The Voice 7 - Live Blog and Recap - The Live Playoffs, Night 1

By Nick Roman ·

Welcome to the live blog and recap of The Voice 2014 Season 7, "The Live Playoffs, Night 1"!

Team Adam and Team Blake compete tonight, as the two most tenured coaches on the show present their five acts for America's vote! Who will make the Top 12? Each coach has five artists but only three spots. America picks two, and the coaches pick one to round out their three finalists, so the pressure is on!

Tonight's performers and song spoilers are...

Credit: NBC

Team Adam:
Chris Jamison ("Don't")
Mia Pfirrman ("Young and Beautiful")
Damien ("I'm Not the Only One")
Taylor Phelan ("Cool Kids")
Matt McAndrew ("God Only Knows")

Credit: NBC

Team Blake:
Craig Wayne Boyd ("Some Kind of Wonderful")
James David Carter ("Two of a Kind Workin' On a Full House")
Jessie Pitts ("Holding Out for a Hero")
Reagan James ("Try")
Taylor Brashears ("Long Time Gone")

I'd be shocked if anyone other than Taylor, Matt, and Mia made it through on Wednesday, although I suppose you could make a case for Damien. I'm not sure Chris has much of a shot though. But you never know, since tonight's performances could end up surprising people. That said, it looks like America has its work cut out for them where Team Blake is concerned. I expected all of them to make the Top 12 in some form or fashion, so I don't even know how I'd narrow this group down. This is why tonight's performances are so damn important, because I'm not sure there are any obvious decisions on Team Blake. I guess it'd be surprising if James and Reagan didn't get through, but after the Battle Round and the Knockouts, I probably shouldn't bother trying to predict any of this. Should be interesting.

I'll be posting individual videos as the night rolls on. Until then, add your thoughts in the comments below, and keep refreshing for analysis, thoughts, and links to videos of the night's battles as they become available.

Let's get this show on the road!

Credit: NBC

RECAP

-This is the first time in the season where the public gets a vote. For those looking to weigh in, here's how you do it...

-You can apparently vote now, but you have the option of changing your vote on the app at any point until the voting period ends.

-We then kick off the show with MAROON 5, who are here to perform 'Animal', since ten performances aren't enough to pad out two hours. It's a good performance, very lively and energetic. But then, Adam could sing pretty much anything and I'd be on-board with it. I'm not even a particularly big fan of Maroon 5, but every single they've released from this new album so far has gotten worn out on my iTunes playlist. I did have to smile a bit at Adam doing some Mick Jagger-like poses during the performance. But seriously, dude's voice was CRAZY tonight. That note at the end was downright madness, and I loved it. I usually hate obvious filler, but I was all-in on this.

-Back from break, and Carson talks to the coaches about the pressure of live shows, as we somehow find a way to waste more time, because apparently 10 performances aren't enough to fill two hours. Come on guys, we're fifteen minutes into the show now!

TAYLOR BRASHEARS opens the show!

-Taylor meets with Blake for their rehearsal, as she goes over 'Long Time Gone' by The Dixie Chicks. Blake chose this track for her since it plays into her sass. Taylor talks about how her life has blown up since being on the show, saying how Loretta Lynn tweeted her blind audition, and her fans are checking out all the new songs she's been posting. Taylor plans on doing the fiddle part of the song, saying it's one of the best fiddle sections in any country song ever. Blake is excited for America to see what she can do.

-So Taylor hits the stage, and I just love how classic and old-fashioned her voice sounds. I've compared her to Loretta Lynn in the past, and I feel the comparison is apt, and now just because Lynn herself seems to recognize it as well. Taylor isn't the best singer on Blake's team (in fact, I think she might actually be the weakest), but this performance had tons of character and personality to it. I thoroughly enjoyed this. She nailed the fiddle opening too.

-Pharrell loves Taylor, saying it doesn't matter what year or era her songs are from, she manages to keep her music fresh and interesting. Gwen is shocked at how comfortable Taylor looks up there. She then notes the huge tattoo on Taylor's thigh, which was visible when she flipped her skirt up, which I didn't catch at all. She shows the tattoo (there are apparently two of them), and one is a pinup model and I couldn't make out the other. But they both look like they belong on the side of a World War II fighter jet. Adam says he's a fan of Taylor and always has been, while Blake talks about how happy he is with what Taylor did up there. He should be. That was a really fun, sassy performance.

WATCH: Taylor Brashears sings ‘Long Time Gone’ (VIDEO)

-Back from break with Adam and James Valentine from Maroon 5 in the Sprint Skybox, announcing their tour. More filler, basically.

CHRIS JAMISON is up next!

-Chris talks about how his Twitter has exploded since being on the show, and how much he appreciates that people enjoy what he's doing. Chris rehearses "Don't" by Ed Sheeran, which Adam gave to Chris because he feels it's the perfect representation of the kind of artist he could be. "Chris has a beautiful, buttery voice, and I think he's going to have a lot of momentum after this performance," Adam says, before noting how all the girls are going to be abuzz on Twitter about how hot he is. However, Chris is a bit worried about his breath control, to which Adam offers some Usher advice: hit the treadmill and work on cardio to increase lung capacity. Adam feels Chris can be a force to be reckoned with, and I don't disagree, but he needs to get through this performance first.

-The stage presence on this performance from Chris is much better than the vocal. He just doesn't have the lung capacity to get through this, and it shows. This could have been a great song choice for him, but ultimately, I don't think it worked. Like, at all. This was far too daunting a choice for the first live show, and it felt more like Chris was fighting to get through it rather than just enjoying the moment. It was about as far from effortless (or the appearance of effortlessness) as you could probably get. I like Chris, but this just didn't do it for me.

-Blake doesn't know what else to say but "great job," and Pharrell agrees. However, he notes that there were some breath issues. But he gives Chris a break, attributing the difficulty to Ed Sheeran's amazing penmanship. Gwen hopes America knows just how hard of a job Chris had in tackling such a vocally complex song. She applauds him for his effort. Adam, meanwhile, congratulates Chris on how he was able to maintain control, and how the performance had an "arc" to it. He says Chris has an intangible quality about him, and honestly, this is another case where I don't disagree. But I'll be surprised if that vocal was enough to get him through, considering the depth of the field on Team Adam.

WATCH: Chris Jamison sings ‘Don’t’ (VIDEO)

JESSIE PITTS is up next!

-Blake compares Jessie to a box of Lucky Charms, which leaves Jessie blushing. Blake gives her 'Holding Out For a Hero' by Bonnie Tyler, which Jessie recalls singing with her siblings as a kid, since they didn't have very many other forms of entertainment. Blake says Jessie fits into the music world the same way Lorde does, noting that she's an original. He hopes the rest of America loves her as much as he does. So do I, Blake. So do I.

-Ugh, I LOVE Jessie's voice. Seriously, this is so good. The stripped back, acoustic arrangement is the best this song has sounded in ages. I would also be remiss if I didn't mention how lovely Jessie looks. She's rocking the Elsa braid, and it totally works on her, even if the outfit she's wearing makes her look 14. But back to the performance, as I could imagine this might bore a few people, which is why I'm kind of worried for Jessie. It's not a blowaway, "kick down the door" statement that I imagine others on Team Blake are going to make tonight. I can only hope this is enough to get her through, because she's one of my favorites.

-Pharrell loves the way Jessie "finds the pocket" of a song, and stays there the whole time. Gwen wanted to be jealous of Blake for having Jessie on his team, but she couldn't help being happy for him and for Jessie. Adam says this was, by far, Jessie's best performance. He called it an amazing song choice, and a great version of the song. Blake congratulates Jessie on the performance, and says everything the judges have said is likely how America is feeling about her performance right now. Fingers crossed, man. Fingers crossed.

WATCH: Jessie Pitts sings ‘Holding Out For a Hero’ (VIDEO)

JAMES DAVID CARTER is up next!

-When James was a kid, his parents took him to a Garth Brooks show, and ever since then, he essentially wanted to be Garth Brooks. So he'll be singing 'Two of a Kind Workin' on a Full House' by the man himself. Blake loves it, but warns him against getting too pitchy. James wonders if he might be better served changing the melody, but Blake feels the melody is fairly straightforward. James sounds pretty good on the run-through, and Blake notes that his vibrato sounds nice too. James says he's just hoping he doesn't screw up in front of millions of people.

-I was really impressed by this. I mean, I'm always impressed by James, but this performance really showed me that he can do uptempo as well as he does ballads. He's got a perfect country voice, with a lovely tone. This was pretty close to flawless, and I think he's a shoo-in for the Top 12.

-Pharrell says the way James ended that performance was amazing, and mimics a bit of it himself, in a funny little moment. Gwen says James sounds like a record onstage, like his voice has been prerecorded. She calls him very natural and professional, but not at all in a cheesy way. Adam calls him "James," and James corrects him by saying "It's 'James David'" in a joking manner, although I don't get why he's choosing the first live vote to start correcting people. But correcting people about how to pronounce a name didn't hurt Jena Irene on American Idol, so meh. Blake says James David always does a great job, and applauds his performance.

WATCH: James David Carter sings ‘Two of a Kind Workin’ On A Full House’ (VIDEO)

-After break, Carson announces that anyone in the Top 10 on the iTunes chart at the end of voting will have their iTunes count multiplied, which could be huge for their vote totals.

MATT MCANDREW is up next!

-Matt talks about having the goal of getting signed to a label this year. He feels if he makes the Top 12, he'll have a real shot at making that dream a reality. He'll be singing 'God Only Knows' by the Beach Boys, which his mother feels is one of the best songs ever written. Adam feels Matt has a beautiful voice, and I agree. Just the little hints of the performance that we get from the rehearsal sound gorgeous.

-I absolutely adored this. My favorite performance of the night so far, and one of my favorites of the entire season up to this point. I had no idea Matt had this kind of vocal range, belting out the chorus and nailing some gorgeous notes. His mother watching in the audience just added an extra layer of adorable to the entire proceedings. Matt NEEDS to advance.

-Blake tells Matt that he sang the song perfectly, and calls it a perfect song choice. He then praises him for combining orchestrating with "ass-slapping," as Carson checks his watch to see if it's late enough for Blake to get away with saying "ass". Pharrell praises Matt, and then plugs Matt's website by asking him to tell America the web address. Gwen then says she was almost moved to tears when Matt sang out, since it was something beautiful she wasn't expecting. Adam tells Matt that there's a magical quality to what he does. He calls the Beach Boys song choice a risk, but says he's genuine and that there's no one like Matt in the competition. Adam says Matt gives him goosebumps, and blows him away with every performance. Kind of hyperbolic, but I think it fits here. This was absolutely terrific.

WATCH: Matt McAndrew sings ‘God Only Knows’ (VIDEO)

REAGAN JAMES is up next!

-Reagan talks about how life has changed at school since being on The Voice. Blake then reveals she'll be singing 'Try' by Colbie Caillat, and THANK GOD, because I was worried it'd be Pink's 'Try', which I'm absolutely sick to death of hearing on this show. Blake worries because this song could restrict Reagan if she's not careful, but Reagan decides to ditch the guitar midway through and asks if she can get more of a groove from the band. Blake feels this is indicative of how Reagan is making the song her own. Reagan then notes that her birthday is on elimination day, so she'd love nothing more than to get voted through on her 16th birthday.

-This performance was another keeper. I love Reagan and feel like she's a complete package artist. She's got the voice, the stage presence, the artistry, and the confidence to go far. I kind of wish they'd stop making such a big deal about her age, but that happens to anyone under 18 on shows like this. Either way, she sounds far older than her years, and has that mature, Lorde-like sensibility that I find appealing. I really enjoyed this performance.

-Pharrell thought it was great the way she just floated across the stage, and he's still jealous she isn't on his team. Gwen is touched that Reagan listened to her advice about not being older than her years, and then notes that she did such a good job that 'Try' could have been one of her own songs. Blake once again notes that Reagan is only 15, and calls her one of the most important artists the competition has had. Aaaaand because we're already brushing up against the clock, we don't hear from Adam. But I would imagine he'd have enjoyed that.

WATCH: Reagan James sings ‘Try’ (VIDEO)

TAYLOR PHELAN is up next!

-Adam thanks Pharrell for ditching Taylor so he could steal him. He gives him 'Cool Kids' in order to get Taylor back to the kind of artist he thinks he could be. He calls him not your typical rock artist, and praises Taylor for wanting to win this competition for the right reasons. I'm not even sure what that means. What are the 'right reasons'? Ah well, either way, Taylor is super-likable, and this will probably be good despite the ho-hum nature of the song choice.

-Taylor sounds vocally flawless. I love his voice so much, and he has such an easygoing nature onstage that he manages to be really compelling to watch, even though his laid back nature shouldn't be so damn riveting. I still feel this was a bit of a boring song choice, but I really can't fault Taylor for what he did with it. The guy is legitimately great, and delivered one of the best performances of the night.

-Pharrell is so proud of Taylor, congratulating him on showing people why they should buy his album when it comes out. Gwen says that others are making huge improvements on the show, but Taylor came out already formed as an artist. She says it's like watching a peer. Adam agrees, saying Taylor blew them all away from the start. He praises his entire team for stepping up, and once again notes how happy he is to have stolen Taylor from Pharrell. I think Taylor is a no-brainer for the Top 12, but stranger things have happened. Here's hoping he gets through.

WATCH: Taylor Phelan sings ‘Cool Kids’ (VIDEO)

MIA PFIRRMAN is up next!

-Adam has given Mia 'Young and Beautiful' by Lana Del Rey, saying that he's worried about her pigeonholing herself as a pop singer. He feels this is a darker song that will show a new side to Mia. However, in rehearsal, Adam feels she's making too many embellishments on the track, so he stresses restraint. Adam feels she needs to take a risk to help America see how talented she is, and Mia seems more than eager to face the challenge.

-It's weird. While I can admit that she's hitting every note, and doing some interesting things with the ad-libs and runs, there's just something unpleasant about her voice, to me. It feels a bit throaty, like she's swallowed an air bubble or something (if that makes any sense, and I'm not even sure it does). She does hit some impressive notes, particularly one long glory note towards the end of the song. She's a good singer, but Mia just isn't my cup of tea, unfortunately.

-Blake says it was a great performance, adding that her voice is perfect for that type of song. He says she showed a lot of bravery to be so broken onstage. Pharrell agrees, noting that while the musicality was great, Mia was the star of that performance. Adam says Mia continues to grow, listening to his advice and delivering onstage. He says he's amazed by what she accomplished, and calls it a potent performance. Mia is a lovely girl, but there's too much competition on Team Adam. I wouldn't be angry if she got through or anything like that. It's not like she doesn't deserve to be there. There are just others I would put through on Team Adam before her.

WATCH: Mia Pfirrman sings ‘Young and Beautiful’ (VIDEO)

DAMIEN is up next!

-Adam notes that Damien has done a lot of classics, so now he wants to see Damien tackle a current artist. He gives him "I'm Not the Only One" by Sam Smith, a current artist whose songs have that old fashioned sound to them. It's an absolutely wonderful song choice, and Damien immediately looks for ways to connect with the song, talking about the song's infidelity story, and how he wants to convey the pain behind the track. Adam suggests Damien try a gospel-like note towards the end, and it's smart advice. This should be an interesting performance.

-In my opinion, this is easily the best Damien performance of the season. Hell, I think it's one of the best performances of the season so far, full-stop. I had no idea he had falsetto like that. There wasn't one bum note in this entire performance, and that ending was absolutely INCREDIBLE. He nailed the passion of this song, and suddenly made a case for why he should not only go through to the Top 12, but last for some time once he gets there.

-Blake congratulates both Adam and Damien, while Pharrell praises Damien for how he switches between chest and head voice. He adds that the people at the airport in Louisiana (where he works) are going crazy for him now. Gwen says that Damien has a truth in him that speaks to everyone, as evidenced by how crazy the audience is getting for him. She says he's amazing. Adam, meanwhile, says he really capped off the night for his team. He then notes how Pharrell perks up when he's excited, looking over at him, and then looking back at the performer, before rising to his feet for a standing ovation. He does an impression of this, and it's a genuinely funny moment from Adam. I hope Adam has the good sense to put Damien through if America doesn't do it for him.

WATCH: Damien sings ‘I’m Not the Only One’ (VIDEO)

CRAIG WAYNE BOYD closes the show!

-Blake notes how happy he is to have Craig back, and adds that the advantage of Craig being passed around is that he gets attention and advice from multiple sources. Craig notes that every show he's played since being on The Voice has been sold out. He's done tons of radio interviews as well, and feels his career is finally kicking off after years of trying to make it in country music (which included trying to get a single played on country radio, to no avail). Blake is confident in Craig's ability, and he'll be singing 'Some Kind of Wonderful', which honestly might end up being exactly what the song says.

-Craig has such a confident stage presence now that I can't help but root for him. He sings the hell out of this too. It feels like he's playing an arena concert, the way his voice and presence fills the room. I was genuinely impressed by this, and now I'm worried for my girls Reagan and Jessie, because Craig is coming to take a spot on Team Blake in the Top 12. It wouldn't surprise me one bit. The dude deserves to advance.

-Pharrell loved it, as did Gwen, who notes that Craig has tremendous power. Blake calls it the performance of the night, and notes that he delivered power, muscle, and stage presence. "You got passed around, and that was stupid on my part!" Blake admits, before noting how glad he is to have Craig back, saying he's overcoming the odds to be here.

WATCH: Craig Wayne Boyd sings ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ (VIDEO)

-After Craig's performance, Carson reveals the current standings according to the voting via The Voice app. The rankings are...

Team Blake:
1. Reagan James
2. James David Carter
3. Jessie Pitt
4. Craig Wayne Boyd
5. Taylor Brashears

Team Adam:
1. Matt McAndrew
2. Chris Jamison
3. Damien
4. Taylor Phelan
5. Mia Pfirrman

-Chris being that high surprises me, even though it really shouldn't. I'll also be shocked if James David Carter is the only man to make it through on Team Blake, even though I'd much prefer his Team to be exactly what the rankings imply. It should be interesting to see who makes it through once phone/text/iTunes voting is factored in.

-Aaaand that's a wrap! What did you think of tonight's show? And who do you think will be the three acts to make it through from each team? Sound off in the comments! See you tomorrow night, as Gwen and Pharrell's teams take the stage! Thanks for hanging out!

GOODNIGHT!

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