Tonight's finale was set to be a one-sided wipe-out, and although it may not have been as clear cut as expectations had us all believe, it was still a wipe-out based on the judges' comments. The three songs per finalists thing must have not really been a big hit with Adam and Kris, as it seemed like the two of them ran out of gas near the end of the show.
But who can be blamed for that? No one but Ms. Kara DioGuardi. Her co-penned coronation cheese-fest "No Boundaries" was set in a key so foreign to the two contenders that each of their takes on it came off sounding like two amateurs were attempting to sing something they just overheard someone playing in a cheap bar.
Adam took on the song first, which would have showed he was pretty brave had he not been required to do the duty before Kris. The result was something that was not very pretty. Adam was off pitch a couple of times, just as Randy noted, and his theatrical style just sounded all wrong on the poppy track about mountains and hurricanes and whatnot. In fact, it would probably be best for him not to win if only for the sake of his credibility not being damaged. But on the other hand, David Cook survived the blunderful "magic rainbow" line in "The Time of My Life," so anything can happen.
Kris took the same approach, as they were barred from playing instruments during the final performance. This left him virtually naked and a little uncomfortable, as he had to grapple with the high key and used the mic as his crutch to prevent any nervousness from seeping out. That did not really work, though, and in addition to slipping up on the lyrics for a half-second, his voice just sounded like it was giving out at times. Still, this faltering was nothing compared to Blake Lewis' surrendering back on Season 6 when he was given "This Is My Now" as his final song. As the judges noted, "No Boundaries" was probably fit more for Kris' vocal style, but he may or may not be able to call the song his own depending on how tomorrow's results go.
The judges were easy on the song itself, with even Simon stating that he would ignore the song and focus just on the individuals as vocalists during the show. This was all to spare Kara any embarrassment that is usually directed toward the writer(s) of the coronation tracks. But even Kara said something in a "yea yeah" sarcastic tone when Simon mentioned the "mountains" part of the lyrics, so she must agree that it did not work all that well on the two of them.
I will go into detail with my thoughts on the song following this post, so be sure to look for it (I promise I won't disappoint).
As for the two thirds of the show that didn't suck, it was pretty evenly split. Adam opened the show with a bang when he re-did "Mad World" in Broadway garb that would make any character from the Great White Way proud. The fog machine (or dry ice? as Adam said following his performance) was probably the thing that sent the performance over the edge into the category of ridiculousness, as Simon made sure he got in a word about. Vocally, it was strong, perhaps on par with his version back on Top 8 night but must likely not equally matched.
Simon Fuller's choice, on the other hand, was the most awkward, unfit song for Adam to sing that it sucked out any momentum that he gained from the first round, no matter what Simon said about him being "a million times better" than Kris in the second round. Although Adam sang the song well, the fact that he was tasked with finding a more soulful sound deep within the layers of his signature style kind of resulted in an odd final product. Still, the judges loved what he came up with, as Kara applauded him for finding his own interpretation of the song and Paula went as far to say that it was the best she had ever heard him sing on the show.
Kris, on the other hand, had the best performance of the night with his reprise of "Ain't No Sunshine." It's just too bad, as Simon pointed out at the end of the show, that Kris had to waste his best showing at the beginning of the night. The fact that he tried it out on the piano showed that he really is a true artist and is very versatile with playing instruments while performing. He was able to show his softest side on "Sunshine" and won praise from the judges,hearing everything from "awakening spirits in all of us" courtesy of Paula to "creating an intimate bond with the audience" from Kara. Simon was more effective in his turnaround in which he said Kris deserved to be in the finals after the performance.
On the Fuller choice of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," however, he lost a little bit of his luster. The vocal was raw and very Jason Mraz-y, which was good, but Randy and Simon had a point when they said it was a little "light" for the finale. Acoustic is great, and works extremely well on the much smaller Idol studio stage, but in the Nokia Theatre it gets a little lost in the air. And once again, Simon was right on the money when he compared it to something that could be heard in a bedroom with three friends just playing around on the guitar (where does he come up with these comparisons?).
Fortunately for us, Carrie Underwood was there to sing us out in what was probably the most exciting (and best) performance of the night when she took on this season's goodbye song "Home Sweet Home." She looked as good as ever and sounded pretty strong.
And for a few bragging rights, Adam and Kris did take my advice into consideration by picking "Mad World" and "Ain't No Sunshine" for their encores, respectively, so that was good to know.
So when all was said and done, this finale performance episode definitely ranks among the lower rungs of the finales when compared with the past seven seasons, as the excitement factor just did not live up to expectations. Still, whoever wins tomorrow night will have a lot to live up to and he better get to making "No Boundaries" work with his voice, because the song is not going away.
Showing posts with label aln. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aln. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
About tonight: Kara's song the sabotager!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
About last night: vote [for Adam] or die?
Well it would be an understatement to say that the Top 3 finalists did a great job last night with each of their two songs. Yes, some were better than others, but they all deserve to be there out of the assortment of finalists we began the season with in the Top 13. That said, the stakes were so extreme last night that tensions boiled over between the judges, specifically Kara and Simon. Plus, the judges (and Ryan) took an extra step of cautioning viewers to not assume their favorites are safe (*hint*hint* vote for Adam!), so all in all things played out the way they were supposed to according to the playbook.
Kicking the night off was Danny, who was stuck with Paula's pick of "Dance Little Sister" by Terence Trent D'Arby. "Who?" you may ask? Well, Danny apparently had not even heard of the man, as he said he did not know what to think when he received the text while he was being interviewed on a Milwaukee radio station during his hometown visit. That said, Danny did his best trying to keep up with the fast-paced song and really had fun with it. The vocals were not top-notch but they were solid all the same.
The judges were positive about the performance on the whole, with Kara and Paula more interested in discussing the choreography but Simon did say the vocals were very good despite taking a jab at the "desperate" dancing, to which Randy and Ryan had a laugh about Simon criticizing dancing. Who would have thought Randy and Ryan would jump on that comment?
Danny took on "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker later on in the show, and the performance was really beautiful. The vocals were controlled and tender, and the stringed accompaniment was exactly the correct way to go about the instrumentation for the performance. Randy said Danny has "mad vocals," Kara lathered on the praise when she said it was "stunning" and that she had "nothing else to say," Paula said Danny left them "breathless" and Simon called it a "vocal masterclass." All of them were on target with their critiques, and this was probably Danny's best performance on the show.
The second performer of the night was Kris, who has been considered the dark horse for most of the season and he was under immense pressure to deliver last night. What seemed like a perfect fit for his style of singing in OneRepublic's "Apologize," however, did not go over as well as its selectors Randy and Kara had hoped it would.
Kris did hit a few bum notes and he cracked going into his falsetto at one point, but his piano playing sounded great with the song, which is one full of emotion and allowed Kris to show off his softer side (because he doesn't do that often enough, right?). Paula picked up on one of the bum notes but said he did his own artistic take on the song. Kara and Randy were not exactly happy, though, as Randy focused on Kris' after-Idol prospects and Kara called it a "competent" performance but he had to hit it out of the park and she didn't think he did. The reason: it was not original-sounding enough. This allowed Simon to swoop in for the kill, as he told Kara she had no business criticizing the arrangement since she and Randy picked the song, and then said Kara did not live up to her responsibilities in selecting the song.
Well, Kara would not have any of this, and she went into a shouting match with Simon trying to defend herself, but on this show Simon always gets the last word and this critique session was no different. Simon sort of had a point but Kara and Randy did not choose the arrangement for Kris part, so it is hard to blame that part on them. Still, Kris' first song was sort of a mess when the dust settled.
His second song, however, was leagues better and the fact that he was able to switch up Kanye West's "Heartless" to make it sound original and acoustic with just a guitar showed that he could be more than a singer, he could be an artist. This was more to Kara's liking, and she let it be known when she asked why Kris did not sing the first song the same way. Simon was more blunt in saying he had written off Kris' chances of winning weeks ago but after that performance, everything had changed. Whether or not that stands true will come in time, but for Simon to say that, he either must have been genuinely impressed or he was just trying to keep Kris' fans satisfied enough to go easy on the voting. Probably more of the latter, but still after eight seasons, the only person that can figure out Simon is Simon.
One weird thing I picked up on was how odd Ryan's behavior was all night. Following Kris' second performance, he started congratulating him on how far he had made it and how everyone enjoyed having him on the show, plus all the reminders that everyone needed to vote more than ever before to ensure the safety of their favorites. It seemed like he was really trying to wake Kris' fans up.
And then Adam was batting third in the pimp spot (where else would he be?), but it's important to realize that going last does not always guarantee safety this late in the game. Simon gloated about having to personally call U2's Bono up and ask if "One" could be cleared for Adam to sing, and it definitely was a good choice. Adam changed up the arrangement a ton and made it out to be extremely theatrical, which worked for him even though Randy was spot on in catching him drift off the melody a bit near the end. Overall, though, Adam did what he usually does and it was more than enough to impress Kara and Paula, and Simon continued to pound the rallying drums when he said if Adam did not make the finals, it would be one of the biggest upsets ever.
Adam said the lyrics were what really made him think the song was a great choice, and while it's true the song is an amazing piece of lyric writing, that doesn't mean it is ideal for every singer's vocal style.
But on Aerosmith's "Cryin'" Adam really brought the house down. He had fun being over-the-top because, well, the song is an over-the-top song to begin with. If it says one thing about himself, it says Adam knows exactly the kinds of songs that are perfect for his range. He hit all the high notes effortlessly, though some came out better than others, and showed why the producers keep letting him perform last. He also was able to sing over the pesky backup singer that tried to get in the spotlight by shouting the song.
As for the judges, it was unanimous. Randy called him one of the best performers they've ever had on the show. Kara said we'd see him in the finals. Paula said we'd be seeing him next week (and managed to work in a pre-written comment about frequent flier miles). And that brings me to Simon.
Simon basically pleaded with viewers to vote for Adam. He didn't even try to hide his favoritism, and told everyone not to assume he was safe. This is the first time I can recall Simon blatantly directing the audience how to vote, and this is outright wrong. By doing this, Simon is suggesting that Adam's fans cannot vote him into the finale on their own merit, so he decides to scare them into working their fingers to the bone. Based on the theory that the contestant that receives the fewest votes is eliminated, which the producers and the show itself has everyone accept as fact, Adam's fans would obviously spend the full two hours voting for him if they really wanted him in there. For Simon to sit them down like babies and instruct them how to vote because many will assume Adam's safety is just unnecessary. I understand the show wants Adam to win extremely badly but that doesn't mean they need to stretch the manipulation to lengths we have never seen before.
Anyway, it was nice of Adam to praise Danny and Kris for being tough competition following his final performance.
One last thing of note: the "Idol Gives Back" segment featuring Carrie Underwood's trip to Angola was the most obvious form of filler possible, but it was nice to see her out in Africa helping with the mosquito nets and just putting a smile on peoples' faces in general. It might have disrupted the flow of the show, but it also served as a reminder for the $140 million the cause has raised for aid to Africa and this country over the past three years.
Now its up to the voting public. Although many had pegged Kris as a third-place finisher since before last nights performances even took place, it seems that he stands a fighting chance of making the finale. We will see tonight.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
About last night: the wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round
Last night was a whole lot of weird. From the pre-show accidents to the Danny scream to the judges' critiques to the performance order to the throwing under the bus, I don't know where to begin.
First of all, it's a good thing that no more Idol stage ornaments came crashing down mid-show, and it's good to know that stage manager Debbie is doing alright following her 20-stair slip. Next, it was good to hear Slash give constructive criticism to the Top 4 finalists. And it is also important to note that the contestants went dress rehearsal-less, which meant the live tries were basically their dry runs as well. But that's all just pre-show stuff. Then come the performances...
So Adam kicked it off with "Whole Lot of Love" by Led Zeppelin, a risky choice no doubt. Despite distracting the audience by glamming it up to the max, Adam sounded great on the song, especially being surrounded by the band, which I may add was at its best last night. Even though he has appeared to be a rock star for weeks and weeks now, last night was his alone to own thanks to the theme and will likely be seen as the icing on his cake if and when his time comes at the finale. The judges had fun with their critiques as usual but there really was nothing they could have said in terms of constructive criticism, and Simon's prediction that "nothing can top that" would eventually hold true.
Next up was Allison and her solo performance of "Cry Baby" by Janis Joplin. She is also no stranger to rocking out on the Idol stage, so when it came time for her to actually sing a rock song, things went according to plan. However, the judges took that as she did not really take any risks, as Randy and Kara were quick to question her song choice. But it was Simon who had the most to say on the subject. He seemed it bit bothered that Allison did not go with the other song she was deciding between, which he thought was a Queen song but she later revealed it to be a Jefferson Airplane song. What turned into a back and forth of song choice ended with a pair of rolled eyes from Simon and Allison saying she was going to talk a lot after being criticized for not talking enough in the past.
And then Kris and Danny took the stage to give it their all on "Renegade" by Styx in the first ever performance show duets in Idol history. The only problem is...it didn't work out. At all. Danny overpowered Kris throughout most of the performance and there were pitch problems galore as Kara so rightly noted. Simon said Danny was better than Kris, and while that may be true, it still doesn't mean much in terms of how the votes will come in.
Kris took the stage right after his duet, which presented him with no pressure of course (not). He seemed a little down after Simon said Danny did better, and yet no one can blame him even though that statement remains true. When it came time for him to impress the audience with The Beatles' "Come Together," though, things fell a little flat. Kris just does not have the intensity to pull off a credible rock performance, at least not a classic rock performance. This showed, and even though vocally he did alright, it just did not stack up to the others. The judges went a tiny bit too hard on him, though, with Kara actually sounding the least supportive. But Simon's "ice for lunch" comment, although a little hilarious, was right on target here. Kris is one of the two finalists that could go tomorrow.
The final solo performance of the night came from Danny, which ended up being a make or break situation with Aerosmith's "Dream On." Danny along with Kris were the two finalists that were expected to have the toughest time last night, and that pretty much stayed true when all things were said and done. Danny sounded great out of the gate but the last 15 seconds of the song is where he really lost everyone else. That one note, which was the most pivotal note of all for the song, didn't go over well. In fact, it was like an Adam screech on steroids, and he came off as trying too hard.
The judges were lukewarm in their comments, giving him an "A+ for effort" and such, but Simon delivered the kiss of death when he said he thought Danny would be safe when the results came in. Ryan added to everything when he said Danny had never been in the Bottom 3 to date, and Danny's handling of his critiques came off poorly. Hear that? That's the sound of the bus backing up. He should have just stood there nodding his head in agreement. Look for an appearance in the Bottom 2 for sure.
And then the wheels really kicked into gear with a final duet courtesy of Season 8's rockers: Allison and Adam. The two sounded and looked like they had been performing together for years. They were like seasoned performers just having fun, and it showed. This was picked up on by the judges, and their comments reflected these sentiments. Simon even credited Adam with possibly keeping Allison's chances alive.
So there you have it. The producers found a way to stick Adam in the pimp spot two weeks in a row. How many weeks total has that been? Too many to count I'd say. But it's no surprise, since this season will be known as the season where the producers were at their most manipulative. We'll see how the results go tonight, but last night was surely one that few saw coming exactly how it came.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
About last night: A pack of rats and a Foxx deliver
The debacles from the events over the past few days were looking to put a damper on last night's catalog of songs from the Rat Pack era, but everything seemed to fall in place by the time 8 p.m. ET rolled around. There was not one bad performance, even though the Top 5 finalists had to scramble last minute and drop one of the two songs they had been rehearsing in order to ensure there were no time overruns. And Jamie Foxx actually gave some good tips despite having to deal with negative perceptions going into tonight.
After Foxx's lengthy intro montage and his "surprise" unveiling to the finalists was shown, Kris took the stage and did a subdued but smooth rendition of Frank Sinatra's staple "The Way You Look Tonight." Kris' vocals were a little bit better than usual, but it's fair to say they were consistent and the use of his falsetto enhanced the overall result. Simon's critique of the performance being "wet" may or may not resonate with the voting public, but it is quite apparent that the other three judges thought highly of it. What could end up hurting Kris is the fact that he went first, which seems like it would be a non-factor this late in the season, but it is always a possibility.
Following Kris was Allison, who looked a lot more mature and sounded years beyond her age, even more so than usual. She sang Ella Fitzgerald's "Someone to Watch Over Me" with grace and poise, proving that even the rocker chick can simmer down for enough time to show that she is capable of delivering heartfelt low key showcases. Allison was also able to get a few Christina Aguilera-isms in and even belted out the last few notes. Her performance was a few notches better than Simon's weak 7 out of 10 score, and Kara let him know he was "crazy" for his critique since she was so sure that Allison is not a one-trick pony and that she didn't need anyone watching over her last night.
More importantly than any of her critiques, Allison truly looked like a contender regardless of Simon's questioning of how badly she wants to win it. This should be enough to keep her out of trouble tonight.
Someone who had his name written all over last night's theme was Matt, as he is a jazz music major at Michigan State. That being said, he did not do the best with his rendition of "My Funny Valentine," which was made famous on this show by Melinda Doolittle on its sixth season. Matt was his regular self with hat and all, but his lack of piano playing was actually missed a bit last night. Still, his vocals on the classic standard were among his best yet, which was noticed by Simon.
The deal with Simon, however, is that he was using his signature reverse psychology on Matt, which will be realized by the majority of the public when tonight's results are read. It's true that Matt deserved some praise for his efforts, but Simon was the noticeable sore thumb sticking out among the rest of the judges with the exception of Paula, who gave her usual dribble drabble about seeing a "pure and simple side" of Matt. Randy and Kara were actually dead on when they noticed a lack of emotion and connection to the song, and these comments will ring true once things become more clear tonight.
Danny, on the other hand, came out and gave the performance of his life with "Come Rain or Come Shine," which he needed to do in order to revitalize his chances for the title. Danny started off in his usual rhythm and blues mantra, but near the end he really came alive despite incorporating his usual growls into the otherwise smooth vocal performance. It was not a surprise that the judges raved about the showing, and even Simon's comments about Danny finding his confidence and agreeing with Kara that he had swagger seemed appropriate. Even though he did not get the coveted pimp spot, Danny showed that he could still deliver despite the assertion that his Idol star has waned over the past few weeks.
And then there was Adam, who really wore his theatrics on his sleeve with an over the top take on Nina Simone's "Feeling Good." The performance fit Adam to a T, and was definitely a sight to see with a dramatic descension of the staircase lit in hot pink florescent lights. The vocals were a bit too much, though he had a great note near the end that has seemed to be lacking from the current season of Idol. There was a time when the glory note was considered the cherry on top of a performance, but it has since fallen from popularity.
As usual, the judges had no qualms about Adam's showing, and Simon's "a cow moos" comment injected some humor into the critiques. It goes without saying that Adam is not going anywhere tonight.
After looking back at last night's performances, it can be said that this was perhaps the best performance episode of the season, with no one being so blatantly bad that they warrant a ticket home. Someone does have to go, however, and it will probably be another obvious boot. But just to cover all the bases, there have been stranger things to happen on this show.
One last note: Jamie Foxx was actually a more effective mentor than many thought he would be. There were times when his advice made a lot of sense and he seemed to care about what he was saying to the contestants, even though he probably did not mean much of it. He's still not a nice person, but whatever.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
About last night: Vocals trump arrangements, apparently
If there's a single thing one should take away from last night's disco showdown, it is the assumption that with the exception of Adam and Kris, the judges would have preferred to hear straight-up arrangements rather than modified ones that suit the finalists better.
It seemed as if every performance had at least one judge putting a damper on the manner in which the song was performed, which is usually not how things go on this show. The positive thing about tonight was the fact that all four judges actually were allowed to get a word in (edgewise, maybe, but in regardless), yet they still managed to finish a minute or so after nine.
But it were the performances that really made the night what it was, for better or for worse. Kicking things off without even so much as a pre-performance video package (what a shame...), Lil got into her groove with "I'm Every Woman." First of all, how many times has the song been sung on this show over the years? Here's a hint: too many. Once again, Lil showed complete and utter disregard for the judges and their warnings with this song choice, and although she was able to hop around the stage with a few bright spots in her vocals, Simon was right on in accusing her of being "copycat." Simon was even more correct when he said this will be the last week we see Lil perform as an Idol finalist. If not, something in the Idol universe has gone horribly wrong.
Deciding to switch things up this week was Kris and his guitar, as the pair performed an unexpected song in "She Works Hard For the Money" (aka Donna Summer song #1). Although hundreds of thousands of Kris' fans most likely simultaneously held their breath in the 30 seconds prior to his performance, they let out a collective sigh of relief as soon as he began his acoustic take on the disco classic. Kris' vocals were as smooth as usual, but the way he configured the song to fit his personal style is something that should be admired. The judges agreed, although a few of them seemed to drag their feet (mainly Kara). Paula had to throw a hitch in what was an otherwise positive critique session, though, as she rambled on about Kris not being afraid to go shopping in women's departments. But Simon was able to paddle back to the center and delivered a glowing review. It would be a semi-shock to see him leave tonight.
Someone else who switched up his song's arrangement to result in a solid performance was Adam, as he defied Simon's $10,000 fake bet that he'd pick a Donna Summer song, instead opting for "If I Can't Have You" from Saturday Night Fever (or Saturday Night Live if you're asking Kara). With a little help from Michael Orland, Adam was able to take a well known song and turn it on its head. It was not his strongest showing to date, but it was a lot better than a few of the night's other performances. However, Paula's tearing up definitely could have been done without.
On the other side of the spectrum, Danny's take on "September" was a little on the overrated side. The dancing was improved, but the vocals were just not really up to speed. The strange thing was everyone pretty much gave Danny a pass on his vocals and praised him for making the song work for him, even though he did not mess with the arrangement. It probably would have worked better had he switched it up a bit, but Simon liked it so that's all that counts. If Kara's into foreshadowing with her "I hope we remember this by the end of the night" comment, it could be very much a possibility that Danny will land in the Bottom 3, although it would be a stretch to believe he's going anywhere.
Another finalist that did not change up the arrangement and once again did not get chewed up was Matt, as the most fortunate member of the Top 7 sang the cursed (in Idol terms) "Stayin' Alive" (aka Bee Gees song #1). Matt's vocals were a mess and his performance was extremely hectic, with the backup singers going out of their element by joining him front and center. Everything about the showing was too much: too much effort put in, too much vocals, too much moving around, too much not good enough. Yet the four talking heads were relatively easy on him, with Paula saying he threw a "strike" and Randy saying he "can really sing." Even though he gave it his all, it looks like Matt's journey on this show is finally over.
Last night's best performance came smack dab in the middle thanks to Allison's well-planned rendition of "Hot Stuff." The song is usually performed in a near joking manner, and Allison managed to transform it into an rocked-out experience. From the beginning when she was sitting vulnerably on the stairs to the last veteran-sounding run, she was able to take command of the stage as well as captivate the audience. But once again, the judges did not like this modified arrangement, with Randy borrowing a page from Simon's page when he called it "overindulgent." That's overindulgent, Randy? Really? And would you guys have preferred to hear another predictable, karaoke-sounding "Hot Stuff" songfest? I guess so.
And to close out the show was a new Anoop with a new look. He still had his old smooth vocal style, though, and his take on "Dim All the Lights" (aka Donna Summer song #2) was pretty solid. Once again, though, the current-sounding arrangement was nothing short of a major miss according to Simon, as were Anoop's vocals, as he called it his worst showing yet. That is for sure a stretch, and Randy, Paula and Kara were more on the money here (something that rarely happens this season). Maybe next time Anoop can do without the pink, though (just ignore Paula on that one, Anoop).
And with that, it's going to be close. At this point it seems like it would be fairly obvious as to who's getting the send-off tonight, but there are a few surprises to be had yet. There has yet to be a "shocker" of an elimination this season, and it might just happen tonight.
Just one more thing: I got answers to my two pre-performance questions. First, only two of seven finalists "took the boring route" and sang Donna Summer songs. Second, only one finalist "opted for the toe-tapping tunes of The Bee Gees."
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
About last night: Tarantino's advice fails to spice
Self-professed Idol fan Quentin Tarantino came into his role as mentor to the Top 7 finalists with less pizazz than he did back in 2004 when he served as guest judge for the third season's movie night. He seemed more relaxed and understanding of the finalists' strengths and weaknesses this time around (see his "I didn't care" comment to Diana DeGarmo for reference). That said, last night was a real letdown in terms of performance quality, as Tarantino's advice really did not seem to matter in the end.
Although Allison kicked off the night with Aerosmith's venerable "Don't Want to Miss a Thing," it paled in comparison to David Cook's rendition last season. She had some impressive moments and definitely was spot on with her high notes, but the arrangement was not unique and overall was lackluster. The two judges that were allowed to comment (oh yea, another brilliant idea from Ken Warwick & Co. since Idol did not run over last night...oh wait, it did), Paula and Simon, seemed pretty pleased with Allison's job, but the comments were more overarching and centered around Allison compared to Lil than they were about her actual singing, but what else is new.
Last night was not a lot of things, but Adam's performance of "Born to Be Wild" was certainly accurate to its title. Since he is the strongest performer on the show this season, it was not unbelievable that he delivered on expectations with the Steppenwolf mainstay. But the vocals were sort of out of control in some spots, but again, that is not something that is to be unexpected. What was a little surprising was how Simon said it was "vocally incredible." That term is pretty powerful, and that was not one of Adam's better vocal jobs for sure. And of course, Paula was her usual fangirl self with Adam and her "path of greatness" drool was the icing on the cake.
Someone who was weaker than he has been lately was Matt. He picked a great song in Bryan Adam's "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman," but there were pitch problems galore as Randy so wisely pointed out. His piano playing was as good as usual but his vocals were inconsistent. Kara actually stated it well when she said if Matt wanted to change up the melody as much as he did it needed to be close to perfect. And it wasn't. Matt will be in serious hot water tonight based on the performance.
Like Matt, Danny had a rough night compared to what he is usually capable of. In addition to some off notes and pitch issues, Danny's lack of glasses took away part of his persona. Aside from that, Simon was right about him not stepping out of the box and coming off as boring compared to Cook's ultra-changed up rendition of Lionel Richie's "Hello" last season. Maybe it would not have been as believable had Danny gone and done a 180 with the song, but it at least would have become a bit more interesting. Definitely one of his weakest offerings to date, but he should steer clear from any trouble tonight.
Anoop on the other hand did a pretty solid job on Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You." He slowed it down yet kept it sounding fresh and current, which is not usually an easy task for him. Randy and Kara each loved it, so that's got to count for something, right?
The best performance of the night was without a doubt Kris' take on "Falling Slowly" from the film Once. All the elements that combine for a great end result were present, including vocal control and correct usage of the falsetto. It may be true that he didn't end up going with the guitar as Tarantino originally suggested, but that actually ended up being the right decision because his vocals would have played second fiddle to his instrumentation. Randy's downer critique was unexpected because it really is hard to find something as wrong as he did with the performance. Kara might have overreached when she said it was his best to date, but she was closer than the truth than Randy.
But all was pretty much forgotten by the time Lil took the stage, as she delivered a wreck of a rendition of Bette Middler's "The Rose." Lil was under immense pressure after weeks of critical comments from the judges regarding her inability to pick the right song and make it her own. Last night was no different, as Simon truly lashed into her by saying she was not the same singer they met weeks ago, which prompted Lil to go on the defense as she tried to justify her infusion of R&B and gospel sound into such a soft song. Had Lil not gone last, she would most likely be going home tonight. But she got the pimp spot, thus she is going nowhere.
The prognosis of last night's performance offerings may not be good, but that does not mean all of the remaining finalists are not good. All of them are great in their own right, but there are still weaknesses to each of them. This is something people should take into account before they go ahead and declare the winner.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
About last night: Birth years make for poor song choices
In what was an overall off night, a few noteworthy performances were able to shine through when the Top 8 finalists took to the stage in the face of baby pictures clouding the big monitor. Birth years may be a favorite theme of the contestants according to Ryan, but it is almost never a favorite of the voting audience.
As usual, Top 8 night had the producers trying to fit way too many pigs in a blanket, as evidenced by the episode's 9:06 end time. Ryan did his best to rush through his speaking parts, but the judges' comments in the beginning slowed the whole thing down, most notably Paula's incoherent ramblings.
Kicking off the night was the eldest of the eight remaining finalists, Danny, whose rendition of "Stand By Me" used the arrangement set forth by Mickey Gilley. The arrangement was both Danny's best friend and his worst enemy, as it went from slow and forgettable to a little bit happenin' to all over the place. Simon actually liked the performance as a whole, though, while the other three salivated over the underwhelming offering Danny had following a spectacular performance last week.
Someone in the same boat is Matt, who did Stevie Wonder proud with "Part-Time Lover" despite having the odds stacked against him. The spectacle should have been a huge disaster based on song choice alone but Matt held it down while looking the part of and Idol. Since he went second to last, he had to endure snippets of critiques in comparison to his fellow finalists that went before him, which probably did more harm to him because although he received all positive comments, none were memorable.
A finalist that certainly did not benefit from her critiques was Lil, as her alright-but-not-good-enough take on Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do With It?" earned her a tongue lashing from the furious four, with Simon really laying it down by telling her "We've lost you. I have no idea who you are anymore." He did offer her constructive criticism, but it went on for far too long and she looked like she was on the verge of tears. Despite the frigid reception from the judges, Lil's hollow plea that she would "try harder next week if America gives her a chance" should be enough to earn her a spot in the Top 7.
Someone who surprised last night was for sure Anoop, especially after last week's lazy, haphazard performance. Anoop sang "True Colors," which usually would be grounds for elimination on the spot thanks to its dreariness and the fact that it's been performed to death. But despite a muffled microphone, he delivered in the end. Anoop received a stern talking to from Simon, though, as he said apologies to the judges for "being rude" are unnecessary because they also say things to the contestants that probably shouldn't be said. To add to everything, Kara yelled over the audience's clapping that Anoop never was even rude to him, basically rejecting his sincere apologize he doled out prior to taking the stage. Regardless, Anoop is a good guy for issuing the apology.
The second-best performance of the night came from Allison, as her straight-up version of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" did more good for her than any rocked-out version could have done. Allison's vocals came off a little Broadway in places, but overall there was hardly anything negative to say about the performance. Randy's comparing Allison to Idol-era Kelly Clarkson was out of place and although it's nice and flattering to her, it is sort of a slight to Kelly. That's not to say Allison's bad, she's just not in Kelly's league.
Two finalists that should be worried for tonight's results are Scott and Kris. The logical choice to go home based on the performances would be Scott, as his rendition of Survivor's "The Search Is Over" showed that while he tried to change it up a little bit, he really does not sound as good when he's not behind the piano. He tried his best with the electric guitar, but it could not mask his creaking and croaking vocals (especially the high parts).
Even though it was kind of a tough critique, Paula was able to treat Scott kindly while leveling some serious sense of reality to him. Scott was able to let some humor out, telling Paula he was "letting his punk side out" with the electric guitar, but it might not be enough to save him.
Kris, on the other hand, did a pretty decent job on Don Henley's "All She Wants to Do Is Dance." But decent doesn't always translate to votes, and the judges' lukewarm comments coupled with the overall forgettableness of Kris and things are not looking too bright for him tonight. Definitely expect a showing in the Bottom 3.
And then there was Adam. While I have been pretty rough on him this season, I have to give credit where credit is due. Just the fact that he was able to get Simon on his feet deserves props in of itself. Adam was able to retain a sense of vulnerability and raw emotion on Gary Jules' "Mad World." The lighting combined with the eerie instrumentation definitely set him up to have a "moment," and by estimations he did just that. It is fair to say it's too early in the season for him to have his finest showing, but whether or not this is his peak, Top 8 week will be looked back as a pivotal moment for Adam.
Tonight will be a test to see which finalist has the stronger fan base, as Kris or Scott will have to say goodbye to their Idol dreams. Check back later to see my predictions for how tonight will play out.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
About last night: Play that funky music till you get eliminated
Last night's Top 9 performances showed that sometimes having a broad theme is not kind to finalists. Case in point: the "top downloads" theme was pretty much a wash, with songs by Billy Joel and even Celine Dion being acceptable. Since when are those songs considered to be "popular downloads"? Ryan's way of describing the theme itself was even discombobulated.
Before getting down to business Ryan was sure to ask Paula if she was hiding any props under the table, to which she answered in the negative. Simon was looking forward to Ryan and the artists being amazing, which was a nice thing for him to say.
Kicking off the night was Anoop, whose ill-advised foray into Usher territory was not the right way to begin things. His vocals on "Caught Up" were not all that bad, but the performance was all but a shadow of the real thing. When it came to the dancing portion of the performance, it was clear things were not going to recover. The judges' critiques were not anything to write home about, either. Look for Anoop to land in the bottom three tonight, especially after his snippy exchange with Kara.
When it came time for Megan to perform, things didn't go any smoother than usual considering she actually got to pick a song that she thought would showcase her talent well. Instead, she opted for "" by Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill, which may be a good song in its own right, but it sounded really out of place with her vocals on it. She sure looked the part, though, opting for a younger look this week. The fact that her major proponent, Kara, didn't even like it make things an uphill battle for Megan this week. Look for a definite bottom three appearance, with the high likelihood that she will be departing in ninth place.
Other disappointments last night include Lil's borefest on "I Surrender" and Scott's better-than-usual-but-still-not-good "I Love You Just the Way You Are." Simon's frustration with Lil is becoming more apparent each week, as he told her flat out "you've got to stop this" because she is a "much better" singer than the performance. Randy and Kara were all about name dropping when critiquing Lil, saying she should has picked a song by Keyshia Cole or Mariah Carey in order to sound more current.
As for Scott, Simon must have been using reverse psychology on him because he really was as good (or average) as usual. He just changed his look up a bit, which apparently can make him sound better than usual according to Simon. Paula should have held her own and stuck to her criticism of Scott relying on his baby grand as a crutch, because sooner or later he will need to switch it up.
Allison was not nearly as good as she was last week, but for the judges to pick her apart because of her Avril Lavigne-like wardrobe? That shows poor judgment. What is this, Project Runway? Allison may not be Gwen Stefani, but her rock edge shown through on her rendition of "Don't Speak." Regardless, she still has a strong possibility of landing in the bottom three tonight.
Someone that was pretty underrated last night was surely Matt Giraud, as his take on The Fray's "You Found Me" was not nearly as bad as the judges made it out to be. There were some off moments, but Matt showed that he could grab the attention of an audience and encapsulate them in his performance.
Whatever nonsense Randy and Kara were talking about with OneRepublic's "Apologize" should be disregarded by Matt, and he had a point when he told Kara he wanted to show that he's more than just an R&B artist when she basically gave him an ultimatum to either pick Pop/Rock or Pop/R&B as a genre to focus on. Apparently Kara does not believe artists should be well-versed in multiple genres of music.
And then there was Adam, who blew the roof off the house with his eccentric version of Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music." It's not hard to do so when the song is a little on the wild side to begin with, but Adam managed to take the performance to a whole 'nother level, complete with screeching and shrieking. It definitely was not nearly as much of a credibility-builder as "The Tracks of My Tears," but it did what it was supposed to do for Adam. Paula's "shattering genius" comment was as far fetched as usual, while Simon kept it more real by saying at least it wasn't karaoke like many of the night's other performances.
Danny, on the other hand, was actually able to make people forget about last week's controversial performance with a heartwarming rendition of Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most." While it wasn't perfect, the overall effect was powerful especially taking Danny's past into consideration. Paula and Kara gushed over the performance (what else is new?) while Simon validated the craziness by saying it was Danny's best effort yet. Maybe this exhibition will win over a lot of the naysayers? Probably not.
And Kris hands down had the best performance of the night, but he did not have a "moment." Moments only happen when they are unexpected and when the finalist states prior to the performance that he is trying to create a moment, things are just not as meaningful. Had Kris not said this in his pre-performance clip, though, he definitely would have had a moment.
Putting semantics aside, the vocals were a perfect fit for a perfect song choice, and the fact that he began the song unplugged added to the effect. Paula was absolutely correct about Kris taking a 30 some-odd-year-old song sound brand new, which demonstrates that Kris can certainly be taken as a relevant, current artist.
The tell tale sign of just what America thought of last night will not be who lands in the (alleged) bottom three, but who ultimately goes home. There is only one finalist that deserves to leave, if that person does not leave, there will be questions that will need answering.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
About last night: Leaping Lamberts and Smiley Smokey
Motown (the record label, not the genre) has given the world many things as Ryan so astutely pointed out during an intro montage last night. None of which were intended to be whiny renditions of its songs sung by kids on a TV show.
Last night saw three to four good performances and a whole lot of copycat, boring and forgettable ones. Even with Smokey Robinson there to flash his pearly whites in hopes of raising the Top 10's confidence, it just was not enough to sustain the show. And don't even start with Paula's gifts of crayons (or crowns as Ryan called them) and coloring books from under her skirt to Simon mid-show. The fact that he actually touched them after that puts him down a few rankings in our book.
Matt kicked off the night with a way overpraised rendition of "Let's Get It On," which showed even the piano cannot hide crackling vocals. The perplexing part of the whole thing was that even Simon was caught up in the act (besides pointing out his cheesy move toward the judges' table), proclaiming him to be one of the front runners.
Kris was next with "How Sweet It Is," and his vocals were far superior to Matt's. He did, however, lack stage presence in comparison, which was something Simon pointed out when he likened his standing position to waiting at a bus stop. Randy made the most peculiar critique when he said Kris "ain't doing nothing wrong, baby." Kris was a bit forgettable tonight but he most likely won't be going anywhere tonight.
Another finalists that received too much praise was Lil, whose take on the classic "Heatwave" was complete with Burger King background flames and infrequent screaming outbursts. Although Lil looked much better tonight than she did a week ago, her vocals were copycatish and she did not stand out from the crowd, which most of the judges pointed out. Simon and Paula just had to go and partially excuse the performance as a "tribute" to the greats of the past because she got so emotional at the Motown Museum last week. Please guys, that's no excuse for giving an underwhelming performance. Add in the impromptu "Obama!" outburst at the end of Paula's mindless "you could run for president" comment and it made for an off night for Lil.
Danny, on the other hand, opted for a strong performance and light vocals with "Get Ready," which drew some Taylor Hicks comparisons (which is never good on this show). The fact that he ignored Smokey's advice to sing with the backup singers in certain parts even though he said in his pre-performance package that he'd be listening to the advice (and this served as the entire premise of the video, mind you). Although to be fair, we do not know if they decided it would not work well over the course of rehearsals or whatever. Anything could have happened and Danny will probably be forced to answer the burning question tonight while sitting on the couches.
Anoop was good once again this week on "Ooh, Baby Baby," but the word "boring" could not escape him. Simon was sure to mention this in his critique, saying he looked "half asleep" throughout the performance. Be that as it may, it was still leagues better than "Beat It" in Top 13 week.
But the absolute worst three finalists last night were without question Megan, Scott and Michael. Megan's jazzed up "For Once In My Life" was all over the place, full of bum notes and a "too fast for you and your tattoo" tempo. Scott's "You Can't Hurry Love" was haphazardly prepared and rushed in addition to featuring ultra nasal vocals. And Michael's seemingly good song choice in "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" was anything but, prompting Paula to steal a line from Simon's playbook by calling it "Las Vegas loungey," which earned her a few boos from the audience. Paula was visibly distraught over actually having to do her job as a judge, while Simon was more blunt in saying Michael has "no shot at winning." Barring a major shocker, hese three will be tonight's bottom three and the stupid immunity will not be wasted.
And then there was Adam, who did a complete 180 from last week's crash and burn and instead opted for a polished look and soft, tender vocals on Smokey's own "Tracks of My Tears." Although not the best of the night, Adam showed that he could still switch it up and put on many different hats in this competition even though his falsetto is as grating as getting a root canal. It was an improvement, of course, but nowhere near worthy of the endless praise the judges bestowed upon him. Kara's "I don't stand up often but I have to after that" slosh and Simon's "you have emerged as a star tonight" comment were just part of it, followed by Ryan's suggestion that they go right to the numbers because there was "nothing else to say." We'll see if he can sustain this momentum.
The best the night had to offer didn't come until the very end, when Allison brought out her funky aggressiveness on "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone." Allison, although a bit dead behind the eyes, surely knows how to rock it out to the best of her ability. She was able to command the stage unlike anyone else and hit notes that many didn't know she could. Kara said it sounded like she had been singing for 400 years (is that why she's hoarse?) and Simon said she recovered from last week. DialIdol would support this claim for sure.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
About last night: Weird arrangements and nice surprises on GOO night
With such low expectations put in place for Grand Ole Opry night, it was hard for anything to come off seeming awful last night. That's not to say that there weren't a few near misses, though.
In what can only be described as a weird assortment of attempts at doing country music right, Matt, who took a major risk by singing a Carrie Underwood song (something no one on this show should ever do), led the 10 others with the best offering from the bunch. What helped Matt out was the stripping down of "So Small" so that it was just his soulful vocals, the piano and the song's inspirational lyrics that left an impression on the judges. Paula standing up, rocking to the song mid-performance was a head-scratcher, though (as was Simon's covering of Paula's mouth before Matt's pre-performance package was shown).
A note to Simon, though: Matt is nothing like Michael Buble. I can see the Justin Timberfake comparisons as well as the Jason Mraz ones, but I could never picture Matt singing the standards. It just wouldn't work. So no more "Matt Buble," please.
Following right behind Matt in terms of solid performances was Anoop. The positive feedback he received from the judges for his tackling of Willie Nelson's "You Were Always On My Mind" was definitely warranted and proved why he is still around after last week's disastrous performance. His smooth R&B vocals glided over the subtle string accompaniment, something that had not happened with the 'noop dawg until now.
There were again a few overrated performances, as Megan's hokey "Walkin' After Midnight" (in between coughs) was just barely listenable at best. Yes, it is true that Megan has the flu, as Paula pointed out so viciously, but that happens in real life. And this is supposed to be sort of like real life...so she might as well get used to it, suck it up and go on with the show. And Kara needs to stop with her lovefest over Megan. It's getting old really fast.
Michael and Scott were probably tied for weakest performance of the night, but Scott at least injected humor into his delivery ("we could always move the piano closer!") despite his snooze-a-thon on Martina McBride's "Wild Angels." Michael was just...there...and even though Garth Brooks was probably the perfect match for him this week, he just does not belong singing the genre.
Simon's spat with Paula during Scott's critiques was one of the highlights of last night, as Simon was 100% right about leaving Scott alone for using the piano two weeks in a row. Paula's "crutch" comment came off as being really low and tasteless, and made her look like a bigger buffoon than usual.
But the biggest WTF moment of last night was undoubtedly Adam's overtly-campy take on the Johnny Cash classic "Ring of Fire." The middle eastern citar-tastic arrangement mixed with his gross sultry/screechy vocals was something out of an 1930s eastern European freak show, and even Kara had trouble spitting out words to describe it. Simon was right on the mark when he called it "indulgent," and Randy needs to get his ears checked if he thinks that's what Trent Reznor would sound like doing country. Don't get me wrong, though, it was mesmerizing and was the biggest spectacle of the night. The showing continues to support the idea that Adam is without a doubt a great performer. He's just not Idol material.
Alexis and Allison were both forgettable last night, with the former's "Jolene" being a far cry from Brooke White's rendition last season and the latter's "Blame It On Your Heart" was a good vocal showcase but the performance itself was lackluster. Look for the two girls to be in the danger zone tonight.
Believe it or not, Danny was one of the more overrated finalists last night. His rendition of Carrie Underwood's untouchable "Jesus, Take the Wheel" was good to a point, but seemed a little disorganized. Even though Kara's comment about wishing he had done more of the second half than the boring first half was dimwitted, so was Paula's comment about Carrie wanting to rush out and buy his version of the song. Randy probably made the most sense with his critique for once.
If there's one thing Kris showed last night, it was the notion that consistency is key to lengthening your stay on this show. Even with his guitar taking the night off he was able to show that song choice can make or break how one fares, as he picked a perfect choice of "To Make You Feel My Love." If Kris can keep this up, he might just be the dark horse in the competition.
And then there was Lil, falling far from her high and mighty perch last week. By picking "Independence Day," Lil was thinking in the right direction despite Randy's suggestion that she should have gone for the predictable "I Will Always Love You" or "How Do I Live." So she scores points for trying something new. She loses them for failing to deliver a convincing effort.
After all the surprises and weirdness of last night, it would be hard to see anyone other than Michael, Scott or Alexis leaving tonight. Look for my predictions later on this morning. In the mean time, who do you think is on their way out tonight?
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
About last night: How did this batch get so good?
Last night was shockingly...good. Something happened between last week and last night to make what should have been a horrible, awful train wreck of a night actually sound pretty good. Not sure what they put in their coke cups, but it must have been something pretty good.
Before I get to critiquing the performances (and the critiques themselves), I would like to address the impending "twist" that will ultimately transform Season 8 into the U.S. version of The X-Factor. The judges' new found ability to give one of the bottom three dwellers immunity each week will be the downfall of this show. Even though it's not like America really decides everything in the current system, this further judge manipulation will ensure the perfect Top 2 according to the producers, taking away one of the last remaining excitement factors this show has to offer.
Predictability has also been this show's Achilles' heel, but the problem will just be multiplied tenfold with this practice put in place. So congrats judges on killing what little shred of originality this show had left.
Now, on to the night's better than expected performances. Lil kicked things off with a safe choice of "The Way You Make Me Feel." Even though her frilly pink top and chalk-white pants were a bit distracting, her vocals were pretty much on target. Simon did get it right when he called her song choice "lazy," and Lil's lack of performing skills last night didn't do her any favors. Still, she'll be safe for sure.
Scott did the opposite of Lil, sounding much improved over his Top 36 performance because he was much more comfortable in front of his piano. It was easy to see he was in much higher spirits this time around and his comfort level was up. That resulted in his vocals sounding much better.
Other finalists that benefited from their ability to play instruments were Kris and Matt. Kris' vocals actually took a back seat to his guitar skills on "Remember the Time" but that didn't matter much in the long run. Matt's "Human Nature" performance was nothing special, but his piano playing spiced things up. Basically, if you play an instrument there's a good likelihood you will come off sounding better than you are.
One of the biggest surprises of the night was Michael, whose "You Are Not Alone" was actually really listenable aside from the Matt Rogers-esque stage presence. Simon's comments about him being passionate and giving 110% were a little bit overstated, but he definitely understood that Michael was really trying tonight. Jasmine was another contestant that surpassed (very low) expectations, doing her best to combine Michael Jackson's version of "I'll Be There" with Mariah Carey's version (as Randy so astutely pointed out). Jasmine looked more the part last night than ever before, so it will be interesting to see if she could stick it out after tonight.
Among the best vocalists last night were Danny and Allison, as Danny was able to show some personality by attempting to dance and move around while singing an uptempo song very well. Even though Paula's premature declaration that he would be in the finale cheapened the performance, Simon was wise enough to give him props. Allison was able to control her unique vocals fairly well all things considering, but the "zomg sHe's ONlY 16!!??!!?111!?!!" stuff has got to stop now before it continues for the rest of the season.
Adam, while clearly the most seasoned performer of the bunch, received a great deal too much praise because he just does not have the right voice. There were all sorts of screeches and sharp notes that went unchallenged just because the guy has stage presence. But vocals have never really counted for all that much on this show in the first place. As Paula said tonight, expect him in (more likely just outside) the Top 2.
There were two train wrecks tonight and another underwhelming performance. Megan's "Rockin' Robin" was something out of a Disney nightmare, and is it just me or does her tattoo keep growing each week? She looked hot in that red dress but that's about all that can be said about her. Another wild card contestant, Anoop, was a big disappointment considering he was a fan favorite at one point. He probably will not go home, but that is without a doubt the last time he should sing "Beat It." Jorge was the absolute worst last night, though, as his take on a Jackson 5 song earned him five reasons not to stay on the show. Even Paula had to say something not so nice, which is always good to see.
Alexis closed out the show with an under-praised performance of "Dirty Diana" in which she really showed off her rocky side. Although the judges weren't huge supporters of the spectacle, Alexis showed she did belong in the Top 13 to begin with.
One thing that might affect Alexis is the whole #13 phone number, as fans had to remember to dial 1-866-43657-36 to vote for her. The way they went about informing audiences of this change could have been much better, but what should we expect from this show by now?
So there we have it. Looks like the judges' meddling will cause one of the two departing finalists to be more deserving of another shot than a finalist that will escape elimination, but we'll just have to wait and see.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
About last night: Where has Group 3 been this whole season?
So it's apparent that the producers saved the best for last, but what for? So that a lot of great semifinalists will be shut out of the Top 12? Well whether or not that was a concern when they formed the groups, it will surely come true tonight.
It's true there were still a few clunkers, like Arianna Afsar's depressing "The Winner Takes It All" and Alex Wagner-Trugman's growl-a-thon on "I Guess It's Why They Call This the Blues," but the majority of the performances last night were memorable and the contestants had song choices that were near perfect fits for their vocals.
There were a few surprises last night, one of the more notable ones coming early on when Von Smith toned down his theatrics tenfold as he opened the show with "You're All I Need to Get By." It was a much different Von than the one we saw during Hollywood Week, where Simon gave him the lashing of a thousand tongues with his critique. It was obvious Von didn't see the Clay Aiken comparison coming last night, but he handled it well by saying Clay is successful so he doesn't mind the comparison.
Another surprise was Puerto Rican Jorge Nunez, who proved to be a true contender when he sang "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me," which has generally been considered to be a cursed song on the show. Paula's and Kara's cougar fangirlism following his performance could have been left out of the scheme of things, but the fact that he went near the end of the night was a great help for his Top 12 prospects.
There were also a few semifinalists that were kind of just there for the sake of being there, like Kendall Beard, who filled the role of the blonde country girl very nicely, but it was apparent the judges did not have her set in their sights for the Top 12. Nathaniel Marshall, while his vocals are sort of alright deep down beneath his glammed up drama queen look, managed to receive the most commentary from the judges and gain pretty much nothing constructive from it except a chance to shake Simon's hand. That awkward exchange just goes to show that Ryan really doesn't think before he acts most of the time.
Taylor Vaifanua was in a strange position because while she did not sound all that bad, she has an issue with standing out amongst a crowded crew, and her rendition of Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You" could be described by the three b-words: bland, boring and blah.
As for some other bright spots last evening, Kristen McNamara came out of her shell and defined herself as a new girl minus purple-streaked hair on "Give Me One Reason." The judges (mainly Kara) had some weird fixation on suggesting that Kristen should sing more Kelly Clarkson songs, something Kristen took to heart when after her critiques she said she could see herself recording similar material to Kelly and Leona Lewis.
Scott MacIntyre, while he picked an interesting song and sounded pretty solid overall, was given the second-most unnecessary praise of the night by the judges. It's a tricky territory to tightrope considering the whole blind thing he's got going on, and no one wants to suggest that will help him out on this show, but when something like this is so obvious it can't help but be said. It should also be noted that Simon's comments about Scott being relevant were very misguided. Scott is a great guy, but there's no way he should make it over Ju'Not Joyner, whose "Hey There Delilah" was much more original than the original and sounded smooth and soulful, actually making it listenable after radio ran the song into the ground in 2007.
Felicia Barton came out strong last night. She showed everyone why she belonged in the Top 36 in the first place, and despite hitting a few bum notes here and there while singing "No One," she was overall the second best girl of the night. Simon got it right when he said the first half of the performance was better than the second half, but Felicia's originality should make up for that. If she doesn't make it tonight, she will definitely be a wild card contender.
And then there's Lil Rounds, whose smart song choice of "Be Without You" by Mary J. Blige coupled with her inevitable pimp spot and overwhelming praise by the judges virtually reserved her a spot in the Top 12. That's not to say she wasn't good, she was probably the best vocalist of the night, and the fact that she didn't pick something by Whitney Houston should earn her a few extra credit points. Lil has a great personality to boot, so that will only help her down the road.
After all is said and done, Group 3 is for sure the most talented of the bunch and it will be sad to see many of last night's contestants not go through. Can we just swap out Michael Sarver and Alexis Grace for a few of tonight's performers? If only...
P.S. it was hilarious how they went the whole show without mentioning Joanna Pacitti's name. What if someone had been watching the season without venturing online or watching any of the entertainment shows to see the fallout of the controversy? They must have thought "Where's Joanna and what's up with this Felicia chick?" Chalk up another one for Idol producers.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
About last night: Can anyone choose the right song?
If there's one thing Group 3 better not screw up on next week, it's song choice. That seems to be the judges' go-to negative critique of choice this season, as almost everyone last night heard the phrase in some form.
In fact, some of the choices were just plain out there, like Mishavonna Henson's take on Train's "Drops of Jupiter." What's the sense in picking one of the most overplayed songs on radio in the past decade? I mean, it's not like she was near the worst of the night, but c'mon, pick a song that will actually show off your vocals.
Another odd choice of song was Matt Giraud's decision to tackle Coldplay's epic (and I don't throw that word around lightly) "Viva la Vida." It's the furthest thing away from what he should be singing, and although it wasn't the complete mess Simon & crew made it out to be, it was definitely puzzling.
There were a lot of competitors for the title of "worst of the night," such as Nick/Norman/Normund/whatever he wants to be called's overdramatic, borderline blasphemous performance of "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)" and Kai Kalama's dull throwback pick of "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted." But the title has to go to that "bartender from D.C." (thanks Ryan for that introduction).
We caught our first glimpse of one that has managed to elude us this whole time called Jeanine Vailes, and what we saw was not pretty (sans her Haley Scarnato legs). Many had fears that Jeanine would be the next Juanita Barber rather than the next Jennifer Hudson, and those fears came true after she took on Maroon 5's "This Love." Kara got it 100% right when she called it "overdone," and Jeanine's incessant begging and pleading by trying to make the case that she received no airtime prior to last night as a reason for her to advance to have another shot at proving herself didn't help matters. Although she was sort of right about that, she had to make the best of what she was given and she couldn't. Sorry Jeanine, at least you've got great legs (and lips, according to Simon).
There were some unexpected positive comments after a few performances, like Megan Corkrey's "Put Your Records On." Her awkwards swaying and inescapable tattoo that swamped her right upper arm and shoulder completely took away from any semi-good vocals that came from her, yet the judges ate it up. There were also some unexpected negative comments, like the lukewarm reception Jesse Langseth received for her unique performance of "Bette Davis Eyes." Maybe it has to do with the fact that Jesse never was really in consideration for the Top 12, especially following Simon's comments about her having "no shot" at winning after she made the Top 36?
As for the two most overpraised performers of the night, the judges had a field day with Allison Iraheta's shoutfest on "Alone" and Adam Lambert's screechfest on "Satisfaction." Although Allison had some bright spots on her song, she had to really reach on a few notes but seemed comfortable moving about the stage, so it wasn't so bad. But the judges were totally in love with her for some strange reason, even after she appeared as dumb as a doornail in her pre-performance sit-down with Ryan.
As for Adam, it's quite apparent that he will get the Danny Gokey treatment this season, as his overdramatic performance was hailed as the second coming of Danny's "Hero." Adam seems like he would be a very good technical singer if he could just tone it down a notch...or two...or three. I know he's used to performing in theatre but it's a completely different ball game on this show, and the sooner he figures that out the better. It is funny, though, how Kara wrote off the overdramatic stuff automatically and went straight to the pimpage.
More song choice problems were found with Jasmine Murray's "Love Song" and Kris Allen's "Man In the Mirror." Jasmine was once a front runner and widely believed to be the favorite to advance as the top female vote getter tonight, but it looks like that won't happen. She should have gone with a Rihanna song (according to Randy at least). Kris did well, but he will be forgotten relatively easily.
And then there's that welder, Matt Breitzke. He pretty much had no chance as soon as Michael Sarver advanced, but his blah performance of Tonic's "If You Could Only See" was the second-to-last nail in the crypt for his chances. His backtalking with Simon was the final nail, to be sure. Still he should get props for attempting that song.
Well, it looks like Group 2 actually managed to be worse than Group 1, which puts pressure on Group 3 to deliver like never before. Odds are it won't, though, save for a few unknowns that could pull through. At least we have Brooke White's performance to look forward to tonight. Maybe she'll show this year's batch how it's really done.
P.S. has anyone noticed how many mothers/fathers/single mothers there are this season? Not sure why that is, but it's just an interesting observation.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
About last night: Will the real Tatiana please stand up?
So there's no way to get around the fact that this was an extremely odd night. Not only was Group 1 supposed to be the best of the three groups, but it was supposed to be the best by a mile. There were so many promising semifinalists, and yet we were left with Tatiana being one of the best of the night. Yes, that Tatiana del Toro.
Jackie Tohn led off the night with a vocally rough but spunky performance of "A Little Less Conversation" by Elvis Presley, which showed she was more interested in appealing to voters than she was impressing the judges, but she still earned somewhat alright reviews. she might not make the Top 12, but at least she had fun.
Another "fun" performance came from Brent Keith, as his vocals were perfect for the kind of "hick" song he did (in spite of the intro package mishap), and he was able to smile some in an effort to make it believable. But most of the night was full of boring performances, as underwhelming performances from Stephen Fowler and Ann Marie Boskovich failed to excite anyone.
Anoop Desai's take on Monica's "Angel of Mine" was a pleasant surprise, even though Simon wasn't all that impressed. Besides the performance, Anoop showed he could carry himself as a class act when he handled Simon's rude questions without even raising a (bushy) eyebrow.
There were two main trainwrecks tonight, as Stevie Wright killed Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" relatively easily, while Casey Carlson's gender-swapping "Every Little Thing [S]he Does Is Magic" bombed faster than the audience could turn its heads away from her winking and facial expressions.
The night's lone showstopper was Danny Gokey, whose rendition of Mariah Carey's "Hero" was an interesting choice and beckoned back to David Cook's take on the aforementioned's "Always Be My Baby." He dealt with the over-pimpage from the first three judges fairly well, but Simon was thankfully there to bring things down to earth. And what was up with the random shot of Jamar in the audience? Talk about the producers trying to play with the audience's emotions.
Alexis Grace and Tatiana (color me surprised) were also bright spots of the night, as Tatiana left her drama queen alter ego for the less exciting robot she brought tonight. And Michael Sarver wasn't good but he was better than most, and apparently the judges really are pulling for him despite his lackluster performance of "I Don't Wanna Be."
As for who will be advancing out of this group, it seems that Danny is the sure bet, while Tatiana will duke it out with Alexis for the top female vote-getter, and then either Michael or Anoop will take the next highest vote recipient. Look for official IDOL LIVE predictions later on today.
As for what to do now, we recommend looking ahead to next week as fast as possible. Like, start now.
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