I watched the season opener of American Idol last night. Good stuff. If the Boston auditions are any indication of the level of talent possible on this year's Idol (season 9!!!) then we are in for a good year.
Still remaining to be seen:
* How will Paula's absence affect the show.
* How will Ellen DeGeneres affect the show.
* How will Simon's announcement that this is his last season affect the show.
I'm not overly concerned about the loss of Paula - she was perky, but often annoying. Kara DioGuardi proved to me last season that she's more than up to the task of giving valuable feedback to the contestants. Good feedback is much more important than syrupy niceness.
Ellen worries me a little bit. I like her talk show (when I actually watch it), but her appearance on last year's edition of So You Think You Can Dance was painful. She was all about making the joke and it really detracted from the judges' feedback. To be a successful judge she will need to set aside her tendency to quip on every critique and comment solely from the pop-culture viewpoint that she can be so good at.
I have no idea how Simon's bombshell will change things. It might not do anything. It might change everything if they start focusing more on Randy or Kara to see how they will be able to handle that lead judge position. It could also really change things if Simon starts acting like a short timer and doesn't give every show 100%.
A lot of potential in this season - I'm looking forward to seeing how it all pans out.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Monday, June 1, 2009
Idol Finale - Finally
I was out of town during the week of the American Idol finale and didn't have an opportunity to watch my TIVO recording of it until this weekend. I'm not going to give a blow-by-blow of a show that most people watched almost 2 weeks ago, but I decided I did want to make a few comments.
Some of the blogs I read on the show noted that Kris pretty much sucked on Kara DioGuardi's tune that she wrote for the finale. I have to disagree - while he started a teeny bit shaky, I actually liked his style for the song better than Adams'. Overall, I thought that based on performance, the competition was pretty close to a draw. Adam and Kris are very different artists, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
I thought the criticism of Kris being "too lightweight" was rather unfair too, considering that everyone knew by that time exactly what kind of singer he is and he was merely being true to himself.
At the same time, I thought the judges missed some areas of potential criticism of Adam. He has crazy skills in his falsetto range, but at times I find his sound pinched, overly bright, and downright annoying. That will be fixable on any recording by the way they process his vocals in studio, but his vocals are not as perfect as many have stated during this season.
As to the outcome - it could easily have gone either way and I'm really unsurprised that Kris was the final victor. When looking at the final 3, you had two Christian worship leaders, and one goth bad boy. Did anyone really think that a large number of Danny's fans were going to vote for Adam? Some have interpreted the outcome as a sign of rampant homophobia, and maybe some votes were decided based on that kind of criteria. But personally I think it's more likely that those who like a raw, acoustic sound just preferred the style of Kris over the highly-polished vocals and antics of Adam. It's about musical preference, not moral judgment.
And really, anyone who has watched Idol over the years knows that this is probably the best possible outcome for both of the top finishers. Kris will have the full support and marketing of the Idol contract to help him launch his career. Adam will have the option of a little more artistic freedom than he would have otherwise. So really it's a win-win.
Anyway, those are my thoughts. I'm sure there are those who will disagree. You're entitled and it doesn't even hurt my feelings.
Until next season....
Some of the blogs I read on the show noted that Kris pretty much sucked on Kara DioGuardi's tune that she wrote for the finale. I have to disagree - while he started a teeny bit shaky, I actually liked his style for the song better than Adams'. Overall, I thought that based on performance, the competition was pretty close to a draw. Adam and Kris are very different artists, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
I thought the criticism of Kris being "too lightweight" was rather unfair too, considering that everyone knew by that time exactly what kind of singer he is and he was merely being true to himself.
At the same time, I thought the judges missed some areas of potential criticism of Adam. He has crazy skills in his falsetto range, but at times I find his sound pinched, overly bright, and downright annoying. That will be fixable on any recording by the way they process his vocals in studio, but his vocals are not as perfect as many have stated during this season.
As to the outcome - it could easily have gone either way and I'm really unsurprised that Kris was the final victor. When looking at the final 3, you had two Christian worship leaders, and one goth bad boy. Did anyone really think that a large number of Danny's fans were going to vote for Adam? Some have interpreted the outcome as a sign of rampant homophobia, and maybe some votes were decided based on that kind of criteria. But personally I think it's more likely that those who like a raw, acoustic sound just preferred the style of Kris over the highly-polished vocals and antics of Adam. It's about musical preference, not moral judgment.
And really, anyone who has watched Idol over the years knows that this is probably the best possible outcome for both of the top finishers. Kris will have the full support and marketing of the Idol contract to help him launch his career. Adam will have the option of a little more artistic freedom than he would have otherwise. So really it's a win-win.
Anyway, those are my thoughts. I'm sure there are those who will disagree. You're entitled and it doesn't even hurt my feelings.
Until next season....
Monday, May 18, 2009
Idol delay probability
For any of the one, two or three people who might occasionally stumble across this blog, please note that due to circumstances beyond my control (sort of) I won't be blogging on the season finale of Idol when it airs.
The reason? I'm out-of-town this week and will probably not be able to watch the show until I return to Tejas on Sunday. Bummer.
I will most likely make some comments on the show when I finally do watch it, but I doubt I'll do my usual blow-by-blow since it won't exactly be breaking news by then.
My sincere apologies to all my fans. If I have any. Which I doubt.
The reason? I'm out-of-town this week and will probably not be able to watch the show until I return to Tejas on Sunday. Bummer.
I will most likely make some comments on the show when I finally do watch it, but I doubt I'll do my usual blow-by-blow since it won't exactly be breaking news by then.
My sincere apologies to all my fans. If I have any. Which I doubt.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
American Idol 8.9 - The top 3 sing two songs each
From 100,000 to three amigos. That's how Ryan summed up the season so far. Any way you slice it, the three finalists have done a great job in getting where they are. They all deserve props.
Danny Gokey
Dance Little Sister - Terence Trent D'Arby
Paula's Pick
Very nice song choice for Danny. This song is upbeat and bluesy and Danny looks like he's having fun with it. It's a perfect fit for his vocal style. He's doing well playing to the audience, although he's still not great at using the whole stage. I especially like the little scat singing duet he does in the middle with the sax player. It's fun and I wouldn't mind hearing that again... it's a winner. Woot.
Kris Allen
Apologize - One Republic
Kara and Randy's Kool Request
I have to admit it. Although Kris hasn't been my most favorite this season, he really showed why he's still in this thing. That was a completely legitimate, very indy performance. I thought it sounded flawless, but Paula claims she heard a very obvious bad note. Listening back, I think she way overstated the case. His voice cracked ever so slightly on the second chorus, but it wasn't a "bum note". Not even close. Between Kara and Paula, I'm thinking that they are just telling him that they don't want him in the finale. I guess that's fair. Ish.
Adam Lambert
One - U2
Simon's Say
Without a doubt Adam will have a career in the music industry. But I'm pretty sure I won't be buying a lot of his albums. While the performance was fully adequate, I personally found it whiny and annoying. It was not my favorite performance from Adam so far this season; and it wasn't my favorite of the night so far. The judges are fawning all over him, but I'm not jumping up and down.
I'm going to piggyback here on the Idol Gives Back video. The anti-malaria cause is worthwhile and can make a real difference for people. If you want to contribute to this or any other cause that Idol is supporting, you can do so at the Idol Gives Back page. If you want to learn more about the malaria issue in particular, you can head over to Melinda Doolittle's favorite charity organization, Malria No More.
Now back to the songs....
Danny Gokey
You Are So Beautiful - Joe Cocker
This is a great song. And it was a great arrangement. And a perfectly amazing performance. I may end up buying this one on iTunes - it would be the first one all season. It really was a unique take on a very familiar song and he earned the kudos he just received from all four judges.
Kris Allen
Heartless - Kanye West
I'm not a Kanye fan (sorry GG & Mike) so I'm not familiar at all with his music. I'm guessing when he sings this song, it really doesn't sound much like this. But here's the thing - I am fairly impressed with the song itself. It's good writing. And I'm enjoying the simple guitar & vocals only arrangement that Kris is singing. I especially like the slightly Latin feel to it. Interesting choice and a very, very good job.
Adam Lambert
Cryin' - Aerosmith
This song is fairly typical for Adam. And his performance actually feels predictable to me. I'm so over the screaming glam-rock thing. I was much more impressed several weeks ago when he did the quiet ballad. The high note at the end was OK, but overall I am not finding this a memorable performance. I was bored. Simon may be all in a dither over Adam, but I've personally lost interest. He's more than a one trick pony, but he does really like that one favorite trick, and screeching vocals isn't something I like to listen to.
I have to be honest. I'm really really hoping that there is an "upset" tonight that sees Kris and Danny in the final two. I'm actually expecting to see Adam and Danny go on, with Kris being eliminated. But it could also be that Danny goes home leaving Kris and Adam as the final two.
In other words, it's anybody's game. Excellent job, Idol. This is the first season where all three of your top three (and all four of your top four) actually deserve to win. They should all have very lucrative recording contracts coming out of this.
Danny Gokey
Dance Little Sister - Terence Trent D'Arby
Paula's Pick
Very nice song choice for Danny. This song is upbeat and bluesy and Danny looks like he's having fun with it. It's a perfect fit for his vocal style. He's doing well playing to the audience, although he's still not great at using the whole stage. I especially like the little scat singing duet he does in the middle with the sax player. It's fun and I wouldn't mind hearing that again... it's a winner. Woot.
Kris Allen
Apologize - One Republic
Kara and Randy's Kool Request
I have to admit it. Although Kris hasn't been my most favorite this season, he really showed why he's still in this thing. That was a completely legitimate, very indy performance. I thought it sounded flawless, but Paula claims she heard a very obvious bad note. Listening back, I think she way overstated the case. His voice cracked ever so slightly on the second chorus, but it wasn't a "bum note". Not even close. Between Kara and Paula, I'm thinking that they are just telling him that they don't want him in the finale. I guess that's fair. Ish.
Adam Lambert
One - U2
Simon's Say
Without a doubt Adam will have a career in the music industry. But I'm pretty sure I won't be buying a lot of his albums. While the performance was fully adequate, I personally found it whiny and annoying. It was not my favorite performance from Adam so far this season; and it wasn't my favorite of the night so far. The judges are fawning all over him, but I'm not jumping up and down.
I'm going to piggyback here on the Idol Gives Back video. The anti-malaria cause is worthwhile and can make a real difference for people. If you want to contribute to this or any other cause that Idol is supporting, you can do so at the Idol Gives Back page. If you want to learn more about the malaria issue in particular, you can head over to Melinda Doolittle's favorite charity organization, Malria No More.
Now back to the songs....
Danny Gokey
You Are So Beautiful - Joe Cocker
This is a great song. And it was a great arrangement. And a perfectly amazing performance. I may end up buying this one on iTunes - it would be the first one all season. It really was a unique take on a very familiar song and he earned the kudos he just received from all four judges.
Kris Allen
Heartless - Kanye West
I'm not a Kanye fan (sorry GG & Mike) so I'm not familiar at all with his music. I'm guessing when he sings this song, it really doesn't sound much like this. But here's the thing - I am fairly impressed with the song itself. It's good writing. And I'm enjoying the simple guitar & vocals only arrangement that Kris is singing. I especially like the slightly Latin feel to it. Interesting choice and a very, very good job.
Adam Lambert
Cryin' - Aerosmith
This song is fairly typical for Adam. And his performance actually feels predictable to me. I'm so over the screaming glam-rock thing. I was much more impressed several weeks ago when he did the quiet ballad. The high note at the end was OK, but overall I am not finding this a memorable performance. I was bored. Simon may be all in a dither over Adam, but I've personally lost interest. He's more than a one trick pony, but he does really like that one favorite trick, and screeching vocals isn't something I like to listen to.
I have to be honest. I'm really really hoping that there is an "upset" tonight that sees Kris and Danny in the final two. I'm actually expecting to see Adam and Danny go on, with Kris being eliminated. But it could also be that Danny goes home leaving Kris and Adam as the final two.
In other words, it's anybody's game. Excellent job, Idol. This is the first season where all three of your top three (and all four of your top four) actually deserve to win. They should all have very lucrative recording contracts coming out of this.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
American Idol 8.9 - The top 4 sing ROCK!!!
Tonight will be awesome for Allison and probably Adam. It might be a little harder sell for Danny and Kris. We'll see how it goes.
It will also be "trial by fire" since the idols had no run through on stage with the band due to an on-stage accident which left one of the AI signs at a precarious angle.
Slash - legendary guitarist from Guns n' Roses - is the guest mentor this evening. Cool beans.
Adam Lambert
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zepplin
This song is a no-brainer for Adam. He looks the part of the glam-rock dude. He sounds it even more. This is probably his genre when he cuts his first album, and this song may as well be on it. I'm not engaged with him much, but he sounds amazing. His pitch is amazing. His performance is ... amazing. If anything, the vocal is almost too clean. Seems to me there should have been some grind in it - dirty things up a bit. It's almost like ending the baseball game with no grass stains on the uniform - somehow I just wasn't convinced. He has a killer instrument, but I am buying his performances less and less. The more I think about it, the more everything he does seems rather like a put-on. So sue me.
Allison Iraheta
Cry Baby - Janis Joplin
It's not fair. Allison has that belter thing going. She has the sexy huskiness in her voice. But still, she has a strength an purity in her voice. I'm jealous. And she totally nailed the song. I liked it - forget what Randy had to say. I thought it was fantastic. My only criticism - her lipstick is too pink. It should have been a deeper shade of red. *shrug*
Kris and Danny
Renegade - Styx
I'm glad the duet pairings ended up with Danny & Kris together - I'm not sure either one of them would have compared favorably to either Allison or Adam. There were some really nice parts in both of their solos and the duetting sounded great. I would have liked stronger vocals from Kris overall, but I think Danny was great. Overall a very strong performance from both, though probably only an 8 out of 10.
* * * At the halfway point, I think Allison is the current frontrunner * * *
Kris Allen
Come Together - The Beatles
Um... no. I guess this is OK, but it's sounds like a cheap imitation. I'm not a fan of this performance at all. This is not what I wanted to hear from Kris. I appreciate the fact that he changed it up quite a bit from the original, but it's such a classic song that it sorta just feels ruined instead of fresh and interesting. Meh.
Danny Gokey
Dream On - Aerosmith
This is a great song. I'm a little worried for Danny. He sounded great in his rehearsal clip, but this is definitely a roll of the dice. He's perfect on the the beginning... but he went slightly sharp on the first held note. Sounds pretty good on the middle section, but again just a little bit pitchy. And as he went for it with the screaming at the end, his voice broke and he ended on a shriek that had no control at all. I still love Danny and the beginning was nice, but I'm guessing he'll be in the bottom two with Kris after that performance. I will say though - I have a huge amount of respect for Danny in general. He hasn't done anything all season that would negatively impact his position as a worship leader - all his songs have had a message consistent with his beliefs. And he also hasn't done anything to dishonor the memory of his wife.
Allison and Adam
Slowride - Foghat
here's the two real rockers together. And they actually sound very good together. Surprisingly, their skills are not just evenly matched - they are very, very similar. Their vocal timbre is so close it was at times tough to tell who was singing which part when they were duetting. I think they need to be a band together when they wrap up the idol obligations. Very cool stuff.
Wow. Tough night to judge. I am almost certain Kris will be going home with Danny standing next to him when he gets the news. However, a lot will depend on who benefits most from the departure of Matt last week. I don't see either Adam or Allison picking up a lot of votes from Matt's hand-me-downs. Kris and Danny have a better chance of snagging those with Danny likely taking the lion's share. So Danny, Allison and Adam will probably be the final 3 with it really being anybody's game at that point.
I am looking forward to whatever happens - this ahs been the strongest season of Idol to date with things getting better every week.
It will also be "trial by fire" since the idols had no run through on stage with the band due to an on-stage accident which left one of the AI signs at a precarious angle.
Slash - legendary guitarist from Guns n' Roses - is the guest mentor this evening. Cool beans.
Adam Lambert
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zepplin
This song is a no-brainer for Adam. He looks the part of the glam-rock dude. He sounds it even more. This is probably his genre when he cuts his first album, and this song may as well be on it. I'm not engaged with him much, but he sounds amazing. His pitch is amazing. His performance is ... amazing. If anything, the vocal is almost too clean. Seems to me there should have been some grind in it - dirty things up a bit. It's almost like ending the baseball game with no grass stains on the uniform - somehow I just wasn't convinced. He has a killer instrument, but I am buying his performances less and less. The more I think about it, the more everything he does seems rather like a put-on. So sue me.
Allison Iraheta
Cry Baby - Janis Joplin
It's not fair. Allison has that belter thing going. She has the sexy huskiness in her voice. But still, she has a strength an purity in her voice. I'm jealous. And she totally nailed the song. I liked it - forget what Randy had to say. I thought it was fantastic. My only criticism - her lipstick is too pink. It should have been a deeper shade of red. *shrug*
Kris and Danny
Renegade - Styx
I'm glad the duet pairings ended up with Danny & Kris together - I'm not sure either one of them would have compared favorably to either Allison or Adam. There were some really nice parts in both of their solos and the duetting sounded great. I would have liked stronger vocals from Kris overall, but I think Danny was great. Overall a very strong performance from both, though probably only an 8 out of 10.
* * * At the halfway point, I think Allison is the current frontrunner * * *
Kris Allen
Come Together - The Beatles
Um... no. I guess this is OK, but it's sounds like a cheap imitation. I'm not a fan of this performance at all. This is not what I wanted to hear from Kris. I appreciate the fact that he changed it up quite a bit from the original, but it's such a classic song that it sorta just feels ruined instead of fresh and interesting. Meh.
Danny Gokey
Dream On - Aerosmith
This is a great song. I'm a little worried for Danny. He sounded great in his rehearsal clip, but this is definitely a roll of the dice. He's perfect on the the beginning... but he went slightly sharp on the first held note. Sounds pretty good on the middle section, but again just a little bit pitchy. And as he went for it with the screaming at the end, his voice broke and he ended on a shriek that had no control at all. I still love Danny and the beginning was nice, but I'm guessing he'll be in the bottom two with Kris after that performance. I will say though - I have a huge amount of respect for Danny in general. He hasn't done anything all season that would negatively impact his position as a worship leader - all his songs have had a message consistent with his beliefs. And he also hasn't done anything to dishonor the memory of his wife.
Allison and Adam
Slowride - Foghat
here's the two real rockers together. And they actually sound very good together. Surprisingly, their skills are not just evenly matched - they are very, very similar. Their vocal timbre is so close it was at times tough to tell who was singing which part when they were duetting. I think they need to be a band together when they wrap up the idol obligations. Very cool stuff.
Wow. Tough night to judge. I am almost certain Kris will be going home with Danny standing next to him when he gets the news. However, a lot will depend on who benefits most from the departure of Matt last week. I don't see either Adam or Allison picking up a lot of votes from Matt's hand-me-downs. Kris and Danny have a better chance of snagging those with Danny likely taking the lion's share. So Danny, Allison and Adam will probably be the final 3 with it really being anybody's game at that point.
I am looking forward to whatever happens - this ahs been the strongest season of Idol to date with things getting better every week.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
American Idol 8.8 - The top 5 sing the Rat-Pack
Tonight will either be a ton of fun (I love the jazz standards) or a massive train wreck. Some of these 5 singers do have egos to rival the likes of Sinatra and Dean, but can they back it up? We shall see.
Their mentor this week is Jamie Foxx. Interesting choice. He certainly has the cred to do this.
Kris Allen
The Way You Look Tonight
I like that Jamie pointed out that Kris isn't trying to win the "throat Olympics." I often wish the idols would back off the vocal gymnastics and just sing the song. Kris is singing pretty well. He brings a freshness to the table that keeps the song from sounding old. And when the tempo picks up a little about halfway through, I'm completely sold. Love it. And the final note sealed the deal. I'd say he's the one to beat so far, but I'd hate to sound like a doof. Oops... too late.
Allison Iraheta
Someone to Watch Over Me
This song has been done a jillion times, but it doesn't matter. Allison's voice is perfectly suited to it and she is singing the everloving crap out of it. I'm intensely jealous of her pipes and wish I could kill a song like she just did. She could have oversung it so easily, but she kept it light and interesting and didn't get too sultry with it. That's a record I could potentially see buying.
Matt Giraud
My Funny Valentine
I'm not sure I love the song choice - it's not one of my most favorite of the standards. Hmmm.... Jamie talked him into singing it in a lower key, but I'm not certain that was good advice. He's a little pitchy singing in full voice - falsetto is Matt's money maker. Overall this is OK and he ended much stronger than he started, but I don't think he can compete against Kris or Allison with this performance.
Danny Gokey
I'm Gonna Love You
Fun - it's not too often that a trombone gets a featured solo on Idol. And this is the best I've heard Danny sing in the last several weeks. He starts out light and simple, and works his way into a lather by the end of the song and I love it. Great job.
Adam Lambert
Feeling Good
Adam has a fantastic voice. But for me this was all about Adam being Adam and nothing about the song. He has mad skills and he showed them off, but I just flat don't believe his performance... maybe for the first time all season. He'll still get an insane number of votes, but tonight just didn't do it for me.
Crazily enough, my top performers tonight are Danny, Allison and Kris - almost equally. The bottom - by a very narrow margin - are Adam and Matt. Everyone did a fine job tonight with a few just standing out (for me) as more interesting, more original, or more likable. But seriously, this could be anybody's game. I'm going to guess that Matt will go home, but with no confidence at all backing that pick.
Their mentor this week is Jamie Foxx. Interesting choice. He certainly has the cred to do this.
Kris Allen
The Way You Look Tonight
I like that Jamie pointed out that Kris isn't trying to win the "throat Olympics." I often wish the idols would back off the vocal gymnastics and just sing the song. Kris is singing pretty well. He brings a freshness to the table that keeps the song from sounding old. And when the tempo picks up a little about halfway through, I'm completely sold. Love it. And the final note sealed the deal. I'd say he's the one to beat so far, but I'd hate to sound like a doof. Oops... too late.
Allison Iraheta
Someone to Watch Over Me
This song has been done a jillion times, but it doesn't matter. Allison's voice is perfectly suited to it and she is singing the everloving crap out of it. I'm intensely jealous of her pipes and wish I could kill a song like she just did. She could have oversung it so easily, but she kept it light and interesting and didn't get too sultry with it. That's a record I could potentially see buying.
Matt Giraud
My Funny Valentine
I'm not sure I love the song choice - it's not one of my most favorite of the standards. Hmmm.... Jamie talked him into singing it in a lower key, but I'm not certain that was good advice. He's a little pitchy singing in full voice - falsetto is Matt's money maker. Overall this is OK and he ended much stronger than he started, but I don't think he can compete against Kris or Allison with this performance.
Danny Gokey
I'm Gonna Love You
Fun - it's not too often that a trombone gets a featured solo on Idol. And this is the best I've heard Danny sing in the last several weeks. He starts out light and simple, and works his way into a lather by the end of the song and I love it. Great job.
Adam Lambert
Feeling Good
Adam has a fantastic voice. But for me this was all about Adam being Adam and nothing about the song. He has mad skills and he showed them off, but I just flat don't believe his performance... maybe for the first time all season. He'll still get an insane number of votes, but tonight just didn't do it for me.
Crazily enough, my top performers tonight are Danny, Allison and Kris - almost equally. The bottom - by a very narrow margin - are Adam and Matt. Everyone did a fine job tonight with a few just standing out (for me) as more interesting, more original, or more likable. But seriously, this could be anybody's game. I'm going to guess that Matt will go home, but with no confidence at all backing that pick.
American Idol 8.7 - The Top 7(redux) sing Disco
OK - so I flaked out last week. Sue me.
Maybe I'll update this at some point with my thoughts on the relatively lackluster show I failed to blog.
For now, though, suffice it to say that I thought Kris was the best performer of the night last week, and I thought Lil was t'suck. I thought it would be Lil, Anoop and Matt (who was the object of the judges' save last week) in the bottom 3. I thought Lil and Matt would go home. I was partly right.
I do however want to comment on Lil's whining in the press following the show. She is blaming criticism from the judges for her ultimate demise on the show. I'd say that's pretty unfair to the judges who were only calling it like they saw it. She needs to thank the judges for letting her onto the show in the first place. Had I been a judge she would never have seen the official Idol stage at all. I thought there were much better, more interesting performers to choose from.
But it is what it is. Obviously they thought she might have some commercial appeal and they were probably right. Maybe she'll get a record contract that comes with the right kind of handlers who can shape her into the star she thinks (incorrectly) she already is. If so I still won't buy her records, but I'll certainly give her my best wishes.
Here's a link to an article with her whining. Feel free to skip it if you hate that sort of thing. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_en_tv/us_tv_american_idol
See you later tonight (probably) with my thoughts on this evening's show.
Maybe I'll update this at some point with my thoughts on the relatively lackluster show I failed to blog.
For now, though, suffice it to say that I thought Kris was the best performer of the night last week, and I thought Lil was t'suck. I thought it would be Lil, Anoop and Matt (who was the object of the judges' save last week) in the bottom 3. I thought Lil and Matt would go home. I was partly right.
I do however want to comment on Lil's whining in the press following the show. She is blaming criticism from the judges for her ultimate demise on the show. I'd say that's pretty unfair to the judges who were only calling it like they saw it. She needs to thank the judges for letting her onto the show in the first place. Had I been a judge she would never have seen the official Idol stage at all. I thought there were much better, more interesting performers to choose from.
But it is what it is. Obviously they thought she might have some commercial appeal and they were probably right. Maybe she'll get a record contract that comes with the right kind of handlers who can shape her into the star she thinks (incorrectly) she already is. If so I still won't buy her records, but I'll certainly give her my best wishes.
Here's a link to an article with her whining. Feel free to skip it if you hate that sort of thing. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_en_tv/us_tv_american_idol
See you later tonight (probably) with my thoughts on this evening's show.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
American Idol 8.6 - The Top 7 sing Music from the Movies
Here we are again Idol fans, minus one Scott MacIntyre. Sorry to see him go from a personal standpoint, but I think it was the right choice.
Tonight should be fun. It's Idol at the movies night. Guest judge? Quentin Tarantino! It may seem like an odd match, but some of his movies have had absolutely iconic soundtracks so it's actually not that strange. And you just know that he won't have an trouble speaking his mind.
Allison Iraheta
I Don't Want to Miss a Thing - Aerosmith - Armageddon
This could be a good choice for Allison, but about halfway in I'm having doubts. Part of her problem is that she has a slightly limited vocal range just because of the type of instrument she has. In order to hit the high notes solidly some of the low notes are too low, so there are some awkward changes to the melody line. And I find myself wondering if maybe she has a cold or something because she is a little pitchy through the middle of the song which really isn't like her. Overall the performance wasn't bad and she did manage to sell it, but it was definitely not her best.
Anoop Desai
Everything I Do I Do for You - Bryan Adams - Robin Hood
This song isn't a surprise from Anoop. It's a "white bread" ballady love song. Not a bad song, but I'm tired of this from him. Actually thought, he's doing a really nice job with it. His vocals are very good. His pitch is spot on. But I still have a nearly impossible time believing him as a star.
Adam Lambert
Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf - Easy Rider
This is exactly the kind of over-the-top, near ridiculous song that Adam excels at. He is showing so much versatility. And that upper octave wail he has is amazing. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but he has mad skills. And he completely out-sang his professional backup singers tonight - they didn't even come close to keeping up. Once again he blew it out da box.
Matt Giraud
Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman - Bryan Adams - Don Juan de Marco
Matt's behind the piano again tonight which is a good choice for him. He really is a quite good piano player. And, much to my chagrin, he's actually a very good vocalist as well. I may have spoken too soon though... he munged the bridge - pitchy, off rhythm, and just awkward. He ended on a strong note, but this was not an amazing performance.
Danny Gokey
Endless Love - Lionel Ritchie - Endless Love
Interesting. Danny is sporting a whole new look tonight - hair is shorter, he's got a 2-day growth on his face, and he's sitting on a stool. It's an interesting song choice for him too - could be a winner. But ... not really. The performance is just a teeny bit boring. I'm scared that Simon agrees with me.
Kris Allen
Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová - Once
Never heard of this song. Never head of this movie. I think maybe I like the song, but I'm not sure I'm sold on Kris's performance. It was interesting. He had some pitch problems. He had some support problems. If anything, he struck me as being nervous. I might be more with Randy's, "it was pitchy, dawg," more than I was with Kara's, "it was one of your best moments." I didn't hate it, but it really didn't do anything for me either.
Lil Rounds
The Rose - Bette Midler - The Rose
Going into this I'm not hopeful. Nobody can do this song. But she's changing it up with a gospel groove, so it could be interesting. As she starts I'm back to the not hopeful though - I am growing in my dislike of her voice and her vocal style. Bleh. And the gospel stuff is pitchy and boring. This was just awful. Lil can't sing and needs to go home.
On top tonight is once again Adam Lambert.
If anyone but Lil goes home, it will be a travesty.
Tonight should be fun. It's Idol at the movies night. Guest judge? Quentin Tarantino! It may seem like an odd match, but some of his movies have had absolutely iconic soundtracks so it's actually not that strange. And you just know that he won't have an trouble speaking his mind.
Allison Iraheta
I Don't Want to Miss a Thing - Aerosmith - Armageddon
This could be a good choice for Allison, but about halfway in I'm having doubts. Part of her problem is that she has a slightly limited vocal range just because of the type of instrument she has. In order to hit the high notes solidly some of the low notes are too low, so there are some awkward changes to the melody line. And I find myself wondering if maybe she has a cold or something because she is a little pitchy through the middle of the song which really isn't like her. Overall the performance wasn't bad and she did manage to sell it, but it was definitely not her best.
Anoop Desai
Everything I Do I Do for You - Bryan Adams - Robin Hood
This song isn't a surprise from Anoop. It's a "white bread" ballady love song. Not a bad song, but I'm tired of this from him. Actually thought, he's doing a really nice job with it. His vocals are very good. His pitch is spot on. But I still have a nearly impossible time believing him as a star.
Adam Lambert
Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf - Easy Rider
This is exactly the kind of over-the-top, near ridiculous song that Adam excels at. He is showing so much versatility. And that upper octave wail he has is amazing. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but he has mad skills. And he completely out-sang his professional backup singers tonight - they didn't even come close to keeping up. Once again he blew it out da box.
Matt Giraud
Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman - Bryan Adams - Don Juan de Marco
Matt's behind the piano again tonight which is a good choice for him. He really is a quite good piano player. And, much to my chagrin, he's actually a very good vocalist as well. I may have spoken too soon though... he munged the bridge - pitchy, off rhythm, and just awkward. He ended on a strong note, but this was not an amazing performance.
Danny Gokey
Endless Love - Lionel Ritchie - Endless Love
Interesting. Danny is sporting a whole new look tonight - hair is shorter, he's got a 2-day growth on his face, and he's sitting on a stool. It's an interesting song choice for him too - could be a winner. But ... not really. The performance is just a teeny bit boring. I'm scared that Simon agrees with me.
Kris Allen
Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová - Once
Never heard of this song. Never head of this movie. I think maybe I like the song, but I'm not sure I'm sold on Kris's performance. It was interesting. He had some pitch problems. He had some support problems. If anything, he struck me as being nervous. I might be more with Randy's, "it was pitchy, dawg," more than I was with Kara's, "it was one of your best moments." I didn't hate it, but it really didn't do anything for me either.
Lil Rounds
The Rose - Bette Midler - The Rose
Going into this I'm not hopeful. Nobody can do this song. But she's changing it up with a gospel groove, so it could be interesting. As she starts I'm back to the not hopeful though - I am growing in my dislike of her voice and her vocal style. Bleh. And the gospel stuff is pitchy and boring. This was just awful. Lil can't sing and needs to go home.
On top tonight is once again Adam Lambert.
If anyone but Lil goes home, it will be a travesty.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
