Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Just call me baffled and befuddled right now.

I mean, I just watched country singer Karla Davis try to rap on The Voice.

I just watched a theatrical veteran named Pip try to play rocker while wearing a bow tie.

I watched one of the show’s biggest female voices (Kim Yarbrough) try to match Adele when she could have picked any other song and come off better.

And I watched one of the show’s biggest male voices (Tony Vincent) sing a song that showed none of the power I’m sure he delivered imitating Freddie Mercury for two years in Vegas.

Why do the singers on The Voice think they need to surprise us?

This isn’t American Idol.  They are not household names.  We barely know them.

Folks, do what you do best, then do it very well.

That would be my advice to the contestants on The Voice.

Meanwhile, please, Blake Shelton, stop complaining about the over-the-top staging some of your fellow judges use to showcase their artists.

If it hadn’t been for guitarists on stilts and that elaborate “Walk Like an Egyptian” number, there would have been very little to smile about tonight on The Voice.

The recap:

Best of the Night:   OK, Juliet Simms was the exception.  She dared change “Roxanne” by The Police.  Then she pulled it off, from beginning to end.  If Pip and Jamar Rogers and some of the other wanna-be-rockers on The Voice really want to rock, just watch this gal.  On a night when few of the vocals rose above average, the former lead singer with Automatic Loveletter flat out stole the show.

Runner-up:   Tony Lucca, the singer-songwriter and former Micky Mouse Club member, gets kudos for knowing himself and not getting wrapped up in some warped desire to surprise.  He simply poured his emotion into Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” and delivered a spot-on vocal.  And his was one of the few vocals that didn’t get lost in all the commotion going on around the singers.

Best staging:  Hands down, Erin Martin being pulled onto the stage in a chariot to sing “Walk Like an Egyptian.”  Of course, it didn’t hurt that this is the same gal who dressed as an “Egyptian warrior princess” for her blind audition.  Erin’s vocal wasn’t the best, but she’s got the look of a pop princess and a distinct tone that could turn her into just that in the hands of the right producer.

Worst of the night:  Wow, I’m torn between James Massone’s tortured turn on “Don’t Know Why” and Karla Davis’ whispered rap on “Airplanes,” which started with her standing on the wing of a pretend airplane.  In the end, I don’t know why I had to suffer through either of those performances.

Keepers on Team Adam:  The public should vote for Tony Lucca, the teen known simply at Mathai and Kim Yarbrough.  Mathai scores big points for showing no signs of nerves on The Voice’s big stage.  Honestly, after watching Monday’s performance, I could care less who gets the mentor’s save.  But I’ve heard enough of Karla Davis’ country music to know she’s much better than she showed.

Keepers on Team Cee Lo:  Juliet Simms should be a lock.  The show needs someone as flashy as Erin Martin.  I’d give the third spot to former Idol contestant Jamar Rogers, though I wasn’t nearly as impressed as the judges with his Monday night performance.  I’d give the save to Tony Vincent, who was hampered by a song choice that did nothing to showcase his vocal range.

If you missed the song-by-song grades, head here.

I’ll be back tomorrow night, live blogging during the results show on The Voice.