The Sing Off Liveblogging!!!

I'm back to my regular schedule and will be liveblogging on West Coast time tonight.

As always, the liveblog is after the jump.

Nick recaps how the Yellow Jackets ended up going home last week (when they should have left the week before).

Tonight they'll sing legendary rock songs first and then country hits next.

The group number is a song that I kind of recognize but I can't tell what it is. Each group is coming out one by one for this one. I honestly have no idea what this song is. It's very dramatic, whatever it is, just based on the amount of neck veins I'm seeing. The audience gets to play along with this one, all waving their arms in unison. I'm assuming the song is called Wake Up since they all shouted that to end the song. Maybe Nick will tell us what it was.

Oh, time for the unnecessary opening credits first.

Nick struts that ass up the stage laughing about something. He says tonight will be explosive - Wake Up is a song by Arcade Fire. Is that the song from Where the Wild Things Are? Why was Nick laughing? What's going to be explosive about tonight's show? Were burritos served backstage?

But I digress, let's just get to the singing. And complaining about Vocal Point still being on the show. Because let me tell you, those guys should have been sent home for exploiting a death!

Nick introduces the judges, and for some reason, he describes Shawn as an R&B bad boy. I don't recall hearing about any legal troubles, so that was a strange way to introduce him. Also? Sara's dress sucks once again.

PenTatonix is up next, so yay, I get to get them out of the way early. That lead singer just annoys me like no other. One of them interviews that this week they're gonna ROCK! They're doing Born to be Wild and from what I heard in the vignette, they're laming it up. Also, the lead guy said they aren't heavy metal, so this will be hard. Um, the last time I checked, Born to be Wild wasn't a heavy metal hit. Also, the girl lost her voice, but I'm sure she'll miraculously be able to perform tonight.

As I expected, this is lame. This is not rockin' at all. The way he enunciates just bothers me so much. I can't even describe what they're doing here, but I can tell you that I hate it. I'm sure these idiots will win the whole show.

Ugh. Judges?

Sara of course loved it, claiming that they blow her mind consistently. She's the touchy feely judge who is all about feelings and never offers any actual advice about how to improve their singing.

Shawn is also amazed. He likes the beatboxing, which I admit, is really good. But I still hate the group. He is amazed. I am not.

Ben says he's impressed with all the tricks they have up their sleeves. He thinks they rocked.

Break time! Nick is so stiff and cheesy. Maybe he needs to fart.

And we're back!!!

I missed a bit of the vignette because I had to take my dog out and she's having a hard time seeing lately so it takes longer than it used to. The Dartmouth Aires are up and are awesomely doing We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister. A few of them are leaving for grad school, so wah wah. Whew! Caught up.

They're weraing some awesome heavy metal outfits and I really hope this number includes some stellar dancing by Hollywood. I hope they don't get kicked off for having too much fun with this one, because I do believe On the Rocks was kicked off for not being serious enough. Haha, they sang, "and now we're going to the bridge" at the bridge part. Hahaha, opera too. Sweet kick by the lead singer whose name I don't know. I'm enjoying this, but Hollywood should have been doing those kicks.

Judges?

Shawn lets out a high pitched, "Woooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!" He enjoyed the performance and asked Michael (the lead whose name I didn't know) what he was thinking of doing outside of singing since he's a natural performer. He wanted more cowbell, though.

Ben enjoyed that they made it even more ridiculous than the original. He also enjoyed that they pointed out the bridge. He thought it was fun, funny, and awesome.

Sara loves them so much. She thinks they're versatile and liked the humor and theatricality. Oh, that's apparently a word according to spell-check.

Break time!!!

And we're back!!!

Afro Blue and the white girl are up next. We flash back to their awesome Janet Jackson medley first and they lie and say the judgeS thought their arrangement was too complex, when really, it was just Sara and her shitty dress complaining. This week, they're doing American Girl by Tom Petty. They say it's a challenge because they aren't a rock group, but they're gonna try to keep it true to the original.

They're keeping it close, but are adding a touch of jazz to it since they're a jazz group. I like the little breakdown section here. I've come to enjoy this group over the last few weeks. I don't think they'll win it or anything, but I've been enjoying them. This is a pretty good version of this song.

Judges?

By the way, I love how Sara complains about their arrangements being too complicated, but she eats up the bullshit arrangements by PenTatonix. Can you tell she annoys me?

Ben liked the top. He didn't like them throwing in a patriotic tune for like five seconds because he didn't think it fit in with the meaning of the song. He also likes that they don't dumb down the arrangements, but warns about being too complex.

Sara calls them some of the most talented singers the show has ever seen. So here she goes with the complaints about being too technical. She feels they aren't connected to the song, but "good job, guys!" Bleh.

Shawn thought they might have been intimidated by the song because it was a rock song, but still, he always enjoys hearing them sing. Sadly, I think they're going home unless that country song is fucking awesome.

Delilah and the girl with the shaved head are doing Dream On by Aerosmith. They're all tired from the competition and one of them is crying and apologizing for being tired. In what may be foreshadowing, they say they hope they have it in them to keep going.

They start off quiet and I assume will build up to some massive screeching if they plan to do this song right. This isn't nearly screechy enough to be an Aerosmith song. They're trying, but it's not working. They have a wind machine working while the lead in this one finally gets all screamy and screechy. I don't know, it's good, but I liked Afro Blue and the white girl better. The judges will probably see it differently because of all the wind in this one.

Judges?

Shawn thought it was rock n' roll. He liked Amy's lead vocals. How do they keep all the names straight? He says they've seen highs and lows from them, but they've managed to stick around. He thought the rendition of the song was beautiful.

Ben thought it rocked and also enjoyed the fan because fans (for wind) are important in rock music. He thought too much of the song felt like they hit a peak and had to try to figure out how to stay there.

Nick says Ben's getting a fan for Christmas.

Sara says he needs a little one at the table for windy judging comments. She thinks Amy sang a "sick" lead. I hate the used of that word to mean cool or awesome. Then she says she was not a fan of the arrangement. She then steals Ben's comment and thinks she may not have liked it because they peaked and tried to stay there. So...Delilah and Afro Blue are the bottom two?

Sara, while a better musician than that Pussycat Doll, is just as useless as a judge, in my opinion. I don't think she gives good advice, and she piggybacks onto Ben and Shawn's comments just like the Pussycat Doll did.

Break time!!!

Urban Method is awesomely doing Here I Go Again by Whitesnake. They want to modernize it and are going to (or maybe they'll wimp out) rap in it, too. They know they're in trouble as they were in the bottom two twice now, so they're working on the girls' confidence and on having a good arrangement.

I don't know how I feel about this. They're starting slow with almost a slow clap and very serious delivery. Mike is rapping the lead now at this point. It's not bad, so we'll see what the judges have to say about this. It's definitely an interesting way to go about this. Now they're back into singing for the chorus. I'm guessing no one will complain about the arrangement being too complex for this one since it only counts when Afro Blue and the white girl does it.

Judges?

Ben says, "you know that was good." He thinks they nailed it and says they took a big chance. Their version made him hear the song in a new way. They made him like the song.

Sara loves that they're tenacious as hell. She thinks it was a really strong showing and she likes that they take risks. Really good job.

Shawn thinks they're too deep into the competition to hold anything back, and he likes that they changed it up and added a rap without losing the original flavor. He always points out the beatboxers, too, which is cool because that shit seems like it's hard.

Vocal Point is up next. Do they have any tragedies or postponed honeymoons to exploit this week? School is starting, so it's important that everyone know that they won't be sleeping since they have to go back to Utah for school. The only time they had to rehearse was in the airport shuttle back to school. Ugh, these guys can't ever catch a break! Exploit, exploit, exploit!!! They're doing You Really Got Me by the Kinks, by the way.

I don't even care if it's good, I'm just so tired of them complaining about how tough their lives are that I just want them gone. They're wearing tuxedos with no bowties. I'm sure the judges will keep them in and send someone better home. Wow! So amazing with no rehearsal time! Missing your girlfriends must be tough! We'll keep you on! What's that? You had to go to class? We'll keep you!

Judges?

Sara thinks they're adorable. She liked Ross' lead vocal. She decided it was proper rock n' roll. Ugh - of course, she points out that they're working hard by going to school and doing the show.

Shawn asks if that's how they do it in Provo, Utah. He liked Tanner's beatboxing. He liked that they showed a little bad boy. Well, he is the bad boy of R&B according to Nick, so he should know.

Ben says they're always loads of fun. He pointed out that they brought a little hair metal into it..."and that was a choice. I don't know if that was a choice I would have made." He thought they should have stuck with the coolness of the original version and tried to go a little less Vegas with it. Thanks, Ben!!!


Break time!!!

And we're back!!! There better not be any covers of Footloose, because that shit is a Kenny Loggins classic, not some stupid Blake Shelton retread! Wait, did someone cover it during guilty pleasure week? I'm too lazy to go back and look it up. Either way, these better be straight up country songs. Not regular songs that were covered by country singers.

Nick is wearing a ten gallon hat and speaking in a half twang and using phrases like "saddle up." Wow, it's just like being at Texas Roadhouse. Some random girl describes country as "super rad." I think the Dartmouth Aires are doing Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy based on this giant all-group vignette. Did you know that was a popular bumper sticker before it became a ridiculous hit song?

Anyhoo, the Dartmouth Aires are up first with exactly what I thought they'd be singing. They're all wearing plaid, cowboy hats, and vests. Somehow, they've managed to make this song even whiter than the original. They're also doing some interesting dance moves. There are even barrels and cacti out onstage just to hammer the point home that they are singing country music. This breakdown at the end is pretty funny. It's very Southern Baptist church.

Judges?

Ben yells, "Woooo!" and pretends to shoot off rifles like a proper redneck. He doesn't want to comment on their tight jeans, so he felt weird talking about the "bottom end" of the harmony. He liked it, though.

Shawn likes that they always take on the characteristic of the songs they sing, and thought their harmony issues were caused by how much fun they were having hooting and hollering all over the stage.

When it's Sara's turn to talk, the boys all remove their hats to a big "AWWWWWWWW" from the audience. She also piggy-backed onto Ben and Shawn's comments about things falling apart because they were having too much fun.

Break time!!! Someone's singing the drunk dial song next (Lady Antebellum).

And we're back!!! But Nick Lachey's cowboy hat is not...

Afro Blue is doing I Need You Now (aka the drunk dial lookin' for a booty call song). They're presenting it as a duet with a guy and a girl singing lead. I think this is a good choice for them. There was a good buildup to this part of the song. I hope this arrangement is simple enough for Sara to keep up with, haha. This is pretty straight-up, but I'm sure she'll find something to complain about. I do think the two leads could connect more with each other, though, even though the singing was good.

Oh, Sara was standing up, so I guess it was good enough for her.

Sara says she's emotional now watching them get emotional. She says it was special and a really triumphant moment for them. She saw the deepest level of connection between them and the message of the music.

Ben thanked them for clocking into the song and calls it transcendent. He also enjoyed the lead vocals on this one. He says they're out of their comfort zone every week since there's no jazz night, and he loved it.

Shawn was touched and apparently brought to tears. He said he was emotional after seeing how deeply they connected with the song. Wow, he really is emotional. He stopped talking so he wouldn't cry like Afro Blue was doing.

Break time!!! Nick said we're closing in on tonight's dream-ending elimination. Damn, that was cold, Nick! You heard it here first, The Sing Off doesn't just send people home, it kills their dreams!!!

And we're back!!!

Urban Method is up next, singing Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood. The girls seem pretty confident tonight since obviously, this is a girl song. I thought there would be a rap break, but I'm guessing they're avoiding it for this one. They're playing pretty safe with this arrangement.

Judges?

Shawn thinks Katie is sassy. He thinks they did their thing and it captured the sass and attitude of the original. He didn't mention any confidence issues tonight.

Sara enjoyed it and pointed out that Katie is only 19. She thinks she has incredible range and it will only get better as she matures. She thought it was fun.

Ben says he enjoyed watching them work through their slump and find their way again.

Break time! Delilah is singing a song by some group I've never heard of next. "'Y'all come back now, y'heeeyah!" Nick says.

And we're back!!!

Delilah and the girl with the shaved head (for google purposes) is singing If I Die Young by The Band Perry, whoever that is. They're sitting down and I assume doing a straight-up cover, but I wouldn't know because I don't know this song. I worked at a country station, but that was over 4 years ago now (doesn't seem that long ago, but it was).

Hmmm...who will the bottom two be now? Maybe it'll still be Afro Blue and Delilah.

Sara says she guesses country music is depressing since everyone's crying again. She thought there were some pitch problems when the rest of the girls came in.

Shawn liked Ingrid's lead vocal (so did Sara) and says they never lack emotion. He said it was hard to connect with the harmony issues. So I'm guessing they're going home?

Ben agrees with his "judge homies," but noticed the harmony issues and he said they knew it because he could hear them trying to adjust. He enjoyed it, but there were technical issues.

Break time!!! Vocal Point is singing a "hard-charging Rascal Flatts hit." They're doing Life is a Highway, which guess what? Is a COVER SONG! Didn't I say that would happen? They were shown doing fake race car moves. That should be enough to send them home.

And we're back!!!

Why can't they sing an actual Rascal Flatts song? They have a lot of songs that aren't covers. They start out by starting their engines. Again, I'm just so annoyed with them that I don't even care about the damn song. I hope Ben points out that this was originally performed by Tom Cochraine. It was a Southern Rock song, not a "country hit." They end by throwing their hats. Wow.

Judges?

Ben thought it was a lot of fun and enjoyed Keith's lead. He thought it was "legitimately country. I know country. I believe you drive a pick-up truck."

Sara likes how they're always so proud of themselves when they finish. She thought they rushed a little bit at parts, but she liked their blend and thought it was entertaining.

Shawn's favorite part was when they started the car. He also mentioned that the beat was rushed at points, but said it was from all the doe-see-doe-ing.

PenTatonix is bookending the show after the break.

And we're back!!! Nick tells us all the things he loves about country music, which I know are all lies.

PenTatonix is singing Stuck Like Glue by Sugarland. I know of Sugarland, but I don't know their songs well enough to tell you if this is good. They seem to be playing it safe. Oh wait, no, now they're doing reggae and including the annoying blonde guy with his annoying singing. Ugh. But, you know, Afro Blue always overthinks the arrangements.

Judges?

Shawn thought it was the simplest arrangement he's ever heard them do. OK, so he knows that they do complex arrangements, but Afro Blue gets criticized for it weekly? He thinks they did everything right.

Ben thought Kristy's lead was good (weren't they calling her Kirsty last week?). He thought it was good that they gave a relaxed performance.

Sara says Sugarland is her buddies, so she was paying attention and thought they did a good job.

Break time!!! Dream crushing when we get back!!!

And we're back!!!

All the groups are assembled onstage and one of them will have their dreams stomped on and then peed on by Nick Lachey's uglier brother Drew.

The first two groups that are safe are...PenTatonix and Urban Method. The next two groups that are safe are...Dartmouth Aires and Vocal Point. So I totally called the bottom two.

I think Delilah will go home as they got negative comments in both songs while Afro Blue got raves (and tears) after their country song.

So, the group that is moving on is...Afro Blue and the white girl!!!

It's time for Delilah and the girl with the shaved head to go. So I guess there goes that group of readers who have found my blog by searching for her. Their swan song is Survivor by Destiny's Child. I wonder if they kicked people out of their group and then wrote an entire album about said people later. That's what the song is about, btdubs. Beyonce is rude!

Well, that's it for tonight. Let's see if we get a preview of next week. The greatest R&B songs of all time will be covered, including old school and the hottest club hits. Let's see Vocal Point try to exploit something for that theme. Looks like trouble for the Dartmouth Aires, unless there's some creative editing going on.

Thanks for reading! See you next week, same bat time, same bat place!!!