“The Sing-Off” Season 3, Episode 4 Recap: I Want You Back

Once again, I was unable to watch the show live this week, but watched it this morning (thanks again, Hulu!). Last week I was able to survive until Tuesday morning spoiler-free, but unfortunately last night, I was tipped off to the result of Monday night’s elimination not once, but twice. (I ‘like’ the eliminated group on Facebook, plus someone had made a certain spoiler-y search that led them to one of my posts, and I was checking my blog stats last night.) You can probably guess which group went home by now, but if you’re reading this, you either already know who it was, don’t care who it was, or are a spambot, so you have no capacity to feel anything about who it was, so there we go. I am in a (figurative) period of mourning right now, by the way. (If I happen to collapse in sorrow any time during this recap, feel free to revive me with the reminder that Afro-Blue, Vocal Point, Delilah, and a few more promising groups are still in the running. Or with Street Corner Symphony’s new album, which it turns out they’ve actually already made. Score!) Anyhow, since there were 12 performances once again on Monday night, I better get cracking. After a surprisingly good group rendition of “The Rhythm of Love” (although I like the song, I wasn’t expecting much out of the performance, but it definitely won me over), we started off the current hits round with…

• The Deltones (performing “The Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga): The Deltones continued to impress me last night with this opening performance. The arrangement was nice and replicated the synthesizer-driven vibe of Gaga’s original pretty nicely, and the solo was delivered exceptionally well (and when the soloist was completely sick, to boot…that takes major guts). Simply put, they nailed it. In retrospect, however, the Deltones may have a trend of delivering performances that are solid and very enjoyable, but in the long run, not the most memorable. They’re definitely outstanding…but can they keep up with the other groups when the brackets merge next week? It’ll be interesting to see.
• Pentatonix (performing “Your Love Is My Drug” by Ke$ha): (So it may have taken me about 5 tries to get Ke$ha’s name right. Although I despise her music, it’s kind of fun trying to type her dollar sign-encrusted moniker. ) Just like last week where I finally caught on to Urban Method, I think I might have jumped (very gingerly, mind you) onto the Pentatonix train, and this performance was a key factor in that. They turned an unbearably lightweight pop song into something nuanced and fascinating, full of energy, some great harmonies, and a lot of daring reinvention. It all just worked…and then when they introduced some studio-esque effects in the latter part of the song…I. Was. Floored. I may still be hung up on the male lead singer (his mannerisms tend to bug me), and they’re not my absolute favorite group by any means, but I’m excited to see what Pentatonix comes up with in the weeks ahead, and their innovative, stylized approach to their arrangements might be just what the doctor ordered.
• The Collective (performing “Rocketeer” by Far East Movement): I’ve never heard this song before, to be honest, so I may be looking at this performance from a different viewpoint than those who have. That said, I really enjoyed it, and it was a clear step up for The Collective from last week’s fine, but somewhat uneven take on “Rolling In The Deep.” Their blend was improved, the arrangement was more ear-catching, and they seemed much more cohesive as a group. Rachael was also a stellar soloist (and like the soloist for The Deltones, was sick, this time with laryngitis…my mind, it boggles at how well she was able to pull it off in that condition), and kept the song jamming. It was a nice progression for the Collective, and proof that they just may have what it takes to go far in this competition.
• North Shore (performing “The Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars): Much like the conceptually similar group Jerry Lawson and the Talk of the Town last season, I’m beginning to get a “they’re great! but can they win?” feeling about North Shore. They’re clearly old pros, and they’re a joy to watch and to hear. But can they compete against all these young, innovative groups? And would a recording contract on a national stage be the best fit for them? These are questions that are going to keep nagging me, and while I really love North Shore’s old-school approach, it may end up hurting them in the long run. Anyways, these 5 Boston guys did a fine job with this Bruno Mars song, complete with some cheeky choreography and a winning solo. It was definitely a treat.
• Dartmouth Aires (performing “Animal” by Neon Trees): Sigh. That’s all I have to say. OK, not really…I have a bit more to say than that…but an exasperated sigh would cover my feelings about the Aires quite nicely. They’re just not grabbing me. It is possible for me to enjoy a college group (before you shout that apparently it’s only possible if they’re from the school I go to, as was/is the case with Noteworthy and Vocal Point, I did like On The Rocks last season, though I felt they stayed an episode or so too long), but the Dartmouth Aires simply isn’t that college group. Their rehearsal segments…and their performances for that matter…always make it seem like they’re trying too hard to be ‘goofy,’ but don’t have the natural charm to hide that excessive effort. The choreography they use is somewhat fun at times, but in other places it just gets plain awkward. Their sound is a bit disjointed, probably due to the large numbers. It doesn’t seem like they’ve paid enough attention to their blend, and while it’s not horrible by any means, it could be much cleaner, and that would add to the overall quality of the performance. Sure, the judges may say they’re fun and energetic…but fun and energy only carry you so far (especially when the ‘fun’ and ‘energy’ isn’t quite there for some people). Musical artistry needs to come along with it too, and the Dartmouth Aires simply don’t have that at present.
• Sonos (performing “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay): I think that “Viva la Vida” is cursed on “The Sing-Off.” (If you couldn’t tell who got eliminated by my comments at the beginning, you can probably tell by now…sniffle.) Noteworthy got bumped off the night they sang it in Season 1, and, well, you saw what happened Monday night for Sonos. (More on that later, if I have the strength.) I thought this was a great, intriguing take on Coldplay’s massive hit, full of deliciously intricate harmonies and some nice surprises. Ben’s beatboxing, as was the case last time Sonos performed, really stood out for me…he was churning out cool effects and tricks like they were going out of style, and at one point he did this really cool heartbeat-type thing that I really loved. Chris was excellent on the solo, and I thought the trio of girls backing him (including one of them on bass) held up very well. I do get the judges’ sentiments in that the group would do better with another male singer (I realized last week that they actually had one, but he left Sonos about a year ago) to round out their sound, but what they have right now is excellent, and I think they do more than just ‘get by.’ They push new boundaries and open new doors for the a cappella world.

Now, on to the 60s classics round (how funny was it that Nick plugged “The Playboy Club” a week after it was axed by NBC? This is what happens when you tape in late summer and don’t take into account that new NBC shows are often doomed):

• Pentatonix (performing “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin): On paper, putting a rock classic to an a cappella reggae-driven beat seems ridiculous. Even thinking about Pentatonix’s take on this Joplin chestnut now, it seems ridiculous. But somehow, they pulled it off…their arrangement was peppy and effective, but they made sure not to let the song veer into parody or get too sweet. It was a daring choice, and I think it paid off, though it didn’t hit me as hard as “Your Love Is My Drug” did. (I never thought I would ever be typing that last phrase…the things “The Sing-Off” makes me do.)
• The Deltones (performing “You Can’t Hurry Love” by the Supremes): A tiny bit seemed like it was missing from this performance…the soloist didn’t quite sell it all the way, and the arrangement wasn’t as inventive as I would have liked…but I still thought the Deltones did a great job here. It’s a song you can’t really go wrong with in an a cappella setting when you play your cards right, and the group certainly didn’t get it wrong here.
• North Shore (performing “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers): I agreed with the judges that North Shore showed a few pitch problems here and there (for pretty much the first time this competition, to boot), and I also agreed with them that those issues didn’t really get in the way of a fine performance. If I had any noticeable problem with this, it would be that the group stuck to the original to a T, which was great because the original is a classic for a reason…but it made the arrangement feel kind of static. It kept it from moving to “very good” to “great” at a few moments, and that’s a shame for a group as talented as North Shore is.
• The Collective (performing “Hold On, I’m Comin’” by Sam & Dave): This is a very repetitive song, so I wasn’t sure if the Collective could make it a bit more interesting, but then again Urban Method rocked it with the also very redundant “Dance To The Music,” so I saw as it as quite possible for the group to bring some new life to the song in an a cappella setting. They did…and they didn’t. I didn’t think the first half of the performance was as tentative as the judges did, but I do agree that they really kicked it off in the latter half. It was almost as if someone flicked a switch and out came all the Collective’s pent-up energy, all at once. They were throwing all kinds of stuff at us (an impressive out-of-nowhere falsetto howl, lots of sound and lots of riffing), and surprisingly, it was working. If they can harness the pure craziness they unleashed at the end of this song into future performances…I’m definitely all ears.
• Sonos (performing “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5): I was very familiar with this particular arrangement of the song already, as it’s a prominent feature of Sonos’ debut album. I have to admit it didn’t come off as well on stage as it did on recording (the fact that they’re one member short can’t help matters), and the cuts they had to make to trim it down to two minutes were brutal on the slow, deliciously deliberate build that their take on the song requires. That aside, I think they did a beautiful job turning this song on its ear, and I thought the judges were off the mark by saying it was too bold and too much of a change-up. Would it have been fun to hear a more straightforward take on the song? Sure it would have. But I don’t think Sonos’ radical reharmonization of the tune hurt it in any way. On the contrary, it showcased an entire different aspect of the song (its heartbreak and longing), and brought out some really intriguing elements that never would have come to light had they gone more traditional. There were pitch problems, sure, and the performance didn’t quite shake out the way it should have, but I thought Sonos did a terrific job turning this Jackson 5 classic on its ear, and it’s a disappointment that the judges didn’t feel the same way.
• Dartmouth Aires (performing “Pinball Wizard” by…who? The Who, that’s who): Let’s get the positives out of the way first. The choreography was impressive. (That pinball-machine effect they did in the middle was, I have to admit, a very cool effect.) The energy was there and consistent. The solo wasn’t half-bad. Now, my nitpicking…the blend still wasn’t cohesive. The sound felt disorganized. Once again, it coasted more on pretentious ‘goofiness’ than actual, natural, easygoing charm. You know the drill…it just didn’t connect with me. It was good, but nowhere, nowhere near great. And that is going to be a major problem for the Aires going forward, especially next week when they play with the big boys (and girls) and the separate brackets are no more.
• By now, you’ve deduced who went home, whether by watching the show, reading other articles scattered across the Internet, or seeing my many lamentations during this recap that…Sonos was eliminated. This I already knew while watching this morning, but that didn’t make things any less difficult to swallow. They’re blazing new trails in a cappella music, I think, and I know they can still do so even outside “The Sing-Off” venue. I saw an Internet comment today (from a Sonos fan) to the effect that this might have not been the best outlet for them. Although I absolutely loved seeing them perform on the show, I kind of have to agree. They can now go back to their pioneering use of effects pedals (which, it should be clearly noted, are NOT used to hide any pitch issues or blend problems, as effects pedals would simply maximize those, but are instead used to augment their sound, explore new sonic palettes, and overall make each of their performances strikingly unique and innovative), and hopefully they have the resources in the future to keep making outstanding records. I’ll be there to buy each and every one of them.
• One more thing…there’s been a lot of talk that Shawn Stockman was reacting in pain to Sonos’ swan song of “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday,” a Boyz II Men staple. I didn’t know until afterwards that it was a song by his group, so out of context it looked like he was emotional in some way…like sad to see Sonos go. Looking back at his reaction in context, it seems to be a combination of him being amused and a bit surprised to hear that they used a Boyz II Men song, with maybe a tiny undercurrent of being disappointed that Sonos was leaving. (And OK, I guess he may have thought they were a little pitchy. But seriously, do you think he’d really cringe at any group’s farewell performance? He’s classier than that, I think.)

So I was actually mistaken last week, and next episode we see all 10 remaining groups come together. In another stab-in-the-dark guess at how the format plays out the next little while, I’m thinking that they’ll eliminate 2 groups per week for at least the next 2 or 3 weeks, since they’re due to finish airing at the end of November. We’ll see if that actually occurs. For now, a farewell to you, until I hopefully unleash a horde of long-gestating non-”Sing-Off” posts and/or return with next week’s recap, and as always, a poll. Thanks for reading!

 

Grammy Predictions & Picks, Part II

So this second installment of my Grammy predictions and picks, thanks to some big, time-consuming (but fun) events in my little corner of the world this weekend, is exceedingly last-minute. So last-minute, in fact, that I believe the pre-televised Grammy ceremonies (where the bulk of the awards, especially the non-big-ticket ones, are given out) have already occurred/are occurring at the moment I’m writing this. I’ve only seen two of those categories’ winners, and neither of those categories are being covered here, so rest assured I’m not making fake “predictions” just to look good. So very hurriedly…let’s do some more Grammy discussin’.

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

A nice cross-section of talent this year…we’ve got ourselves some Norah Jones and Sara Bareilles, as well as superstars (for better or for worse) like Lady Gaga and Beyonce. And oh dang it, I was looking through the category Wiki page just now and I accidentally saw the winner, so I can’t really predict anyone, can I? (Because of this, btw, I will probably refrain from looking at any category histories at this point to help my predictions, so I might be winging it a little bit from here on out.) Anyways, interestingly, the live version of “Halo” by Beyonce is nominated (probably because the studio version isn’t eligible for this year, and last year around nomination time it must have been still growing). I’d go for that, Norah, or Sara if I was a Grammy voter. As for the actual winner, I shan’t spoil it here.

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

If the female category for pop vocals is a “nice cross-section,” the male category is kind of…all over the place. But in a good way. I can’t say I dislike any of the songs here (even the Adam Lambert one, admittedly, and I am NOT a big fan of him at all, dating from his AI stint). As for who I think will win/already won? I’m going to go with some other predictors and say that the Grammy voters will go the sentimental route and give a posthumous award to the legendary Michael Jackson for “This Is It.” (Seeing as it’s probably one of the last chances they’ll have to give MJ a Grammy, I doubt they’ll pass it up. Heck, I probably wouldn’t pass it up either.) Bruno Mars could be a spoiler, though. He’s nominated for quite a few other things (a lot of them producing/songwriting), and “Just The Way You Are” is the kind of song that’s both popular and kind of old-school (AKA huge Grammy bait). I’ve grown rather fond of the tune, so that’s one of my personal picks, along with “Haven’t Met You Yet.” Another nominated song in the category, “Half of My Heart,” is also on my iPod, and I rather like it, but I’m kind of scratching my head at why it was nominated here in the first place, seeing as it’s more of a duet/collaboration than a solo performance by John Mayer. (Taylor Swift contributes prominent vocals to it.)

Best Dance Recording

I have to admit, I was totally not planning to cover this category at all. (P.S., I don’t have time to cover all the categories I could conceivably write about/have knowledge of, so I’m basically going to skip to the jazz ones after this. ) But last week, I finally decided to check out the music of Robyn…and I fell in love. Mad musical love. So I’m going to throw conventional wisdom to the wind and predict that the Grammy voters will be kind and awesome and give her terrific “Dancing On My Own” an award. (Either that, or La Roux, who similarly rocks, or Goldfrapp, who I admittedly haven’t heard too much of, but have loved what I’ve heard by her so far.) It’s soulful, easy on the ears, great to dance to, and heartbreaking all at the same time. And as talented as Rihanna and Lady Gaga can be, methinks that Robyn could really do wonders with the extra recognition.

Best Rap Solo Performance

Kidding!

Best Jazz Vocal Album

I could write for hours and hours about this category, but I only have about less than ten minutes (and I have at least one other category I wish to cover), so here’s the skinny. (Sort of. ) My predictions are twofold…I’d say Dee Dee Bridgewater‘s energetic, innovative tribute to Lady Day, “Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee” (now THAT’S  a title) has the best chance to win, seeing as it’s by a prestigious previously-nominated artist, it goes outside of the box (but in an accessible way, for the most part), and it’s a tribute, which in the past, if  memory serves me right, Grammy voters have simply eaten up. (An example off the top of my head is Patti Austin winning a few years ago for “Avant Gershwin.”) However, here’s where the second part of my prediction comes in…I think Freddy Cole (AKA Nat King Cole’s younger brother, something I did not know until recently) and his fine (albeit a little low-key) Billy Eckstine tribute, “Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B,” could be a definite spoiler here. The Bridgewater album is terrific, but some more traditionally-minded voters could be turned off by her unique approach to Billie’s classic songs (they shouldn’t, but it’s a possibility). Freddy, being pretty close to jazz royalty and all, would be what said traditionally-minded voters would flock to next, I’d wager. As for what I’d pick if I were king a member of NARAS? Definitely Denise Donatelli’s outstanding “When Lights Are Low.” Geoffrey Keezer’s arranging is superb (more on that in a second), Denise is in fine voice, and it’s even a little close to home, as I’ve sung/worked (!!!) with the husband & wife who do background vocals throughout the record, Kerry Marsh & Julia Dollison. It’s just a beautifully put together album (though I may be a bit biased ). The other two entries, “Ages” by Lorraine Feather, and “Water” by Gregory Porter,  sound great too. I was especially intrigued by the former, and it could be  a sleeper win if the votes get split in weird ways. However, as stacked as the vocal jazz category is this year, I hate to say their chances are slim. (Can’t we just give the Grammy here to everyone? )

Best Instrumental Accompaniment Accompanying Vocalist(s)

Yeah, so this isn’t one of the big Grammy categories at all…but I’ve been very interested in it for a while (I even know the 2011 nominees by heart), mostly because I’m a big arrangement buff. (I have a mental list of favorite arrangers. No joke. ) This category is pretty dang stacked this year. First is “Baba Yetu” (a track by the Soweto Gospel Choir that interestingly enough, was used for a video game trailer if I’m not mistaken). The orchestral arrangement is sweeping, and I dig it a lot, but it did seem a little by-the-numbers. So that one’s out. Next is “Baby” by Bobby McFerrin, from his absolutely breathtaking album “Vocabularies” (which should have been nominated for Best Jazz Vocal, but instead got shoehorned into Best Classical Crossover…sigh). It’s a stunningly beautiful song…but it doesn’t quite belong in this category, in my opinion. The vocal arrangement (and the song itself, of course) is worthy of a billion awards…but the song is almost entirely a cappella, so I think NARAS just shoved it into the wrong category. That leaves three heavy-hitters…”Based On A Thousand True Stories” by Norwegian artist Silje Nergaard and arranged by the brilliant Vince Mendoza; “Don’t Explain” by the aforementioned Denise Donatelli & arranger Geoffrey Keezer; and the Herbie Hancock-led and co-arranged “Imagine” project. I’d say Herbie & Larry Klein have the best chance to win (seeing as he’s been a Grammy fave in the past). Vince Mendoza is a multi-time winner in this category, and his arrangement brings “Based On A Thousand True Stories” to life, so I wouldn’t count him out either. I’ll be quite happy if either of these two win, but my very, very favorite would be Geoffrey Keezer’s work on “Don’t Explain.” He turned it from a Billie Holiday chestnut to a fresh, dynamic showcase for Denise’s terrific vocals. Plus, to my knowledge, he’s not a past winner, so he’d be getting his first Grammy.

So that’s all, folks. The Grammys are already airing (at least in my time zone), so I’m running late/irrelevant anyhow. Now I’ll go to check how many of my predictions were right, yo. Look out tonight or tomorrow for a new Sketches post (complete with video!), be sure to subscribe, and thanks for reading!

Grammy Predictions & Picks, Part I

Here we are…the weekend before arguably the biggest music awards event of the year…the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. I’ve been planning to do a little who will probably win/who should win-type post for a while, so here it is…well, part one, at least. I’ll be taking on a few of the big-ticket categories, as well as some more specialized ones (mostly jazz). And at least in the case of this part, I shall be writing this quick like a bunny, since I’m a bit pressed for time. Caveat: My predictions are not incredibly well-founded, but I’ll do my best. And feel free to disagree with my choices in the comments. We need a little good-natured controversy around here.

Album of the Year

The Grammy voters have gone all over the place with this category in the past…everywhere from jazz to hip-hop to folk to country-pop. One thing that’s sometimes held true in the past is that they tend to go for the dark-horse choice. Examples: “Raising Sand” winning the ’09 trophy; “River: The Joni Letters” taking the ’08 prize over Amy Winehouse and Kanye; OutKast earning the top honor in ’04. Thus, I’m going to get a little bold (and OK, full of wishful thinking…) and say that Arcade Fire‘s outstanding “The Suburbs” will be the voters’ choice for Album of the Year in 2011. Eminem definitely is a huge contender, seeing as he had a whirlwind year both critically and commercially in 2010 (one of his greatest detractors says through gritted teeth), and the Academy could finally decide to give Lady Gaga more recognition than she’s received in the past, but Arcade Fire’s album seems like the kind of quality, slightly offbeat entry–that nevertheless pleased tons of critics and fans alike–that has won in the past. “The Suburbs” is both what I think will win, and what I want to win.

Record of the Year

One of the oft-confusing twin categories that usually overlap a lot (Song of the Year, which honors songwriters, is the other one), Record of the Year goes to performers. It’s often hard to predict this category, as sometimes the NARAS goes for something pretty expected (“Use Somebody” and “Rehab”)…but just as often, the winner comes from out of the blue (“Please Read The Letter” and “Here We Go Again”). I’d say “F— You” has the right combination of “big song” and “unique song” status to catapult it to the top. One of the other nominees (except for perhaps “Nothin’ On You,” though I wouldn’t count it out) could easily take the prize, of course. My personal preference goes to “F— You” (though I’ve only heard it in its edited form, “Forget You”) or “Need You Now.” (I have both of them on my iPod.)

Song of the Year

Interestingly, though this category usually has a few less high-profile nominees than Record of the Year, one of the big-ticket items usually takes the honors here, judging from years past. I’ll say “Love The Way You Lie” as my prediction here. I’m not a personal fan of the song, but it takes on a weighty issue (domestic abuse) with a wide-appeal combo of rap & vocals. “Need You Now” and “F— You” are also in the thick of things. My personal picks are the same as Record of the Year, with the addition of Ray LaMontagne’s beautifully understated “Beg Steal or Borrow.”

Best New Artist

And here’s where things get a little messy. In years past, there’s maybe been one or two dogs I’ve had in this race., tops..but this year, the NARAS went ahead and decided to stack it with 3 of my absolute favorite artists (well, I have a lot of favorite artists, so it’s not like it would be a long shot for that to happen)…and then top the category off with 2 huge acts (the Bieber and the Drake) that have a combined 40% chance to break my Grammy-following heart. It kind of goes without saying that I’d prefer for the latter two boys (interestingly enough, both Canadians) not to take home this particular trophy. And thus, I flatly refuse to predict that either of them will win. (It’s my blog, I can cry if I want to. ) My prediction goes to Florence + The Machine, simply because she had a breakthrough year (“Dog Days Are Over” simply exploded, almost out of thin air, after doing so well in the UK), and she’s the kind of quirky, daring choice the NARAS loves to go with, mostly to look somewhat hip. As for who I want to win…it’s a huge step forward just to have Esperanza Spalding nominated in this kind of high-profile category, so I’d be fine with her either winning or not. As for Mumford & Sons, their sweeping brand of folk-rock is simply irresistible, and I’d LOVE for them to receive some more recognition here across the pond. And of course, Flo’s music is absolutely breathtaking. I can’t choose between the three, so if any of them win, I’ll be as happy as a clam. (I do have a feeling Florence & Mumford/Sons fans might be a bit more gutted, though, should either of them not take home the prize. Us jazz fans are [I hope I'm reading this sentiment right] happy enough to see the field break through here, and a win would just be cherry on top. Sadly, there’s probably not too many people who love all three artists basically the same, as I do, though I could be wrong.)

That’s all for Part I. Stay tuned for Part II (and possibly Part III, though probably not)! And be sure to state your opinion and challenge my picks/predictions, with style and class (ish), in the comments.

Music Video of the Day: “For The First Time” (With A Twist)

It’s been a bit since I’ve posted a Music Video of the Day, so I thought I’d share one with y’all. In case you’re worried I’m just going to do Songs and Music Videos of the Day for all of 2011…your worries will come true! Moo hu ha ha ha! Just kidding. I’ll be changing things up with some different Harmony Avenue features very soon. In fact, you can even find a teaser list of them below this post. For now, let’s view a video of The Script’s recent single “For The First Time”…or are we? Actually, this is (unnecessary drum roll please!)…

A cover of “For The First Time” by Amy Kuney!

Amy is a terrific singer/pianist…and a very interesting one at that. (She and her friends were kidnapped and released by a group of Guatemalan rebels when she was 17, and she acted and sang on two episodes of “Gilmore Girls,” for example.) She’s done the traditional recording-albums-and-EPs-and-whatnot thing, and her songs have been heard in various shows and movies (most intriguingly in the recent film “Catfish”), but she’s also become very well-known for her covers on YouTube as well. She’s taken on tunes by everyone from Coldplay to Lady Gaga, Damien Rice to Taylor Swift. This is the latest of her YouTube covers, and one of the few she’s done with her own voice multitracked. It’s an absolutely gorgeous version of “For The First Time,” a song from Irish band The Script’s newest album (it’s been out in Europe since September, but drops in the states this Tuesday). Her voice is distinctive and assured, and this acoustically driven version of the song, with her own voice(s) acting like a choir to her lead vocals, really adds to the originality and beauty of the cover…and makes it one that’s better than the original. If you want to hear more of Amy, visit her YouTube channel (the video above should lead you to it alright) or her website. I highly recommend all of her music.

And now, a tiny sneak peek of what I’m planning for upcoming Harmony Avenue posts:

• An Artist Spotlight or two (what I always say, I know, but there’s lots of great artists I want to let you know about!)
• Album reviews of both “Knock On The Sky” (by SHeDAISY) and “Hu Hu Hu” (by Natalia LaFourcade)
• My Picks for the Grammys (I’ll be covering the big categories, naturally, but also some of the obscure ones, like Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals and Best Vocal Jazz Album)
• A Sketches post about men’s choirs (ish)
• A performance or two by yours truly?? (This idea has been in the works since I started this blog, but in 2011 I’d like to actually get it off the ground)
• Some other cool stuff, yo.

And that’s just a teaser…I’m bound to think of other interesting things to share. Keep up with my new posts by subscribing, either with the handy dandy little button at the top, if you’re a WordPress member, or the handy dandy little button on the right side of this blog, which sends you an email every time I post (I don’t post incessantly, so your inbox won’t be terribly bothered). See you later with a new post! Thanks for reading.

“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 1: Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Before I started this here blog at Harmony Avenue, I was over at Blogger trying a few different things (a personal “here’s what’s happening in my life”-style thing, a poetry blog with some friends), and one of them was a blog devoted to recaps of “Dancing With The Stars” and “American Idol.” It’s still sitting there out in cyberspace, but since I wanted to completely throw myself into this endeavor blogging-wise, I’ve kind of left it pretty much alone. So why am I telling this story at the beginning of a post? Well, for a bit last year, I also included another fun reality show in the mix…”The Sing-Off,” the a cappella-singing competition NBC was running for a few weeks in December. The main reason I started watching was because one of the groups was from my very university, AND I knew the lead singer…but all the a cappella music goodness drew me in, and even after that particular group went home, I kept watching. The show has returned for a second season this year, and since I thought about it, and this is a music blog, and it’s a music program, in a little experiment that I hope turns out well, I’m going to try and merge my past and present blogging endeavors, and recap “The Sing-Off” once again. (If you aren’t watching the show, you should. If you refuse to do so…don’t worry, there’s only 5 episodes, so I won’t be writing TOO much about it.) So here we go! How did “The Sing-Off” premiere play out tonight?

• Eleventh Hour (a group from Kettering, OH): These high-schoolers kicked off the season (well, after the incredibly amazing intro song by all the groups, anyway), and at the time, I thought they didn’t too bad with (shudder) Justin Bieber’s “Baby.” Looking back, though, they don’t stand out as one of the front-runners in the competition. They definitely improved on the song a lot (then again, how hard is it to improve on a mop-top-headed teen that sounds like a girl? Harsh, but true…), and they had a pretty good blend from what I remember, but their sound was a bit too bright and unfocused, and they simply just didn’t create a huge identity for themselves. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Major props to them for landing a spot on a national TV show in high school, but I have a feeling that with the level of competition we saw elsewhere tonight, Eleventh Hour likely won’t last even close to the stage of the competition with the same name as their group.
• On The Rocks (Eugene, OR/University of Oregon): Hey! That YouTube hit version of “Bad Romance” that they were talking about with this group tonight? I totally saw that a while ago. It was pretty fun. Their upgraded version, tonight, was just as much of a blast, but it revealed some flaws in On The Rocks that might put them, well, on the rocks (hey, I’m a sucker for puns… ) in the later stages of the game. Ben Folds was right in noting that their pitch wasn’t too perfect, and I also didn’t quite dig their “ooh! we’re crazy college guys singing Lady Gaga!” shtick at times. It kind of made their performance seem a little gimmicky. Their high-energy style is likely to be an asset to them as they go forward (it certainly brought up my personal enjoyment level a few notches), but like they said themselves, they have to be more than one-trick ponies.
• Groove For Thought (from Seattle, WA): Full disclosure: I’m a HUGE jazz fan. (You probably noticed just a BIT of that on the blog so far. ) So the part in the intro package where Groove For Thought mentioned they’re more of a jazz-oriented group definitely made my ears perk up. But that wouldn’t have mattered too much had their performance (of Stevie Wonder’s classic “I Wish”) fallen flat…but it didn’t. It kind of pretty much rocked. (Or would it be jazzed?) Their harmonies were tight and delicious (weird words to describe music, I know, but sometimes they just need to be used), and their performance vibe was both classy and vibrant. They brought an interesting twist to the song, and Nicole Scherzinger (using full names today for those unfamiliar with the judges on the program) had a moment of lucidity and accuracy (they’re not too common with her, but I love her now anyways) when she cited the group’s “warm” sound. That’s the great thing about vocal jazz groups…the harmonies are complex and dissonant (“clashy,” as I sometimes like to call them), but the end result, when done right, is sharp, beautiful, and indeed warm. I was glad to see Groove For Thought move on (they weren’t exactly as “flashy” as the other 4 groups in the first half, and the judges did make a few off decisions last year, so you never know), and as one of my favorites, I’m really excited to see what they do going forward.
• Pitch Slapped (from Boston, MA/Berklee College of Music): You know the judges aren’t playing games when they send the group from the most prestigious contemporary music school in the country home first. I was intrigued to see what the folks of Pitch Slapped would come up with (their intro package was kind of nice), but the pieces of the puzzle just didn’t really fit together for them tonight, and I fully agree with Ben/Nicole/Shawn in having them be the first to go. There are a lot of current songs that work well in the a cappella genre, but I’m not quite sure “Good Girls Go Bad” is one of them. Their performance was certainly eye-popping (lots of choreography, crazy flashing lights during one section), but it had a bit too much flash and not enough substance. The lead singer’s mannerisms were off the charts on the obnoxious scale, and his vocals weren’t all that hot. His female counterpart didn’t fare much better, and her taking-off-her-glasses-and-letting-her-hair-down moment was a bit too cheesy (“Look, I’m a good girl gone bad!”) to add anything to the song. It was good singing, and Pitch Slapped’s large numbers (12 members) really helped them out tonight, but in the end, it felt like they just shouted a bunch of well-sung notes at us. Not quite a recipe for an outstanding a cappella performance there.
• Jerry Lawson and the Talk of the Town (from Oakland, CA): “Enough of the kids…let the pros show you how it’s done.” OK, so no one really said that, but that’s the kind of vibe Jerry Lawson & the Talk of the Town sent off tonight with their ultra-uber-solid take on “Save The Last Dance.” Jerry’s been in the music world for 40+ years! And I doubt the Talk of the Town is much less experienced. All those combined years of hard work and genuine artistry really showed in their performance, and although it was one of the oldest songs of the night, and the arrangement wasn’t incredibly modern, it really came off in the end as classy, fun, and delightful to listen to and watch. The blend was just a hair off during a few fleeting moments, but none of that really affected the performance at all. It’ll be interesting to see what these folks come up with in the coming episodes, and judging from their preview of “Mercy” at the end of the show, they’re not too shabby at putting their own spin on modern fare. I really enjoyed them, and although I’m not quite sure they can go all the way yet, they certainly made an outstanding first impression.
• (As already stated, the first elimination was Pitch Slapped. The right choice, I thought, though it was kind of a bummer to see them go, simply because even their performance didn’t quite gel, they definitely showed a lot of potential. Ah well. There’s still lots of groups to love going forward.)
• The Whiffenpoofs (New Haven, CT/Yale University): If you were a watcher of “The Sing-Off” last season, do you remember the Beelzebubs? Those kids from Tufts that everyone loved? Yeah, I didn’t like them very much at all. Their personalities were kind of grating, their lead singers were a bit obnoxious, and in the end, I was kind of wondering why a storied collegiate male a cappella group even needed $100,000 and a recording contract at all. (I know some colleges are feeling the hurt right now as a result of the recession, but still.) So anyways, it probably goes without much saying that I wasn’t a big fan of The Whiffenpoofs tonight. They’re even more well-known than the devil children Beelzebubs (sorry, old habits die hard ), and since they’ve been around for 100 years (literally), comments like “we invented a cappella” are actually kind of true. (But still kind of bratty. Just sayin’.) Their take on “Grace Kelly” was technically sound for the most part, but I didn’t quite dig the arrangement (the more traditional elements fell flat for me rather than added to the effect), and the lead singer hit all the right notes, but had a very unpleasant vocal tone when he wasn’t in falsetto. Also, the tuxes-and-bow-ties thing was a hindrance rather than a means of setting the group apart…I know it’s a tradition, but really? All this added up to give me the feeling that the Whiffenpoofs didn’t need to be there. After the judges’ praise, I had a feeling that they wouldn’t dare send the oldest a cappella group home so soon, but I hope they’ll grow a pair and have the courage to give this group a bit of an early exit. If they were oustandingly fresh and amazing, I wouldn’t be saying this, but they really don’t need a win.  It’s an Ivy League school, for crying out loud, and they’ve been going strong for 100 years, after all.
• Men of Note (Cherry Hill, NJ): These guys were certainly plucky, but their performance wasn’t quite up to snuff tonight, and the judges agreed, sending them home first. “The Longest Time” is a fairly classic song, true, but seeing as the original version was an a cappella song already, you have to get really creative to make it sound anywhere near fresh. The arrangement the Men of Note had was OK, but felt a little disjointed at parts, and although their performance energy was pretty good, they didn’t exactly bring the house down. Their blend and harmonies also felt just a little below par. The fact that they have their old choir director as their “mentor” was sweet, and I have to admit they grew on me a bit as their segment of the show progressed, but I’m not too disappointed seeing them go home, especially after the 3 top-notch groups that followed them (see below).
• Street Corner Symphony (Nashville, TN): Street Corner Symphony definitely seems like an endearingly down-home, close-knit group, and the story about one of the lead singers losing their record deal hit close to home. (My major is music, and I’m looking to be a musician, so although I haven’t gone through something like that yet, the realization that it could certainly happen to me in the future was very present.) The whole beer-drinking “unpractice” thing was kind of awkward, but also fun. And then they sang “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”…and it all came together. There were tiny, little, miniscule issues with their sound and blend, but 99% of it was pure, unadulterated good music. Their lead had a very natural flavor to his tone, and their harmonies (and the percussion) were done exceptionally well. It felt very intimate and inviting, something rare and special on a night where most of the groups were bringing their hardest-hitting numbers to the stage. Street Corner Symphony definitely earned my rapt attention, and although they’re personally not my absolute favorite, they’re pretty darn close. I can definitely see them winning the competition, and I would be quite happy with that.
• The Backbeats (Los Angeles, CA): Watching this group was an interesting roller coaster. Before the show even started, I was excited to see them…simply because of Courtney Jensen, a former member of Noteworthy (NOTEWORTHY!!! Sorry, I’m a total fanboy ) who can beatbox like no one’s business. Then the intro package came along and that Kenton guy rubbed me the wrong way. It kind of seemed like personality-wise, he was trying too hard. And then they took a trip to the beach and sounded OK in the small little snippets they sang, and I was wondering if they would be another SoCals (the group last year from LA that was good, but inconsistent and ultimately a bit annoying). Finally, the roller coaster prepared for its final change of altitude, as they launched into “If I Were A Boy”…and WOW, that was a terrific, terrific performance. Their lead singer…incredible. (Going from a very low, vulnerable alto range to soaring hights an octave above, all while sounding very consistent and beautiful? Major, major props to her.) Their harmonies? Top-notch. The beatboxing? Horrible. (Just kidding. It was COURTNEY FREAKIN’ JENSEN. Like it could be anything but bloody brilliant. ) Believe it or not, I literally had the beginnings of tears in my eyes by the end. The judges hit it right on the nose when they noted that the Backbeats tapped into something powerful and special within Beyonce’s song. I don’t know how they made a simple little pop ballad into a tour-de-force of emotion, but they did, and now they’re by far one of my favorites, and I’m most certainly pulling for them to make it to the finals.
• Committed (Huntsville, AL): Ooh, I liked them. (And judging from my glances around the Internet, a LOT of other people did too.) I was kind of worried at first during the intro package when they stated that secular, modern music was a whole new ballgame for them, and then promptly started looking in a record store, of all places (ummm…), but by the time their performance came along, all my doubts were gone. They really sold “This Love,” with a killer blend, outstanding lead vocalists, and a really incredible level of performance energy. (Plus the judges were hysterical here. Best judges’ critiquing moments of the night. ) Shawn, who was all blown away by Committed, was really onto something when he noted that the group really did well at translating their faith and dedication to non-gospel music…and with a Maroon 5 song, to boot. I really loved Committed, and it seems like I’m not alone in that. Another strong contender to win it all? I would say so.
• (And Men of Note were the second group tonight to go home. I wish them luck in their future endeavors. Perhaps not in their stalking random girls at the mall, though. )

There you have it! I’m of the opinion that this season of “The Sing-Off” looks to be even better than the first. Nick Lachey sounded slightly less wooden (though I still wish his brother Drew was hosting instead); Nicole was pretty much…just as crazy and loopy as last year, but she’s totally grown on me; Shawn definitely held his own; and Ben Folds still is an expert at bringing both a high level of music knowledge and fun into his critiques. Oh, and there’s a lot of great groups. That might have helped too. See y’all on Wednesday for the recap of Episode 2. Let me know what you think in the comments! Who did you love? Who did you hate? I also greatly welcome any suggestions on how I can improve my (still developing) recapping skills. And if you didn’t tune into NBC tonight to watch, make sure to seek it out online! You’ll definitely dig it.