“The Sing-Off Christmas” Recap: Good Feeling

So, I lied. I was planning not to recap this, but I knew that I’d probably end up doing so anyway. And I did. Blame the live-tweeting I started doing spur-of-the-moment, and ended up continuing throughout the whole show. It was my gateway drug. And now I’ve mentioned drugs in the first paragraph. Go me?

Anyways, since this wasn’t a competition night, I plan to keep this concise and fairly short, since I don’t have any who-should-win/who-shouldn’t-win related rants to make for the most part, and well, otherwise there’d be quite a lot of gushing. And in the case of certain groups and soloists (you know exactly who), some heavy criticism. So let’s “Sing-Off Christmas” it up…

• Nota, Committed, & Pentatonix (“Christmas [Baby Please Come Home]“): I’m not really going to bother too much with listing the original artist this time around, since this is meant to be a low-key blogging affair, and also I’m going off my live tweets/short-term memory for song titles and group combos. (Watchful commenters, if there are any of you out there, feel free to correct any mistakes.) Pairing the 3 champion groups was a killer way to start the show. All 3 reminded us why they’re champs, and it was great to see them all do their thing.
• The Backbeats & Delilah (“All I Want For Christmas Is You”): It’s hard to beat the iconic Mariah Carey original, or Michael Buble’s recent game-changing cover, but this powerhouse duo of groups delivered a terrific version of this song anyhow. It was great to see some of my old favorites like Joanna (the amazing Backbeats soloist from last season), Amy (well, I guess she hasn’t been gone for long, but I still missed her), and of course, she-who-can-beatbox-and-sing-like-nobody’s-business, the amazingly talented Courtney Jensen. (She got a solo! She got a solo!) Witness the following tweet below (the Backbeats retweeted me! And a bunch of other fans too, but still…):

Impulsively deciding to live tweet #SingOffChristmas . Yay, Backbeats and Delilah! Great to see Joanna back. And Amy! And COURTNEY!!!—
Brandon Randall (@barandall800) December 06, 2011

• Dartmouth Aires (“All You Need Is Love”): Wherever Paul and Ringo (and for that matter, George and John) are right now, if they’ve heard even a whiff of this, they’re probably weeping. (With their guitars. Gently.) The arrangement was cutesy and lightweight, so on its own that wouldn’t have been too much of an affront to the Fab Four’s legacy, but then…Michael had to open his mouth, and deliver a vocal that neither fit the song nor sounded appealing in any way, shape, or form. The good news was that they spread the love and let some lesser-known group members have some solos during this song as well, but the bad news was that they all failed to rise to the occasion. All in all…a performance that made me very, very happy that after tonight, the Aires will be off my TV for good, and I won’t have to hear them ever again.
• Afro-Blue & Committed (“Ooh Child”): Oh sweet mercy, was this incredible. I love this song (Nnenna Freelon’s spirited cover is pure musical gold), and the killer combo of two of the show’s greatest groups (you’ve got that right, Nick Lachey!), Afro-Blue & Committed, was a perfect choice to take it on. The performance moved, it grooved, it proved (hey, just warming myself up for the Grinch song later) that jazz is alive and here to stay. Heck, I was quite literally bouncing around on my couch with the music. The arrangement was daringly intricate, fearlessly vibrant, and full of the perfect balance of complexity and accessibility (along with a sense of fun and joy) that made Committed the champs last season, and Afro-Blue such favorites this season. Ben was spot-on when he noted that Afro-Blue & Committed really have set the “Sing-Off” standard.
• Street Corner Symphony (“Hallelujah”): How great it is to see Street Corner Symphony back! As noted above (and in my Season 2 recaps), I was thrilled to see Committed take the crown last year, but I would have been just as tickled to see it go to the endlessly terrific SCS. With an assist from killer lead Jeremy Lister’s older brother Jonathan (of the Collectives, a bit more on their performance later), they delivered a beautifully poignant, gorgeously intimate take on “Hallelujah,” a song that’s been covered by everyone and their dog, and at this point, probably even their dog’s dog, but when done right is still breathtaking to listen to. Jeremy’s vocal was emotional and direct, and the arrangement was top-notch. If this is what “unpracticing” brings for SCS, we all need to try it out, methinks.
• North Shore (“Little Saint Nick”): A classy, solid take on the Beach Boys’ holiday classic. It was great to see North Shore get a performance of their own (they’re pros through and through), and like many of their previous performances, this was kept simple and direct, and that really helped hit it home. These guys may not be completely fresh or innovative, but they’re full of heart and have years of valuable experience, and I always really enjoy seeing and listening to them. Here’s hoping we see more of them soon.
• Sara Bareilles, Ben Folds, & ‘The Sing-Off Five’ (“Baby, It’s Cold Outside”): The pre-performance video segment was worth the price of admission itself (Sara Bareilles & Ben Folds are secretly comic geniuses…I want to see them pretend they don’t like each other and talk behind each other’s backs more often), and had me in stitches. However, things got even better…the song that followed was equally brilliant. I noted on Twitter that this is one of the freshest versions of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” I’ve heard in years, and I stand by that. There’s a lot of nice covers of this song, but in pretty much every one of them, the vocalists play it safe. Sara took some great liberties with the melody that really put a new spin on the song, while keeping the appeal it’s had for decades. Ben also rocked the vocals, as well as some top-notch piano work, and the addition of The Sing-Off Five (a little vocal backing band stocked with five talented guys) was a nice touch. Sweet mama, was this both entertaining and musically delicious. Another tweet break, with an amusing post-song exchange between the awkward-as-always Nick, and charming-as-always Sara:

Nick: "That was such a warm, inviting rendition. I just want to cuddle with you guys." Sara: "That's weird." #goodanswer #SingOffChristmas—
Brandon Randall (@barandall800) December 06, 2011

• Pentatonix (“Under The Mistletoe”): Ha, remember when I said I was going to try to keep this short? Silly Brandon. Brevity is for kids. Anyways, this performance made me realize two things: 1) This is quite possibly one of the most badly written holiday songs ever recorded. I never, ever, ever, ever, EVER want to hear the Bieber’s original version of this, because hearing it done well was lyrical torture enough. (Did the bridge honestly combine a reference to the wise men and the Christmas star with a line about how [s]he followed his heart to a girl, or was I hallucinating? If either of these are the case, gag me now.) 2) Pentatonix can make anything sound terrific. You’d think after a season’s worth of cutting-edge arrangements that they’d run out of steam, especially with such subpar material, but they brought their signature Pentatonix sound to this lump-of-coal-esque number, and I loved it.
• Jerry Lawson & The Sing-Off All Stars (“Sweet Soul Music”): It was a little bit strange that the Talk of the Town was absent tonight, but I wasn’t complaining…the collection of singers that were assembled to sing with Jerry was quite breathtaking. Jerry, as always, was pure class, and it was a celebration of the classic and the new, all at the same time. Sweet soul music, indeed.
• I don’t want to talk about this next one.
• I really don’t.
• OK, fine…The Devil Children Beelzebubs, On The Rocks & Darmouth Aires (“Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” supposedly): Here’s one of my tweets after the song in question. It captures my thoughts pretty succinctly (though you know me, I’m going to type more anyways):

I think I'm done with collegiate male a cappella groups that aren't named Vocal Point. Their schtick is just so tired. #SingOffChristmas—
Brandon Randall (@barandall800) December 06, 2011

• (continued) So yeah. I just couldn’t get into this performance at all. Even On The Rocks, who I enjoyed last season for the most part, really bugged me here. The ‘fun’ seemed all manufactured. The pitch and intonation…well, let’s not even go there. The solos ranged from depressingly weak (Michael, obviously, and Brendan, though the latter’s vocal was a step up from his usual fare) from OK (the Beelzebubs’ middling soloist) to pretty good, but not enough to save the whole performance (Peter Hollens, the frontman of On the Rocks would fit that description). From what I can see, almost all male collegiate a cappella groups are turning into this utterly affected frat party-esque goofy mess, and it’s not something I enjoy at all. The music is supposed to come first, and the fun second. If you truly pay attention to the music, it’ll often be entertaining on its own. When you take it the other way around like these three groups did tonight, the performance, and the ensemble as a whole, ends up being neither truly musical, nor truly fun, and it’s a real bummer to see that this is a large part of the future of a cappella music. Thankfully it’s not the only part.
• Urban Method (“You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch”): OK, I’m off my soapbox, and from here on out, there should be a minimum of ranting. This performance was a real treat…and a demonstration of how Urban Method has really come into their own. At the start of the season, if Urban Method had put a rap into a song like this, I would have probably hated it. Tonight, however, I loved it. A rap in a song like this? You’d think it wouldn’t work. (Busta Rhymes’ ghastly version with Jim Carrey from the 2001 “Grinch” movie is very convincing evidence to that regard.) However, Myke pulled it off brilliantly, and the arrangement as a whole was pretty exciting and well-played (the samba-style breakdown towards the end was a highlight). The solo by the bass (aargh, I was doing so well with the names this late in the season!) (Troy, whose name I now remember thanks to…ahem, I mean, nothing to see here, nothing at all) was perfect, and it was just fresh and tons of fun.
• Nota & Shawn Stockman (“This Christmas”): Shawn got his chance to shine tonight after staying at the judges’ table during last week’s finale, and even with some lines in Spanish to contend with, he did quite well. He was accompanied by the sweet sounds of Nota, and they were all on top of their game, really bringing this song (one of my absolute Christmas favorites) home. I loved the arrangement, and really, I loved everything about it. Nota and Shawn both have still got game, yo.
• The Collective (“Santa Baby”): To tell the truth, this was the only performance of the night I didn’t tweet about (I didn’t have much interesting to say about it at the time), and I’m kind of guessing where it was in the night’s order. It was…alright, I suppose. Ruby did a nice job on the solo, but it wasn’t Eartha Kitt (or even Madonna). This is a hard song to reinvent (the basic premise is pretty much set in stone…a sultry, tongue-in-cheek entreaty to Santa for really, really expensive things), and if anything, the Collective, while talented, is still a bit unfocused as a group to really do so. It was good, but nothing to write home about…that said, the group still has tons of potential, and once they start fulfilling it to the utmost, they will soar.
• Vocal Point & Nick Lachey (“Let It Snow”): So, so outstanding. THIS is how a collegiate male a cappella group does it. It was all so smooth, so entertaining, so effortless and classy. The surprise addition of Nick into the mix was a fun bonus, and there were even some great staging touches, like the snow falling on the stage (probably because I’m a snowaholic, I LOVE when that happens on TV shows/concerts/etc.), and the group making snow angels afterwards. The following tweet (by the way, did you know I’m on Twitter? If not, you definitely do now…) relays my feelings about this gem quite perfectly:

Vocal Point. Jazz. The solid vocal stylings of Nick Lachey. Snow falling on the stage. Who can ask for anything more? #SingOffChristmas—
Brandon Randall (@barandall800) December 06, 2011

• Urban Method, Pentatonix, & some clown named Flo Rida (“Good Feeling”): This performance was a tale of two cities musical elements: on one hand, we had some killer harmonies (and deliciously daring reinventions) by Urban Method & Pentatonix, two groups that really should get together more often, because they rocked it here. On the other hand, however, we have the abysmal Flo Rida, who I really haven’t cared for before tonight, and I really didn’t care for tonight either. (I will give him credit, though, he didn’t seem detached from the proceedings like Smokey Robinson did last week…he seemed to actually be performing with the groups and enjoying it, rather than performing and happening to have the groups on stage with him, so that’s a plus.) I might be possessed to shell out money for this on iTunes simply by virtue of the Urban Method/Pentatonix part of the performance alone, but really, Mr. Rida (sorry, just wanted to see how weird it would look if I called him that) added precious little to the performance, other than the fact that this is of course his song.
• All The Groups (“Happy Christmas [War Is Over]“): (Programming note: I am aware the official title uses “Xmas” instead of “Christmas,” but I HATE the former abbreviation, since it replaces Christ with an X, so I always write the word out properly. Sorry, John and Yoko, but I have to stick to my guns.) And now that I’ve gone entirely off-topic…this was nice. Not perfect by any means…they just HAD to give Michael a solo, and there was 1-800-Too Much Riffing at the end. Still, it was wonderful to see fourteen (fourteen!) groups from all 3 seasons take the stage together. There’s something really special about that, especially for a series-long “Sing-Off” fan such as myself. It reminded me of exactly why I love this show so much…there’s so much talent, and friendship, and good music, that I can never stay away. (Even when I say I’m not going to recap an episode, and then I do. Ahem.)

To close, a farewell tweet from a devoted “Sing-Off” fan, Twitter buddy, and fellow #AiresHater, which expresses a sentiment I share:

#thesingoff And that's that. The best show in existence is now over. And as epic as that finale was, #ithinkimdyingman—
TheDoc (@B__O__o) December 06, 2011

It’s been an amazing season. Hopefully there’ll be more to come. For now, thanks once again for reading, for following me and my recaps these past few months, and I hope you’ll stick around.

“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.

“The Sing-Off” Season 3, Episode 7 Recap: Can’t Help Falling In Love

It was Halloween tonight on “The Sing-Off,” and this particular group of superstar medleys was a real treat. (The previous line was brought to you by Nick Lachey’s writers. Not really, but it could have been. ) Really, though, there was a lot to love in this week’s episode (even the conclusion, which brought an elimination I’ve been awaiting for weeks now), and although I was a bit distracted tonight having to help hand out candy to trick-or-treaters at a few points, I still really enjoyed it. (I also enjoyed watching “Rock Center with Brian Williams” afterwards. I used to watch “Dateline” with my parents as a kid, and this was kind of a nice progression from that…a great mix of news and a little entertainment. Plus I love Brian Williams. Also, I promise NBC is not paying me to write this. I just like random things, such as newly launched newsmagazine programs.) The Halloween-themed opening group performance was very interesting. I wasn’t big on the first two songs (Danny Elfman is one of my heroes, but I’ve vowed never to see “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and to be honest I’ve never heard of “Werewolves of London” before now…to top it all off, there wasn’t much great singing to be had in those first two parts of the number), but I LOVED the “Ghostbusters” portion. Which is highly ironic, since I actually hate that movie, and I’ve never been a big fan of the song, to be honest. I’ve never loved it as much as I did tonight, which is once again a testament to the power of a cappella, and great harmonies. After all that, the night started off with…

• Urban Method (performing a Rihanna medley of “What’s My Name,” “Umbrella,” & “Only Girl (In The World)”): Urban Method’s momentum has seemed to be slowing down a bit these past weeks, and tonight was no exception, I’m sad to say. It took a bit too long for their Rihanna medley to take flight…the girls once again seemed to be holding back, and the arrangement was OK, but lacked a bit of spark and originality. Their take on “Only Girl (In The World)” was a step up, though, and it ended the medley on a high note for sure. The soloist in that part, however, didn’t let out the more poppy side of her voice enough, I thought, so it wasn’t a complete slam dunk. I like Urban Method, and they’re bringing something different to this competition…but their past two performances just haven’t completely cut it, and at this stage in the game, that’s not a terrific omen.
• Vocal Point (performing an Elvis medley of “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” & “Jailhouse Rock”): I have to admit I’ve never been the biggest Elvis fan, but Vocal Point just may have changed my mind tonight. (OK, not really. But they came pretty close.) Rebounding from last week’s emotionally gripping but pitch-imperfect outing, they brought tons and tons of energy (as always) to the stage, and the result was business as usual for Vocal Point…pure fun to watch. If I were to pick on anything in their performance, it would probably be the first two soloists. They were good, but I found at many instances that their tone seemed a bit too ‘square,’ in many ways…like not quite dynamic enough for this kind of flashy a cappella setting, if that makes any sense. (The last lead, however, blew it out of the water in my book. He nailed the energy and classic quality of “Jailhouse Rock” without veering into Elvis imitation.) It was a great job by Vocal Point tonight, and I continue to be very happy that they’re still in the competition. (Go Cougars!)
• Afro-Blue (performing a Janet Jackson medley of “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” “When I Think of You,” & “Miss You Much”): ”Too ambitious.” That’s the phrase that seems to be haunting Afro-Blue throughout this season, by way of the judges’ table. The lovely trio of Sara, Shawn, and Ben seem to love Afro-Blue, there’s no question about that…but they seem to keep harping on the complex quality of the group’s arrangements, and that kind of bugs me. I will admit that the performance came dangerously close to flying off the rails at one or two points (particularly in the transitions), due to how much was going on harmonically…but the end result is that it didn’t. It still worked. Fabulously. I’ve never really heard any of these three songs before (Janet Jackson’s oeuvre has largely escaped my ears, except for the inexplicably catchy chorus of “Feedback”), but I heard them in an amazing way tonight. The arrangement was dynamic and brilliant and so gloriously inventive, the staging was classy and energetic (how is it that they can be throwing out these kinds of crazy chords AND still be paying attention to their excellent choreography at the same time?), and once again, I was in love. Afro-Blue can sing all kinds of intricate harmonies, and I’ll enjoy it every time. I just wish the judges would feel the same way.
• Dartmouth Aires (performing a Queen medley of “Killer Queen,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” & “Somebody To Love”): File the Dartmouth Aires also under the category of “group I wish the judges would feel the same way I do about.” After they pleasantly surprised me last week by delivering a performance that I actually didn’t hate, and after realizing that they were starting off with the impossible-to-dislike “Killer Queen,” I was trying to take a positive approach to the fact that one of my least favorite groups in the competition was taking on one of my favorite bands of all time. That positive approach didn’t last long, I’d have to say. The whole thing just didn’t work. It was energetic and flashy (as the Aires are wont to be), but there was no substance behind all that spectacle, which is pretty much how the group has gone through the show so far. The soloists were not cutting it (especially the last one, who took a pick-axe to the greatness that is “Somebody To Love” with his distractingly wonky falsetto). The arrangements were by-the-numbers. Their pitch and blend was hit-and-miss. It really failed to come together in my book. It’s not that Queen’s work can’t be covered well (even though Freddie Mercury is pretty much an incomparable vocalist), because it can and it has, but it certainly wasn’t here. And after all that, the judges gave the Aires unanimous, glowing praise, which I simply cannot get. I’ve been in agreement with them since Day One on pretty much everything else…so why is there such a disconnect between their love for the Dartmouth Aires, and my own opinions about them as a viewer?
• Pentatonix (performing a Britney Spears medley of “Oops… I Did It Again,” “Toxic,” & “Hold It Against Me”): This was probably the portion of the night that I was most distracted during (I had to run to the door to hand out candy, my grandma called, AND during the judges’ critiques, one of our dogs ran out the door and I had to go catch her really quick), but that didn’t stop me from once again getting a big kick out of it. I’ll have to re-listen to it more carefully once I buy it from iTunes get the chance (OK, I’m so buying it from iTunes, let’s put that out there right now), but what I heard was gold. It’s not easy to translate electronically-driven music like Britney’s to an a cappella setting (does anybody even know what her real voice sounds like? Can she even actually sing? IS ANY OF THIS REAL?!?!? Sorry, got a little carried away there), but if any group was the right one to do so, it would be Pentatonix. Their creativity knows no bounds, and their female member (sorry I’m so bad with not knowing names…this is what happens when you’re an amateur blogger and all that) was a great choice to anchor much of the medley, delivering some powerful, assured vocals. For me, Pentatonix continues to be one of this competition’s front-runners, and I remain incredibly excited to see what they’ll do next.
• Delilah (performing an Alicia Keys medley of “Fallin’,”A Woman’s Worth,” & “If I Ain’t Got You”): Yet another performance I wasn’t able to devote quite my full attention to, but I still was wowed by nonetheless. That opening of “Fallin’”…where they had just the soloist singing by herself…was AMAZING. She owned that song, y’all. Like the judges noted, the sensibility of Alicia Keys was a perfect fit for the female-driven soulfulness of Delilah, and it spotlighted many of the group’s good qualities in a cool way. When “A Woman’s Worth,” which they did a great job on, was actually a low point of the performance compared to the other portions, you know you’ve got something terrific. Plus powerhouse vocalist Amy got her chance to shine once again, tearing it up on “If I Ain’t Got You.” Delilah is back on the rise, and I’m happy to see that being the case.
• Yellowjackets (performing a Billy Joel medley of “The River of Dreams,” “She’s Always A Woman,” & “Uptown Girl”): When you say things in your rehearsal package like “we’re NOT going home,” sometimes you get in trouble. This was one of those situations. Not a lot about this performance worked very well at all. Aaron was simply not a strong soloist…his tone was incredibly off, and his pitch wavered at quite a few points. The arrangement wasn’t all that and a bag of chips (it was a little too straightforward to make it stand out), and during “Uptown Girl,” I was seriously struggling to find the group’s tonal center. That pitch was swimming all over the place, and very rarely to the right places. All in all, it was not the Yellowjackets’ best night by any means.
• Before we said goodbye to one of tonight’s 7 groups, we had a stellar guest performance by Committed, last season’s top-notch champions. (By the way, how weird was it that the show had them sit in one of the opera boxes, like they were competing on the show again? It was kind of like someone going back to high school, then having to sit in their old desk.) Chris Brown’s music would be far from my first choice for a medley, but Committed sold it beautifully with their trademark intricate harmonies, and fine stage presence. It was great to see them back again (I was afraid all we’d get of them this season was the short appearance they had a month or so ago), and a reminder that this show really gets it right with the talent it chooses.
• Now back to the matter at hand…tonight’s elimination. And here is where I rejoiced, because…the Yellowjackets were FINALLY sent home. I called it beforehand that them and Urban Method would be the bottom two, and I was afraid that the judges would send the latter home, but I had a small feeling that they’d stay around simply by virtue of their unique concept. I was correct, and thus one of my least favorite groups was cut from the show…but not before they delivered probably one of my favorite swan songs in “Sing-Off” history. When they started off their take on “Tubthumping” (AKA that song that repeats “I get knocked down” over and over and everyone recognizes, but absolutely no one knows the name or artist of), I thought it was some weird, strange ballad of sadness or something. I was very surprised to hear them break into the familiar chorus, and it all went WAY uphill from there. They dropped in references to the judges…the show…heck, even the network “The Sing-Off” airs on…and had an absolute blast doing it. It was classy and tons of fun to watch, and a terrific impression to leave viewers with as they departed. I may have never been a fan (whatsoever) of the Yellowjackets, but they left on the highest of notes. I likely won’t be seeking them out much further, but I have to give them props for making a classy exit.

Next week, the groups take on two numbers…a country song, and a rock song. (That’s certainly an interesting combo, but then again, this is the show that brought us Radio Hits/60s Classics Week.) We’re down to the wire, with 6 groups and less than a month remaining, so things should get even more intense. For now, the customary poll, the also customary thanks for reading, a reminder that the deadline for commenting to enter to win the iTunes gift card giveaway is WEDNESDAY (there’s only two entries right now! Don’t miss your chance to win!), and as always…I’ll see you later with more new posts.

“The Sing-Off” Season 3, Episode 6 Recap: Just A Dream

I never would have expected it (OK, maybe a little, because I’ve learned from 3 seasons of “The Sing-Off” that my expectations are often shattered), but even though tonight spotlighted by far one of my least favorite musical genres…hip-hop…I think it might have been one of the best nights of the season so far. All the groups brought their A-game once again, a group that’s been struggling the past few weeks had a major comeback, and I liked hip-hop much more than I ever have (and let’s face it, probably ever will) in my life. I call that a win. Things started off with a surprisingly rousing performance of “Nothin’ On You” (how did they get that song to sound so good?), and then we kicked it off with…

• Dartmouth Aires (performing “Club Can’t Handle Me” by Flo Rida): Prepare for the apocalypse, y’all. Because while I still would be very, very glad if the Dartmouth Aires left the competition for good…judges, please grant my wish next week?…I actually kind of liked the Aires’ performance tonight, and (gasp) I thought they did well. Yep. (I can’t believe it either.) Their soloists were a bit weak, but did alright for the song, and their background harmonies, which have been lacking in the past, were much better this week. The arrangement was very smart…it brought some dynamics to the Aires’ typically static sound, it shifted the focus well away from their persistent low-end issues, and there were some pretty cool harmonic moments. I did think their rapper was a bit stiff and awkward (it was a very “white boy” rap, I thought), but that didn’t send the performance too far down in flames. All in all, I have to admit…this wasn’t a performance worthy of elimination. I’m still not a fan of the Aires, and with all their missteps the past 5 weeks, I don’t think I’ll ever be. But like the Yellowjackets last week (more on them later), this bought them some time in my book.
• Afro-Blue (performing “Killing Me Softly” by the Fugees): (Afro-Blue made it pretty clear in their rehearsal package that it was also very much inspired by Roberta Flack’s iconic original.) I’m getting to be a broken record by now (hey, at least I wasn’t a broken record this week with the Dartmouth Aires…), but…wow. This was phenomenal. The soloist was so smooth…the arrangement was so clever and inventive…the harmonies were so tight…it was full of surprises, full of flavor, full of originality…simply put, as has been the case with all of Afro-Blue’s previous perfomances, I LOVED it. They ticked all of the boxes and then some, and showcased that they’re really a group to beat in this competition. They haven’t had a significant pitfall yet, and if they can keep this up, “The Sing-Off” Season 3 is their game to lose. I just can’t enough of them, and that’s a great sign at this stage of the season.
• The Collective (performing “Give Me Everything” by Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo): The arrangement was a nice one, their blend continues to improve, and there were no crazy pitch issues out of thin air as was the case last week…but there was something slightly off with this performance, and I think I know what it was. The Collective has really unified as a group over the past weeks, but that unification has exposed a problem for me–that their sound isn’t all that distinctive. Their intonation just seems wonky…and while their singing has heart, there’s no overall warmth to their group vocal tone. (I hope I’m making just a tiny bit of sense.) I want to love them, and I applaud the steps they’re taking forward in their journey as an ensemble, but I can’t see myself buying a Collective CD at this point. There’s no hook in their sound, and there needs to be if they truly want to be contenders in the a cappella world. They did a nice job with this song, and I enjoyed their performance, but it just didn’t grab me like it should have.
• Vocal Point (performing “I’ll Be Missing You” by Puff Daddy feat. Faith Evans & 112): I was in complete agreement with the judges here (it’s quite nice when that happens). This was an incredibly moving performance, and, well, for the first time this season, Vocal Point had some pitch issues. It happens sometimes. Like Ben, Sara, and Shawn, I thought the way the boys of Vocal Point nailed this song emotionally trumped any problems they might have had with notes, and I felt that whatever weaknesses they might have displayed didn’t get in the way of the effectiveness of the performance. The arrangement was beautiful, and Vocal Point gave their all. You can’t ask for much more in this situation, really.
• The judges sent The Collective to the first-ever “The Sing-Off” Sing-Off Battle (try saying that five times fast…), to fight for their life in the competition at the end of the show, and I think it was the right choice, even though I was very much hoping the Dartmouth Aires would get a surprise ticket to the Bottom Two. (A zebra can’t change its stripes, y’know. ) I think the Sing-Off Battle concept is a very intriguing idea, and unlike past reality shows that have struggled with the concept (“Dancing With The Stars” tried it out to mixed results in their 8th and 9th seasons), it really works for this show, at least at this point in the competition. It gives groups that disappointed in their main performance another chance to prove why they still deserve to move forward, and with this many talented ensembles and this much pressure, that can only be a good thing. (Unless…oh, more on that later.)
• Urban Method (performing “Airplanes” by B.o.B. feat. Hayley Williams): I have to say I’m glad Urban Method switched to this song, given the fact that I had not heard of the first one they picked whatsoever. Hip-hop week is definitely in Urban Method’s wheelhouse, and their rehearsal footage hit home very hard the realization that they needed to shine in this genre, seeing as it’s their musical home. For the most part, I think they did…this song translates well to the a cappella setting, and Urban Method put together a really cool arrangement. (The cricket sounds and the ticking percussion were impressive touches that really helped the performance stand out.) I do agree with Sara and Shawn, though, that the two female soloists just weren’t strong enough. Hayley Williams sells that song, and these soloists, I thought, approached the vocal just a little bit too gingerly. Ben also made an astute point that the background vocals were kind of in the same range as the solo at some points, too, which made the harmonies sound a bit empty at a few parts. This was a nice job by Urban Method, and they certainly proved they can still cut it in their own home genre, but I’m not sure I completely loved it.
• Pentatonix (performing “Love Lockdown” by Kanye West): This is probably one of my favorite Kanye songs (and by “favorite Kanye song” I mean “song I don’t completely hate,” not “song I actually have on my iPod” or anything of the sort), and Pentatonix absolutely NAILED it. The arrangement was spectacular and did an outstanding job of creating a breathtaking atmosphere, and balancing the original song with Pentatonix’s own unique spin. Scott, whose lead vocals I’ve been occasionally ambivalent on in the past, delivered a top-notch, passionate solo. And like the judges noted, every member of the group shined…all the parts came together just perfectly. Like I said last week, Pentatonix just keeps getting better with each performance. Their formula is stellar, and I can totally see them doing a great job with a recording career. I started off the season with mixed feelings about them, but at this point, it’s official…I’m a huge fan.
• Delilah (performing “How To Love” by Lil Wayne): Now this is the Delilah we know and love. After floundering last week with “Flashdance” (and, if we’re being honest, two weeks ago with their take on “You Can’t Hurry Love” just kidding, it was “Heatwave”…thanks, B_O_o, for pointing that out!), the girls of Delilah really delivered tonight. The passion was there, the notes were there, the solo was strong…by the end of the performance, I had goosebumps. The harmonies were beautiful, and the group brought a new depth to a song by Lil Wayne, of all people. (They also did it largely without vocal percussion, which is impressive, and a daring choice to make on hip-hop week. The usual vocal percussionist took on one of the solos, and she did a fine job, I thought.) Delilah showed a great deal of heart and soul tonight, but what’s more, they displayed the musical chops to back it up. It was a great return to form for them, and I’m very happy to see that they’re back on track.
• The Yellowjackets (performing “The Show Goes On” by Lupe Fiasco): It’s hard to hate a group that spent most of their intro package talking about their work with adorable kids in need in Kenya…and for that matter, I definitely don’t hate them. However, unlike last week, where I liked their performance and found it great fun…this week, it was back to mediocrity for the Yellowjackets, in my eyes. They seemed to be stuck at one volume (which is weird, as they usually do well with dynamics, I’d have to say), their intonation wasn’t quite up to scratch, and they definitely had some major rushing issues. It was alright, but it wasn’t anywhere near great. I don’t see the Yellowjackets lasting much longer if they keep things at this level. They have to be better.
• And thus the judges granted my wish, and the Yellowjackets landed in the Bottom 2 and were sent directly to the Sing-Off Battle. Both groups took on Nelly’s “Just A Dream,” and…dang it. I have to admit it. The Collective kinda choked, and the Yellowjackets were better. I can’t lie. The former group seemed off in pitch from the beginning, and it took until about halfway through for their performance to click. The latter group, meanwhile, had some nice harmonic touches, and displayed a bit of improvement in their blend. The Yellowjackets brought it when they needed to, and unfortunately, the Collective just didn’t. It’s a shame to see them go (especially when I was so close to seeing one of my least favorite groups get the boot), and their swan song was one of the best of the season (I’d buy that version of “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” in a heartbeat), but hopefully they have good things ahead of them.

And then there were 7. Next week (at least according to the promos and Nick’s closing spiel) is some sort of superstar medley/Halloween-type hybrid, so that will be very interesting to see. (I might have to once again catch it on Hulu, since it’s Halloween and all, and there won’t be much time for evening TV between the festivities that are likely to take place.) Make sure to enter the Anniversary Week giveaway (all you have to do is comment!), and many thanks for reading. As always…a handy, dandy poll:

“The Sing-Off” Season 3, Episode 3 Recap: Never Say Never

Sorry this came a bit later this week than the past two…I had a family event going on last night, and thus I missed watching the show live. Thanks to the folks at Hulu, I was able to catch up on it both before and after work today. (There were of course a lot of ads, but eh, that comes with the territory.) Things started off strong last night with an incredible opening group performance of “Somewhere Only We Know” (by the severely underrated Keane). The group performances they have every week are always pretty stellar (how can you lose with a bunch of talented singers and some pretty nice song choices?), but this one, I think, may have been one of the best I’ve ever seen on the show. Every single soloist sounded terrific (the song really brought out their good qualities), the arrangement built in a very stunning way, and the harmonies were just…mmmm. So good. It’s a beautiful, emotional song, and the 6 groups (in unison) really brought those aspects of it out in such a terrific way. It showed them all off outstandingly, and I just loved it. Now, to the main part of the show…the individual performances (of which there were 2 for each group last night…one current hit, and one inexplicably from the 60s):

• Vocal Point (performing “Never Say Never” by that one kid with the iconic hair and a legion of teenage girls obsessed with him and who pretty much sounds like a girl himself and wow, I am going to great lengths to not type his name here… OK, fine, Justin Bieber): I’m going to go with Ben here and say that I never thought I’d enjoy a group of Mormon guys singing Justin Bieber. (Or anybody, really, regardless of religion or gender in this case.) I’m also going to go with Ben here in that I really did enjoy this performance. It was tons and tons of fun…something that Vocal Point really seems to specialize in. I will say that the 1st soloist’s tone was a bit thin and that kind of detracted from the performance for me, and there were a few moments where the blend sounded kind of weak as well, but those are hopefully issues that won’t come up again for the group. Full disclosure: I got a kick out of the kicks the guys did towards the end. (See what I did there?) That was a fun touch. Also, per Sara Bareilles’ comment, I vote that Vocal Point be renamed the “Wholesome Thundercats” immediately. Who’s with me?… (*Crickets*)
• Delilah (performing “Whataya Want From Me” by Adam Lambert): Wow. Just wow. They really rocked it. The rehearsal package had me a bit scared, seeing as it was one of those pesky “we don’t know if we’ll be able to pull it off” things, and well, I got nervous, since Delilah did so well last week and they had a high bar to clear last night. Despite the high expectations, they really pulled it off with this performance. Building the arrangement the way they did…singer by singer…was an outstanding choice, and like the judges noted, it went miles in exposing the emotional core of the song. Kendall (formerly of high school group Eleventh Hour, from last season) has really grown as a vocalist in many ways, and she nailed the opening solo, I thought. Delilah also showed some great depth on the bench…Amy didn’t even come in until the late-middle part of the song, and yet it never felt like it was missing anything, because the other soloists were holding their own and getting their chance to shine. (I do agree with Sara that Amy was just a tiny bit sharp at times, but it didn’t really detract from the performance, I thought.) It was a tour de force and showed a bit of a different side of Delilah than last time, and it showed that this group really has the potential to be the first all-female ensemble to make it to the finals, even with such heavy competition this season.
• Urban Method (performing “Just Can’t Get Enough” by the Black-Eyed Peas): There were a lot of things I really, really liked about this performance. The female lead who started off the song was just pitch-perfect. It was so nuanced, distinctive, beautifully sung, and sultry…I actually said out loud right after she finished, the following: “Wow, her voice is sexy.” The other lead vocalist, Troy, also showed some very impressive range, and I thought he did a great job and really brought power to the song. The ‘studio’ effects in the arrangement were also evident as they were in their previous number, and those were nice touches. That said…the rap part hung me up again. This time around, it wasn’t as integral to the song as it was in their last performance (“Love The Way You Lie” is at its heart a true rap song, and a rap song with a message. “Just Can’t Get Enough” could have the rap part removed and it wouldn’t change it much at all), and it just felt tacked-on at the end. I’m just not a rap fan, too, so as long as rap’s a part of Urban Method’s act, they’re going to be a tough sell for me at times. I also didn’t dig their abominably cheesy choreography…Troy and the female vocalist holding hands throughout was silly, and that weird moment where he bent down to her midriff area was awkward. That said, I really enjoyed this performance (rap aside), and I thought it was a lot better than “Love The Way You Lie.”
• Afro-Blue (performing “American Boy” by Estelle): I was quite impressed by Afro-Blue the first week (as you can probably tell by my gushing about them in that episode’s recap), but even though I came into last night a huge fan of them, I was blown away by their take on “American Boy.” (In fact, it would be accurate for me to just fill this portion of the recap with Shawn’s speechless, excited reaction to the performance, which I wish I could properly replicate here.) The opening, where they were all sitting in little groups and the lead vocalist (well, one of them, I believe they used a few) was scatting and the bass was imitating an upright, was just so dang cool. From there, it only got better, as they built in such a terrific way, just slaying a jazzy arrangement of the song, and then shifting to a more modern feel (effortlessly, I might add) at the end that really brought the performance home. It was inventive, it was smooth, the vocals were amazing, the choreography was classy, everything just worked. In other circumstances it might have been hyperbole for Shawn to say that there was nothing wrong with the performance. In this case, though, it was spot-on.
• Yellowjackets (performing “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz): You may remember in my Week 1 recap how I expressed my mixed feelings about the Yellowjackets, and how they may be my college group to irrationally dislike this year. That feeling was pretty much cemented this week, I have to admit. This performance just felt like too much at once…the arrangement was certainly trying too hard, and the Yellowjackets didn’t quite have the finesse to hold it together. The “everything but the kitchen sink” approach has worked well for some groups in the past…for example, take Street Corner Symphony’s rollicking version of “Down On The Corner” last season…but it just didn’t gel for me here. Instead of getting excited over the change to a Latin groove at the very end (I love those kinds of things), I just groaned. The arrangement felt disjointed, the soloist wasn’t quite up to scratch, and the blend was off and a bit thin. Any energy the performance had felt like it was coming from the song itself and not from the group nailing anything particularly well, I thought. (Could I be making this stuff up? I don’t think so, but possibly. Maybe I’m just programmed to hate male college groups that aren’t Vocal Point…but it’s my blog, so I can nitpick if I want to. )
• Kinfolk 9 (performing “Price Tag” by Jessie J): I thought Kinfolk 9 did a great job here, and developed on some of the potential that they showed last time around. The song did feel a little sleepy in the first half, as the judges noted, and I think that was due to the song choice. “Price Tag” is a fun song, but the groove is kind of static and low-key, and so it’s hard to translate the vibe that it carries into an a cappella setting without it sounding too bland. However, the performance kicked off nicely in the latter half, and there were some really cool harmonic moments throughout. The arrangement had some nice touches, and Kinfolk 9 showed off a better blend…but I think it still needed to be a little bit more distinctive. I couldn’t quite get the grasp of their sound just yet, and that’s something important for the listener to have when it comes to a group using just their voices.

Now, on to the 60s portion of our evening (how silly was it that Nick changed outfits for it? He’s a funny one, that Nick Lachey…):

• Delilah (performing “(Love Is Like A) Heatwave by Martha & the Vandellas): This performance kind of flew by me for some reason. The harmonies, I thought, were tight, it was fun, and it worked very effectively. I didn’t quite agree with the judges in their sentiment that it wasn’t quite up to scratch for Delilah’s usual standard, but I will say that it seemed a bit different from what they’ve done so far. It was kind of a stylistic 180, and maybe it would have been cool to see the group put a little modern flair on the song, though they really nailed the 60s atmosphere, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. A small nitpick: Kendall didn’t shine as much on this song, I thought, as she did on “Whataya Want From Me.” I think she’s a bit stronger in the ballads, but she wasn’t bad here, I suppose. (P.S.: Nick’s 98 degrees pun was, as things tend to be with him, incredibly cheesy, but I got a chuckle out of it. Even though he’s like a fish out of water sometimes when he attempts to ad lib, it’s still fun to see him go off script once in a while. Especially when said script features more stale plays on words than a recap written by yours truly. )
• Urban Method (performing “Dance To The Music” by Sly & The Family Stone): I didn’t see this coming. I didn’t see this coming at all. Urban Method broke free of the rapping for the first time this competition, and I’m pretty sure it was one of my favorite performances of the night, hands down. I was completely, utterly impressed. The arrangement was just so inventive, the vibe was a party, and they nailed so many different aspects of it…the vocals, the choreography, the blend…that there wasn’t really any nagging issues that might have taken away from the overall effect. Ben was astute in noticing that this song pretty much has only one chord, and that Urban Method really did wonders in expanding on that one chord in numerous, exciting ways. He also noted that it really sounded like the group had a band backing them up, which I totally agree with. There was so much sound, and it was executed to a T, and you really couldn’t tell that there were no actual instruments. I know the “rapapella” concept is Urban Method’s hook, but this performance showed that without rap in the mix, they really shine…and I wish they would keep it out as much as possible in the future, because I think I love them much better that way.
• Vocal Point (performing “The Way You Look Tonight” by pretty much every jazz singer & their dog, but arguably most famously by Frank Sinatra): (Yes, I like to split hairs sometimes in my song descriptions. ) Now this is how you handle an “everything but the kitchen sink” arrangement. Vocal Point changed grooves in this performance like they were changing their socks, but it never felt anything but seamless…the deliciously smooth lead vocal, along with the group’s killer blend, kept this sleek jazz-fueled train chugging along at an exhilarating rate. (And Brandon has officially let his metaphors run away with him. What else is new?) I was literally smiling throughout this performance…broadly. Very broadly. It was tons of fun, it was polished but not stiff, and it just popped and sparked and had lots of life. Simply put: I loved it.
• Afro-Blue (performing “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye): I don’t get what the judges were expressing about this arrangement being too ambitious, really. I thought it was innovative in just the right ways…it turned the song on its ear, but was tightly executed enough for things to not fall apart. The lead male vocalist nailed things, and that transition to a very modern groove at the end was 1-800-Absolutely Delicious, with a cool repeating end tag by the ladies to boot. It was the kind of performance and take on a song (a 60s classic, mind you) that for me, kind of went beyond this competition…it showed that Afro-Blue has a future outside performing random covers on a TV show…that they have the potential to make truly engaging music.
• Yellowjackets (performing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli): (Note to Nick Lachey and whoever wrote his script…this song was around LONG before “Jersey Boys” ever came to Broadway.) Was this probably the Yellowjackets’ best performance to date? Probably. Was the Aaron-loves-Sara-somewhat-obsessively angle a hoot? Certainly. (During the 60s intro package where the group pointed out that he’s in love with Sara Bareilles, I blurted out, “Who ISN’T in love with Sara Bareilles?” Also, Aaron, back off. She’s mine. ) But, as pretty much everything by the Yellowjackets is now doomed to be, it just didn’t click for me. The arrangement was fun and very energetic (and for once, that can’t be completely attributed to the song, since although this is an upbeat number, it doesn’t bring down the house on its own by any means), but there were some blend/intonation problems that it exposed. If the competition wasn’t so stiff, the Yellowjackets might have been able to coast with me on what they have, but it’s just not cutting it. Being a ‘fun’ college group full of guys isn’t enough for this competition, and I have no idea why it seems to be for the judges.
• Kinfolk 9 (performing “Let It Be” by the Beatles): I agree with Ben, Sara, and Shawn that this was definitely Kinfolk 9′s best performance to date. Moi delivered a passionate, beautiful lead (with some nice runs that expanded on Paul McCartney’s iconic original vocal), and the harmonies behind him were strong and complemented the whole effect very nicely. Kinfolk 9 brought the sound in a way they haven’t thus far, and it really built into an excellent performance, full of heart and soul, but also not too short on technical skill.
• So who went home? This is where it gets to be a bummer. The Yellowjackets were called safe the same time as Afro-Blue did (bittersweet…), and thus Delilah and Kinfolk 9 were the last two groups standing. In my mind, I knew Delilah had to stay, as they’ve certainly given a stronger body of work thus far, and they’re the only all-female group in the competition to boot…but it was hard to see one of these groups getting cut. Kinfolk 9 was really starting to grow into their potential last night, and I wish they had gotten more time to do so…but hopefully this can be a springboard to greater things in the future. (P.S.: Their swan song was WEIRD. I guess I’m not too familiar with Beck’s work…which makes sense, I’ve heard his name and his fine guitar playing, but not much of his solo catalog…but I was quite bewildered by the strange lyrics and the lack of much melody. Moi really sold it, though.)

Last night was an incredibly solid bunch of performances, and this competition feels like it’s just heating up. (There’s still 3 more weeks of the two-bracket division, I believe, before all the groups combine together and the gauntlet is really thrown down. This will be interesting.) As always, we close with a poll, and see you soon with more posting, and more recapping:

“The Sing-Off” Season 3, Episode 2 Recap: Wicked Game

I told you I’d be back. Tonight was another great episode of “The Sing-Off.” I have to admit the groups didn’t seem as strong tonight as they did last week, but I was still impressed, and there were some great surprises within the performances. Sad fact: Apparently only 5.3 million people watched the show last week. Let’s hope more tuned in tonight, and that it keeps growing, yo. Tell your friends, your mother, your brother, your lover (OK, I may have tried to make that an impromptu song in my head just now…ahem), whoever you know, that this show is awesome (that is why you’re reading this recap, right? RIGHT?), and they should be watching it. Even if they’re Dancing With The Stars fans like me. (Sniffle…I now have to catch it online every week now. Well, that is, until we get a DVR someday.) And now that I’ve rambled enough, let’s dive into the night’s musical proceedings. After a stellar group performance of “Sing” by My Chemical Romance (I’m glad Nick told us the song, because I honestly had never heard it before), the first group took the stage…

• Dartmouth Aires (from Hanover, NH): Remember my mixed reaction to the Yellowjackets’ song last week, and how I said they might be the college group of the season that I somewhat irrationally end up disliking? They might have company here in the Dartmouth Aires. Much like last season’s group from Yale, it just feels strange that an Ivy League a cappella group is competing for a recording contract and a cash prize. Thankfully unlike last season’s group from Yale, they didn’t really come off as entitled…but they didn’t seem entirely focused for me. I don’t know, maybe I’m just nitpicking. Speaking of nitpicking…I didn’t love their performance, as you probably expected. But…surprise! I didn’t hate it. It felt a little uneven, both in the harmonies and in the effect as a whole. The soloist didn’t quite rise up to the level that the song required, and it felt like the success level it had was mainly because of the group’s large numbers, and the song choice in general. (You’d really have to work hard to make “Higher Ground” sound bad.) The Aires seemed to be trying a little too hard to look goofy and fun-loving, and their performance didn’t quite hit home with me, but much like the Yellowjackets from Rochester last week, there’s still time for them to make me a fan. (After all, the On The Rocks Memorial Slot for Male College Group I Actually Kinda Sorta Like is still very much up for grabs. Vocal Point, of course, has taken the role of Male College Group I Am Obsessed With, Partly Because They, Um, Are From My School. And yes, I still need to work on these names. )
• Pentatonix (from Arlington, TX): I’m still not sure where I stand on this group, or this performance. The group is talented, but I’m not sure they’ve clicked for me yet. Their main lead vocalist (though they used several tonight in their take on Katy Perry’s “E.T.,” which in my opinion is probably one of her weaker songs) has an incredibly unique tone, but I’m not positive whether I love it or hate it. And their blend is striking…but it’s not entirely clear whether they’ve truly found their sound or not yet. So yes…lots of uncertainty. I thought they definitely improved on the original tune (though when it’s a somewhat plodding song about aliens, that’s not very hard to do) with a nice arrangement, and the first half was good, but for me it kind of fell apart in the second half. The latter two soloists they utilized were fairly weak and didn’t blend very well, and I think something funky might have happened with the pitches at a few spots. Where the arrangement and the performance should have built and grown and shined, it really kind of faltered. I have my eyes out for Pentatonix, but I’m just not in their corner yet.
• Messiah’s Men (from Minneapolis, MN): Their story was touching (they’re a group of Liberian refugees), and also, who knew that Minneapolis had a thriving Liberian community? I really liked these guys, and their vibe was just beautifully warm and unique and inviting. Their take on the classic “People Get Ready” had a very lived-in feel, and it was a very emotionally rewarding performance. That said, there were some significant problems with pitch, and a tiny bit with tone and blend. They didn’t end up really bringing the song down…but they were still there, they still showed, and it proved that while Messiah’s Men have the atmosphere and a true, heartwarming sense of group camaraderie down, the notes and technical issues need to be cleared up a bit before they can truly shine and fulfill their potential as an ensemble.
• Sonos (from Los Angeles, CA): I’ve made it no secret that I’ve come into this season with a huge bias in favor of a few groups (cough cough, Delilah and Vocal Point, cough cough)…but now I’m going to do the opposite of that and NOT tell you that I was crazy excited for Sonos and I’m totally familiar with them already. Because I’m not. (OK, I lie. I have a few of their songs on my iPod, have listened to and fallen in love with both of their albums, and generally think they’re the bees’ knees. ) It was nice to see that Sara was similarly fairly forthcoming, noting that she sang in a group with one of Sonos’ members, but making sure that didn’t affect her critique. (She also was a guest artist on Sonos’ first album as well.) I didn’t realize how much Sonos has relied on their effects pedals in the past, but even without them tonight, they really shined. I had forgotten about their take on “Wicked Game” (I watched a video of them singing it on some LA-area radio station a while ago, but it wasn’t very fresh in my mind), and it floored me tonight…the beatbox by Ben was incredible (did you HEAR how fast he was going?), the arrangement was stunningly intricate, and the lead vocals were very distinctive and fairly confident. I did see where the judges were coming from in their comments about how maybe the arrangement needed to be a bit more full…there were indeed times that the three ladies seemed a bit stranded harmonically. I also noticed some strange issue at the end towards the last verse…it seemed like there was an accidental key change, or if it was an intentional key change, it didn’t quite feel that way at all. Sonos showed just what they can do tonight, and I can’t wait to see what tricks they have up their sleeve in their next time out.
• The First Elimination: I feared a bit for my beloved Sonos, because while the judges expressed some high praise for the group, they also had some clear points of constructive criticism for them to work on, and their enthusiasm seemed just a little bit tempered. However, they held off on truly breaking my heart tonight, and sent Messiah’s Men home. They’re a bunch of really sweet guys, and it was a bummer to see them go so soon, but they just didn’t cut it all the way tonight, and there’s such a high level of competition that it’s hard to really say goodbye to anyone on the show. That said, it was wonderful to see the positive effect that music and being in a group has had in their lives, and I’m sure they’ll continue singing for years to come.
• This bullet isn’t really about one of the groups. Just gently griping about how Nota (the amazing Season 1 champions) got a full performance last year when they stopped by, yet Committed (last season’s winners) only got a 30-second snippet tonight. Throw us a bone, producers!
• The Collective (from Nashville, TN): I was very relieved pre-season to learn that Jeremy Lister (the stellar lead vocalist of last season’s powerhouse runner-up Street Corner Symphony) is actually not a performer in this group…because Street Corner Symphony needs to stay alive and thriving forever. (P.S.: They must have an album out. ASAP.) Rather than being in the group proper, Jeremy was the one who brought them all together (literally), and from what we saw in the rehearsal package, also helped them prepare for the competition. The whole “soloists singing together” concept has been a bit shaky in “The Sing-Off” past (remember the hot mess that resulted from the first and only performance by Season 1′s second castoff, Solo?), but I think the Collective might have a chance to prove that that concept can work. I was kind of torn on the tone of the lead vocalist, Ruby…most of the time it was in the right place for me, but towards the end it got a bit shouty and shrill, and her vibrato wasn’t terribly appealing…but she really sold the song (the stellar hit “Rolling In The Deep” by Adele), and the arrangement behind her was very intriguing. I thought it complemented the song well (plus they got the chords right in the chorus! Both John Legend & Glee failed to do so), and although their performance wasn’t anywhere near perfect, there’s a huge amount of potential present for the Collective. They still need to find their voice and their sound, but they’ve got all the makings of a great group, if they can rise to the occasion.
• Soul’d Out (from Wilsonville, OR): Last year’s resident high school group, Eleventh Hour, never really cut it for me. This time around, Soul’d Out actually did. Maybe it’s just their strength in numbers (a whopping 16 people make up the group), but Soul’d Out really seemed to have their act together…like they rose beyond the level of a high school ensemble in some ways. However, their performance didn’t quite connect, with me or the judges. Their song choice was baffling in my eyes…”Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In” is a classic I immensely enjoy, but there seemed to be a huge disconnect between the group and the song they were singing. There are older songs that younger groups can pull off very effectively. This song just wasn’t one of them, and it seemed like a shoe that just wouldn’t fit for most of the performance. However, I disagreed with the judges (or at least Ben) on which part of the song was better. Ben felt that Soul’d Out fell apart a bit during the second half, but I actually thought the “Aquarius” section was weak (it sounded much too traditionally choral), and although the harmonies were slightly hit-and-miss at a few moments in the “Let The Sunshine In” part, I thought it rocked much better, was much more fun, and had some intriguing vocal riffing by the young male lead. Soul’d Out didn’t quite floor me as much as they could have tonight, but I was impressed by their level of maturity and sense of who they are as a group. For a high school group, that’s something you can’t really take for granted.
• North Shore (from Boston, MA): I really like these guys. They have an effortless group dynamic and blend (the singing together for decades might have something to do with it), their personalities are engaging and unique, and they’re really a joy to watch and listen to. They kind of remind me of Season2′s Jerry Lawson and Talk of the Town, but one of the differences here is that Jerry and the boys were already legendary figures in the a cappella world, while North Shore has been singing together for a long time, but faces a harsh economic reality in today’s climate, and has contemplated having to give up their music career if things don’t start improving. That’s a hard situation to see, but hopefully it won’t have to come to that…as Sara noted, North Shore should really never stop singing. Their performance of “Runaround Sue” was classy, energetic, laid-back (but in a very effective way), and all-around good fun. (I have a special place in my heart for “Runaround Sue,” as we sang it in a junior high men’s choir.) I don’t know if they’ll be to hold their own with much younger groups, but I think they can. (After all, Jerry & the Talk went all the way to fourth last season.)
• The Deltones (from Newark, DE): It’s always refreshing to see a collegiate a cappella group that’s not made up of just guys or girls, and that alone set the Deltones apart at the beginning, at least for me. However, their performance did more than just set them apart…it showed that they’re a major force to be reckoned with in this competition. The song, “Feels Like Home,” is a Randy Newman-penned classic, and it was touching to see in the rehearsal footage about how Jessica (the main lead vocalist tonight) found a true home through this song, and through her experiences with the group. (Lesson from tonight: A cappella music…and music in general…brings about such a great spirit of teamwork and camaraderie. Look at all these close-knit groups.) She brought that emotional resonance to her stunning lead vocal, starting off beautifully vulnerable (thank you, Ben, for pointing that out!), and building to a strong climax. (She had tinges of nervousness throughout the song, but oddly enough most of them ended up enhancing the performance rather than detracting for it.) She has a great tone for a lead vocalist, and it made the Deltones’ performance stand out and be even more poignant than it already was. It’ll be interesting to see how they do with lighter, more upbeat fare, but they certainly have nowhere to go but up.
• The Second Elimination: Soul’d Out and the Deltones were the last two groups in the second half awaiting their fate, and although they gave a strong showing, I think it was the right choice for the judges to send Soul’d Out packing. They have a nice amount of something special there that I hope they’ll get time to develop. Their swan song wasn’t bad (I don’t know what it was, mind you, but still), and their exit was classy. Maybe somewhere in the future a high school group can make a deep run at the title, but for now, Soul’d Out is off to make more great music in the charming town of Wilsonville.

Once again, the judges were spot-on tonight (and Sara earned her keep very well), and it was a great show to watch tonight, even if there was a little uneven-ness in the Week 2 lineup. Quite frankly, it’s late and I’m getting close to falling asleep on this keyboard now (I can see it: “The Deltones were very aefw;kefjpwiejfoajfpwwjojwofjoweifjoeijfofe [repeat indefinitely] tonigefpiojafw. Am I right?”), so let’s get a quick poll up, along with a promise to see you soon (at the very latest, next Monday) with some new posts, including next week’s Sing-Off recap. Thanks for reading!

“The Sing-Off” Season 3, Episode 1 Recap: Some Kind of Wonderful

Well, it’s been a fair bit since I’ve posted here, hasn’t it? (You could plaster a wall with all the posts I’ve started with something to that effect…) Anyways, I still have yet to get to much of my ever-increasing blogging queue, but here’s another project I have to add to that list…Season 3 of the show that made up 90% of my page views last year ”The Sing-Off” premiered tonight, and like last year, I’m going to be recapping each and every episode. (Good old NBC has made that harder on me this year by making this an expanded fall season, unlike the previous two which were short winter runs, but that just means more a cappella goodness…and, if you’re a glass half-empty sort, more elimination heartbreak, I suppose…so it’s a win-win.) Tonight half of the 16 talented groups competed, and only 6 advanced to the next round. (They’ll presumably perform again in 2 weeks.) It’s shaping up to be a terrific season so far, and I’m excited to see how it ends up. Plus, SARA BAREILLES! Let’s start with the first group…

• The Yellowjackets (from Rochester, NY): Hey, I just realized they’re from the New York Rochester. As in the Rochester a good friend of mine is from. (Gee, that only took me about 4 hours…) Anyways, in seasons past, there’s always been a token College Group That I Potentially Somewhat Irrationally Dislike (I may need to work on that name, but I guess it’s fine for now). Season 1, it was the Beelzebubs (who I still derisively call the Devil Children, with much glee), who got on my nerves early on for some reason. Season 2, it was the Whiffenpoofs from Yale (who thankfully made a very early exit). This season…it just might be the Yellowjackets. But maybe not. (There are two other college groups that have yet to perform, after all.) Their intro package was just a bit…overly polished. It seemed kind of soulless, in a way that I can’t quite explain. And as for their rendition on K’naan’s anthemic “Wavin’ Flag,” it was very good, but I didn’t quite dig their soloists, and for me it was a bit too stilted. (I audibly groaned when I saw them take out ACTUAL flags at the end. Seriously?) Sara did bring up an interesting point with her comment about the arrangement, though…I agreed with her when she started saying she thought it might have needed more counterpoint, but then (surprisingly) I also agreed with her when she noted that maybe this particular song didn’t really require that. It is a pretty stylistically simple song, I guess, and putting too many bells and whistles on it might have diluted its effectiveness. That all said, I’m not a huge fan of the Yellowjackets yet, and I wouldn’t mind seeing them go home in the least, but they still have a bit of a chance to win me over. (That is, until they break out something like this. Shudder.)
• Fannin Family (from Hortonville, WI): You can’t really beat a family in terms of sweetness and charm. (Well, at least a family that actually loves each other. That element’s kind of important. ) The Fannin Family won my hearts during their intro package, but then…hmmm. Their lead vocalist, brave 14-year-old Maria, gave it all she got, but her voice just didn’t sound developed or distinctive enough. She has the raw power, and when she gets older I bet she’ll sound terrific, but as she stands right now, she’s not quite a cappella-fronting material just yet. She also went a little sharp and shouty towards the end. Add to that a song choice that didn’t quite work (“Who Says” by Selena Gomez, a pleasant enough tune, but not very conducive to an a cappella setting), and some pitch problems throughout, and you’ve got a performance that was full of heart and effort, but a little short on the execution.
• Afro-Blue (from Washington, DC): I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with Afro-Blue, but once I heard the phrase “jazz choir” in their rehearsal footage…I. Was. Sold. OK, not really, but yes, I did go into the performance with higher expectations as a result. Which were promptly exceeded. This performance (of Corinne Bailey Rae’s delicious hit “Put Your Records On”) was absolutely stellar. The lead vocalist worked it (I think there’s even a bit more power in her that she can bring out next time), the arrangement was stunning, inventive, and vibrant, and heck, even the choreography enhanced it all. (I liked the little shuffling effect they did in the latter half.) They have a terrific blend, a warm, unique, vibe, and…I just love them. I can’t wait to see what they do next, and I hope they go even farther than Groove For Thought (last season’s outstanding resident jazzers) did–AKA all the way to the finals. (P.S.: I have heard very mixed things about grits, but I’m tempted to try them now after Shawn’s comment comparing the lead vocalist to warm butter on them. I’ll of course make sure I have said warm butter handy. )
• Delilah (from Los Angeles, CA): Before I, y’know, comment on their performance, I must note that every time I hear their name, I think of the insanely catchy jingle for syndicated radio host Delilah (who my mom very much dislikes, and who apparently got dropped in our market 2 years ago? Bummer. I was wondering where she went). I guess it’s ingrained in my brain or something. That aside, let’s get to Delilah the group…whoa. Just whoa. I was awaiting great things for these girls (um, hello, Amy Whitcomb. Need I say more?), but then their rehearsal footage seemed a little all over the place, but I was still excited, and then…brilliance. Amy simply nailed the lead vocals on “Grenade” (is it humanly possible for her to do anything else?), and the harmonies around her were just as bold and fiery. However, it wasn’t just a bunch of loudness or shouting…the arrangement had a breathtaking build to it, and I loved how it started off very slow, deliberate, and intimate. These ladies can pack a punch, but they can also tread lightly when they need to. (Their bass vocalist also did a terrific job, effectively solving the low-end problem that often dogs female a cappella groups.) It’s been long overdue for an all-female group to go far in this competition (I still think Noteworthy was 1-800-Completely Robbed), and I think Delilah could be that group this season.
• The First Elimination: The judges did the right thing and sent the Fannin Family home…which was kind of a bummer to watch, because they’re all so sweet and endearing and earnest. (Too bad it wasn’t a shock elimination of the Yellowjackets…just me? Yeah, probably.) Their swan song, though (the beloved “Annie” chestnut, “Tomorrow”), was a bit shaky. Their lead vocalists were kind of all over the place. Still, they gave their best effort, and I hope they really go places in the future. (After all, the Osmonds aren’t getting any younger.)
• Urban Method (from Denver, CO): Oy, here’s where my longstanding anti-rap bias comes to bite me in the behind. I just couldn’t get into this performance. Was it well-done? Yes. Was it visibly committed and full of strength and effort? Of course. Did I like the cool studio-esque effects at the end? Why yes, I did. But all those positives aside…it’s just not my thing. I can’t fault them for taking a relatively new fusion of genres (rapapella, yes?), and doing a great job with it, but it’s incredibly hard for me to get into rap, and that really hindered my enjoyment of this performance. I might get into Urban Method more once they’re not tackling a song originally done by one of my absolute least favorite rappers (the song would be “Love The Way You Lie,” and you should probably know who said rapper is…I’m not going to bother typing his name, quite frankly), but right now, I’m not quite in their corner. (P.S.: Did anyone else get a weird Svengali vibe from the guy who formed the group? He kind of rubbed me the wrong way.)
• Cat’s Pajamas (from Branson, MO): Full disclosure: I have a good friend that lives in Branson right now and does sound engineering for this group (he also had me watch a few of their YouTube videos, and I was quite impressed), so the Cat’s Pajamas were going into tonight with a bit of an advantage, at least in terms of my personal preference. Still, even without that previous connection, I bet I would have enjoyed this performance just as much. They’re just so incredibly solid…their blend is effortless, their sound is crazy for only 5 singers, and they work together amazingly. They make 50s/60s/70s era music sound cool, in many ways. (I’m generally not a fan of that brand of a cappella fare usually, but the Cat’s Pajamas really bring it to life, in my opinion.) The judges were astute in pointing out that the group could really benefit from some stylistic branching out…I’d like to see how the Pajamas do with a contemporary hit, for example. It’s something to think about. (Also, Sara’s accidentally innuendo-filled critique? Gold. That’s one way to introduce yourself to America…and props to Nick for actually being quick on his feet for once and quipping, “I think Sara wants to see them in their Cat’s Pajamas.” )
• Kinfolk 9 (from Los Angeles, CA): Last week sometime, I watched the group performance of P!nk’s “Perfect” that opened the show (I actually missed catching it tonight) embedded in one of the NBC ads online, and I clearly remember not being a huge fan of the lead singer’s voice. That, combined with the intro footage mentioning the fact that Kinfolk 9 is completely new to a cappella, made me a bit apprehensive before their performance. (Their personal stories of hardship and struggle to break into the music industry, however, were very touching.) After all that, though, I ended up being very impressed. I’ve changed my tune on Moi’s lead vocals…his tone takes just a little bit to get used to (it’s very distinctive, kind of like an indie rock vocalist-type voice), but once you get acclimated to it, it’s very intriguing to listen to, and he (along with the rest of the group) really cut to the emotional core of the song. (You wouldn’t think there was an emotional core to an overplayed OneRepublic song [I like their music, but this song has been all over the place], but Kinfolk 9 found it.) Their blend isn’t quite all there yet, but there’s so much potential for growth in that regard, and they had some very striking harmonic moments. (The arrangement was excellent.) Kinfolk 9 needs a bit of time to gel, but I really like what I’ve seen and heard so far, and they have nowhere to go but up.
• BYU Vocal Point (from Provo, UT): (I had to restrain myself from adding “the best place in the universe” there. ) So as you know, I’m a BYU student. (More or less.) You may think that that might give me a bit of a bias towards Vocal Point. If you thought so…you’d be correct. I was very, very excited to see them perform, and it probably would have taken a lot for me not to have enjoyed it. Still…they really, really did an amazing job tonight. Their rendition of “Jump, Jive, An’ Wail” was full of energy, fun, and power, and they had a killer blend, some zippy (but not too busy) choreography, and it was just a huge, heaping ball of entertainment. I have to admit as high as my expectations were pre-show, I was worried Vocal Point might seem a bit too buttoned-up (from my previous experiences seeing them perform, they’ve had small moments where that concern came up for me), but that wasn’t an issue at all tonight. Here’s hoping they can keep their high level of performance and energy up even when the songs get more recent, out of the box, and/or low-key. (I’m betting they can.) If they show their versatility as the competition goes on, they’ll certainly be ones to beat. (Rise all loyal Cougars, and hurl your challenge to the fo…oops, sorry. Got carried away.)
• The Second Elimination: For some reason, I had a feeling that the last two groups in danger would probably be Kinfolk 9 and the Cat’s Pajamas, and my suspicions were indeed confirmed. I also suspected the judges might send the Cat’s Pajamas home, and again…I was correct. The Cat’s Pajamas vs. Kinfolk 9 thing was an interesting conundrum, and although I’m really gutted that the boys from Branson went home the first night out, I see where the judges were coming from on keeping Kinfolk 9 in the competition. I don’t buy the sentiment that the Cat’s Pajamas were soulless or ‘too perfect’ per se…but they’re an incredibly polished, experienced group (even if they don’t perform 200 shows a night, like Ben mistakenly proclaimed at first), and there’s not much room for improvement…they’re really pretty much already there. Kinfolk 9, on the other hand, have tons of potential, and this competition can be an ideal way for them to reach that potential. They can really grow and shine from a few more performances on “The Sing-Off” stage, and although I would have rather had the Cat’s Pajamas stick around, I’m interested to see what Kinfolk 9 does in the weeks ahead.

And that’s all she (or in this case, he) wrote. This was a great start to the season, and just like last season was even better than the first, this season looks to, in turn, be even better than the last. (I’m pretty sure that made absolutely no sense. Ah, well.) Sara Bareilles [insert fanboy squeal here] is a terrific addition to the judging panel (Nicole was really growing on me, but let’s face it, she’s not quite astute-judge material…good luck with her, Simon, on that little talent show you’re doing), full of great constructive comments, as well as wit and (in the case of the Cat’s Pajamas tonight) some unintentional humor. (Nicole was good at that too, I guess, but it always seemed as if she SO wasn’t in on the joke. Ever.) I’m way pumped for Season 3 (yay for more groups and more episodes!), and I’ll see you all next week with a new recap. (I’d better see you before that, too, with one of the many posts on my to-do list.) Thanks for reading!

But wait, there’s more! Here’s a poll to keep you occupied until next Monday… (And as always, comments are much welcomed.)

“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. )

“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!