Man, I just watched this week's episode of The Sing-Off and it was, to use some dated vernacular, off the hook. It just ruled. All the medleys were pretty damn impressive and unlike previous episodes, it was hard to pick who would go. To be honest, I was really hoping Afro-Blue would pack their bags. It's not really fair to them because even I can tell they're ridiculously talented. Not to mention their arrangements are so intricate as to be almost incomprehensible. And that's really why I hoped they were on their way out. I just don't like their jazzy style for the most part. It really is over my head and too amelodic for me to like it. I sometimes get the same feeling about Pentatonix, but they can usually bring it back to something I love before totally spacing out on the techno.

I also have to say that Vocal Point completely killed it. I was a bit worried about them after the previous week's performance. It really was the first time that they seemed out of tune but it looks like they arrested the problem and beat the snot out of it. I can't imagine they don't make it to the finals at this point and I'm hoping that if the judges are intent on advancing Afro-Blue and Pentatonix, then perhaps the fact that Vocal Point is more accessible to a general audience may give them the edge in the voting. I think Afro-Blue has almost no shot of winning a vote, much like Jerry Lawson and Talk of the Town last season.

I will say that one place I disagreed with the judges is I really didn't care for the Aires' rendition of Queen. Maybe it's because it's such a huge rock anthem that I just can't imagine those Queen songs without a huge kicking bass line and the Aires didn't or couldn't provide that. It made the performance sound hollow without that strong beat driving everything. In the end, I wouldn't have minded if they had gone home either, since just like the Yellow Jackets, we all know no giant ensemble group is going to get to the finals. It's just too much of a hodge podge and it's clear the judges are looking for something that's tight. That's why they're always stressing how groups can put a face on what they do, even if it means diminishing the whole group ensemble aspect. As far as I'm concerned, the Aires' leads are less well defined than those of the Yellow Jackets.

Speaking of the Yellow Jackets, that was the fucking coolest Swan Song to date. That kicked ass.