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.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
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.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
American Idol 8.5 - The Top 8 sing songs from the year they were born
Well, the adorable but odd Megan finally flew the coop last week. It wasn't much of a surprise, but I'm sorry to see her go. I hope she gets some real vocal training and tries again to break into this business. She's interesting and quirky and I think has more star potential by far than someone like Anoop or even Lil.
Tonight the hopefuls will each be singing songs from the year they were born. That means I should be a happy camper with a bunch of '80s music coming down the line. Yay.
Danny Gokey
Stand By Me (Mickey Gilley, 1980)
Personally, I prefer the be-bop/do-wop version of this song. But for being a weird disco-y version of a classic song Danny did a good job of it. This boy will definitely sell records, whether or not he is the ultimate winner of this competition.
Kris Allen
All She Wants To Do Is Dance (Don Henley, 1985)
He's in the mosh pit again. Whatever. I guess this is an OK version of the song; but honestly, I didn't love it. I thought it was kinda boring. I think the judges are right on.
Lil Rounds
What's Love Got To Do With It (Tina Turner, 1984)
This is probably Lil's best performance in a few weeks. That said, I feel like she's dragging the tempo. Her pitch is suffering somewhat because she's oversinging/shouting in places where she is trying to pump up the energy. I'm not thrilled with her performance. She did look really great tonight though - I love the eye makeup.
Anoop Desai
True Colors (Cindy Lauper, 1986)
I'm sure the Anoop Troop will love this. I think he just wrecked one of the great songs of the '80s. *shrug* I liked the last note. That's about it. I don't know why I don't like Anoop, but I just don't. This is not a recording I would ever spend money on.
Scott MacIntyre
The Search Is Over (Survivor, 1985)
OK - so we just found out that Scott is a train dude. The train spotters I've known have been bizarre individuals, so that explains a lot. And, hey, something new from Scott tonight. He is playing electric guitar instead of hiding behind the baby grand. It's all bar chords, but it broke it up some and that's cool. This was not the best song for Scott - he definitely oversang in parts. I'm not sure how much longer the likability/pity factor can carry him when vocally he is clearly out of his league.
Allison Iraheta
I Can't Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt, 1992)
She's wearing a bizarre dress again. But once again it's made up for by the quality of her performance. She is probably the second-best vocalist in this competition (behind Adam), and definitely deserves to be in the top three (with Adam and Danny). But she also seems to be having trouble finding her audience so who knows.
Matt Giraud
Part Time Lovers (Stevie Wonder, 1985)
Here's the thing - I still don't love Matt. There's something about him that I just find vaguely creepy. Maybe it's the hat. But I recognize the talent he has and can understand why he is doing so well in this competition. He is "in it to win it" and he's did a great job tonight.
That was a near disaster - my Tivo cut off the end of the show because they are seriously over time tonight. However, since I also recorded Fringe, I still have the final performance of the evening. *Phew* I wonder how many viewers were not as lucky as me.
Adam Lambert
Mad World (Tears for Fears, 1982)
Great song. This is one that I don't hear often enough. And Adam did a great job with it. I like the funky staging too - sitting in the middle of the stage in a chair with dark lighting. For some reason the look reminds me of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody video. And I think Simon's reaction says everything that needs saying about this performance - he gave his first standing ovation I think in the history of this show.
So, the best and the worst for the evening? Top honors go to Adam. He was closely followed by Allison, Danny, Creepy Matt, and Kris.
At the bottom of the heap tonight are Scott, Lil, and Anoop. Scott should be the one to head home, but it could just as easily be Lil. What scares me is that it may even be a better singer who goes home - Allison has had some trouble getting votes despite her mad skillz. I guess we'll see what happens tomorrow night.
Tonight the hopefuls will each be singing songs from the year they were born. That means I should be a happy camper with a bunch of '80s music coming down the line. Yay.
Danny Gokey
Stand By Me (Mickey Gilley, 1980)
Personally, I prefer the be-bop/do-wop version of this song. But for being a weird disco-y version of a classic song Danny did a good job of it. This boy will definitely sell records, whether or not he is the ultimate winner of this competition.
Kris Allen
All She Wants To Do Is Dance (Don Henley, 1985)
He's in the mosh pit again. Whatever. I guess this is an OK version of the song; but honestly, I didn't love it. I thought it was kinda boring. I think the judges are right on.
Lil Rounds
What's Love Got To Do With It (Tina Turner, 1984)
This is probably Lil's best performance in a few weeks. That said, I feel like she's dragging the tempo. Her pitch is suffering somewhat because she's oversinging/shouting in places where she is trying to pump up the energy. I'm not thrilled with her performance. She did look really great tonight though - I love the eye makeup.
Anoop Desai
True Colors (Cindy Lauper, 1986)
I'm sure the Anoop Troop will love this. I think he just wrecked one of the great songs of the '80s. *shrug* I liked the last note. That's about it. I don't know why I don't like Anoop, but I just don't. This is not a recording I would ever spend money on.
Scott MacIntyre
The Search Is Over (Survivor, 1985)
OK - so we just found out that Scott is a train dude. The train spotters I've known have been bizarre individuals, so that explains a lot. And, hey, something new from Scott tonight. He is playing electric guitar instead of hiding behind the baby grand. It's all bar chords, but it broke it up some and that's cool. This was not the best song for Scott - he definitely oversang in parts. I'm not sure how much longer the likability/pity factor can carry him when vocally he is clearly out of his league.
Allison Iraheta
I Can't Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt, 1992)
She's wearing a bizarre dress again. But once again it's made up for by the quality of her performance. She is probably the second-best vocalist in this competition (behind Adam), and definitely deserves to be in the top three (with Adam and Danny). But she also seems to be having trouble finding her audience so who knows.
Matt Giraud
Part Time Lovers (Stevie Wonder, 1985)
Here's the thing - I still don't love Matt. There's something about him that I just find vaguely creepy. Maybe it's the hat. But I recognize the talent he has and can understand why he is doing so well in this competition. He is "in it to win it" and he's did a great job tonight.
That was a near disaster - my Tivo cut off the end of the show because they are seriously over time tonight. However, since I also recorded Fringe, I still have the final performance of the evening. *Phew* I wonder how many viewers were not as lucky as me.
Adam Lambert
Mad World (Tears for Fears, 1982)
Great song. This is one that I don't hear often enough. And Adam did a great job with it. I like the funky staging too - sitting in the middle of the stage in a chair with dark lighting. For some reason the look reminds me of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody video. And I think Simon's reaction says everything that needs saying about this performance - he gave his first standing ovation I think in the history of this show.
So, the best and the worst for the evening? Top honors go to Adam. He was closely followed by Allison, Danny, Creepy Matt, and Kris.
At the bottom of the heap tonight are Scott, Lil, and Anoop. Scott should be the one to head home, but it could just as easily be Lil. What scares me is that it may even be a better singer who goes home - Allison has had some trouble getting votes despite her mad skillz. I guess we'll see what happens tomorrow night.
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