<p>shellfell - THREE hours! Talk about stretching it out.</p>
<p>Wagon Wheel was really good. I already liked the song so that helped, but they did a really good job with it. Bohemian Rhapsody wasn’t bad…that’s an awfully hard song to do without reminding me of Wayne’s World so my expectations were low…but it worked.</p>
<p>I’ve never been a fan of Celine Dion, wouldn’t even consider buying anything of hers, but I recognize she is a talented singer. </p>
<p>Sad to say I’d never heard of most of the rest of the bands that performed :0</p>
<p>Here is a 50 second clip of people celebrating Tessanne’s win as it was announced on a big screen in Half Way Tree, sort of the “midtown” of Kingston. There is a level of exuberance and joy I don’t think any American hometown crowd would have shown had its native son/daughter won: [Half</a> Way Tree After Tessanne chin Win The Voice - YouTube](<a href=“Half Way Tree After Tessanne chin Win The Voice - YouTube”>Half Way Tree After Tessanne chin Win The Voice - YouTube)</p>
<p>For those of you who are unfamiliar with Wagon Wheel, check out Old Crow Medicine Show. Wagon Wheel is their signature song. It’s practically an anthem for those of us who love OCMS. My Mother’s Day gift last year was tickets to OCMS concert in our city. Best gift ever.</p>
<p>07dad, I was trying to figure out Celine’s dress also. I taped and fast forwarded through most of the show just to see who won. I enjoyed wagon wheel, I liked the singers who did that one. I was surprised that Tessanne won, but was not that emotionally invested in any if the finalists.</p>
<p>I saw Darius Rucker do Wagon Wheel live and it was great. I seem to have a memory of a contestant singing this song in the blind auditions. Anyone else remember that?</p>
<p>Okay, I blush to admit that I had never heard of Darius Rucker before. Nor had I ever actually heard Hootie and the Blowfish, although I had heard OF them. I had no idea what they were like…I think the name led me to something like KC and the Sunshine Band. Anyway, I <em>love</em> them and him and am binge-watching youtube. They remind me a little of The Marshall Tucker Band, which I really liked, back in the day, with more of a bar-band sound.</p>
<p>I blame this on a period of not being able to find a decent radio station that played anything other than Top 40 or the country equivalent. Or classic rock. It seemed that when the album rock stations disappeared, that was it.</p>
<p>I know the feeling, Consolation. I’ve quit listening to most of the classic rock stations because the playlists are so repetitive. However, I’m loving the resurgence of the folk movement. D’s got me listening to the Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, Iron & Wine and some others. I found Darius Rucker after an NPR segment on him – what a gorgeous voice. Anyway, good to have some new things to listen to.</p>
<p>Consolation, I have a subscription to satellite radio, which I listen to in my car and via my computer. They have a “channel” for every genre of music imaginable–including a lot I’ve never even heard of. Take a look at the list and see if this might be a way for you to find the music you want to hear (and there are a lot of non-music options as well, from a “Doctor” station to stoke one’s hypochondria to a talk show for every political persuasion):
[Channel</a> Lineup - SiriusXM Radio](<a href=“Channel Lineup & Guide | SiriusXM”>Channel Lineup & Guide | SiriusXM)</p>
<p>I saw CeeLo on Ellen last week and Ellen commented on him not being on this spring season. His response was to announce that he wouldn’t be back for any future seasons. I’m sure he has other professional interests, but I also thought he seemed miffed at times last fall when many contestants chose other coaches over him. </p>
<p>I like CeeLo’s philosophical style a lot, but I think he just isn’t into the competitive thing. He’s more into people being who they are than winning at all costs. </p>
<p>Adam, on the other hand, will do anything to win. Witness his throwing Will Champlin under the bus last season. I am comforted by the belief that Will will have a great career. I look forward to buying his music. Tessanne will disappear back into her former niche.</p>
<p>I, too, was wondering if anyone was watching.</p>
<p>Very happy to have Usher and Shakira back. She’s a sweetie, and Usher is such a charmer. So far, the duo stands out in my mind. Their performance was interesting and individual and very polished. I’m not sure what will happen to them in the battle rounds…can’t see them doing power ballads, which seem to be the norm there. Adam will have to think outside the box. </p>
<p>I love Shakira (who I’d never heard sing until she joined The Voice, showing how out of it I am) – but she’s taken a path of watching to see what other coaches do before choosing singers. I don’t think that will help her. </p>
<p>Night two was uninspiring to me vs. night one. I hate the “dig deep and tell us about a close family member who has/is enduring great illness/pain/adversity/death.” Blech.</p>
<p>One change that is very visible this year: the coaches who do not push the button for an artist no longer give much explanation for why they didn’t push the button – more of a positive atmosphere, I’d guess. OTOH, some of the singers are most definitely pitchy, and I’m a little unclear why that singing convinced multiple coaches to turn. </p>
<p>Adam is like the guy dating five women at a time, and promising them each the moon, sun and stars. He wants to be picked as a coach, but sometimes it feels that more than anything, he wants to win the 4 chair turns.</p>
<p>After the Swon brothers did so well, even though one of them was really pretty weak as a singer, I’m guessing that several of the coaches will push to have at least one duo on their team. I really liked the first duo we saw. Very listenable, and they are both strong musicians.</p>
Anyway, I <em>love</em> them and him and am binge-watching youtube. They remind me a little of The Marshall Tucker Band, which I really liked, back in the day, with more of a bar-band sound.</p>
So far, the duo stands out in my mind. Their performance was interesting and individual and very polished. I’m not sure what will happen to them in the battle rounds…can’t see them doing power ballads, which seem to be the norm there. Adam will have to think outside the box. </p>