The Sing-Off Episode Two

Mike Chin here again, writing after the close of the second episode of The Sing-Off. I am once again joined by ACB Production Manager Mike Scalise and University of Rochester Vocal Point alum and ACB contributor Genevieve Chawluk. Once again, I’ll be offering up my play-by-play and review with their commentary peppered in throughout. In addition, tonight we have a handful of insights from other Vocal Point alumnae, Kristy Doot, Laura Weaver and Meredith Flouton-Barnes who were in another chat with Gen.

Mike Chin (MC): Nick Lachey leads us off again, introducing the competition’s six remaining groups, Nota, Noteworthy, Voices of Lee, The Beelzebubs, The SoCals, and MAXX Factor, as well as the returning judge panel of Ben Folds, Nicole Scherzinger and Shawn Stockman.

Tonight’s show will see each group perform a hit from the last two years, to be followed by a guilty pleasure. Nick acknowledges that 98 Degrees just might qualify as a guilty pleasure.

I ask my co-critics: What is one key to success for night two?

Genevieve Chawluk (GC): Calm down and stay on pitch. I need to see some more musicality from groups like The ‘Bubs and The SoCals. They should be less frenetic, and they have two songs to do that tonight.

Mike Scalise (MS): The groups need to reflect on last night's performance--what worked well and what didn't work. Base tonight's performance on that.

Group #1: The Beelzebubs

MC: The ‘Bubs are leading us off tonight. They seem to be among the favorites coming out of last night. What do they need to do to maintain their standing tonight?

MS: They need to continue being energetic and engage the audience and judges.

MC: The ‘Bubs come clad in yellow shirts and a mix of plaid jackets and sweater vests with bowties. They pick “Right Round” by Flo Rida. Huge sound, rapping, major confidence. The guys cover the full stage once again. One of the best things going for this group is that they make everything look easy. Their motion is very organic to the song. They dance, they rap. There’s no sign of anyone being out of breath, just a look of determination. Great showing.

GC: I think they did what they needed to do.

MS: I think so too.

MC: Ben indicates that there was no novelty to what The ‘Bubs did, but, rather, that it was just fun—they know what they’re doing, they put on a show. It’s the sort of song that wouldn’t work at all if the group sucked—but these guys don’t suck one bit. Nicole says “What’s up ‘Bubriders?” She calls the group fun and playful. Shawn says they were entertaining and raised the bar again.

Group #2: Noteworthy

MC: Last night, Noteworthy benefited from being on the slack side of the bracketing. How do you think they'll hold up tonight, alongside groups like The 'Bubs?

MS: It will definitely be more competitive, but they are on par with the best of them.

MC: The ladies of Noteworthy are out in red and white tonight to join the collegiate masses in covering Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.”

GC: This is way overdone last year. I'm so over this song.

MC: They open with air violins. Ouch. Air instruments are so rarely a good idea in serious a cappella.

GC: Are they out of tune or are my ears going crazy?

MS: They are a little out of tune.

MC: Agreed. The sound isn’t great on the start, and the blend sounds really off. Things pick up significantly in the breakdown section toward the end. A lot of the movement gets lost in the camera angles. Things really come alive when the perc kicks in, and they finish much stronger than they began. The fist pump at the end feels a bit half-hearted, though. An uneven performance all around.

GC: The perc was solid, though.

MS: I don't think this is going to get good reviews.

MC: Shawn praises the song selection and says it helped warm the group up. He says they took a chance and it paid off. Ben says the girls showed loads of charisma and energy, but he wanted more dynamics. Nicole likes their outfits.

Group #3: Voices of Lee

MC: OK, so coming out of episode one, the general consensus seems to be Voices of Lee won't make it to episode three. What can they do to turn that perception around?

GC: Their arrangement yesterday was really boring. I think they need to dirty it up a little, make their whole appearance more interesting. I don't see them doing that, so I'm not really optimistic about their chances.

MS: I think they need to have the choreography of The 'Bubs or SoCals to remain competitive.

GC: Yeah, the side-step choreo is not going to work for them.

Meredith Flouton-Barnes (MFB): They need to change their outfits.

MC: The back story reveals they are operating without their faculty director for the first time. Voices of Lee comes out in scarves, and layers of greens, blues and yellows. The group takes on “No One” by Alicia Keys.

MS: This girl has the voice to sing this song. I'm not sure I like how's she's actually doing it, though.

GC: She’s good, but I wish she pronounced the consonants.

Kristy Doot (KD): I think the beginning was the best a cappella I've heard in the last two nights.

MC: Really good use of stage movement so far. They’re using subtle movement to transition through the song--enough to keep it interesting without getting lost in it. The sound is much cleaner tonight, too. The breakdown gets real boring, though. When you get a minute-thirty per song, you’ve got to make better decisions about what you’re putting into play.

GC: The breakdown really fell apart. It was good until the jing jing kajinga part when the tuning fell apart, and so did the momentum. Also, what's with the outfits? They're layered enough to go skiing. That's how they taught us to dress mannequins when I worked at The Gap.

MC: Nicole says a group can be a little off, but if we feel it, we’ll be right there with them. Shawn says a lot of performing is whether people believe you, and he believed the solo on this one. Ben says this was the kind of arrangement he was waiting for, and lauds the basses.

Group #4: Nota

MC: Nota had the blessing and curse of performing first last time. On one hand, they got some very soft criticism, but I think most people forgot about them by the end of the show. What can they do to make an impression now?

GC: I think they have the benefit of being a smaller group and not being collegiate. I want to see them more like a street group, or like a semi-pro group. Like Rockapella with more edge. One on a part.

MS: I want to see them sing a song that's less laid back and for them to move around the stage more.

MC: Nota performs “Down” by Jay Sean. The sound is rhythmic and popping in the background, and yet somehow quite simplistic at the same time. The guys get Nicole up and dancing.

MS: Nicole, SIT DOWN.

GC: Their percussionist is fab, and their stage presence is great, and their movements are in sync.
OK, I love them. They are fantastic.

MS: I agree. They're looking tight.

MC: I think Nota is making a way better showing than they did last night. They throw in a Latin sample toward the close with air horns. It’s fun, but it’s getting gimmicky, especially when they have such a short period of time to show their stuff. They do robotic-style shut down at the end.

GC: They are in a totally different class from the collegiate-style groups.

MC: Shawn says the group made it look effortless and made the song their own. Ben says it was just entertaining and well done. He says the soloist has a rock star voice. Nicole praises the group for an innovative intro.

Group #5: The SoCals

MC For the SoCals, last night, they were not great musically, but very good as performers. If you were them, do you think it’s safe to stay with that style—or what would you do?

GC: I think they need to show that they are solid musically. They have 2 songs tonight. I'm glad that they're starting with something slower.

MS: I would focus on their solos.

MC: The SoCals take the stage in black, blue and silver. The soloist has good body language—she’s making good decisions with her hands and facial expressions, despite standing in place for the majority of the song. It’s a subtle thing, but hard to pull off if you haven’t practiced your ass off. Unfortunately, she isn’t quite as on point musically. The sound is pretty simple behind her, but the blend is great. Tremendous percussion.

GC: They must've gone sharp because the soloist couldn't hit the notes. I'm sorry, for all the hype, I'm not impressed. Sparse arrangement and the tuning was not great.

MC: Beyond the soloist, there’s a lot of other good stuff going on visually. Very purposeful movement, and a great detail at the end where one of the guys reaches a desperate hand out after the soloist as she walks by.

Shawn says the SoCals stepped their game up, praises the solo, says he wanted to hear more bass. Nicole calls the soloist’s voice beautiful and says she needs to believe in herself. Ben says the harmonies were really pretty, and agrees with what Shawn said.

Laura Weaver (LW): We must be hearing different sound than the judges.

MC: Ben actually commented on that exact thing in his teleconference for the show--said the groups sounded really different in person than they would on TV.

GC: And the rehearsal footage sounds so much better than the performances.

Group #6: MAXX Factor

MC: Public opinion seems pretty evenly divided on MAXX Factor—people love or hate them, think they’re winning the whole thing, or going home tonight. The question: can MAXX Factor win while they’re so divisive?

GC: I don't think they can win, but if this is a music competition, it's not fair for them to go home tonight.

MS: They may advance again, but I doubt they will win the competition. This isn't a strictly music competition and they don't have the total package.

MC: MAXX Factor talks about stepping out from under the barbershop blanket. They wear black pants suits and white tops. They sing “Love Story” by Taylor Swift. Really interesting song for them. I think of this as very much a teenager’s song—sort of an iconic piece for someone like Swift. This one is much simpler than what they sang last night, but still very, very tight, and gets better as it goes along. Overall, though, I feel like this is a lot less effective than what they did last night.

GC: Barbershop harmony is really hard to do. This isn’t that exciting, unfortunately.

MC: Ben calls the barbershop style an asset for this group, and appreciates them making the song their own. Shawn says they stepped out of the blanket of barbershop with elegance, and that it was beautiful. Nicole says they did their thing, and makes the profound observation that MAXX Factor is the only quartet in the competition.

So endeth the first half of episode two. Heading into the guilty pleasures portion of the show, if you were to pick a guilty pleasure song for a cappella, not necessarily attaching it to one of these groups, what would you pick?

GC: Lady Gaga.

KD: Miley Cyrus, “Party in the USA.”

MFB: Journey.

LW: Miley.

MS: Journey for me.

MC: I’d go with “My Life Would Suck Without You” by Kelly Clarkson. Love that one, and the Glee kids got me thinking about the possibilities last week.

Group #1: The Beelzebubs

MC: The ‘Bubs are doing “Come Sail Away” by Styx. Good, good pick. Extra points if they forgo musicality and use the Cartman voice.

MS: Amen.

MC: This time around, the guys sport blue sweaters, yellow shirts and ties. The Beelzebubs are so good at spacing themselves out on stage. A lot of it is lost by the camera, but you can tell they’re just so at home on stage, so conscious of their placement. Very good solo. As it moves along, the guys take on a boat-like formation.

MS: I think this is a much better performance than their first tonight.

GC: The soloist's voice is a bit pretty for the song. But he's good. And the key change was on. Their tuning and blend was so much better.

MC: Ben says it was really good, and recalls listening to the song in a Pizza Hut when he was nine. He says The ‘Bubs just made a pretty good record. Shawn can’t stop laughing. He says he loves how they delivered the song. Nicole observes that last night the guys took us on a bus ride, and tonight we went sailing away with them.

Group #2: Noteworthy

MC: Noteworthy is doing “Hold On” by Wilson Phillips. The girls picked this one so they could have the chance to be their girly selves and rock out. The motion seems pretty forced early on as they start off-stage and angle on, raising their hands dramatically. The girl with the fauxhawk has some pipes, but otherwise, the first half of this is on the weak side.

MS: I don't know what has gotten into Noteworthy. They are usually rock solid and I've been a little let down throughout this competition.

GC: They won the ICCAs two years ago. They’ve probably graduated some seniors.
This is their best performance so far because it doesn't require bass. Also, it’s not intricate so they can rock out.

MC: This picked up a lot during the breakdown.

Very good percussion.

Nicole says she would have liked more blend at the start, but that they hit a groove when they got to the breakdown. Wait, was her assessment just a spot on match for my own? I’m not sure if I’m impressed or starting to question myself. Anyway, Ben says he likes seeing the group relaxed, and likes the charisma, but says it was still missing something. Shawn says the beat box was off the hook, but says it was a little too treble.

GC: I really hate the "doh doh" syllables. It is the bane of my a cappella existence. They should be retired.

Group #3: Voices of Lee

MC: So, Voices of Lee has one more chance to push themselves away from the edge, and they're coming up with “Freedom 90” next. What do you want to hear and see?

MS: I want to hear full sound and great harmonies.

GC: This is a huge song, and if they bomb in the breakdowns, then I feel like they should be the ones going home tonight. Especially if The SoCals come up big after them.

MC: It's also an interesting song because it's very long. Lot to choose from in narrowing it to a minute-thirty.

Voices of Lee is looking purpler this time around. Very chill on the intro, more at ease than they were for their other songs. The soloist is silky smooth. Still not the pounding energy they probably should have, though, especially for such a short performance.

GC: Snapping is not enough. This isn't upbeat enough. Good blend, though. A faster tempo would be better.

This arrangement is very simple, so they are nailing it. Overall, it’s good.

MS: I think it sounds really good.

MC: Ben says they sound sweet, and praises the basses, though he wanted for them to show up stronger on the choruses. Nicole says the group captures a good gospel sound. Shawn says this one pulled out another side of the group, but he wanted more mid-range tones.

As we wait out this commercial break, a question for Gen, as someone who has been involved in ICCA competition before--how is selecting songs for this competition different from the thought process for choosing songs for something like ICCA?

GC: Well, first of all, the sound system is totally different. I think we're slowly learning that block chords and simple arrangements sound better because blend is tough. So really busy arrangements are actually a detriment, whereas, in ICCAs, crazy arrangements (well-executed) will actually win you points.

Also, the judges aren't really that familiar with a cappella, (even Ben Folds, although he's spent time with groups) so they're listening to the music overall rather than nitpicking things like arrangements. So overall, you're going for "what sounds good" rather than trying to sound like the original or trying to blow people away with things that are neat technically.

I would love to see a group do a ballad with no solo, but there are so few performance opportunities that that won't happen, because people just want the big songs.

Group #4: Nota

MC: Nota is out in orange and black leather to do up “Stayin’ Alive” by The Bee Gees.

MS: Great song choice for this group.

MC: Nota has an imaginative start for this with the soloist walking through his mass of group mates. Before long, they incorporate some disco moves--a little cheesy, but it works for the song. Outstanding solo. Positively sick perc. This just might be the best sound of the night, and the group has clearly put a lot more thought into visual presentation tonight than last night.

GC: This soloist is totally perfect for this.

MC: Shawn says ladies love the well-placed falsetto, and praises the guys for working the stage. Nicole makes a bunch of puns based upon the song title. Ben praises the group’s confidence, but notes that they were going a little sharp.

GC: Ben is so on with his commentary. I respect him even more the more I hear him speak.

Group #5: The SoCals

MC: The SoCals are taking on “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship. I love this song. And I’m not guilty about it.

I think if The SoCals avoid the trap of making it musical theatre-ish, it can be good.

I’m not loving the female solo. More distracting is what they’re doing visually. The interaction between soloists does not seem polished—it’s exactly the musical theatre trap I was worried about. The movement is way less organic, totally forced and quite consciously cute. Huge disappointment, and this just might have been bad enough to cost the group its place on the show.

GC: Did they do jazz hands? Because if they didn’t, it was implied.

MC: Ben credits the group for its musical theatre edge, and says he’s glad they started slow because it gave them somewhere to go with it, though they telegraphed their progression a bit. Shawn says the song was all about melodrama and silliness worked for them. He labels the chemistry between the soloists as electric. Nicole observes they had fun with the song without making fun of it.

Group #6: MAXX Factor

MC: MAXX Factor puts their sass on for Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.” They talk about it being a risky song choice. I think this was pretty perfect for the group at this stage of the competition. It’s contemporary, edgy and fun. Watching them sell the song is kind of a joy—it would be downright comedic to see these women do it if they weren’t so freaking good.

GC: I like that they have a lower range.

MS: Their performance was good. Probably enough to keep them from getting eliminated.

MC: Shawn suggests the group rename itself Cougarville. Nicole wanted them to be a little looser. Ben credits the song choice. He laughed, he cried, he lived a lifetime. He says it fell apart a bit harmonically on the bridge, though. He says he gets bummed when the soloist gets left hanging, but that the group kills when they’re an ensemble.

On to the results. Thoughts on who is getting eliminated?

GC: I feel like the SoCals have to be the one to go. Two bad songs and the second song they did was especially atrocious.

MC: As much as I least enjoy Voices of Lee, I think it's The SoCals and Noteworthy who are on the edge.

MS: I think you're right. I have a feeling Noteworthy may go home.

MCNota and Beelzebubs lock down the first two spots on episode three. Voices of Lee is safe. So regardless of what happens from here, there will be only one all-female group left. The dramatic music goes on forever. Noteworthy is a mix of smiles and girls actually crying as they wait for the word. MAXX Factor stays. The women seem legitimately shocked, which is sort of heartwarming to see.

GC: This isn’t right. Noteworthy is better than The SoCals.

MC: Despite blowing it tonight, I still think The SoCals have more potential, so I’m more or less on board with this decision.

Noteworthy performs Mika’s “Happy Ending” for their “swan song.”

OK, what are your picks for the best solo of the night, best visual presentation of the night, and best overall song?

MS: “Stayin’ Alive” for solo.

GC: All three to Nota for “Stayin' Alive.”

MC: I would have to give The 'Bubs the visual honors for “Come Sail Away.” Otherwise, I'm inclined to agree.

GC: Yeah, that could maybe tie for me. But The Beelzebubs have, overall, been disappointing for me, considering how much I was expecting from them. But they're still the best of the collegiate groups.

MS: I agree with those picks—“Stayin’ Alive” for best overall, Beelzebubs for best choreography.

MC: Any final thoughts from this evening?

MS: All around, better performances tonight.

GC: The performances were a lot better, agreed. I think ben folds is a really solid judge. He tells it like it is, but he's really nice about it. And he clearly knows what he's talking about.

MC: Tomorrow night will feature hits originated by acts like The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Jackson Five, Neil Diamond and The Who. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this review, and thank you to the readers for checking out what we had to say. Be sure to stop back again for a review of The Sing-Off Episode Three.