Home Free

On December 9, 2013, a group of five men walked onto the stage for season 4 of The Sing-Off.  The show was previously recorded, so it didn't have the same "gotta watch NOW" drama of your usual musical performances, and while I love a capella music, I've always felt it had some inherent weaknesses to traditional bands.  This, I'll point out, means the truly outstanding bands really are amazing, because when a group can make you not miss guitars, drums, and any other number of instruments, they're doing something few people can do.

So anyway, this group of five guys were talking about their origin, about how they were the only a capella group doing country music (something I'm usually rather "bleh" about), and doing dumb jokes involving corn.  I was...not really impressed.  Then they were back on the screen, sitting on stools, and they busted out a song that blew my mind.

Immediately, I knew who was going to win this season.

I was right.

Since then, I've gone around showing people performances done by Home Free on that show, the most popular (and amazing) of which is their rendition of "Ring of Fire."

Sadly, I can't embed it here, but I can link it.

What I can embed, though, is their homemade music video version guest-starring someone from Pentatonix.

Honestly, I'm amazed the fire doesn't go out when he hits that low note at the end.

So what are they like live?

Honestly, they're the exact same group of goofballs that were hanging out at county fairs, playing in corn fields, and telling terrible jokes that you got to see in their intro on the show.  But I appreciate that, because there's such a natural lightness to how they perform that it's hard to picture them sitting around, acting intense, or shouting at each other.  They could just be really good actors, but either way, it's commendable.

They sang many of the songs on their album (available now, people!  Christmas is just 247 days away!), but also did a few that I didn't expect.  I already linked their tribute to being "all about the bass," but the one thing I honestly didn't expect?

The Butt Remix.

It's a thing.

And to think, I used to hate the Thong Song passionately.

Also, you're welcome.  You'll never be the same again.

The guys are a lot of fun on stage.  They poke fun at themselves, they don't take anything too seriously, and they had one of the best giveaways I've seen where they handed out a tote bag to the couple "married the longest."

It's another instance where I felt compelled to not only pick up a copy of their album and have it signed, but I also purchased a poster of theirs to get autographed after the show as well.  Once I get it set in the frame, it has a spot ready for it on the wall.

It was totally fun, they did some clever banter with the audience ("When we started out Spring tour, we were expecting, you know, for it to be Spring in the places we went to."  (from audience) "This is Spring!"  "Tell your trees!")

To support them (and hopefully get them back up in Maine again), check out their Patreon page, and go to their Youtube channel to view more of their hits.

Seriously, how can you not love a group that has a guy who can apparently sing around three octaves?  I can't even sing one note!