has since totally grown on me. The album closes on two interesting notes…the lovely ballad “Keep Me,” and a no-holds-barred hidden track, titled after the album. The girls of SHeDAISY are almost rap-singing on the latter, and it’s an enjoyable, wacky way to end a certainly unconventional album.

“Knock On The Sky” may not have experienced great commercial success, but it remains an enduring musical masterpiece nearly a decade after its release. It shows that the marriage of country and pop (and everything in between) can be more than just lightweight and forgettable. It can be beautifully accessible music that’s fun and exciting, but also wonderfully and lovingly crafted as well.