The Voice - Review - Season 5 Top 10

Left to right: Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, and Cee Lo Green.

Last week, we had a couple of firsts. It began with the first chance the public had to vote, having complete control over the outcome. There were no "saves" for the coaches, only a voting process. Once the bottom three was announced, a five-minute voting period on Twitter saved one of the contestants, sending the other two packing. The bottom three were Josh Logan, Jonny Gray, and Kat Robichaud, and it was Kat who was saved, leaving Team Cee Lo and Team Xtina each down a member. Team Adam and Team Blake sailed through the first week, free and clear of potential dismissal. The week began with 12 contestants, 8 men and 4 women. The numbers are coming into parity, with the men now at six, and the ladies remaining at four. Can Kat use the momentum of the Twitter Save to pull herself out of danger? Can Team Adam and Team Blake continue to dominate the competition? We shall see as they take to the stage this evening.

Left to right: Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, Carson Daly, Cee Lo Green, and Adam Levine.

The evening tonight started out with a recap of the performances from the Top 10, looking at and listening to the performances from last week. As the show kicks off, Carson Daly introduces the coaches, and reminds us that tomorrow night, two more contestants will be sent home as a result of tonight's vote. The evening starts with the Top 10 joining forces to sing "Say It, Just Say It", the song by The Mowgli's. This is unfortunate, for the song doesn't really work for any of the artists singing it. The solos were a bit of a mess, but at least in unison, they sounded in tune. Now let's just move on. Before heading to a commercial break, Carson tells us that Austin Jenckes will be starting off things with a song from the 1980s. It is most certainly true, for he sings "Your Love", a song by the British band The Outfield from 1985. Blake hopes to show the voters that Austin is a singer with power. The original is big and bold, a big rock anthem. Austin pares is back, to build toward an ending. That ending is a bit blown out to me, and I just felt the rest of the performance was a bit washed out, the heart weak. After a chat with runner Usain Bolt, there to promote his new book, it is time to introduce the youngest contestant on the show, Jacquie Lee. Coach Christina has her perform the song "Clarity", the 2013 hit from Zedd. The song is a quiet, more introspective song, and I am glad to hear her take it on. The song starts off a bit slow, with some pitch issues for me, and was also a bit rushed. But it seems it might have been nerves, for the last half of the song she found herself, and the song. While it was great for her to try something new, and avoid getting shouty, I wish it was a bit smoother. To my surprise, Cee Lo, Blake, and Adam heard that same thing. Next up, we will hear Will Champlin, and he will be singing "Love Me Again" by John Newman. The British song hasn't really made it here in the States yet, so this is a great chance for a standout performance.

Will starts off with a soft soul, but soon is giving us full-throated Pop. I thought he sounded great, and so at home with the song. There was a fire inside, keeping the song hot. I think it was his best performance to date, and the song that best suited him as an artist. And once again, the judges agree with me. Hmmm. After another break, it is time for Caroline Pennell, who will be singing "Leaving on a Jet Plane", written in 1966 by John Denver, and made popular by Peter, Paul & Mary. It is a favorite of Caroline's, although Cee Lo is not sure about it. I have to agree with Cee Lo on this one, the choice is odd. As she starts singing, you can hear that voice, it is lovely and interesting, but it does seem a bit wasted on this song. She is better than this performance, which felt a little lethargic. I truly hope she will be sticking around despite this. After yet another commercial break, we learn that Cole Vosbury will be singing "To Be With You", the huge hit by Mr. Big from 1991. Cole loves the song, a fact Blake didn't know when he picked it for him.

It seems it is almost impossible to not sing along to this song. It seems a great match for Cole, who allows his voice to really open up as the song goes on. This is a wonderful bar-song, and gives such a warm feeling. While I don't think it was the grand statement Blake was looking for, I think it was tight and strong. Blake was proud, and just loves Cole. Adam loves him too, but manages to talk about the artists, and not the performance. After another break, and an odd minute or two with Carson, it is time for Tessanne Chin to take her turn on the stage. Adam picked "If I Were Your Woman", the iconic song by Gladys Knight & the Pips from 1970. It is scary to take on a voice as amazing as Gladys, but if anyone can, it would be Tessanne. She starts off so quietly, but soon brings the power, and delivers a gorgeous version of the song. She is so on form, so right on every step of the musical journey, this was show-stopping. This went beyond a 'moment', to something really special. We move from Jamaica to Louisiana, as it is time for handsome Ray Boudreaux to perform. When I heard he was going to sing "You Are The Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne, I was immediately excited.

I don't think the song choice last week was a great one, but this is so on track. There is a beautiful soulful quality in all of his vocals, and it suits this song so well. He gave an excellent vocal, and he seemed so comfortable up on stage, and delivered the goods. I loved it. The judges seemed to like it muchly, too. Carson tells us that James Wolpert will be up next, taking on a great Power Ballad. It turns out he will be singing "Without You", the iconic song written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of British rock group Badfinger, and recorded by the band in 1970. It was made famous in 1971 by Harry Nilsson, and again by Mariah Carey in 1994. This is a big song, so James will have to deliver big time. He begins with a soft vulnerability, and brings the power on the chorus, with an edge of desperation. While compressing the song in the 90 seconds allowed by the show is tough, James did a fantastic job with it, taking it over a bit. He allowed it to soar, and gave it is creepy edge. The judges liked him, although Christina mentioned a pitch problem at the end I didn't hear. Kat Robichaud is the next to take the stage, and she will be singing "We Belong", the phenomenal song by Pat Benatar, a huge hit in 1984.

I think this is a far better choice for her, allowing her to get in front of the music, instead of hidden by it. Unfortunately, she just sounds nervous during the verses, and only comes alive on the chorus, although a tad wobbly at times. I don't know if the pressure got to her, or the song was just too big for her. Cee Lo was so proud, and tells her it was "a performances that will live forever". Adam was so glad she finally became the performer they wanted her to be. Obviously, I am a tad confused. After the commercial break, we come back for the final performer of the night, Matthew Schuler. Christina chose the song "Beneath Your Beautiful", an interesting song by Labrinth featuring Emili Sandé.

There is a softness to the beginning of the song, a little too wispy for me. But thankfully, he picked it up on the chorus. He ended so well, with such a strong sound, this was a hit for him. For me, this was his strongest song so far from him. Christina loves him, and is blown away by him. Adam loved him, too. But it is time for the show to come to a close, and voting will be open until 11AM EST Tuesday morning. Remember, you can also place a vote by buying a single on iTunes. This wasn't the strongest show to date, but not a bad one either. There were some strong performances, and a few misses. Last week, I did pick bottom three, but missed on who would earn the save. This week, I am not as sure. My bottom three would be Austin Jenckes, Kat Robichaud, and maybe either Jacquie Lee or Ray Boudreaux. I don't think Ray did badly, but I am just not sure if his performance was not big enough. Jacquie started off nervously, but gained her footing by the end, so I fear she might be vulnerable. Heck, for that matter, Caroline's sleepy performance could leave her is a troubling position. I think the Top 10 are the strongest so far, and a mistake with song choice or an off performance can send someone home. We will find out the results at 9PM on Tuesday night, and see if my predictions hold true.

The Voice Season 4 • Battle Rounds 4

In the fourth season of 'The Voice', this is the last evening of Battle Rounds this year. We know Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Usher, and Shakira have an easy rapport, with the banter between them being sweet and supportive, not antagonistic. After the auditions, the teams were 12 strong, and after the Battle Rounds, they will be down to eight each. Once again, the coaches have great support, as Adam goes into the rehearsals with Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum, while Blake has Sheryl Crow, Shakira has Joel Madden, lead singer of Good Charlotte and coach on The Voice Australia, and Usher has Pharrell Williams. Usher is the only coach with a steal remaining, and it will be needed sometime this evening. After all, this is the last of the Battle Rounds, so let's get to the action!

Left to right: Shakira, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Usher, and Carson Daly.

The first battle of the night will be from Team Shakira, as Brandon Roush and Shawna P take to the ring. The two rockers will be singing the iconic "Piece of My Heart" from Janis Joplin. This seems right up Shawna's alley, as she and Joplin have a similar tone. Brandon has a bombastic voice, but can he bring the control that is needed do the song justice?

They come to the stage, and both want to win. Honestly, I am surprised they are as strong as they are on this song. Both voices held strong, and delivered a great version that was more than just a karaoke performance. This was a close battle, but I'd have to give the edge to Brandon, for I thought he held his ground in what was really Shawana's turf. Adam loved them both, and thought Brandon raised his game for the song. Usher agreed, and thought they both showed great talent. Shakira was so pleased with both of her singers, and she thought long and hard, and gave the win to Shawna. Team Adam is up next, and Duncan Kamakana and Sarah Simmons will be singing for a spot in the finals. Adam brings in Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum to help him to groom the singers. They will be singing one of her songs, "Want You More", which could be a little intimidating. Lady Antebellum is known for their tight and perfect harmonies, and that is something the duo struggles with from the start. Even once they return for another rehearsal with Adam, he sends them away with the assignment to practice much more together. From what we see in rehearsals, it will be a tall order for Duncan to compete with Sarah's amazing voice. Can he do it?

Duncan starts off the song, sounding nice, although a bit contrived. When Sarah comes in, her voice immediately starts to soar. When we go back to Duncan, his voice now seems kind of thin, a little hollow. For me, Sarah took command, and there was not doubt in my mind. Blake loves Sarah, and thinks she has a great voice. He would pick her. Usher thinks Duncan has a strength and confidence on the stage, but Sarah soared away with her voice. It is Sarah who is going on in the competition, and Duncan returning home. With the shortened program tonight, we get a few results on the fly, like a short order cook. Usher sent Michelle Chamuel and Chelsea M. into battle, singing "Titanium" by David Guetta featuring Sia.

After the song, Usher chose to keep Michelle on the team, and sent Chelsea home. Next up, Team Adam had Amy Whitcomb and Agina Alvarez in the boxing ring, singing Pat Benatar's great song, "Heartbreaker". This should be a tough one to take on, as Benatar has an outrageous voice, and the song showcased it.

Adam chose to keep Amy around, and Agina returned home. Now it is time for Blake to put up his final Battle of the season. He offers up Justin Rivers and The Morgan Twins, and interesting duo to say the least. They will be singing "Easy", a song by Rascal Flatts featuring Natasha Bedingfield. At least I think so, as it was on screen for such a short time.

Blake surprises everyone by picking Justin Rivers, and sending The Morgan Twins home. Mary Miranda and Cáthia of Team Shakira will be singing a song by their mentor, and it throws Mary off, since she tries to learn the song in front of her. Cáthia, on the other hand, nails her performance in from of Shakira. For the second rehearsal, Mary is right on the money, but Cáthia falters, not as good as she was the first one. They will be performing Shakira's gorgeous ballad, "Antes De Las Seis".

Adam loved it, but he would have picked Mary for the win. Blake also loved it, but would pick Cáthia. Usher at first questioned the choice for them to sing Shakira's song, and she slapped him down a bit. But he recovers, and tells them they were wonderful. So it is up to Shakira to make the last decision of the Battle Rounds, and one has to believe that Usher will be stealing whomever she doesn't pick, so he can complete his team, too. After much struggle, Shakira picks Mary, leaving Cáthia to give her thanks to Shakira and all of the judges. She moves to exit and Usher hits his button in the last moment to save her. He has a great respect for her voice and talent, and she is thrilled. And that completes the teams, and next week we can begin with the Knock-Out. In two nights, trimming the teams of eight back to teams of four, ready to start the finals.

GLEE Redux • Mash Off

Clockwise: Van Halen; Lady GaGa; Eddie Rabbitt; Blondie; Adele; Hall & Oates; Pat Benatar; and Crystal Gayle.

The episode opens with Puck thinking about his preoccupation with Shelby Corcoran. He is falling hard for her. In fact, it inspires a performance for the Glee club of the Van Halen song, Hot For Teacher.



Sue is running ads for her congressional campaign that are total lies. Kurt goes to confront Sue about the lies she is spewing about his father. She tells him it isn't personal, just competition. She suggest he fight dirty, just like Brittany is in the Class President race. He storms off, unconvinced. Shelby comes up to Mr. Schuester in the Teacher's Lounge, and they discuss how to make things go smoothly with the two competing show choirs. The invite the kids to the auditorium, and just as the kids seem like they might be brawling, they start singing the You And I mash-up, by Lady GaGa and Crystal Gayle & Eddie Rabbitt.





They tell the kids it is possible to work together, compete against one another, and to live side by side. They challenge the students to do a mash-up, and to to perform it in front of everyone. Mr. Schue gets the New Directions to think about the mash-up, and after tossing around some names, Finn suggests Hall & Oates, as a group that has weathered the storm and stayed together. Finn also suggests they give the lead to the new kid, Rory. He is a bit intimidated, but Blaine is also encouraging. In the hallway, Finn tries to explain the Smack Talking to the Irish Rory, and they run into the Queen of Smack, Santana. He tries the insult route, but he is not so good. Instead, he challenges her and the Trouble-Tones to a game of Dodge Ball. Quinn is talking to Puck as they walk down the hall, hoping to further the plan to get their little girl back. She stops by Ms. Corcoran's office to ask about joining the choir. Shelby must give it some thought.

The Dodge Ball match is on, and while trying to pick one another off, the kids sing a mash-up of Pat Benatar's Hit Me With Your Best Shot & Blondie's One Way Or Another





Santana is quite mean, and leads the girls in a pummeling of the others, including Finn and Rory. Kurt stops them at the end, for they have caused Rory a bloody nose. It effects Rachel and Mercedes, too. In fact, when the Trouble-Tones meet, Mercedes suggests an Adele mash-up, and that Santana dial back on the mean. After she nominated herself, Mercedes is nominated leader of the Trouble-Tones, and demands Santana work harder on the music, and less on bullying. She goes to apologize to Finn, only to lose it and be even meaner than before. As she walks away feeling she won, Finn asks her way she hasn't come out, and if she feels better about herself when she rips everyone down just to avoid letting anyone see how she really feels. It hits her hard.

Sue has amped up her false advertising against Burt Hummel, who is getting really frustrated. Mr. Schue, his campaign manager, tries to think about what to do. Puck is helping Shelby with Beth and assembling the crib, when he confesses about the plan for him and Quinn to get Beth back. He really bares his heart, giving Shelby reason to think about it all. Soon it is time for the mash-up competition, and the New Directions go first. With 80s inspired outfits, including curly wigs and mustaches for the boys, the take on the Hall & Oates classics, I Can't Go For That & You Make My Dreams.





It is time for the McKinley High Presidential debate. Brittany wants to make tornadoes illegal, and pledges to go topless on Tuesday. Kurt takes on bullying, and to ban doge ball, the modern equivalent of stoning. When Rachel has her turn, she asks for everyone to vote for Kurt, the only candidate to not go negative. Afterwards, they make up. Quinn stops by to see Shelby, who tells her she knows the plan, and doesn't feel comfortable with Quinn seeing Beth anymore. It doesn't end well, as Quinn leaves. And Sue needs to talk to Santana, as an opponent is using Santana in an anti-Sue ad, labeling her a lesbian. Seems another candidate had a niece who overheard what Finn said to Santana, and thought to use it against Sue, no matter how it hurts a high school student. Santana is distraught, realizing her family, her parents, will see it. Sue is sorry, but there is nothing she can do... It is time for the Trouble-Tones to take to the mash-up war, and perform the Adele songs Rumour Has It & Someone Like You.





Wow, Santana nailed that! After the songs, she notices Finn whispering to Rachel, and she goes to call him on it. She is sure he is telling Rachel about her sexuality. Despite both Finn & Rachel telling her they were just saying she was great, Santana loses it, yells and slaps him. Everyone looks stunned. The episode ends.

Remember, the New Directions are taking next week off for Thanksgiving, and will be back on Tuesday, November 29th, with the next new episode. The title is I Kissed A Girl, and sure to be another great one. In place of GLEE next week, X-Factor will be moving forward a day, with performances on Tuesday, and results on Thursday.

Independent Ladies McBride & Benatar

In 2006, Country diva Martina McBride appeared on the program CMT Crossroads, singing with legendary Rock diva Pat Benatar. As is the premise of the show, they both sang the music both had become known for, and both did a great job of it. With it being the holiday weekend, I have to start with Martina's megahit, Independence Day. I have to say, McBride just looks thrilled when Benatar is singing the chorus. And rightfully so, cause Pat is laying it down.



Next up here is a rather lovely acoustic version of Benatar's Pop sensation, We Belong. I have to say, Martina returns the favor, and does a fantastic job with the song. The ladies, to put it mildly, sound fantastic together.



Well, it is kinda amazing when Benatar takes the Honky-Tonk laced song When God-Fearing Women Get The Blues and turns it into a bar-bound Rocker, soaked with a bit of whiskey-tinged blues. I swear, things like this make you realize how closely related good Rock and good Country really are.



In the final song on this post, McBride proved she was not only willing, but damn capable of rocking it out when she took the lead on the memorable song, Heartbreaker. It was also wonderful to see both ladies being so supportive of one another throughout the clips.



For more about Pat Benatar, check out her official website here. For more about Martina, check out her official website here.

Update - New Milestone - We Belong

Sometime between Thursday and Friday, the hit count for the blog went past 30,000. It took four months to get to 15,000, and then just two more to hit 30K. Honestly, it is a little overwhelming, I didn't expect to hit this number for a while, so I guess I must have stumbled on to something here.

What I know I have stumbled on is a great group of readers who have been so very supportive, as well as some of the artists I've discussed here. Without the artists putting out great music, I would have nothing to post, and without the readers and their comments, it would be pretty damn boring. So thank you all for your contributions. I hope I will continue to make it interesting for everyone, and we can continue to enjoy our time together. To help celebrate the milestone, here is a little Pat Benatar, singing We Belong.