VOX POPULI #012: The Top 10, or Sundancing in the Dark

Welcome to the twelfth installment of an ongoing feature here at The Dip we’re calling Vox Populi, where Dirk Walker and Jonny Rice review The Voice. Back from a one week break because we needed to cool our jets and rest of weary heads. The following chat was recorded live with minimal edits.

[Editor’s note: Jonny fell asleep on his couch and missed the first two minutes of last night’s show, turning to NBC without having a clue what time it was.]

Jonny
oh good lord
Dirk
What a way to start things off, J!
Jonny
I fell asleep watching the Simpsons haha
hey Bill’s up first
bill
lol
I’m still waking up
BILLY
doing a country song!
Martina McBride’s “Anyway”

Dirk
You know how much I love Billy…
but this song is boresville
Jonny
oops
I feel a lot like I did when Billy did Adele
Dirk
How’s that?
Jonny
nice performance but too ballad-y for my taste
Dirk
Adam loves it tho

Jonny
Blake seems stuck on this Billy is good doing country thing
but that wasn’t a country performance at all
I don’t know the original song, tbh
so I don’t know how country it is either
Dirk
I think it’s current country
Aka pop music with a steel guitar

Jonny
lol right?
while we’re in a commercial break
let’s jump back a skosh
it’s been two weeks since we’ve done a Voice chat, there’s the topic of Aaron
and how like a cockroach he can’t be killed
Dirk
hahahahahaha
He’s the Rasputin of The Voice
Jonny
he was one of the final two a couple weeks ago, and somehow was saved instead of Sa’Rayah
and then one of the last two AGAIN last week
and America saved him instead of Darby Walker
I mean, it’s been consistent that he gets one of the lowest vote totals each week after Monday performances
but he still keeps getting saved at the last moment
he needs to be crushed this week
Dirk
I’m hopeful this will be the week!

Jonny
anyway
oh, this could be good
Courtney singing Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time”
but it could also be bad!
I love Courtney’s heart so much
her story about wanting to sing songs she’s passionate about is really all I want out of these intro pieces
Dirk
Agreed
Jonny
aka true confessions
Dirk
Lol

Dirk
How are you feeling about this performance?
I’m kinda on the fence right now
Jonny
one thing that’s become evidently clear over the last few weeks is that the house band just doesn’t inspire much
Dirk
TRUE
Jonny
75% of these arrangements are fucking boring
Austin does a great job, pushing them, I think
Sundance, too
but I think both of them have experience leading bands, so that makes sense
Dirk
I think it helps that they themselves are playing along with the band

Jonny
mmm-hmm
cover songs live or die by the arrangements
(and how much you bend your vocals to the song or the arrangement to your vocals)
Dirk
I like Courtney, but this felt /really/ long
Jonny
I hear you
and this is competent, but nothing special

Jonny
I would have leaned even into the early 80s
more new wave, more disco, more 1981
more everything
Dirk
yes!
Jonny
that sounded like a late 80s struggling arena rock band doing a Cher cover
Dirk
BURN
but seriously… ( ._.)
Jonny
oops, it IS from the late 80s!
I thought it was older
haha
anyway
I stand by it
1981

Dirk
Lol
Is it too early to ask how the points are breaking down for your voting tonight?
Jonny
oh, I hadn’t even though of it yet!
I’ll post it next commercial break
so Josh is doing Tim McGraw’s “Real Good Man”and I am over him by this point
sorry, Josh
Dirk
I’m glad you said that. I thought I was just being a Negative Nancy but I’m not feeling it

Jonny
“My Maria” was the last song I remember really liking from him
and that was like three of four performances ago
Dirk
I’ll give him this: he sounds like he could have a hit country song on the radio right now
Jonny
wow, but also so much time spent on an electric fiddle solo
haha. but yes, I agree
did Carson have that beard in the beginning?
I feel like we’ve been watching the Voice for 200 years
I can’t remember anything from September
Dirk
I’m pretty sure there was nothing before The Voice and there will be nothing after

Jonny
what if we’re just characters in a Carson Daly film
really really minor characters
Dirk
What a horrifying thought!!

Jonny
this is where i’m at so far
straight sixes
maybe I’ll adjust Billy up one though
he was clearly better than Josh
Dirk
666 :O
That’s fair
Jonny
Aaron is covering Elton John, apparently
Dirk
Oh god… Aaron’s doing an “interesting take” on rocket man
Jonny
CRASH AND BURN, AARON
Miley: “reminds me of Dave Matthews Band”
she just accidentally owned Aaron there
Dirk
I hate it already
This sounds more like John Mayer than DMB
I don’t care for either tbh
Also, you don’t fuck with Elton John!

Jonny
oh god this is awful
Dirk
I used to love this song
But that was on another plane of existence where I had never seen the voice
Jonny
kill him with fire
please america

Dirk
hahahahahaha
Jonny
i’m begging you
“I think it’s going to be a long long time” before I can enjoy rocket man again
Dirk
I am applauding you right now

Jonny
and Miley is wrong again
Aaron is way too white bread
he could use some glitter and glam
Dirk
Girl how’d u lose ur way?
Jonny
he should do KISS next
or T. Rex
Dirk
If he’d do KISS she’d probably have him sing “Beth” in the style of Joe Bonamassa or something ridiculous like that

Jonny
I had to google Joe Bonamassa
Dirk
Welcome to music appreciation 101, I’m your professor Mr. Walker
Jonny
the world would be fine if every white blues guitarist since Clapton had gone into accounting
Dirk
a m e n
Jonny
wait whats happening now
why does Adam get to sing on a competition night
Alicia had to wait for an elimination night, if I remember correctly

Dirk
This is why the episode is 2 hours
Ughhhhhhhhh
Jonny
there’s a badass mix of an old Maroon 5 song on Viceroy’s soundcloud page
I don’t know which one, but it makes me think he should mix all their albums
yo folks, go listen to Viceroy’s remixes
I’ll put in a link later

Jonny
honestly, the producers should have let Wé sing twice
Dirk
I would’ve been more than okay with it
And hear hear to Viceroy! He’s great
Wow, Christian singing a super current song
Jonny
I don’t know this song at all
Dirk
It’s off Gaga’s new album, Joanne
Not one of the stronger tracks
He’s gonna turn this into a P&W

Jonny
hahaha it’s already there in rehearsals
I’m ready for Christian to go, too
Dirk
He’s got the Evangelical vote so on lock, Ann Veal would be proud

Jonny
I genuinely like most of these singers, I just think we’re treading water since we went from 20 down to 12
Dirk
I think so too
Jonny
like, we all know who the top 3 are
and I think Ali and Austin have capitalized on these extra performances
they’ve earned top 5 in my book
but everyone else is just kind of wasting my time
haha
I want my Monday nights back!
Dirk
Haha you’re not wrong
Jonny
I hope Christian has a nice career on CCM radio

Dirk
I predict he will get some serious airtime on Huntington University’s radio station
Jonny
oh god I don’t even want to to know what WwhateverHU sounds like now
Dirk
hahahaha
I shudder to think of what’s being played!
Jonny
I remember fighting hard to be able to play David Bazan and the dude from Further Seems Forever who started Dashboard Confessional
and my senior year we started playing U2!
that felt like a huge win lolololololololol
we were such babies
Dirk
#revolution

Jonny
now Austin singing “Missing You” by John Waite

Dirk
This arrangement suits him
Still a few flat notes here and there though
Jonny
I agree but
this is ALMOST really good
there’s just something not right
other than the flat notes, lol

Jonny
it’s missing a piece or something
but it’s not bad, by any means
Dirk
There’s not as much drama to this rendition as the original
Or at least it’s not as believable to me
Jonny
and MORE electric fiddle
Dirk
lmao
Where Celtic woman at
Jonny
god, producers
learn how to mic a real fiddle
Dirk
Too much work
Jonny
haha I didn’t even notice the camo blazer
Dirk
I’d wear that in a heartbeat
Jonny
it’s subtle, tho. woodsy.
not military camo
I like it
aside: NBC’s new game show “The Wall” looks like Plinko on steroids
Dirk
Oh definitely

Jonny
I love that Wé is doing Billie Holliday
Dirk
Match made in heaven!

Jonny
I just adore this lady
Dirk
I still get chills every time she starts to sing.
THIS is the performance I’ve been waiting for all night.
She is straight owning the whole place tonight!
Jonny
and speaking of arrangements: like before, nothing special, nothing
pyrotechnical, just her damn voice
bringing everything up to her level
she’s so comfortable, too

Dirk
whoooooooooooaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh
She has to win. HAS TO
Jonny
I appreciate that’s she’s trying to do something new, but I think I would put the opera notes on the back burner for the rest of the competition
one man’s opinion
one cranky man
Dirk
I don’t think it’s gonna become a regular thing
Jonny
But that was still the best performance of the night

Dirk
For sure
Let’s just get rid of the raspy voices
Jonny
please, baby Jesus
they were fun at first!
but no longer!
Dirk
The gimmick has gone stale!
Jonny
also, way to pick Cyndi Lauper’s saddest song, Brendan

Dirk
Why can’t someone sing “Money Changes Everything?”
Jonny
Brendan singing “Girl’s Just Wanna Have Fun” would have at least been interesting
Dirk
lol yes
This is a dirge
Jonny
he’s got the Voice’s version of Kenny G in the back there
I shouldn’t hate so much
it’s not Brendan’s fault
it’s the shows fault

Dirk
At least his sound seems genuine (AHEM AARON)
Aaron’s rasp seems super put-on
Jonny
at least it’s not another Allman Brothers song, too ((DOUBLE AHEM))
Dirk
boooooooooooooom
Jonny
hahaha the coaches are all over Brendan’s D
this is so gross
Dirk
Watching this show has made me realize I could never be a coach
Jonny
ha yes!
Dirk
I would be SO salty to everyone
Jonny
I would be so ridiculously rough on them
I would make people cry
they would never ask me back
TMZ would love it, though
so much scandalous behind the scenes footage

Dirk
hahahaha
Jonny
i’d always be like “why can’t you be more like Wé”
Dirk
LMAO
Jonny
“you know, when Wé sang last week…”
and ever season after, too, if I did come back
“back when I coached Wé…”
Dirk
“You were a close second to Wé tonight!” — the highest compliment given
Jonny
haha breaking news via twitter, apparently Austin has the flu!
so the flat notes have an excuse
also Sarah Silverman tweeted Sundance!
Dirk
Yes!
Jonny
I think Blake knows who’s gonna butter his bread all the way to the finals

Jonny
he’s getting really into Sundance’s arrangement
showing a little favoritism and I don’t even care
Dirk
Not one bit
Jonny
Blake’s “I love you” to Sundance over facetime ahahaa

Dirk
I’m converting to the Church of Sundance
Jonny
singing “Me and Jesus” with a REAL LIVE bluegrass band
AND AN ACTUAL FIDDLE

Jonny
so they know how to goddamn mic one
Dirk
There is a god!
Jonny
this is so much fun
it’s like a Grand Ole Opry performance
I love everything about it
Dirk
You’re so right!
Jonny
and a double time chorus!
I want to be best friend’s with Sundance
that was just an incredible cover

Dirk
You two would look adorable hanging out together
Yes it was!
Jonny
should have been the show closer
Ali has a big mountain to climb
I hope the producers didn’t screw this up
Dirk
I’d hate to have to follow him
Jonny
Ali doing “Without You” by Harry Nilsson
Dirk
Why did everyone pick these depressing songs tonight?
Jonny
wait, haha it’s actually a Badfinger song originally
it’s been recorded by over 180 artists according to wikipedia

Dirk
This is a solid performance
Jonny
yeah, lot’s of sad saddy sad songs
Dirk
Haha
Professional term

Jonny
this might be Ali’s strongest song yet
Dirk
Agreed
Jonny
Good to great stuff from Ali tonight
yeah, she’s finals bound
if America isn’t stupid
Dirk
Very good ending to the night!

Jonny
aw Miley is actively winning me back right now
saying the nicest possible things to Ali
I’m Team Miley again
whatever
OKAY
wrapup
two singers go home tomorrow
so at least we’re speeding up a bit
who would you send home at this point?

Dirk
Aaron for sure
And Christian
Jonny
yeah, I can’t say I disagree with that
I could just as easily send home Brendan or Josh instead of Christian
but they ever so slightly outperformed him this week
and if my calculations are correct, we only have three more Mondays left?
any final thoughts?
Dirk
I’m just ready for finals! I wanna see the top 5 perform so bad!
Jonny
so so ready