“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 10 Recap: We’ve Only Just Begun

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Celebrity Guest Performances/Collaborations

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

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

Inspirational Tunes

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

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

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

Committed!

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

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

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

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

Superstar Medleys

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

Judges’ Choice

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

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

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

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

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

The Backbeats

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

Street Corner Symphony

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

Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town

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

On The Rocks

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

Groove For Thought

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

Committed

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

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

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

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

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

“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.