A Man. And His Blog.

Season 2, Episode 2 (14)
Date of airing: Feb 6, 2012 (NBC)
Watched for recap: Feb 6, 2012
Number of review in February/2012: 35/158

I haven’t seen the two-hour long shows during the first season, because I cancelled THE VOICE for me before that. So, here my opening questions: Did the double-length episodes in the last year opened with a music number too? it’s actually a pretty interesting to open up two hours with the judges having a micro concert for the studio audience. Even though I can’t do any Prince music, it’s always great to have the coaches show how it’s done, at least in all things regarding singing. Despite the fact that Blake didn’t really fit well to the Prince songs he was performing. But maybe just because he is so much of a country singer that everything else doesn’t color well with him (even though I liked the “Kiss” part of the medley). Anyway, if the producers would just get the three-minute flashbacks and “war talk” out of the beginning, the show would get into the episodes much faster. I don’t need repeated “I wanna have the best team” and stuff like that for one and a half minutes after an unnecessary one and a half minute recap of the last episode. But maybe that’s just me.

The Line is going to open this episode – a duo consisting of Hailey and Leland. Starting as a couple with romantic interest, they soon developed to a little songwriting/performing group, and are now on THE VOICE. With those kind of singing groups, I’m always thinking about the possibility that the boy or the girl (or maybe both) are still thinking about the romantic part of that duo thing. Hailey and Leland said they have great chemistry, and that is one of the reasons why they are performing together. But I know it for a fact that the back of the mind is still filled with all that romantic crap floating around, because you will never get away from the first thought you had about a person you’re close with. So, who knows, maybe The Line will also have The Wedding in a few years (Adam was obviously thinking the same). Their performance was good. I liked the song, I liked the chemistry playing out on stage, and despite some minor pitching problems (especially with Hailey), it was all about the entertaining factor up there. The two had fun performing, and it helps a lot, when you don’t push too much effort into a competition like that. Fun helps you around difficulties, and The Line definitely managed that. Respect for that, and no wonder that all four coaches turned their chair.

New Yorker Jamar Rogers (29) is one of those storytellers of singing competitions. Crystal meth, homelessness, HIV positive, and he is currently about to get his life back. THE VOICE seems to be the thing for comeback kids like him, and I have to say that people like him make THE VOICE even more interesting. AMERICAN IDOL doesn’t seem to have those “problem kids” in the first place, for what reason soever. So I’m glad THE VOICE gives second chances to people, who have already seen the end of the world. metaphorically speaking. Also, Carson’s invitation handing in New York was pretty sweet. Though it could be … more real. Like, more authentic. Like with a hidden camera or something like that. I can’t imagine that Jamar didn’t notice a big fat camera behind him, when he was unloading a car. But that’s just the thought of a guy, who watches too much television. His performance itself was good enough to deserve a place in the battle round. He also has deserved a place in Cee Lo’s team, because the two guys fit for each other like strawberries and me: a match made in Heaven. Nice that the other coaches were thinking the same, giving Cee Lo the chance to work with Jamar. By the way: That “match made in heaven” I wrote, before Adam said it just seconds later. Dammit, Adam THINKS LIKE ME!

Neal Middleton (33) says he is singing since he was four years old, that it’s his passion, that he doesn’t dream of anything else. He also has a story to tell: Eight years ago he fell 35-40 feet deep to the ground, and he was almost about to die, or to live as a paralyzed guy. Now he has a wife, two kids, and his standing on his two feet. I can’t say much about his performance, because I think that “Heard it Through The Grape Vine” is one of the most boring songs on this planet. So that’s already bad song choice in my opinion. But at least Neal seemed to have fun on stage, despite no coach turning their chair. I can understand the coaches here though, and am on Christina’s side. Before her tits are jumping out of her décolleté, she actually said some true things about Neal’s range being way too wide-open. The performance was partly really over the top. Only Adam’s comment (“That was awesome”) was ridiculous. So, why didn’t he turn his chair then?

She doesn’t look that old, but Gwen Sebastian really is 37 years old. When I look at her introduction bit, she looks like 27. No joke. Maybe it’s her hair. Her age is also the reason why she chose to be with THE VOICE. Stopping her family life for a second, and trying out music. Pausing the wish to have children and a family of her own (before it’s too late), and deciding to try it for THE VOICE, because a career in the music business seems to be more important than having a family. Especially when you have the desire to make it big in the business. And her performance was actually interesting, even though I didn’t like the song and I didn’t like the beginning. But boy, did she surprise me with that slow song. I was believing for her to make a party on stage, to jump up and down, to show herself as a rocker girl. And then she just sung a ballad. The first real surprise of the season for me. But not really a contestant whom I would follow throughout the season. Maybe with a better song choice. I don’t know if it’s gonna work with Blake though.

Pamela Rose (28) is the next contestant on stage, and she definitely has no mommy issues. Because she actually doesn’t have a story to go with her person. At least one that’s interesting to recap here. So, she sings, and she already messes up her pitch during the first lines of lyrics. Seems like it’s all about pitch in this season, because the three contestants so far not having much of a pitch control in her voice (Pamela) included, were not chosen by the judges. Here you can see that the coaches are pros, but also don’t see hope in the contestants with a little less nerves of steel.

The clock is definitely ticking for Pam Grier lookalike Kim Yarbrough (50). In fact, when I first saw the promo for this episode, I was thinking Pam Grier would have a cameo appearance on the stage. What a shame that Pam Grier isn’t doing a cameo. But who knows, maybe Kim is interesting, though I already know I will never be friends with her, no matter how good she will be. She definitely chose an interesting song to perform though. it had a little magic in there, and I kinda liked her style, and she definitely didn’t look that old on stage than on her birth certificate. Definitely a positive surprise, but still not good enough for me personally. I’m definitely following her, because I’m interested in what she will become during the battle rounds.

Staff Sergeant Angie Johnson (31) shows that military experience will help you in going through THE VOICE. Those nerves of steel I was talking about? Well, she has them, because she has the experience people need to survive THE VOICE. Her story of being part of an army band is actually interesting. And when she mentioned that one of her performances was uploaded and seen by millions of people on YouTube, I was just thinking ‘Why have I never heard of her before?’ So, maybe her words of “America’s eye” having seen how she got to THE VOICE isn’t really that true. Because not only America’s eye is looking at her. Her performance? Looked good, but nothing that wowed me. Let’s see what Cee Lo is going to do with her during the battle rounds. Also impressive that it was Carson, who actually found her. It’s already proven that the initiative from some of the contestants come from the producers or the show itself. Now Carson. Not that it’s bad, but it’s just interesting to see who is going to the show in the first place, for what reasons they ever have.

Dez Duron (21) wants to end his football career in Yale, and instead try it for THE VOICE. Giving up college and football for music is quite ballsy. Also, his father is a Grammy winner, which is probably one of the big reasons why he’s on stage now. Also, he’s singing the Backstreet Boys, which is even more ballsy than his move of stepping out of Yale. I don’t know if this might be the stupidest song choice in recent years of singing competitions. It’s not because the song was bad and all, but you can’t prove yourself with a song, which doesn’t show your range, even when you drastically change it up, because you wanna show your vocal range. This performance was perfect proof: Dez had to change it up to actually sound like he’s a great singer. Which means the song must have been so boring in his original state that you can’t do anything with it. Especially when you only have to rely on your voice. Totally bold and wrong song choice here. No wonder why no coach turned the chair.

Lindsey Pavao (22) also does not have nerves of steel. Her story is all about choking on stage and not being able to finish a performance in her past. She also seems to be talented, when it comes to changing the arrangements of a song. Two points of information I already like, because it makes her shine as an authentic artist, who is so small, she actually cares about what she is singing, and how she feels about it. And this I felt when she performed the song I was not knowing. (So, sadly I couldn’t compare it to the original, seeing how she changes arrangements) Somewhat a really great performance, but also very shaky. I felt like her vocals were dancing up and down during the performance, but her charm was saving it all. She had confidence in herself, there was lots of magic on stage, and she has a unique presence which I really like. Lindsey is not really a strong singer, who proves to have a strong voice, which will rock your socks off. Instead she’s just a small-time singer, who can warm your heart, and give you some happy emotions on the way. And I like those coffee-shop-type singers, when they know what they are doing and singing. Glad she’s with Christina, and hopefully she will bowl away her competition. And she really is beautiful and her hair is kick-ass.

Hoja Lopez (25) never had a real role model in her life, but wants to be one. Understandable. Fill a niche, especially in a show like THE VOICE, which shows how to make a star out of yourself, while you stay true to yourself. That’s why I was a bit disappointed that she flunked her performance, because of that magic word “nerves”. It really was a surprisingly solid performance, and I really would have wished to see how Hoja would make herself during the battle rounds. It’s definitely not easy for women like her to make it that far, or to step past the own shadow. Not that I’m gonna miss her, but it would have been an interesting contestant to follow.

Jermaine Paul (33) has superstar experience already. Working with Alicia Keys, opening for her, having a career already, and now on to THE VOICE. Again, this season shows that experienced musicians take the chance to step forward, to get some of the fame of a successful TV show, to get the name out to the audience. It already worked with Tony Lucca, so why not with Jermaine? Anyway, when he started to sing Avril Lavigne, I was reminded by my own choice to do karaoke with one of her songs. I horribly failed (okay, I was partly drunk that night), and I was fearing that Jermaine would also fall into the big black hole of wrong song choices. But what the hell… great performance. He sure as hell rocked that song. The episode isn’t over, but I already have my favorite performance of the night, even of the whole blind auditions round of this season. I never would have guessed that a guy singing Avril Lavigne can be that great. Top performance, he totally nailed it. Despite a flunker during the first seconds of the performance. Which were forgotten though, as soon as he went rocking. He didn’t just own the room after the performance.

The final artist of the episode is Angel Taylor (23) – difficult childhood, music as an escape, “hope in the madness” as a quote. Even though she had one of the Charlize-Theron-stories to offer, the producers surely didn’t keep any of it in the episode. Which I’m thankful for by the way. Audition episodes don’t always have to be filled with loads of information about a contestant’s life, when it’s gonna be forgotten after a while anyway. So, for the future, have a look at Angel’s introduction bit. She comes over more charming this way than with her whole tragic story. That also reflected well on her performance. Very smooth, very ballsy with that overplayed Adele song, with a really good voice. And like Cee Lo said, very warm. Now that she made it to the battle round, she won’t have problems with those nerves at the beginning again, because she will learn how this business is running now. I’m glad she took Adam too. Somehow I’m getting the feeling that he knows what he wants from his team and exactly knows what he is seeing in them.

All in all, a pretty good episode. Lots of great contestants this time, and I will remember some of them. I’m also glad that only some of the two hours robbed my time (actually, only the first seven minutes). The second season already has better singers than I can remember from the first season. And I watched both blind auditions back then. I’m happy I’m sticking with THE VOICE this year. 8/10

The Line has been drawn (also, it has a great rack)

Lindsey could be considered a front-runner. Like Xenia back in the days?