'The Voice' recap: Second live show
Christina Aguilera disses fellow Mouseketeer Tony Lucca when Team Adam and Team Cee-Lo take the stage
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After last week's round of competent but unremarkable performances on the first live show it's time to see what Team Adam (Tony Lucca!) and Team Cee-Lo (Jamar Rogers!) have in store for us.
Turns out there's a lot to cover, so let's get right to it...
First up on Team Adam: Katrina Parker, whose backstory involves getting over an illness. She'll be performing Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight." Adam's got some advice: Don't be Adele. Katrina agrees, she needs to find her own voice and "simplify."
Other than singing Smashing Pumpkins, Katrina doesn't do a whole lot to distance herself from Adele. From her look to her vocals to her performance, it has the whiff of a knockoff. She's not bad, but it's not a knockout so a lot will depend on the rest of the night.
Christina thought Katrina did great except for a few flat notes. Cee-Lo thinks she can't possibly match Billy Corgan's connection with the song and that Katrina's version was too much of a "performance" (like a Broadway version). Adam appreciates that Katrina listened to him and he thinks she might have gone too far in the direction of "no frills," but overall she "killed it."
Cee-Lo's first contender is Hawaiian "power vocalist" Cheesa, performing Thelma Houston's disco anthem "Don't Leave Me This Way." She wasn't too happy about some attacks on Twitter after she won her battle round. Cee-Lo says she's "incomparable" on his team.
She's a serviceable disco diva -- and the staging plays that up by surrounding her with dancers getting their boogie nights on -- but I don't think that's what it'll take to stick around.
Blake says he loved it and it reminded him of watching "Solid Gold" (ummmm...). Adam agrees the performance and song had Cee-Lo written all over it, but the only problem is the competition has too many great singers. Cee-Lo "completely disagrees with Adam" because it was "wonderful"! He believes it was a success, "the staging was great, the colors were wonderful, I believe the people enjoyed it!"
Let's resolve to ignore Christina Milian until she does something worth mentioning. I think it'll be awhile...
Now it's time for Adam to bring out his big gun: audition round favorite and former Mouseketeer Tony Lucca. He's got Peter Gabriel's "Say Anything" anthem "In Your Eyes." Adam wants him to perform part of it in falsetto and Tony is struggling during rehearsal.
There's an inescapably cheesy adult contemporary vibe to this, but he's still the best so far. Tony's a clean, confident performer not lacking in professional experience.
Christina finds him to be "very one dimensional" and she's wondering when he'll display some versatility. (Ouch! Is that why she didn't recognize her fellow Mouseketeer during the blind auditions?) She says she hopes the support he's had so far -- including from Justin Timberlake specifically -- doesn't damage the high integrity of the competition. I'm thinking these comments won't go over so well on Twitter...
Adam says Christina was "honest" and "honest is good." Adam says "In Your Eyes" is one of his favorite songs ever and the way Tony worked his way around the falsetto made him "really proud." Adam was so happy "with the way this room felt for the three minutes you were up there."
Tony manages to exit the stage gracefully, without taking any shots at Christina... Well, I guess "The Voice" needed a little controversy to keep the buzz going.
Next up is another from Team Adam: soul diva Kim Yarbrough. She wants to perform Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" and Adam calls himself a "bad coach" for not thinking of the song earlier.
I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again: there needs to be a moratorium on Adele on these shows for awhile. But it's actually kind of nice to hear a mature woman's take on the song, and Kim does a solid enough job with it. That's a win. And maybe it's smart to pick a hit song when part of the voting involves iTunes downloads.
Blake thought Kim did a good job and the song got better as it went along. Cee-Lo thought the song choice was too safe, but he does love Kim. Adam loves her too and he wants to motivate her properly: She's an unbelievable singer but he needs to mention some problems. Adele is so good that it's tough to compare, and then he babbles schizophrenically about how wonderful Kim is but she just didn't nail it tonight.
Cee-Lo's next contender is James Massone, who is assigned Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why." Cee-Lo wants James to show his sensitive side for the ladies. James wasn't sure about the song but promises "a little twist."
Blake won't be the one to do it. He says he almost threw his panties on the stage. Aw, Blake. Christina liked it too, and appreciated the change up. "There were some pitch problems, I'm not gonna lie, but when you do hit the notes it's really dope." Yes, Christina, he did look like a dope.
Cee-Lo is obviously really proud of himself, and he hopes James is proud of himself too (I have no doubt he is). The only "constructive criticism" Cee-Lo has "maybe you paid a little too much attention to the ladies" and "on those higher notes maybe you could've projected a little more."
Cee-Lo's got another one on deck: rocker Juliet Simms, who has had several record deals but never made it. She'll be performing The Police's "Roxanne." She's concerned about being pigeonholed as the "classic rock girl" but she also thinks the song is "not predictable."
I'm suddenly having "Rock Star: INXS" flashbacks, and this isn't even Jordis' night. Juliet's competent but the show might have a few too many female rockers. She's definitely the most growly.
But the coaches love it! Adam calls it the best performance he's seen so far (and no she's not on his team). Christina was "so into it, your voice is doooope!" She tells Cee-Lo she's jealous that he has Juliet. Blake says it's the first time he's ever really heard her sing and it's "so good." Now he gets it.
Cee-Lo's thoughts? "Wow baby, just wow."
We're at the halfway mark and Adam's ex-nursing student Mathai is up next. She's got John Legend's "Ordinary People." Adam tells her she's "from another planet" (in a complimentary way).
Overall the staging tonight is a lot more stripped down than last week. Mathai's is one of the simplest of all: It's just her, front and center, bathed in a green light with a couple guitarists in the background. What you think of this probably comes down to whether or not you like her "quirky" voice. I don't think I could tolerate an entire album of it, but the song choice is decent and she turns it into a groovy, hippie slow jam.
Christina likes her voice a lot and thinks she has "interesting choices" with her ad libs. She wants to see some more energy though because that was "a little loungey." Blake loves her confidence. Adam thinks she's "magical." He wanted the song to be quieter to really showcase what she can do and he "couldn't possibly be happier."
"Broadway rocker" (and brand new papa) Tony Vincent is next for Team Cee-Lo. He's doing Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." Cee-Lo wants Tony to make it "bigger than life without turning it into a showtune."
Cee-Lo's showmanship is out in full force with this one, which doesn't exactly distract from Tony's theatrical background. He's performing from some kind of post-apocalyptic pulpit with a whole crew of masked dancers. If Tony Lucca was a bit cheesy, this is a gooey mess. I love Cee-Lo but I'm not feeling how his song choices are faring with his weaker contestants.
Blake was distracted by the "evil, hellish" staging. It's last week's complaints about the "male strippers" all over again, and he admits it. Christina is from the "pop world" and she appreciates the "production value." She congratulates Tony on being a dad (because that's what's really important here) but laments that the song was too restrictive vocally.
Cee-Lo explains the staging by saying "there is an evil empire, but love can conquer hate" and Tony is supposed to be that love, or something. Cee-Lo apologizes if the song was too restrictive but he believes his team is "very strong," so vote for Tony! And vote for the other five too! Vote for everyone!
Team Adam is up next with quiet Nashville singer Karla Davis (who found "Big Bertha" inside her during the battle rounds). She's selected B.O.B.'s "Airplanes." A genuinely bold choice. Adam reminds her not to lose Bertha. Karla says she needs to take a chance or she'd regret it forever.
She's performing on...you guessed it...an airplane wing. Unfortunately this is even weirder than anything Cee-Lo's thrown at us tonight. She is far, far too timid to pull the song off. Parts of it are pretty, other times she just gets lost. Points for taking a chance, but she comes off like one of the few contestants who is way out of her league.
Christina isn't happy about making the first comments on Karla's performance but she tries to be nice. She calls Karla the "biggest surprise" of the night, admits some of it was a whisper, but Karla did hit one note really well. Blake blames it on the song. Adam says he was impressed that Karla was "in the pocket" of the song, but he feels like she wasn't as good as she was during rehearsals and he felt her nerves. He still loves her, of course.
Former model Erin Martin is next for Team Cee-Lo. She describes her voice as an "acquired taste" and I'd describe her personality as an "impossible to acquire taste." She's already loathed on Twitter for her annoying attitude and bizarre voice. And tonight she'll tackle The Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian."
Wow. There are some real trainwrecks tonight and this is clearly one of them. I don't think Erin ever had a real chance of surviving the first public vote, but this disaster seals the deal. Bad song choice, goofy production (complete with bare chested slaves), poor vocals. It's a trifecta!
Blake is first to comment and again he's distracted by the shirtless men. Adam makes a joke about Blake buying "a one way ticket to boner town" (and I'm not sure if that's supposed to reference Erin or the dancers or just whatever's happening in Adam's head). Christina thinks she survived the performance OK but she "could've brought it harder," and if Erin wants to be judged for her voice and not her looks...she could've been better.
Cee-Lo says he always wants the staging to "be dynamic and not a distraction." He commends Erin for "learning all of that lyric" but he wants her to be more aggressive. Whatever, nice knowing you Erin.
Team Adam is up next with my mortal enemy: Pip Andrew. I can't stand this guy, so if you're a fan get ready to close your browser or leave a nasty comment. He's doing The Killers' "When We Were Young" and Adam tells him he needs to work on this seriously.
I'm pretty sure the only things Pip takes seriously are bow ties and he's got another one on tonight. (So rock and roll!!) If you ever wanted to see a demented elf impersonate a rock star, Pip has just the stuff for you.
What did the coaches think? Christina...was not impressed. She appreciates Pip's vocal ability but "it just came off as trying too hard for me." Adam continues his streak of beating up on his own team members by saying Pip achieved the goal of "surprising" people, but he wanted Pip to be more "dangerous and scary." For some reason he thinks Pip can be grittier. Well, Pip scared me, but definitely not the way Adam means.
The final performer of the night is Team Cee-Lo's "comeback kid," HIV-positive former drug addict Jamar Rogers. He's got Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" Cee-Lo considers the song an "affirmation of leadership" and that Jamar knows which way to go.
It's hilarious they slotted this right after Pip's embarrassing impersonation of a rock star. Jamar could give Lenny Kravitz himself a run for the money. Unlike Christina's designated chosen one, Jesse Campbell, Jamar has more than an "inspirational" backstory. He's got genuine stage presence and relevance in the current musical environment. If there's a darkhorse to take down Justin Timberlake-endorsed Tony, it's got to be Jamar.
Blake still can't get over the crazy staging. There were people on stilts! Adam wants to say something real quick but Cee-Lo doesn't let him (it's a live show!). Cee-Lo asks Jamar if he heard the roar of the crowd and felt their energy. Since everyone watching at home felt it, I'm pretty sure Jamar did too.
Adam gets to weigh in after all, with the very important point that Jamar "embodies what this show is." At some point this season Adam is probably going to throw someone on his own team under the bus to pimp out Jamar, just wait...
I'm guessing Adam's bottom three will be Mathai, Karla and Pip. Though either Kim or Katrina could be in trouble. (Good thing he's got Tony Lucca, because otherwise Team Adam is a real mess.)
Cee-Lo's bottom three will almost certainly be Cheesa, Erin and Tony Vincent (but man does James deserve to get the boot too).
Overall this was a much more uneven show than the first week, but we have two serious frontrunners in Jamar and Tony Lucca. For me, Jamar was hands down the best of the night.
Who was your favorite tonight? Who shouldn't be back next week? And how and when will Tony Lucca get his revenge on that Mouseketeer traitor Christina?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupJack
April 9, 2012 at 10:52PM EST Reply to CommentAdam was asking Pip Andrew to draw on something inside himself that isn't there. Pip is a music-theater performer, in his marrow. He was born to sing "Put On Your Sunday Best" from the opening of Wall-E.
GeoffBerkshire Jack, if Pip stays around, I sincerely hope Adam follows this advice. It would suit Pip better, and still be hilarious.
April 10, 2012 at 2:18PM ESTanneka_jameson
April 9, 2012 at 11:29PM EST Reply to CommentI'm just dying to see (not hear) Erin Martin sing for her life and then get REJECTED! Yes, I realize it's pathetic and passive aggressive, but I don't care.
Haynie
April 10, 2012 at 12:03AM EST Reply to CommentMathai's flow reminds me of Erykah Badu. I love it.
I think you're dead on with what America will do with Cee-Lo's people. And Cee-Lo will definitely save Tony Vincent considering he was already half-apologizing to him for the song choice tonight.
For Adam's team, Katrina is really the only sure thing. My gut is that she, Mathai, and Pip will be safe based on who's voting, though Pip and Tony Lucca are a toss-up. I think Adam saves whichever guy doesn't make it. Sucks for Chaka Kim, but he'd have too many girls on his team.
Ashley
April 10, 2012 at 12:13AM EST Reply to CommentEveryone is entitled to their opinion and so are you, but the undertone of your article is sexist. How convenient that you simply dismiss a great vocal talent - Juliet Simms - by saying the show has few too many female rockers (I am guessing you want them all dudes? Too intimidating to watch female singers?).. and you calling Mattha a 'refugee' (are you serious dude?) Please stop writing your ignorant garbage and call it a review!! (By the way the people I am rooting for not on either on these teams so my comment has nothing to do with rooting for any particular person!!)
Son of Mecha Mummy Seeing as he was way crueler to nearly every guy on the episode except Jamar, I'm not sure I buy "this guy is sexist."
April 10, 2012 at 1:10AM ESTI really, really miss Daniel Fienberg's recaps, though.
GeoffBerkshire Ashley, I'll be happy to give Juliet another chance to wow me in the future. She has a lot of potential.
April 10, 2012 at 4:37AM ESTHowever, re: Mathai. That was a rushed and poor choice of words, which was in no way intended to have any negative or nasty connotations. I've replaced it in the recap.
DiMi
April 10, 2012 at 1:27AM EST Reply to CommentI, also, thought the refugee comment was racist. Just don't ever refer to people of color as refugees again, even in jest. Just don't. I got the joke about nursing school, but it still made you look you look like a racist idiot. Please read the response to the word refugee during Hurricane Katrina if you don't get how wrong that was. It was bad.
However, the pip as demented elf comment was funny because he irritates me, too. Musical Theater needs to stay on cheezy glee, not spill over into my cheezy singing competitions. And I LOVE musical theater, but on a singing competition, um, just no. It's very wrong.
DiMi p.s. It is okay to describe people of color as refugees if they are ACTUAL refugees, but if they are American citizens, it's an insult. Read a book.
April 10, 2012 at 1:29AM ESTguest
April 10, 2012 at 10:19AM EST Reply to CommentGo Team Adam! Go, go, oh forget it! A mess indeed.
Jonnybon
April 10, 2012 at 12:11PM EST Reply to CommentI won't be reading your write-ups again because most of this is utter nonsense.
Jonnybon
April 10, 2012 at 12:12PM EST Reply to CommentTony Lucca Top 2? Mental.
Sasha I know i don't understand it either. Lucca's vocal seemed rather weak to me and his stage presence so tense.
April 10, 2012 at 2:42PM ESTPizpot Gargravarr
April 10, 2012 at 1:13PM EST Reply to CommentI've been thinking Adam has the weakest team since the auditions and they haven't proved me wrong yet. I also think he made a big mistake dropping Whitney Myer for Kim. Kim has a powerful voice but she doesn't have the versatility or the marketability that Whitney could have had. Tony Lucca has a good voice but he's nowhere near dynamic or charismatic enough to deserve the win (plus, the way he screws up his face sometimes makes him look ridiculous).
Cee-Lo's team is appropriately weirder but Jamar would have to be my favourite contender in the whole competition (along with maybe Lindsey if they choose the right songs for her) and I would like Juliet a lot if I didn't constantly feel like her voice is going to give out at any second.
I just hope someone can beat Jesse. Not that I have anything particularly against him (though I do get the sense of a bit of false modesty hiding cockiness there- particularly in the battle round against Anthony) but if he wins it will be such a boring, obvious choice- and he will be completely irrelevant in the modern music scene.
GeoffBerkshire I think Lindsey could be this year's Dia-esque darkhorse. She seems to be aiming for the same mix of shyness and confidence, and if she's as smart with song choices as Dia was she could be in the finals. But I'm not sure how Christina would side if it came down to Lindsey and Jesse.
April 10, 2012 at 2:24PM ESTNeil
April 11, 2012 at 1:31AM EST - via iPad Reply to CommentAgreed