We’re coming to the end of the Armchair Director (and Judge’s) posts on the Sing Off for 2013. The ratings seem to indicate that this will definitely be back for next season. Hopefully, they can find a way to put it on the schedule more than once in a year. granted, I’m a very greedy fan of the series.
Of course while it’s off the air, I’ll be continuing the Armchair series. I’m going to be keeping Erin on as so many of you have read her posts and given it likes and +1s and the such on social media. Please also feel free to share our links if you enjoy them. Like anything in the interwebz your voice raises other voices. And in A Cappella, who could ask for more.
Of course this begs the question… what would you like the armchair(s) to look at next? And… if it’s not something we review… is it something you’d like us to reserve _you_ an armchair for?
But I greatly digress because here comes the Penultimate 2013 Sing Off Episode. The “Judge’s Choice.” Firstoff, thanks to Erin for her post on this episode. (She was so nervous that she got her post up before mine. Personally, I thought it was fantastic 😉
Of course every episode starts with a “Flashback.”
This week’s production piece was “Shake It Out.” As opposed to last episode’s “Dirty Dancing” intro; this one packed in the ‘OOMPH’ that was certainly lost in the previous. With only four groups in the production combined with the experience of working with the production team; you can really begin to tune harmonies better. those tunings definitely showed bringing a very beautiful and nigh-angelic blend. The piece was just fantastic.
Time for the Theme and Nick to get us started.
One elimination tonight to get us to our final 3 for Monday’s BIIIIG finale. More on that at the end. Nick re-introduces us to the groups (which I think everyone else either has a favourite or happily like me is utterly stumped.) Nick, then does the short introduction of the judges. (For two hour episodes they respond, in one hour episodes they smile as their Twitter ID embosses on the screen)
Last episode was Party Anthems, this episode the judges have something truly terrifying in store for the groups. That’s right… Nick Lachey will be the mentor. Well, I guess the boy band is happy 😉 Tonight’s episode is “Judge’s Choice.” I like moving that back from the ‘Post vote’ episode. This lets the group get into their element under the gun one last time. It gives them the chance to say, “I know this song is a ‘Gimme’ now what can we do to surprise you and Give back.” To this day, I think PTX’s “Dog Days are Over” makes Florence and the Machine’s version sound like a bad cover. And the song was from the latter.
Nick as Mentor had one nice statement:
Dreams are the Foundation of Creativity
And I think that is really important on infinite levels in any line of work or play. It’s not just for this show.
1. The Filharmonic – “Baby I need your Lovin'” – The Four Tops
What I said:
To think that I’d ever enjoy a 90’s boy band. These guys have a locked in sound. They have a style and swagger to match. Finally, they have an ear for arrangement and performance that really pulls people in. After the last episode they also have figured out how to rip their hearts to shreds to bring it to the next level. Whereas Vocal Rush comes unglued when they have fun, The Filharmonic becomes unglued when they don’t put the full emotion in. Filharmonic needs to keep focus, not make tuning errors, and be as openly honest and without fear as Vocal Rush. Low odds, but I think they have a better chance of overcoming/hiding their shortfalls better than Vocal Rush does.
Why it was picked:
Shawn Stockman: Boy bands aren’t just a creation of the 90s. They existed in the 80’s the 70’s. You have to get out of just the 90 sound and go to the root of where this came from. To Shawn Stockman this means going all the way to The Four Tops. This is an iconic example of the type of sound that it all comes from. What Stockman and the judges need to see is that the harmonies stay locked. Practice them. In Nick’s mentoring he tells the group that 98 Degrees would practice by breaking the harmonies into pairs, singing two parts on their own, then bringing them back together.
Going In:
I gave The Filharmonic 12.5:1 with a slight edge over Vocal Rush. These two groups have very specific (and at times opposite problems.) It’s up to both of them to see who can fix themselves better. Filharmonic has the numbers and the technique, Vocal Rush has the Passion.
The Performance:
It was clean. The brought the harmonies in tighter. They had a mature show. he choreography definitely fit the style. There was some build. But there’s where the problem was. There was some build but not enough. The crowd loved them (which is sadly hard to gauge the level of authenticity vs. Televised engineering). The ending was just a bit on the abrupt side. Honestly, I (and likely the judges) wanted more.
The Judges:
Shawn: Slick Choreography. Figured how to get the screams. Build up didn’t get any higher. You need to get to the full build.
Jewel: Definitely locked the harmonies. Let a classic be a classic. Shows restraint and maturity.
Ben: Took the notes and worked on the pitch. Dropped the rhythm ball. That sells a lot of record. Still got a little ways to go
At this point I have The Filharmonic on the Bottom. (Sad day… As always, I do like them all)
NBC cut to a break and after one commercial there was a technical glitch. (Was this national or local?) The NBC peacock image was on the screen, rotated some colours and then went away. It did this for about 3-4 times. I referred to is as Hypno-Peacock for the fans of Futurama out there. The show came back only slightly into Nick’s welcome back.
2. Ten – “Proud Mary” – Ike and Tina Turner
What I said:
I was not a big fan of Ten going in. Gospel and R&B has to kick me so hard I’m grateful for it to really touch me. Ten’s initial foray was very scattered. You could tell it was 10 really good singers looking to come together. While it’s not obvious from the crunched in schedule; taping for this series was over weeks rather than days. Ten has obviously matured and coalesced into a group. They will only get better with each performance. Good odds for survival tonight.
Why it was picked:
Ben Folds: Ben’s comments are short. We really think that Ten can make this song explode. The intro talks about how Skyfall was very strong for them stylistically, but the group is overjoyed at this choice. They are certain that the judges have no idea how much of a “Gimme” this one is. They are certain that they will “Blow the roof off.” From a mentoring point of view the group asks Nick how to maintain respect within the group. He talks about how any number of group members will have disagreements, but you ALWAYS keep the respect. Don’t confuse conflict with lack of respect. (Good advice)
Going In:
My odds of survival for Ten were a near even 2:1. Ten’s biggest problem was the obvious lack of cohesion for a new group. Ten has very clearly conquered that. Now they stand toe to toe with the other strong groups and their real issue is finding a unique sound that tells us what the group is beyond straight Gospel/R&B. Sadly, this song is not really going to give them a lot of room to get out of that niche. As long as they don’t utterly fall apart, they are in.
The Performance:
I love the narrative opening. It put’s a “Kids, sit down while the grown ups give you a lesson in music” and of course then explodes. It was a slow entry and then a wild ride. This packed a lot of punch. Granted, they are up against the MIGHTY Tina Turner. They hold their own well. And the lead singer does some great Tina. It’s fun, it may be a bit too much. This does not affect the singing. I loved it. But they probably could even have been wilder. I have mental images of live performances from the late 60’s and early 70’s where it was just a PARTY. This was a Party, it just didn’t reach PARTY
The Judges:
Ben: That was really strong. The intro was so perfectly behind the beat. Don’t fall back on the muscle. DOn’t be afraid to take risks.
Shawn: Very Proud. Deedee killed it. No doubt while you’re still in it. Because I know how powerful you are.. The DooDoo was to tame. Get the blowback effect. Still more to give.
Jewel: Big shoes to fill DeeDee, you did a great job. Great Growl. Still hit the clear crystal tone. Looks as artists. We need to see you as an artists. Missing identity outside of Gospel. What kind of records do you want to cut.
My ranking:
- –
- Ten
- –
- The Filharmonic
Going into commercial:
Shawn comments that it was still too mellow.
From Twitter:
@elielandau (Of who I have become a fan and now follow) “Wait. You don’t understand their identity outside of gospel, but you gave them “Proud Mary”? What did you think they would do?”
3. Home Free – “Colder Weather” – Zac Brown Band
What I said:
A Cappella-Country with a great cross over sound, a stunning lead vocalist, an unbelievable bass (No worries, still a fan of the Avi the Bass Canon), and of course who could forget, a beard! Home Free has a sound that isn’t just original, it’s tight and creative. I was worried in the early weeks that they were getting formulaic, but they managed to find a surprise in each episode. Good odds for survival tonight.
Why it was picked:
Jewel points out that they haven’t really touched on the ballad during the run of the series. This will force them to bring up the emotional tug of a song. In the intro Nick mentors the group to Hone in on the emotion of the song. They need to ‘feel it’ otherwise the audience won’t ‘buy it.’ The emotion needs to come from a real place. The pre-produced skit is humourous as they all go in to a barbershop to get cleaned up and suggest that Rob “The Beard” has shaved. Which he hadn’t. But fun.
Going in:
I gave Home Free 2.5:1 or just slightly less than Ten’s chances to survive. Meaning these are my two top picks. Home Free has truly found the way give us a slightly different look with songs and I have no doubt (Too soon?) that they will give an amazing ballad and clearly sail to the final 3.
The Performance:
Rob “The Beard” leads the vocals. This is a huge change. It’s not as strong as Tim or Austin, but it is pure and honest. This is hugely what the judges wanted. As the tempo comes up the other vocalists come in. Austin brings in the next wave. There’s almost no choreography, but the sound and the emotion are clear. This group has nailed what they needed to.
The Judges:
Shawn: Rob: Wow. That was really nice to hear you step out. Austin: This boy is a beast. A slight fluctuation in pitch. Still a treat.
Ben: As artists some of the best stuff is the scariest stuff. If you can step off the ledge… Do it. Get out of your comfort some. Great generous performance.
Jewel: Less is more when you have talent. And you do. You shy away from your comfort zone. Austin don’t be afraid of your comfort zone.
My ranking:
- Home Free
- Ten
- –
- The Filharmonic
From Twitter:
@IoannesMartinus (John Martin Tenor from season 2’s Street Corner Symphony) – So, when Shawn said there were some pitch issues, did he mean that one IV chord that wasn’t quite solid?
4. Vocal Rush – “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark” – Fallout Boy
What I said:
Every episode they show more depth, more maturity, and more style. This group has so many different and eclectic weapons in their musical arsenal to call from. Vocal Rush’ ongoing danger has come from their biggest asset. They know no fear. The put it all honestly out there and that means if it’s fun, they are going to bring the party. And the care-free attitude is where the really hard hitting songs begin to break down. If they can conquer this, they’re in… If they let it get away from them, the other thing that will get away is the competition. Sadly… Lowest odds for survival tonight.
Why it was picked:
Back to Ben Folds. They’ve been singing a lot of ‘Old People’ music. Time to sing something from their time. In the Intro the group talks about how they feel like they’ve transformed from being just “Those High School kids” into a respected team on the show. They feel they have an enormous chip on their shoulder and want to prove that they can make it all the way.
Going in:
I gave Vocal Rush the worst odds to make it into the finals. At the time I felt badly. Barring a home run or a complete meltdown, combined with the Filharmonic not really bringing it, I am pretty sure they are in. The question is how badly will they have to fight in an “Ultimate Sing Off” if it’s not a home run?
The Performance:
Vocal Rush has been holding back. The old songs they work for. This was the first time I heard them sound effortless. This was also a new experience for me. They made “The Wall Of Sound” work for me. And I don’t say that lightly. The energy did not damage the harmonies. While I acknowledge my ear is not best for that; they sounded better than they ever have. The energy from the group was astounding. I’m honestly believing this was their first home run if not a grand slam.
The Judges:
Jewel: You did so many things right. You sound like an artist. Collective Identity. You lived up to the pyro blast.
Ben: I was rocking. First time I was glad to be wearing glasses. Playful drama. Only thing I noticed: the 5 chord below the chorus.
Shawn: You take on every song with reckless abandon. You take it on full. With every song. Technically: The bridge was so hyped that you didn’t give yourself to take it down before up again. The little things. The schmaltz.
My ranking:
- Vocal Rush
- Home Free
- Ten
- The Filharmonic
My call for the Ultimate Sing Off:
Ten takes apart The Filharmonic
First off for the group vs. group for who’s safe
- Home Free vs. Ten
- Home Free: Stars. Professional. Lost the pitch at the top. Hasn’t really stepped off the ledge.
- Ten: United in praise at DeeDee’s solo. At times too mellow. Needs to take BIGGER risks
- Safe: Home Free
- USO: Ten
- The Filharmonic vs Vocal Rush
- Filharmonic: Dropped the ball on rhythm and arrangement
- Vocal Rush: Rocked out. Bridge missed the chance to go to the next level.
- Safe: Vocal Rush
- USO: The Filharmonic
The final song is “Should I Stay or Should I Go” which I think while the topic is relevant, the song is a 6-alarm WTF for both groups.
Neither group has a really astounding performance here. Ten is a little muddy while Filharmonic is back into rhythm but lost some of the show. Both had good and bad points but neither group really reached me enough to put many more notes down beyond that. Performance-wise I think The Filharmonic may have edged Ten here. But taking into consideration their earlier performance, and where I think both groups potential lie in the series. I’m thinking the judges will pick Ten.
Each group speaks about how they feel:
- Ten: It would mean everything to make it to the finale. But if not. It means everything to us
- Joe: Making it this far… we’re so far. We just want to represent for a cappella. We’re happy.
The Judges decide to save Ten.
Next Episode: Last Episode of the year (and hopefully not the series…again)
Monday @ 8pm the 2 hr finale.
Performance from the groups, the judges, Nick (and 98 degrees), Pentatonix, other survivors?
Downside. No live show, no fan voting. Hopefully no charity editing.
About 3 weeks ago we were referred by a friend and fellow parent to a site called #Pleygo. An interesting service hailed as Netflix meets Lego. You subscribe and get a stream of lego sets sent to you. Depending on the plan (low, medium, and high) you can pick from different sets. Medium for example would be about $30 a month and sets would be about $85 on the shelf to buy.
Erin and I have been discussing the episode and you can expect our write ups before the holiday. But before we put them up I need to put up what seems like a gratuitous tweet.
A few thoughts going into Monday’s Sing-Off Season 4 Finale (this is being written before Monday’s show and does not take into account any of Monday’s performances).
Episode 6 – “Judges’ Choice”
