Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Top 10 - Soul and R&B
The painful saga that is Season 9 continues with Soul/R&B Hits. Some of you have written to say that you are giving up on on this season of Idol. I am starting to think that I should join you and find a life on Tuesday nights. If not for Crystal Bowersox (and Lee/Good Siobhan), then I wouldn't be bothering at this point. If she doesn't win then there is no justice in the world.
Siobhan Magnus: ("Through The Fire" - Chaka Khan) I don't know what has happened to Siobhan. She continued her downward slide this week. It was boring and contained 1 1/2 unnecessary primal screams. Simon was dead on with his initial analysis of her performance. He pushed it a little too far in the end though and I felt sorry for her.
Casey James: ("Hold On I'm Coming" - Sam and Dave) To me, Casey seems to enjoy playing the guitar more than singing. Since he is not the best singer this makes sense. He is one of the stronger contestants this season but he wouldn't be if he had auditioned in Season 5 or 7 where the talent pool was larger. I wonder why the judges haven't asked him to put down the guitar like they did with Crystal?
Michael Lynche: ("Ready for Love" - India.Arie) India.Arie is perfect for Michael. Wonderful job picking a song. He was so much better this week. Strong vocal without the hated/dreaded falsetto AND playing the guitar kept him from making those corny gestures while he sings. My favorite performance from him so far in the competition.
Didi Benami: ("What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?" - Jimmy Ruffin) It was not a bad vocal performance but Didi never seems to really connect with the audience while she is singing. She is just blank when on stage. Hopefully she can turn it around.
Tim Urban: ("Sweet Love" - Anita Baker) Good grief it was bad! He kept singing about knowing no shame and he obviously doesn't if he can get up in front of millions of people and sing this song with his meager vocal abilities. He is so cheesy. VFTW, please don't save him this week (even he wants to go home at this point)!
Andrew Garcia: ("Forever" - Chris Brown) The best Andrew has been since the competition started but I agree with Simon that he is still boring.
Katie Stevens: ("Chain of Fools" - Aretha Franklin) The singing was technically not bad but it was once again boring and her outfit was insanely bad. I always feel like I am watching the talent portion of a beauty pageant when she is on stage. This season is so not good.
Lee DeWyze: ("Treat Her Like A Lady" - Cornelius Brothers) I have always been a Lee fan but he really surprised me tonight. I was starting to think that he would never get it all together. He was at his best so far this week.
Crystal Bowersox: ("Midnight Train to Georgia" - Gladys Knight) I prefer Crystal with a guitar but she was one of the best once again. I also agree with Simon that the backup singers shouldn't have been used. They were not necessary.
Aaron Kelly: ("Aint No Sunshine" - Bill Withers) Aaron should have picked another song. This did not come across well and it was done much better just last season by Kris Allen.
The Best
Lee, Crystal
The Worst
Tim, Siobhan
The Rest
Casey, Aaron, Didi, Andrew, Katie, Michael
Siobhan Magnus: ("Through The Fire" - Chaka Khan) I don't know what has happened to Siobhan. She continued her downward slide this week. It was boring and contained 1 1/2 unnecessary primal screams. Simon was dead on with his initial analysis of her performance. He pushed it a little too far in the end though and I felt sorry for her.
Casey James: ("Hold On I'm Coming" - Sam and Dave) To me, Casey seems to enjoy playing the guitar more than singing. Since he is not the best singer this makes sense. He is one of the stronger contestants this season but he wouldn't be if he had auditioned in Season 5 or 7 where the talent pool was larger. I wonder why the judges haven't asked him to put down the guitar like they did with Crystal?
Michael Lynche: ("Ready for Love" - India.Arie) India.Arie is perfect for Michael. Wonderful job picking a song. He was so much better this week. Strong vocal without the hated/dreaded falsetto AND playing the guitar kept him from making those corny gestures while he sings. My favorite performance from him so far in the competition.
Didi Benami: ("What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?" - Jimmy Ruffin) It was not a bad vocal performance but Didi never seems to really connect with the audience while she is singing. She is just blank when on stage. Hopefully she can turn it around.
Tim Urban: ("Sweet Love" - Anita Baker) Good grief it was bad! He kept singing about knowing no shame and he obviously doesn't if he can get up in front of millions of people and sing this song with his meager vocal abilities. He is so cheesy. VFTW, please don't save him this week (even he wants to go home at this point)!
Andrew Garcia: ("Forever" - Chris Brown) The best Andrew has been since the competition started but I agree with Simon that he is still boring.
Katie Stevens: ("Chain of Fools" - Aretha Franklin) The singing was technically not bad but it was once again boring and her outfit was insanely bad. I always feel like I am watching the talent portion of a beauty pageant when she is on stage. This season is so not good.
Lee DeWyze: ("Treat Her Like A Lady" - Cornelius Brothers) I have always been a Lee fan but he really surprised me tonight. I was starting to think that he would never get it all together. He was at his best so far this week.
Crystal Bowersox: ("Midnight Train to Georgia" - Gladys Knight) I prefer Crystal with a guitar but she was one of the best once again. I also agree with Simon that the backup singers shouldn't have been used. They were not necessary.
Aaron Kelly: ("Aint No Sunshine" - Bill Withers) Aaron should have picked another song. This did not come across well and it was done much better just last season by Kris Allen.
The Best
Lee, Crystal
The Worst
Tim, Siobhan
The Rest
Casey, Aaron, Didi, Andrew, Katie, Michael
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Top 11 - #1 Hits from Billboard Hot 100
The original theme for this week was Teen Pop. The Powers That Be then changed it to #1 Hits from the Billboard Hot 100. I don't know that they really did us any favors. The songs that most of the contestants chose have been done on the show already or were never done for a reason. At least if they had stuck with Teen Pop then we could have blamed it on the theme. I don't know who to blame for this travesty.
Lee Dewyze: ("The Letter" - Box Tops 1967) Lee changed it up this week by leaving out the guitar. It actually improved his stage presence somehow. He still looked nervous but not as much.
Paige Miles: ("Against All Odds" - Phil Collins 1984) HIDEOUS! I don't know what happened but Paige was Just. Not. Good. I don't know if she is just not trying or if we should stage an uprising against the judges for putting her through in the first place. Other than a slight glimmer last week, she has not proven that she has any talent at all.
Tim Urban: ("Crazy Little Thing Called Love" - Queen 1980) Tim tried to liven things up this week by sliding on the stage and hand slapping the swaybots in the pit. In an ordinary week, it would have been fodder to get him sent home. This week, however, he had so much competition in the how-bad-can-I-be category that it didn't seem as bad to me. He was trying too hard and was still boring but he sang better than Paige or Andrew. My Dad thinks that "Annie's Song" by John Denver would be perfect for him and win him legions of fans. Wonder what the theme is next week?
Aaron Kelly: ("Don't Want To Miss A Thing" - Aerosmith 1998) Given that Aaron had laryngitis and tonsillitis, he did a decent job with this song. He does need to work on the rut that he has fallen into. I don't think he has done one song that is not a ballad yet. I know that ballads are what fits his voice the best but it will come back to bite him if he doesn't learn to branch out some.
Crystal Bowersox: ("Me and Bobby McGee" - Janis Joplin 1971) The transition from the first verse to the rest of the song was a little odd, but Crystal did what she does best. This time she got to channel Joplin while performing her song. It was really good.
Big Mike Lynche: ("When A Man Loves A Woman" - Percy Sledge 1966) Mike sang well once again this week until the falsetto at the end. The thing that is working against him is the odd posturing that he projects on stage. He also seems to have fallen into a ballad rut with Aaron.
Andrew Garcia: ("Heard It Through The Grapevine" - Marvin Gaye 1968) He should not be here. I want Alex Lambert back! Now!
Katie Stevens: ("Big Girls Don't Cry" - Fergie 2007) Katie didn't add anything new to the song. It was just a copy cat version that was not as good as the original. She was better than last week though so I guess that was an improvement. To quote Kara (am I really doing this?), she still has "mad pitch issues".
Casey James: ("Power of Love" - Huey Lewis & The News 1985) Casey didn't really do anything special to it but I give him extra points for choosing Huey Lewis. It was much better than a lot of the other contestants. His voice is similar to Stevie Ray Vaughn's.
Didi Benami: ("You're No Good" - Linda Ronstadt 1975) Didi was trying to channel Lacey Brown for some unknown reason. Didi - Lacey was sent home because she sucks. Do not try to be Lacey unless you want to go home. Paige or Andrew should save you this week but you only get so many passes before bad decisions catch up to you.
Siobhan Magnus: ("Superstition" - Stevie Wonder 1972) This was the first time that I didn't really care for a performance by Siobhan. I agree with Simon that she needs to watch ending evey song with the glory note. It is starting to get old. I still like her but she needs to bring it next week.
Thank God that it's finally over!
The Worst
Paige, Andrew, Didi
The Best
Crystal, Aaron
The Rest
Lee, Tim, Mike, Katie, Casey, Siobhan
Lee Dewyze: ("The Letter" - Box Tops 1967) Lee changed it up this week by leaving out the guitar. It actually improved his stage presence somehow. He still looked nervous but not as much.
Paige Miles: ("Against All Odds" - Phil Collins 1984) HIDEOUS! I don't know what happened but Paige was Just. Not. Good. I don't know if she is just not trying or if we should stage an uprising against the judges for putting her through in the first place. Other than a slight glimmer last week, she has not proven that she has any talent at all.
Tim Urban: ("Crazy Little Thing Called Love" - Queen 1980) Tim tried to liven things up this week by sliding on the stage and hand slapping the swaybots in the pit. In an ordinary week, it would have been fodder to get him sent home. This week, however, he had so much competition in the how-bad-can-I-be category that it didn't seem as bad to me. He was trying too hard and was still boring but he sang better than Paige or Andrew. My Dad thinks that "Annie's Song" by John Denver would be perfect for him and win him legions of fans. Wonder what the theme is next week?
Aaron Kelly: ("Don't Want To Miss A Thing" - Aerosmith 1998) Given that Aaron had laryngitis and tonsillitis, he did a decent job with this song. He does need to work on the rut that he has fallen into. I don't think he has done one song that is not a ballad yet. I know that ballads are what fits his voice the best but it will come back to bite him if he doesn't learn to branch out some.
Crystal Bowersox: ("Me and Bobby McGee" - Janis Joplin 1971) The transition from the first verse to the rest of the song was a little odd, but Crystal did what she does best. This time she got to channel Joplin while performing her song. It was really good.
Big Mike Lynche: ("When A Man Loves A Woman" - Percy Sledge 1966) Mike sang well once again this week until the falsetto at the end. The thing that is working against him is the odd posturing that he projects on stage. He also seems to have fallen into a ballad rut with Aaron.
Andrew Garcia: ("Heard It Through The Grapevine" - Marvin Gaye 1968) He should not be here. I want Alex Lambert back! Now!
Katie Stevens: ("Big Girls Don't Cry" - Fergie 2007) Katie didn't add anything new to the song. It was just a copy cat version that was not as good as the original. She was better than last week though so I guess that was an improvement. To quote Kara (am I really doing this?), she still has "mad pitch issues".
Casey James: ("Power of Love" - Huey Lewis & The News 1985) Casey didn't really do anything special to it but I give him extra points for choosing Huey Lewis. It was much better than a lot of the other contestants. His voice is similar to Stevie Ray Vaughn's.
Didi Benami: ("You're No Good" - Linda Ronstadt 1975) Didi was trying to channel Lacey Brown for some unknown reason. Didi - Lacey was sent home because she sucks. Do not try to be Lacey unless you want to go home. Paige or Andrew should save you this week but you only get so many passes before bad decisions catch up to you.
Siobhan Magnus: ("Superstition" - Stevie Wonder 1972) This was the first time that I didn't really care for a performance by Siobhan. I agree with Simon that she needs to watch ending evey song with the glory note. It is starting to get old. I still like her but she needs to bring it next week.
Thank God that it's finally over!
The Worst
Paige, Andrew, Didi
The Best
Crystal, Aaron
The Rest
Lee, Tim, Mike, Katie, Casey, Siobhan
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Top 12 - Rolling Stones
I have been dreading the Top 12 performances since I heard that they would be singing the songs of The Rolling Stones. Unfortunately, I was right and the people that I expected to be bad were for the most part.
Michael Lynche: ("Miss You") It wasn't the worst thing that I have heard this season (that would be "Landslide" by Lacey Brown) but I wasn't impressed by his performance. I also must disagree with Kara that he had the "Jagger swagger". He was bouncing from foot to foot like Barney or the Teletubbies.
Didi Benami: ("Play With Fire") Didi was not perfect but she managed to pull through almost butchering the words twice. I was actually surprised that she was able to pull this off. I thought she would really struggle this week.
Casey James: ("All Over Now") My favorite performance from him so far. He is believeable with the guitar and this type of song. I much prefer the scratchy rocker voice to the goat vibrato. His mom looks like Peggy Bundy.
Lacey Brown: ("Ruby Tuesday") Lacey lived up to my expectations of her performance. It wasn't good and I can't believe she is still on this show. Katelyn was robbed! I should have known that Lacey wasn't going to be any good as soon as they said she was from Amarillo. My brother and I went through there once. Believe me, it is not worth a stop. Keep going until you get to Arizona.
Andrew Garcia: ("Gimme Shelter") Andrew was bad yet again. He has no depthh to his performances. This was proof that Alex Lambert should not have been sent home last week.
Katie Stevens: ("Wild Horses") The opening verse was actually pretty good and then she went into the chorus and it descended into a pitchy hot mess.
Tim Urban: ("Under My Thumb") He is boring and the reggae thing just didn't work. Yet another guy that should have been sent home instead of Alex Lambert. He is the Vote For The Worst pick so he may be safe.
Siobhan Magnus: ("Paint It Black") This was one of two performances that I was looking forward to this week and...Damn! That was good. Kara and Simon were completely off base in comparing her to Adam Lambert. That cretin isn't fit to lick the bottom of her shoe!
Lee DeWyze: ("Beast of Burden") This was not a difficult arrangement but he did a good job with it. Lee should not be concerned by Simon's comment. He told David Cook that he didn't have enough charisma to win and be a star around this same point in season 7.
Paige Miles: ("Honky Tonk Woman") This was the best performance from Paige yet this season. It was much better than last week. I am not sure about the outfit though. She looked like a camp counselor but was singing about being a honky tonk woman. I was confused.
Aaron Kelly: ("Angie") The beginning of the song was very shaky and not very good. About the time that I was ready to write him off, my dad suggested that I not look at him while he is singing. It worked! He sounds much better when you don't look at him. ;)
Crystal Bowersox: ("You Can't Always Get What You Want") The other performance that I was looking forward to... and as expected... it was awesome! She took the Stones to church. Her dad almost made me cry. I love her.
The Best
Siobhan, Crystal, Casey
The Worst
Lacey (she sang about "goodbye" hopefully she will get gone. Finally!), Tim, Katie
The Rest
Lee, Aaron, Michael, Andrew, Paige, Didi
Michael Lynche: ("Miss You") It wasn't the worst thing that I have heard this season (that would be "Landslide" by Lacey Brown) but I wasn't impressed by his performance. I also must disagree with Kara that he had the "Jagger swagger". He was bouncing from foot to foot like Barney or the Teletubbies.
Didi Benami: ("Play With Fire") Didi was not perfect but she managed to pull through almost butchering the words twice. I was actually surprised that she was able to pull this off. I thought she would really struggle this week.
Casey James: ("All Over Now") My favorite performance from him so far. He is believeable with the guitar and this type of song. I much prefer the scratchy rocker voice to the goat vibrato. His mom looks like Peggy Bundy.
Lacey Brown: ("Ruby Tuesday") Lacey lived up to my expectations of her performance. It wasn't good and I can't believe she is still on this show. Katelyn was robbed! I should have known that Lacey wasn't going to be any good as soon as they said she was from Amarillo. My brother and I went through there once. Believe me, it is not worth a stop. Keep going until you get to Arizona.
Andrew Garcia: ("Gimme Shelter") Andrew was bad yet again. He has no depthh to his performances. This was proof that Alex Lambert should not have been sent home last week.
Katie Stevens: ("Wild Horses") The opening verse was actually pretty good and then she went into the chorus and it descended into a pitchy hot mess.
Tim Urban: ("Under My Thumb") He is boring and the reggae thing just didn't work. Yet another guy that should have been sent home instead of Alex Lambert. He is the Vote For The Worst pick so he may be safe.
Siobhan Magnus: ("Paint It Black") This was one of two performances that I was looking forward to this week and...Damn! That was good. Kara and Simon were completely off base in comparing her to Adam Lambert. That cretin isn't fit to lick the bottom of her shoe!
Lee DeWyze: ("Beast of Burden") This was not a difficult arrangement but he did a good job with it. Lee should not be concerned by Simon's comment. He told David Cook that he didn't have enough charisma to win and be a star around this same point in season 7.
Paige Miles: ("Honky Tonk Woman") This was the best performance from Paige yet this season. It was much better than last week. I am not sure about the outfit though. She looked like a camp counselor but was singing about being a honky tonk woman. I was confused.
Aaron Kelly: ("Angie") The beginning of the song was very shaky and not very good. About the time that I was ready to write him off, my dad suggested that I not look at him while he is singing. It worked! He sounds much better when you don't look at him. ;)
Crystal Bowersox: ("You Can't Always Get What You Want") The other performance that I was looking forward to... and as expected... it was awesome! She took the Stones to church. Her dad almost made me cry. I love her.
The Best
Siobhan, Crystal, Casey
The Worst
Lacey (she sang about "goodbye" hopefully she will get gone. Finally!), Tim, Katie
The Rest
Lee, Aaron, Michael, Andrew, Paige, Didi
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Memory Lane: David Cook - Top 16 Week
The week that everyone started to pay attention to the "word nerd"...
Season 9 Top 16 Boys Night
Lee Dewyze: ("Fireflies"-Owl City) I was terrified when I read that Lee would be singing this on the song spoilers on Vote for the Worst. It was a little rough in the middle but I enjoyed it overall. Since this song is a product of overproduction, it didn't really help Lee to stand out though, despite replacing the keyboard with a guitar. Bad singing from some of the other contestants helped with that.
Alex Lambert: ("Trouble" - Ray LaMontagne) It started off shaky (nerves?) but he pulled it together. Alex has a great voice but he need A LOT of work on his stage presence. At some point he is going to have to get the nerves under control or he will crumble under the pressure of the show. I like him and hope that he is able to get it together.
Tim Urban: ("Hallelujah" - Jeff Buckley) Tim showed improvement tonight on all but the chorus of the song. I still don't think he has what it takes to make it to the Top 12 but then the VFTW people may push him through. Jason Castro did this song much better.
Andrew Garcia: ("Genie In A Bottle" - Christina Aguilera) Is Andrew trying to get kicked off or should he have never been put through in the first place? He was bad again this week (actually this was probably his worst yet)! Kara may be right that he peaked too early (did I just agree with crazy brainless Kara?). Worst of the night, hands down, no one else was close.
Casey James: ("You'll Think of Me" - Keith Urban) I guess it was okay. He didn't really sing for most of the song. At least he left the Carmen Rasmussen goat vibrato backstage this week.
Aaron Kelly: ("I'm Already There" - Lonestar) His voice was super shaky at the beginning due to nerves but it got better in the chorus. Aaron seems to suffer from the same confidence/presence problems as Alex (though Alex has a better voice). I did enjoy it when Simon laid the verbal beat down on Kara, though.
Todrick Hall: ("Somebody to Love" - Queen) Why? Honestly, I don't mean to harp but Todrick and Jermaine Sellers should have never been put through in the first place. Jermaine was finally shown the door and I can't wait for the same thing to happen to Todrick. Jermaine Purefoy should have had either of their spots. He has actual talent. I guess this was good for him but it just wasn't good enough. My friend Kim thinks that he was channeling Adam "Screech" Lambert. I agree, but Adam actually sings better (it truly pains me to say this) and I don't like the way he sings either.
Big Mike: ("This Woman's Work" - Maxwell) This is not really my cup of tea but I was impressed with Mike. I had no idea that he could hit these kinds of notes. Everything he has done before this was no where in the vicinity. I still don't understand why Kara was reduced to a blubbering idiot but I blame it on the alcohol.
Top 6 - I Hope
Alex Lambert
Lee Dewyze
Big Mike
Casey James
Aaron Kelly
Going Home? (I am completely torn people)
Todrick Hall
Andrew Garcia
Tim Urban
Alex Lambert: ("Trouble" - Ray LaMontagne) It started off shaky (nerves?) but he pulled it together. Alex has a great voice but he need A LOT of work on his stage presence. At some point he is going to have to get the nerves under control or he will crumble under the pressure of the show. I like him and hope that he is able to get it together.
Tim Urban: ("Hallelujah" - Jeff Buckley) Tim showed improvement tonight on all but the chorus of the song. I still don't think he has what it takes to make it to the Top 12 but then the VFTW people may push him through. Jason Castro did this song much better.
Andrew Garcia: ("Genie In A Bottle" - Christina Aguilera) Is Andrew trying to get kicked off or should he have never been put through in the first place? He was bad again this week (actually this was probably his worst yet)! Kara may be right that he peaked too early (did I just agree with crazy brainless Kara?). Worst of the night, hands down, no one else was close.
Casey James: ("You'll Think of Me" - Keith Urban) I guess it was okay. He didn't really sing for most of the song. At least he left the Carmen Rasmussen goat vibrato backstage this week.
Aaron Kelly: ("I'm Already There" - Lonestar) His voice was super shaky at the beginning due to nerves but it got better in the chorus. Aaron seems to suffer from the same confidence/presence problems as Alex (though Alex has a better voice). I did enjoy it when Simon laid the verbal beat down on Kara, though.
Todrick Hall: ("Somebody to Love" - Queen) Why? Honestly, I don't mean to harp but Todrick and Jermaine Sellers should have never been put through in the first place. Jermaine was finally shown the door and I can't wait for the same thing to happen to Todrick. Jermaine Purefoy should have had either of their spots. He has actual talent. I guess this was good for him but it just wasn't good enough. My friend Kim thinks that he was channeling Adam "Screech" Lambert. I agree, but Adam actually sings better (it truly pains me to say this) and I don't like the way he sings either.
Big Mike: ("This Woman's Work" - Maxwell) This is not really my cup of tea but I was impressed with Mike. I had no idea that he could hit these kinds of notes. Everything he has done before this was no where in the vicinity. I still don't understand why Kara was reduced to a blubbering idiot but I blame it on the alcohol.
Top 6 - I Hope
Alex Lambert
Lee Dewyze
Big Mike
Casey James
Aaron Kelly
Going Home? (I am completely torn people)
Todrick Hall
Andrew Garcia
Tim Urban
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Season 9 Top 16 Ladies Night
Katie Stevens: ("Breakaway" - Kelly Clarkson) Katie seems like a sweet girl but she just doesn't have the chops to attempt Kelly Clarkson. Didn't she learn anything from Paige Miles? The beginning of the song was flat and then when she got to the chorus it was shrill and off key. Bad choice for her.
Siobhan Magnus: ("House of the Rising Sun" - Animals) Wow! Beautiful. One of the best performances of the night. I am not sure what Simon's deal was. Reverse psychology? This was much better than last week to me (though that note was impressive).
Lacey Brown: ("The Story" - Brandi Carlisle) I LOVE this song and it is no secret that I can't wait for Lacey to get kicked off the show (why is she still here?). This was the best she has been since the voting started but I credit the song. She should still go home. Please.
Katelyn Epperly: ("I Feel The Earth Move" - Carole King) She had the Carole King hair but this week was a little bit of a let down for me. I will admit that I am biased when it comes to this song as well because I have never really cared for it. Hopefully Katelyn will still make the Top 12 because she is one of the most talented of the ladies.
Didi Benami: ("Rhiannon" - Fleetwood Mac) She took the advice of the judges and brought the guitar this week. Much improved over last week. It was really pretty but I thought the beginning was a little slow. I have liked Didi since the auditions but I am still waiting for another standout week.
Paige Miles: ("Smile") Paige bought her ticket home tonight. She was singing about smiling but she looked like she didn't know whether she wanted to cry or run screaming from the stage. The judges keep insisting that she is a really talented singer but, unfortunately, she just hasn't been able to get it together yet.
Crystal Bowersox: ("One Reason" - Tracy Chapman) Crystal is like Janis Joplin reborn. She also has a way of taking a song, no matter how well known, and making it sound like her own. I hope that the judges will not cause her downfall by continuing to heap the praise on her each week. I know that she has been good every week and has deserved it but we all know that too much praise can turn the tide of the audience very quickly on this show.
Lilly Scott: ("I Fall To Pieces" - Patsy Cline) Lilly tried to make this her own but she just can't live up to Patsy Cline. I think that she should make it through to the Top 12 but she needs to watch being a one trick pony. All of her songs are starting to sound the same and she will not last long if she doesn't figure out how to expand her horizons.
Through to Top 12
Crystal Bowersox
Siobhan Magnus
Didi Benami
Katelyn Epperly
Lilly Scott
Katie Stevens
Going Home
Lacey Brown
Paige Miles (she and Katie could trade places)
Siobhan Magnus: ("House of the Rising Sun" - Animals) Wow! Beautiful. One of the best performances of the night. I am not sure what Simon's deal was. Reverse psychology? This was much better than last week to me (though that note was impressive).
Lacey Brown: ("The Story" - Brandi Carlisle) I LOVE this song and it is no secret that I can't wait for Lacey to get kicked off the show (why is she still here?). This was the best she has been since the voting started but I credit the song. She should still go home. Please.
Katelyn Epperly: ("I Feel The Earth Move" - Carole King) She had the Carole King hair but this week was a little bit of a let down for me. I will admit that I am biased when it comes to this song as well because I have never really cared for it. Hopefully Katelyn will still make the Top 12 because she is one of the most talented of the ladies.
Didi Benami: ("Rhiannon" - Fleetwood Mac) She took the advice of the judges and brought the guitar this week. Much improved over last week. It was really pretty but I thought the beginning was a little slow. I have liked Didi since the auditions but I am still waiting for another standout week.
Paige Miles: ("Smile") Paige bought her ticket home tonight. She was singing about smiling but she looked like she didn't know whether she wanted to cry or run screaming from the stage. The judges keep insisting that she is a really talented singer but, unfortunately, she just hasn't been able to get it together yet.
Crystal Bowersox: ("One Reason" - Tracy Chapman) Crystal is like Janis Joplin reborn. She also has a way of taking a song, no matter how well known, and making it sound like her own. I hope that the judges will not cause her downfall by continuing to heap the praise on her each week. I know that she has been good every week and has deserved it but we all know that too much praise can turn the tide of the audience very quickly on this show.
Lilly Scott: ("I Fall To Pieces" - Patsy Cline) Lilly tried to make this her own but she just can't live up to Patsy Cline. I think that she should make it through to the Top 12 but she needs to watch being a one trick pony. All of her songs are starting to sound the same and she will not last long if she doesn't figure out how to expand her horizons.
Through to Top 12
Crystal Bowersox
Siobhan Magnus
Didi Benami
Katelyn Epperly
Lilly Scott
Katie Stevens
Going Home
Lacey Brown
Paige Miles (she and Katie could trade places)
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Top 20 Results
I was pleased with the guys that were sent home tonight. Jermaine came across as a jerk and John Park just couldn't put together a performance that wasn't mind-numbingly boring. I was disappointed in the ladies results though. Michelle was not awesome but wasn't one of the worst. I know that Haeley wasn't good this week but I really hoped that she would pull it through for at least another week. I was rooting for her (and I liked her a lot more than Katie) I cried along with the contestants when she sang her swan song. Obviously, I will not be the only person that will miss her.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Memory Lane - David Cook - Top 20 Week
Do you remember how bad this was when performed by Paige Miles? BTW, no idea what Simon's problem was... I saw lots of charisma!
Season 9 Top 20 Ladies Night
I had a horrible day at work today so I really needed the girls to bring it. I should have known that I was asking too much. I will say that at least none of the girls are pompous jerks like a few of the male contestants.
Crystal Bowersox: ("Long As I Can See Light" - CCR) They had to save Ladies night until Crystal could perform. She set the bar high early and all the other girls just tried to live up to it. No one reached her level but a few got close. BOW-ER-SOX!!
Haeley Vaughn: ("The Climb" - Miley Cyrus) Poor Haeley. This song was too much for her. She should have picked another artist (dare I suggest Taylor Swift?). It started out okay but quickly fell apart. I think Haeley may just be too young and she definitely needs some vocal training to help her control her voice.
Lacey Brown: ("Kiss Me" - Sixpence None The Richer) Again this week, Lacey proved that having a "unique" voice does not mean that you should be a recording artist. It was better than last week, barely, but last week she was sooooo bad. She made Megan Joy look good. Again. You know how that pains me if you were reading last year.
Katie Stevens: ("Put Your Records On" - Corrine Bailey Rae) Katie has a good voice but is falling victim to her inexperience. She tried to take the advice of the judges and go with something more current but she still came across as old and slightly boring. She just tries too hard.
Didi Benami: ("Lean On Me" - Bill Withers) Didi has a good, clear voice but this was just not the right song. She needs to stop trying to do just what the judges tell her and perform what she wants so that she is more comfortable. I spent most of the song trying to figure out just what she should sing next but I came up with nothing. Any ideas?
Michelle Delamor: ("Arms Wide Open" - Creed) I get what Michelle was trying to do with this but it didn't completely work. The beginning was really good but once she took the mic off the stand it got a little wobbly and then it nosedived into screeching at the end.
Lilly Scott: ("A Change is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke) Shocker! I preferred her version to that of Adam Lambert. She is one of the better girls so far. She is interesting but she kind of gets lost as the "other" indie artist next to Crystal.
Katelyn Epperly: ("The Scientist" - Coldplay) Katelyn was really strong again this week. I was obviously completely wrong about her. She has gotten better each week so far. If she keeps it up she should go far.
Paige Miles: ("Walk Away" - Kelly Clarkson) I want Paige to take advice from her song and just get gone. During the middle of the song, she quit even trying to sing the words and started making noises. Simon, you were so wrong last week when you said that she had the strongest voice in the competition, and I think you know that now.
Siobhan Magnus: ("Think" - Aretha Franklin) Siobhan is a talented singer but I actually preferred her performance last week to this one. She should stop taking advice from the judges and just do her own thing. The big note at the end was amazing though.
Best
BOW-ER-SOX
Katelyn Epperly
Siobhan Magnus
Lilly Scott
Worst
Lacey Brown
Haeley Vaughn
Paige Miles
The Rest
Katie Stevens
Didi Benami
Michelle Delamor
Crystal Bowersox: ("Long As I Can See Light" - CCR) They had to save Ladies night until Crystal could perform. She set the bar high early and all the other girls just tried to live up to it. No one reached her level but a few got close. BOW-ER-SOX!!
Haeley Vaughn: ("The Climb" - Miley Cyrus) Poor Haeley. This song was too much for her. She should have picked another artist (dare I suggest Taylor Swift?). It started out okay but quickly fell apart. I think Haeley may just be too young and she definitely needs some vocal training to help her control her voice.
Lacey Brown: ("Kiss Me" - Sixpence None The Richer) Again this week, Lacey proved that having a "unique" voice does not mean that you should be a recording artist. It was better than last week, barely, but last week she was sooooo bad. She made Megan Joy look good. Again. You know how that pains me if you were reading last year.
Katie Stevens: ("Put Your Records On" - Corrine Bailey Rae) Katie has a good voice but is falling victim to her inexperience. She tried to take the advice of the judges and go with something more current but she still came across as old and slightly boring. She just tries too hard.
Didi Benami: ("Lean On Me" - Bill Withers) Didi has a good, clear voice but this was just not the right song. She needs to stop trying to do just what the judges tell her and perform what she wants so that she is more comfortable. I spent most of the song trying to figure out just what she should sing next but I came up with nothing. Any ideas?
Michelle Delamor: ("Arms Wide Open" - Creed) I get what Michelle was trying to do with this but it didn't completely work. The beginning was really good but once she took the mic off the stand it got a little wobbly and then it nosedived into screeching at the end.
Lilly Scott: ("A Change is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke) Shocker! I preferred her version to that of Adam Lambert. She is one of the better girls so far. She is interesting but she kind of gets lost as the "other" indie artist next to Crystal.
Katelyn Epperly: ("The Scientist" - Coldplay) Katelyn was really strong again this week. I was obviously completely wrong about her. She has gotten better each week so far. If she keeps it up she should go far.
Paige Miles: ("Walk Away" - Kelly Clarkson) I want Paige to take advice from her song and just get gone. During the middle of the song, she quit even trying to sing the words and started making noises. Simon, you were so wrong last week when you said that she had the strongest voice in the competition, and I think you know that now.
Siobhan Magnus: ("Think" - Aretha Franklin) Siobhan is a talented singer but I actually preferred her performance last week to this one. She should stop taking advice from the judges and just do her own thing. The big note at the end was amazing though.
Best
BOW-ER-SOX
Katelyn Epperly
Siobhan Magnus
Lilly Scott
Worst
Lacey Brown
Haeley Vaughn
Paige Miles
The Rest
Katie Stevens
Didi Benami
Michelle Delamor
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Season 9 Top 20 Boys Night
A bit of a schedule change this week because Crystal Bowersox was hospitalized for an issue with her diabetes. The boys were put on the hot seat first. It was a boring night overall, but there was definitely some improvement over last week for some of the contestants. Here we go...
Michael Lynche: ("Man's World" - James Brown) This was better than last week and much less "breathy" but I still had issues with his performance. There was way too much time spent at the beginning of the song posturing while the band played but not singing. Now, I know that part of that has to do with the song choice, but this is a singing competition. Find something that will allow you to sing!
John Park: ("Gravity" - John Mayer) John was BORING again this week. I don't get him. He has a good voice but once he gets on stage it just leaves him and takes any charisma that he has with it. He could be in danger.
Casey James: ("I Don't Wanna Be" - Gavin DeGraw) Casey lost the goat vibrato this week but he spent entirely too much time concentrating on his guitar and not enough time learning to sing his song well. This was done much better by Bo Bice and Elliott Yamin.
Alex Lambert: ("Everybody Knows" - John Legend) Wow! Alex is so much better with the guitar. His voice continued to shine and the guitar seemed to help with his nerves and improve his stage presence. This is a Lambert that I will root for.
Todrick Hall: ("What's Love Got To Do With It?" - Tina Turner) Todrick was manic and bad last week. He was boring and not very good this week. He needs to have someone else arrange the songs for him or find a version that someone else has already updated but is not as well known as the original and go with that. His current method is just not working. My friend Kim had the perfect suggestion... He should have done "Private Dancer" at least that would have been hilariously entertaining. ;O)
Jermaine Sellers: ("What's Going On?" - Marvin Gaye) First, I must address the onesie. I could have lived my whole live without seeing him in his JJ Evans drawers. This guy is so arrogant that it is hard to listen to his taped package. If you are going to be that cocky then you really need to have the talent to back it up. "Bus Boy" is not as talented as he thinks he is. Buh-bye, please!
Andrew Garcia: ("You Give Me Something - James Morrison) Andrew seemed very out of place without his guitar to stand behind. There were a couple of good short moments but it was really rough in a lot of places and boring.
Aaron Kelly: ("My Girl" - Temptations) Aaron took a leap back this week. It stared out okay but fell apart in the middle and then careened downhill to badness. He is much better when covering Rascal Flatts. If he makes it to next week he might want to go back to country music.
Tim Urban: ("Come On Get High" - Matt Nathanson) To paraphrase the opening line of his performance, "I did not miss the sound of his voice". It was better than he did last week but it was still really not good. I still believe that there had to be someone better than Tim to take the place of Chris Golightly when he was booted. He does not deserve to be here.
Lee Dewyze ("Lips of An Angel" - Hinder) I am not a fan of this song. That said, I think Lee has lots of potential but he did have some bad notes. He also needs his guitar to feel comfortable on stage. He was one of the best given his competition.
Best
Alex Lambert
Lee Dewyze
Michael Lynche
Boring
John Park
Andrew Garcia
Casey James
Aaron Kelly
Worst - Go Home Please!
Jermaine Sellers
Tim Urban
Michael Lynche: ("Man's World" - James Brown) This was better than last week and much less "breathy" but I still had issues with his performance. There was way too much time spent at the beginning of the song posturing while the band played but not singing. Now, I know that part of that has to do with the song choice, but this is a singing competition. Find something that will allow you to sing!
John Park: ("Gravity" - John Mayer) John was BORING again this week. I don't get him. He has a good voice but once he gets on stage it just leaves him and takes any charisma that he has with it. He could be in danger.
Casey James: ("I Don't Wanna Be" - Gavin DeGraw) Casey lost the goat vibrato this week but he spent entirely too much time concentrating on his guitar and not enough time learning to sing his song well. This was done much better by Bo Bice and Elliott Yamin.
Alex Lambert: ("Everybody Knows" - John Legend) Wow! Alex is so much better with the guitar. His voice continued to shine and the guitar seemed to help with his nerves and improve his stage presence. This is a Lambert that I will root for.
Todrick Hall: ("What's Love Got To Do With It?" - Tina Turner) Todrick was manic and bad last week. He was boring and not very good this week. He needs to have someone else arrange the songs for him or find a version that someone else has already updated but is not as well known as the original and go with that. His current method is just not working. My friend Kim had the perfect suggestion... He should have done "Private Dancer" at least that would have been hilariously entertaining. ;O)
Jermaine Sellers: ("What's Going On?" - Marvin Gaye) First, I must address the onesie. I could have lived my whole live without seeing him in his JJ Evans drawers. This guy is so arrogant that it is hard to listen to his taped package. If you are going to be that cocky then you really need to have the talent to back it up. "Bus Boy" is not as talented as he thinks he is. Buh-bye, please!
Andrew Garcia: ("You Give Me Something - James Morrison) Andrew seemed very out of place without his guitar to stand behind. There were a couple of good short moments but it was really rough in a lot of places and boring.
Aaron Kelly: ("My Girl" - Temptations) Aaron took a leap back this week. It stared out okay but fell apart in the middle and then careened downhill to badness. He is much better when covering Rascal Flatts. If he makes it to next week he might want to go back to country music.
Tim Urban: ("Come On Get High" - Matt Nathanson) To paraphrase the opening line of his performance, "I did not miss the sound of his voice". It was better than he did last week but it was still really not good. I still believe that there had to be someone better than Tim to take the place of Chris Golightly when he was booted. He does not deserve to be here.
Lee Dewyze ("Lips of An Angel" - Hinder) I am not a fan of this song. That said, I think Lee has lots of potential but he did have some bad notes. He also needs his guitar to feel comfortable on stage. He was one of the best given his competition.
Best
Alex Lambert
Lee Dewyze
Michael Lynche
Boring
John Park
Andrew Garcia
Casey James
Aaron Kelly
Worst - Go Home Please!
Jermaine Sellers
Tim Urban
Memory Lane: David Cook - Top 24 Week
This is so much better then any of the guys (or girls for that matter) this year...
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