'The Voice' Recap: Feelin' Like A Criminal
I spy with my little eye: Christina Aguilera in a pink bob wig -- but wasn't she kicked out of the competition? Yes? But they're making her show up anyway? Hmmmm -- ANYWAY, Ne-Yo and Matchbox Twenty are here too!
FUN FACT: Did you know that Cassadee Pope actually has a song on the Billboard Country chart right now with "Over You." That is impressive.
ANOTHER FUN FACT: All six of last night's artists made the top of the iTunes charts -- and 4 of them ended up at various #1s.
But before our top six get eliminated: a performance by Ne-Yo from the set of Tron! He's joined by Amanda Brown, who is a lovely vocal match for him.
The judges talked a little bit but whatever, everyone's fates are in the hands of America now. Bring on a first-time duet between Terry and Trevin! This is an interesting match up because their voices are incredibly different. So what do you do? A OneRepublic song notch! Brilliant choice since Ryan Tedder can have a rock choice but can also write songs for Beyonce and Adele. Wait, is OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder actually Trevin and Terry rolled into one person?
SAFE:
Terry McDermott (man, America loves this guy!)
FUN FACT: Three of the top six were advised by Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty. He says it is nothing to do with Cee Lo Green, but there's a really good chance that was a joke.
Now a duet performance from Cassadee Pope and Amanda Brown, doing Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway." Amanda has a powerful voice, but this one was made for Cassadee's timbre. She owns it, effortlessly.
Nicholas made a fart joke. You had to be there.
SAFE:
Trevin Hunt (maybe not so much on that fart joke eh Nicholas?)
And here we have a Matchbox Twenty performance of "Overjoyed" but what we'd all like to know is how did those merry-go-round horses get there? Is this like that episode of Dr. Who where every time you blink the statues move and then they kill you? Will Matchbox Twenty end tonight trampled to death by merry-go-round horses if they blink too much? Oh dear.
Nope, they made it through alive. Oh yes and Nicholas and Trevin got to do backing vocals because Rob Thomas, unlike Ne-Yo is not that into the duet thing.
Let's pause for a moment and imagine what Rob Thomas and Cee Lo talked about when they were working together for those three episodes of the show where there were mentors. Hm.
Okay look, the judge impersonations from the confessional were really funny.
SAFE:
Cassadee Pope (I mean, #3 song on the Billboard country music chart so yup)
Melanie & Nicholas get together on Fiona Apple's "Criminal." Never thought I'd hear a Fiona Apple song on The Voice. Could we get her in to be a mentor next season? BTW, please stop to note Xtina singing along. While both Melanie and Nicholas are getting interesting vocal things done in this performance, neither of them are capturing any sexuality or desperation that's a hallmark of the original. Xtina seriously wants to jump on stage and take the mic here.
UNSAFE:
Melanie Martinez (somewhere Fiona Apple totally doesn't care)
SAFE:
Nicholas David
Okay fine, maybe the fart joke as funny. Sorry Amanda Brown, but there are no more roses. Keep Adam Levine's cell phone number though!
-Courtney E. Smith, CBS Local
