Dartmouth Aires - This season's Beelzebubs! An all-male group of quirky, high-energy Ivy Leaguers, they also feature the best lead on this side of the bracket. I absolutely loved their rendition of "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder, and they are my favorites of their foursome, easily. They also have a secret weapon: a Janelle Monae look-alike. But seriously...exact doppelganger.
Pentatonix - A quintet that has three all-star-caliber members: their lead has an amazingly solid tone to his voice, their bass is one of the most capable in the show (no barber shop walk-downs for him), and then their beatbox is incredible. He's a former YouTube star (they showed a video of him beatboxing while playing cello), and definitely can handle some cool tempo changes. The other two members are average or maybe above-average, but nothing special.
Messiah's Men - Refugees from Liberia (now based in Minneapolis), their sound is just plain gospel/african. From the first note I wanted to like them so much. With a song like "People Get Ready," there was definitely a chance for this to be a church sermon, but instead it seemed like too much of the same thing. I'm sad to say that I didn't like it that much. I'm not that bummed that they're out.
Sonos - They're definitely a group of musician's musicians, with a really great new-wave type of beatboxer. The chemistry among their sound wasn't incredible, especially because they have a male bass, and then three female voices in the same range - and nothing in between. The judges all pointed this out, and I'm really satisfied with the opinions the judges (Shawn Stockman, Ben Folds, and Sara Bareilles) are giving. I think they're the best panel in all vocal reality shows.
The Collective - Nashville band that seems like a complete aggregate of unique styles. They sang the now-overplayed "Rolling In The Deep," and I didn't like the lead's range - she sounds really good low, but really doesn't have a nice upper register. It seems like a group full of lead singers though, so I wonder why they chose her for the first showing.
Soul'd Out - This season's high school group, which already has me tentative. They chose "Aquarius" from Hair - which I saw on Broadway. Let me just say - this one was a much more PG-rated version. The lead guy at the end during the breakdown has a pretty good voice, but the group is just too young and not comfortable on the stage. I doubt that two of the guys were actually in high school - I still don't grow as much facial hair as they were flossin'. No surprise on the elimination here, however, in two years these guys could be superpowers in a cappella.
North Shore - This year's Jerry Lawson doo-wop quintet, which were some of my favorites from last season. They sang "Run-Around Sue," and I think it was a great song choice. I was surprised by their lead's range; he actually showed off a great voice. The chemistry of the group is obvious, and it really fits the genre. Their uniforms made it seem like they were a bowling league team that sang together on the side. Also, Nick Lachey's Italian impression was...ridiculous. There are no words.
Deltones - A "Voices of Lee"-style, they've got a family feel to their group. Their lead is piercing, and it felt like it was a brief glimpse into her life through her eyes. That's a really special connection to establish with a crowd, and it definitely made the performance pop for me. She had some runs that surprised me, but they still worked. I think she's the second-best lead of the night, just a tad behind the lead from Dartmouth.
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