Please excuse my brevity and scatter-brained-ness on this week’s blog. There are a couple of reasons for being so off tonight:
It’s 10:30 as I type this and I’m just now sitting down to watch Idol for the evening.
I’ve just about lost my faith in American Idol Season 9….if it wasn’t for a certain female contestant (whose name may or may not rhyme with Powerbox), I probably would have quit watching around Top 20 week or so….also I have a contest to run and people counting on me to deliver prizes…so here we go!
Awkward kissing moment with the judges backstage before the show started...that was weird.
Bonus Question: What did the back of Randy Jackson’s cardigan say? (hint: I don't know what the cardigan really said, and I'm really curious....so you'll get points if you give me your best guess or if you give me the correct answer.)
Bonus Question: What is the name of Usher’s new album?
Bonus Question: Which contestant did Usher instruct to “make me that person [you’re in love with]”?
Siobhan Magnus – Through the Fire – I like her hair with that braid thing going across the top of her head. Siobhan sounds uncharacteristically off key tonight. She sounds bad. Oh boy. She was one of the ones I was counting on to get me through the night. Everyone I’m watching this with thinks I’m crazy, but I think she sounds terrible tonight. She has to quit with that shrieking stuff…it’s old now.
Casey James – Hold On, I’m Comin’ – I think Casey sounds alright. To me Casey is consistently mediocre every week. But he’s never done anything astounding on the American Idol stage. It’s time for him to start rising above the pack and make a name for himself.
Michael Lynche – Ready for Love – Bonus Question: To what food item did Michael Lynche liken his guitar? Michael sounds better with this subtle performance where he’s not displaying his cheese factor. But he was a little boring to me. For me, for you.
Didi Benami – What Becomes of the Broken Hearted – She looks like Taylor Swift this week for some reason. I like the tone of her voice. She was channeling the older styles of music a little bit. She may not have as many big vocal tricks up her sleeve as some of the other contestants, but her voice quality is very pleasant to listen to and she’s a little bit unpredictable in that you never really know if she’s going to soar or to bomb. This week I would say she definitely didn’t bomb, but I don’t think she was nearly as bad as the judges seemed to think she was.
Tim Urban – Sweet Love – Usher told him that he hoped he would “give it to the camera” at some point….but Tim didn’t take his eyes off the camera the entire time! It was a little creepy. I thought his performance was okay. His voice really wasn’t that great, but it sounded fine I guess. To sound like Simon, it sounded like wedding music or background music at the shopping mall or something. Just kind of stale and nowhere close to as good as the real thing.
Note: I am 92% sure that Randy Jackson said “Predestrian!”
Andrew Garcia – Forever – I got made fun of for not knowing this Chris Brown song. I guess Andrew changed up the arrangement, but I thought it was okay sounding, but a little on the boring side. I don’t know. I can’t really critique it since I didn’t know what it was supposed to sound like I guess.
Katie Stevens – Chain of Fools – This was a very predictable song choice for her. I already hate it with the horn introduction. Katie is so pageanty when she sings. She tried to put a “pretty” bad attitude look on. She’s just so corny to me. And I just don’t get her voice. I mean, she does okay with the notes, but I just don’t like the way it sounds. I guess she has a lot of fans, though, because she’s still on the show.
Lee Dewyze – Treat Her Like a Lady – I actually enjoyed this arrangement of the song. I thought it started out a little slow, but maybe that was the effect he was going for, because the song just exploded in the middle. This was the best performance of the night so far. Maybe this was the “moment” the judges were wanting Lee to create.
Crystal Bowersox – Midnight Train to Georgia – Those background singers are horrifyingly awful, but I was surprised to hear that Crystal could play the piano, too. Although she didn’t play much of it. This whole performance was something very different for Crystal. Adam made the comment that she didn’t know what to do with her hands since she wasn’t holding a guitar. I thought her vocals sounded terrific….maybe not the best we’ve heard from her, but definitely head and shoulders above most everyone else in the competition.
Aaron Kelly – Ain’t No Sunshine – Aaron’s back with his crooked faux-hawk. He’s a little pageanty as well. I liked his little head jerk at the end of his performance. And his hand motions. I literally LOLed at this performance. He’s just annoying to me for some reason. I can’t even critique his singing because his stage presence was so goofy.
That’s it. Answer the bonus questions and get me your predictions before the show starts on Wednesday! I’m going to Tennessee!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Top 12 Week
Sorry folks, no blog this week or next. Come back on Top 10 week and I'll get back into the swing of things! Thanks for checking in. -nicole
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Season 9: Top 8 Guys
I’ve had a long-standing hypothesis that Randy Jackson is among the most obnoxious personalities on television. Tonight, as Ryan introduced the judges and Randy proceeded to give a hardy “yeah, yeah, yeah” for each judge (including himself), and then predictably, a resounding “boooooooo” for Simon Cowell, he solidified his place as the single most annoying person who ever has been, or ever will be on television.
But none of that matters because the weather is lovely, the sun was bright today, my windows are open and there is a cool, gentle breeze whispering through my house as I type this. I don’t care if the boys stand up there and perform Vanilla Ice, I’m still going to be in a good mood!
Lee Dewyze – Firefly – This was a very bizarre choice for Lee. He started out a little nasal-sounding. And he stayed that way. He sounded horrible. The song is supposed to sound mystical and dreamy, not like you swallowed rocks before you sang. That was icky. I don’t know what the judges were talking about. It was absolutely terrible.
Alex Lambert – Trouble – This, on the other hand, was a perfect song choice for the mullet-haired wonder. Alex still looked really stiff on the stage, but I think he has turned himself into a serious contender. I love the tone of his voice. I really want to listen to an entire album of his already. And that’s saying a lot, considering the slim pickins we have as far as the men are concerned this season.
Bonus Question: Despite Alex's great performance, only one judge gave him a positive review. Name that judge.
Tim Urban – Hallelujah – Before he even sang a note, I knew this was Tim Urban’s proverbial kiss goodbye to the American Idol stage. Nobody can possibly surpass Jason Castro’s monumental performance of this song a mere two years ago. Jason had one of the biggest performances in Idol history with this song. Tim sounded okay, but with Jason’s performance in my mind, I would be doing Tim a favor if I called his version mediocre. He didn’t sing with the tenderness and vulnerability the song begs. Tim missed a few notes, and it just wasn’t there for me. Maybe I’m biased, though. The judges seemed to disagree.
Andrew Garcia – Genie in a Bottle – Wow. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that song. I almost didn’t recognize it until he got to the chorus. I liked his interpretation of this song; I just hope Andrew doesn’t become a one-trick pony, taking originally female pop-songs and turning them into acoustic coffee-house hits. I thought he sounded really good with the song, though. It was my favorite performance of the night up to that point in the competition. I think the judges were a little unfair in their criticism of him.
Bonus Question: In the comments below, please list who you think is the best judge and who you think is the worst, and don’t forget to list your reasons why! Because these judges are killing me tonight (in the bad way)!
Casey James – You’ll Think of Me – I think Casey is slowly becoming one of my favorites of the male contestants…and it has nothing to do with how he looks with his shirt off. I think he is very adept at interpreting songs with a raw emotion and then conveying them in a way that isn’t cheesy. I thought Casey sounded great singing it tonight. Yes, Randy, he is good at the blues vibe, but he can also show different facets of himself as an artist.
Bonus Question: Who is married to the person who originally sang “You’ll Think of Me”
Aaron Kelly – I’m Already There – Aaron gave a cheesefest of a performance tonight. It all started when he began with his first chorus of “I’m Allllllllready there,” as he slowly stood from his stool and stepped into the spotlight with his hand stretched in the air. Aaron’s voice is lacking almost as much as his stage presence. He’s simply not as good at singing as all of his competitors. He’s very plastic to me, like David Archuleta. It’s like he’s been bred from infancy to be a stage performer and everything he does is so rehearsed and polished, that it’s too rehearsed and polished. I’m not digging Aaron and I think he’ll be going home this week along with the other child contestant, Katie Stevens.
Bonus Question: Despite Aaron's subpar performance, only one judge gave him negative reviews. Name that judge.
Todrick Hall – Somebody to Love – As I sit here during the commercial break, Ryan Seacrest has just announced that Todrick will be singing something by Queen, and then the camera cut to Todrick with his black leather/tweed jacket with a multitude of zippers and those strange little half-gloves that everyone seems to be sporting on the show this season. I must admit I’m nervous. Queen is my favorite, you see, and I know there is no way, eh hem, NO WAY in this world that Todrick has the capacity to do justice to a Queen song. Oh, the humanity! I am offended at the very thought. I hope Todrick proves me wrong. Well, I will give Todrick props this week for not trying to overhaul a song into a tacky overdone anthem. However, Todrick’s vocals fell flat and boring about midway through the song and he never quite got there. He doesn’t have the range to sing Freddie Mercury and I’m afraid we’ll be hearing this song again tomorrow night. Once again, I disagreed with the judges.
Michael Lynche – This Woman’s Work – Well, I was not expecting that falsetto at the beginning of the song. For a minute I thought I was listening to Jordan Knight and the New Kids on the Block circa 1991! This performance seemed to drag on for a long time. Michael’s movement on stage is always very strange to me. It’s unnatural on him for some reason. I didn’t like this performance because I couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to be. Everyone knows I’m not the biggest R&B fan, but all that aside, I just didn’t get it this time.
Well, I'm still in a wonderful mood because of the fresh air, but I have successfully chosen 3 men to go home tomorrow night instead of just two. It would be more fair if they would accept more girls this year since they are better. I'm holding out hope that we'll get rid of one female and 3 males tomorrow night. I know it's not going to happen, but a girl can dream, can't she?
After tomorrow night's show, we'll know who the Top 12 contestants are, and you'll get your points for your selections. Be expecting a lovely points recap on Friday!
But none of that matters because the weather is lovely, the sun was bright today, my windows are open and there is a cool, gentle breeze whispering through my house as I type this. I don’t care if the boys stand up there and perform Vanilla Ice, I’m still going to be in a good mood!
Lee Dewyze – Firefly – This was a very bizarre choice for Lee. He started out a little nasal-sounding. And he stayed that way. He sounded horrible. The song is supposed to sound mystical and dreamy, not like you swallowed rocks before you sang. That was icky. I don’t know what the judges were talking about. It was absolutely terrible.
Alex Lambert – Trouble – This, on the other hand, was a perfect song choice for the mullet-haired wonder. Alex still looked really stiff on the stage, but I think he has turned himself into a serious contender. I love the tone of his voice. I really want to listen to an entire album of his already. And that’s saying a lot, considering the slim pickins we have as far as the men are concerned this season.
Bonus Question: Despite Alex's great performance, only one judge gave him a positive review. Name that judge.
Tim Urban – Hallelujah – Before he even sang a note, I knew this was Tim Urban’s proverbial kiss goodbye to the American Idol stage. Nobody can possibly surpass Jason Castro’s monumental performance of this song a mere two years ago. Jason had one of the biggest performances in Idol history with this song. Tim sounded okay, but with Jason’s performance in my mind, I would be doing Tim a favor if I called his version mediocre. He didn’t sing with the tenderness and vulnerability the song begs. Tim missed a few notes, and it just wasn’t there for me. Maybe I’m biased, though. The judges seemed to disagree.
Andrew Garcia – Genie in a Bottle – Wow. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that song. I almost didn’t recognize it until he got to the chorus. I liked his interpretation of this song; I just hope Andrew doesn’t become a one-trick pony, taking originally female pop-songs and turning them into acoustic coffee-house hits. I thought he sounded really good with the song, though. It was my favorite performance of the night up to that point in the competition. I think the judges were a little unfair in their criticism of him.
Bonus Question: In the comments below, please list who you think is the best judge and who you think is the worst, and don’t forget to list your reasons why! Because these judges are killing me tonight (in the bad way)!
Casey James – You’ll Think of Me – I think Casey is slowly becoming one of my favorites of the male contestants…and it has nothing to do with how he looks with his shirt off. I think he is very adept at interpreting songs with a raw emotion and then conveying them in a way that isn’t cheesy. I thought Casey sounded great singing it tonight. Yes, Randy, he is good at the blues vibe, but he can also show different facets of himself as an artist.
Bonus Question: Who is married to the person who originally sang “You’ll Think of Me”
Aaron Kelly – I’m Already There – Aaron gave a cheesefest of a performance tonight. It all started when he began with his first chorus of “I’m Allllllllready there,” as he slowly stood from his stool and stepped into the spotlight with his hand stretched in the air. Aaron’s voice is lacking almost as much as his stage presence. He’s simply not as good at singing as all of his competitors. He’s very plastic to me, like David Archuleta. It’s like he’s been bred from infancy to be a stage performer and everything he does is so rehearsed and polished, that it’s too rehearsed and polished. I’m not digging Aaron and I think he’ll be going home this week along with the other child contestant, Katie Stevens.
Bonus Question: Despite Aaron's subpar performance, only one judge gave him negative reviews. Name that judge.
Todrick Hall – Somebody to Love – As I sit here during the commercial break, Ryan Seacrest has just announced that Todrick will be singing something by Queen, and then the camera cut to Todrick with his black leather/tweed jacket with a multitude of zippers and those strange little half-gloves that everyone seems to be sporting on the show this season. I must admit I’m nervous. Queen is my favorite, you see, and I know there is no way, eh hem, NO WAY in this world that Todrick has the capacity to do justice to a Queen song. Oh, the humanity! I am offended at the very thought. I hope Todrick proves me wrong. Well, I will give Todrick props this week for not trying to overhaul a song into a tacky overdone anthem. However, Todrick’s vocals fell flat and boring about midway through the song and he never quite got there. He doesn’t have the range to sing Freddie Mercury and I’m afraid we’ll be hearing this song again tomorrow night. Once again, I disagreed with the judges.
Michael Lynche – This Woman’s Work – Well, I was not expecting that falsetto at the beginning of the song. For a minute I thought I was listening to Jordan Knight and the New Kids on the Block circa 1991! This performance seemed to drag on for a long time. Michael’s movement on stage is always very strange to me. It’s unnatural on him for some reason. I didn’t like this performance because I couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to be. Everyone knows I’m not the biggest R&B fan, but all that aside, I just didn’t get it this time.
Well, I'm still in a wonderful mood because of the fresh air, but I have successfully chosen 3 men to go home tomorrow night instead of just two. It would be more fair if they would accept more girls this year since they are better. I'm holding out hope that we'll get rid of one female and 3 males tomorrow night. I know it's not going to happen, but a girl can dream, can't she?
After tomorrow night's show, we'll know who the Top 12 contestants are, and you'll get your points for your selections. Be expecting a lovely points recap on Friday!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Top 16 Ladies
How about a rushed episode tonight where the performances are approximately 30 seconds long? I appreciated that Idol was only an hour , but I felt like I needed to sit in front of a fan, stretch my muscles and drink a glass of ice water afterwards. Holy cow!
Katie Stevens – Breakaway – Katie seemed like she couldn’t get in the right tempo with the band. This might have been her weakest performance to date. She missed a lot of those notes. I was glad when it was over.
Bonus Question: Who did Siobhan say she was dedicating her performance to?
Siobhan Magnus – House of the Rising Sun – I think Siobhan is one of the serious contenders this season, and I never would have said that two weeks ago. I really liked this performance. Siobhan’s voice is so strong and she knows how to use it properly.
Bonus Question: In one redundant sentence, Kara described Siobhan as both unique and what?
Lacey Brown—The Story – I love this song. I think Lacey sounded great singing it. Except for she skipped the huge part of the song. I think she sounded subtle, though, and that song suited her voice so well. She’s considered by many to be an underdog, but Lacey is still one of my favorites. And if anyone is looking for some new folksy music with power vocals, I would highly recommend Brandi Carlile.
Katelyn Epperly– I Feel The Earth Move—I don’t think Katelyn’s voice was as strong as it has been. This performance was a little cheesy to me, from the way she was playing the keyboard with her little side to side movements to her vocals. It wasn’t my favorite, but it wasn’t horrible either, I suppose.
Didi Benami—Rhianna – I liked seeing Didi back with her guitar. I think she’s more comfortable on stage with it, and she sounds better. Didi has one of the freshest sounding voices on the show and I hope this performance will help to seal her place in the Top 12.
Paige Miles—Smile – This is just a wild thought, but it might be nice to see a performance of the song “Smile” by a singer who is smiling. I think Paige’s voice is one of the weakest ones in the competition. She had her moments, but overall, she sounded shaky and off. It was such a dreary performance. It was especially bad in light of Jermaine Purifory’s incredible performance of the song in his audition…and he didn’t even make it to the Top 24!
Bonus Question: Who did Ryan say wrote “Smile”?
Crystal Bowersox– Give Me One Reason – I love this song, too! I think this performance was great. I love Crystal’s style and her voice. She is consistently good. I can’t think of one bad week she’s had. American Idol hasn’t had a blues singer since Taylor Hicks…if you can count that. Crystal looks like she enjoys every minute of being up on the stage.
Lilly Scott—I Fall To Pieces – I’m falling out of love with Lilly. I think her style and her personality and quirkiness overshadow her lacking vocals. She has consistently left me feeling iffy. I really wanted to be a fan of hers, but it’s just not going to happen. Maybe I’m wrong. I don’t know. I just don’t think she’s as good as the hype she’s received.
What did you think? Who is your favorite and who is the weakest? Comment below and email me your bottom 3 predictions and answers to the bonus questions!
Katie Stevens – Breakaway – Katie seemed like she couldn’t get in the right tempo with the band. This might have been her weakest performance to date. She missed a lot of those notes. I was glad when it was over.
Bonus Question: Who did Siobhan say she was dedicating her performance to?
Siobhan Magnus – House of the Rising Sun – I think Siobhan is one of the serious contenders this season, and I never would have said that two weeks ago. I really liked this performance. Siobhan’s voice is so strong and she knows how to use it properly.
Bonus Question: In one redundant sentence, Kara described Siobhan as both unique and what?
Lacey Brown—The Story – I love this song. I think Lacey sounded great singing it. Except for she skipped the huge part of the song. I think she sounded subtle, though, and that song suited her voice so well. She’s considered by many to be an underdog, but Lacey is still one of my favorites. And if anyone is looking for some new folksy music with power vocals, I would highly recommend Brandi Carlile.
Katelyn Epperly– I Feel The Earth Move—I don’t think Katelyn’s voice was as strong as it has been. This performance was a little cheesy to me, from the way she was playing the keyboard with her little side to side movements to her vocals. It wasn’t my favorite, but it wasn’t horrible either, I suppose.
Didi Benami—Rhianna – I liked seeing Didi back with her guitar. I think she’s more comfortable on stage with it, and she sounds better. Didi has one of the freshest sounding voices on the show and I hope this performance will help to seal her place in the Top 12.
Paige Miles—Smile – This is just a wild thought, but it might be nice to see a performance of the song “Smile” by a singer who is smiling. I think Paige’s voice is one of the weakest ones in the competition. She had her moments, but overall, she sounded shaky and off. It was such a dreary performance. It was especially bad in light of Jermaine Purifory’s incredible performance of the song in his audition…and he didn’t even make it to the Top 24!
Bonus Question: Who did Ryan say wrote “Smile”?
Crystal Bowersox– Give Me One Reason – I love this song, too! I think this performance was great. I love Crystal’s style and her voice. She is consistently good. I can’t think of one bad week she’s had. American Idol hasn’t had a blues singer since Taylor Hicks…if you can count that. Crystal looks like she enjoys every minute of being up on the stage.
Lilly Scott—I Fall To Pieces – I’m falling out of love with Lilly. I think her style and her personality and quirkiness overshadow her lacking vocals. She has consistently left me feeling iffy. I really wanted to be a fan of hers, but it’s just not going to happen. Maybe I’m wrong. I don’t know. I just don’t think she’s as good as the hype she’s received.
What did you think? Who is your favorite and who is the weakest? Comment below and email me your bottom 3 predictions and answers to the bonus questions!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Season 9: Top 10 Ladies
Now I can see what the judges were saying when they described this as "The Girls' Year," well, sort of. The girls definitely had a better showing tonight than the boys did last night, but I still think the talent pool for this season is much, much lower than in seasons past. Some of them don't deserve to be there of course, but at least some of them DO deserve to be there. That's more than I can say for the guys.
Crystal Bowersox – Long As I Can See the Light – I don’t think I know this song, but I like Crystal’s “church-spin” rendition of it. She sounds really good. The boys can take a lesson from her on how to perform a lower tempo song without getting boring or over doing it. She did great, especially for having been in the hospital the day before.
Haeley Vaughn – The Climb – Does anyone else think she speaks like a 5 year old? Her interview packages always annoy me. I think Haeley’s performance is a serious improvement from last week. She still hit some sour notes. But then again, so does Miley. I think she’s pushing her voice too much again. She needs to exhibit some restraint. That definitely won’t be my favorite performance, and she definitely is one of the weakest singers on the show.
Lacey Brown – Kiss Me – I like that Lacey took Kara’s advice, and sang the exact song she suggested. That way Kara at least couldn't criticize her for her song choice. Lacey sounds a million times better than she did last week. I think she has a pretty voice, and as soon as she can overcome some of those nerves, she’ll be great. Hopefully she’ll be able to do that before she’s eliminated. Honestly, probably anything could have been an improvement over last week. Contrary to what Randy said, I think Lacey changed up the song a little….she didn’t sound like Sixpence at all.
Katie Stevens – Put Your Records On – I get what Simon was saying about her last week with is “pageanty” comment. She likes to scrunch her face up and look at the camera. Sort of like what you would see on that show "Toddlers and Tiaras." She sounds okay singing this song. I don’t really get what the big deal is about her, though. I don’t find anything distinctive about Katie or her singing. It’s something we’ve all seen a million times on this show. She had really cute shoes, though. Bless her heart.
Bonus Question: Which contestant did Kara say could use another year to train?
Didi Benami – Lean On Me – I’m not sure I really liked this arrangement of the song. But there’s no doubt that Didi can sing well. She may need a little work with her movement while she’s on stage. I like Didi, though, and I think she’ll stick around for awhile. I am kind of undecided on this performance. I don’t think the performance was terrible, but I think Didi maybe didn’t do as well as we’ve seen her. The judges gave her more harsh criticism than she deserved, probably.
Michelle Delamor – Arms Wide Open – I never would have expected her to sing a Creed song. I would have to say she made one of the smartest song choices of the evening. I think Michelle has a real chance of making it to the top 12. She may not be the best singer, but she has made good song choices the past two weeks. Her vocal style is pretty conventional…we can hear it on the radio on any Top 40 station, but Michelle took a song that was outside of her genre and reinvented it. Her ending note wasn’t the greatest. But overall, I think she was good.
Lilly Scott – A Change Is Gonna Come – Lilly sounds like a surfer in her interview packages. I don’t think her voice sounds as good this week as she has in other episodes. I’m not sure exactly what it is. I think, like many of her male competitors, she’s trying to do too much. I think she has potential, but she needs to scale it back a little. Or maybe I’m an idiot because the judges seemed to disagree with me.
Katelyn Epperly – The Scientist – Apparently Katelyn is or was a student of Millikin University here in Decatur. I hadn’t heard that before, and I thought it was interesting. I don't know if it necessarily makes me her number one fan, but it's cool to know that a hometown girl is in the competition. Her performance seems a little boring, but she seems polished. I think it’s a lot easier for a singer to have an emotional connection when they’re playing a piano. I’m not sure why it comes across like that. I think Katelyn did pretty well. I like her voice, and I think she’s one of the better singers of the night.
Bonus Question: What mistake did Ellen make in her critique of Katelyn’s performance?
Paige Miles – Walk Away – I think this was a pretty good song choice for Paige. Her voice is a little bit watered down though. I think she needs to put some more punch into her vocals to make a stronger name for herself. She’s a lot better than last week. This was another good performance tonight. Compared to herself, she's a million times improved. However, if you compare her to some of the better vocalists in the competiton, she just doesn't quite have it.
Siobhan Magnus – Think – She’s such a quirky girl, and I can't figure out if it’s genuine or if it’s an act. I think this song would have been better performed on a larger stage, with a bigger audience. But Siobhan held her own throughout the performance. She looked a little stiff, but her voice is incredible. That glory note was amazing. Siobhan definitely won the night!
So, what did you think? Did the girls fare better than the men? Is there a real front-runner yet? Comment below and let me know what you think!
Crystal Bowersox – Long As I Can See the Light – I don’t think I know this song, but I like Crystal’s “church-spin” rendition of it. She sounds really good. The boys can take a lesson from her on how to perform a lower tempo song without getting boring or over doing it. She did great, especially for having been in the hospital the day before.
Haeley Vaughn – The Climb – Does anyone else think she speaks like a 5 year old? Her interview packages always annoy me. I think Haeley’s performance is a serious improvement from last week. She still hit some sour notes. But then again, so does Miley. I think she’s pushing her voice too much again. She needs to exhibit some restraint. That definitely won’t be my favorite performance, and she definitely is one of the weakest singers on the show.
Lacey Brown – Kiss Me – I like that Lacey took Kara’s advice, and sang the exact song she suggested. That way Kara at least couldn't criticize her for her song choice. Lacey sounds a million times better than she did last week. I think she has a pretty voice, and as soon as she can overcome some of those nerves, she’ll be great. Hopefully she’ll be able to do that before she’s eliminated. Honestly, probably anything could have been an improvement over last week. Contrary to what Randy said, I think Lacey changed up the song a little….she didn’t sound like Sixpence at all.
Katie Stevens – Put Your Records On – I get what Simon was saying about her last week with is “pageanty” comment. She likes to scrunch her face up and look at the camera. Sort of like what you would see on that show "Toddlers and Tiaras." She sounds okay singing this song. I don’t really get what the big deal is about her, though. I don’t find anything distinctive about Katie or her singing. It’s something we’ve all seen a million times on this show. She had really cute shoes, though. Bless her heart.
Bonus Question: Which contestant did Kara say could use another year to train?
Didi Benami – Lean On Me – I’m not sure I really liked this arrangement of the song. But there’s no doubt that Didi can sing well. She may need a little work with her movement while she’s on stage. I like Didi, though, and I think she’ll stick around for awhile. I am kind of undecided on this performance. I don’t think the performance was terrible, but I think Didi maybe didn’t do as well as we’ve seen her. The judges gave her more harsh criticism than she deserved, probably.
Michelle Delamor – Arms Wide Open – I never would have expected her to sing a Creed song. I would have to say she made one of the smartest song choices of the evening. I think Michelle has a real chance of making it to the top 12. She may not be the best singer, but she has made good song choices the past two weeks. Her vocal style is pretty conventional…we can hear it on the radio on any Top 40 station, but Michelle took a song that was outside of her genre and reinvented it. Her ending note wasn’t the greatest. But overall, I think she was good.
Lilly Scott – A Change Is Gonna Come – Lilly sounds like a surfer in her interview packages. I don’t think her voice sounds as good this week as she has in other episodes. I’m not sure exactly what it is. I think, like many of her male competitors, she’s trying to do too much. I think she has potential, but she needs to scale it back a little. Or maybe I’m an idiot because the judges seemed to disagree with me.
Katelyn Epperly – The Scientist – Apparently Katelyn is or was a student of Millikin University here in Decatur. I hadn’t heard that before, and I thought it was interesting. I don't know if it necessarily makes me her number one fan, but it's cool to know that a hometown girl is in the competition. Her performance seems a little boring, but she seems polished. I think it’s a lot easier for a singer to have an emotional connection when they’re playing a piano. I’m not sure why it comes across like that. I think Katelyn did pretty well. I like her voice, and I think she’s one of the better singers of the night.
Bonus Question: What mistake did Ellen make in her critique of Katelyn’s performance?
Paige Miles – Walk Away – I think this was a pretty good song choice for Paige. Her voice is a little bit watered down though. I think she needs to put some more punch into her vocals to make a stronger name for herself. She’s a lot better than last week. This was another good performance tonight. Compared to herself, she's a million times improved. However, if you compare her to some of the better vocalists in the competiton, she just doesn't quite have it.
Siobhan Magnus – Think – She’s such a quirky girl, and I can't figure out if it’s genuine or if it’s an act. I think this song would have been better performed on a larger stage, with a bigger audience. But Siobhan held her own throughout the performance. She looked a little stiff, but her voice is incredible. That glory note was amazing. Siobhan definitely won the night!
So, what did you think? Did the girls fare better than the men? Is there a real front-runner yet? Comment below and let me know what you think!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Season 9: Week 2 (The Guys)
Well, tonight showed a marked improvement over last week's episode. But then again, watching that animated hamster movie that was out awhile back would be an improvement over last week's episode.....
The guys took the stage tonight and left me wondering if American Idol has already found all of the talented singers in our fine country. The singers this year just aren't as good as in seasons past. Have you ever watched the American Idol Rewind shows? They showcase the past seasons of the show, and if you go to back and watch the first couple of seasons, the singers just weren't as good as what the show has typically showcased in the more recent seasons. The singers for season 9 remind me more of those contestants from early on in the show's tenure. And that would be fine if American Idol was still the same as it was back then. But the contest has evolved to the point where singers are now expected to know how to play instruments and create their own arrangements of songs. In the words of one of the singers tonight, what's goin' on?
Mike Lynche – This is a Man’s World – A huge improvement over last week. This is the best his voice has sounded so far. And I think he brought some performance through to make him more like that headliner that Simon instructed him to be. The performance dropped off a little towards the end and definitely did not finish as strongly as it started out. But I think Huge Mike’s performance was pretty good.
John Park – Gravity – Oh Boy. John seems to lack a little in the personality department. I hope he gets better at interviews because he’s boring! He looks terrified! His voice sounds much better this week. Well, kind of. He’s still hitting some bum notes. I think he lacks some emotional connection when he sings. Something’s missing.
Casey James – I Don’t Want to Be – I would like to nominate this song for the Please Never Ever Ever Ever EVER Perform This Song from the American Idol Stage….Ever! list. His voice is not as good this week. He sounds very shaky. I don’t think he should have chosen this song to showcase his vocals, because they are not as good as Gavin DeGraw's. He didn’t really do anything different with the song, either, which seems to be a going complaint from the judges’ table. I like his pretty blue guitar, though.
Alex Lambert – Everybody Knows – Another person who needs a little help in the interview department…and let’s throw in the wardrobe department as well. Hello, horrifying plaid jacket! Alex is much easier to listen to if you avoid looking at the TV screen. But, I’m sorry to say, that even with his guitar in tow, he still looks like a terrified little kitten. I like the John Legend song, and I think Alex’s performance from this week was inconceivably better than last week’s. But I feel like Alex Lambert is one of the weakest male contestants on the show.
Todrick Hall – What’s Love Got to Do with It – I still say that Todrick isn’t as good as he thinks he is. And I think he’s trying to make a name for himself by “reinventing” popular songs. The only problem is that his reinventions are torturous to listen to. I think Todrick’s performance was, by far, the weakest of the night up to this point.
Bonus Question: Ryan announced that the guys would be performing tonight for what reason?
Jermaine Sellers – What’s Goin’ On – I do not understand this guy. I wonder if he realizes how conceited he comes across on camera. I think he was trying to be more vocally restrained this time around, but his voice just sounded incredibly weak. He had too much air in his voice and hit quite a few bad notes. I will be surprised if Jermaine does NOT go home on Thursday. That’s not what I would have expected from his original audition of Joan Osborne’s “One of Us.” Too bad.
Andrew Garcia – You Give Me Something – The song seemed a little rushed to me for some reason. I love listening to Andrew’s voice, and I’m still convinced that he is head and shoulders above the rest of the men in this competition. I almost thought this performance was a little lackluster, though. It was just a little boring for me.
Aaron Kelly – My Girl – In my opinion, this was a subpar performance. Aaron’s falsetto was shaky and he tried way too hard with all of those runs in the verses. And My Girl is a song that a contestant should sing only if he has to pick a song from a specific theme, such as "Nauseatingly Cheesy Love Songs from the 60's Week****." But when you can select any Billboard hit, you have to make a better choice than that. I wonder if Aaron would have had a better chance if he had gotten a career as Disney’s next teen sensation, rather than trying to fill up the huge American Idol platform with his tiny little voice. I was not impressed. At all.
Tim Urban – Come on Get Higher – I prefer him singing without the big band behind him. The scaled back arrangement suits him, but it worries me for when things like Disco Week come along. I see Tim as more of a coffeehouse venue type of performer, and maybe less of an American Idol type. I think he held his own with this performance, though. Except for that last note. Simon's comments may have saved him this week.
Lee Dewyze – Lips of an Angel – I’m not sure about this choice for him. He sounded really nasally and really missed a lot of notes. And he looks pretty awkward on the stage. It pains me to say that, because I was really holding out hope that Lee would be better than some of his competitors. But tonight it just wasn’t there. The judges were way too easy on Lee this time. I was a little surprised by that, honestly. They must be holding on to the same hope that I am.
Let's see if the girls bring a little more tomorrow. I hope so because May is a loooooooong way off!
2 Bonus Points for commenting on the blog and explaining which conestant you thought was the most improved from last week. Be sure to list who it is and what made them better.
****I would like to point out that when I called "My Girl" a nauseatingly cheesy love song from the 60's, I was in a disgruntled state, having watched 8 crappy performances up to that point. I would like to clarify that while Aaron Kelly's rendition of "My Girl" was, in fact, nauseatingly cheesy, I adore the song itself when sung by The Temptations. My Girl is a very sweet and classic love song, and I don't think it's fair for it to be butchered on American Idol by a 16 year old who makes it hokey.....just so you know.
The guys took the stage tonight and left me wondering if American Idol has already found all of the talented singers in our fine country. The singers this year just aren't as good as in seasons past. Have you ever watched the American Idol Rewind shows? They showcase the past seasons of the show, and if you go to back and watch the first couple of seasons, the singers just weren't as good as what the show has typically showcased in the more recent seasons. The singers for season 9 remind me more of those contestants from early on in the show's tenure. And that would be fine if American Idol was still the same as it was back then. But the contest has evolved to the point where singers are now expected to know how to play instruments and create their own arrangements of songs. In the words of one of the singers tonight, what's goin' on?
Mike Lynche – This is a Man’s World – A huge improvement over last week. This is the best his voice has sounded so far. And I think he brought some performance through to make him more like that headliner that Simon instructed him to be. The performance dropped off a little towards the end and definitely did not finish as strongly as it started out. But I think Huge Mike’s performance was pretty good.
John Park – Gravity – Oh Boy. John seems to lack a little in the personality department. I hope he gets better at interviews because he’s boring! He looks terrified! His voice sounds much better this week. Well, kind of. He’s still hitting some bum notes. I think he lacks some emotional connection when he sings. Something’s missing.
Casey James – I Don’t Want to Be – I would like to nominate this song for the Please Never Ever Ever Ever EVER Perform This Song from the American Idol Stage….Ever! list. His voice is not as good this week. He sounds very shaky. I don’t think he should have chosen this song to showcase his vocals, because they are not as good as Gavin DeGraw's. He didn’t really do anything different with the song, either, which seems to be a going complaint from the judges’ table. I like his pretty blue guitar, though.
Alex Lambert – Everybody Knows – Another person who needs a little help in the interview department…and let’s throw in the wardrobe department as well. Hello, horrifying plaid jacket! Alex is much easier to listen to if you avoid looking at the TV screen. But, I’m sorry to say, that even with his guitar in tow, he still looks like a terrified little kitten. I like the John Legend song, and I think Alex’s performance from this week was inconceivably better than last week’s. But I feel like Alex Lambert is one of the weakest male contestants on the show.
Todrick Hall – What’s Love Got to Do with It – I still say that Todrick isn’t as good as he thinks he is. And I think he’s trying to make a name for himself by “reinventing” popular songs. The only problem is that his reinventions are torturous to listen to. I think Todrick’s performance was, by far, the weakest of the night up to this point.
Bonus Question: Ryan announced that the guys would be performing tonight for what reason?
Jermaine Sellers – What’s Goin’ On – I do not understand this guy. I wonder if he realizes how conceited he comes across on camera. I think he was trying to be more vocally restrained this time around, but his voice just sounded incredibly weak. He had too much air in his voice and hit quite a few bad notes. I will be surprised if Jermaine does NOT go home on Thursday. That’s not what I would have expected from his original audition of Joan Osborne’s “One of Us.” Too bad.
Andrew Garcia – You Give Me Something – The song seemed a little rushed to me for some reason. I love listening to Andrew’s voice, and I’m still convinced that he is head and shoulders above the rest of the men in this competition. I almost thought this performance was a little lackluster, though. It was just a little boring for me.
Aaron Kelly – My Girl – In my opinion, this was a subpar performance. Aaron’s falsetto was shaky and he tried way too hard with all of those runs in the verses. And My Girl is a song that a contestant should sing only if he has to pick a song from a specific theme, such as "Nauseatingly Cheesy Love Songs from the 60's Week****." But when you can select any Billboard hit, you have to make a better choice than that. I wonder if Aaron would have had a better chance if he had gotten a career as Disney’s next teen sensation, rather than trying to fill up the huge American Idol platform with his tiny little voice. I was not impressed. At all.
Tim Urban – Come on Get Higher – I prefer him singing without the big band behind him. The scaled back arrangement suits him, but it worries me for when things like Disco Week come along. I see Tim as more of a coffeehouse venue type of performer, and maybe less of an American Idol type. I think he held his own with this performance, though. Except for that last note. Simon's comments may have saved him this week.
Lee Dewyze – Lips of an Angel – I’m not sure about this choice for him. He sounded really nasally and really missed a lot of notes. And he looks pretty awkward on the stage. It pains me to say that, because I was really holding out hope that Lee would be better than some of his competitors. But tonight it just wasn’t there. The judges were way too easy on Lee this time. I was a little surprised by that, honestly. They must be holding on to the same hope that I am.
Let's see if the girls bring a little more tomorrow. I hope so because May is a loooooooong way off!
2 Bonus Points for commenting on the blog and explaining which conestant you thought was the most improved from last week. Be sure to list who it is and what made them better.
****I would like to point out that when I called "My Girl" a nauseatingly cheesy love song from the 60's, I was in a disgruntled state, having watched 8 crappy performances up to that point. I would like to clarify that while Aaron Kelly's rendition of "My Girl" was, in fact, nauseatingly cheesy, I adore the song itself when sung by The Temptations. My Girl is a very sweet and classic love song, and I don't think it's fair for it to be butchered on American Idol by a 16 year old who makes it hokey.....just so you know.
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