I love these big all group opening numbers - they're so big and there's so much energy. Ooh - it's a medley! I know a kick ass dance fitness routine to "Die Young", if anyone is interested. I'm not sure I'm in love with the country twist to the Ke$ha song. Okay, I am so into anything that the Filharmonics do - how adorable! That was SO FUN. Also, imagine how challenging it is to keep that many people on pitch at the same time.
Nick Lachey doesn't age, does he? He also wants us to know that a capella means "without instruments". Shocking. I like the notion of Ben Folds as a "musical mad scientist". When did Jewel have a dance hit? BYO-Pitch Pipe. Oh Nick Lachey.
Vocal Rush - "Gonna Make You Sweat"
The girl doing the CeCe Peniston part can wail! What a strong start! They're dressed like a Old Navy ad. This is really high energy. The choreography is showing their youth. I like this do-do-do breakdown section. Overall this was good - particularly for their age - but it was lacking... something. I agree with Jewel but the lead vocalist was awesome. I like that their perc-ist is wearing a cable knit sweater. Way to defy stereotypes, girl! I also enjoy Shawn's "you weren't born yet" crack. Maybe it's Ben's "groove" that I think is missing?
HomeFree - "Life Is A Highway"
Okay, first of all, friends, this is not a Rascall Flats song. It's a Tom Cochrane song; his version is much better. Also, I'm not sold on this as a "party anthem" - they should've done "Save a Horse; Ride A Cowboy". "My hips lie." BAHAHAHA. I get what they're trying to do but this opening sounds really robotic - and not in a great way. It's so obvious these guys do this together; they're blend is so spot on. This BIG chorus sounds amazing. KEY CHANGE - and it also sounds great. I still think the non-bass lead singer has a super smarmy look about him. After a shaky start, I thought that got really strong and was a pretty great performance. Ooh, Professor Shawn Stockman is going to tell us howto do music. I like it. I agree with Ben that the perc was really good. I also like that he calls him 'the drummer'. I think the crux of the judges' feedback is that these guys have a strong brand and know how to work within it. All good feedback. I also love how excited Mr. Smarmy was about Shawn Stockman complimenting him. (I'll quit ragging on him now.)
VoicePlay - "Play That Funky Music"
I am not sure how I feel about these shiny suits. I am also not sure how I feel about all the pelvic thrusting that's happening. The girl sounds a lot better than she did last week. I like the rap section - it was surprising. I thought that was really clever, well-arranged and almost flawlessly delivered. I liked it - and liked them a lot better than last week. I like that Shawn called the guy with the high note "big baby".
Street Corner Renaissance - "Do You Love Me"
I love how respectful they are of Shawn Stockman. Ooh! And I really love that he's getting perc lessons! What a great opening! Homeboy's got some moves! I know that do-wop is supposed to be simpler but I wish the backing arrangement was just a little more creative; it sounds so plain compared to some of the other arrangements. I also miss the passing around of the lead that they did last week. Those are nitpicks though - these guys are such class acts and that was a really fun performance!
Element - "Raise Your Glass"
Shut up about being "the all female group". I feel like this song may be a risky choice because most people who are into a capella know the Warblers version and that one is amazing (and backed by the Bubs). Through the first verse, there was something in the backing was distracting - it was over-complicated (man; I am hard to please today, huh?). The unison parts sound great - and the leads are really strong. KEY CHANGE! I like that they took the judges' advice from last week and their "BIG" be a bigger differential away from their "not big"; this performance built a lot better. Ben & Shawn agree with me!
The acoUstiKats - "Hey Ya"
Okay, so this is going to be tough. Because the Buffalo Chips did a version of "Hey Ya" that was pretty much the best thing ever. I mean, their perc-ist sang, perc-ed, and slapped his butt at the same time. It's a fond college memory for me. Okay, this guy singing lead can get it. I wish they would have let the first guy sing longer; I liked him better in this song than the second guy. That was really good. I liked the Soul Train, the energy, the arrangement. Also, they have a BIG sound. Not completely sold on the high kicks, but hey. That was really solid. I agree with the recommendation to pass the lead around more. "Acousti-Cougar!" Nick Lachey, you are ON FIRE.
Calle Sol - "La Vida Loca"
Aww, this song takes me back to high school. My mom had a really big crush on Ricky Martin. Ooooh, this is the slow jam version! I like that these guys are obviously performers - they do some "acting" which I enjoy. I liked the New York City breakdown part. It felt a little slow? And still a little empty. Overall, not bad, but definitely not great. I disagree with Shawn; I liked the slow jam start. I thought Jewel's comments are spot on. I also feel badly for the girl crying; that's got to be hard.
Ten - "Hot in Here"
Oh, this song also takes me back to college. What up Daily Planet! Holy crap, I want someone to sing me "Happy Birthday" like that! This guy singing lead at the very beginning can also get it. Boom! I like the wall of sound arrangement - this has a really good groove - and it sounds like it could be played in a club; you're literally not missing anything by missing instrumentation or production. That was really good. "I don't even begin to defrock until it's 98 degrees." BEN FOLDS, I BOW DOWN TO YOU.
The Filharmonic - "This Is How We Do It"
They are so adorable. Wall of sound! It sounds just a little rushed in the first verse? Again, it's such a big sound for just six guys. I'm enjoying their 90s boy band moves! The second lead is pretty much the cutest little thing ever and I like the slow jam break. As well as the rock step-kick move. That was awesome.
Okay, so who's in the bottom two. Calle Sol, obviously. I would send Element. But it's probably between Element, Vocal Rush and the acUstiKats for the second spot. Oh man, I totally called the bottom four. I am really good at this. (Side note: I feel like the college groups are having a tough time of it so far, but I think it's because neither of these groups is as good as the 'Bubs or the group from Dartmouth, both of which had tremendous success on this show.) This is the acoUstiKats to lose - based on the judges' notes earlier, Calle Sol is pretty much done.
Did we learn nothing from the Pitch Perfect audition montage? This song is hard to sing. I don't know why the acoUstiKats are so committed to this guy as the lead. He sounds "too classical" in pretty much every performance. The acoUstiKats have a better arrangement and full sound, the Calle Sol soloists are better (makes sense, given the song). This could go either way, but I still think Calle Sol is done. They just don't have a big or blended enough sound to keep up. And, I was right. I think in order to be successful going forward, they're going to need to figure out some other lead singers (might I recommend guy who sang on Hey Ya first?) and tone down the schmaltz just a bit.
Nick Lachey doesn't age, does he? He also wants us to know that a capella means "without instruments". Shocking. I like the notion of Ben Folds as a "musical mad scientist". When did Jewel have a dance hit? BYO-Pitch Pipe. Oh Nick Lachey.
Vocal Rush - "Gonna Make You Sweat"
The girl doing the CeCe Peniston part can wail! What a strong start! They're dressed like a Old Navy ad. This is really high energy. The choreography is showing their youth. I like this do-do-do breakdown section. Overall this was good - particularly for their age - but it was lacking... something. I agree with Jewel but the lead vocalist was awesome. I like that their perc-ist is wearing a cable knit sweater. Way to defy stereotypes, girl! I also enjoy Shawn's "you weren't born yet" crack. Maybe it's Ben's "groove" that I think is missing?
HomeFree - "Life Is A Highway"
Okay, first of all, friends, this is not a Rascall Flats song. It's a Tom Cochrane song; his version is much better. Also, I'm not sold on this as a "party anthem" - they should've done "Save a Horse; Ride A Cowboy". "My hips lie." BAHAHAHA. I get what they're trying to do but this opening sounds really robotic - and not in a great way. It's so obvious these guys do this together; they're blend is so spot on. This BIG chorus sounds amazing. KEY CHANGE - and it also sounds great. I still think the non-bass lead singer has a super smarmy look about him. After a shaky start, I thought that got really strong and was a pretty great performance. Ooh, Professor Shawn Stockman is going to tell us howto do music. I like it. I agree with Ben that the perc was really good. I also like that he calls him 'the drummer'. I think the crux of the judges' feedback is that these guys have a strong brand and know how to work within it. All good feedback. I also love how excited Mr. Smarmy was about Shawn Stockman complimenting him. (I'll quit ragging on him now.)
VoicePlay - "Play That Funky Music"
I am not sure how I feel about these shiny suits. I am also not sure how I feel about all the pelvic thrusting that's happening. The girl sounds a lot better than she did last week. I like the rap section - it was surprising. I thought that was really clever, well-arranged and almost flawlessly delivered. I liked it - and liked them a lot better than last week. I like that Shawn called the guy with the high note "big baby".
Street Corner Renaissance - "Do You Love Me"
I love how respectful they are of Shawn Stockman. Ooh! And I really love that he's getting perc lessons! What a great opening! Homeboy's got some moves! I know that do-wop is supposed to be simpler but I wish the backing arrangement was just a little more creative; it sounds so plain compared to some of the other arrangements. I also miss the passing around of the lead that they did last week. Those are nitpicks though - these guys are such class acts and that was a really fun performance!
Element - "Raise Your Glass"
Shut up about being "the all female group". I feel like this song may be a risky choice because most people who are into a capella know the Warblers version and that one is amazing (and backed by the Bubs). Through the first verse, there was something in the backing was distracting - it was over-complicated (man; I am hard to please today, huh?). The unison parts sound great - and the leads are really strong. KEY CHANGE! I like that they took the judges' advice from last week and their "BIG" be a bigger differential away from their "not big"; this performance built a lot better. Ben & Shawn agree with me!
The acoUstiKats - "Hey Ya"
Okay, so this is going to be tough. Because the Buffalo Chips did a version of "Hey Ya" that was pretty much the best thing ever. I mean, their perc-ist sang, perc-ed, and slapped his butt at the same time. It's a fond college memory for me. Okay, this guy singing lead can get it. I wish they would have let the first guy sing longer; I liked him better in this song than the second guy. That was really good. I liked the Soul Train, the energy, the arrangement. Also, they have a BIG sound. Not completely sold on the high kicks, but hey. That was really solid. I agree with the recommendation to pass the lead around more. "Acousti-Cougar!" Nick Lachey, you are ON FIRE.
Calle Sol - "La Vida Loca"
Aww, this song takes me back to high school. My mom had a really big crush on Ricky Martin. Ooooh, this is the slow jam version! I like that these guys are obviously performers - they do some "acting" which I enjoy. I liked the New York City breakdown part. It felt a little slow? And still a little empty. Overall, not bad, but definitely not great. I disagree with Shawn; I liked the slow jam start. I thought Jewel's comments are spot on. I also feel badly for the girl crying; that's got to be hard.
Ten - "Hot in Here"
Oh, this song also takes me back to college. What up Daily Planet! Holy crap, I want someone to sing me "Happy Birthday" like that! This guy singing lead at the very beginning can also get it. Boom! I like the wall of sound arrangement - this has a really good groove - and it sounds like it could be played in a club; you're literally not missing anything by missing instrumentation or production. That was really good. "I don't even begin to defrock until it's 98 degrees." BEN FOLDS, I BOW DOWN TO YOU.
The Filharmonic - "This Is How We Do It"
They are so adorable. Wall of sound! It sounds just a little rushed in the first verse? Again, it's such a big sound for just six guys. I'm enjoying their 90s boy band moves! The second lead is pretty much the cutest little thing ever and I like the slow jam break. As well as the rock step-kick move. That was awesome.
Okay, so who's in the bottom two. Calle Sol, obviously. I would send Element. But it's probably between Element, Vocal Rush and the acUstiKats for the second spot. Oh man, I totally called the bottom four. I am really good at this. (Side note: I feel like the college groups are having a tough time of it so far, but I think it's because neither of these groups is as good as the 'Bubs or the group from Dartmouth, both of which had tremendous success on this show.) This is the acoUstiKats to lose - based on the judges' notes earlier, Calle Sol is pretty much done.
Did we learn nothing from the Pitch Perfect audition montage? This song is hard to sing. I don't know why the acoUstiKats are so committed to this guy as the lead. He sounds "too classical" in pretty much every performance. The acoUstiKats have a better arrangement and full sound, the Calle Sol soloists are better (makes sense, given the song). This could go either way, but I still think Calle Sol is done. They just don't have a big or blended enough sound to keep up. And, I was right. I think in order to be successful going forward, they're going to need to figure out some other lead singers (might I recommend guy who sang on Hey Ya first?) and tone down the schmaltz just a bit.
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