Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Idol Rant 5.21.08
The finale is here and the fix is still on. The night started with the super corny "boxing match" nonsense that took up 10 minutes of singing time. Stop the freaking insanity! Based on the comments from the judges, it appeared as though they are hoping, hoping, hoping that Upchuck is the next Idol (don't know why, if they want to make money from album sales). However, my dad had a theory that David, who has been at the top of the Dial Idol list for the past 6 weeks, is so far ahead of Upchuck that they were trying to even out the competition and make the votes closer. Boy, do I hope they failed at that. And one last rant for the season.... If I EVER hear Randy tell someone that they can sing the phone book again, I will lose it. Guess what Randy, if Upchuck sang the phone book then I would have to run screaming in the other direction if I could manage to do that before Upchuck's lip licking gasp puts me into a trance from which I would never recover.
Round 1
For Round 1, Clive Davis, the former musical genius picked the songs that the Idols would perform. Obviously he has lost touch and needs to retire his addled brain to Shady Acres. He chose "Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me" for Upchuck and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" for David. Huh? What? He has picked that particular Elton song numerous times before (and for better singers). I know Upchuck would be tired of the references but Clay did a much better job (and he never had an issue with remembering words, gasping for breath, or hitting a wrong note). Now let's move on to Good David. Of all the U2 songs, that is what the geezer comes up with? If you wanted him to sing U2, then you should have picked "With or Without You" or "Beautiful Day", either of which would have suited him much better then what he was forced to sing. Given that you can't do a lot with the song, I thought he sang well. It was a little boring but then so is that song.
Round 2
The sugary sweet "Idol Song" round. I did think that it was a great idea to let them pick the song that they wanted to sing from the list of sappy ballads that were submitted to the annual contest. This gave them a chance to add a little of their own personality to the schmaltz (except, of course, Upchuck doesn't really have a personality). Let's face it. If you listened to the words, neither of the songs were any good. However, working with what they had.... David tried to be true to himself and rock it out while Upchuck sounded just like he did on the first and last song. Exactly.
Round 3
The Idols got to pick whatever they wanted to sing for their last song of the night. David chose "World I Know" by Collective Soul and Upchuck chose "Imagine" again. This was the ultimate David Cook Song. This is the kind of material that he will be releasing shortly whether he wins or not and he did an awesome job with it. I was glad that he spoke up after Simon lambasted him for not singing "Billie Jean" or "Hello". That would have gone against who he has shown himself to be all season. They love to say how original and creative he is but then want him to conform at the end. Guess what, if he had stood out there and sung "Billie Jean", one of those same judges would have criticized him for not doing something new. He made the right decision. Upchuck sounded just like he did on the first and second song. It made me really, really sleepy.
Should Go
Upchuck
Will Go
Upchuck
Dial Idol Predictions
1. David Cook
2 and Going Home. Upchuckuleta Please let Dial Idol be right. Please.
Round 1
For Round 1, Clive Davis, the former musical genius picked the songs that the Idols would perform. Obviously he has lost touch and needs to retire his addled brain to Shady Acres. He chose "Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me" for Upchuck and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" for David. Huh? What? He has picked that particular Elton song numerous times before (and for better singers). I know Upchuck would be tired of the references but Clay did a much better job (and he never had an issue with remembering words, gasping for breath, or hitting a wrong note). Now let's move on to Good David. Of all the U2 songs, that is what the geezer comes up with? If you wanted him to sing U2, then you should have picked "With or Without You" or "Beautiful Day", either of which would have suited him much better then what he was forced to sing. Given that you can't do a lot with the song, I thought he sang well. It was a little boring but then so is that song.
Round 2
The sugary sweet "Idol Song" round. I did think that it was a great idea to let them pick the song that they wanted to sing from the list of sappy ballads that were submitted to the annual contest. This gave them a chance to add a little of their own personality to the schmaltz (except, of course, Upchuck doesn't really have a personality). Let's face it. If you listened to the words, neither of the songs were any good. However, working with what they had.... David tried to be true to himself and rock it out while Upchuck sounded just like he did on the first and last song. Exactly.
Round 3
The Idols got to pick whatever they wanted to sing for their last song of the night. David chose "World I Know" by Collective Soul and Upchuck chose "Imagine" again. This was the ultimate David Cook Song. This is the kind of material that he will be releasing shortly whether he wins or not and he did an awesome job with it. I was glad that he spoke up after Simon lambasted him for not singing "Billie Jean" or "Hello". That would have gone against who he has shown himself to be all season. They love to say how original and creative he is but then want him to conform at the end. Guess what, if he had stood out there and sung "Billie Jean", one of those same judges would have criticized him for not doing something new. He made the right decision. Upchuck sounded just like he did on the first and second song. It made me really, really sleepy.
Should Go
Upchuck
Will Go
Upchuck
Dial Idol Predictions
1. David Cook
2 and Going Home. Upchuckuleta Please let Dial Idol be right. Please.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Idol Rant 5.14.08
The fix is still on. The judges are determined to have a Gaspy/Cook finale and their critique of the contestants reflected that. I am not a Syesha fan but she could have outperformed them all last night (and she was better than Upchuckuleta) and still been told by the judges that this would likely be the end of the road for her. I was just surprised that they made Paula do the dirty work.
Upchuckuleta - "And So It Goes" Billy Joel; "With You" - Chris Brown; "Longer" - Dan Fogelberg
The first and last song for Gaspy sounded exactly the same. Boring. I find it interesting that they get on the other contestants about originality and the need to sound contemporary yet Upchuck only has to show up and spew the same old stuff each week to glowing reviews. I will stop beating a dead horse. You all know that I can't stand this kid. I would like to comment on the judges letting him get away with butchering the words to the Chris Brown song THAT HE PICKED. I would give him a free pass on the songs picked for him, but there is no excuse for him to flub this up. Of course, the judges were nice enough not to mention it. They wouldn't want to alter the ending they have been waiting for. It was also very creepy to hear him calling a girl his "Boo" and talking about her "hot little figure". Eeeewwww!
Syesha - "If I Ain't Got You" Alicia Keys; "Fever" - Peggy Lee; "Hit Me Up" - Gia Farrell
I would like to start by giving everyone a little Syesha education. VFTW posted a clip this week of Syesha singing "If I Ain't Got You" on the cancelled talent show The One. Go here to watch her original performance of the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS7C795bYp4. Now, if she has sung this on a televised competition before then you would think that she would have been able to nail it. That was not the case. It also rubbed me the wrong way that both Randy and Syesha acted as though they had no idea that she had performed this song before but was just an Alicia fan. Come on people, this is the internet age. There are no secrets anymore. "Fever" was okay and I will give her a pass on the Happy Feet song. I don't know why they would have picked that for her from all the songs out there.
David Cook - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" Roberta Flack???; "Dare You To Move" - Switchfoot; "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" - Aerosmith
When I heard the list of songs that were going to be sung Tuesday night, I flipped out over Simon's choice for David. Roberta Flack?!?!?! They lob softballs at the other two and ask him to sing an old, slow, Roberta Flack song? Needless to say, I was somewhat distraught. I should have know better than to doubt my boy. He would never let me down. While I do not agree with Simon that it is David's best performance of the season, I was shocked at how he was able to pull it off. That alone proved that he is definitely the most talented this season. "Dare You To Move" was good and "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" was predictably decent. In a perfect world, they would have chosen something better for him to sing but I guess they were trying to impress Diane Warren, who was in the audience. I can't wait to purchase my first David Cook album.
Should Go
Upchuck
Will Go
Syesha
Dial Idol Predictions
1. David Cook
2. Upchuckuleta
3 and Going Home. Syesha
The first and last song for Gaspy sounded exactly the same. Boring. I find it interesting that they get on the other contestants about originality and the need to sound contemporary yet Upchuck only has to show up and spew the same old stuff each week to glowing reviews. I will stop beating a dead horse. You all know that I can't stand this kid. I would like to comment on the judges letting him get away with butchering the words to the Chris Brown song THAT HE PICKED. I would give him a free pass on the songs picked for him, but there is no excuse for him to flub this up. Of course, the judges were nice enough not to mention it. They wouldn't want to alter the ending they have been waiting for. It was also very creepy to hear him calling a girl his "Boo" and talking about her "hot little figure". Eeeewwww!
Syesha - "If I Ain't Got You" Alicia Keys; "Fever" - Peggy Lee; "Hit Me Up" - Gia Farrell
I would like to start by giving everyone a little Syesha education. VFTW posted a clip this week of Syesha singing "If I Ain't Got You" on the cancelled talent show The One. Go here to watch her original performance of the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS7C795bYp4. Now, if she has sung this on a televised competition before then you would think that she would have been able to nail it. That was not the case. It also rubbed me the wrong way that both Randy and Syesha acted as though they had no idea that she had performed this song before but was just an Alicia fan. Come on people, this is the internet age. There are no secrets anymore. "Fever" was okay and I will give her a pass on the Happy Feet song. I don't know why they would have picked that for her from all the songs out there.
David Cook - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" Roberta Flack???; "Dare You To Move" - Switchfoot; "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" - Aerosmith
When I heard the list of songs that were going to be sung Tuesday night, I flipped out over Simon's choice for David. Roberta Flack?!?!?! They lob softballs at the other two and ask him to sing an old, slow, Roberta Flack song? Needless to say, I was somewhat distraught. I should have know better than to doubt my boy. He would never let me down. While I do not agree with Simon that it is David's best performance of the season, I was shocked at how he was able to pull it off. That alone proved that he is definitely the most talented this season. "Dare You To Move" was good and "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" was predictably decent. In a perfect world, they would have chosen something better for him to sing but I guess they were trying to impress Diane Warren, who was in the audience. I can't wait to purchase my first David Cook album.
Should Go
Upchuck
Will Go
Syesha
Dial Idol Predictions
1. David Cook
2. Upchuckuleta
3 and Going Home. Syesha
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Idol Rant 5.7.08
The posturing from the judges hit an all time high this week. If I were to follow the lead of the judges, I could just go ahead and write my review for next week now and just insert the song names before sending it out. Heck, why don't I just take a lesson from Paula and send out the Rant on Tuesday morning before the show has even aired. The judges already know who they want to go to the top 3 so they shouldn't have bothered to even air this episode and allow us to vote. DialIdol predicted Jason's ouster even quicker than Fox News called Obama as the winner of the NC primary (which was 30 seconds after the polls closed). There have been numerous stories in the media lately about the decrease in viewers for Idol versus previous seasons. The actions of the producers and judges have lead to this. Once Jason is kicked off this week there will only be one person left on the show that I like (and that has any real talent) and I have to hope he doesn't win so that he will be able to release a quality album that is not full of sap. I am a diehard fan and yet sometimes I wonder why I still watch. If the finale were to come down to Upchuckuleta and Syesha, then I would not watch and it would be the first finale that I have missed since I started watching during the Reuben/Clay season. I am sure that I am not the only person out there that is disappointed in how this season has gone. If the powers that be keep up this charade then they may truly find themselves in dire need of viewers next season.
The Best
David Cook - "Baba O'Reilly"
This was brilliant! I liked the way that he changed it up and made it his own. The judges go on and on about their Golden Boy, Upchuckuleta, but if he were to attempt to sing this we would all have to cut off our ears to stop the pain. Then again, maybe the torture would finally get his raspy butt kicked off the show.
Jason Castro - "I Shot The Sheriff"
I loved this! Who better to sing a song from a dreadlocked Rastafarian then a dreadlocked stoner/Rastafarian? The judges decided last week that Jason would have to go this week so that they could have Syesha in the final three. They were brutal to him for no reason and it was uncalled for. I gave Jason all of my votes this week since I felt the judges were giving him the shaft (not that it did him any good).
The Worst
Lizard Lips - "Love Me Tender" & "Stand By Me"
THE PIMPING MUST STOP!!! First he made "Stand By Me" sound like every other song that he has sung this season. I also hated the homage to Sean Kingston toward the end of the song. Ugh! Then, he took one of the most well known Elvis love songs and made it unrecognizable. Of course, the judges followed up both of his performances with a tongue bath (how appropriate considering his "licking" issues). My dislike of this kid has turned into bitter hatred. Simon Cowell - first you shove that hot mess Leona Lewis down our throats and now you are pimping 17 year old boys. What happened to you?
Syesha Mercado - "Proud Mary"
How to impersonate Tina Turner 101. She even stole the dance moves. Ugh!!!
The Rest
David Cook - "Hungry Like The Wolf"
The judges got on David for not making it his own and changing it up. Actually, Simon, you dip, he did change it up. Obviously you did not spend your adolescence listening to Duran Duran like I did. This was not my favorite David performance but it was certainly not bad and, despite what he said before his second song, this was not something that David should be ashamed of and want to forget.
Syesha Mercado - "A Change Is Gonna Come"
This was okay until the yelling at the end. I also could have lived without her crying for votes. I thought that was what she wore the low cut dress for. And did she really compare her time on Idol to the Civil Rights movement?!?
Jason Castro - "Mr. Tambourine Man"
Okay, he flubbed the words. You all know how I feel about this. Other than that, this was a consistent Jason performance. Despite all, I can't wait to purchase his music. Hopefully, he will go with an independent label like Elliott Yamin so that Nigel and Simon do not get a cut. It would serve them right. They can take their profits from the 250 cd's that Golden Boy will sell once he wins. If there are any Upchuckuleta fans out there, don't hate me for being truthful. You know that you will NOT be rushing out to purchase his first album. He may have fans on the show but those "fans" fail to show up each season and purchase the material released by the contestants that they were sooooooooo in love with (hi Blake Lewis). I put my money into my favorite contestants. I just purchased Clay's new album on my way home from work last night.
Should Go
Lizard Lips
Will Go
Jason This show is really starting to suck. ;o(
Dial Idol Predictions
1. David Cook
2. Upchuckuleta
3. Syesha
4 and Going Home: Jason :O(
The Best
David Cook - "Baba O'Reilly"
This was brilliant! I liked the way that he changed it up and made it his own. The judges go on and on about their Golden Boy, Upchuckuleta, but if he were to attempt to sing this we would all have to cut off our ears to stop the pain. Then again, maybe the torture would finally get his raspy butt kicked off the show.
Jason Castro - "I Shot The Sheriff"
I loved this! Who better to sing a song from a dreadlocked Rastafarian then a dreadlocked stoner/Rastafarian? The judges decided last week that Jason would have to go this week so that they could have Syesha in the final three. They were brutal to him for no reason and it was uncalled for. I gave Jason all of my votes this week since I felt the judges were giving him the shaft (not that it did him any good).
The Worst
Lizard Lips - "Love Me Tender" & "Stand By Me"
THE PIMPING MUST STOP!!! First he made "Stand By Me" sound like every other song that he has sung this season. I also hated the homage to Sean Kingston toward the end of the song. Ugh! Then, he took one of the most well known Elvis love songs and made it unrecognizable. Of course, the judges followed up both of his performances with a tongue bath (how appropriate considering his "licking" issues). My dislike of this kid has turned into bitter hatred. Simon Cowell - first you shove that hot mess Leona Lewis down our throats and now you are pimping 17 year old boys. What happened to you?
Syesha Mercado - "Proud Mary"
How to impersonate Tina Turner 101. She even stole the dance moves. Ugh!!!
The Rest
David Cook - "Hungry Like The Wolf"
The judges got on David for not making it his own and changing it up. Actually, Simon, you dip, he did change it up. Obviously you did not spend your adolescence listening to Duran Duran like I did. This was not my favorite David performance but it was certainly not bad and, despite what he said before his second song, this was not something that David should be ashamed of and want to forget.
Syesha Mercado - "A Change Is Gonna Come"
This was okay until the yelling at the end. I also could have lived without her crying for votes. I thought that was what she wore the low cut dress for. And did she really compare her time on Idol to the Civil Rights movement?!?
Jason Castro - "Mr. Tambourine Man"
Okay, he flubbed the words. You all know how I feel about this. Other than that, this was a consistent Jason performance. Despite all, I can't wait to purchase his music. Hopefully, he will go with an independent label like Elliott Yamin so that Nigel and Simon do not get a cut. It would serve them right. They can take their profits from the 250 cd's that Golden Boy will sell once he wins. If there are any Upchuckuleta fans out there, don't hate me for being truthful. You know that you will NOT be rushing out to purchase his first album. He may have fans on the show but those "fans" fail to show up each season and purchase the material released by the contestants that they were sooooooooo in love with (hi Blake Lewis). I put my money into my favorite contestants. I just purchased Clay's new album on my way home from work last night.
Should Go
Lizard Lips
Will Go
Jason This show is really starting to suck. ;o(
Dial Idol Predictions
1. David Cook
2. Upchuckuleta
3. Syesha
4 and Going Home: Jason :O(
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Idol Rant 4.30.08
I read an article on Tuesday concerning Idol that speculated on what Fox thinks may be the reason(s) for the decline in ratings this season on Idol. According to the article, Fox is flirting with the idea that Ryan Secrest could be one of the reasons and is contemplating axing him from the show. What?!?!?!?! Ryan Secrest does his absolute best to hold it all together. Who else could have carried on with the show after the coke head Paula flub halfway through Tuesdays' show? What has really brought down the ratings are the worn out themes and too long episodes. People get tired of sitting through themes centered on artists that were popular 30 years ago while the judges blast the contestants for being old fashioned. Duh! Also, there is no need for the results show to drag on for an hour. If you cut the celebrity performances, contestant medleys (ugh!) and the Q&A session the results show would be 30 minutes. Music that has been released in the last decade and a show that moves quickly, that is what the viewers want. Leave Ryan alone!!
The Best
David Cook - "I'm Alive" & "All I Really Need Is You"
Is there anyone out there that is surprised that I picked him as the best? Probably not. He is, hands down, the most polished and commercially viable contestant left. The judges spend all their time pimping RoboDavid which is fine because we need Lizard Lips to win so that he can sing the drivel that Idol usually makes each winner put out on their first CD. That will allow David Cook to release something that he can be proud of (and I will definitely buy).
The Worst
Lizard Lips - "Sweet Caroline" & "America"
Proof that the judges are pimping him to be the winner of Idol 7?... He gets both of the most well known Neil Diamond songs? Give me a break! First, "Sweet Caroline". This was just creepy. He made the song unrecognizable and gave me the willies singing about touching a girl. Ewwwww. He definitely knows nothing about that. "America" was raspy and forgettable but he made sure that he draped himself in the flag (the easiest way to guarantee votes). If David Cook did not need this kid to win, then I would wage a huge campaign to get this lip licking freak kicked off the show.
The Rest
Syesha Mercado - "Hello Again" & "Thank The Lord For The Night Time"
Syesha got the order of her songs wrong. She should have closed with "Hello Again" which she did the better job on. She showed personality on "Thank the Lord" but she spent way too much time yelling in the middle of the song.
Brooke White - "I'm A Believer" & "I Am...I Said"
The first song was a little karaoke but it was not the nightmare that Simon labeled it. I really enjoyed her second performance. It was one of her best from the past month or so.
Jason Castro - "Forever In Blue Jeans" & "September Morn"
I thought the first song was wonderful. He is just so much better when he plays guitar. I also loved him singing in a lower key. The second song was a little rough but I still love him. :)
Should Go
Lizard Lips or Syesha
Will Go
Syesha Will she dodge the bullet again this week? Will Jason stay lucky or will this be the end of the road for my favorite stoner?
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: Syesha (top vote getter according to DialIdol?) and David Cook.
Bottom 3: Lizard Lips (Yes, the nationwide backlash has finally started!), Jason, and Brooke. :O(
The Best
David Cook - "I'm Alive" & "All I Really Need Is You"
Is there anyone out there that is surprised that I picked him as the best? Probably not. He is, hands down, the most polished and commercially viable contestant left. The judges spend all their time pimping RoboDavid which is fine because we need Lizard Lips to win so that he can sing the drivel that Idol usually makes each winner put out on their first CD. That will allow David Cook to release something that he can be proud of (and I will definitely buy).
The Worst
Lizard Lips - "Sweet Caroline" & "America"
Proof that the judges are pimping him to be the winner of Idol 7?... He gets both of the most well known Neil Diamond songs? Give me a break! First, "Sweet Caroline". This was just creepy. He made the song unrecognizable and gave me the willies singing about touching a girl. Ewwwww. He definitely knows nothing about that. "America" was raspy and forgettable but he made sure that he draped himself in the flag (the easiest way to guarantee votes). If David Cook did not need this kid to win, then I would wage a huge campaign to get this lip licking freak kicked off the show.
The Rest
Syesha Mercado - "Hello Again" & "Thank The Lord For The Night Time"
Syesha got the order of her songs wrong. She should have closed with "Hello Again" which she did the better job on. She showed personality on "Thank the Lord" but she spent way too much time yelling in the middle of the song.
Brooke White - "I'm A Believer" & "I Am...I Said"
The first song was a little karaoke but it was not the nightmare that Simon labeled it. I really enjoyed her second performance. It was one of her best from the past month or so.
Jason Castro - "Forever In Blue Jeans" & "September Morn"
I thought the first song was wonderful. He is just so much better when he plays guitar. I also loved him singing in a lower key. The second song was a little rough but I still love him. :)
Should Go
Lizard Lips or Syesha
Will Go
Syesha Will she dodge the bullet again this week? Will Jason stay lucky or will this be the end of the road for my favorite stoner?
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: Syesha (top vote getter according to DialIdol?) and David Cook.
Bottom 3: Lizard Lips (Yes, the nationwide backlash has finally started!), Jason, and Brooke. :O(
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Idol Rant 4.23.08
The Best
David Cook - "Music of the Night"
THE BEST OF THE NIGHT. Period.
The Worst
David Cook - "Music of the Night"
THE BEST OF THE NIGHT. Period.
The Worst
Brooke White - "You Must Love Me"
This is my favorite song from any musical. Madonna's performance of this at the 1997 Oscars was heartbreaking. Brooke's performance also broke my heart but for completely different reasons. While I agree with Simon that she had to restart given that she forgot the words, forgetting the words is just not allowed in the Idol world. You can not break the golden rule. This song was also too powerful for her. I think that Brooke is one of the 3 most talented people left on the show and I am afraid that this may have been the swan song for her. Hopefully, if she does get the boot, she will still be able to find a career in the music business. I would certainly love the opportunity to purchase her music.
The Rest
Lizard Lips - "Think of Me"
You could actually see the little wheels turning in his brain while he concentrated on keeping his eyes open and not licking his lips. For a contest that the powers that be obviously want to win, they sure don't bother to give him a lot of face time on the camera while he is performing. Yet again tonight the camera spent a lot of time swooping around the orchestra and the audience. As usual the Archuletar wheezed his way through to praise from the judges and teenage girls everywhere.
Syesha Mercado - "One Rock & Roll Too Many"
Not to get too Paula on you but she looked much better tonight. I prefer the slicked down hair. She showed more personality than we are used to (which is none) but I still thought she was over the top. The judges thought that this was the perfect theme for her. Maybe I will get lucky and she will go ahead off to the lights of Broadway this week and spare Brooke.
Carly Smithson - "Jesus Chris Superstar"
Carly also decided to bring the personality this week and it almost worked. She would have been much better if she had not resorted to screaming in the middle of the song. Although, I am really starting to think that she can not help herself. It is just something that she must do. Overall, I enjoyed her performance more than I usually do.
Jason Castro - "Memory"
When I read on TMZ before the show that he would be performing this song it gave me the cold chills. I could feel the disaster coming. The hot mess that I expected did not arrive. This was an okay performance. There were some rough parts but he held it together. He could have been better if he had stuck to what he knows and brought out his guitar. :)
Should Go
Brooke or Syesha
Will Go
Brooke I don't think that she will be able to make it through singing herself off to "You Must Love Me". I don't think that I will be able to make it through either.
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: The only person they have marked safe is David Cook.
Bottom 3: Jason, Brooke and Carly (the lowest number of votes according to their system).
This is my favorite song from any musical. Madonna's performance of this at the 1997 Oscars was heartbreaking. Brooke's performance also broke my heart but for completely different reasons. While I agree with Simon that she had to restart given that she forgot the words, forgetting the words is just not allowed in the Idol world. You can not break the golden rule. This song was also too powerful for her. I think that Brooke is one of the 3 most talented people left on the show and I am afraid that this may have been the swan song for her. Hopefully, if she does get the boot, she will still be able to find a career in the music business. I would certainly love the opportunity to purchase her music.
The Rest
Lizard Lips - "Think of Me"
You could actually see the little wheels turning in his brain while he concentrated on keeping his eyes open and not licking his lips. For a contest that the powers that be obviously want to win, they sure don't bother to give him a lot of face time on the camera while he is performing. Yet again tonight the camera spent a lot of time swooping around the orchestra and the audience. As usual the Archuletar wheezed his way through to praise from the judges and teenage girls everywhere.
Syesha Mercado - "One Rock & Roll Too Many"
Not to get too Paula on you but she looked much better tonight. I prefer the slicked down hair. She showed more personality than we are used to (which is none) but I still thought she was over the top. The judges thought that this was the perfect theme for her. Maybe I will get lucky and she will go ahead off to the lights of Broadway this week and spare Brooke.
Carly Smithson - "Jesus Chris Superstar"
Carly also decided to bring the personality this week and it almost worked. She would have been much better if she had not resorted to screaming in the middle of the song. Although, I am really starting to think that she can not help herself. It is just something that she must do. Overall, I enjoyed her performance more than I usually do.
Jason Castro - "Memory"
When I read on TMZ before the show that he would be performing this song it gave me the cold chills. I could feel the disaster coming. The hot mess that I expected did not arrive. This was an okay performance. There were some rough parts but he held it together. He could have been better if he had stuck to what he knows and brought out his guitar. :)
Should Go
Brooke or Syesha
Will Go
Brooke I don't think that she will be able to make it through singing herself off to "You Must Love Me". I don't think that I will be able to make it through either.
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: The only person they have marked safe is David Cook.
Bottom 3: Jason, Brooke and Carly (the lowest number of votes according to their system).
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Idol Rant 4.16.08
Oh, the horror that was... Mariah Carey week. I do not understand how Idol can criticize contestants for 6 seasons for attempting to sing the songs of Whitney, Mariah and Celine then turn around and force them on the contestants this season. This was not fair to any of the Idols. Why Mariah Carey? Just because someone has had a successful career does not mean that a theme should be devoted to them. Mariah's dog, J.J., was cute though. :)
The Best
Jason Castro - "I Don't Wanna Cry"
It started a little rough but once again my favorite stoner kicked up his game a notch this week. His voice was much stronger than anything that he has shown us before. He showed much more range and seemed very comfortable on stage this week. His look was more polished this week as well. Should make it through this week.
David Cook - "Always Be My Baby"
When I read that this was the song that David was going to sing I was very afraid. Guess I didn't need to be. USAToday's Idol Chatter predicted emo-rock at it's finest this week from him and they called it. It had a very dark almost scary quality to it but it worked wonderfully. This was very far removed from the original once again proving that this boy can sing (as long as he stays away from the really low notes). Someone in the audience held a sign that read, "Hello.... Is it me your looking for?" which was cool. Hopefully, he will sail through this week. I am ready to buy his album now. Right now.
The Worst
The Archuleter - "When You Believe"
This song was from The Prince of Egypt. It is a horrible movie and this is a heinous song. If you have seen the movie, then you know that I am so right. What better thing to do with drivel like this then to throw it to Weezy to huff and puff his way through. At one point I actually thought he might pass out from lack of oxygen. It was very appropriate that his lizard lips routine made a comeback this week since the judges once again insisted on giving him a tongue bath while pimping him to the audience.
Syesha Mercado - "Vanishing"
I have never heard this song before so based on what Syesha shared with us tonight it consists of the words "vanishing" and "whoa-oh-oh" and lots of yelling. She never seems original because she is not.
Carly Smithson - "Without You"
I disagreed with Randy on this one. The beginning was controlled and very good then she panicked, went into Mariah mode, and screamed out the end of the song. Sigh. They also showed her freak of a husband this week. Maybe the theories that they are showing her husband in order to help get her the boot are true. She certainly didn't do herself any favors this week.
The Rest
Seabiscuit - "Forever"
Not her worst performance and not her best. Over all it was pretty good. She could release this version to radio and it would probably be a hit.
Brooke White - "Hero"
This was once again a consistent Brooke performance. She brought back the instruments and made this song her own. There was the stumble with the piano playing towards the end of the song, but good over all. I did not get the hamburger analogy from the judges.
Should Go
Syesha or Carly
Will Go
Syesha or Carly Though I would not be opposed to Lizard Lips taking a walk (I know.... it's never going to happen. That's okay. He can win and then release one album before getting dropped from the label like previous Idol winners that have come before him).
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: David Cook, Lizard Lips, Jason Castro and Seabiscuit.
Bottom 3: Carly, Brooke and Syesha.
The Best
Jason Castro - "I Don't Wanna Cry"
It started a little rough but once again my favorite stoner kicked up his game a notch this week. His voice was much stronger than anything that he has shown us before. He showed much more range and seemed very comfortable on stage this week. His look was more polished this week as well. Should make it through this week.
David Cook - "Always Be My Baby"
When I read that this was the song that David was going to sing I was very afraid. Guess I didn't need to be. USAToday's Idol Chatter predicted emo-rock at it's finest this week from him and they called it. It had a very dark almost scary quality to it but it worked wonderfully. This was very far removed from the original once again proving that this boy can sing (as long as he stays away from the really low notes). Someone in the audience held a sign that read, "Hello.... Is it me your looking for?" which was cool. Hopefully, he will sail through this week. I am ready to buy his album now. Right now.
The Worst
The Archuleter - "When You Believe"
This song was from The Prince of Egypt. It is a horrible movie and this is a heinous song. If you have seen the movie, then you know that I am so right. What better thing to do with drivel like this then to throw it to Weezy to huff and puff his way through. At one point I actually thought he might pass out from lack of oxygen. It was very appropriate that his lizard lips routine made a comeback this week since the judges once again insisted on giving him a tongue bath while pimping him to the audience.
Syesha Mercado - "Vanishing"
I have never heard this song before so based on what Syesha shared with us tonight it consists of the words "vanishing" and "whoa-oh-oh" and lots of yelling. She never seems original because she is not.
Carly Smithson - "Without You"
I disagreed with Randy on this one. The beginning was controlled and very good then she panicked, went into Mariah mode, and screamed out the end of the song. Sigh. They also showed her freak of a husband this week. Maybe the theories that they are showing her husband in order to help get her the boot are true. She certainly didn't do herself any favors this week.
The Rest
Seabiscuit - "Forever"
Not her worst performance and not her best. Over all it was pretty good. She could release this version to radio and it would probably be a hit.
Brooke White - "Hero"
This was once again a consistent Brooke performance. She brought back the instruments and made this song her own. There was the stumble with the piano playing towards the end of the song, but good over all. I did not get the hamburger analogy from the judges.
Should Go
Syesha or Carly
Will Go
Syesha or Carly Though I would not be opposed to Lizard Lips taking a walk (I know.... it's never going to happen. That's okay. He can win and then release one album before getting dropped from the label like previous Idol winners that have come before him).
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: David Cook, Lizard Lips, Jason Castro and Seabiscuit.
Bottom 3: Carly, Brooke and Syesha.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Idol Rant 4.9.08
This week I took the liberty of adding links to clips on You Tube that pertain to a few of the contestants. If you choose to watch the clips and the links do not work, simply copy and paste the link to your browser (my email was not cooperating so I am not sure if they will operate or not). If you are one of my coworkers then I, of course, encourage you to send this home and watch the clips there. ;O)
The Best
No one gave me the chills this week with an awesome performance so I chose not to pick a best. However, you should put on your seatbelt because there could be a few surprises below...
The Worst
Syesha Mercado - "I Believe"
Last week she attempted Whitney and failed so, of course, she decided that she could better Fantasia this week and break the cardinal rule of Idol. If you can't sing better than a previous Idol then don't attempt one of their signature songs. Guess what? She is no Fantasia. Fantasia made this sappy drivel believable. She came from nothing and this show truly made us all believe that she was star material. Fantasia felt every word of this song. Syesha is not capable of showing emotion or personality in her songs because she doesn't have a personality or any emotion. If Syesha didn't want to be compared to Fantasia then she should have picked something else to sing. Maybe if she had danced the bobo then her performance would have been better. Watch the clip or Fantasia on the attached link and you will see that this was truly one of the worst of the night. Link to Fantasia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DercnakDhp0. What's next "Summertime"?
Carly Smithson - "The Show Must Go On"
There were more bad notes in this then in everything she has sung on Idol previously added together. It started off okay but quickly descended into stink eye shrieking. She and Michael should have traded songs. He could have shown her how to do Queen right. And Carly, please do not blame Simon for your poor performance. He sits with his arms crossed and stares at every contestant that gets up there.
The Rest
Michael Johns - "Dream On"
What was up with the ascot two weeks in a row? He obviously got the memo that this is the newest fashion trend. Unfortunately, he should have switched songs with Carly. He did an okay job with the song until he got to the high notes in the chorus. He is definitely no Steven Tyler. He doesn't have the lips or the pipes!
Jason Castro - "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"
He made improvements to the Israel version of the song. He was much better this week. Stronger vocals with less awkwardness. He will never belt it out but then that is not his style. He is a simple singer and an awesome musician. I also dug the ukulele. :)
Seabiscuit - "Anyway"
***SHOCKER*** She is not on my worst list this week. This was probably her best performance this season though that would carry more weight if she was not usually so bad. When I heard on Matt & Ramona that she would be singing Martina, I immediately envisioned the bleeding eardrums that were sure to come. She was surprisingly not as bad as I expected except on the really high notes. She is trying to become this season's Scott Savol.
David Cook - "Innocent"
What happened? During the beginning of the song, when he sang in his lower register, he was completely drowned out by the music. This was not his best and a definite falter. I could have also lived without the pandering to Idol at the end of the song with the "Give Back" message written on his hand. Despite all that, I still love him. If you are wondering what the orange band was on his hand for during the song then check out the story on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyluBJsKB8g) and you will become as big of a fan of him that I am. He should have enough steam from his earlier performances to carry him through this week I hope.
"Lizard Lips" Archuleta - "Angels"
Despite the praise from the judges there were some bad notes. I thought the beginning was way too raspy. He was much better once he powered through the wheeze. He seemed to sing a lot better at the start of the competition when he spent the majority of the performances licking his lips. The producers noticed his odd habit and have obviously been working with him to put a stop to it. You could almost see the wheels in his brain spinning as he concentrated on not licking. Thank God that some habits are hard to break since the tongue made a comeback this week -- 3 times! For those of you that have not yet noticed the lip licking issue, I have attached a link to a clip on You Tube that shows David's lizard boy tendencies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puyYi0rH8jQ).
Brooke White - "You've Got A Friend"
This was a consistent Brooke performance. As usual, she seemed really out of place without an instrument to stand behind. Obviously someone with the show keeps convincing her that she needs to mix it up and perform without the guitar every few weeks. She should ignore them, take a page from the Jason Castro rule book and simply pick and sing songs that she wants while playing along. That is who she is and we all like her better that way.
Should Go
Syesha or Carly
Will Go
Syesha I have given up on the ouster of Seabiscuit at this point. Syesha was the worst this week and she deserves to go.
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: David Archuleta, Jason Castro and Seabiscuit.
Bottom 3: David Cook (no!), Syesha and Carly.
The Best
No one gave me the chills this week with an awesome performance so I chose not to pick a best. However, you should put on your seatbelt because there could be a few surprises below...
The Worst
Syesha Mercado - "I Believe"
Last week she attempted Whitney and failed so, of course, she decided that she could better Fantasia this week and break the cardinal rule of Idol. If you can't sing better than a previous Idol then don't attempt one of their signature songs. Guess what? She is no Fantasia. Fantasia made this sappy drivel believable. She came from nothing and this show truly made us all believe that she was star material. Fantasia felt every word of this song. Syesha is not capable of showing emotion or personality in her songs because she doesn't have a personality or any emotion. If Syesha didn't want to be compared to Fantasia then she should have picked something else to sing. Maybe if she had danced the bobo then her performance would have been better. Watch the clip or Fantasia on the attached link and you will see that this was truly one of the worst of the night. Link to Fantasia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DercnakDhp0. What's next "Summertime"?
Carly Smithson - "The Show Must Go On"
There were more bad notes in this then in everything she has sung on Idol previously added together. It started off okay but quickly descended into stink eye shrieking. She and Michael should have traded songs. He could have shown her how to do Queen right. And Carly, please do not blame Simon for your poor performance. He sits with his arms crossed and stares at every contestant that gets up there.
The Rest
Michael Johns - "Dream On"
What was up with the ascot two weeks in a row? He obviously got the memo that this is the newest fashion trend. Unfortunately, he should have switched songs with Carly. He did an okay job with the song until he got to the high notes in the chorus. He is definitely no Steven Tyler. He doesn't have the lips or the pipes!
Jason Castro - "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"
He made improvements to the Israel version of the song. He was much better this week. Stronger vocals with less awkwardness. He will never belt it out but then that is not his style. He is a simple singer and an awesome musician. I also dug the ukulele. :)
Seabiscuit - "Anyway"
***SHOCKER*** She is not on my worst list this week. This was probably her best performance this season though that would carry more weight if she was not usually so bad. When I heard on Matt & Ramona that she would be singing Martina, I immediately envisioned the bleeding eardrums that were sure to come. She was surprisingly not as bad as I expected except on the really high notes. She is trying to become this season's Scott Savol.
David Cook - "Innocent"
What happened? During the beginning of the song, when he sang in his lower register, he was completely drowned out by the music. This was not his best and a definite falter. I could have also lived without the pandering to Idol at the end of the song with the "Give Back" message written on his hand. Despite all that, I still love him. If you are wondering what the orange band was on his hand for during the song then check out the story on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyluBJsKB8g) and you will become as big of a fan of him that I am. He should have enough steam from his earlier performances to carry him through this week I hope.
"Lizard Lips" Archuleta - "Angels"
Despite the praise from the judges there were some bad notes. I thought the beginning was way too raspy. He was much better once he powered through the wheeze. He seemed to sing a lot better at the start of the competition when he spent the majority of the performances licking his lips. The producers noticed his odd habit and have obviously been working with him to put a stop to it. You could almost see the wheels in his brain spinning as he concentrated on not licking. Thank God that some habits are hard to break since the tongue made a comeback this week -- 3 times! For those of you that have not yet noticed the lip licking issue, I have attached a link to a clip on You Tube that shows David's lizard boy tendencies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puyYi0rH8jQ).
Brooke White - "You've Got A Friend"
This was a consistent Brooke performance. As usual, she seemed really out of place without an instrument to stand behind. Obviously someone with the show keeps convincing her that she needs to mix it up and perform without the guitar every few weeks. She should ignore them, take a page from the Jason Castro rule book and simply pick and sing songs that she wants while playing along. That is who she is and we all like her better that way.
Should Go
Syesha or Carly
Will Go
Syesha I have given up on the ouster of Seabiscuit at this point. Syesha was the worst this week and she deserves to go.
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: David Archuleta, Jason Castro and Seabiscuit.
Bottom 3: David Cook (no!), Syesha and Carly.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Idol Rant 4.2.08
They should have done Dolly week years ago. It was great to watch Idol and actually hear songs that I have never heard on the show before (except "I Will Always Love You"). This does scare me when it comes to Mariah Carey week though. Does that mean they will all sing Mariah songs? If they do, then I am not sure I will be able to take it.
The Best
The Best
Brooke White - "Jolene"
I gave Brooke bonus points for sticking to the original version of the song. There were a couple of rough notes at the beginning (and a weird echo from the microphone) but she settled in and the result was almost perfection. This was definitely right up her alley and I really enjoyed it.
David Cook - "Little Sparrow"
No surprise to all of you..... but I loved David Cook! He picked a hard song to sing (especially for a man), and did a really good job with it. There were a couple of bad notes but that is to be expected with the really high notes that he had to hit. I liked the softer quality to his voice and I ALWAYS love him playing the guitar. He should cruise on through this round.
The Worst
Seabiscuit - "Coat of Many Colors"
The Biscuit thought that her performance was going to impress Dolly. What!?! She might have been able to impress her mother (she has to like her since she gave birth to her) but I seriously doubt that Dolly was impressed. Another consistently bad performance from Seabiscuit. Hopefully the boys that are voting for her because she is "hot" will find their dialing fingers immobilized and she will get the boot that she deserves this week.
Ramamamamalei - "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?"
There were some really bad notes scattered throughout the performance and the beginning was really rough but she wasn't quite as bad as she has been lately. Her performance riled up my dogs and they decided to prove that they could outsing her about halfway through the song though. She is definitely better when not singing up tempo songs. None of that matters though because The Biscuit is overdue to go home.
David Archuleta - "Smoky Mountain Memories"
Obviously someone at Idol is getting a copy of the Rant because they made sure to take plenty of wide shots of the stage so that we couldn't count the number of times he licked his bottom lip and gross out teenage girls across the land. No Tongue Watch. :O( Weezy gets on my nerves, he is pimped by the judges on a weekly basis and he needs to go but not until The Biscuit is gone.
The Rest
Michael Johns - "It's All Wrong But It's All Right"
Michael turned this into a Blues song which actually wasn't bad. It was not my favorite performance from him, however, it did prove that he can sing.
Jason Castro - "Travelin' Thru"
He picked a great song for his style and he was much more comfortable on stage. He seemed a lot less timid then he has been. I like the slight island groove that he gave the song.
Syesha Mercado - "I Will Always Love You"
Syesha, Syesha, Syesha. I would have been able to actually respect you if you had stuck with the Dolly version of this song but noooooo..... you have to try to be a Whitney wannabe. Despite the power note that was meant to impress us all and garner votes, you aren't Whitney and you never will be so give it up. I gave you votes just to kick off you-know-who. If she had gotten kicked off weeks ago, like she should have, I would have been hoping that you were shown the door this week just for daring to be Whitney while working on my nerves.
Carly Smithson - "Here You Come Again"
One of my favorite Dolly songs of all time and I hated her arrangement of it. Slowing down the song allowed her to grace us with the stink eye 5 times. Ugh! Just sing the song like it was written. Dolly is a brilliant songwriter/artist whose career has spanned my lifetime and she really didn't need Carly to try to show her how it is done by dragging out a Clay Aiken version that even he didn't have a lot of success with despite the worship that he still receives from the Claymates. I totally agreed with Simon on the clothes that she wears on stage, though last week's dress was much worse than what she wore tonight.
Should Go
Seabiscuit
Will Go
Seabiscuit At this point I know it is pointless to beg. I just have to be strong and hope that common sense prevails and she is shown the door.
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: David Cook, David Archuleta and Michael Johns.
Bottom 3: Ramiele, Jason Castro and rounding out the bottom... Seabiscuit (YES!)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Idol Rant 3.26.08
The Best
David Cook (1982) - "Billie Jean"
Brilliant!!! David left the guitar backstage this week and used this as an opportunity to prove that he really can sing. Wow, can he ever! The one really long note was absolutely amazing. He could leave the show today and release a hit album within a month. I would certainly buy it. David Cook should definitely be in the final two if this is truly a talent competition and not a popularity or beauty contest.
The Worst
Seabiscuit (1984) - "God Bless The U.S.A."
So, she starts by telling us that she spent her childhood annoying her siblings by singing in the car but they don't mind her singing now. Duh! They have gone deaf from years of abuse to their hearing. She then decided that she would guarantee a stay for next week by wrapping herself in the flag and trotting out a Lee Greenwood staple. Obviously, the judges were rendered deaf during her performance as well. Her best so far? Compared to what?!? Aaaacccckkkk! No More! That is it! Seabiscuit has got to go. Take this pony out out to pasture and put her (and us) of misery or better yet take her to the factory and have her turned into glue.
Ramamamamalei (1987) - "Alone"
This is Carrie Underwood's song. When you pick a song that someone has done previously on the show (and very well I might add) you had better be able to knock it out of the park or you shouldn't bother. She is battling with Seabiscuit to see who can get sent home first. Seabiscuit better win and get the boot. Disaster!
Carly Smithson (1983) - "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
What an ugly dress. The shrieking stink eye was back in full force this week. The beginning was not that bad then the shrieking began. The judges were wrong. This was not a bad song.... she just did not sing it well - at all. This was almost as painful as Seabiscuit and Ramamamadingdong and she really has no excuse to be this bad since she does have previous experience as a recording artist under her belt.
The Rest
Chikezie (1985) - "If Only For One Night"
I was disappointed to see the twang leave this week. That said, I was scared when I saw that Chikezie was tackling Luther Vandross. He was actually pretty darn good. Unlike the judges, I liked the way he worked the stage - it showed a much stronger stage presence than he usually has when singing slow songs. I really like this guy.
Brooke White (1983) - "Every Breath You Take"
Despite the misstep at the beginning, I liked it. I really enjoyed the slowed down almost country version of this song. The only thing hurting Brooke is that she is not a pop artist nor could she ever be. She could, however, have much success on the fringes of popular music. I would love to see a final two comprised of Brooke and David Cook. :O)
Michael Johns (1978) - "We Are The Champions"
Queen is obviously his forte. There were some rough notes at the end but he was really good until he started to lose his voice. His biggest problem is that he is not the best "rocker" on the show and he needs to differentiate himself somehow. One way to do that is to give us solid performances week after week like the one he gave tonight.
David "The Tongue" Archuleta (1990) - "You're The Voice"
After I pointed out last week that he has Reuben tendencies, Keri Stocks noticed that he seems obsessed with licking his bottom lip NUMEROUS times while performing. Weird! I had to put him on "Tongue Watch" this week and I counted 5 times that he licked his bottom lip during this song (and the song did not allow many opportunities for it since it was slightly upbeat). Eeewwwww! I don't know what the teenyboppers see in him when they are losing their junk each week when he comes out but I am OVER IT. He can go ahead and get gone with Seabiscuit. Yuck! ***Try your own version of "Tongue Watch" next week - it will gross you out!***
Jason Castro (1987) - "Fragile"
I LOVE his video packages. He is hilariously stoned during filming (and probably on the show as well). I think he is actually making the smart move by playing it safe each week and sticking with what he knows. He could take the judges advice and step out of his comfort zone but it is usually a disaster when a contestant listens to the judges and they then ream the contestant out for doing what they were told to do. He can sit each week and quietly sing a song while playing his guitar and find himself a spot in at least the top 5. If I were him, I wouldn't change a thing.
Syesha Mercado (1987) - "If I Was Your Woman"
More of the same old, slow build to the power vocal, Syesha. I actually preferred her last week. I do not think, like drunk Paula, that this was the week that she "flipped it". She can also put away the baby crying bit. We have heard it once and didn't need to hear again. Will she find herself in the bottom 3 again? Possibly, if Carly doesn't beat her to it.
Should Go
Seabiscuit
Will Go
Seabiscuit (Please?!? Is anyone out there listening to me? I truly can not take much more. The only way I could live with her staying is if Carly or David A get the surprise boot this week and that is not likely to happen based on the Dial Idol Results.)
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: David Cook, David Archuleta and Carly Smithson.
Bottom 3: Ramiele, Jason Castro and rounding out the bottom... Chikezie (No!)
David Cook (1982) - "Billie Jean"
Brilliant!!! David left the guitar backstage this week and used this as an opportunity to prove that he really can sing. Wow, can he ever! The one really long note was absolutely amazing. He could leave the show today and release a hit album within a month. I would certainly buy it. David Cook should definitely be in the final two if this is truly a talent competition and not a popularity or beauty contest.
The Worst
Seabiscuit (1984) - "God Bless The U.S.A."
So, she starts by telling us that she spent her childhood annoying her siblings by singing in the car but they don't mind her singing now. Duh! They have gone deaf from years of abuse to their hearing. She then decided that she would guarantee a stay for next week by wrapping herself in the flag and trotting out a Lee Greenwood staple. Obviously, the judges were rendered deaf during her performance as well. Her best so far? Compared to what?!? Aaaacccckkkk! No More! That is it! Seabiscuit has got to go. Take this pony out out to pasture and put her (and us) of misery or better yet take her to the factory and have her turned into glue.
Ramamamamalei (1987) - "Alone"
This is Carrie Underwood's song. When you pick a song that someone has done previously on the show (and very well I might add) you had better be able to knock it out of the park or you shouldn't bother. She is battling with Seabiscuit to see who can get sent home first. Seabiscuit better win and get the boot. Disaster!
Carly Smithson (1983) - "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
What an ugly dress. The shrieking stink eye was back in full force this week. The beginning was not that bad then the shrieking began. The judges were wrong. This was not a bad song.... she just did not sing it well - at all. This was almost as painful as Seabiscuit and Ramamamadingdong and she really has no excuse to be this bad since she does have previous experience as a recording artist under her belt.
The Rest
Chikezie (1985) - "If Only For One Night"
I was disappointed to see the twang leave this week. That said, I was scared when I saw that Chikezie was tackling Luther Vandross. He was actually pretty darn good. Unlike the judges, I liked the way he worked the stage - it showed a much stronger stage presence than he usually has when singing slow songs. I really like this guy.
Brooke White (1983) - "Every Breath You Take"
Despite the misstep at the beginning, I liked it. I really enjoyed the slowed down almost country version of this song. The only thing hurting Brooke is that she is not a pop artist nor could she ever be. She could, however, have much success on the fringes of popular music. I would love to see a final two comprised of Brooke and David Cook. :O)
Michael Johns (1978) - "We Are The Champions"
Queen is obviously his forte. There were some rough notes at the end but he was really good until he started to lose his voice. His biggest problem is that he is not the best "rocker" on the show and he needs to differentiate himself somehow. One way to do that is to give us solid performances week after week like the one he gave tonight.
David "The Tongue" Archuleta (1990) - "You're The Voice"
After I pointed out last week that he has Reuben tendencies, Keri Stocks noticed that he seems obsessed with licking his bottom lip NUMEROUS times while performing. Weird! I had to put him on "Tongue Watch" this week and I counted 5 times that he licked his bottom lip during this song (and the song did not allow many opportunities for it since it was slightly upbeat). Eeewwwww! I don't know what the teenyboppers see in him when they are losing their junk each week when he comes out but I am OVER IT. He can go ahead and get gone with Seabiscuit. Yuck! ***Try your own version of "Tongue Watch" next week - it will gross you out!***
Jason Castro (1987) - "Fragile"
I LOVE his video packages. He is hilariously stoned during filming (and probably on the show as well). I think he is actually making the smart move by playing it safe each week and sticking with what he knows. He could take the judges advice and step out of his comfort zone but it is usually a disaster when a contestant listens to the judges and they then ream the contestant out for doing what they were told to do. He can sit each week and quietly sing a song while playing his guitar and find himself a spot in at least the top 5. If I were him, I wouldn't change a thing.
Syesha Mercado (1987) - "If I Was Your Woman"
More of the same old, slow build to the power vocal, Syesha. I actually preferred her last week. I do not think, like drunk Paula, that this was the week that she "flipped it". She can also put away the baby crying bit. We have heard it once and didn't need to hear again. Will she find herself in the bottom 3 again? Possibly, if Carly doesn't beat her to it.
Should Go
Seabiscuit
Will Go
Seabiscuit (Please?!? Is anyone out there listening to me? I truly can not take much more. The only way I could live with her staying is if Carly or David A get the surprise boot this week and that is not likely to happen based on the Dial Idol Results.)
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: David Cook, David Archuleta and Carly Smithson.
Bottom 3: Ramiele, Jason Castro and rounding out the bottom... Chikezie (No!)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Idol Rant 3.19.08
Sorry guys! This week's rant is as weak as the performances last night. Ugh! I don't need to hear another Beatles song any time soon.
The Best
David Cook - "Day Tripper"
If you didn't know already, he is my favorite so I am admittedly biased. Since I just saw Bon Jovi perform in Greensboro on Sunday, I loved the nod to them at the end of the song with the voice box. He is entertaining each and every week with consistent performances. He will make it to at least the top four of this competition if I have to dial until my fingers bleed. ;O)
Carly Smithson "Blackbird"
It pains me to have to include her in the best since she is a ringer that should have never been allowed on the show who I personally just Do Not Like. Tonight she toned down the power vocals, though there was still a hint of the stink eye, and she sounded better than she has all season. I was shocked that Simon picked this week to trash her as he has taken every opportunity to pimp her to the audience up to this point. I wonder what his agenda was with that? Sympathy votes, maybe?
The Worst
Seabiscuit - "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away"
Ah, Seabiscuit. Thank God she tanked it again this week and signed her exit papers. Not only does she sing like a strangled rooster but she is boring to boot. Even Paula gave her the kiss of death when she told her how beautiful she looked tonight. Pack your bags girl - your days of terrorizing the viewers of AI are over! :O)
Ramamamamalei - "I Should've Known Better"
The sad thing is that this girl can actually sing. She picks the worst songs week after week and then gives a completely lackluster performance. This week she multiplied her problems with the precocious play acting during the song. She will not last much longer. If she gets kicked off instead of Seabiscuit, I may lose it.
Amanda "Joe Cocker" Overmyer - "Back in the USSR"
Oh, the hair. The verses were really rough and she was so out of breath that I thought she might hyperventilate. I can't decide if the spastic Joe Cocker seizures that she calls dancing are entertaining or not. I know that she is going to stick around for now but I can only wonder what she will do when they get to themes that she can not turn into 70's rock.
The Rest
Chikezie - "I Have Just Seen A Face"
Chikezie has found his niche. Add a steel guitar and he goes from ho-hum to dy-no-mite in 5 seconds. I would have never thought that someone from Inglewood CA would have the best country/bluegrass talent this season. I really like this guy and when the song started I thought "oh, no - old Chikezie is back" and was scared that he would save Seabiscuit from getting her final curtain call this week. The bluegrass portion should save him but I have no idea what he can pull off next week but the judges will crucify him if he uses the steel guitar again.
David "Mighty Mouse" Archuleta - "The Long and Winding Road"
We all know that Weezy can sing as long as the song is slow enough for him. Unfortunately, while he is boyishly cute, which is obviously getting him TONS of votes, he is kind of Reuben Studdard-esqe on stage (without the towel to mop the sweat from his forehead). It is very robotic. Microphone in left hand - hold out palm of right hand and hit notes perfectly. Switch the microphone over to the right hand and hold out the left. Boring. His "aw-shucks" video packages before the performance can't be winning him any fans either.
Michael Johns - "A Day In The Life"
Other than the missed high note in the beginning of the song he did not do a bad job with this vocally. The problem was the arrangement. He should have never tried to use this extremely long song and condense it down to just over a minute and a half. Just pick something else. There were a kajillion songs. Like Mighty Mouse, he seems to have a hard time figuring out how he wants to hold the microphone while he sings.
Brooke White - "Here Comes The Sun"
I was so disappointed in her tonight. She is one of my favorites but she proved tonight that she just CAN NOT perform without an instrument. The dancing was atrocious without the gawky arm movements. She was the prime example of why they shouldn't have done the Beatles two weeks in a row. They should have saved Beatles week Part Deux for later in the season. By the end of the show, even the Beatles were getting on my nerves.
Jason Castro - "Michelle"
Simon hit the nail on the head with this one. He is so charming yet goofy that he is allowed to get away with bad notes that get held against other contestants by showing us his pearly whites. Like Brooke, he seems much more comfortable on stage when he has an instrument. The guitar needs to make a return next week on something upbeat.
Syesha Mercado - "Yesterday"
I didn't think she had the ability to rein it in and sing without belting it out and still sound well. I was wrong. Some of the high notes were a little iffy but it was her best performance since the competition began. She could have worn more clothing, however. Next thing you know she will have laryngitis again due to chest exposure.
Should Go
Seabiscuit
Will Go
Seabiscuit (This is IT! No More! If you know someone that is voting for her, for the love of God, disconnect their phone or break their dialing finger.)
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: David Archuleta is the only contestant that is safe.
Bottom 3: Chikezie, Amanda and Kristy Lee
The Best
David Cook - "Day Tripper"
If you didn't know already, he is my favorite so I am admittedly biased. Since I just saw Bon Jovi perform in Greensboro on Sunday, I loved the nod to them at the end of the song with the voice box. He is entertaining each and every week with consistent performances. He will make it to at least the top four of this competition if I have to dial until my fingers bleed. ;O)
Carly Smithson "Blackbird"
It pains me to have to include her in the best since she is a ringer that should have never been allowed on the show who I personally just Do Not Like. Tonight she toned down the power vocals, though there was still a hint of the stink eye, and she sounded better than she has all season. I was shocked that Simon picked this week to trash her as he has taken every opportunity to pimp her to the audience up to this point. I wonder what his agenda was with that? Sympathy votes, maybe?
The Worst
Seabiscuit - "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away"
Ah, Seabiscuit. Thank God she tanked it again this week and signed her exit papers. Not only does she sing like a strangled rooster but she is boring to boot. Even Paula gave her the kiss of death when she told her how beautiful she looked tonight. Pack your bags girl - your days of terrorizing the viewers of AI are over! :O)
Ramamamamalei - "I Should've Known Better"
The sad thing is that this girl can actually sing. She picks the worst songs week after week and then gives a completely lackluster performance. This week she multiplied her problems with the precocious play acting during the song. She will not last much longer. If she gets kicked off instead of Seabiscuit, I may lose it.
Amanda "Joe Cocker" Overmyer - "Back in the USSR"
Oh, the hair. The verses were really rough and she was so out of breath that I thought she might hyperventilate. I can't decide if the spastic Joe Cocker seizures that she calls dancing are entertaining or not. I know that she is going to stick around for now but I can only wonder what she will do when they get to themes that she can not turn into 70's rock.
The Rest
Chikezie - "I Have Just Seen A Face"
Chikezie has found his niche. Add a steel guitar and he goes from ho-hum to dy-no-mite in 5 seconds. I would have never thought that someone from Inglewood CA would have the best country/bluegrass talent this season. I really like this guy and when the song started I thought "oh, no - old Chikezie is back" and was scared that he would save Seabiscuit from getting her final curtain call this week. The bluegrass portion should save him but I have no idea what he can pull off next week but the judges will crucify him if he uses the steel guitar again.
David "Mighty Mouse" Archuleta - "The Long and Winding Road"
We all know that Weezy can sing as long as the song is slow enough for him. Unfortunately, while he is boyishly cute, which is obviously getting him TONS of votes, he is kind of Reuben Studdard-esqe on stage (without the towel to mop the sweat from his forehead). It is very robotic. Microphone in left hand - hold out palm of right hand and hit notes perfectly. Switch the microphone over to the right hand and hold out the left. Boring. His "aw-shucks" video packages before the performance can't be winning him any fans either.
Michael Johns - "A Day In The Life"
Other than the missed high note in the beginning of the song he did not do a bad job with this vocally. The problem was the arrangement. He should have never tried to use this extremely long song and condense it down to just over a minute and a half. Just pick something else. There were a kajillion songs. Like Mighty Mouse, he seems to have a hard time figuring out how he wants to hold the microphone while he sings.
Brooke White - "Here Comes The Sun"
I was so disappointed in her tonight. She is one of my favorites but she proved tonight that she just CAN NOT perform without an instrument. The dancing was atrocious without the gawky arm movements. She was the prime example of why they shouldn't have done the Beatles two weeks in a row. They should have saved Beatles week Part Deux for later in the season. By the end of the show, even the Beatles were getting on my nerves.
Jason Castro - "Michelle"
Simon hit the nail on the head with this one. He is so charming yet goofy that he is allowed to get away with bad notes that get held against other contestants by showing us his pearly whites. Like Brooke, he seems much more comfortable on stage when he has an instrument. The guitar needs to make a return next week on something upbeat.
Syesha Mercado - "Yesterday"
I didn't think she had the ability to rein it in and sing without belting it out and still sound well. I was wrong. Some of the high notes were a little iffy but it was her best performance since the competition began. She could have worn more clothing, however. Next thing you know she will have laryngitis again due to chest exposure.
Should Go
Seabiscuit
Will Go
Seabiscuit (This is IT! No More! If you know someone that is voting for her, for the love of God, disconnect their phone or break their dialing finger.)
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: David Archuleta is the only contestant that is safe.
Bottom 3: Chikezie, Amanda and Kristy Lee
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Idol Rant 3.12.08
The Best
David 'Rock God' Cook - "Eleanor Rigby"
Forget "Wig-Boy" Carrico and Michael Johns, David Cook is the true rocker this season on American Idol. He worked the same magic this week as last by taking a great Beatles song and making it current although I did miss the guitar. He is this season's Daughtry and an early favorite of mine to win it all.
Brooke 'Snow' White - "Let It Be"
She is so much more comfortable on stage when she is playing an instrument. She seemed to really take her song to heart (at one point during the performance she looked like she wanted to cry). She appears to not only really want the opportunities that Idol can provide but to be grateful for every day that she can remain in the competition as well.
Chikezie 'Jacuzzi' Eze - "She's A Woman"
I had written him off last week so I was truly shocked at how well he was able to perform this week. He brought the first sign of life to the show. He was upbeat, entertaining and actually hit the high notes that he attempted. You couldn't really ask for more. I know that he is not the favorite of at least one of the readers but "Don't Hate" - vote for Chikezie. :o)
The Worst
David 'Weezy' Archuletta - "We Can Work It Out"
***SHOCKER*** I couldn't believe how bad he was. He has been a standout so far through the competition but it all fell apart tonight. This is what happens when a contestant tries to follow the advice of the judges. Stepping out of his comfort zone, he chose an upbeat song that he was so incapable of keeping up with that it was impossible for him to remember the lyrics. The fist rule of Idol is that you MUST know the lyrics to your song (or at the very least be good at faking it). Since he has been performing his entire life, there is really no excuse. I thought the judges took it easy on him because they want him to stick around until the end of the season and that is not fair to the contestants that they have crucified in the past for doing the same thing.
Kristy Lee 'Seabiscuit' Cook - "Eight Days A Week"
Country, Pop, Rock, Soul... it doesn't matter. This girl just CAN NOT sing! There were hints of Carmen Rasmussen in her performance and that is never, ever good. She will definitely be in the bottom three and I hope that she goes ahead and leaves for home. Maybe if she leaves now she will still have time to get her horse back.
David 'Private Dancer' Hernandez - "I Saw Her Standing There"
So, is "pizza bistro" the new slang for strip club these days? That is a new one for me. This was a definite mis-step for him. Horrible song choice coupled with shrill singing, bad dancing and his questionable press should see him in the bottom three this week as well.
Ramiele 'Ramamamamalei' Malubay - "In My Life"
Ramiele is hard to figure out. She actually has a decent voice but seems to consistently pick the wrong song. Or, maybe I am wrong and she just has horrible stage presence. It all equates to a mind-numbing, lackluster performance week after week. It was made even more dull tonight because it followed the energetic performace by Chikezie.
Syesha 'not worthy of a nickname' Mercado - "Got To Get You Into My Life"
The problem with Syesha is that she is only good when she is belting it out. Yes Randy, she has a "Big Voice". Unfortunately, she seems to want to pick songs with lots of soft moments in them and when she does it is really not good and absolutely forgettable. I am not really sure why the judges, Simon in particular, felt the need to praise her this week. Fortunately for her, though she was one of the worst, she was not as bad as it got.
The Rest
Jason 'Spicoli' Castro - "If I Fell"
I love Jason but I wish that he would have gone into his falsetto less during this song. His voice is very pure when he is just singing along with the melody. As soon as he goes to the high notes I want to run screaming from the room. I know that it cursed David A. this week, but he needs to bring something a little more lively to the show next week.
Carly 'U2 Can Sell 400 CDs' Smithson - "Come Together"
I must admit to a bias against Carly. I have not cared for her since the beginning of the competition (she usually puts me to sleep). The fact that she is a ringer placed in the competition by Randy Jackson has not helped her cause any either. Believe it or not, I enjoyed tonight's performance until she started yelling at me. The issue that she faces are the looks that she makes when hitting the high "power" notes. Her eyebrows curl menacingly together and it looks like she is giving everyone the 'Stink eye". Quit looking at us that way you Celine wannabe!
Amanda 'Skunk Girl' Overmyer - "You Can't Do That"
The person that helps her pick out her hair and clothing each week should be fired immediately. Given that, she knows who she is and refuses to be anything else. Every song that she sings sounds like a rock anthem from the 70's. I could live without the scatting that she insists on doing each week but this was much better than "Carry On".
Michael 'Hot Aussie' Johns - "Across The Universe"
I am officially throwing Michael over for David Cook. He is pretty to look at but he has not been entertaining for the past few weeks. This was not his worst but it was dreadfully boring. This is a beautiful classic song. I commend him for sticking with the original arrangement - to change it would have been sinful - but it just did nothing for me. Fortunately for him, there were quite a few performances worse than his so he should be safe.
Should Go
Kristy Lee Cook, David Hernandez, Ramiele Malubay or Syesha Mercado
Will Go
Kristy Lee Cook (Please, please, please let her get kicked off. I can't take another week!)
Dial Idol Predictions
Safe: David A., Brooke, Chikezie
Bottom 3: Ramiele, David H., Syesha
Special Thanks to Keri Stocks for brainstorming on the nicknames for each of the contestants with me. :O)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)