And Then There Were 10

Urban Method, an a cappella rap group, brings a certain edginess to the Sing-Off

Season 3 of the Sing-Off hit television show on NBC returns tonight in Round 3 of the competition with the remaining ten singing groups performing their very best a cappella renditions of other artists' hits. The show will air at 8 p.m. EST on NBC. (channel 4 or 1020 on Brighthouse cable here in Orlando.) Don't miss it! It's fun!

This year's groups are phenomenal with not a rotten apple in the barrel. It's such a treat seeing them all compete and gives the viewer a new appreciation for how each song is constructed. Each and every tiny sound in the song, normally made by an instrument, is made by a human voice. There's the bass line, the kick drum, the snare drum, and the hi-hat all being "boom boom boom'd" and "tiss tiss tiss'd" by a singer. There's the orchestra -- in full three part harmony -- created by what sounds no less spectacular than a choir full of angels. Sometimes, when we at home are especially lucky, we get to hear the "wirrrr" of an electric guitar, or the "ba da da" of a trumpet. All of these finely executed sounds are layered underneath incredible lead and background vocals. Super fun! It's Glee for real!

Tonight's topic is "Guilty Pleasure," but I'm not quite sure what exactly that means. I prefer chocolate myself.

I am not pleased that the ten groups are still split into two groups of five. Most of my personal favorites have been pitted against each other in the same preliminary Round, so that the odds are stacked against them that they will all survive until the "Final 4" at the end. Last week, Kinfolk 9 and Sonos were sent home and I had high hopes for them both.

I feel terrible for the three celebrity judges: Ben Folds, Sara Bareilles, and Shawn Stockman, who have the unpleasant job of deciding who will stay and who will go. Sadly, two groups will be forced to go home at the end of this show.

Older episodes can be seen on Channel 304 here in Orlando and also online on the NBC website.