“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, 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” 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!

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

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

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

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