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Is it just me, or does it seem to anyone else that 2014 is
speeding faster than a bullet train out of Tokyo, toward 2015! YIKES! I can
hardly keep up.
At least I’m pretty well prepared for Christmas. The presents
are all purchased, but not wrapped. I’ve decorated the house, but not put the
tree up yet. I still need to bake, but the Christmas parties have already
started and I’m definitely feeling in the mood for some Christmas cheer.
Anyway…here’s a little something for you to listen to while I
get on with the business of BOTB RESULTS. Pay special attention to the names of
the Reindeer.
YIKES! I think I’ve been to that party…in another life.
OK, enough of this nonsense, let’s get on with the Results from
BATTLE OF THE BANDS CHRISTMAS EDITION 2014.
First, let me say that, in my opinion, there could be no wrong
vote here. I really like both of the versions that I posted. All week long I
kept vacillating about my vote, but I have finally decided. Although I think
the ‘vocal acrobatics’ of Pentatonix are super, I have to give my vote to the
sincere mellow voice of CeeLo Green.
I found it interesting
that some of you who voted for Pentatonix, have, in the past, called out other
artists for what you called ‘vocal acrobatics’ and yet when it’s done as an a Capella
arrangement, you folks are all over it. Not necessarily a criticism, just an
observation and something to think about. At any rate, I did like the
Pentatonix version. These people are amazing and I highly admire the sounds
they can produce simply using their voices.
I admit that I was pretty shocked to hear CeeLo’s version. This
is quite a departure from what he is most famous for, but I thought he pulled
it off quite well. In this number I like the simplicity of the one voice.
In the end, my vote wasn’t enough to give this one to CeeLo and
Pentatonix did win by quite a large margin, but for my money, CeeLo had a
respectable showing.
Pentatonix 13 votes
CeeLo Green 7 votes (including mine)
I want to thank each and every one of you for coming by and
voting in this BATTLE. Nineteen voters may even be an all-time record. I’ll be
back on the 15th of December with another Christmas Edition of
Battle of the Bands. See ya then and please remember during this hectic time of
year remember the ‘Reason for the Season’ and take some time for yourself to
find the peace meant to be a part of our lives.
Peace, what's that? lol The season is sure flying by fast.
ReplyDeleteWell maybe someday...
DeleteLet me just pull that barb out of my chest before I continue typing. hahahaha. I'm pretty sure you were thinking of me with that "vocal acrobatics" comment, but then maybe I'm just doing a Warren Beatty or James Taylor (or whoever Carly Simon was singing about in that little ole song). Anyway, please allow me to clarify... when I say I don't like someone's vocal acrobatics, what I actually MEAN is that I don't like how the slide around all over a note (sometimes landing on it and sometimes not). This is particularly annoying when you sing in choirs and you're standing next to someone who's sliding all over the place, but not actually hitting the note. It really sounds bad in a choir... and having been in enough choirs, I now just find it annoying whenever I hear it. So, sliding all around the note is what I mean when I say "vocal acrobatics." Of course, the deal with a soloist is that you can get away with vocal acrobatics aka sliding around the note... and some people like it. I just tend to not be one of them. I'm sure if you looked long and hard enough you could find the exception to the rule (because there's always an exception to the rule)... hahahaha.
ReplyDeleteGood battle FAE!
Yes. Exactly this.
DeleteI know I've chimed in on the "anti-acrobatic" side before, but I also enthusiastically voted for Pentatonix in the last BOTB. Robin expresses what I think really well.
And I might add that with Pentatonix, each singer was singing a specific part, which was intricately intertwined with all the other parts. from the other vocalists. Everything was tightly constructed and every singer was hitting the correct note at the correct time. This wasn't so much "acrobatics" as it was a precision drill team. The kind of vocal "acrobatics" I find excessive are -- as Robin said -- where an individual singer is adding too many runs and trills and fills to virtually every note as a form of 'interpretation' and 'expression'. It can be a really dynamic and catchy effect when done well, but also -- and ESPECIALLY -- when done in moderation. It's like a potent, strong spice -- a dash of it in the right place can really add to a meal, but having it splattered over everything totally ruins that meal.
An unexpected skillful vocal glissando at just the right point sounds wonderful -- too much of it around every freakin' note sounds annoying.
And them there's my thoughts...
somehow I knew you might take this personal, but if you look at some of the other comments and read back through various other BATTLES, you are not the only one who complains about 'vocal acrobatics'. Although, you may be the one who coined the phrase. Hey, take credit where credit is due.
DeleteAND, to you and all the others; I knew exactly what you meant when you 'complained' about the vocal acrobatics.
Oh and Chris 'glissando' are you kidding me? Ha!
DeleteHey, at least I'm consistent in my griping! Yes, I don't like vocal acrobatics, and perhaps that's even why I didn't care for Pentatonix's version. But it just didn't do it for me. Regardless, at least a few of us showed CeeLo some love.
ReplyDeleteAND, for that I'm grateful
DeleteAs far as vocal acrobatics, I find it annoying when the singer does one too many riffs and runs...over and over again. Think Christina Aguilera. When it's overdone, it begins to overtake the song.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Pentatonix overdoes the riffs.
AND, Mariah Carey as another example. Sometimes I get so lost in the 'vocal acrobatics' I forget what the song was.
DeleteVocal Acrobatics, do I like 'em?... For me it all depends on how the woman looks in leotards.
ReplyDelete~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
:-)
DeleteI just thought the voices of some of the men in Pentatonix sounded too much like the female, which is why I went for CeeLo
ReplyDeleteI agree. One of the things I think Pentatonix was missing is that rich deep bass. I love that sound, especially when used well in harmony.
DeleteIt was a fairly close battle.
ReplyDeleteCloser than I thought. I kind of expected Pentatonix to run away with it. I was glad to see CeeLo get as many votes as he did. While Pentatonix is GREAT, for this tune, I liked the single mellow, slower version. It just seemed to have more feeling.
DeleteSorry FAE, I've been offline a lot lately and missed the last post of BotB. I have one scheduled for thee 15th though. And I agree time seems to be speeding up. So close to 2015!!
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