Season 10's Blinds And Battles Collide

Once every other season, we're treated to a special Blinds and Battles double-header, and this is it! It's something so special and rare that Carson preemptively calls it "the most exciting night of the season," leaving out the "so far" the producers surely wished he had time to add in ADR. The arrangement doesn't make any particular sense, especially given last week's bonus "Best Of The Blinds" episode, but it feels particularly cruel to the montaged rejects. Why show them at all if it's only going to be for thirty seconds of embarrassment? And why further insult them by showing both of newcomer Katie Basden's Blind AND Battle? Could the coaches not come together for a second group performance? Ehhh, maybe it's better that they don't.

Anyway, here we go. From worst to first, here's how the Blind Auditions rankle:

1. Jonathan Hutcherson

   Jonathan's voice isn't anything special, but he's a sixteen-year-old who's confident enough to wear pink skinnies on national television, so yeah, he's earned his spot here.

   Song: "You & I"
   Team: Pharrell

2. Jared Harder

   Jared's fine, but not much more than that. His tone is pleasant, with a slight twang, but his stage presence just isn't that dynamic. He doesn't project, nor does he really engage with the audience, though he does have distractingly large teeth. Blake's his only chair turn, and it definitely seems like he was scraping the bottom of the Cracker Barrel.

   Song: "Merry Go 'Round"
   Team: Blake

3. Katie Basden

   Poor Katie has the misfortune of being a country artist auditioning after Blake's team is full, but her strong, pleasant tone and solid vocal control still get Christina, Pharrell, and Adam to turn. She goes with a surprise pick -- Adam -- probably in part because he's able to identify the Allman Brothers song she sings. (For what it's worth, Adam is a much better musician than the Maroon 5 catalog necessarily suggests.) Blake admits that the two of them could be a "deadly combination," so it will be interesting to see how long Katie stays on Team Adam.

   Song: "Midnight Rider"
   Team: Adam

4. Moushumi

   In another life, on another continent, Moushumi is a doctor, but here she's just a storyteller, in the form of a singer, with a whispery, pitch perfect tone and incredible intonation. The way she floats through lyrics is effortless, painting a picture with her vocal choices that captures the feeling of the song. It's a gift, and it's a good thing that she doesn't intend to waste it by spending her days in scrubs.

   Song: "Wicked Game"
   Team: Pharrell

5. Ayanna Jahnee

   It's always risky to perform a song written by everyone's British best friend, but Ayanna makes it look easy. Her tone is naturally lower than Adele's, which helps to set her apart and make her stand out from the crowd. Plus, she pulls off wearing a jacket in a pattern I can only describe as Court Jester chic, so that's a fun surprise too.

   Song: "Skyfall"
   Team: Christina

...but that's not all! The start of the Battles justifies a wardrobe change (Christina tries a Gwen-ish look with slashed sleeves and a very polished high, messy bun) and some mentor appearances (Patti LaBelle for Christina, Tori Kelly for Adam, Diddy for Pharrell, and Gwen for Blake). Here's how the night's three Battles Rankle:

1. Katie Basden vs. Ryan Quinn
   Song: "Maybe I'm Amazed"
   Team: Adam

   Katie and Ryan don't battle or duet so much as they sing in the general direction of one another. Both have outstanding vocals, but neither seems to be comfortable enough with the other to truly sell the lyric. Ryan's falsetto, and his willingness at least to look and smile at Katie, win this for him, but as I said above...Katie's not exactly stuck as a Team Adam reject.

   Winner: Ryan Quinn
   Steal: Katie Basden to Team Blake

2. Brittney Lawrence vs. Paxton Ingram
   Song: "I Know What You Did Last Summer"
   Team: Blake

   Both Brittany and Paxton are wearing awesome beige leather jackets, so really, they're already winners in the wardrobe department. (The loser? Kohl's.) The two have a good energy, and the pairing is well balanced; where Paxton is more dramatic in his stage work and intonation, Brittney is grounded in her powerful vocal. Both could be more aggressive, but it's clear they're having fun and singing/performing their hearts out.

   Winner: Paxton Ingram

3. Bryan Bautista vs. Malik Heard
   Song: "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World"
   Team: Christina

   Malik starts out in full-on battle mode, whereas it takes Bryan a minute to catch up; he does get there eventually. The two harmonize really well together, though the dynamics in Malik's voice make his performance a standout. Both trade off turns showing their falsetto, but it never feels overdone. And as gross as this song could be when sung by two men, it's fairly tastefully done.

   Winner: Bryan Bautista
   Steal: Malik Heard to Team Pharrell

After all that, here's how the teams all stand:

Team Blake: Paxton Ingram, Mary Sarah, Angie Keilhauer, Adam Wakefield, Peyton Parker, Brittany Kennell, Gina Castanzo, Trey O'Dell, Justin Whisnant, Brittney Lawrence, Teresa Guidry, Jared Harder, Katie Basden

Team Christina: Bryan Bautista, Alisan Porter, Shalyah Fearing, Lacy Mandigo, Kristen Marie, Joe Maye, Daniel Passino, Tamar Davis, Chelsea Gunn, Ayanna Jahnee

Team Pharrell: Abby Celso, Nick Hagelin, Caity Peters, Joe Vivona, Emily Keener, Jonathan Bach, Hannah Huston, Brian Nhira, Jennifer Crosbie, Maya Smith, Malik Heard, Moushumi, Jonathan Hutcherson

Team Adam: John Gilman, Mike Schiavo, Caroline Burns, Laith Al-Saadi, Kata Hay, Katherine Ho, Nate Butler, Ryan Quinn, Natalie Yacovazzi, Matt Tedder, Owen Danoff, Lily Green