S06.E19: The Playoffs (part 3)

[photo fox]

The top vocalists perform when the playoff round continues.

AKA... Ush is up!

[Branchop]

Why was Adam so obviously ticked when Usher chose Josh? I was surprised Usher picked Josh, but I think it was a good move.

[Song of Roland]

This is the first full show I've watched, so I apologize if I sound ignorant. I don't like the format of this show and just dropped in out of boredom.

I was pretty blown away by Josh; he's kind of a creepy little tight-pants-wearing, un-socked, be-hatted troll doll, but I was transfixed by that performance. That, my friends, was how you do basically a note-for-note cover without it being karaoke. Great, great job.

I'm going to be back (for him).

Oh, and that Bria chick-lots of emotional connection there, but such a grating tone on the loud/high parts. Ugh.

[Babalooie]

Agreed concerning Bria.  During the first section of the song her nerves caused her to have goat vibrato and the high notes later in the song were screechy.   Josh reminds me of Nicholas David from a couple of seasons ago -  doesn't look the part, but can SING!  I love those soulful guys.

[Joystickenvy]

I usually hate the little dudes in hats on these shows, but I like this one. I like Bria also. Her nerves got the best of her and her pitch was off, but I actually like her rock scream.

I was rooting for long hair guy, but I liked pink shirt guy also. The only bad choice would have been the other girl, who I thought shoukd have been eliminated awhile back.

Teams seem more balanced than they were for Usher & Shakira's first season, though I think Blake & Shakira have collectively stronger teams than Adam or Usher who have maybe one potential contender each surrounded by more foddery fodder.

[Delofran]

I truly don't understand why Usher picked TJ over Stevie Jo.  So glad he chose Josh, and I though I dislike Bria's style I knew he'd pick her.  But TJ? That's a head-scratcher for me.

[glitterpants]

Welp, Stevie Jo was my favourite from Team Usher. I could potentially like Bria but her choosing Wild Horses of all songs kind of confirms she's not my cup of tea.

[pivot]

I think Stevie Jo and Melissa choked pretty badly last night and Usher had no choice but to take TJ. I think had all 3 done their best, Usher might have taken Melissa instead of TJ though. TJ will be gone next week though I expect along with Kristen from Team Shakira.

[kj4ever]

On paper I should like Bria but I just don't.  I can't put my finger on it, but I think it's because she just doesn't seem genuine.  She couldn't win America's Got Talent so it should be interesting to see how she does on The Voice.

Add me to the little dude in hats hate club, but I'll be damned if Josh hasn't won me over, oversinging and all.

I would really like TJ....If I had a time machine and could go back to 1993.

[picklesprite]

I was disappointed in everybody but Josh last night, and it seemed to me as if Usher was, too. He was much more complimentary of, and enthusiastic about, Shakira's and Adam's singers the night before than he was with his own team. For the first time this season, Ush looked like he wasn't having any fun. Or maybe that's just "all-business" Usher. Anyway,I hope his singers just had off nights. They've shown more talent at other times. And I loves me a happy Usher.

I agree with a couple of different opinions expressed in another thread in regard to Christina--that she has the most current sound, but also that she lacks a certain depth in her voice and "realness" in her performance. The "current" part could win it for her, I guess, but if she wins I hope it's for more than just that.

Edited April 16, 2014 by picklesprite

[Padma]

Josh is one of my favorites, but I thought he really oversang that. Still, he's the one from Team Usher that I could see making it to F3.

I like Kristen on Team Shakira and Dani really brought it to the last battleround. But I can't understand why she chose Tess over Patrick. Tess is pretty and completely generic, imo. Patrick had a growly soulfulness that would have helped her team stand out going into lives. I thought he was excellent and deserved to stay over Tess (whose performances I have already forgotten everything about).

I always liked Delvin but was surprised that he had improved so much. His version of "Let's Stay Together" was beautiful (and I'd only say it here, but I thought some of his choices were even an improvement over AG.)

I like the season and think there should be some good variety of strong performances going into the live shows. (If you think it's blah, I recommend watching AI which was trying to improve, but has become more of a mess than ever. The Voice, on the other hand, just keeps chugging along with good coaching and talented, consistent performers and a good-natured, serious-but-not-too-serious vibe.)

Edited April 16, 2014 by Padma

[Lily Adler]

Tess is the epitomy of pageant queen playing pop star. I thoroughly agree that she is just too generic, good but generic.

[ToxicUnicorn]

I love Josh K.  He's just so ... perfect for this show, hat and all.  He's my favorite.  But yes - I wish he had worn some socks.

In the blinds, Bria was terrific and I thought she deserved to go far, based on that performance alone.  But if she doesn't wow me again soon, I'll be ready to let her go. 

I actually liked a lot of Stevie Jo's choices and I love that type of music.  My problem with him is that I don't think he has a rich enough tone.. to make what he wants to do.. work.  It sounded thin sometimes.  It's too bad.

Melissa was awful.  What a horrible performance to end her time on the show.  I felt a little sorry for her.  She knew she was done.

I liked TJ's version of Tell Me Something Good a lot and I thought the band was awesome.  Then again, I frequently forget what decade I'm in!

Only 4 out of the Top 12 this season are men...just the opposite of last season's Top 12.

[Lily Adler]

I don't understand why contestants choose that song and cannot sing it to its fullest. Melissa really tried to hit those high notes, but it sounded shrill and as if she was losing breath.

[abelard]

Well I just caught up with the Playoffs and I am a bit shocked at how weak Blake's team is compared to the others.  Blake is consistently great as a strategist, but I don't know what happened this year.  I think his only shot is that funny-looking country dude -- that dude can certainly sing, I love his voice, but he looks like a weirdo (which is totally fine with me, but how will he ever get America to vote for him?).  

Shakira's team has two strong vocalists - Dani and Kristen - but the third one should go right away.  And again I'm not sure if Dani and Kristen have the kinds of looks, personalities, or levels of charisma that will pull voters in.  But when I think of someone like Michelle Chamuel, I know that sometimes it takes a couple of live shows for a performer to really define her persona and performance style, and then it's like a light goes off in their and the audience's heads and people fall in love with them.

Adam and Usher each have one person who I think can win the whole thing -- Grimmie (on Team Adam) and Josh (on Team Usher) -- but otherwise their teams seem composed of fodder.  

I love Devlyn as a person but wonder if his brand of soul/R&B will get him that far, and I feel exactly the same way about TJ.  But I think Devlyn will stay longer than TJ based on his looks alone.  Imo, Matthew from Team Christina last season could have wiped the floor with both of them (wish Matthew had been given the right songs to sing but oh well), and would also rank Nicholas David from Team CeeLo a couple of seasons ago higher than Devlyn and TJ.  Soul is tough to pull off on this show, I think.  That said, I think Josh is doing great so far and could bring it all the way home, maybe.  

[Padma]

I think his only shot is that funny-looking country dude -- that dude can certainly sing, I love his voice, but he looks like a weirdo (which is totally fine with me, but how will he ever get America to vote for him?).

 

I love Jake W's voice and find his personality so far very endearing. But I know what you mean about his looks, but he's 17. I have confidence that Blake won't change him exactly but will somehow work his "branding magic" on him in the lives. Really, he does it every season IMO. I still remember how indifferent (bordering on "Get them off my screen!" I was about the Swons at the beginning, but darn it if he didn't get me really enjoying them and rooting for them by the end. I think Blake's a "branding genius" (and I think Usher really studied him for it last season) so it'll be interesting to see if he can do the same for Jake and Audra and...whoever the third one is obviously she needs it most, lol.

[aradia22]

I think more than with the other coaches, this group came down to personal taste. Personally I found TJ's vocals a little grating at points with moments of some really nice vocal tricks that you have to respect.

 

While I often have problems with breathy vocals, I loved Melissa's performance. She really got me with those Mariah/Minnie Ripperton high notes. I'm a sucker for high notes like that. I think there was a bit of a problem with charisma. When you do a song like that you need to have this intensity that keeps people focused on you and maybe she lacked an emotional connection to the song but I don't think she had that. 

 

I wasn't familiar with the song Stevie Jo chose. That said, I thought the performance was alright. It started off a little slow. I think it wasn't the smartest choice for a singing competition. I think artists should always stay away from songs that feel repetitive either in the lyrics or melody. It rarely makes for a dynamic performance. I think it just sounded fine for most of it, then we got into some nice runs, and then his voice started cracking.

 

Bria's performance threw me a little. It's like my ears couldn't quite settle and she seemed just shy of going flat but the note kept wavering so I wasn't sure. But her voice is very unique and she brought some good energy to a slower song.

 

I am really, really not a blue-eyed soul person. I've never "gotten" Josh. It was a solid performance in terms of technique but I would never want to listen to it again. It's kind of how I feel about listening to Kat on Adam's team. Also, here the breathy vocals bothered me. I found it very affected and not genuine. 

 

I would have replaced TJ with MJ but yeah, Usher's finally three made sense based on tonight's performances. Given his focus on technique, I'm surprised he ended up with a Playoffs team that can't deliver consistently perfect performances. I wouldn't describe any of them as dependable when it comes to just hitting all the notes.