We’re back at it on The Voice with (already!) two nights and three hours of show. We’ve hit the floor running. And regardless of the fact it’s a brand new season, I think something I’ve said previously needs to be said once again:
“Imagine a singing competition where you can’t see the contestants. You’ve got your ears to guide you … that’s it. No preconceived notions based on looks. No influence from stage presence. Nothing to catch your eye. Auditory stimulation only.
“This is what The Voice is all about.”
I said this in my very first review of the first season and it still holds true here. It’s about “the voice” … nothing more.
But what I’ve noticed over the course of the last two nights is a lot of thumbing of the nose about this being the case. Oh … this premise still holds true, but if you’re watching for the first time you might get mixed signals. < rant > Case in point: Christina Aguilara’s statement to 50 year-old Kim Yarbrough, who made a grand effort of belting out Chaka Kahn’s “Tell Me Something Good” (and Kim did so with mostly positive results): “Soon as that song started, I knew this was a force to be reckoned with.” What … ?!? Did we hear the same song being sung, Christina? But wait … let’s suspend belief on that for a moment and focus on something that will not translate properly from seeing it on television to reading it here:
The manner in which Christina made that statement was such that it came across insincere. Her eyes were downcast, it appeared she had to qualify the words coming out of her mouth before she said them, and I didn’t believe she was being honest — not with herself, not with the contestant. (The video below will show you what I’m talking about.) So I call bullshit on Christina’s “a force to be reckoned with” assessment.
Now … about the statement itself: What … ?!? As soon as her words came out, my head sunk and I felt myself getting angry. It’s about the voice of the contestant … not the song being sung! But she chose to say something contrary to what the show is all about! I am convinced it was the song that influenced her, not Kim’s rendition of it. I certainly hope this isn’t going to be a season where these types of things raise their ugly heads time and again.
But … I might be fooling myself with such thoughts because there were additional glaring foibles. Another took place directly after Kim’s performance with contestant Angie Johnson, the military gal. Her song was a mess. Pitch problems. Screaming. More. Still, Christina commented “And you know what? The whole time … on pitch.” What … ?!?!? She warbled and she mis-stepped and she definitely had pitch problems. How did Christina not hear them? (For that matter, neither did Cee Lo, who agreed with Christina’s statement.) Am I just not hearing the contestants truly? Because (as I answer myself) I am hearing them … the contestants … and not blindly as some of the judges are. </rant >
There were bright spots, however. I’m not going to let one particular contestant escaping praise, and my distaste for some of the things I’ve seen thus far, shadow my interest in the show.
Hopeful Lindsey Pavao was a kick. I immediately fell for her because of the terrific lilt in her voice. I’m a sucker for a lilt like that … one of the reasons I dug Xenia from last season. Was her performance perfect? Not in the least. Is the potential there with coaching? Absolutely. I have high hopes she’ll get far. (By the way … the video doesn’t show it, but she ended up choosing Christina as her mentor.)
I can tell this season of The Voice is going to drive me bonkers. I’m going to love parts of it, but I fear I’m going to be railing at it just as much.
Notes:
More Quotes:
“You’re beautiful obviously … so congrats on that.” – Adam to Pamela Rose
“You bastards! You did this just to get under my skin.” – Blake to Adam and CeeLo, at their acknowledgement to Gwen Sebastian
“I would work hard for you …” – Christina
“Bull crap!” – Blake
“Christina is one of the best singers on Earth. She is not one of the best coaches.” – Adam
Clacked by Michael Noble 
on Feb 07, 2012 @ 14:00 EST5EDT
I have to admit, it was a couple of the passes that I found hard to believe. Yes, there was a Second Chance round last year. And, yes, someone has to be good enough to get those second chances. But I’m having a hard time accepting that a couple of them weren’t picked, especially after seeing ones who were.
So far, I do think most of the contestants chose wisely and made good matches. Just because someone has a crush on a country star doesn’t mean she wants to be coached by one, apparently. And if there is only one coach you want to work with, good thing that coach is the ONE to turn his chair at your voice. What in the world would you have done on Christina’s team?
There will come a day that Line’s male lead will regret letting the female choose, but when you form a singing duo as the result of a shot of Jack, you get what you deserve.
I didn’t watch the first season of the show, so I’m just getting into this one. I have to say I’m enjoying it much more than Idol or X Factor (and I don’t watch either of them anymore) because it’s not about the freak show that comes before the competition, and the judges are more positive and do offer constructive criticism. Do they sometimes overstate things like pitch issues? Probably, but they are (in most cases) also trying to get someone on their team that they see promise in. Stroke the performers’ egos a little now, then put ‘em through the ringer later to see if they can improve. They will eventually cut the ones that can’t stand up to the challenge, correct?
*POST AUTHOR*
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Chuck:
Check out these two posts from last season: https://cliqueclack.com/tv/2011/04/27/voice-series-premiere/ and https://cliqueclack.com/tv/2011/05/04/voice-week-2/. They’ll give you a little primer on the show.
As to your questions: The coaches are more positive … but they’ve gotten a little too comfortable bickering with each other in my opinion. It was a novelty last year, but it’s lost its luster. Mostly at the start of things – right now during The Blind Auditions – it’s all about selling themselves as the best candidate for mentoring a contestant in the hope they will be picked. Overstatement (as well as understatement and not stating anything at all) does come into play down the line, especially when going head to head after The Blind Auditions conclude and the competition gets a full head of steam.
I’m sure you noticed if you watched Sunday and Monday’s episodes that some of the comments and critiques by the gang are sometimes awkward if not downright dumb. I’m not completely on board with what they say at times.
The show is fun, but – as you can see from my review – I have problems with it.
For the record: Idol really cut down on the freak show aspect of the auditions this year. It’s crisper, cleaner and not as tedious as previous years. A healthy revision many longtime watchers of the show applaud.
The novelty wore off last season, at least as far as Christina/Adam goes. I enjoy the other three’s banter, though.
ARG, this show is a train wreck I can’t look away from! Well, Christina is (did you see her “brass knuckles” spelling X-T-I-N-A? Classy!). I did LOVE Lindsey though. One thing: I thought that Alicia Keys’ backup singer went with Blake, not Adam. Am I remembering wrong? I recall thinking, “What a strange choice!”
Classy with a kapital K.
I agree he went with Blake.
The Alicia Keys backup singer was clearly pushing the judges to see how honest they would be with him. Blake basically said, “I can’t say I’m going to keep you unless you put the work in.” I think he appreciated Blake pushing back some.
Is no one going to mention Cee Lo’s new assistant, the white cat? I appreciate that the show is still new enough that he can pull that stuff off without a producer deciding it should be edited out.
*POST AUTHOR*
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I wanted to, fat lazy celiac, but it was against my rigid constitution to do so.
You see … Cee Lo scares me. Cee Lo stroking a cat? Moreso …
*POST AUTHOR*
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M c W h o o p s . . . ! ! !
Yes … Jermaine Paul did go with Blake, no Adam. My mistake. And I knew this.
I must have been rescuing a fallen Cheeze Doodle while I was “proofing” (*snort*) the post …