The Sing Off

I like to take little breaks from my reviews of musicians and write about something different. This week I am going to write about one of my current obsessions. The Sing Off is a contest in which a cappella groups compete to win the prize of $200,000 and a recording contract. I became addicted to this show their second season, but this season is blowing my mind!


The very first show this season was amazing. I fell in love with Delilah and their cover of Bruno Mars's Grenade. This cover is the best cover I have ever heard and it was a cappella. AMAZING!!!! Therefore, from the start of the show I wanted Delilah to win. I was so impressed.


Then about three shows in, Pentatonix caught my attention with their rendition of Your Love Is My Drug. My guilty pleasure is cheesy pop songs, and Pentatonix's version of this one was incredible. Not to mention their covers of Video Killed The Radio and Love Lockdown, which are the two coolest performances I have ever seen. As Ben Folds said after one of their performances, they really do sound like the future.


The other thing that makes this show so enjoyable for me is Sara Bareilles being one of the judges. As my readers know, she is one of my favorite singer/songwriters of all time. She and the other two judges, Ben Folds, and Shawn Stockman, are the best judges I have seen on a show like this.


I have never been a fan of American Idol, or any of the other reality type singing contests because I think the judges are rude and not very encouraging. Getting up in front of millions of people and singing your heart out takes a lot guts. I just do not find it fair that the judges of these other shows rip apart people for doing what they love to do and I think it makes a mockery of the business. With this being said, The Sing Off is not like that at all. The Sing Off is a showcase of wonderful, and real, talent. The two groups mentioned above are only the beginning. There are now seven groups left and I urge all of my readers, if they are not watching already, to start.


Check out The Sing Off Season 3 on iTunes and at NBC.com. You can also find all of the final groups on Twitter.

Daniel Levi Goans

As most of my readers know, I have been doing this blog on music reviews for a few months now. While searching for my newest musician to write about, I found Daniel Levi Goans. And wow, I am really glad that I did. Goans has such a smooth and sensual voice. While I am writing this, his music is playing in the background, and I have a smile on my face.


Goans has a confidence in his voice that is thrilling to hear. His music tells a story with every song. I am reminded of music from Dylan and Biaz when I listen to Goans. He has a way of saying things through his music that really makes the listener think. In my opinion, Goans's music does exactly what music is suppose to do. It makes the  listener feel at ease, while at the same time, the listener is hearing a story that makes him/her wonder and ponder life.


I sincerely recommend that all of my readers check out David Levi Goans. His music can be found on iTunes, and his website http://daniellevigoans.com/ . Goans deserves to be recognized for his wonderful contribution to the music world and I am glad to be sharing him with all of you! 

Marilyn Carino

Need some music to just listen too and relax? Marilyn Carino is definitely what you are looking for. When I first heard Carino I immediately thought of Portishead. I have always been a huge fan of Portishead, and I was ecstatic to find a musician that gave me just as much delight has Portishead did, and still does.

I read a bit about Carino and all I can say is WOW. Her amazing music goes right along with her amazing story. This girl has done it all. Before making her solo album she was in the band Mudville (I will definitely be checking them out), as well as being an activist, dating influential men, and donating her time to great causes. Carino says, "“My music is about what I’ve learned about the world and what I’m still figuring out. I think happiness is about freeing the individual, and that’s the theme of my work. We’ve got to feel free to fall down and be a mess, to fuck the wrong people, to fail 99 times and keep coming back to get it right on the 100th. The solution to the hardening of the world around us is personal human revolution.” As she indicates in this quote, her life experience is spread throughout her music and it is certainly worth a listen.

Marilyn Carino is the kind of musician I have been looking for, a musician that has depth, experience, and a wonderful voice to top it all off. I am notorious for ending my reviews with "I promise you will not regret listening to" whatever musician I am writing about at the time, but Carino deserves more than that. I do not just promise no regrets, but also will say if you do not give Marilyn Carino a listen then you are missing one of the greatest musical moments you will ever experience.

Check her out at: http://www.marilyncarino.com/