Music is a many-splendored, expressive, sparkly, wonderful thing. Sometimes, it can be used to express sadness. Sometimes, it can be used, as Madi does, to express a quiet feminist rage against the patriarchy. And sometimes (like when you catch your husband and the father of your three children having an affair with the nanny) it can be used as a verbal bitch slap, as Gwen does.
The takeaway here is that Queen G not only looks good in sheer white tulle, but also that revenge is a dish best served reheated by the hotness of Blake in his Johnny Cash tribute outfit (seriously, all black and no plaid?). But since this show is ostensibly about the performers and not the coaches, here's the worst-to-first Rankling of the night:
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Korin Bukowski
I've been a pretty vocal fan of Korin's quirks, but this performance is just so extremely weird and ill-conceived that it seems generous to suggest it was stylized to mix Hillary Clinton's pantsuits with the lightning from the last White Stripes set. Vocally, it's fine, but when even Pharrell resorts to shouting out the band instead of giving a proper critique, you just know it's bad.
Song: "Same Old Love"
Team: Gwen -
Braiden Sunshine
Braiden goes big with this performance, and while its scope is impressive, the vocals themselves are lacking. Gwen seems to think that this is a fine prioritization, made all the more substantive by Braiden's submitting to an asymmetrical haircut (they took off, what, half an inch to an inch?) and for a 15-year-old it is an impressive feat, but that doesn't mean it's anything special enough to warrant being a moment on national TV. Instead, what could have been a solid arrangement (the stripping down does work) becomes forgettable.
Song: "Radioactive"
Team: Gwen -
Emily Ann Roberts
In rehearsals, Blake tells Emily Ann that country music is excited about her because she's "pure," but that's not exactly the word I'd use to politely explain how dull she is. Vocally, her performance is excellent (save for some pronunciation issues), but the problem comes with her lack of emotion; she's so eager to properly hit the notes that she delivers them without any feeling whatsoever. The coaches appropriately praise her vocal progress, but there's a noticeable lack of enthusiasm.
Song: "She's Got You"
Team: Blake -
Barrett Baber
To address the claim Barrett makes in rehearsals: no, dude, not everyone believes you look comfortable onstage. Don't just read your fan mail. This whole sitting on a stool, playing a guitar thing works slightly better, but that doesn't mean it's any less twangy. Try not to sound like you have marble in your mouth!
Song: "I'd Love To Lay You Down"
Team: Blake -
Amy Vachal
Having found her niche, Amy sticks to it, but this week it garners mixed results. While the chorus and bridge adapt to her rhythm well, some of the verses come off a bit wonky. Still, the choice is inspired and she effortlessly nails her vocals, making this one of the more complete performances of the season.
Song: "Bye Bye Bye"
Team: Adam -
Jordan Smith
It's hard not to compare Jordan's angelic delivery to the raw imperfection of Jeff Buckley's vocals on the same song, and the dissonance becomes disorienting at times. The grit of the lyrics isn't answered in Jordan's delivery, but my guess is that those not familiar with Buckley's version (or even Leonard Cohen's original) will think this is monumental. Carson, who is definitely aware of both other versions, certainly seems to have a moment with Jordan at the end, so maybe it comes off more affectingly in a live setting.
Song:"Hallelujah"
Team: Adam -
Zach Seabaugh
To give credit where credit's due: Zach is aware that he's struggled over the last few weeks because he's kept the dancing to a minimum. Thankfully, he brings back his hip wiggle in full force, instantly upgrading his performance. He doesn't yet seem to realize that he should be casting himself as the mature version of Zac Efron's High School Musical character, but if he were to star in a teenage beach-blanket musical, I'd probably watch it a good 80 times (especially if Blake cameos as a bartender in a tiki hut).
Song: "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"
Team: Blake -
Jeffery Austin
You know how we all like Jack White's clean-shaven, pompadour phase? This performance is the ginger version of that, making it completely, weirdly, hauntingly wonderful.
Song: "Jealous"
Team: Gwen -
Shelby Brown
Shelby takes the stage wearing basically the same thing as Emily Ann (her sparkle dress has the added bonus of a fun diamond pattern), but completely owns the space in a way that EA cannot, commanding attention with a simple vocal, delivered with emotional intonation. The distinction between showing off vocally and being honest as a performer makes all the difference here, evidenced by how hard is it to not pay to Shelby though she barely leaves the mic stand.
Song: "Go Rest High On That Mountain"
Team: Adam -
Madi Davis
As the last member of Team Pharrell, Madi delivers in a huge way with her interpretation of Cyndi's classic; while it's so unusual to hear the flipside of something normally so dance-worthy, the change just makes the piece all the more impactful. There's heartbreak in Madi's delivery, but also a pleading hope that makes it a beautiful theme song for girls around the world.
Song: "Girls Just Want To Have Fun"
Team: Pharrell
Are you as happy as I am that Carson finally shaved? What do you think of the night's performances? Is this finally the week that Korin gets sent home? Sound off below!