The Sing-Off, Season 2 Episode 1

What am I supposed to be doing?  Decorating my house.  What am I doing instead?  Watching "The Sing-Off".  Here we go, folks!


Opening number:  all of the groups singing snippets of "I've Got The Music In Me".
I applauded when I saw Jerry Lawson.  Great voices all around!  What a great start to the new season.  I'm looking forward to this, because the audition pool was a lot bigger this year, so the quality should be better this time around.


Nick introduces the judges as I roll my eyes at the first two.  Nicole's hair is very high.   


We then meet the singers of Eleventh Hour, from Fairmont High School in Kettering, Ohio.  They're so cute!  Are they supposed to be singing in the library like that?  Don't they get in trouble?  I like the cute "The Breakfast Club" references.  I love how they're fearless.  I wonder if they even know the name Jerry Lawson, not to mention that he and The Persuasions heavily influenced the founders of Rockapella.  


"Baby" by Justin Bieber
How cute that the teenyboppers are singing a teenybopper song!  I don't think that Jerry should sing that. ;)  They did a great job.  I like Kirk's hat.  OMG, Nicole, please stop talking.  


What?!  A Folger's commercial during an a cappella show, and it's not Rockapella?  Augh!


Next group: On The Rocks, from Eugene, OR (University of Oregon)
(Oh, I get it -- their assignment is to sing a signature song that captures their own style).  APPARENTLY, they became popular on YouTube singing "Bad Romance".  I'm out of it.  So, of course, this is their signature song.  


"Bad Romance" -- Lady Gaga
I like their choreography, because it makes me giggle.  The others kind of overwhelm their soloists, though.  Well, Ben, I disagree with you: if you are not on pitch, that cannot be overlooked by everyone.  Do you know what happens when one person is off pitch?  It can make the chord sound totally wrong and make the group sound bad.  I didn't totally notice it this time, probably because I was giggling.  But now I'm going to be listen more for the basses.


Groove For Thought -- Seattle, Washington
A lot of them are music teachers, so I'm having high hopes for them.


"I Wish" -- Stevie Wonder
I like that lead singer's voice.  That bass part sounds difficult, but he does it quite well.  I agree with Shawn about their likeness to Take 6.  Hey, that's one of my favorite groups, too, Shawn!  


Pitch Slapped -- Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA
Guess who went to school there?  Besides Steve Tyler.  Yup!  Jeff Thacher of Rockapella!  They have won 1st runner up in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.


"Good Girls Go Bad" -- Cobra Starship
Pitch was a  little bit off, especially in the beginning.  Nicole thinks the girls are hot.  Shawn thinks they need more middle, and Ben is looking forward to their ensemble work.  So, umm.....they weren't an ensemble tonight?  I saw and heard many voices up there.  I just didn't think that they were cohesive enough to have a Wall of Sound quality.


Jerry Lawson and Talk of the Town -- Oakland, CA
I love that they're showing Jerry's old group, The Persuasions!  Yay, a comeback!  Take it, Godfather!  


"Save The Last Dance" by Doc Pomus, recorded by Ben E King and The Drifters
I just love Jerry's voice.  I wonder if the other guys will ever sing lead, even though they're not in the group's name.  Shawn, showing some love!  Ben, showing some hidden goosebumps and love!  Nicole only knows how to show love.  Seriously, though, I almost cried while hearing Shawn talk about how Jerry's such an inspiration to everyone there.  I love that the producers didn't just pick young groups for this show.  I didn't know about the story behind the song, and that almost made me cry, too.  Thanks for the history lesson, Ben.


Results:
Moving forward to the next show:  Talk of the Town, Eleventh Hour, On The Rocks, and Groove for Thought.


Sorry, Pitch Slapped, but I agree with this decision.


Swan Song:  "Na Na Hey Hey, Kiss (us) Goodbye" by Gary DeCarlo
OK, they sang this one a lot better than their competition song.  I guess they just needed to relax.


On to the next 5 groups.


The Whiffenpoofs  -- Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
They've been featured on lots of TV shows, including "The West Wing".  I like all of the tradition, including the tuxes.  


"Grace Kelly"  by Mika
LIKE!  Their balance is beautiful, the harmonies are great, the song is fun, and they're clearly enjoying this.  I agree with Ben: the arrangement is fantastic.  Shawn is funny.  


Men of Note -- Cherry Hill, New Jersey
OK, I would love it if an a cappella group of guys followed me around the mall and serenaded me.  Can someone please arrange that for me?  They've won the International Championship of High School A Cappella.


"For the Longest Time" by Billy Joel
Well done, guys.  Their voices are quite strong though a little bit off-pitch at the beginning, so I disagree with Nicole on her comment about them sounding thin.  I'm wondering what a certain someone would do if Boyz II Men would have followed her around the mall in high school. ;)  I'd swoon.  


Street Corner Symphony -- Nashville, Tennessee
Ooh, I want to hear some southern music a cappella!  I like that word: "Unpractice".  I don't think they use it correctly, because that would be practicing then forgetting everything you practiced.  At least that's what it would mean to me.  Oh, that's right: I'm supposed to be reviewing the groups, not their grammar.


"Everybody Wants to Rule The World" by Tears for Fears
Uh-oh, the lead singer couldn't get down to the lowest note in the title phrase.  It's also not a southern song.  Dude, I wanted to hear some bluegrass.  Why is their signature song not something southern?  Why is it British?  


The Backbeats -- Los Angeles, California
I like that they're made up of people from competitive collegiate ensembles, and am curious as to their blend since they don't usually sing together.


"If I Were A Boy" by Beyonce
Go, girl!  Way to put the emotion into it, and sing it strong!  Now Nicole has goosebumps, but she's not wearing a sweater.  Shawn's a sucker for altos.  I'm now a sucker for Shawn. (Oh, wait. That doesn't sound right.)  Shawn's love for Altos makes me love him even more.  (Better?)


Committed -- Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama
Hmmm...I'm already enjoying the background vocals as they do the bio.  


"This Love" by Maroon 5
Ooh, they have a Take 6 sound.  Nicole is rocking out!  A couple of chords were off, but not jarringly so.  I think Shawn likes them, what do you think? ;)  I agree with him about the raw talent that you get to hear on the a cappella stage.  A cappella music is just the ultimate display of musical talent to my ears, so anyone that can sing it well brings a smile to my face, and yes, sometimes, a musical orgasm. ;)  I wonder who would do that for me?  FIVE DAYS!!!


Results:


Moving forward to the next show:  Committed, The Backbeats, The Whiffenpoofs, Street Corner Symphony


Men of Note goes home.  I would have been fine with either them or SCS leaving, but I do want to hear some country.


Swan Song: "Take A Bow" by Rihanna
That was pretty. 


Ooh, previews from the boxes!  Wait.  If these songs are what they're singing next week, SCS is still not singing southern music.  Whatevs.


For CASA's bios of the groups, go here:  http://www.casa.org/content/sing-season-2-group-profiles.


Oh my gosh, they're already going to be back on Wednesday.  I'm not going to get anything done!