S07.E12: The Knockouts, Part 2

[waving feather]

I looooved Troy's performance. There's something so free and joyful about this guy's performances. He always seems to be having a blast on stage and I love that. Taylor has a nice voice but was kind of like a singing robot. I'm most sorry to see Troy go out of all the eliminated contestants because he's the most unpredictable and has a great voice with big potential. Alas, this doesn't seem to be the stage to take risks. Also evident by Toia's elimination.

[photo fox]

Guys, I moved the Adam Lambert discussion over to the "Voice vs. American Idol" topic. ;-)

[Minim]

Very sorry to see Troy go. Yes, he seems like a Valley-surfer cross, but he’s one of the better entertainers to have been on the show and I love his voice, reminds me a bit of Graham Parker c. ‘Squeezing Out Sparks’. His performance was the most enjoyable I’ve seen (probably since Cody), even though the dancing was goofy (taking his cue from the Fine Young Cannibals dorky dancing maybe? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruT7MUQ42aQ)  and he didn’t have perfect vocals.

 

I agree with the poster up-thread who said Troy probably should’ve followed the Cody route - safe heartfelt ballad, working up to more energetic/flamboyant performances if he’d advanced. But I don’t think Gwen would’ve taken him through anyway. Maybe it’s just editing, but 3NTaylor seems like one of her favourites and a big hit with the other coaches. Me - I find he performs in ‘an almost Zen-like state of woodenness’ (TM Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian). I’ll admit my judgment may be clouded by my hatred of hipster hats and professions to be oh-so-deep, and the fact that I love the original song, but the slow-it-down= solemn-and-meaningful thing has been done to death.  

 

Ricky, yes, very good, sounds like he’s working hard, but, sorry, he seems like another been there done that contestant. I didn’t make it through the whole performance. Elyjuh (sp.?) at least has the potential to be interesting. Losing the auditioning-for-Glee exaggerated facial expressions would help. I only watched the performances or parts thereof, so didn’t see Pharrell trying to justify choosing the weaker performer as the winner, but I think all the coaches have done this at one point or another. Agree Juhi may have been the most egregious example of this.

 

The show seems to be getting more and more karaoke singers, especially teens, and fewer singer-songwriters/musicians. A shame IMO. I know the show is called the Voice, but how often has best vocalist actually won the show? Tessanne is probably the only example. So why not encourage more musical diversity and interesting performers like Troy, and stop with the darned Whitney covers? (Yes, I’m a hater. Hate Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and all music of that ilk too.)

[viajero]

I have to admit I'm really surprised that so many people here are not familiar with the Gary Jules version of Mad World.   It felt like it was all over the place a decade ago.  His stripped down version of the Tears for Fears classic for the movie soundtrack to Donnie Darko was a huge hit pretty much worldwide, going to No. 1 in the UK and doing very well in several other countries.  While its true that Jules version didn't make Top 20 in the US until after Adam Lambert did it on AI, it did get a lot of radio play and was used in episodes of numerous US TV series (CSI, House, etc.)

 

Adam Lambert basically did a more vocally elaborate theatrical cover of the song that while showing off his immense vocal ability, also lost some of the understated rawness that made the Jules version so effective.  If Taylor 3-Names came across like a "singing robot", I think it was because he was trying to stay closer to the way Jules performs the song.  For instance, here's a great live version of Jules singing the song on German TV:

 

 

(I wasn't sure if I should put this here or over in the Voice vs. AI thread as my intention was primarily to comment on the Jules version.  Please move it if you think it should go there)

Edited November 2, 2014 by viajero

[Donny Ketchum]

I hate that Allesandra got double montaged, because I didn't really get a feel for the type of artist she is.

Alessandra was only montaged once -- through the blinds.  But she had her victorious Battle Round with Joe shown, and her lost Knockout showdown with Mia shown, as well.

[Wandering Snark]

Well, just found my "look alike" guess who?

 

[amaranta]

I have to admit I'm really surprised that so many people here are not familiar with the Gary Jules version of Mad World.

 

Yeah, me too.  I fell in love with his (w/ Michael Andrews') version over a decade ago and, as far as I can tell, it's that arrangement that is frequently covered.

 

That said, I preferred Taylor x3 performance to Troy's; Taylor seemed more connected.  And Troy's "Dad dancing" seemed really inorganic and forced. 

[hks]

 

Pharrell is a producer first and foremost, so maybe he's hearing something in Elyjuh's voice (which, those runs up high and down low were incredible) that he can see as potentially being very successful.  Plus, all three of Pharrell's steals have come from Gwen's team, and two of her 3 steals from his team.  I wouldn't be remotely surprised if Pharrell looked over, saw that Gwen was literally in tears listening to Ricky sing, and a wordless exchange cemented their agreement "Okay, you promise to steal Ricky if I pick Elyjuh".  Voila! Pharrell gets to keep both singers in the competition, even if one isn't on his team.

I kind of feel all of this. Especially the first part. There might not be any truth to him also trying to help Gwen out (even though I kind of think it's at least secodary), but I definitely think he sees more potential to use his producer skills with Elyjuh.  The raw talent is definitely there, and I think he likes the idea of turning good into great. 

 

With regards to Troy: I found him super entertaining, but I think he would have been better off keeping the entire song in the slow/acappella tempo. Something like this: 

[Donny Ketchum]

Was Troy or Taylor the one who picked Gwen after she said that one of them could actually push her to do better in her singing?  I remember it was one of the most original pitches I'd heard on this show and can't remember if she made it to one of those two or to Ryan Sill.  But I know it was a guy who picked her to whom she'd said that, as that guy was clearly honored and flattered by that statement.

[mercfan3]

I'm pretty sure Troy was a one chair turn, so it wasn't to him. But I do remember that comment.

 

Gwen Stefani just rocks. Honestly. Her top 3 going into the playoffs are quite strong. Her team has clearly improved. And she's done a great job with song choices. Plus..she clearly has an ear for talent. It's a shame it seems like she'll only be around for one season because she's quite good at this game. (And she's likable.)