Michael Sarver was sent packing last week. He wasn’t the worst of the night, but he wasn’t going to last anyway, so it’s no big deal that he’s the one who went home.
Hmmm… there are a couple really bad looks tonight. I hope the performances are better than Allison’s dress.
The theme could be awesome or terrible – they can (and probably will) sing anything that’s a top i-Tunes download.
Anoop Desai
Caught Up – Usher
I was never a big Anoop fan. Now I’m completely over him. Maybe I’m just in the wrong demographic, but he seems like a kid trying to act like a superstar to me. He has a reasonably decent voice, but it needs to mature to really be good. And I find him completely laughable as the sexy superstar he’s trying to be.
Megan Joy
Turn Your Lights Down Low – Bob Marley
Interesting choice. I think I like it. Sort of. The song didn’t have as much energy as I would have liked. My other issue with Megan is that she is using her voice completely wrong. It makes for an interesting and unique sound, but I’m starting to wonder if it’s sustainable or if she’ll end up with a permanent case of laryngitis by the end of the season. And, as the judges are now pointing out, she seems a bit like a one trick pony. I want to know if she can take her unique, quirky style and use it for anything that would actually sell more than 2000 copies.
Danny Gokey
What Hurts the Most – Rascal Flatts
I’m not familiar with this song so I can’t comment at all on how he compares to the original. But just as Danny, I really like it. I would listen to this if it came on the radio. I would buy the CD. That’s the gold standard here – would the record sell. I think the answer is very much yes. Very nice performance tonight.
Allison Iraheta
Don’t Speak – No Doubt
I’m not sure the guitar was a great idea – it threw off her rhythm in a couple of spots. And it is keeping her tied to place on the stage which also isn’t helping her. One of her strongest aspects is the way she uses the stage – and she didn’t use the stage tonight. If she had ditched the guitar completely once she stopped playing it would have been better. Vocally I thought she was good, but it lacked energy… probably because she was standing still. I already commented on the dress in my opening comments – nothing more need be said about it here.
Scott MacIntyre
Just the Way You Are – Billy Joel
I have to wonder how Scott intends to make a name for himself by singing someone else’s signature song. This is a very piano bar performance that I don’t think compares very favorably with the original. The song is dated and didn’t do anything to make Scott seem more relevant. His vocal was OK, but honestly I was a little bored. I think he’s more interesting doing more up-tempo, boogie-woogie or honkey-tonk style piano.
Matt Giraud
You Found Me – The Fray
His pitch started out all over the place. I wonder if he was negatively affected by having his keyboard set up in the mosh pit where he was surrounded by a bunch of girls. Maybe the hormones got to him. He got a little stronger as he went on, but overall I thought that was an especially poor performance by Mr. Matt. After last week I really thought he might make it to the final four. This week I was unimpressed and resume my prior opinion of Matt which is that I wouldn’t be bothered if he went home sooner rather than later.
Lil Rounds
I Surrender – Celine Dion
Cute hair this week. Unfortunately, this was, again, the wrong song choice for Lil. Or maybe she just doesn’t have the chops she seemed to have during the auditions. Her pitch is all over the place. Her tone is not nice. She sounds unsupported and uninspiring. Bleh. And the judges are lying to her – or they’re hearing something that didn’t come across on the TV – because they’re saying they liked the performance despite the lousy song choice. What????
Adam Lambert
Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry
I’m sold. Adam wins. He will either win the whole season, or he will come in 3rd (like so many great contestants have) and have the runaway career that the Idol producers will always regret being able to cash in on. I thought that was amazing and I revise my opinion from earlier in the season. I used to think he was just “theater” and mostly a put-on, but I’m becoming convinced the real deal.
Kris Allen
Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers
Wait – isn’t Kris the guitar dude? He’s doing this one at the keyboard with a string section sharing the stage with him. Way to change it up. I’m not sure I like the “I know, I know” part of his arrangement, but otherwise I thought it was really good. His vocals were dead on. I think maybe he has the #2 performance of the night, right behind Adam.
The top performers this evening are clearly Adam, Kris, and Allison/Danny (depending on your musical taste).
The bottom three tonight are Lil, Anoop and Megan. And unless Vote For the Worst has their way, Megan will be hitting the bricks tomorrow night.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
American Idol 8.3 - The Top 10 sing Motown
So sad... while I wasn't that surprised to see Alexis go home last week based on her performance, I think this competition will miss her. I liked her and I don't think she ever quite showed her full potential.
Incidentally, this is the first blog post I'm typing up on my brand-spanking-new HP Pavilion dv7 laptop. If anyone cares. I likes it.
Now, back to the topic at hand...
This week is Motown week on Idol. With Smokey Robinson acting as the guest vocal coach this could be one of the most fun shows of the season. There's certainly a lot of great songs for the idol hopefuls to choose from.
Matt Giraud
Let's Get it On
I've made no secret that Matt is not my favorite singer this year. That said, he is doing a very respectable job with this song. I like that he started at the piano and then got up and used the stage too. He did have a few pitchy moments when popping into falsetto, but overall I didn't find him that annoying... which is high praise of someone who, for reasons I can't explain, just puts my teeth on edge.
Kris Allen
How Sweet It Is
Kris is another one that I don't particularly care for. Unfortunately for him, tonight's performance didn't come across as well as Matt's. There's something irritating and smug about his singing tonight. The judges are fawning all over him, but if that was a record tomorrow, I wouldn't be buying it. Meh. Plus it was a terrible arrangement (bop choo wah).
Scott MacIntyre
You Can't Hurry Love
Ooh... a genuinely different sound and feel of a true classic. Hmmm... I liked the slower start more than I like the up-tempo stuff. He had some awkward pitches in that. His voice is nicer on the slower stuff - he's a little nasal on the faster part. I think Simon might have been a little harsh, but I think he might be right about this performance not exactly being relevant.
Megan Joy
For Once In My Life
Smokey is right about the Jazz/Cabaret sound that Megan has. He gets her. I get her. But she didn't quite nail the song tonight. It was good. It was what we have come to expect from Megan. But her pitch is weird tonight - not exactly bad, but she sounds unsupported in a bunch of places. I think the weird, throaty singing might be coming back to bite her - she may actually be damaging her voice. I'm worried about Megan this week.
Anoop Desai
Ohh, Baby Baby
OK. I'm impressed. Anoop didn't really do much that's unique with this song, but he sounds a lot like Smokey. This is hands-down his best performance of the season so far. And he is now validated in this competition as a legitimate crooner. Well done.
Michael Sarver
Ain't Too Proud to Beg
I want to be very clear about what I'm about to say. Michael needs to GO HOME!!! That was really terrible. I hated everything about it. His pitch was all over the place. He sounded something like a bad Elvis impersonator trying to sing while snockered. Very much not a good performance from a merely mediocre singer. P'tui.
Lil Rounds
Heat Wave
Lil is adorable tonight. She put on some hair and a fringe-covered flapper dress and stepped into a role. I'm not sure she is knocking this one out of the park though. Here's the problem for someone like Lil - she is a good singer. But this song makes me think she just doesn't have the natural support, depth and overall chops to ever really be a great singer. She did OK, but she oversang throughout and I'm just not blown away.
Adam Lambert
Tracks of My Tears
Wow. As much as I really hated Adam last week, I really like him this week. This is a great arrangement. And he has now proved that he's not just a stage creature - he's actually a really excellent vocalist. I'm impressed. Apropos of nothing, Andrew said he looks like k.d. Lang.
Danny Gokey
Get Ready
I like Danny. Unfortunately, tonight I just liked him. I don't think he had as strong a performance tonight as he could have. It wasn't bad. But it was only good - not fantastic.
Allison Iraheta
Papa Was a Rolling Stone
I continue to be impressed by Allison. She has such an interesting voice, and she knows how to use it. Unbelievable what she can do at only 16. She could potentially run away with this whole competition.
This was an overall good night. I think this may be the best total group of contestants of any season so far. But somebody's still gotta go home. Here's my bottom 3 for this week...
Michael Sarver - he's out of his depth in this competition.
Megan Joy - I like her, but tonight was not great and I don't think people "get" her.
Scott MacIntyre - He is a great pianist. He's not connecting with his music.
I think Megan might have sung her swan song.
Incidentally, this is the first blog post I'm typing up on my brand-spanking-new HP Pavilion dv7 laptop. If anyone cares. I likes it.
Now, back to the topic at hand...
This week is Motown week on Idol. With Smokey Robinson acting as the guest vocal coach this could be one of the most fun shows of the season. There's certainly a lot of great songs for the idol hopefuls to choose from.
Matt Giraud
Let's Get it On
I've made no secret that Matt is not my favorite singer this year. That said, he is doing a very respectable job with this song. I like that he started at the piano and then got up and used the stage too. He did have a few pitchy moments when popping into falsetto, but overall I didn't find him that annoying... which is high praise of someone who, for reasons I can't explain, just puts my teeth on edge.
Kris Allen
How Sweet It Is
Kris is another one that I don't particularly care for. Unfortunately for him, tonight's performance didn't come across as well as Matt's. There's something irritating and smug about his singing tonight. The judges are fawning all over him, but if that was a record tomorrow, I wouldn't be buying it. Meh. Plus it was a terrible arrangement (bop choo wah).
Scott MacIntyre
You Can't Hurry Love
Ooh... a genuinely different sound and feel of a true classic. Hmmm... I liked the slower start more than I like the up-tempo stuff. He had some awkward pitches in that. His voice is nicer on the slower stuff - he's a little nasal on the faster part. I think Simon might have been a little harsh, but I think he might be right about this performance not exactly being relevant.
Megan Joy
For Once In My Life
Smokey is right about the Jazz/Cabaret sound that Megan has. He gets her. I get her. But she didn't quite nail the song tonight. It was good. It was what we have come to expect from Megan. But her pitch is weird tonight - not exactly bad, but she sounds unsupported in a bunch of places. I think the weird, throaty singing might be coming back to bite her - she may actually be damaging her voice. I'm worried about Megan this week.
Anoop Desai
Ohh, Baby Baby
OK. I'm impressed. Anoop didn't really do much that's unique with this song, but he sounds a lot like Smokey. This is hands-down his best performance of the season so far. And he is now validated in this competition as a legitimate crooner. Well done.
Michael Sarver
Ain't Too Proud to Beg
I want to be very clear about what I'm about to say. Michael needs to GO HOME!!! That was really terrible. I hated everything about it. His pitch was all over the place. He sounded something like a bad Elvis impersonator trying to sing while snockered. Very much not a good performance from a merely mediocre singer. P'tui.
Lil Rounds
Heat Wave
Lil is adorable tonight. She put on some hair and a fringe-covered flapper dress and stepped into a role. I'm not sure she is knocking this one out of the park though. Here's the problem for someone like Lil - she is a good singer. But this song makes me think she just doesn't have the natural support, depth and overall chops to ever really be a great singer. She did OK, but she oversang throughout and I'm just not blown away.
Adam Lambert
Tracks of My Tears
Wow. As much as I really hated Adam last week, I really like him this week. This is a great arrangement. And he has now proved that he's not just a stage creature - he's actually a really excellent vocalist. I'm impressed. Apropos of nothing, Andrew said he looks like k.d. Lang.
Danny Gokey
Get Ready
I like Danny. Unfortunately, tonight I just liked him. I don't think he had as strong a performance tonight as he could have. It wasn't bad. But it was only good - not fantastic.
Allison Iraheta
Papa Was a Rolling Stone
I continue to be impressed by Allison. She has such an interesting voice, and she knows how to use it. Unbelievable what she can do at only 16. She could potentially run away with this whole competition.
This was an overall good night. I think this may be the best total group of contestants of any season so far. But somebody's still gotta go home. Here's my bottom 3 for this week...
Michael Sarver - he's out of his depth in this competition.
Megan Joy - I like her, but tonight was not great and I don't think people "get" her.
Scott MacIntyre - He is a great pianist. He's not connecting with his music.
I think Megan might have sung her swan song.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
American Idol 8.2 - The Top 11 sing the Grand Ole Opry
Last week it was Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez who failed to make the cut. No big surprises there - it was two of my bottom 3 who ended up going home.
Who will it be this week? Country may be a challenge for some of our more rock-oriented contestants. This week's guest coach is Randy Travis.
Michael Sarver
Ain't Goin' Down 'Til the Sun Comes Up
He's in his roundhouse here. Michael is probably headed for the country music genre if he makes it as a recording artist so he's totally comfortable here. There might have been a couple of minor pitch problems, but overall he does well and should easily be safe for another week.
Allison Iraheta
Blame it on Your Heart
I would not have thought Allison would do well with country music, but I enjoyed her performance a lot. If you changed up the arrangement to make it less country and more rock, she could have a hit with this. Allison is one of my favorites this season, and she sang this one to pieces. Excellent. Interesting that Paula almost seemed to give her a criticism, urging her to experiment with being more vulnerable with her vocals.
Kris Allen
To Make You Feel My Love
I'm not sure it was the right decision for him to put down his guitar this week. He's sitting on a stool and looks a tiny bit uncomfortable to me. But in a way that he didn't manage last week, he made me believe he could be a force in this competition with a really nice vocal. Very well done.
As a side note, I wonder if the judges are pulling a fast one on us tonight. Simon is being unusually supportive, and Paula is going out of her way to find moments to critique. Interesting.
Lil Rounds
Independence Day
Oh dear. Lil just told Ryan that the idols spend "quite a few time together" during the week. Lucky for her this is a singing competition and not an English test. This was a great song for her. She's got the pipes for it. She sang it well - not perfect, but she will easily be back for the next round.
I take back what I just said about Simon. He was probably harder on Lil than she deserved. And he kept calling her "Little" because he thinks that's what "Lil" is short for. Hello? Cowell? Have you never met someone named Lilian? Duh!!
Adam Lambert
Ring of Fire
I think I'm bleeding from my ears. In fairness, I'd love to see Adam play the roll of Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar - I think he'd knock it out of the park. But this performance made me feel physically nauseous. I did not like it even a little bit. It was creepy. Those who like this sort of thing will vote for him a lot and we'll be subjected to Adam again next week.
Scott MacIntyre
Wild Angels
Scott got a haircut since last week and it helps. And this was a great song choice for him. He's not the best vocalist in the competition by a long shot, but he knows how to use his voice to it's best effect. Being sure of his skills gives him more gravitas than he would have otherwise.
Alexis Grace
Jolene
I really like Alexis, but I'm not 100% of tonight's performance. There were a few places in the middle of the song that felt weak - kind of disconnected. She ended strong, but this was not her best performance.
Danny Gokey
Jesus Take the Wheel
I hate this song choice for Danny. It's safe. It's expected. I don't think he showed anything new or interesting tonight. And geez - his pitch is kind of all over the place. He's such a good singer that I'm sure he'll be safe, but he really missed it tonight. Normally he's amazing. This performance was not amazing
Anoop Desai
Always On My Mind
Maybe it's my imagination, but I don't think his piano player helped him tonight. The front half of the song felt very uneven to me. And while he was much better vocally than last week, there was boredom on my mind pretty much throughout the whole thing. I almost would have preferred to listen to Adam again. Not quite, but almost.
Megan Joy
I Go Walking After Midnight
Interesting - they changed her last name. Megan is adorable. I like her. And I love the '40s vibe she puts on all her performances. She didn't have a lot of power vocally tonight, but the coughing afterwards gives it away - she was singing with the flu. I know she's not everyone's taste, but I think she's terrific.
Matt Giraud
So Small
I don't love Matt. He might be my least favorite tonight - even with the ear-bleeding antics of Adam. He is boring. There's no power in his performance. I don't care for his voice. I don't find him inspiring. I don't enjoy looking at him (not my type; and yes, that matters).
So, who is going home this week? It's a seriously tough call. I know that some of the performers I just hate are hugely popular with the main demographic that watches this show. Some of my favorites are people who don't fit the idol stereotype. And truthfully, style preferences and vocal mistakes aside, nobody completely sucked this week.
Since I feel obligated to guess at the bottom three, here are my pics to find their way to the floor this week:
Michael Sarver - he was not helped by going first and there was nothing really wow about his performance. This was his genre and he was only solid, nothing special.
Alexis Grace - I really like her overall and she is adorable, but her performance tonight was lacking.
Megan Joy - I hate putting her name here because I like her a lot, but I think there is one too many cute, jazzy blonds in the competition - she and Alexis are going for the same votes and Alexis may be more relevant.
...and for good measure...
Anoop Desai - He was much better than last week, but I still just don't like him and think he's outclassed by the field. *shrug*
There are singers I don't like as well as some of the ones on this list, but I suspect the ousted contestant will be one of these four.
Who will it be this week? Country may be a challenge for some of our more rock-oriented contestants. This week's guest coach is Randy Travis.
Michael Sarver
Ain't Goin' Down 'Til the Sun Comes Up
He's in his roundhouse here. Michael is probably headed for the country music genre if he makes it as a recording artist so he's totally comfortable here. There might have been a couple of minor pitch problems, but overall he does well and should easily be safe for another week.
Allison Iraheta
Blame it on Your Heart
I would not have thought Allison would do well with country music, but I enjoyed her performance a lot. If you changed up the arrangement to make it less country and more rock, she could have a hit with this. Allison is one of my favorites this season, and she sang this one to pieces. Excellent. Interesting that Paula almost seemed to give her a criticism, urging her to experiment with being more vulnerable with her vocals.
Kris Allen
To Make You Feel My Love
I'm not sure it was the right decision for him to put down his guitar this week. He's sitting on a stool and looks a tiny bit uncomfortable to me. But in a way that he didn't manage last week, he made me believe he could be a force in this competition with a really nice vocal. Very well done.
As a side note, I wonder if the judges are pulling a fast one on us tonight. Simon is being unusually supportive, and Paula is going out of her way to find moments to critique. Interesting.
Lil Rounds
Independence Day
Oh dear. Lil just told Ryan that the idols spend "quite a few time together" during the week. Lucky for her this is a singing competition and not an English test. This was a great song for her. She's got the pipes for it. She sang it well - not perfect, but she will easily be back for the next round.
I take back what I just said about Simon. He was probably harder on Lil than she deserved. And he kept calling her "Little" because he thinks that's what "Lil" is short for. Hello? Cowell? Have you never met someone named Lilian? Duh!!
Adam Lambert
Ring of Fire
I think I'm bleeding from my ears. In fairness, I'd love to see Adam play the roll of Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar - I think he'd knock it out of the park. But this performance made me feel physically nauseous. I did not like it even a little bit. It was creepy. Those who like this sort of thing will vote for him a lot and we'll be subjected to Adam again next week.
Scott MacIntyre
Wild Angels
Scott got a haircut since last week and it helps. And this was a great song choice for him. He's not the best vocalist in the competition by a long shot, but he knows how to use his voice to it's best effect. Being sure of his skills gives him more gravitas than he would have otherwise.
Alexis Grace
Jolene
I really like Alexis, but I'm not 100% of tonight's performance. There were a few places in the middle of the song that felt weak - kind of disconnected. She ended strong, but this was not her best performance.
Danny Gokey
Jesus Take the Wheel
I hate this song choice for Danny. It's safe. It's expected. I don't think he showed anything new or interesting tonight. And geez - his pitch is kind of all over the place. He's such a good singer that I'm sure he'll be safe, but he really missed it tonight. Normally he's amazing. This performance was not amazing
Anoop Desai
Always On My Mind
Maybe it's my imagination, but I don't think his piano player helped him tonight. The front half of the song felt very uneven to me. And while he was much better vocally than last week, there was boredom on my mind pretty much throughout the whole thing. I almost would have preferred to listen to Adam again. Not quite, but almost.
Megan Joy
I Go Walking After Midnight
Interesting - they changed her last name. Megan is adorable. I like her. And I love the '40s vibe she puts on all her performances. She didn't have a lot of power vocally tonight, but the coughing afterwards gives it away - she was singing with the flu. I know she's not everyone's taste, but I think she's terrific.
Matt Giraud
So Small
I don't love Matt. He might be my least favorite tonight - even with the ear-bleeding antics of Adam. He is boring. There's no power in his performance. I don't care for his voice. I don't find him inspiring. I don't enjoy looking at him (not my type; and yes, that matters).
So, who is going home this week? It's a seriously tough call. I know that some of the performers I just hate are hugely popular with the main demographic that watches this show. Some of my favorites are people who don't fit the idol stereotype. And truthfully, style preferences and vocal mistakes aside, nobody completely sucked this week.
Since I feel obligated to guess at the bottom three, here are my pics to find their way to the floor this week:
Michael Sarver - he was not helped by going first and there was nothing really wow about his performance. This was his genre and he was only solid, nothing special.
Alexis Grace - I really like her overall and she is adorable, but her performance tonight was lacking.
Megan Joy - I hate putting her name here because I like her a lot, but I think there is one too many cute, jazzy blonds in the competition - she and Alexis are going for the same votes and Alexis may be more relevant.
...and for good measure...
Anoop Desai - He was much better than last week, but I still just don't like him and think he's outclassed by the field. *shrug*
There are singers I don't like as well as some of the ones on this list, but I suspect the ousted contestant will be one of these four.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
American Idol 8.1 - The Top 13 sing the music of Michael Jackson
Tonight marks multiple firsts for Idol. It's the first time there have been 13 in the finals. It's the first time there's not an even split of boys and girls. It's the first time there's been a ridiculous, cheesy entrance.... Oh wait, that one is pretty much a standard.
There's a lot of depth in the field this season. It should be interesting.
Oh - and Simon just announced that two are going home tomorrow night so it's not so abnormal after all.
Lil Rounds
The Way You Make Me Feel
I really like Lil. Tough song to sing but she sang really well. She was in a little slower groove than MJ hit on this song and she really made it work for her. Not 100% perfect, but she should easily be safe tonight.
Scott MacIntyre
Keep the Faith
Scott doesn't have the most perfect voice ever, but he definitely has a feel for the music. For those who are familiar with early Christian rock, he reminds me somewhat of Keith Green - both vocals and keyboarding. Again, I think Scott will get through with flying colors to the next round.
Danny Gokey
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
Danny is my current favorite to run away with the whole kit and kaboodle. He's got the look, he's got the vocals, he knows what he can do with his voice, and he's a great showman. His dancing skills may need some work, but otherwise he's ready to go. Great job tonight.
Michael Sarver
You're Not Alone
I'll be honest: I am not Michael's biggest fan. That said, I think he did a very respectable job tonight. This is not the most engaging MJ song, but it suited his style well.
Jasmine Murray
I'll Be There
Probably the best possible song choice for her. This was Michael's breakout hit when he was just a teeny-weeny guy so it's a very good range fit for Jasmine. She is singing nicely... but just nicely. Nothing hugely interesting. I'm getting a little buzz on the chorus and I'm not sure if it's her voice, AI's sound, or my old crappy TV. And she wrapped it up perfectly with a little power. I thought she did ... nicely.
Kris Allen
Remember the Time
Kris is strummin away on his gee-tar. Yay. He looks a little like a country hayseed trying to get a feel of the big city. I'm not sure the plaid shirt does him any favors. But his voice is very good - probably more interesting than Scott's or Jasmine's. I'm guessing he'll be a crowd favorite because of the cute factor... and he probably even deserves to stay.
Allison Iraheta
Give In to Me
She reminds me of Heart or maybe Pat Benetar. It's amazing to me to see someone so young who has such a polished performance with such raw vocals. Wow - great performance in every way. Outstanding.
Anoop Desai
Beat It
Earlier in the night Simon told somebody that he'd chosen the wrong song because it wasn't one people would know. Simon was dead wrong. Anoop isn't performing badly, but he does not compare favorably to the original which even I know. His energy was probably a little lower than I would have liked. His pitch was weird in a few places. It just didn't work at all. Anoop came into this with a lot of teenybopper fan support, but tonight he did not do well.
Jorge Nunez
Never Can Say Goodbye
Hmmm... first phrase was not in the right key. He tightened it up after that, but overall I was really bored with the performance. I was unimpressed. *shrug*
Megan Corkey
Rockin' Robin
Megan is one of my personal favorites. I think she's adorable. Her personality reminds me of somebody, but I'm not sure who. Her vocals, on the other hand, are completely unique. I thought the song choice was brilliant - who even knew that old 50's standard was covered by the Jackson 5. Despite Simon's poo-pooing, I thought it was great. It was who she is.
Adam Lambert
Black or White
He is a caricature of himself, but dang if the boy can't sing. Adam is not my favorite, and he was a little flat on a couple of his siren notes, but the fact that he could pull off this song at all is saying something. Andrew just said that he sounds like Axl Rose constipated on the toilet and I just had to share. :) Adam will be safe, but that doesn't mean I have to like him.
Matt Giraud
Human Nature
I don't like anything about Matt. He can sing OK I guess, but that's the only good thing I have to say about him. Listening to him is making me feel nauseous. His pitch is absolutely solid and he can play the keys, but I find his voice irritating and the whole thing feels overcooked to me. His high note at the end was like fingernails on a chalkboard. He'll still be here next week, but I will be counting the days until he's gone. Ugh.
Alexis Grace
Dirty Diana
She's a little breathless so the overall flow of the song maybe isn't what it should be, but I love her to bits. Her pitch is very good. Her overall performance is fine. She needs to get a little more stage presence. I agree with Randy - it wasn't great but it was good with an attitude.
Pretty decent night overall. I think Jorge, Anoop and Jasmine might be in trouble, although you never know about someone as quirky and interesting as Megan - she's a bit of an unknown because it is a little hard to classify her.
There's a lot of depth in the field this season. It should be interesting.
Oh - and Simon just announced that two are going home tomorrow night so it's not so abnormal after all.
Lil Rounds
The Way You Make Me Feel
I really like Lil. Tough song to sing but she sang really well. She was in a little slower groove than MJ hit on this song and she really made it work for her. Not 100% perfect, but she should easily be safe tonight.
Scott MacIntyre
Keep the Faith
Scott doesn't have the most perfect voice ever, but he definitely has a feel for the music. For those who are familiar with early Christian rock, he reminds me somewhat of Keith Green - both vocals and keyboarding. Again, I think Scott will get through with flying colors to the next round.
Danny Gokey
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
Danny is my current favorite to run away with the whole kit and kaboodle. He's got the look, he's got the vocals, he knows what he can do with his voice, and he's a great showman. His dancing skills may need some work, but otherwise he's ready to go. Great job tonight.
Michael Sarver
You're Not Alone
I'll be honest: I am not Michael's biggest fan. That said, I think he did a very respectable job tonight. This is not the most engaging MJ song, but it suited his style well.
Jasmine Murray
I'll Be There
Probably the best possible song choice for her. This was Michael's breakout hit when he was just a teeny-weeny guy so it's a very good range fit for Jasmine. She is singing nicely... but just nicely. Nothing hugely interesting. I'm getting a little buzz on the chorus and I'm not sure if it's her voice, AI's sound, or my old crappy TV. And she wrapped it up perfectly with a little power. I thought she did ... nicely.
Kris Allen
Remember the Time
Kris is strummin away on his gee-tar. Yay. He looks a little like a country hayseed trying to get a feel of the big city. I'm not sure the plaid shirt does him any favors. But his voice is very good - probably more interesting than Scott's or Jasmine's. I'm guessing he'll be a crowd favorite because of the cute factor... and he probably even deserves to stay.
Allison Iraheta
Give In to Me
She reminds me of Heart or maybe Pat Benetar. It's amazing to me to see someone so young who has such a polished performance with such raw vocals. Wow - great performance in every way. Outstanding.
Anoop Desai
Beat It
Earlier in the night Simon told somebody that he'd chosen the wrong song because it wasn't one people would know. Simon was dead wrong. Anoop isn't performing badly, but he does not compare favorably to the original which even I know. His energy was probably a little lower than I would have liked. His pitch was weird in a few places. It just didn't work at all. Anoop came into this with a lot of teenybopper fan support, but tonight he did not do well.
Jorge Nunez
Never Can Say Goodbye
Hmmm... first phrase was not in the right key. He tightened it up after that, but overall I was really bored with the performance. I was unimpressed. *shrug*
Megan Corkey
Rockin' Robin
Megan is one of my personal favorites. I think she's adorable. Her personality reminds me of somebody, but I'm not sure who. Her vocals, on the other hand, are completely unique. I thought the song choice was brilliant - who even knew that old 50's standard was covered by the Jackson 5. Despite Simon's poo-pooing, I thought it was great. It was who she is.
Adam Lambert
Black or White
He is a caricature of himself, but dang if the boy can't sing. Adam is not my favorite, and he was a little flat on a couple of his siren notes, but the fact that he could pull off this song at all is saying something. Andrew just said that he sounds like Axl Rose constipated on the toilet and I just had to share. :) Adam will be safe, but that doesn't mean I have to like him.
Matt Giraud
Human Nature
I don't like anything about Matt. He can sing OK I guess, but that's the only good thing I have to say about him. Listening to him is making me feel nauseous. His pitch is absolutely solid and he can play the keys, but I find his voice irritating and the whole thing feels overcooked to me. His high note at the end was like fingernails on a chalkboard. He'll still be here next week, but I will be counting the days until he's gone. Ugh.
Alexis Grace
Dirty Diana
She's a little breathless so the overall flow of the song maybe isn't what it should be, but I love her to bits. Her pitch is very good. Her overall performance is fine. She needs to get a little more stage presence. I agree with Randy - it wasn't great but it was good with an attitude.
Pretty decent night overall. I think Jorge, Anoop and Jasmine might be in trouble, although you never know about someone as quirky and interesting as Megan - she's a bit of an unknown because it is a little hard to classify her.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
American Idol 8 - final reduction week 3
Here I am for the 3rd week of top 12 selections.
Last week Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, and Kris Allen joined first round finalists Alexis Grace, Danny Gokey, and Michael Sarver in the top 12. These are not necessarily the exact 6 I would have chosen so far, but there are no huge errors or surprises in this group.
Let's get on with seeing how tonight's group of 12 does.
You're All I Need to Get By
Von Smith
Von was OK in Hollywood week. I'm certain the cuteness factor helped him get through to the Semi-Finals because I think there were better singers. And tonight? He's OK. He sang fine, but there's something I can't quite put my finger on that I just really don't like. The judges all really liked him, but his performance didn't do a thing for me.
If I Ain't Got You
Taylor Vaifanua
OK - this is a really good performance. Her pitch is very good. She has stage presence. She sings supported. I find the overall performance quite good. The judges aren't jumping up and down, but I think they were really harsh - especially after falling all over themselves over Von.
I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
Alex Wagner-Trugman
Oh Alex. Dear, sweet Alex. Please don't ever do that again. The vocal would have been fine if it hadn't been for the very odd affectation of vocal grinding. From someone who looks like he's about 14 it just sounds dumb.
Winner Takes it All
Arianna Afsar
It's too bad - I think maybe nerves got to her more than she expected. Her pitch is terrible. The arrangement was bleh. The runs were ... weird. She has a really pretty voice, but I don't think that makes up for an overall sketchy performance.
Hey There Delilah
Ju'Not Joyner
I don't think I've ever heard this song, but I like it. And I think Ju'Not did a very nice job with it. Maybe the best so far tonight. Good job.
Give Me One Reason
Kristen McNamara
Classic 5-bar blues style. And she's got the voice for it. Unfortunately with the blond bangs and the orange dress she came off as ever-so-slightly Harper Vally PTA to me. That's probably not entirely fair, but it is what it is. Still, I think with her overall performance she has a definite chance to move forward.
I Would Do Anything For Love
Nathaniel Marshall
The best thing about Nate's performance tonight is that he probably sealed his fate. It was nothing more than silly karaoke. I hated it. He can sing I guess, but that was just weird. Bye bye.
No One
Felicia Barton
It's the ultimate second chance. She got cut, and was called back to replace another contestant who was determined to actually be ineligible. Sadly for her, she didn't make her second chance count. The vocal is not good. Pitch is strange. It's not a good song for a show like this. Her final note was nice, but the rest was not. The judges seem to kinda like her, but I am not a fan.
Mandolin Rain
Scott MacIntyre
I think Scott is a shoe in. He hit a couple of bad notes, but he's got great pipes. The whole inspirational thing is also on his side. And on the off chance that America doesn't vote him through, the comments from the judges lead me to believe that they'll put him in as a wild card.
This One's For the Girls
Kendall Beard
I'm not a big fan of country music. And Kendall missed a couple of pitches here and there. But what makes this stand out for me is that she picked a song that suits her voice, that's young, and that comes across as relevant and contemporary. I can't say she's a certainty because of the pitch issues, but overall not bad. And for a wonder, the judges agree.
Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me
Jorge Nuñez
Before hearing a single note I'm not expecting to like this performance. I was not of fan of Jorge's during the auditions. His vocal talent didnt' impress me. He sounds better than I was expecting though. I think there will be a certain segment of the population that will love him to pieces. Lot's of people love an accent. I don't mind one, but I'm still not really a fan.
Be Without You
Lil Rounds
They saved the best for last this week. I think Lil was fantastic. She looked good. She sounded great. She picked the perfect song for her voice and style. Tons of star quality. Overall excellent.
It was a decent show overall tonight. Not as good as last week, but not excruciating either. I think the best shots to get by to the big show are going to be:
Lil Rounds
Scott MacIntyre
and Jorge Nuñez
But you can never be sure how America's going to vote. I think other potential top 12 material includes Ju'Not, Kendall, and Kristen. It will be a tough elimination night tomorrow no matter which way things end up going.
Last week Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, and Kris Allen joined first round finalists Alexis Grace, Danny Gokey, and Michael Sarver in the top 12. These are not necessarily the exact 6 I would have chosen so far, but there are no huge errors or surprises in this group.
Let's get on with seeing how tonight's group of 12 does.
You're All I Need to Get By
Von Smith
Von was OK in Hollywood week. I'm certain the cuteness factor helped him get through to the Semi-Finals because I think there were better singers. And tonight? He's OK. He sang fine, but there's something I can't quite put my finger on that I just really don't like. The judges all really liked him, but his performance didn't do a thing for me.
If I Ain't Got You
Taylor Vaifanua
OK - this is a really good performance. Her pitch is very good. She has stage presence. She sings supported. I find the overall performance quite good. The judges aren't jumping up and down, but I think they were really harsh - especially after falling all over themselves over Von.
I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues
Alex Wagner-Trugman
Oh Alex. Dear, sweet Alex. Please don't ever do that again. The vocal would have been fine if it hadn't been for the very odd affectation of vocal grinding. From someone who looks like he's about 14 it just sounds dumb.
Winner Takes it All
Arianna Afsar
It's too bad - I think maybe nerves got to her more than she expected. Her pitch is terrible. The arrangement was bleh. The runs were ... weird. She has a really pretty voice, but I don't think that makes up for an overall sketchy performance.
Hey There Delilah
Ju'Not Joyner
I don't think I've ever heard this song, but I like it. And I think Ju'Not did a very nice job with it. Maybe the best so far tonight. Good job.
Give Me One Reason
Kristen McNamara
Classic 5-bar blues style. And she's got the voice for it. Unfortunately with the blond bangs and the orange dress she came off as ever-so-slightly Harper Vally PTA to me. That's probably not entirely fair, but it is what it is. Still, I think with her overall performance she has a definite chance to move forward.
I Would Do Anything For Love
Nathaniel Marshall
The best thing about Nate's performance tonight is that he probably sealed his fate. It was nothing more than silly karaoke. I hated it. He can sing I guess, but that was just weird. Bye bye.
No One
Felicia Barton
It's the ultimate second chance. She got cut, and was called back to replace another contestant who was determined to actually be ineligible. Sadly for her, she didn't make her second chance count. The vocal is not good. Pitch is strange. It's not a good song for a show like this. Her final note was nice, but the rest was not. The judges seem to kinda like her, but I am not a fan.
Mandolin Rain
Scott MacIntyre
I think Scott is a shoe in. He hit a couple of bad notes, but he's got great pipes. The whole inspirational thing is also on his side. And on the off chance that America doesn't vote him through, the comments from the judges lead me to believe that they'll put him in as a wild card.
This One's For the Girls
Kendall Beard
I'm not a big fan of country music. And Kendall missed a couple of pitches here and there. But what makes this stand out for me is that she picked a song that suits her voice, that's young, and that comes across as relevant and contemporary. I can't say she's a certainty because of the pitch issues, but overall not bad. And for a wonder, the judges agree.
Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me
Jorge Nuñez
Before hearing a single note I'm not expecting to like this performance. I was not of fan of Jorge's during the auditions. His vocal talent didnt' impress me. He sounds better than I was expecting though. I think there will be a certain segment of the population that will love him to pieces. Lot's of people love an accent. I don't mind one, but I'm still not really a fan.
Be Without You
Lil Rounds
They saved the best for last this week. I think Lil was fantastic. She looked good. She sounded great. She picked the perfect song for her voice and style. Tons of star quality. Overall excellent.
It was a decent show overall tonight. Not as good as last week, but not excruciating either. I think the best shots to get by to the big show are going to be:
Lil Rounds
Scott MacIntyre
and Jorge Nuñez
But you can never be sure how America's going to vote. I think other potential top 12 material includes Ju'Not, Kendall, and Kristen. It will be a tough elimination night tomorrow no matter which way things end up going.
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