The Voice got off to a great start with the Battle Rounds as we saw some early favorites take the stage (Bryan Keith, De’borah) and the introduction of the Steal. Stealing proved quite lucrative as Blake Shelton landed one of Adam’s rejects while Adam Levine’s team became incredibly strong with the acquisition of Cee Lo Green’s cast-off Amanda Brown.
The Steal is still in effect and the Battles are heating up, so let’s get ready for another hour of Voice action. Let the Battles begin…again!
Team Cee Lo: Cody Belew vs. Domo (“Telephone” by Lady Gaga)
This is a weird battle. It’s a crazy country dude against a girl who’s better suited for the Pussycat Dolls. This is certainly the oddest couple we’re likely to see during the Battle Rounds, but it’s being set up as a dance battle between two wild, fearless performers. Domo definitely has the edge based on the song choice and Cody knows that Cee Lo loves hot chicks, which hurts him as well. Domo rides my last nerve talking about how great she is at dancing and how her voice can rival Mariah Carey or Aretha Franklin. Um, no. Just no. Domo only seems to care about the performance while Cody cares more about actually singing.
The Performance: Yikes. Cody dances like a total spaz and his vocals are all over the place, though I dig the country tones he hits sometimes. Domo gets sexy the whole time and does a passable job. For me, there are no winners here, they should both get cut, but that’s not how the game works. Blake Shelton talks about how good-looking Cody is. What is it with Blake complimenting dudes this season? Hopefully during the finale the producers will put together a montage of all the times Blake talks about how sexy he finds all the guys on the show.
The Winner Is…CODY BELEW!
The Steal: Wow, that was a bit of an upset, but Cee Lo Green admitted no one really won and he just picked the person he’s more amused by. No on steals Domo. This makes me happy since I like Cody’s ridiculousness.
Team Xtina: Aquile vs. Nathalie Hernandez (“You Give Me Something” by James Morrison)
Wow, this is the second Xtina battle I’m confused by since I thought both auditions were among the best on her team. Maybe it’s just that Xtina chose a very strong team this season. Sadly this song is by some British dude and not the actor who plays the White Haired Man on Revenge (whose name is ALSO James Morrison). They both add different things to the song, but it’s the meshing that causes some trouble.
The Performance: It’s nice. Really, really nice. They’re both good singers, but it’s a little too sleepy, like a Norah Jones song. Nathalie just kind of fades into the background while Aquile takes every opportunity he gets to shine.
The Winner Is…AQUILE!
The Steal: No one steals Nathalie. She’s only 15, so she has plenty of time left to make it.
Next up, two Battles get a brief recap, which just seems mean. Poor Lisa Scinta got short-changed in the blind auditions, now she gets short-changed again.
Team Xtina: Celica Westbrook vs. Lisa Scinta
The Winner Is…CELICA WESTBROOK.
Team Blake: Charlie Rey vs. Rudy Parris
The Winner Is…RUDY PARRIS!
I don’t have high expectations for Celica or Rudy, since we didn’t get to see their actual battles.
Team Adam: Caitlin Michele vs. Melanie Martinez (“Lights” by Ellie Goulding)
It’s quirky Florence and the Machine soundalike vs. the weird Zooey Deschanel/Small Wonder hybrid chick. I know they’re both strange, unique women, but I’m not really into either of their wacky vibes. Melanie’s two-toned hair with a bow in it just feels desperate for attention, like she’s screaming “LOOK AT ME! I’M QUIRKY!!!” Even the way she skips to the ring and blows her family a kiss before singing annoys me.
The Performance: The whole thing is very breathy and emo. I understand that some people might like this kind of thing, and for those people, this is a great duet. But for me, Caitlin still sounds EXACTLY like Florence and Melanie sounds like she’s trying to sing like a sexy baby, like those weirdo women who dress up like toddlers and pwetend to talk baby talk. Blake calls them “indie” artists in air quotes, mockingly. I agree and I’m sick and tired of people saying Caitlin is original. She’s just Florence!
The Winner Is…MELANIE MARTINEZ!
The Steal: I do not agree with Adam’s decision. Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton hit their buttons. I think Blake is just trying to keep things interesting, because he just spent his time mocking her. Caitlin joins Team Cee Lo. That’s definitely a better fit than Blake. It also means Xtina is playing a smart game, saving her Steals for later, after the men already use theirs up.
(Image and videos courtesy of NBC)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
