Sing Off Season 3

The Sing Off returned last night, and I'd very much like to discuss it.  This was the premiere of Season 3, and I've watched every episode since the beginning of Season 1.

First off, I love Sara Bareilles.  She's an amazing singer.  I stream her records off her site all the time.  Thinking about spending $40 to see her on December 10th.  Not sure I love her as a judge, though.

I absolutely underestimated Delilah.  I don't really like all-girl a capella.  It sounds too high and shriek-y.  All dudes works, cuz there are low tones to fill it out.  I made this point clear to Annie during the commercial break before they started singing.  Here's their performance:

Needless to say, I ate my words.  They were so good.  The best group of the night, by far.  Not only was their music chill-inducing, but that lead singer is so distractingly beautiful.  I'm already calling them 'my girls'.  Sorry for doubting you.

Afro-Blue is probably my runner-up at the moment.  I'm a big fan of African Americans that sing (hello, neon-glowing white girl).  Especially if there's any hint of some gospel going on in there.  I wish that they slid a little more R&B instead of jazz, but that lead singer's voice was ridiculously smooth.  Last season's champs, Committed, were a great example of the style I love:

Not only were they freaking amazing, but they sang with 3/4 of my favorite band of all time.

The Mormons kind of annoy me.  Cat's Pajamas reeked of old lady pheromones (something I know very much about, and I'm drafting a post on the very topic).  The Fanni-family wasn't very good.  Urban Point's rap-apella was interesting (and a great song choice), I just wish it was more musical.  Kinpoint's lead Johnny Depp impersonator annoys me, too.  Nobody else is worth mentioning.

Paraphrased Notable Quotables from the premiere:
"That bass was shaking my ass." - Ben Folds to Urban Method's low voice
"As much fun as 5 [stuffy, white] guys can have on stage." - Vocal Point (the Mormons)

Can Boyz II Men come back and sing again?  Maybe with Afro-Blue... or even Delilah,
~RoB

Gloria

♫ Get On Your Feet! ♫  This is Big!!

I always picture Gloria in the ♫ Reach ♫ music video.

I have a big thing for Gloria Estefan.  Well, her music, at least.  She is the queen of my music collection.  Though, she might be tied with Whitney for most number of CDs that I own.  Co-queen, I guess.  (Yes, I still purchase CDs.  I like them.  Eat me.)  (I think I've technically owned more Weird Al Yankovic CDs throughout my life, but not now, and he was hip in middle school, so lay off.)  [Wow, I feel surprisingly defensive about my music all of a sudden.  Lord knows I take enough heat for the music I listen to.]

Own it. ♫ One, Two, Three ♫

Anyway, when I mention her name, all I can think of is another regret of mine from almost a decade ago.  I can't even believe that I remember it.  I was driving around in Monroe either before college or the summer between my freshman and sophomore year at Michigan.  There was one of those 'caller number 9 gets tickets to the concert' callouts on the radio.  Probably Tower 98.  It was for Gloria Estefan tickets.  Her last tour, since she was retiring from performing.

Own it. ♫ Turn the Beat Around ♫

I remember thinking that I should do it.  If, for no other reason, because I had this feeling that not many other people where I'm from would be calling in for that particular venue.  I had this gut feeling that I was going to win if I just called.  I didn't.  I don't know if it was laziness.  I had never been to a concert before, so maybe I was a little apprehensive.  Maybe I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to convince anybody to come with me.  Maybe it forced me to consider rather or not I was gay.  I couldn't tell you why, but I didn't call in.

♫ Come on, shake your body, baby, do the Conga! ♫

Gloria came.  Gloria went.  And I would never see her perform live.  That realization hit me a few months later.

...

And now she's back.  She better get her Latin ass on tour.

She's back, and I'm not missing her this time.

Three songs you should check out that never made it big:

• ♫ Hoy ♫  Entirely in Spanish, and I don't know what she's saying, but I love it.
• ♫ You Can't Walk Away from Love ♫  Annie hates this one, but it feels so exotic and cool to me.
• ♫ Heaven's What I Feel ♫  A dance mix that would probably be big now as a throwback... 13 years later.  (This music video is embarrassing, otherwise I would have included it.)

♫ Rhythm is Gonna Get You ♫,
~RoB