More The Voice battles ratchet up the stakes

So, if I read his column right, my colleague Michael pretty much hated the entire battle round last week on The Voice. I did not share that opinion. In fact, after another set of head-to-head matches, I’m finally starting to understand all that chatter about the level of competition being raised this season … for the most part.

Last season, while I loved all the artists in the competition, there were some battles that were pretty darn easy to call (Javier Colon versus Angela Wolff, anyone?). I’m finding that’s not the case this season; again tonight I heard some that I could have taken either way. As much as everyone loved Lindsey Pavao, I was afraid that she would steamroll over Lee Koch, but my fellow homeslice from Temecula held his own with her, even if he did go home in the end.

(And hey, Blake, don’t feel bad about not knowing ‘Heart-Shaped Box.’ I don’t listen to Nirvana either. I’m just going to hide from Adam Levine now …)

But Geoff McBride vs. Sera Hill could have gone either way without complaint for me. So, too, could Sarah Golden against Juliet Simms. All four of those artists gave strong performances, and it’s just the unhappy nature of this show that good singers get sent packing almost as quickly as they came. Now that a national audience has heard Geoff, Sarah, Lee and the rest, hopefully that will open some doors for them, and I’ll certainly be listening for what they do next.

My favorite battle of the night involved Kim Yarbrough and Whitney Myer, and not just because I’m an unapologetic Team Adam fan. Like the rest of his team, I was surprised when my coach paired these two, but it quickly became apparent to me why he had done so. Adam, you sneaky little evil genius, you. This is why you’re the coach and I’m the cheerleader.

But those two ladies sang the hearts out. In particular, Kim’s extra years of experience really did come out in how she performed Mary J. Blige’s “No More Drama.” I loved her selection because she earned it, but also because of what it represented. She’d tried out for other singing shows and never gotten a callback. Yet on The Voice, she was judged not on her age, but on her legitimately fantastic talent. So, to quote Team Christina’s Chris Mann, Idol can suck it.

I’m not without my gripes, though. I don’t understand the love for Jamar Rogers and Jamie Lono’s version of Foreigner’s “I Don’t Know What Love Is.” There’s a certain desperation in that song that I did not hear nearly as much in their performance, although Jamar did better at trying to find it and hit some great notes. Jamie just looked and sounded out of his element. He didn’t sell me the song, and so I understand why he was sent home.

But here’s the bigger deal: what in the name of Morbo is up with the iTunes downloads this season? The winners’ performances of battle duets? As if the whole second person in the song isn’t important enough to be included? I love Sera’s vocals on “Chain of Fools,” absolutely, but it’s not quite the same without Geoff involved. The whole thing just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. What’s up with that, NBC?

Sigh. At the end of the day, though, this show still warms my heart. I smile because I’m glad to hear that Juliet now has at least a little security in her life. Because I’m happy for Lex Land, who conquered her nerves tonight. Because Jamie may have lost, but I wish that people could handle defeat with as much dignity and respect for their fellow man as he did. The end result of this show, for me, isn’t necessarily who wins. It’s in seeing the fingerprints of how this show changes people’s lives, and being able to say, “I’m a part of that.”

We’re halfway through the battle rounds. Are you happy with how the teams are shaping up? And did anyone spot me in the background in my Team Adam T-shirt? Bring on next week!

Clacked by Brittany Frederick
on Mar 13, 2012 @ 02:49 EST5EDT