This week was a solid one in terms of performances, and I think overall the guys finished on top. Their performances were much stronger than the two ladies left in the competition. Although I usually love Crystal Bowersox, this week's performance was, in a word, just "okay". Siobhan once again did not impress me with her off key screaming at the end of the performance.
My Top 5
1. Lee DeWyze-- He sang "You're Still the One".
Loved it because: like Ellen said it always sounds like his version and someone elses, like Kara said his voice made it sound relevant, and like Simon said, out of any song in Shania's catalog he chose the perfect one.
2. Michael Lynche (Big Mike)-- He sang "It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing".
Loved it because: Mike is in his element when he sings an R&B ballad and injects it with emotion, like Kara said he always connects with the song, and like Randy said Mike sings like Luther (what a comparison!).
3. Casey James-- He sang "Don't".
Loved it because: honestly, it was one of the best Casey performances ever, like Ellen said he found a genre where he truly belongs, and like Simon said he responded well to last week's wake up call.
4 Aaron Kelly-- He sang "You Got a Way".
Loved it because: like Ellen said he showed so much emotion, maturity, and depth; like Kara said he changed lyrics that otherwise would have been a bit inappropriate for him to sing, and like Simon said it was the first time in weeks that he showed real sincerity.
5. Crystal Bowersox-- She sang "No One Needs to Know".
First off, who can have a top five without Crystal?
Loved it because: she's always good no matter what.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Top Seven Sing Songs of Inspiration for Idol Gives Back Week
The top seven were inspiring this week from beginning to end; there were some bumps along the way but overall this was an enjoyable show. Alicia Keys was appropriately this week's mentor and gave sound advice to the remaining contestants. A couple of contestants really impressed, namely Crystal Bowersox and Lee Dewyze, and surprise of the night, Tim Urban.
01 Casey James sang "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" made famous by Fleetwood Mac-- Randy said it was good, not great, and asked that Casey give him something a little bit different; Ellen agreed with Randy. Kara said his performance didn't show what makes him different; I disagree, I think it showed exactly what makes him different. Simon said there was no originality and it was a lazy song choice.
Score: 4
02 Lee Dewyze sang "The Boxer" made famous by Simon and Garfunkel-- Alicia told Lee not to lose sight of what the song is really about. Randy called Lee a great artist ready to make a record; Ellen complimented his choice of song and said he showed great depth. Kara said that he had "a moment" with that performance and to keep choosing songs he is connected to like that. Simon called it emotional and inspirational, absolutely brilliant.
Score: 5
03 Tim Urban sang "Better Days" made famous by the Goo Goo Dolls-- Randy said okay, good karaoke; Ellen called Tim a soup of the day, sometimes she likes him and sometimes she doesn't. Kara said it was not his best, and Simon admitted he has improved over the past few weeks but this week was a little bit of a letdown. I disagree with the judges, I thought Tim was great, one of the best he has ever been, and I don't understand why the judges have been so difficult with him.
Score: 4.9
04 Aaron Kelly sang "I Believe I Can Fly" made famous by R. Kelly-- Randy said good job with a giant song, and you have great vocal talent. Kara said by the end it was awesome. Simon said, you gave it your all but I would have turned it off within seconds; it wasn't good, but you made it good.
Score: 4
05 Siobhan Magnus sang "When You Believe" made famous by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston-- Alicia said she was impressed with Siobhan's voice. Randy thought it was okay; Ellen loved it and thought it confirmed why Siobhan is here. Kara thought it started to sound like a musical. Simon found the whole thing to be all over the place and wrong. I just did not like the arrangement at all; important part of the song were left out.
Score: 4
06 Michael Lynche sang "Hero" made famous by Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott-- This song is a personal favorite of mine, and I didn't feel Mike poured his heart into the performance the way he did last week. Randy said it worked out; Ellen, pressed for time, said great job. Kara said it became unrecognizable, and Simon said he sang it well, but somehow it sounded artificial.
Score: 4
07 Crystal Bowersox sang "People Get Ready" made famous by the Impressions-- Alicia said Crystal is special and told her to go for it. Randy said I have been a fan since day one and that was unbelievable and I have to stand up for you. Ellen said she has never looked more beautiful; Kara said the reason you're called "mama sox" is because you just schooled all those other contestants. Simon said he was happy to see Crystal emotional and thought her performance was in a different class.
Score: 5
01 Casey James sang "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" made famous by Fleetwood Mac-- Randy said it was good, not great, and asked that Casey give him something a little bit different; Ellen agreed with Randy. Kara said his performance didn't show what makes him different; I disagree, I think it showed exactly what makes him different. Simon said there was no originality and it was a lazy song choice.
Score: 4
02 Lee Dewyze sang "The Boxer" made famous by Simon and Garfunkel-- Alicia told Lee not to lose sight of what the song is really about. Randy called Lee a great artist ready to make a record; Ellen complimented his choice of song and said he showed great depth. Kara said that he had "a moment" with that performance and to keep choosing songs he is connected to like that. Simon called it emotional and inspirational, absolutely brilliant.
Score: 5
03 Tim Urban sang "Better Days" made famous by the Goo Goo Dolls-- Randy said okay, good karaoke; Ellen called Tim a soup of the day, sometimes she likes him and sometimes she doesn't. Kara said it was not his best, and Simon admitted he has improved over the past few weeks but this week was a little bit of a letdown. I disagree with the judges, I thought Tim was great, one of the best he has ever been, and I don't understand why the judges have been so difficult with him.
Score: 4.9
04 Aaron Kelly sang "I Believe I Can Fly" made famous by R. Kelly-- Randy said good job with a giant song, and you have great vocal talent. Kara said by the end it was awesome. Simon said, you gave it your all but I would have turned it off within seconds; it wasn't good, but you made it good.
Score: 4
05 Siobhan Magnus sang "When You Believe" made famous by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston-- Alicia said she was impressed with Siobhan's voice. Randy thought it was okay; Ellen loved it and thought it confirmed why Siobhan is here. Kara thought it started to sound like a musical. Simon found the whole thing to be all over the place and wrong. I just did not like the arrangement at all; important part of the song were left out.
Score: 4
06 Michael Lynche sang "Hero" made famous by Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott-- This song is a personal favorite of mine, and I didn't feel Mike poured his heart into the performance the way he did last week. Randy said it worked out; Ellen, pressed for time, said great job. Kara said it became unrecognizable, and Simon said he sang it well, but somehow it sounded artificial.
Score: 4
07 Crystal Bowersox sang "People Get Ready" made famous by the Impressions-- Alicia said Crystal is special and told her to go for it. Randy said I have been a fan since day one and that was unbelievable and I have to stand up for you. Ellen said she has never looked more beautiful; Kara said the reason you're called "mama sox" is because you just schooled all those other contestants. Simon said he was happy to see Crystal emotional and thought her performance was in a different class.
Score: 5
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Top 9 (Again!) Take on The King for Elvis Night on American Idol Season 9
The thing that most surprised me about Elvis night was mentor Adam Lambert's great advice; he was very specific about what each contestant had to work on. To me, this season has turned into the guys competition there are twice as many guys left now as there are girls. Crystal is still a front-runner in this competition, Katie has really brought her vocals and performance level up in the past couple of weeks, but Siobhan, in my opinion, is too unpredictable and erratic at this point of the competition.
01 Crystal Bowersox sang "Saved"-- Adam acknowledged immediately that Crystal has a great voice. She went with Adam's suggestion of taking a risk and using an electric guitar. Randy said he thought he was listening to someones record. Simon liked that she chose a song that suited her, and that she didn't fall into the karaoke trap that he believes so many other contestants will. No question, Crystal is here for the long haul.
Score: 5
02 Andrew Garcia sang "Hound Dog"-- Randy didn't like it, and called it bad karaoke. Ellen liked how he changed the song. Simon said it was like all Andrew's coolness got sucked out of him, and he just didn't get it. I think Andrew is in real trouble this week, if he doesn't get voted off, he will at least be in the bottom 3.
Score: 3
03 Tim Urban sang "I Can't Help Falling in Love"-- Adam liked the unique sound of Tim's voice. Randy said he really liked it. Ellen said, "I can't help falling in love with you Tim. That was beautiful." Kara said it was her fave Tim performance; it was authentic, current, very singer/ songwriter, and he didn't have to do a lot of moving around on the stage. Simon said Tim managed to go from zero to hero in two weeks, and he's proud of the way he has taken criticism. I thought Tim was awesome in this performance, I loved the changes he made to the song.
Score: 5
04 Lee Dewyze sang "A Little Less Conversation"-- Adam told Lee to make sure he engages the audience when he performs, and obviously Lee listened because I think he gave possibly his best performance ever. Randy called it another great, in the zone performance. Ellen liked his confidence. Kara said his vocals were fire, and that she has never seen him go for it that much on the vocal, but she wished it were more playful. Simon said, "it was on the money, full stop."
Score: 5
05 Aaron Kelly sang "Blue Suede Shoes"-- Adam told Aaron to believe in himself and commit to it more. Randy and Ellen both agreed that the second half was better than the first half. Kara liked that he was out of his comfort zone and it made him sound younger. Simon disagreed, and thought it was too old fashioned. I was very much split of this performance, there were some things I did like and some things I didn't.
Score: 4
06 Siobhan Magnus sang "Suspicious Minds"-- Adam admires that Siobhan likes to be different. Ellen liked the second half of her performance better than the first half because she used her big voice. Kara didn't love it, and Simon called it erratic and screechy. I was not engaged during this performance at all, it bored me a bit.
Score: 3
07 Michael Lynche sang "In the Ghetto"-- Randy called it a little sleepy but the vocals were hot. Simon said terrific choice of song and the vocals were great. Ellen commented that she was happy that they saved him last week; I agree.
Score: 4.9
08 Katie Stevens sang "Baby What Do You Want Me To Do"-- Adam said she has the pipes, and the looks; she just has to sell it, and she pretty much did. Randy, Ellen, and Kara all quickly agreed that she did great. Simon said he didn't like the song, and found it a bit annoying. Sorry Simon, I don't agree with you on this.
Score: 4.75
09 Casey James sang "Lawdy Miss Clawdy"-- Randy found the performance to be in the zone. Kara said it fell short of what she has thought to be brilliance in the past. Simon said the song was too obscure, and that it was a wasted opportunity during Elvis week, but his vocals were great.
Score: 4.8
01 Crystal Bowersox sang "Saved"-- Adam acknowledged immediately that Crystal has a great voice. She went with Adam's suggestion of taking a risk and using an electric guitar. Randy said he thought he was listening to someones record. Simon liked that she chose a song that suited her, and that she didn't fall into the karaoke trap that he believes so many other contestants will. No question, Crystal is here for the long haul.
Score: 5
02 Andrew Garcia sang "Hound Dog"-- Randy didn't like it, and called it bad karaoke. Ellen liked how he changed the song. Simon said it was like all Andrew's coolness got sucked out of him, and he just didn't get it. I think Andrew is in real trouble this week, if he doesn't get voted off, he will at least be in the bottom 3.
Score: 3
03 Tim Urban sang "I Can't Help Falling in Love"-- Adam liked the unique sound of Tim's voice. Randy said he really liked it. Ellen said, "I can't help falling in love with you Tim. That was beautiful." Kara said it was her fave Tim performance; it was authentic, current, very singer/ songwriter, and he didn't have to do a lot of moving around on the stage. Simon said Tim managed to go from zero to hero in two weeks, and he's proud of the way he has taken criticism. I thought Tim was awesome in this performance, I loved the changes he made to the song.
Score: 5
04 Lee Dewyze sang "A Little Less Conversation"-- Adam told Lee to make sure he engages the audience when he performs, and obviously Lee listened because I think he gave possibly his best performance ever. Randy called it another great, in the zone performance. Ellen liked his confidence. Kara said his vocals were fire, and that she has never seen him go for it that much on the vocal, but she wished it were more playful. Simon said, "it was on the money, full stop."
Score: 5
05 Aaron Kelly sang "Blue Suede Shoes"-- Adam told Aaron to believe in himself and commit to it more. Randy and Ellen both agreed that the second half was better than the first half. Kara liked that he was out of his comfort zone and it made him sound younger. Simon disagreed, and thought it was too old fashioned. I was very much split of this performance, there were some things I did like and some things I didn't.
Score: 4
06 Siobhan Magnus sang "Suspicious Minds"-- Adam admires that Siobhan likes to be different. Ellen liked the second half of her performance better than the first half because she used her big voice. Kara didn't love it, and Simon called it erratic and screechy. I was not engaged during this performance at all, it bored me a bit.
Score: 3
07 Michael Lynche sang "In the Ghetto"-- Randy called it a little sleepy but the vocals were hot. Simon said terrific choice of song and the vocals were great. Ellen commented that she was happy that they saved him last week; I agree.
Score: 4.9
08 Katie Stevens sang "Baby What Do You Want Me To Do"-- Adam said she has the pipes, and the looks; she just has to sell it, and she pretty much did. Randy, Ellen, and Kara all quickly agreed that she did great. Simon said he didn't like the song, and found it a bit annoying. Sorry Simon, I don't agree with you on this.
Score: 4.75
09 Casey James sang "Lawdy Miss Clawdy"-- Randy found the performance to be in the zone. Kara said it fell short of what she has thought to be brilliance in the past. Simon said the song was too obscure, and that it was a wasted opportunity during Elvis week, but his vocals were great.
Score: 4.8
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
American Idol Season 9: The Top 9 Impress on Lennon & McCartney Night (for the most part)
Hey, hey, hey, I loved it! Lennon & McCartney night was an overall success. There were very few performances that were not up to a high standard. For me, best performances of the night went to Crystal Bowersox, Casey James, and Lee Dewyze with Siobhan Magnus and surprisingly, Tim Urban, not far behind. Unfortunately, the low man again for me was Andrew Garcia who failed to impress with a rather ordinary performance of "Can't Buy Me Love" which definitely could have been better than it was.
01 Aaron Kelly started the night with "The Long and Winding Road"; I heard that people thought this was going to be a bland performance but I disagree. Randy said he didn't like the arrangement, and thought he should have made it more of a Rascal Flatts' vibe. Kara said it feels like the same performance from him week to week. Simon said it was boring and old fashioned and he needs to be become young and relevant. Score: 4.5 (out of 5)
02 Katie Stevens gave a vocally strong performance of "Let it Be". Randy said her vocals were hot. Ellen said she changed it just enough, and Kara echoed a similar response saying she made the song her own and came out with unexpected confidence. Simon said Katie got it right this time, and I agree I admire how she bounced back from last week's comments. Her vocals were the best I have heard them. Score: 4.75
03 Andrew Garcia's performance of "Can't Buy Me Love" was just ok. Randy also called it just ok, but Ellen loved it and said it was the perfect song choice for him. Kara felt he could have done more with it, but liked the breakdown of the song. Simon said the band overpowered the arrangement and him. Score: 4
04 I liked Michael Lynche's interpretation of "Eleanor Rigby", but something about it lacked for me; it was not as good as some of the other contestants tonight. Randy and Ellen agreed that Mike did a great job and liked how he sang the song. Kara said it was fire and liked how the song built; she said he made it commercial and relevant. Simon said it sounded like something you hear in a musical. He said it was way too over the top. Score: 4.5
05 Crystal Bowersox immediately made an impression on me with her stirring performance of "Come Together". She chose the perfect song, and sang it in her own style. Randy called it another solid performance, but didn't think it was her best. Ellen said that she was great again and she can hear this song on her album. Kara called it one of her fave performances ever, and liked how she gave a Bonnie Raitt feel. Simon said that is a performance I could hear on the radio right now, and it was much better than last week. Score: 5
06 Tim Urban was surprisingly good singing "All My Lovin'". Randy said it was one of his best performances in a few weeks. Ellen said it was his second best performance overall, and the perfect song for him. Kara commended him, not only for a good performance, but for taking their criticism. Simon said that song was the right thing for him to do. It suited his voice, he took the criticism like a man and didn't complain. He said he didn't over sing the song and he is proud of the way Tim has handled himself. Score: 4.9
07 Casey James sang "Jealous Guy"; I felt his performance was honest and I loved his guitar playing. Randy said he was impressed with his performance and it was heartfelt. Ellen called it soulful and his best to date, and he poured himself into the song. Kara said he showed vulnerability and depth. Simon said best performance of the night, it was emotional, he put his stamp on it, and it was very impressive. Score: 5
08 Siobhan Magnus gave a sincere and controlled performance of "Across the Universe". Siobhan was touching and she took a risk by not singing a big note. Randy said no one says artist to me more than you. Ellen said she is so special and so talented, and she liked it. Kara said she showed great control but didn't sing a high note (this comment made no sense to me). Simon said she came back stronger than ever, much better than last week. Score: 4.9
09 Lee Dewyze gave a stirring rendition of "Hey Jude"; I absolutely loved Lee's vocals in this. Randy said you don't have to be nervous because this was another hot one. Ellen liked how he was smiling and was more confident. Kara said I am still a fan (why still?); I didn't get this comment. Simon said he liked it til the piper came on; I think that is immaterial because everything else Lee did was so great. Score: 5
01 Aaron Kelly started the night with "The Long and Winding Road"; I heard that people thought this was going to be a bland performance but I disagree. Randy said he didn't like the arrangement, and thought he should have made it more of a Rascal Flatts' vibe. Kara said it feels like the same performance from him week to week. Simon said it was boring and old fashioned and he needs to be become young and relevant. Score: 4.5 (out of 5)
02 Katie Stevens gave a vocally strong performance of "Let it Be". Randy said her vocals were hot. Ellen said she changed it just enough, and Kara echoed a similar response saying she made the song her own and came out with unexpected confidence. Simon said Katie got it right this time, and I agree I admire how she bounced back from last week's comments. Her vocals were the best I have heard them. Score: 4.75
03 Andrew Garcia's performance of "Can't Buy Me Love" was just ok. Randy also called it just ok, but Ellen loved it and said it was the perfect song choice for him. Kara felt he could have done more with it, but liked the breakdown of the song. Simon said the band overpowered the arrangement and him. Score: 4
04 I liked Michael Lynche's interpretation of "Eleanor Rigby", but something about it lacked for me; it was not as good as some of the other contestants tonight. Randy and Ellen agreed that Mike did a great job and liked how he sang the song. Kara said it was fire and liked how the song built; she said he made it commercial and relevant. Simon said it sounded like something you hear in a musical. He said it was way too over the top. Score: 4.5
05 Crystal Bowersox immediately made an impression on me with her stirring performance of "Come Together". She chose the perfect song, and sang it in her own style. Randy called it another solid performance, but didn't think it was her best. Ellen said that she was great again and she can hear this song on her album. Kara called it one of her fave performances ever, and liked how she gave a Bonnie Raitt feel. Simon said that is a performance I could hear on the radio right now, and it was much better than last week. Score: 5
06 Tim Urban was surprisingly good singing "All My Lovin'". Randy said it was one of his best performances in a few weeks. Ellen said it was his second best performance overall, and the perfect song for him. Kara commended him, not only for a good performance, but for taking their criticism. Simon said that song was the right thing for him to do. It suited his voice, he took the criticism like a man and didn't complain. He said he didn't over sing the song and he is proud of the way Tim has handled himself. Score: 4.9
07 Casey James sang "Jealous Guy"; I felt his performance was honest and I loved his guitar playing. Randy said he was impressed with his performance and it was heartfelt. Ellen called it soulful and his best to date, and he poured himself into the song. Kara said he showed vulnerability and depth. Simon said best performance of the night, it was emotional, he put his stamp on it, and it was very impressive. Score: 5
08 Siobhan Magnus gave a sincere and controlled performance of "Across the Universe". Siobhan was touching and she took a risk by not singing a big note. Randy said no one says artist to me more than you. Ellen said she is so special and so talented, and she liked it. Kara said she showed great control but didn't sing a high note (this comment made no sense to me). Simon said she came back stronger than ever, much better than last week. Score: 4.9
09 Lee Dewyze gave a stirring rendition of "Hey Jude"; I absolutely loved Lee's vocals in this. Randy said you don't have to be nervous because this was another hot one. Ellen liked how he was smiling and was more confident. Kara said I am still a fan (why still?); I didn't get this comment. Simon said he liked it til the piper came on; I think that is immaterial because everything else Lee did was so great. Score: 5
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
American Idol: The Top 10 Tackle R&B With Usher's Advice
I was impressed with Usher as this week's mentor; his advice was specific to the contestant and to the song that person was singing. The issue is that some contestant's took his advice and others did not, and in every case his advice was correct.
Siobhan started the show off with "Through the Fire" by Chaka Kahn, and she appeared to be quite nervous meeting Usher. Randy said it was not her best by any means. Simon said it was so all over the place, it sounded like she was running a marathon, singing, and running out of breath. Simon also did not like the fact that she screamed at the end of the song. I agree, overall, I felt like this had the potential of being an amazing performance and instead it was just ok. Score (in my opinion): 3.9 (out of 5)
Casey found an r&b song that perfectly suited his bluesy style, "Hold On, I'm Coming" by Sam & Dave. Randy said it was another hot night for Casey. Kara said she feels he has more range than he displayed in that song and she hopes that he is able to show it. Simon told Casey that it was his strongest performance thus far. Score: 5
Big Mike displayed sensitivity singing "Ready for Love" by India.Arie, another song by a female singer/ songwriter, but it needed more. Randy loved his sensitivity and said he is in the zone and Randy is loving all his performances. Ellen said it was beautiful and she loved it. Kara said he did an incredible job with the song and it was one of her fave Mike performances. Simon said he can finally take him seriously and he believed the performance. Usher loved it and said he connected with the audience.
Score: 4.5
Didi's rendition of "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" by Jimmy Ruffin left me feeling like I was at a Broadway show; I was overcome with the theatrics of the entire performance, including the shouting. Randy found it flat from start to finish. Ellen thought it was too dramatic. Kara called it overdone, and said Didi has lost her way. Simon agreed and added it was like swimming in jelly, off melody and all. I think she is in trouble tonight. Score: 2.9
Tim didn't do much better with an almost mumbled version of "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker. Usher gave Tim amazing advice, he told him to picture the woman he loves standing in front of him while singing the song. Randy said it was too flat, and he didn't add enough to the song to make it special. Ellen said he shouldn't have chosen that song because it was too tough for him. Kara called it Vegas and Broadway and said he took the soul out of the song. Simon said that what he says doesn't matter because he will be voted to stay. I am annoyed because I think Tim is capable of this, and I tire of him choosing silly songs.
Score: 3
Andrew's acoustic take on "Forever" by Chris Brown put him back in the mix this week for the first time since Hollywood week! Randy said Andrew is back, best performance in a long time. Kara said it was a great leap in the right direction. Simon told him it was miles better than so many of his other performances but encouraged him to show his personality because that is what is selling at this point of the competition. Score: 4.75
Katie sang the Aretha classic, "Chain of Fools" and received a real range of comments from the judges. Randy and Kara thought they were some of the best vocals of the night. Simon said it was ridiculous of Randy to compare Katie to Christina Aguilera vocally because she is miles from there and he found her performance "cold and robotic". I am leaning more towards Simon's opinion, I didn't love it as much as I should have.
Score: 3.9
Lee had a breakout night with "Treat Her Like a Lady" by the Cornelius Brothers. Usher was impressed with Lee's voice and told him to believe in himself. Randy called it unbelievable, and Ellen said it was the best performance of the night. Kara said you brought the song into your own, and it could be on your record now; amazing. Simon said he always believed in him, and that he should watch his performance back later because this may be the night that changes his life forever.
Score: 5
Crystal sang her own version of "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips; her vocals impressed the hell out of me, and I continue to be surprised by her. Randy said he loved it and it was another great performance. Ellen loved the whole idea, and Kara said she was happy she took the risk playing the piano. Simon said the backing vocals should not have been there, and told her not to change who she is.
Score: 5
Aaron closed the show with a safe performance of "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers. Unfortunately I was thinking about the Kris Allen version of this from last season, and so this was just too safe for me. Randy said it was all right and it got better as it went on. Ellen and Kara both liked it. Simon said it was not as good as some other versions he has heard on the show, but there is no chance of him being voted off. Score: 4
Siobhan started the show off with "Through the Fire" by Chaka Kahn, and she appeared to be quite nervous meeting Usher. Randy said it was not her best by any means. Simon said it was so all over the place, it sounded like she was running a marathon, singing, and running out of breath. Simon also did not like the fact that she screamed at the end of the song. I agree, overall, I felt like this had the potential of being an amazing performance and instead it was just ok. Score (in my opinion): 3.9 (out of 5)
Casey found an r&b song that perfectly suited his bluesy style, "Hold On, I'm Coming" by Sam & Dave. Randy said it was another hot night for Casey. Kara said she feels he has more range than he displayed in that song and she hopes that he is able to show it. Simon told Casey that it was his strongest performance thus far. Score: 5
Big Mike displayed sensitivity singing "Ready for Love" by India.Arie, another song by a female singer/ songwriter, but it needed more. Randy loved his sensitivity and said he is in the zone and Randy is loving all his performances. Ellen said it was beautiful and she loved it. Kara said he did an incredible job with the song and it was one of her fave Mike performances. Simon said he can finally take him seriously and he believed the performance. Usher loved it and said he connected with the audience.
Score: 4.5
Didi's rendition of "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" by Jimmy Ruffin left me feeling like I was at a Broadway show; I was overcome with the theatrics of the entire performance, including the shouting. Randy found it flat from start to finish. Ellen thought it was too dramatic. Kara called it overdone, and said Didi has lost her way. Simon agreed and added it was like swimming in jelly, off melody and all. I think she is in trouble tonight. Score: 2.9
Tim didn't do much better with an almost mumbled version of "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker. Usher gave Tim amazing advice, he told him to picture the woman he loves standing in front of him while singing the song. Randy said it was too flat, and he didn't add enough to the song to make it special. Ellen said he shouldn't have chosen that song because it was too tough for him. Kara called it Vegas and Broadway and said he took the soul out of the song. Simon said that what he says doesn't matter because he will be voted to stay. I am annoyed because I think Tim is capable of this, and I tire of him choosing silly songs.
Score: 3
Andrew's acoustic take on "Forever" by Chris Brown put him back in the mix this week for the first time since Hollywood week! Randy said Andrew is back, best performance in a long time. Kara said it was a great leap in the right direction. Simon told him it was miles better than so many of his other performances but encouraged him to show his personality because that is what is selling at this point of the competition. Score: 4.75
Katie sang the Aretha classic, "Chain of Fools" and received a real range of comments from the judges. Randy and Kara thought they were some of the best vocals of the night. Simon said it was ridiculous of Randy to compare Katie to Christina Aguilera vocally because she is miles from there and he found her performance "cold and robotic". I am leaning more towards Simon's opinion, I didn't love it as much as I should have.
Score: 3.9
Lee had a breakout night with "Treat Her Like a Lady" by the Cornelius Brothers. Usher was impressed with Lee's voice and told him to believe in himself. Randy called it unbelievable, and Ellen said it was the best performance of the night. Kara said you brought the song into your own, and it could be on your record now; amazing. Simon said he always believed in him, and that he should watch his performance back later because this may be the night that changes his life forever.
Score: 5
Crystal sang her own version of "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips; her vocals impressed the hell out of me, and I continue to be surprised by her. Randy said he loved it and it was another great performance. Ellen loved the whole idea, and Kara said she was happy she took the risk playing the piano. Simon said the backing vocals should not have been there, and told her not to change who she is.
Score: 5
Aaron closed the show with a safe performance of "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers. Unfortunately I was thinking about the Kris Allen version of this from last season, and so this was just too safe for me. Randy said it was all right and it got better as it went on. Ellen and Kara both liked it. Simon said it was not as good as some other versions he has heard on the show, but there is no chance of him being voted off. Score: 4
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Top 11 American Idol Season 9, Who Goes on Tour?
Last night was quite possibly the worst batch of performances I have ever seen for a group of contestants in the finals of American Idol. The bottom three for the most part tonight was not a surprise for me; I believed that the bottom three would be Paige Miles, Didi Benami, and Andrew Garcia with Paige Miles going home. All that was important was that my end result was correct and it was.
Paige gave consistently "off" performances throughout the semis and finals and last night was possibly the worst. Her rendition of Phil Collins' "Against All Odds" was pitchy, possibly the worst vocal of season 9, and she never seemed to find her comfort zone in the song. Simon said they would not even consider using the "Judges' Save".
The other two contestants in the bottom three were Tim Urban and Katie Stevens; both had off nights but on a night were most performances were lackluster at best. Urban took on "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen and received mostly criticism from the judges, I thought the song was right but he should have done more with the tempo and the arrangement. Katie Stevens actually took the judges' advice and went with a younger more contemporary song, choosing "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie. It was a bit of a shock to me to see her in the bottom three, but then again, there was nothing special about her performance.
I agreed with Simon's take on Didi and Andrew's performances. Didi was over the top and overly dramatic with her performance of "You're No Good". Simon said there was quite an irony of you singing, you're no good over and over again. Andrew basically destroyed Marvin Gaye's "I Heard it Through the Grapevine"; Simon said he is starting to think that his performance of "Straight Up" was overrated all those weeks ago in Hollywood.
My two favorites of the night were Crystal Bowersox and Aaron Kelly. Crystal gave a soulful performance of "Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin; Randy said that she is a star and Simon said he would not have changed anything about the performance. Aaron sang the ballad "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing", a number one by Aerosmith; Kara praised his consistency and Randy said he is a fan.
Lee's performance of "The Letter" was impressive and I can see that he improves every week. Randy said he knocked it out of the box and Ellen compared him to her favorite pen. Kara said he raised the bar for himself and has never sounded better.
Michael and Casey were both acceptable but should definitely try to improve next week. Michael sang "When a Man Loves a Woman" to split reviews of the judges. Casey's choice of "Power of Love" by Huey Lewis was an odd song choice which earned him split reviews as well.
Siobhan, unfortunately, sounded like she was screaming throughout her rendition of "Superstition", made famous by the legendary Stevie Wonder. Simon said that she needs to stop screaming at the end of every performance.
Paige gave consistently "off" performances throughout the semis and finals and last night was possibly the worst. Her rendition of Phil Collins' "Against All Odds" was pitchy, possibly the worst vocal of season 9, and she never seemed to find her comfort zone in the song. Simon said they would not even consider using the "Judges' Save".
The other two contestants in the bottom three were Tim Urban and Katie Stevens; both had off nights but on a night were most performances were lackluster at best. Urban took on "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen and received mostly criticism from the judges, I thought the song was right but he should have done more with the tempo and the arrangement. Katie Stevens actually took the judges' advice and went with a younger more contemporary song, choosing "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie. It was a bit of a shock to me to see her in the bottom three, but then again, there was nothing special about her performance.
I agreed with Simon's take on Didi and Andrew's performances. Didi was over the top and overly dramatic with her performance of "You're No Good". Simon said there was quite an irony of you singing, you're no good over and over again. Andrew basically destroyed Marvin Gaye's "I Heard it Through the Grapevine"; Simon said he is starting to think that his performance of "Straight Up" was overrated all those weeks ago in Hollywood.
My two favorites of the night were Crystal Bowersox and Aaron Kelly. Crystal gave a soulful performance of "Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin; Randy said that she is a star and Simon said he would not have changed anything about the performance. Aaron sang the ballad "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing", a number one by Aerosmith; Kara praised his consistency and Randy said he is a fan.
Lee's performance of "The Letter" was impressive and I can see that he improves every week. Randy said he knocked it out of the box and Ellen compared him to her favorite pen. Kara said he raised the bar for himself and has never sounded better.
Michael and Casey were both acceptable but should definitely try to improve next week. Michael sang "When a Man Loves a Woman" to split reviews of the judges. Casey's choice of "Power of Love" by Huey Lewis was an odd song choice which earned him split reviews as well.
Siobhan, unfortunately, sounded like she was screaming throughout her rendition of "Superstition", made famous by the legendary Stevie Wonder. Simon said that she needs to stop screaming at the end of every performance.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
American Idol Season 9: The Top 8 Guys
Wow! The guys completely surprised me tonight. I really don't care what the judges say because tonight the guys proved that they are the stronger of the two groups, and I think ultimately a guy has a great chance of winning the whole thing this year. Their song selections were better, their voices were stronger, and five out of eight of them played guitar of some sort. Unfortunately a favorite may go home, while someone who should have gone home a long time ago probably will this week.
The show kicked off with Lee Dewyze putting his own spin on the Owl City song "Fireflies"; I actually liked Lee's version better than the original. Randy liked how he made it his own. Kara, like myself, thought it was better than the original. Simon thought Lee was better than the version of the song that he did. Score: 4.6 (out of 5)
Alex Lambert took on Ray LaMontagne's "Trouble"; Randy criticized him and thought it was too fast. Ellen said Alex, unlike most people, consistently gets better, and she loves his vulnerability. Kara thinks the only thing in the way of Alex winning is him and his struggles with confidence. Simon emphasized that once again he needs to learn how to be comfortable. Score: 4.5
Tim Urban sang the famous Jeff Buckley version of "Hallelujah", and for me, it was one of the best performances of the night. Randy said he walked in some big shoes (those of the contestants who performed it before him) and he did a pretty good job. Ellen hugged him and said it was fantastic; she felt bad about being so hard on him in the weeks past. Kara loved the honesty of his interpretation. Simon said terrific, by far his best performance thus far. Score: 5
Andrew Garcia's interpretation of Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle" left me a little disappointed. Randy said it was pitchy and there wasn't enough range in the song. Ellen liked the end, and commented about how much the viewers love him. Kara said he peaked early and now he has been chasing that performance ever since. Simon agreed with Kara and feels like Andrew is going backwards. I think he chose the wrong Christina song, he should have gone with "Beautiful" or "All I Want is You (Come on Over)". Score: 3.5
I enjoyed the sincerity of Casey James singing "You'll Think of Me" by Keith Urban. Randy felt it was too safe a choice for him, which I disagree with because he sounded good. Ellen thought it was great and positively commented on his comfort level. Kara said she liked it better than last week and said he was singing from his heart; she said what was missing was that spark that he has. Simon praised the sincerity of his performance ans said he sounded great. Score: 4.9
As the youngest contestant left in the competition, Aaron Kelly showed that age doesn't mean you are better. His performance of "I'm Already There" by Lonestar showcased his emotion when singing. Randy thought he sounded good but told him to work on the lower register of his voice. Ellen liked the song but thought the song was too big for him. Kara thought the song was irrelevant for him, saying it is about a man calling his kids. Simon called Kara out and said her statement was complete and utter rubbish, and that she is taking it too literally. He said it was a good vocal, the type of song he should be singing, and he could tell that Aaron was really trying. He also commented that the judges tell the contestants one thing one week, and something different the next and it is driving the contestants crazy unnecessarily. Score: 4.9
Todrick Hall's over the top version of "Somebody to Love" by Queen sounded so pitchy to me; I really think his voice cracked within the first few seconds of the performance. For some reason though, all the judges loved it saying that it was good singing. Simon said he proved that he is a Broadway singer, and that what he did may have saved him. Score: 3
Michael Lynche closed the show with "This Woman's Work" by Maxwell which is honestly one of the most difficult songs to sing by a very stylized artist. Randy said, "Really?"; it was dope and hot. Ellen said it was beautiful. A crying Kara said the song was absolutely relevant for him and that it showed his respect for women by the way he sang it. Simon said it was an incredibly difficult song to sing and he nailed it, best performance of the live shows so far. Score: 5
The show kicked off with Lee Dewyze putting his own spin on the Owl City song "Fireflies"; I actually liked Lee's version better than the original. Randy liked how he made it his own. Kara, like myself, thought it was better than the original. Simon thought Lee was better than the version of the song that he did. Score: 4.6 (out of 5)
Alex Lambert took on Ray LaMontagne's "Trouble"; Randy criticized him and thought it was too fast. Ellen said Alex, unlike most people, consistently gets better, and she loves his vulnerability. Kara thinks the only thing in the way of Alex winning is him and his struggles with confidence. Simon emphasized that once again he needs to learn how to be comfortable. Score: 4.5
Tim Urban sang the famous Jeff Buckley version of "Hallelujah", and for me, it was one of the best performances of the night. Randy said he walked in some big shoes (those of the contestants who performed it before him) and he did a pretty good job. Ellen hugged him and said it was fantastic; she felt bad about being so hard on him in the weeks past. Kara loved the honesty of his interpretation. Simon said terrific, by far his best performance thus far. Score: 5
Andrew Garcia's interpretation of Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle" left me a little disappointed. Randy said it was pitchy and there wasn't enough range in the song. Ellen liked the end, and commented about how much the viewers love him. Kara said he peaked early and now he has been chasing that performance ever since. Simon agreed with Kara and feels like Andrew is going backwards. I think he chose the wrong Christina song, he should have gone with "Beautiful" or "All I Want is You (Come on Over)". Score: 3.5
I enjoyed the sincerity of Casey James singing "You'll Think of Me" by Keith Urban. Randy felt it was too safe a choice for him, which I disagree with because he sounded good. Ellen thought it was great and positively commented on his comfort level. Kara said she liked it better than last week and said he was singing from his heart; she said what was missing was that spark that he has. Simon praised the sincerity of his performance ans said he sounded great. Score: 4.9
As the youngest contestant left in the competition, Aaron Kelly showed that age doesn't mean you are better. His performance of "I'm Already There" by Lonestar showcased his emotion when singing. Randy thought he sounded good but told him to work on the lower register of his voice. Ellen liked the song but thought the song was too big for him. Kara thought the song was irrelevant for him, saying it is about a man calling his kids. Simon called Kara out and said her statement was complete and utter rubbish, and that she is taking it too literally. He said it was a good vocal, the type of song he should be singing, and he could tell that Aaron was really trying. He also commented that the judges tell the contestants one thing one week, and something different the next and it is driving the contestants crazy unnecessarily. Score: 4.9
Todrick Hall's over the top version of "Somebody to Love" by Queen sounded so pitchy to me; I really think his voice cracked within the first few seconds of the performance. For some reason though, all the judges loved it saying that it was good singing. Simon said he proved that he is a Broadway singer, and that what he did may have saved him. Score: 3
Michael Lynche closed the show with "This Woman's Work" by Maxwell which is honestly one of the most difficult songs to sing by a very stylized artist. Randy said, "Really?"; it was dope and hot. Ellen said it was beautiful. A crying Kara said the song was absolutely relevant for him and that it showed his respect for women by the way he sang it. Simon said it was an incredibly difficult song to sing and he nailed it, best performance of the live shows so far. Score: 5
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