Since Pentatonix became a fairly big thing, The Sing Off is back. Are any of the newbies as good as Pentatonix?
1) Vocal Rush- Bottom Of The River
From Oakland, CA. The youngest group. They are high school students. I really like them in their package. I think they could be underdogs. People don’t expect kids to be really good at this style. I think there are 12 in this group. I can’t quite tell. I really like this cover. What a way to kick off the show. The lead girl is pretty incredible. The choice to stomp in places during the song is really cool. They incorporate stepping a bit too, which adds to their percussion. Loved it. Love them. I would buy that track right now. They’re from a performing arts high school. I’d send my kids to that school if they can sound like this.
2) Home Free- Cruise
They do 250 shows a year. So they should be fairly polished. They’re like a country acapella group. I don’t love them instantly like I did Vocal Rush. They might grow on me. They do have a SICK bass singer. The notes he’s hitting are ridiculous.
3) The Princeton Footnotes- I Knew You Were Trouble
Some of these college groups are a little cheesy from past seasons. Will they overcome that? I think they are a little cheesy, but I love this arrangement. This song is killer as an acapella arrangement. The second lead soloist is really good. There are a lot of people in this group. I like them, but I don’t love them. They didn’t get great feedback, they might be in danger this group.
4) Calle Sol- Pon De Replay
A latino group. They say they are fighting for minorities that have a hard time getting to the top. In music? I don’t think that’s as big a problem as they think. I don’t thin their arrangement is as complicated as the others we’ve heard tonight. I also don’t love their female voice tones. I’ve also heard better beatboxers. This is probably my least favorite group of the night, but compared to talent on other singing competitions, they are still fantastic. It is just apples and oranges. Ben Folds brings up that it’s a lot of sound on top, and not much on the bottom. There really isn’t a middle either.
5) Street Corner Renaissance- What Makes You Beautiful
A barbershop style group. The oldest group in the competition. I really like this style. These guys are polished. I love the old school vibe they bring to the show. So far every group brings their own thing to the table, and I’m definitely loving what these guys bring.
One of the first five groups will be in the bottom two. I’m hoping Calle Sol is in the bottom. Street Corner Renaissance, Vocal Rush, and Home Free are the first three safe. Calle Sol is the final group safe. The Princeton Footnotes are in the bottom two.
6) Ten- Tell Me Something Good
From Dallas, TX. They’re all background singers. They have a gospel foundation. I love their sound, just not this arrangement. I think that in order to win, they need to pick better material, because these guys/girls can sing their faces off. The lead girl is terrific. Perfection. Probably the best lead singer I’ve heard tonight. That Summertime rendition they were doing in the preview would have been much better. I was really digging it.
7) Element- Burn
All female group. Different backgrounds. Some of them are music theater girls. They are getting some good low notes out of one of the girls. That’s a pretty good beatboxer to get that bass in there… as a girl. I didn’t love it, I just liked it. I think this group could grow on me.
8) Voiceplay-Feel This Moment
They’re from Orlando, and I’ve nver heard of them. They perform at Universal Studios. The girl has an interesting tone to her voice. I like them, and not just because they are from Orlando. The guy who sings crazy high is amazing. This is one of my favorites of the night. I’d buy that record. I actually think it sounded better than the original.
9) The Filharmonic-Treasure
They are influenced by 90′s boy bands. Another group I now love. Strong beatboxing. The second lead singer is really good. Soulful voice. He should sing lead more. These guys will go far. I can feel it.
10) The AcoUstiKats- Blurred Lines
They’re from the University of Kentucky. They seem more laid back than the Princeton group. That capital U bugs me. That lead falsetto in the beginning was wonky. The black guy that sings a lot of lead isn’t very good. I hate his falsetto. The other lead guy isn’t that good either, but the falsetto needs to stop. I’d send these guys home. This song is fantastic as an acapella arrangement, and these guys were marred by their leads. I think they’re a decent group, but they need to rotate those leads out. Permanently. Of the group.
Who will be in the bottom against the Princeton group? I’m hoping for the AcoUstiKats. The first three safe are the Filharmonic, Ten, and the AcoUstikats. Damn. Voiceplay or Element? I’d rather see Element be in the bottom. The fourth group safe is Element. Voiceplay will face off against the Princeton Footnotes.
The Final Sing Off. They both have to sing the same song. They’re singing Bye Bye Bye.
The lead guy on Princeton isn’t very good. Very throaty sound. I like Voiceplay. NSYNC is from Orlando. it would really be silly for Voiceplay to leave on this song. LOL. Princeton is very cheesy. They resort a lot to heavy unison. I give it to Voiceplay, but then again, I didn’t think they should be in the bottom to begin with. One group will go home.
They save Voiceplay. The Princeton Footnotes are eliminated.
My rankings of the remaining groups:
9th- The AcoUstikats
8th- Calle Sol
7th- Element
6th- Home Free
5th- Ten
4th- Street Corner Renaissance
3rd- Voiceplay
2nd- The Filharmonic
1st-Vocal Rush
I’m really happy this show is back. What did you think of the premiere?
