It wasn't exactly what I'd predicted, but it was close. I am not shocked. I am not surprised. And despite my personal choices of who should hit the road, I think the right people probably went home.
Going packing tonight are:
Jason Yeager
Robbie Carrico
Alexandrea Lushington
and
Alaina Whitaker
Justice is served.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
American Idol 7 - Girls2
I didn't get this posted last night, but here are my thoughts while watching the show.
It's lady's night and the girls are stuck in the '70s. There are potentially some great songs to be sung and I'm hoping to see some breakout performances.
Carly Smithson
"Crazy On You"
She can sing. She's very cute. She's got a great voice. The performance wasn't perfect, but she did a good job. I liked it.
Syesha Mercado
"Mr. Jones"
Her voice is so smooth - I love it! I like Syesha a lot, but I have to agree with the judges that the softer sections of the song were not always right on pitch. I don't know that it really detracted from the overall performance, but she needs to learn to support even when she's not powering through something.
Brook White
"You're So Vain"
Great song choice for her. I think she perfectly fits that 'singer-songwriter' mold. She hit a couple of funky notes, but nothing really bad. This is one of those songs that doesn't have any giant vocal passages and that gives it the sense of being a little lower energy. But overall it suited Brook very well.
Ramiele Malubay
"Don't Leave Me this Way"
I'm underwhelmed for the first time tonight. This is not a good 'vocalist' song. She did nothing interesting with it. It was flat and boring and off pitch. Jasmine Trias, go home.
Kristy Lee Cook
"You're No Good"
Hmmm... my first impression is that the walk and stance and her whole stage presence is to calculated - almost choreographed. Not natural. My second thought is that it was all a little draggy - she took it a hair slower than the original and it suffered for it. When I closed my eyes the vocal was very strong, but the overall performance was weird. I didn't like it even though it wasn't really bad.
Amanda Overmeyer
"Carry On My Wayward Son"
I think she might be sick, but it's hard to tell. Her pitch is awful tonight, and she seems to have some hoarseness in addition to her usual husky voice. Her stage presence and presentation were fine, but the vocal performance was really not good. And her hair is ridiculous.
Alaina Whitaker
"Hopelessly Devoted To You"
She is a pretty girl with a pretty voice. That's not going to be enough to get her through this competition. Her pitch was all over the place. She had no vocal control. She wasn't as bad as some of the top contestants were in previous seasons, but she was no American Idol.
Alexandrea Lushington
"If You Leave Me Now"
Poor wardrobe choice. Mediocre vocal. Dull performance overall. I think Alex may have reached the end of her road - though the judges seem to like her. Go figure.
Kady Malloy
"Magic Man"
I like her voice. I like her look. But the song was just a little weak. In her defense, I had the impression that the mix was off and she didn't have enough gain compared to the band. But that doesn't change the fact that she just didn't exude much stage presence. It was all rather so what.
Asia'h Epperson
"All By Myself"
Another very pretty girl. And I think she has some serious talent. But this was not a good song choice for her. Her voice dropped out on the first high note because she forgot to compensate for her break. Later high parts were there, but sounded strained because she powered into them in chest voice instead of using a blended or head voice. I just don't think this performance was very good at all.
Top Honors: Syesha I think is the clear winner tonight, followed by Carly.
Pack Your Bags: I think Ramiele needs to go. And, sadly, I think Amanda might need to join her. I really like Amanda, but while her voice is interesting and unique, I think it's also just too much of the same. She needs to build a band and go start playing bars and clubs. She will not win this competition and after this performance the gig might be up for her. If it isn't Amanda though (and it might not be since she's unique and the only rocker chick), It will either be Alexandrea or Alaina who joins Ramiele in departure.
Overall, one thing is clear. All the girls need to step it up a serious notch if they want to compete with the guys. I did not see any of the breakout performances I hoped for at the beginning of the evening.
There are probably 3 or 4 guys who got it seriously goin' on (at least once they find their niche). None of the girls has the charisma to match someone like a Chikezie. None of the girls has the pipes that Archuleta has. There are a couple of girls I like, but none that really stand out and make me think I absolutely want their album no matter what they end up recording. That's a problem for the girls. I think this season is going to a guy - and probably a guy in second place as well.
It's lady's night and the girls are stuck in the '70s. There are potentially some great songs to be sung and I'm hoping to see some breakout performances.
Carly Smithson
"Crazy On You"
She can sing. She's very cute. She's got a great voice. The performance wasn't perfect, but she did a good job. I liked it.
Syesha Mercado
"Mr. Jones"
Her voice is so smooth - I love it! I like Syesha a lot, but I have to agree with the judges that the softer sections of the song were not always right on pitch. I don't know that it really detracted from the overall performance, but she needs to learn to support even when she's not powering through something.
Brook White
"You're So Vain"
Great song choice for her. I think she perfectly fits that 'singer-songwriter' mold. She hit a couple of funky notes, but nothing really bad. This is one of those songs that doesn't have any giant vocal passages and that gives it the sense of being a little lower energy. But overall it suited Brook very well.
Ramiele Malubay
"Don't Leave Me this Way"
I'm underwhelmed for the first time tonight. This is not a good 'vocalist' song. She did nothing interesting with it. It was flat and boring and off pitch. Jasmine Trias, go home.
Kristy Lee Cook
"You're No Good"
Hmmm... my first impression is that the walk and stance and her whole stage presence is to calculated - almost choreographed. Not natural. My second thought is that it was all a little draggy - she took it a hair slower than the original and it suffered for it. When I closed my eyes the vocal was very strong, but the overall performance was weird. I didn't like it even though it wasn't really bad.
Amanda Overmeyer
"Carry On My Wayward Son"
I think she might be sick, but it's hard to tell. Her pitch is awful tonight, and she seems to have some hoarseness in addition to her usual husky voice. Her stage presence and presentation were fine, but the vocal performance was really not good. And her hair is ridiculous.
Alaina Whitaker
"Hopelessly Devoted To You"
She is a pretty girl with a pretty voice. That's not going to be enough to get her through this competition. Her pitch was all over the place. She had no vocal control. She wasn't as bad as some of the top contestants were in previous seasons, but she was no American Idol.
Alexandrea Lushington
"If You Leave Me Now"
Poor wardrobe choice. Mediocre vocal. Dull performance overall. I think Alex may have reached the end of her road - though the judges seem to like her. Go figure.
Kady Malloy
"Magic Man"
I like her voice. I like her look. But the song was just a little weak. In her defense, I had the impression that the mix was off and she didn't have enough gain compared to the band. But that doesn't change the fact that she just didn't exude much stage presence. It was all rather so what.
Asia'h Epperson
"All By Myself"
Another very pretty girl. And I think she has some serious talent. But this was not a good song choice for her. Her voice dropped out on the first high note because she forgot to compensate for her break. Later high parts were there, but sounded strained because she powered into them in chest voice instead of using a blended or head voice. I just don't think this performance was very good at all.
Top Honors: Syesha I think is the clear winner tonight, followed by Carly.
Pack Your Bags: I think Ramiele needs to go. And, sadly, I think Amanda might need to join her. I really like Amanda, but while her voice is interesting and unique, I think it's also just too much of the same. She needs to build a band and go start playing bars and clubs. She will not win this competition and after this performance the gig might be up for her. If it isn't Amanda though (and it might not be since she's unique and the only rocker chick), It will either be Alexandrea or Alaina who joins Ramiele in departure.
Overall, one thing is clear. All the girls need to step it up a serious notch if they want to compete with the guys. I did not see any of the breakout performances I hoped for at the beginning of the evening.
There are probably 3 or 4 guys who got it seriously goin' on (at least once they find their niche). None of the girls has the charisma to match someone like a Chikezie. None of the girls has the pipes that Archuleta has. There are a couple of girls I like, but none that really stand out and make me think I absolutely want their album no matter what they end up recording. That's a problem for the girls. I think this season is going to a guy - and probably a guy in second place as well.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Oopsie...
Tea is nice. Especially when you have a miserable chest cold. But last night as I was staring blankly at my box of tea while waiting for my cold-abating-tea water to boil, I noticed something odd. See if you can spot the discrepancy. (hint: this is Mandarin Orange flavored tea)
MoBlog
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
American Idol 7 - Boys2
70's night
It seems weird to me that we're already into theme nights when we aren't down to the top 12 yet. Did they do that last year? I don't remember. Anyway... gotta love the '70s. And on to the show....
Michael Johns
"You Can Go Your Own Way"
He's cute. He has a nice voice. But his pitch is all over the place. He's sharp and oversinging on the chorus. The overall performance is okay, but he has to improve quickly or he won't be around to get over the oversinging.
Jason Castro
"I just Want to Be Your Everything"
I really like Jason. He's cute and genuinely bashful without letting it make him freeze up on stage. However, the whole brittle, unsupported voice thing has to go. He needs to learn to use his voice more effectively. Right now he has pitch problems and vocal dropouts. Also, I'm not sure he knows how to sing with the band - when he was alone with guitar everything sounded OK, but once the band kicked in he was kinda all over the place. I completely agree with Randy and Paula on this one - he needs to get rid of the guitar, take some ownership, and step up. If not, he'll be gone soon.
Luke Menard
"Killer Queen"
Can I call him McSteamy? He rather reminds me of the charming cad of a plastic surgeon from Gray's Anatomy. Whatever. I thought it was an interesting song choice. Not necessarily good, but interesting. He sang well, but I wonder if he might lose some target audience with the song. I think I mostly agree with Simon - the song is almost too stylized and unique to work as a cover. I'm not sure Luke is a big enough personality to pull it off.
Robbie Carrico
"Hot Blooded"
Robbie's problem? He's no Bo Bice. I like him, but the performance was good, not great. The vocal needed to be "dirtier" (not the performance - just the vocal. Get your mind out of the gutter...). His singing is almost too pretty. Too controlled. I think he said it best himself: every week you have to up the ante. Well, it's time for Robbie to up the ante.
Danny Noriega
"Superstar"
Don't you remember when this song was owned by Ruben? It still is. This was boring and the performance was a little sickening. In fairness, Danny has a decent voice. He just needs to quit the attitude. It's not appealing.
David Hernandez
"Papa Was a Rolling Stone"
Not bad. He has a very good voice and did pretty well. I don't know if I believe him on the song - the lyric doesn't exactly fit his clean-cut look. But overall it sounded good.
Jason Yeager
"Without Love"
Hey Jason - the Osmonds called. They want their look back. *shudder* And he's so karaoke. It's all a bit goofy. His voice isn't horrible, but he's more like a creepy lounge singer than a mainstream pop superstar. I think Jason's 15 minutes are up.
Chikezie
"I Believe"
H needs to put some thought into wardrobe. Last week he had the orange suit. This week he looks like a college student or a mall rat. I'm not against the casual look - but he needs to use his look to help define who he is. I don't think a powder blue polo shirt helped. But, the vocal was so much better than last week. He's definitely coming back again. Overall, good job.
David Cook
"All Right Now"
Guitarring it - as a lefty. Interesting. Decent song. Good vocal. But I just don't know if he stands out much. I like him, but I don't like him enough to think he's going to win this thing.
David Archuleta
"Imagine"
A completely different take on this song. This was a great choice for him, and a great arrangement. Not too much like the original that you find yourself making comparisons. I like that it was just David and acoustic guitar. And you know what? It was amazing! I think David looks like the one to beat this year. He is absolutely fantastic.
Top Honors: Definitely David. The kid is professional, interesting, has great pitch, a unique vocal quality, looks good, and is just appealing.
Pack Your Bags: I think Jason Osmond-Yeager is definitely toast this week. I'm not sure on who else... I'd love for Danny to go but he won't. It might be shy Jason Castro. I hate to say that, but it might be. Or it might be Michael Johns who just wasn't on tonight. And I'm also thinking that Robbie or David Cook might need to start worrying about how the voting public perceives them. Simon isn't wrong.
That's it for tonight. I'm looking forward to what the girls are going to do - lots of great chick songs from the '70s.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Tyra's Domain
OK - so I finally had the chance to watch my tape (yes, actual VHS video tape - egads) of America's Next Top Model.
I became accidentally addicted to the show last season and knew I would watch it this season if I had the chance. Through the wonders of ancient technology, I've managed it. Yay.
Anyway, I'm not going to give a whole rundown of the show here. I just thought I'd make a few observations, so here goes.
The 14 going forward into the actual competition are
I became accidentally addicted to the show last season and knew I would watch it this season if I had the chance. Through the wonders of ancient technology, I've managed it. Yay.
Anyway, I'm not going to give a whole rundown of the show here. I just thought I'd make a few observations, so here goes.
- What on earth was Tyra thinking with the whole 'prom queen' getup. I know she was being silly, but really, what was the point?
- Something about Miss J makes him/her very entertaining - I just have no idea what it is.
- The whole school uniform thing is a little creepy. I have never much liked the idea of sexualizing the schoolgirl. It strikes me as being a little on the 'dirty old man' end of the spectrum.
- I like Lauren. She's quirky and different. I don't know if she's really 'Top Model' material, but I hope she at least gets a good shot at it.
- So many of these girls remind me of every pretty girl I've ever met (pardon the exaggeration). What about being attractive turns girls into mean little b*tches who don't know how to play nice?
- Anya's 'fire in the eyes' looks more like nausea to me.
- Part of being uber-hot is knowing how to walk in high heels. Half these girls look more like ten dollar hookers in their heels than like runway models. Learn how to walk, ladies.
- Atalya reminds me of Ebony from Cycle 9
- I don't like Shaya Marie Ali at all.
- The strawberry blonde - I think her name is Marguerite - is scary... like a stalker.
- Dominique is too aggressive. I guess you don't have to be likable to be a model, but you can't have too sharp an edge either or everyone will hate you.
- Kristen is really cute - maybe too cute to be believable as a top model
- I really like Katarzyna - she might end up being the one to beat with those legs that go on forever and a pretty face too.
- Shalynda has auditioned 8 times. I don't like her - she seems very shrill to me.
- Did I mention that I like Lauren? She needs to learn to be comfortable in her own skin and she needs to learn how to walk.
- Stacy is cute, but stupid
- I don't like Aimee - she's trying too hard.
- Kimm is vapid. She can go.
- Fatima might end up as the emotional favorite like Heather did last year - but she might also be accused of emotional manipulation. She needs to be careful. Also, she needs to not stomp so hard when she walks. Fierce is one thing, being Attila the Hun is something else.
- Marvita is aggressive and snotty.
- Claire committed the classic overshare. Telling the world you drank your own breast milk is simply TMI.
The 14 going forward into the actual competition are
- Allison
- Fatima
- Katarzyna
- Kimm
- Stacy-Ann
- Aimee
- Amy
- Claire
- Whitney
- Marvita
- Lauren
- Atalya
- Anya
- Dominique
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Breaking up is sometimes sweet
Wow. They pulled no punches. They got right to the good stuff.
Following a big production number starring all the idols, they played a brief recap of the performances from the guys two nights ago. Then Ryan calls Garrett out for a brief discussion... at which he informs Garrett that it's all over. Yup. Just like that. No prevaricating. No equivocating. No, "right after this message from our sponsors."
It was almost brutal.
But it was exactly the right thing to do. Like pulling off the bandaid quickly, the pain is minimized by a quick finish. Unfortunately, we then got 'treated' to a reprise of Garrett singing Breaking Up is Hard to Do. It was even worse than last night, so there's no doubting that this was the right vote.
Thank youAmerica
The other Idols eliminated one after another tonight are:
Amy Davis - Where the Boys Are
Joanne Borgella - I Say a Little Prayer for You and
Colton Berry - Suspicious Minds
I think they probably got 3 out of 4 perfect tonight with Colton being the only one I thought might have stayed around a little longer. I'm not sure he would have made it to the merge, so overall I'd say it's all good.
Anything else of note tonight? Not really. They showed a video that Paula did for Randy's album... *shrug*
Anyway. So that's all there is. I'll be back next week with more Idol blah blah.
Following a big production number starring all the idols, they played a brief recap of the performances from the guys two nights ago. Then Ryan calls Garrett out for a brief discussion... at which he informs Garrett that it's all over. Yup. Just like that. No prevaricating. No equivocating. No, "right after this message from our sponsors."
It was almost brutal.
But it was exactly the right thing to do. Like pulling off the bandaid quickly, the pain is minimized by a quick finish. Unfortunately, we then got 'treated' to a reprise of Garrett singing Breaking Up is Hard to Do. It was even worse than last night, so there's no doubting that this was the right vote.
Thank you
The other Idols eliminated one after another tonight are:
Amy Davis - Where the Boys Are
Joanne Borgella - I Say a Little Prayer for You and
Colton Berry - Suspicious Minds
I think they probably got 3 out of 4 perfect tonight with Colton being the only one I thought might have stayed around a little longer. I'm not sure he would have made it to the merge, so overall I'd say it's all good.
Anything else of note tonight? Not really. They showed a video that Paula did for Randy's album... *shrug*
Anyway. So that's all there is. I'll be back next week with more Idol blah blah.
Almost an Idol
For those who wonder what became of brilliant Idol also-ran Josiah Leming, you can read a recent interview with him here. Sounds like he's doing OK after the initial shock of his Hollywood Week disaster.
You can hear - and purchase - some of his music on his MySpace page.
You can hear - and purchase - some of his music on his MySpace page.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
American Idol 7 - Girls1
Last night the top 12 guys performed. Tonight the girls had their chance. Let's see how they did, shall we?
KRISTY LEE COOK
"Rescue Me"
Kristy is cute and a bit Carrie Underwood-y, but without the breakout talent that Carrie displayed. The performance was just ok, and - like David Hernandez last night - she will suffer from 'going first' syndrome.
JOANNE BORGELLA
"I Say a Little Prayer"
Again, this is just a very average performance. I'm disappointed. I think Joanne has potential to be very good, but she didn't show it tonight. And I'm surprised that nerves seem to have been a factor - she didn't strike me as one who would let nerves get to her.
ALAINA WHITAKER
"More Today Than Yesterday"
Things are starting to look a little brighter. This was a much better and more interesting performance than Chikezie's version from last night. And overall it sounded OK - but still it needs to be stronger quickly.
AMANDA OVERMYER
"Baby Please Don't Go"
For being a recording industry executive, Simon really doesn't seem to know much music. It's surprising. Anyway, I think Amanda is totally fab, and I think she wailed on this one tonight. Her biggest hurdle is going to be trying to keep things fresh and interesting for the next 15 weeks because there's only so much you can do to sound different when you have such a distinctive voice. I'm sure she's already praying that there will be no Manilow week.
AMY DAVIS
"Where the Boys Are"
I have nothing to say except that this was really bad.
BROOKE WHITE
"Happy Together"
I like Brooke a lot. I thought she did a very good job on this song and it suits her folksy kind of sound. That folksy sound could get irritating in weeks to come - like Amanda she will need to stretch outside her core sound - but so far it suits.
ALEXANDREA LUSHINGTON
"Spinning Wheel"
Girl's got a powerful singing voice. I liked this a lot. Her potential downfall is the fact that she will be competing for votes with Asia'h and Syesha. They are all very good, but at some point I predict that it will be a problem for at least one of them.
KADY MALLOY
"A Goovy Kind of Love"
Meh. Kady has some skills. She didn't show them tonight.
ASIA'H EPPERSON
"Piece of My Heart"
Asia'h is one of my favorites this year and I think she was amazing on this song. Great choice. Entertaining performance. Strong vocals. Yay.
RAMIELE MALUBAY
"You Don't Have To Say You Love Me"
Simon is an idiot. I'm completely underwhelmed by Ramiele, by this song choice, and by her singing overall. She may well end up as this year's Jasmine Trias. Ugh.
SYESHA MERCADO
"Tobacco Road"
I liked this. I think Syesha did very well, but for my money I like Asia'h better (even though her name has a ridiculous apostrophe in the middle for no apparent reason). Syesha will definitely be around for a while.
CARLY SMITHSON
"The Shadow of Your Smile"
I think Carly is great. This particular performance was questionable. I'm fairly impressed by her power in spite of having bronchitis though, so yeah. I think she'll be around for a while.
Top Honors: The clear winners this week are Amanda, Asia'h, and Alexandrea. I also really like Brooke, but her style is so different it makes it hard to compare.
Pack Your Bags: Amy Davis needs to go. Her performance was simply terrible. Joining her ought to be Joanne, Kristy, or maybe Ramiele. I'm sure some will disagree with me, but this is my blog. Get your own if you don't like it :)
KRISTY LEE COOK
"Rescue Me"
Kristy is cute and a bit Carrie Underwood-y, but without the breakout talent that Carrie displayed. The performance was just ok, and - like David Hernandez last night - she will suffer from 'going first' syndrome.
JOANNE BORGELLA
"I Say a Little Prayer"
Again, this is just a very average performance. I'm disappointed. I think Joanne has potential to be very good, but she didn't show it tonight. And I'm surprised that nerves seem to have been a factor - she didn't strike me as one who would let nerves get to her.
ALAINA WHITAKER
"More Today Than Yesterday"
Things are starting to look a little brighter. This was a much better and more interesting performance than Chikezie's version from last night. And overall it sounded OK - but still it needs to be stronger quickly.
AMANDA OVERMYER
"Baby Please Don't Go"
For being a recording industry executive, Simon really doesn't seem to know much music. It's surprising. Anyway, I think Amanda is totally fab, and I think she wailed on this one tonight. Her biggest hurdle is going to be trying to keep things fresh and interesting for the next 15 weeks because there's only so much you can do to sound different when you have such a distinctive voice. I'm sure she's already praying that there will be no Manilow week.
AMY DAVIS
"Where the Boys Are"
I have nothing to say except that this was really bad.
BROOKE WHITE
"Happy Together"
I like Brooke a lot. I thought she did a very good job on this song and it suits her folksy kind of sound. That folksy sound could get irritating in weeks to come - like Amanda she will need to stretch outside her core sound - but so far it suits.
ALEXANDREA LUSHINGTON
"Spinning Wheel"
Girl's got a powerful singing voice. I liked this a lot. Her potential downfall is the fact that she will be competing for votes with Asia'h and Syesha. They are all very good, but at some point I predict that it will be a problem for at least one of them.
KADY MALLOY
"A Goovy Kind of Love"
Meh. Kady has some skills. She didn't show them tonight.
ASIA'H EPPERSON
"Piece of My Heart"
Asia'h is one of my favorites this year and I think she was amazing on this song. Great choice. Entertaining performance. Strong vocals. Yay.
RAMIELE MALUBAY
"You Don't Have To Say You Love Me"
Simon is an idiot. I'm completely underwhelmed by Ramiele, by this song choice, and by her singing overall. She may well end up as this year's Jasmine Trias. Ugh.
SYESHA MERCADO
"Tobacco Road"
I liked this. I think Syesha did very well, but for my money I like Asia'h better (even though her name has a ridiculous apostrophe in the middle for no apparent reason). Syesha will definitely be around for a while.
CARLY SMITHSON
"The Shadow of Your Smile"
I think Carly is great. This particular performance was questionable. I'm fairly impressed by her power in spite of having bronchitis though, so yeah. I think she'll be around for a while.
Top Honors: The clear winners this week are Amanda, Asia'h, and Alexandrea. I also really like Brooke, but her style is so different it makes it hard to compare.
Pack Your Bags: Amy Davis needs to go. Her performance was simply terrible. Joining her ought to be Joanne, Kristy, or maybe Ramiele. I'm sure some will disagree with me, but this is my blog. Get your own if you don't like it :)
American Idol 7 - Boys1
Here are my thoughts on the first night of Idol.
There are some amazing voices among the guys this year. But there are a few I'd gladly give the axe to quickly. Let's see who they are. K?
DAVID HERNANDEZ
"In The Midnight Hour"
This wasn't bad, but it was no home run either. I'd say his biggest danger is the fact that he went first. Fans are fickle, and twelve people later they may not even remember he sang, much less what he sounded like.
CHIKEZIE
"I Love You More Today than Yesterday"
I liked the orange suit. I hated the song. It was slow and boring and awful. Any questions?
DAVID COOK
"Happy Together"
I liked this. A lot. It was unconventional and interesting. He doesn't have the best voice among the guys, but I get the sense that he knows who he is and who he wants to be and that's a huge plus.
JASON YEAGER
"Moon River"
Hands down the worst, most bilious performance of the night. It was like Donny Osmond playing the role of a has-been lounge singer. Truly hideous.
ROBBIE CARRICO
"One"
This was good. It wasn't perfect, but it was one of the better performances of the night. I'm sure he'll be around for a while at least.
DAVID ARCHULETA
"Shop Around"
I really like this kid. I think he has more potential than almost anyone else on the show this season. But whether he can reach that potential in ... what ... three months? is anyone's guess. He did well tonight though. He sounded decent and was entertaining. What more can we ask?
DANNY NORIEGA
"Jailhouse Rock"
I didn't completely hate it. That makes me sad because I completely hate Danny. Sorry, kid. I find you annoying to the nth degree ... but I fear you are safe for a little while at least.
LUKE MENARD
"Everybody's Talkin'"
Boring. Forgettable. *shrug* Some were worse so he'll probably still be here next week. He needs to represent if he wants to stay longer than that though.
COLTON BERRY
"Suspicious Minds"
Cute kid. Decent performance. He'll be a favorite of the youngish set and I expect we'll see him around for a while.
GARRETT HALEY
"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do"
This was bad. Very, very bad. I fervently hope that the 'vote for the worst' people don't get hold of Garrett.
JASON CASTRO
"What a Day for Daydream"
Me likey. I liked that he played the guitar (which I think helped him immensely and covered a lack of stage presence). I like that he seems to be just kind-of a regular guy who happens to sing fairly decently. His voice is a little brittle, but for some reason it seems to work OK anyway. And dude - the hair is wild.
MICHAEL JOHNS
"Light My Fire"
This was great. His experience is showing making Michael the one to beat ... for the moment anyway.
Top Honors: I like Archuleta and Michael Johns. Also good were Jason, Robbie, and David Cook.
Pack your Bags: Jason Yeager needs to go home. Now. So does Garrett, though I don't feel nearly as strongly about his badness as I do about Jason's. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if Cheezy Chikezie disappeared as well, but being the sole chocolate cookie on a plate of vanilla wafers will work in his favor probably well into the top 12.
There are some amazing voices among the guys this year. But there are a few I'd gladly give the axe to quickly. Let's see who they are. K?
DAVID HERNANDEZ
"In The Midnight Hour"
This wasn't bad, but it was no home run either. I'd say his biggest danger is the fact that he went first. Fans are fickle, and twelve people later they may not even remember he sang, much less what he sounded like.
CHIKEZIE
"I Love You More Today than Yesterday"
I liked the orange suit. I hated the song. It was slow and boring and awful. Any questions?
DAVID COOK
"Happy Together"
I liked this. A lot. It was unconventional and interesting. He doesn't have the best voice among the guys, but I get the sense that he knows who he is and who he wants to be and that's a huge plus.
JASON YEAGER
"Moon River"
Hands down the worst, most bilious performance of the night. It was like Donny Osmond playing the role of a has-been lounge singer. Truly hideous.
ROBBIE CARRICO
"One"
This was good. It wasn't perfect, but it was one of the better performances of the night. I'm sure he'll be around for a while at least.
DAVID ARCHULETA
"Shop Around"
I really like this kid. I think he has more potential than almost anyone else on the show this season. But whether he can reach that potential in ... what ... three months? is anyone's guess. He did well tonight though. He sounded decent and was entertaining. What more can we ask?
DANNY NORIEGA
"Jailhouse Rock"
I didn't completely hate it. That makes me sad because I completely hate Danny. Sorry, kid. I find you annoying to the nth degree ... but I fear you are safe for a little while at least.
LUKE MENARD
"Everybody's Talkin'"
Boring. Forgettable. *shrug* Some were worse so he'll probably still be here next week. He needs to represent if he wants to stay longer than that though.
COLTON BERRY
"Suspicious Minds"
Cute kid. Decent performance. He'll be a favorite of the youngish set and I expect we'll see him around for a while.
GARRETT HALEY
"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do"
This was bad. Very, very bad. I fervently hope that the 'vote for the worst' people don't get hold of Garrett.
JASON CASTRO
"What a Day for Daydream"
Me likey. I liked that he played the guitar (which I think helped him immensely and covered a lack of stage presence). I like that he seems to be just kind-of a regular guy who happens to sing fairly decently. His voice is a little brittle, but for some reason it seems to work OK anyway. And dude - the hair is wild.
MICHAEL JOHNS
"Light My Fire"
This was great. His experience is showing making Michael the one to beat ... for the moment anyway.
Top Honors: I like Archuleta and Michael Johns. Also good were Jason, Robbie, and David Cook.
Pack your Bags: Jason Yeager needs to go home. Now. So does Garrett, though I don't feel nearly as strongly about his badness as I do about Jason's. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if Cheezy Chikezie disappeared as well, but being the sole chocolate cookie on a plate of vanilla wafers will work in his favor probably well into the top 12.
So that's it on the boys. For now.
American Idol 7 - Top 24 - Choose wisely
Yo dog. Waddup.
I sorta blogged the Idol phenomenon for the last couple of years over on MySpace, but I really hate that site, so I thought I'd dust this one off and give it a whirl. Here's to big changes in 2008. Ha.
Anyway, on to Idol.
A lot has been said about this being the best season yet, and I think there's a good chance of that being true. Before I get started on the details of the first live performances of the season though, I want to say a couple of things about what could potentially keep this from being the best season ever.
1 - bad song choices. Come on people - you're supposed to be Idols. You're trying to become superstars. Don't pick songs that don't suit you. Don't pick things that don't showcase your vocals. Don't sing boring, stupid, or just plain crappy songs under any circumstances. Your life on the show depends on it.
2 - 'safe' singing. If time has proven anything on this show, it's that the worst thing you can do is to try to play it safe. I've noticed (and it just happened tonight) that when the girls are nervous, they start to sing like pageant contestants. Yuck. When the boys are holding back, they sound like lounge singers. It's a disturbing trend I've been watching for years, and it's the surest way to find yourself voted off quickly. Take some chances. If you're going to suck, do it with style at least.
3 - wardrobe disasters. Be it the hair, the clothing, the makeup, or some other factor, what you look like counts. If this were radio maybe it wouldn't, but it ain't. Don't let the stylists make you into a freak.
4 - awkward movements. Or worse, no movement at all. You're on American Idol for Pete's sake. Take some ownership of the stage, but try not to look like a complete git (a la Clay Aiken's pathetic attempts at 'dancing'). You don't have to move a lot to have it be effective - you just have to look like you're connected to the song, engaged with the audience, not trying to chase the flying boom camera, and not afraid of falling off your 4-inch heels. And it helps if it doesn't look like you need to go empty your bladder. Just sayin'.
5 - be yourself. This should be the cardinal rule for all contestants. You were chosen for a reason. Be the reason, not the regret. Seriously. This one is the overarching principle that dictates everything else. If who you are isn't going to win you the show - well, you were probably never going to win anyway. So work with the arranger, work with the stylist, work with the vocal coach - but never let them dictate to you. Be the diva you are hoping to become and insist on having your own way. If you don't know what your way is don't worry about it - you can think about it from the losers circle.
Maybe all that's a bit harsh, but it is what it is. As a fan of the show I hope the contestants step up to the challenge, choose wisely, and knock it out of the park. There is some phenomenal talent on stage this year and I'm really looking forward to seeing how this all progresses.
I'll post separately on the boys and the girls until the merge of the top 12. Check back regularly for my updates.
I sorta blogged the Idol phenomenon for the last couple of years over on MySpace, but I really hate that site, so I thought I'd dust this one off and give it a whirl. Here's to big changes in 2008. Ha.
Anyway, on to Idol.
A lot has been said about this being the best season yet, and I think there's a good chance of that being true. Before I get started on the details of the first live performances of the season though, I want to say a couple of things about what could potentially keep this from being the best season ever.
1 - bad song choices. Come on people - you're supposed to be Idols. You're trying to become superstars. Don't pick songs that don't suit you. Don't pick things that don't showcase your vocals. Don't sing boring, stupid, or just plain crappy songs under any circumstances. Your life on the show depends on it.
2 - 'safe' singing. If time has proven anything on this show, it's that the worst thing you can do is to try to play it safe. I've noticed (and it just happened tonight) that when the girls are nervous, they start to sing like pageant contestants. Yuck. When the boys are holding back, they sound like lounge singers. It's a disturbing trend I've been watching for years, and it's the surest way to find yourself voted off quickly. Take some chances. If you're going to suck, do it with style at least.
3 - wardrobe disasters. Be it the hair, the clothing, the makeup, or some other factor, what you look like counts. If this were radio maybe it wouldn't, but it ain't. Don't let the stylists make you into a freak.
4 - awkward movements. Or worse, no movement at all. You're on American Idol for Pete's sake. Take some ownership of the stage, but try not to look like a complete git (a la Clay Aiken's pathetic attempts at 'dancing'). You don't have to move a lot to have it be effective - you just have to look like you're connected to the song, engaged with the audience, not trying to chase the flying boom camera, and not afraid of falling off your 4-inch heels. And it helps if it doesn't look like you need to go empty your bladder. Just sayin'.
5 - be yourself. This should be the cardinal rule for all contestants. You were chosen for a reason. Be the reason, not the regret. Seriously. This one is the overarching principle that dictates everything else. If who you are isn't going to win you the show - well, you were probably never going to win anyway. So work with the arranger, work with the stylist, work with the vocal coach - but never let them dictate to you. Be the diva you are hoping to become and insist on having your own way. If you don't know what your way is don't worry about it - you can think about it from the losers circle.
Maybe all that's a bit harsh, but it is what it is. As a fan of the show I hope the contestants step up to the challenge, choose wisely, and knock it out of the park. There is some phenomenal talent on stage this year and I'm really looking forward to seeing how this all progresses.
I'll post separately on the boys and the girls until the merge of the top 12. Check back regularly for my updates.
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