Bathing suit.
Was there anything else memorable?

I'm sure she's still in to keep the guys watching.

I liked the last guy's performance best of all.

I like the nerdy guy who sang James Ingrams'--"Baby Come to Me" and was pitch perfect and Ms. Happy. So far none except the blind guy were memorable. Also the Oil Rig worker guy was good. I did not expect that voice to come out of his body. He was good.

Have you noticed that when they actually go to the contestants home and interview the family and have a look at there life--they are usually put through to the next round--Hollywood.

I missed it and forgot to TIVO. Glad you all are here to keep me posted!!

Just got through watching Idol. The last girl from Memphis blew them all out of the water. The band teacher and the music teacher who lost his wife were other good standouts too. This show has become so unpredictable that I wonder how this season will be....

I wasn't impressed with memphis at all (other than the three you pointed out). It was interesting seeing Jason castro's little brother audition. Unlike his older brother, he doesn't have dreadlocks. He went for the more modern, dead parrot on my head look.

Memphis? You mean Kansas City?

I thought Jason Castro's brother sounded better than Jason.

Although Simon still managed to throw in one or two cruel comments (sounded like a "cat falling from the Empire State Building"), generally, he's a bit more reserved this year - as well he should be.

Some people still have a hard time with rejection. Better they're out of the race now...

I thought Kansas City was better than Phoenix overall.

I think the editing is a bit nicer this year, not the judges. It's clear after the suicide that they wanted to tone down the negativity. All the promos and non judging segments have been WAY more popular. They filled in some of the brutal attacks with retrospective clips of previous years and idol winners (and even losers). That appears to me to be because they couldn't rely on the footage already shot as much and since the judges stuff was mostly taped before the death, they had to be creative.

When they get to Hollywood, where I think they were when the death happened, it will be interesting to see how they act. But there will only be a handful of really bad contestants still in the running (the put through a few obviously terrible singers already as they always seem to do).

I don't think the new judge has added anything to the show. It's not because she COULDN'T.. she's way more in tune with reality than the other 3 including Simon, but Simon's role is to be the logical one and the others to be comic foils. I can't figure out what her real purpose is yet other than a fail safe for an ultimate Paula meltdown that would have left them with 2 judges. I think she's insurance. I will say, however, that unlike Paula, she can definitely SING. I enjoyed the segment where she was throwing down some vocals with the contestent. Randy has producing chops (and can play some bass) but it was nice to see a real singer (who is also a huge songwriter) on the panel. Though I actually liked Paula's music when it was out, she was a studio creation.

Brian

Memphis, Kansas City they're about the same.
Besides, I was just going with the flow from the previous post.

I think Jason's brother has a stronger, less whispy voice, but not one of the best.

I think I was in the same location as where the auditions were held in Phoenix years ago. Some of the quick shots of the landscape looked like the Desert Botanical Gardens.
http://www.dbg.org/

And Brian, I remember Randy as a bass player. Most of the bass samples from the ENSONIQ AS-Series keyboards were from Randy. He was one of the session guys we used for the sound sets way back when.

Bikini girl can sing! She may want to try to stretch out the clothing though, wear some of it. She'll be another version of the girl on Nashville Star, "you only say how hot I am and don't care that I can sing, I deserve respect!!" (while she's wearing Daisy Dukes and a tube top) Bikini girl needs some clothes, some one send her to the Salvation Army, please, she's gonna freeze, it is January after all!

Kara, new judge, I like her, she's got talent, great vocals. I do think she can calm down just a notch and know this chick will be clothed (although probably not fully) for her next shot on stage.

My favorites were the music teacher, and the mom at the end last night, least favorites, the little guy who begged and begged, he could probably do well, if he calmed down, but the song choice wasn't good. Other least fave......the little blond, she could also probably do well, but I think she could have sang soemthing better.
I did like the little brother although, he seemed a bit feminine for the persona he was trying to portray. Anyway.....

I liked the music teacher who lost his wife...and a few others that I can't remember...I like the new judge, nice to have a true songwriter up there...and she's pretty, too ! !

A few good singers - of course we didn't hear them all, it was edited for "entertainment value". Kara is very talented - I heard her speak at the 2007 TAXI Road Rally.

I will be doing my "My Take on American Idol" blog again this season - subscribe now, lol -

http://myvote-americanidol.blogspot.com/

I thought Bikini girl had a nice voice, too, but my wife totally disagreed and insisted that only the GUY judges liked her...the gals didn't. She "accused" her of being part Veela (see Harry Potter) and simply distracted the males from hearing how bad a singer she really was.

We shall see if she can really sing once she gets to Hollywood and has to wear more than 12 square inches of cloth. She certainly seemed good enough to be sent to Hollywood..

I also liked the teacher who lost his wife. My bet is he will be a top 12 contender.

Larry,
that's exactly why the girl should have been dressed for the audition! She does have a decent voice, with all the drama I think that got over shadowed though.
I think among the top 6 will be the music teacher, the band instructor, the mom with the tornado damage and the big guy.

We'll see the next few weeks of who makes it through. I think that bikini girl gave herself a tougher road by her attire, now she really has more to prove.

Well, TIVO has updated me now (no better way to watch it!) but I think the editing made it more interesting. Too soon to tell really, but I'm surprised no one mentioned the guy who sang Over the Rainbow...Von somebody...while he was too loud, he seems like he has an interesting voice.

I also liked the blonde girl who had no family with her and when asked why she hadn't made it yet by Simon, she said: "I haven't stepped into the right opportunity."

Kara is fiesty. I like watching them bicker.

I didn't hear anyone from San Fran that wowed me. Toward the end of the show they flew thru about 3 or 4 people that they showed moved on to Hollywood, and from the few seconds that you could hear, I think one of them was good.
The best was again, the one that appeared the most mature - the guy that cared for his mom.

Me either, and they only got 12 people from San Francisco? That's half of what they got in Kansas City.

It looks like Kara and Simon are going to be interesting to watch - she calls him out when he's being an a-hole (which is pretty often).

The other weird thing is I thought the age limit was 28, but there was a 29-year-old (with the kids who came into the audition room), so I guess they changed the rules.

This weeks shows were kind of a let down for me. On Tuesday night the first two contestants where not that good and they got the golden ticket and the guy with the two kids--come on. The funniest line was the guy who when questioned about his hair color said, "the carpet matches the drapes" and started unbuttoning his clothes to show them. The last guy on Tuesday who was taken care of his mother he was good. And Wednesday the only one that stood out was Joanne--she was the one Kara recognized from a record deal that fell through.

I was a little confused why Brent Keith was on Idol tonight. My wife and I know him pretty well (she used to babysit him), and thought he was already signed to Combustion Music. He was also a finalist on Nashville Star a few years ago.

Interesting.

Maybe he's been let go from his label? The rulse only state that they can't have a CURRENT record deal.

Altho the audition shows sometimes are fun, and/or wierd, and/or make you shake your head.... IMO the show doesn't really begin til they've whittled it down to the top 50 or less.

I was too tired to watch it the other night, so I set up the recorder. Yesterday, tried to watch the recorded program and saw 15 minutes of a "Technical difficulties" screen, and then they replaced the remainder of the show with a different one - "Fringe" I think.

I think it's God's fault with the weather and all. He doesn't want me worshipping any idols.

I thought there were a couple of contenders in Salt Lake City. Wow...what an exuberant bunch! Must be all that mountain air.

Tonight will be the last two cities before Hollywood: New York City, and San Juan.

There's gotta be like 100-150 people going to Hollywood.


...as an aside. I tried to get tickets this year to one of the weekly shows (I went to the finale with Taylor Hicks in Season Five), but they have removed all the chairs and are making the audience stand the entire time, so I declined.

I don't think they can get rid of the seats at the Kodak Theatre though (the Hollywood auditions).

I liked the gal that sang kinda musical theatre-ish, i forget her name...They all really liked her and Simon said he'd remember her out of everybody

I liked the nerdy James Ingram guy too ;D

Last night was the first Hollywood round. The only person that stood out to me was the music teacher who had lost his wife. He sang Kiss From A Rose... They only showed a small amount of the talent that made it through to the next round---group week.

my gosh...people were completely coming apart at the seams tonight on group night! it was sort of like watching what happens to bands over a series of years happen on turbo-speed in just a few hours!

i have mixed feelings about the show. it seems to be cruelty and semi-abuse as entertainment which is a weird thing that's popular - like certain talk radio shows or the chef that goes around screaming at everyone. i'm not sure what the appeal is or how much it uplifts us, but i like the non-cruel judges and wow Kara has an astounding voice, what a treat when she sang - so soulful.

Yeah, it was interesting how the judges commented on the actions of the people after they had been judged.

On a personal note, it was sad to see bikini girl and Rose (the hippie girl) leave.

I love the group that covered the QUEEN song too. Fantastic harmonies and they all worked really well together.

Last night they cut to the top 54. My personal favorites are:
1. Danny Gokey
2. Adam Lambert
3. Anoop Desai
4. Jasmine Guy
5. Matt Giraud
6. Micheal Sayber--the construction guy

I haven't started memorizing the names yet, but there are some real talents this year. The top 12 are all going to be hot - I haven't heard any that will be as bad as the worst of the top 12 last year. In looking over last year's top 12, it was hard to believe that some actually made it that far.

I really liked the guy who sang Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance".

There seems to be more guys singing well than gals at this point - unless it's just the editing.

Right, the boys seem to be blowing the girls away this year. So far none of the girls have been impressive. I like Jasmine Guy because she has a memorable voice.

Hooray!!!!!

All my favorites made it into the top thirty-six....

1. Danny Gokey
2. Adam Lambert
3. Anoop Desai
4. Jasmine Guy
5. Matt Giraud
6. Micheal Sayber--the construction guy

Thaks for keeping me up to date. Last night at 7:30, we had heavy rains followed by hail then the power went off. Just came back on after 14 hours, so I completely missed the show.

Redlady...

I agree with Adam (what a high tenor!), Danny and Anoop - all have a good shot at the top 12. Matt wasn't memorable to me; I think you mean Michael Sarver - who is also pretty darn good.

The only one of the judge's choices I disagreed with strongly was Nathaniel Marshall, the whiney, crying pimple-faced kid with the body piercings and terrible taste in clothes. He's simply not that good of a singer and isn't charismatic, but still made it to the top 36.

I thought Danny Gokey's buddy (who also had a few body piercings) was a way better singer than Nathaniel, but they didn't put him through. Nathaniel will make for "better TV", no doubt. He'll probably be this year's Sanjaya.

I even agreed with the Paula that America will either love or hate Nick Mitchell (the guy who can't figure out which persona he wants to be) - he's definitely NOT my cup of tea, but who knows how the vote will go. He actually is a decent singer though, so we'll have to see.

Tatiana was the other one that stuck out for me. Yeah, she's pretty ditzy, but she's got a heck of a voice. I just question her emotional maturity. She's acts like she's 15, but is 23.

Those are the most memorable ones to me. Now they'll do groups of 12 to narrow it down from the 36.

I have to agree with you about Titiana but I estimate the age to be 3 or 4 years old. I had to remind myself that this a TV show that is more concerned with what makes their version of good TV. Nathaniel and Tatiana make good drama for their ratings. Sometimes when they make decision like this I know this is about the all mighty dollars. Oh yes how in the world did Norm (identity crisis guy) make it to the final 36?

Danny i think is gonna win it. he's got a great story, is likeable and holds up great under pressure, and has a unique voice - not just a great voice.

i have to say, his best friend is one of most quality, level-headed people i've ever seen. what a great attitude about just about everything. i loved his vocals too...was surprised he didn't make it through but don't think he'd win.

i really like stevie a ton as a person.

is there a betting pool? - ha ha! proceeds go to JPF donations.

probably illegal.

I like Adam and Danny the best too...Jamar (Danny's buddy) should never has lost out to either of the gay boys.

JPF member Kristin McNamara is in the Top 36. She was also a finalist on Nashville Star season 4. That's 2 Nashville Star finalists in the Top 36. I bet if Chris Young had gone to American Idol instead of Nashville Star he would have won that too.

I personally like Anoop a lot. I think Adam Lambert has that predictable Disney High School Musical look and vibe (sort of Zac Efron's looks meets Clay Aiken's musical and personality vibe). The legally blind artist sings as well as Daughtry (he was the only one to sing a former Idol song who matched (almost too perfectly) the original. I doubt Daughtry could have sang his own song as well when he was actually on the show. (Daughtry has developed his skills a great deal since then). The downside is that I haven't heard a lot of original sounding artists in the clips shown yet. A lot of typical Pop/R&B power vocals like every year.. a couple country singers.. a couple rock edged singers, but very little new. I am looking forward to them actually singing against each other so we can actually hear ALL of them (a few of these finalists have barely been shown if at all).

I was also glad to see the obvious plant taken out of the process. There's several others with direct connections still in it, but apparently that girl was so blatantly an insider even the shameless AI couldn't do it with a straight face.

Brian

Hi Guys

The first 12 of the thirty-six performed last night. I felt sorry for most of them they picked the wrong songs to sing. The three that stood out were Ricky Braddy, Anoop Dessai and Danny Gokey. Danny was last one to sing and was by far the most outstanding. He has a natural talent that just blows you away.

I thought Alexi Grace (I think that's her name) did surprisingly well. Looks like she came out of her shell and did a fine performance. Of the females which were all weak, I liked her the best. My top three from last night would be her along with Anoop and Danny.

i like the woman that kicked it off... the very first one. but it doesn't seem like there's much of a contest this year, everyone loves danny so much. no one else seems to have that much command of their music, he completely connects to it and owns it. everyone else looks like they are singing someone else's song and it's not really in their body or soul.

i was impressed and somewhat surprised by tatiana last night.

Tue Feb 17/09 – 1st group of 12

Here's my assessment. Bear in mind that, altho I've watched all the programs up til now, this is the first time I've really taken a close look at the contestants. Hope I got the names right. As a voice teacher I'm listening for vocal strengths & weaknesses - but I cannot eliminate performance from my observations.

3/10 – Jackie Tohn
Clips of Jackie screaming before and after her auditions made me cringe. Not a healthy thing for a singer to be doing at any time. I felt the whole performance was overdone – skin tight pants, played the clown is right. However, it was entertainment – cabaret style. American Idol style? I don’t think so. On the good side, there’s nothing wrong with the voice itself, and she was a good choice for a show opener.

8/10 – Ricky Brady
I felt this was a well presented performance. The voice has “bloom”, solid tone, good range.

7/10 – Alexis Grace
I wasn’t sure about this song choice. The voice was solid and the performance was good.

6.5/10 – Brent Keith
Song had a nice groove, I agreed with Kara that the song didn’t show off all his abilities. He has good tone & I’d like to hear him do something more edgy.

2/10 – Stevie Wright
Unfortunately Stevie was very nervous – and it’s hard to judge a performance like that. When we are nervous, our breath doesn’t work properly – that’s why we sound flat. She needs to work on centering herself, and choosing songs that have flowing phrases that give her time to breath and settle in. Don’t know if she’ll get the chance this season, though.

4/10 – Anoop Desai
Very nice voice, lovely texture, solid tone. I wasn’t sure the song really showed him off, and it could be that some butterflies caused the occasional pitch issue.

2.5/10 – Casey Carlson
I felt the song was in a key that was too low for her. It didn’t sit in the part of her tessitura that would bring the voice to life. Very safe, rather boring song, and some pitch issues.

6/10 – Michael Sarver
Good song choice, nice vocals, good presence on stage. Not thrilling but solid.

3.5/10 -- Ann Marie B
I thought this was a boring (yes, “irrelevant”) song choice. I didn’t connect with the verse, it felt like she was trying too hard in the chorus to make it work (pick a song that has that IN it, so you don’t have to manufacture it), I felt the performance was over the top and just short of pitchy. However, the voice is a nice one.

5/10 -- Steven Fowler
Nice vocals, but kind of old fashioned disco song, would like to hear something more current.

6.75/10 – Tatiana DT
She’s kooky but she does have pipes and I was surprised to hear a pretty solid performance from her. I thought it was a good song choice, it showed her range. Won me over a little.

9/10 -- Danny Gokey
Good song choice, naturally we’re all moved by what he’s been through, but also I think he really related to the song and brought it out. I thought he was the best of the night.

I think Danny, Ricky and Alexis should be the 3 from this show that move on to the top 12.
Honourable mention: Tatiana

I totally agree Vickster...you nailed it

OK... They just picked the top 3 from the first group.
Michael Sarver beat Anoop Desai--your kidding right but---no 20,000 vote got Michael into the top 12. Country music fans have spoken. I felt Ricky or Anoop would have been better choices. I felt sorry for Tatiana. I hope they offer her some counseling or she may be another show causality.

What amazes me is that some of these contestants let one show or one setback stop them. It makes me wonder if they really have a passion for their music. You do not have to win to have a career in music. Look at Chris Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson and Elliot Yemen, Kelli Pickler and Michael Johns who has a album coming out. They did not let their lose stop them. They kept right on doing what they loved. I hope Ricky and Anoop follow their example and keep their passion for music.

The three picked tonight were the ones we expected to go through. They were likable and their performances good.

I agree song choices hurt many of the 12.

Tatiana's performance last night was better than I expected - she does have a voice - but with this show in particular, to win you must get America to VOTE for you - which they won't do on talent and hard work alone; you have to be likable. Hopefully she'll continue on down the road, and figure out how to work with people.

OK.... I'll be glad when we get to the Top 12.
For the record, I hate the elimination shows. I just want to know who stayed. Skip the drama. :-)

Linda

I was pretty close. What happens in the wild card show, though? Will those with closest votes get to sing again?

I think the wildcard show is strictly Judges pick ! ! I don't know how it will work, exactly.

Hi kids,

Have only a minute, but I happen to know the answer to this! Here's what's going to happen:

There will be two more weeks where groups of 12 perform on Tuesday night, and on Wednesday elimination night "we" will pick the top female, top male, and the contestant with the next highest number of votes. This will get us up to 9 contestants for the Top 12.

THEN on Thursday of that third week there will be a special "Wild Card" show, where it is in fact strictly up to the judges to choose the final 3 contestants for the Top 12.

I do not know if there will be any contestant singing...(maybe except for those chosen, like last night)....

Anyway, dinners on, hope to catch up with everyone later....

Beth

I wonder if they’ll pick one contestant from each of the three groups/weeks? If so, too bad cuz my son liked Anoop and I was disappointed that Ricky Braddy didn’t get through. None of the girls were really memorable to me this week.

The guy who sang best Ricky never had a chance to move on by popular vote even though he outsang the rest. He had no face time (something even Paula alluded to) and when it's this format (one and done) it didn't matter how well he did. It's a clever way for the show to manipulate things and make the audience think they are getting who they want rather than who was edited properly by the producers to get votes during the run up. The fact that, if Beth is correct, they will hand pick the final 3 further guarentees that their inside picks, even if not chosen by the voters as hoped, will still get in. This will be by far the most manipulated top 12 ever.

As for Danny Gokey, he's certainly pleasing enough, but his performance Wednesday was rough at best. Simon actually was correct when he said that he wasn't quite on the bandwagon and hysteria behind Danny. He was certainly set up as a can't fail final 12 contestant and he sang well enough to move forward (talk about lack of suspense) but he's pretty reminiscent of a previous grey haired winner with a husky bluesy voice.. they should be careful what they wish for.

Michael Sarver was pleasant enough (whoever said he was "Country" hasn't paid much attention, he's been singing pop/r&b in each episode so far) but a boring prospect as an "American Idol" for sure. It seems every season they have a guy like him and he rumbles along a bit and then disappears. I'd expect more of the same again.

The show on Tuesday was pretty disappointing overall. It started strong and I thought "hmmm.. this might not be bad" and then it crashed. Then I remembered how they usually sequence things.. strong to start and then their favorites to finish and it was clear who was going to go last even before we knew who it was. Tatiana was there for pure comic relief and she actually disappointed them by being reserved. And that set up with her and Danny at the end of Wednesday was all theater.. did anyone actually think Danny wasn't winning the male slot? Especially after they spilled the beans and said that Anoop was 20K behind Michael. That made it painfully obvious that Danny had won since there's no way he finished 3rd.

In the end, we'll pretty much have the 12 people the AI producers want us to have in the finals. All of this has been a facade to make us think it was up to the public. Sure, if someone really takes off in the public vote, they'll be happy to bump one of their favorites out of a slot, but the way it's already been edited, it's unlikely for that to have a chance to happen. We saw week 1 that the strongest male voice had pretty much no chance (he at least finished 4th on the male side or worse). Even if folks thought Danny was the best male singer, does anyone really think Ricky wasn't the second best voice?

Expect more of the same in the coming weeks.

Brian

Michael Sarver? C'mon, the guy was boring. Really, he's a bar band singer at best. Anoop blew him away as did Ricky. I agreed with Simon though that Ricky, although technically a good singer, didn't have the "wow" factor persona-wise. He just didn't connect, IMHO. Call it charisma or the "x" factor, but I liked his voice, but couldn't see him as an Idol. Anoop picked a song that didn't show off his voice - a mistake MANY made.

Yeah, we all knew Danny would get in, but I was actually thinking Tatiana might have made it too - simply for the controversial press it would provide. I know Simon doesn't like her, but she still could get in with the wild card if the "girls" have pity on her...she IS wearing a Paula ring, right? She will kiss whatever booty she has to in order to get back on...I predict we haven't seen the last of her.

Alexis sang well, looked good, picked a soulful song, is likable, and as Simon put it, is a "complete package". I think she could be another Pink. I bet she ends up in the top 5 or better. She even sang better Wednesday than on Tuesday. Obviously, she's my fave at the moment.


...and I hope Kara starts adding something to the panel besides, "I agree with Randy".

I think the song that Sarver sang had about 4 notes in it...it never went anywhere...He wasn't even close to Ricky vocally...but I guess he's cute maybe...the biggest voters are the young girls, aren't they?

I actually liked Anoop in the run up shows, but I didn't think he sang very well on Tuesday. I wasn't surprised he didn't make it, but if you based it solely on quality of singing, Ricky was better than all of them. Tatiana was a close second on the female side though she had a few bad moments as well. I don't disagree that Ricky was forgettable, but pretty much any of them would have been if you'd ONLY seen that 1 single performance and a few seconds showing they'd made the finals. I actually would have rather seen Tatiana make it to the finals if only because she actually seems to WANT it and so often the contestants seem like automatons rather than breathing people who WANT something... and she was able to sing well to back up the desire. Several of the singers that performed were embarrassing. In fact, we just did a show in DC last week and several of those singers would have finished behind most of the performers that night... How they made the Top 36 out of the entire country is puzzling? Anyone can have a bad night, but most of those performers were bad on Tuesday night.

I don't think Alexis is in the same league as Pink, but she was the most deserving female that night.

Brian

OK, group 2 was tonight...Here's my take with a 1-10 rating:

1. Jasmine Murray, 6, she sounds like she's 16. It was simply bad. She might go further in "America's Top Model".

2. Matt Giraud, 6, soul/blues singer trying to do pop, a la Coldplay - didn't cut it with me.

3. Jeanine Vailes, 6, pitchy, pitchy, but has great legs.

4. Nick Mitchell, 7, I have to give the guy credit: he's entertaining. Is he the next American Idol? I don't THINK so.

5. Allison Iraheta, 9, FINALLY, a good performance tonight and probably the first one who stands a chance of making it to the next round. She was really bad just talking (too nervous), but once she started singing - wow! This 16-year-old has some serious pipes to pull off Heart.

6. Kris Allen, 9, I really liked his rendition of "Man in the Mirror"; the judges were only lukewarm on it though, so we'll see.

7. Megan Corkrey, 7, pretty girl, but a bit pitchy; she also needs better stage presence: her Chubby Checker twist moves don't really cut it. She reminds me a little of Brooke White from last year. However, competition is much tougher this year and I will be surprised if she makes it to the top 12.

8. Matt Breitzke, 7, our resident welder blew it with a boring rock song that I'm surprised ever made the Billboard Hot 100. He's gone, for sure.

9. Jesse Langseth, 8, I really like this gal: she's spunky (talks back to Simon), and has a unique look and voice. I think she may have been pushed out by younger talent though.

10. Kai Lalama, 6, What was this guy thinking doing a 60's Motown song karaoke-style? Simon was right about a wedding singer performance. He really blew it.

11. Mishavonna Henson, 9, another spunky young gal that the cameras love (along with Allison). I wasn't familiar with the song, "Drops of Jupiter" by Train, but she seemed to do a fine job, and showed some pretty good vocal chops in the process - especially for an 18-year-old.

12. Adam Lambert, 10, I don't give 10's much, but this guy had me mesmerized with the Stones "Satisfaction". Yeah, the beginning was a tad weak, but once he got rolling, he blew the place out. He could be the next Idol. He's a combination of Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), and Freddy Mercury (Queen). He's got the range, he's got the looks, he's got the stage presence. He's the one to beat.

Summary: I voted for four tonight (in order of preference):
1. Adam Lambert
2. Mishavonna Henson
3. Kris Allen
4. Allison Iraheta

Let's see if America agrees with my top 3 tomorrow...

This show was disappointing—until Allison Irahetta. She was very good for a sixteen year old. They saved the best for last and he did not disappoint—Adam Lambert was the best of the night. I thought Matt Giraud would give him a run for his money but he picked the wrong song to sing. It will be interesting to see who gets the votes.

I was pretty put off myself until Allison. The first 4 were all pretty painful.

It seems Allison and Adam are shoe-ins, but the 3rd spot is a roll of the dice. Jessie and Matt had a slight edge in the poll.

I thought this was pretty clear in terms of who was best:

1. Adam (I don't like him, but he was clearly the best)
2. Mishovanna I was quite annoyed by the idiot judges who were trashing her. She outsang all the other women by a mile. Her song choice as perfect, her delivery was tight and original. It honored the song melody but didn't rip off the original vocal.
3. Allison was the next best. I heard her performace played back on a daytime talk show this morning (the View) and it wasn't nearly as good as I thought originally. But she had all kinds of energy and potential.
4. Nick I really like the guy. He's the first aggressive and campy performer that can actually sing. He did miss one section badly but he knew it right away and I know he can outsing all the others on the show except Adam. He's likable and fun and I'd love to see what he'd do each week.

The rest were boring and forgettable. Kris sang well but was boring. The other girls couldn't sing.

Biggest disappointment? Matt Giraud. He CHOKED big time.

I'd be happiest if Adam, Mishovanna and either Allison or Nick got through. I think Nick or Allison (or both) will be on the Wild Card show if they don't move forward. I also predict that Nick will be in the final 2 to see who gets the last slot no matter how he finished. Let's see if that happens.

Brian

YOU like Nick/Norman Brian? REALLY? I think he was fun in a certain way, but made a mockery of the whole in another way...I dunno...and you don't really like Adam...hmmm...I think it's him and Danny right now...unless someone else really steps up, I see them as the David/David of last year...I think they will both be there at the end. I think Adam is amazing ! !

My opinion is that American (aka young girls) will be making the mos calls. Therefore the cute guy, Adam who looks like an Anime cartoon character will be the top pick. He's a great singer, confident on stage, and has great control of his voice. It's obvious why he was put on last.
As for the guys, I'm with Brian on the Nick/Norman choice. I think he'll make it far because he is the MOST entertaining, but he won't be the finalist. He brings a freshness to the show and it's obvious people like him.

As for the girls, this one was really tough. There were three that stood out to me - Jesse (Bette Davis eyes) I liked the best. She sang and phrased well, and had comfortable stage presence. She had a personality when she wasn't singing that I liked too. Allison Iraheta was dynomite powerhouse covering Heart but seems a bit whifty. I also liked the tonality of Megan Corkrey, though not the best song choice. Her stage presence seemed a bit nervous. Mishovanna moved well and sang well, but it wasn't memorable for me. Though she was good, there wasn't anything unique that stood out to me with her performance.

I'll bet America will vote for Adam, Allison, and I hope Nick.

Feb 25/09 – 2nd group of 12

Overall I thought it was a very poor show. The number one thing that occurred to me as I watched (which was then expressed by Randy) is, pick a song that ‘sings itself’. If you pick a song that you like, that has no range, that has no vocal highs and lows, that doesn’t challenge you… then you have to try so hard to make something of the song, that your voice & your performance suffers. I really think too, that just because you like a song, it doesn’t mean it suits you or your voice, or will show your personality.

*JASMINE (3/10) – very pitchy performance, especially at the end when she pushed her voice. The song seemed too low for her. Unfortunately, a rather dull performance. As I said above, pick a song that helps you, helps show off your voice – not something you have to overperform just to make an impact.

*MATT (4/10) – nice voice. His breathing was all over the place, likely due to nerves. I’m not sure that he has much range – certainly this song seemed to show a limitation.

*JEANINE (2/10) – very low, very pitchy, sort of a weird arrangement or something. I thought she came to life a little bit at the end.

*NORMAN (7/10) – dear Norman. I award him the best performance of the night. He took over the stage, every eye was on him, and you wanted to see/hear what he was going to do next. And he actually has a nice voice too.

*ALISON (6.5/10) – I felt her voice sits a little too far back – it’s like she’s swallowing her vowels. A little pushy, a little pitchy.

*KRIS (6.5) – voice was tight from the start. I thought the song was a good choice, and that the performance was decent, although it didn’t show range. Second best performer of the night.

*MEAGAN (4.5/10) – nice voice & presence. The song seemed low, a little pushy/pitchy, but parts were okay. Didn’t really show off. I agree she’s got marketability.

*MATTB (6.75) – engaging from the start. Good presence, but the song itself felt too slow, too many pauses between vocal lines. Again, a song that doesn’t help the singer sing. I was waiting for the song to take off, but it never did.

*JESSE (7.1/10) – nice vocals, solid tone. I felt the performance was a bit ‘put on’ but better than any other singer prior to him.

*KAI (6.8/10) – nice voice, okay, a little blah, safe.

*MISHAVONNA (8/10) – reminds me of Katherine McPhee. Very focused, very serious (too much so), but secure, and chose a good song to sing.

*ADAM (8.5/10) – he definitely has the best voice of these 12, and he’s a seasoned performer. I thought he did a terrific job, and actually sounded like an IDOL should sound.

Choices: ADAM, MISHAVONNA, JESSE
Honourable Mention: Norman

Argh! Our DVR didn't record American Idol tonight for some reason. I guess I will have to search it out on line.

Brian

~ Feb 26/09 - Results: Adam Lambert (no surprise), Allison Iraheta and Kris Allen

The best part of the show are the 3 winners singing their songs. Any one of them sings better than Brooke White, who sits at the piano and sings her new single, which has odd lyrics. Her voice is thin and pitchy.

Brooke White should have never got as far as she did last year. Once again, she killed the show with her boring delivery.

I actually find the judges to be more entertaining than the contestants for the most part. The tendency to overuse the term pitchy and the phrase about poor song choice show 3 of the 4 judges to be seriously lacking in being able to gave much depth in their feedback. The one signal contestants can watch for as they are performing that helps is if Paula is out of her seat. But her head seemed to be in the clouds again on Wed.

Simon is the one judge who holds any credibility. I loved when he started nodding his head sided to side as the new judge started droning on & on tonite. She's not bringing anything to the show and should be voted off the island - judges panel.

As for contestants themselves? Allison brought it this week, but her second performance Thurs. showed that hearing a given perf. of any of these pieces more than once is too much. Same w/ Adam. Seriously, with these shortened versions of the songs, they are getting to the climax of the song too soon and drawing it out too long, thus killing the impact.

That and a couple quarters might get you a cup of coffee at a truck stop.

Jeff

Overall, I was pretty pleased with the results.

However, I was disappointed that Brooke didn't credit her co-writer(s) - and they really pushed the envelope when they said this was Brooke's first single...uh, I guess they forgot she had a recording contract before AI last year? You can still buy the CD on Amazon. Apparently, it had no singles on it...

Anyways, the song was ok and the vocals, as usual, were pretty average. I hear someone that good or better every time I go to a singer/songwriter showcase in the area.

I think that Kara IS now adding to the show - now that she's stopped the "I agree with Randy" monotone. Although she put her foot in her mouth a bit tonight (trying too hard to recover from dissing Kris last night), she at least gave some decent advice to him. Wanna bet she knew Kris had already "won" tonight?

The judge's bickering amongst themselves is almost entertaining...but Randy seems to be staying clear of it. Maybe Kara will end up punching Simon out. Now THAT would be funny!

Next week is the "Judges Favorites" night - or what they officially call the "Wild Card" show where judges can bring back anyone they want, so Anoop, Tatiana, Jesse, and/or Mishavonna may still get back on. If the vote is 3:1, then even Nick could get back on.

They KNOW Nick/Norman is a favorite - he just doesn't fit "their idea" of what an American Idol should be. That's why he was paired with Adam at the very end - and even Adam wasn't sure if he'd make it through because of Nick/Norman. No doubt he will be back.

I didn't get to see the show but read the results elsewhere. So I was correct in predicting that Nick would be in the last 2 standing at the end of the results. The show is SOOOOO predictable. I can't complain too much about the results as I did think Kris sang well enough, he was just boring. I figured Nick was a long shot, but expect to see him next week even if they have zero intention of really giving him a shot to get in the final 12. He's just too good for their ratings not to bring him back. Tatiana probably for the same reason and frankly I think she and Nick both sing well enough to be in the final 12 over anyone else they will have on the Wild Card show. Mishovanna got a bit jipped because the judges acted like she sucked even though she didn't.

Right now their Top 12 is extremely boring. There's a couple decent singers but no one with a personality. The big dude that got through week 1 is a total yawner as is Kris from this week. Those third place vote getters sure are boring. Oh.. and what GUY spells his name Kris? Seriously... I've always seen that for girls. Ah well.

Brian

Kristofferson ring any bells?

I thought Brooke's advice to the contestants was very smart: "Don't Google your name!"

I don't know about Nick being a favorite. Even the "Vote For The Worst" group backed him, but apparently there still weren't enough votes (assuming no vote manipulation). It WAS kind of entertaining to see him paired up with Adam. Maybe they'll bring him back just for the entertainment value. I think they should bring the drama queen, Tatiana, back as well.

Although Nick is pretty good as a singer, I think Anoop, Tatiana, and Mishavonna are all better singers with broader appeal to "middle-America". He's just too left of center to have broad appeal, IMHO. Maybe he'd do well in Vegas as a specialty act, but I can't see him with a Billboard Top 10 hit.

What's surprising is that it seems they're going to have the Wild Card round before they've picked the 3 from the final group...

Kevin,

I know there are Kris's out there.. (Kris Kringle for example) but 9 out of 10 I've ever met have been girls, including the wife of one of my best friends. I just find it an odd name to give a boy, Kristofferson or not. (Oddly enough, Kris Kris appears in a video submitted by one of our members in the video category of the awards... it's a small small world).

Brian

Just for the fun of it I would like to make a prediction. Because this guy's voice seems to not have a limit, and because he looks like Elvis a little, and because watching him reminds one of a concert instead of an audition (Paula's observation), I will put my money on Adam Lambert. While other contestants are trying to find their "stuff", this guy has so much of it that he has to notch it down.

OK...the last group of 12 performed tonight. Here's my take:

1. Von Smith - probably the best "opening act" of the 3 groups. Other than a bit shouty and a bit pitchy in places, not bad. I don't think he's going through though.

2. Taylor Vaifanua - better than Von for sure. She sang an Alicia Keys song, but didn't make it sparkle. It was ok, just didn't knock me out: a forgetable performance. She probably won't make it through.

3. Alex Wagner-Trugman - Sorry, but the guy's simply dorky and is not even a good singer. I don't know how he made it this far. He's gone for sure.

4. Arianna Afsar - All the 13-year-old boys are no doubt going ga-ga over this gal, who (unfortunately) sounds her age: 17. Her voice just hasn't matured yet. She's certainly cute, though. I'm pretty sure she'll be gone as well.

5. Ju'not Joyner - The judges thought it was pretty good, but I was bored stiff until the last 30 seconds of the song. I don't think he'll make it through.

6. Kristen McNamara - This girl did not sound like I expected. I thought she was another Barbie Doll Blonde Bimbo, but she can sing real sultry and bluesy. Nice job. She has a good shot at making it through tonight.

7. Nathaniel Marshall - Mr. drama queen himself can't even sing as good as Boy George. I seriously doubt he'll get too many votes. He has a squeaky, shrilly voice and is painful to watch.

8. Felicia Barton - What a cute mom - who can actually sing. She has a serious shot at the next round.

9. Scott McIntyre - I don't know...I didn't think he sounded all that good; he looks weird pretending he sees the audience, but he may get quite a few what I'll call "sympathy votes". If he put shades on like Jose Feliciano or Stevie Wonder, I think he'd be better off.

10. Kendall Beard - Ahh, the Prom Queen and Barbie Doll of the bunch is vying for the next Carrie Underwood slot available. She's not a bad singer and is just as gorgeous as Carrie.

11. Jorge Nunez - Wow, this guy can sing! He had a couple of pitchy notes, but the guy does have a big heart that reaches out and grabs you. I hope he makes it through.

12. Lil Rounds - the standout of the evening. Yeah, this girl can sing. She's a shoe-in for the next round.

This group had 3 weeks to prepare instead of just one or two, so the song selection was better (they learned from the others' mistakes). However, I'm having a hard time getting my vote down to just three. I thought that five were quite acceptable. In my order of personal preference:

1. Lil Rounds
2. Felicia Barton
3. Kristen McNamara
4. Jorge Nunez
5. Kendall Beard

Now, I think America will vote as follows:

1. Lil Rounds is a certainty (she should make the finals)
2. Scott McIntyre
3. Felicia Barton.

I thought this was by far the weakest of the 3 weeks. There was only a couple of decent performances and the judges trashed one of them because they don't want to risk Lil Rounds not making it through.

It's clear the judges wants Lil Rounds and Scott McIntyre to go through. They placed Scott with the weakest collection of male singers BY FAR of the 3 weeks. But he was really TERRIBLE. If he wasn't sight impaired, they would have run him out on a rail. And because of that it's quite offensive they propped up that performance. The disabled want EQUAL rights.. not unfair rights. At least he was strong in the Hollywood week singing as well as Chris Daughtry on Daughtry's song.

I thought the best overall vocal performance was put in by a JPF member who many of you may have first seen on Nashville Star the same year that Chris Young won it. Kirstin McNamara sang the best but got unfairly hammered by the judges. It was so biased and predictable. They propped up several female singers that frankly sucked instead. Lil Rounds did a good job, not as great as they've made her out to be, but certainly had the vibe of a real star and mature performer. But it's the same old R&B thing that has become pretty tired. Von Smith was the best male vocalist of the night but even he was shouting as much as singing. I will say that he's better than either of the two wild card entries so far.

If it was based solely on the singing from tonight, it should be:

1. Lil Rounds
2. Kristen McNamara
3. Von Smith

But most likely, it will be:

1. Lil Rounds
2. Scott McIntyre
3. Kendall Beard (ack)

Frankly, there are a half dozen people not in the final 12 that are more deserving than any of them outside of Lil Rounds.

This is stacking up to be the most boring AI final 12 ever. If I was producing the show, I'd put through Tatiana and Norman so at least there was something to talk about while we yawn through 11 weeks of boredom.

Brian

Last group of 12 – 3Mar09

I thought it was a better show in terms of quality of singers, but I have to admit I started zoning out towards the end. Two hours, too much chit chat. I look forward to when we have the top 12 and can zero in on individual performances better.

*VON SMITH (7/10) – nice tone, sang smoothly in tune, song had an agreeable groove, not bad.

TAYLOR V (6/10) – rather low, but I liked her delivery of the first verse. The second seemed less secure – probably because the voice gets tired swiftly when we sing too low in the register for too long. I felt she has a nice instrument but it needs more development. I wasn’t sure of the song choice for her. She did look comfortable on stage.

*ALEX W-T (7.5/10) – good voice, solid tone & depth. I wanted him to open his mouth more. He showed personality.

ARIANNA (6.5/10) – I felt there was depth to the voice/tone. Odd song, but good voice. She needs to be careful not to push the voice. I thought the accompaniment was a bit strange. Who arranges these things?

*JU’NOT (6.8/10) – nicely done, very secure, good song choice for him, good build. Kept me with him all the way through. He knows how to paint a song with his voice.

KIRSTEN (6.2/10) – She was dressed like Maria in ‘The Sound of Music’ and the song / performance was overdone.

NATHANIEL (6.6/10) – A bloom on the voice, nice flow, youthful personality. An okay, fun performance.

?? (6.4/10) – I felt like there was some good tone in the voice, not bad, a little pitchy… I started to zone out and didn’t even get her name.

SCOTT (6.3/10) – It was a safe, okay performance, I would have liked to have heard more depth.

KENDALL (5.10) – Very cute, I thought the song was pitchy & pushy. Not the song for her.

JORGE (6.45/10) – Solid tone, sung on pitch, the performance was okay… last note was good.

*LIL (6.9/10) – I’m afraid I felt a little skeptical listening to all the judges rave about this performance. Yeah, she was good… but she didn’t blow my socks off. A warm rich voice, I thought it was a safe song choice, not a bad performance.

As you can see, I didn’t rate anyone more than 7.5 and most of the singers were in the 6.0 to 7.0 range – acceptable but not extraordinary.

Maybe 3 out of these 4 will go through: AlexW, VonS, Lil, Ju’Not

Vikki,

Actually you found less to like in your ratings from last nights show than either of the first two meaning you agreed with me, this was the worst of the 3. Sure, there weren't as many HEINOUSLY bad people as previous weeks, but the top talent fell far short of the first two.

I really think this is the most boring AI ever. This voting format works perfectly for them to make sure they get the exact 12 they want in the final 12, but it's bad for everyone else and is hurting them in the ratings. We used to have a lot more chances to get to know performers, but now it's one and done. And this wild card show is such a sham. Does anyone on the planet think they're going to make any decisions in real time? It's already decided so the only point in having the show is to... have a show and sell ads. Sure, that's really their only goal anyway.. but it's such a fraud. Why not just add ANOTHER episode on Friday and let fans vote? (Assuming fan votes actually count anyway... something I often wonder about).

Brian

I was sick last night and did not get to watch the show but I was able to catch their performances on youtube. It's interesting they put the stronger performers last. Lil Rounds was last and gave a good performance. I thought Felicia Barton had an excellent vocal but poor performance. Scott McIntyre seemed uncomfortable without his piano. He sang well but others were better.

In a perfect world the final three would be Adam L., Danny G. and Lil R.

Ya Redlady
Do ya think it was a coincidence that those 3 all sang LAST on the list of each night? Easiest to remember the last one you saw, right? Maybe we should just skip to the last 2 weeks !
On a positive note, there are still people like Jennifer Hudson out there who we would've never heard of without AI.

Hi Herbie

Very true AI is a platform for the young who might not have had a chance but they do come with some natural talent. Tonight they picked the wildcard show. I was glad to Matt G., Anoop and Ricky B back. They are even giving Titanna another shot. I think that may be for drama value more than anything. They said they thought long and hard about that one. I wonder why? Ratings perhaps….

I think Anoop should be in the top 12. I love his voice. I watched him in youtube in the UNC Clef Hangers--a male acapella Group--Outstanding. Matt has a nice soulful voice too. I hope they make it.

I'm sooo glad to see Ricky Braddy get another shot...I do see how they manipulate the show though...never really paid attention to that before. My son likes Anoop.

RESULTS - Mar 4/09:

Top 3: Lil (no big surprise), Scott (not the best singer by a mile), Jorge.

Here are the wildcard contestants and my rating of their performance: Von Smith (7/10), Jasmine Murray (3/10), Ricky Braddy (8/10), Megan Corkrey, Tatiana del Toro (6.75/10), Matt Giraud (4/10), Jesse Langseth (7.1/10) and Anoop Desai (4/10).

.... Simon: "One of you is through to the top twelve. The other is not." duh zzzzzzzz

"Top 3: Lil (no big surprise), Scott (not the best singer by a mile), Jorge."

Yeah, Scott simply has the sympathy vote. No way he's an idol; no way he's even one of the top five best singers. I do think that Jorge can really sing, and he sang better tonight than last night. I hope that Lil can do something more than pop/r&b, but she can certainly wail.

For the wild cards...

I predicted Tatiana would be back and hoped they would have Anoop back. The others were pretty forgetable to me.

I was surprised they picked Jasmine to come back. She was probably the worst of the bunch for vocal talent.

Of course, none of these have actually WON one of the last 3 spots - yet - but I think Anoop will.

Anyone notice that Ryan DIDN'T ask the judges what they were expecting of Tatiana....

Tomorrow will be way more interesting than last night and tonight, not only because it will sum up the top 12, but I think the people given the 2nd chance will have a bit more experience now and will pick better songs.

Of all the performances I've seen, my favorite is Jesse Langseth. She just has a smooth tone, great style and mature confidence about her. Highly unlikely that she'll make it through, but of all I've seen I like her the best. Personal taste I suppose.

I really have no idea why anyone things Jorge is a good singer. I watched him both times and thought he was very weak with little upside.

They've already decided who the 3 are even before they sing. This whole thing is ridiculous. It's true that the wild card show may be the best talent of any of the previous elimination shows but right now they have the most boring top 12 ever by a large margin.

I am rooting for Tatiana. She's entertaining as a drama queen. She's like a theatrical play.. a greek tragedy... every time she's on stage. I was very disappointed they didn't bring Norman back. But they didn't want to risk him doing well. The top 12 this year is totally manipulated and manufactured. A few they moved back into the wild card are shockingly BAD.

Ack...

Hooray!!!!!! Matt and Anoop made it into the final 13. Did you catch the look on Anoop’s face when Matt was announced the twelfth spot. Then when Simon announced he—(Anoop) made into the top 13. Anoop was shocked. Matt did sing very well. Anoop chose a safe song. It did not show off his vocal ability. I know he will not win but I hope he makes the top 10 and goes on tour. Jasmine was a surprise--interesting voice.

At least they gave Titanna some counseling after they told her no. I can see Brian’s point about this season promising to be boring --unless someone steps up to the plate and makes it interesting.

Hey Gang,

Thought I might find Big Jim floating around here, but I guess with the time difference and all....

Anyway, just caught the last half of the show....and though I haven't been as consistent watching all the performances so far this season, I'm pretty pleased about the top 13.

Are these the BEST 13 singers of the lot? Maybe, maybe not....but as Simon readily admitted tonight, it's about "casting" the top group. In light of that, I was somewhat surprised they didn't put thru Tatiana...I thought she sang fairly well tonight. Oh well, perhaps too much drama.

Larry, I liked Jesse too. Hopefully she'll find some other opportunities because of this.

But now it's time to just sit back and ENJOY the ENTERTAINMENT!! Personally, I don't care if Simon has already chosen the winner....it's going to be fun watching all the highs and lows until we get there.

And now, on with the SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!

Have a great night!
Beth

Wildcard Show 5Mar09

Well, let's see what they come up with tonight.

JESSE (3/10) – boring, agree with Simon, a little 'self-indulgent'

*MATT (7.2/10) – not sure of song, brought his personality out, a little self indulgent too, but very enjoyable

MEAGAN (4/10) – too low for her, wanted to hear more of her range, nice tone, kinda missed the last note. Okay song.

*VON (8/10) – great vocals. What? This guy is boring and the others so far weren’t?

*JASMINE (7.8) – okay, she has a voice, she has potential. Is she ready to be an Idol? I don’t know. Felt a little pitchy, I thought it was a shaky performance.

RICKY (7.5/10) – ain’t it obvious where the judges are going? His performance wasn’t THAT bad.

*TATIANA (7.7) – okay, so she sang the same song. She sang it pretty well. Her voice is mature, strong – ready – unlike Jasmine. She can sing on pitch, too.

*ANOOP (7/10) – he’s not bad, not bad. Some strength, some depth of tone

**MY PICK – Von, Jasmine... Matt… maybe Tatiana, Anoop?

--Jasmine: they call her up, what do you think they are going to say? Randy says… heavy deliberation… welcome to the top twelve.

--Ricky – front and centre – Kara says… you showed more personality… but not enough.

--Meagan / Tatiana – it’s not over… what you’ve done is astonishing. Continue with your dream… MEAGAN?????? Give me a break.

--Jesse – Simon says – you didn’t make the top twelve

--Von – I don’t think he’ll make it, they have called him up now & there are other people left.

--Matt, Anoop. Should be Matt. Simon says… Matt, you’ve made it through.

Then they announce… they are going to make it a top 13, and Anoop is in.

Top 13 now includes: Jasmine, Meagan, Matt, Anoop

Well, on to the real competition now. Maybe.

@#$& dvr!!

what really stinks is the show went overtime, so my recording of Hell's Kitchen which came right after AI was cut off at the very end.

I would think that it is a hard road for the contestents. It seems like they really do work hard.

Tom

I watched the latest episode. The usual crop of pretty average wannabes. Not impressed by any of them, and certainly none deserves stardom based on any of the performances I witnessed. Just an average night at the local pub Karaoke.....how do these people get on TV? Are audiences and viewers so naive and easily entertained that they encourage this nonesense?

Gosh Jim, I don't think you've ever mentioned your feelings on AI before. Good to see you come out of your shell...

When I am in Scotland Jim, you're going to have to take me to the Karaoke club that has a night full of singers that sing better than all those contestants. Whenever I have been it's usually drunk people singing off key and slobbering on the mic.

Brian

You obviously go to the wrong places Brian....There are a lot of people behave like you say but there are also some great singers or should I say average singers in nearly every pub who are as good as the AI people....where do you think Mr S C gets the contestants from?.....Be honest they are all just average singers with no apprenticeship served or any real natural talent above being able to hold a tune.....about 50% of the population can do that.

I will take you to Krapioke bars if you want....but I could take you to pubs and clubs to see acts that will blow you away....especially if you think AI standards are so good.

AI certainly wouldn't be attractive (or even available) to someone who is already doing well as a recording artist or band. These are generally unknowns - and sometimes unknown for a reason: who would want to work with Tatiana, for instance? No one in their right mind would do it on spec.

I really, really don't think Jasmine belongs in this group. Besides being pitchy, her upper range is so shrill, it's sort of painful to listen to. She also doesn't seem to have much of a personality - maybe that's what Simon likes. She's obviously his fave in the group - another young one he can "mold" freely.

Anoop - good. He's a player.
Matt - good. He's a player as well. I hope he doesn't do too much of the Taylor Hicks thing though.
Megan - well, average singer, but unique style, so I can see why they wanted her. She'll be the "Brooke White" of this season.

Tatiana certain has no shortage of personality, or should I say personalities? She's a mental wreck and therefore not really suited for fame - she could have a breakdown on national TV. Besides, she blew it when she sang the same Whitney song as during Hollywood week and then tried to claim it was a totally different arrangement. That didn't sit well with ANY of the judges.

I was at least entertained by Tatiana. I could easily work with her. Who wants to work with a timid wallflower? She's outrageous and melodramatic and there's all sorts of possibilities there. Her problem wasn't all that (that's ratings gold) it was that she didn't sing the song well all the way through, and even though she had the most power in her voice, she blew the lead up parts and so her very slim chance disappeared. She had to be perfect to move forward.

Their choices were annoyingly predictable. Jasmine was one of the very worst singers of the final 36. Even though she had a decent performance (in relative terms) last night, she never should have still been there to sing again. She'll likely tank quickly and be gone after a couple of the anonymous types they put through disappear. She looks a lot like a famous actress (can't think of her name but she was in those cheerleader movies Bring It On I think) so that will carry her a while.

I still think this is by far the most boring top 13 ever. Though I liked Anoop early on, he was terrible his first performance and only slightly better last night. But everyone knew he was moving forward. It was all so lame. I think they had decided on 3 they were going to move forward and they left 1 open for the show. But they didn't pick the best male or female vocalist of the night so it was stupid.

Megan and Jasmine both can't sing. Anoop is average. Matt is inconsistent but at least has some potential. I'd much rather work with Tatiana than any of those 4. And they didn't put Norman through because he had the balls to expose the show for what it is.. a bunch of ridiculous melodramatic hype with boring judges that are phoning it in at best and a major fix in on who made the top 13 and where further efforts will be made via performance order, song styles and carefully planned out feedback on performances by the judges to nudge the results in the direction they want. And that assumes that there's not systematic persuasion in what phones register votes etc.. during the voting process. You heard one of the contestants acknowledge that they couldn't register a vote for themselves. It would be SOOOOO easy for them to selectively affect which lines had the most bandwidth.

That said, it's still good for the young singers that make it. Even the most abused bad contestant gets in front of more people than they ever will again in their lives. Commercial music is solely about exploiting the "product" and all these singers want commercial success. Anyone else who wants commercial success is being disingenous to say that it's not a great shortcut. And any decent singer on the planet would want to take advantage of the chance to be on the show if their goals are to get out in front of the masses. So even when it's all bad, it's still all good. It's a nice break for me from listening to JPF music which is always far superior to anything on these TV shows.

By the way, JPF member Kristin McNamara was ripped off. She was the strongest female vocalist that night by far and they just decided they didn't want someone who failed on Nashville Star to be in their Top 13.

Brian

I thought she had a strong vocal as well. Simon didn’t want her in there from the beginning (remember he wanted the “pretty one” when they did the sing-off and he kept saying it was a huge mistake that Kristen made it in over her? He said it right to her).

I’m bummed Ricky Braddy didn’t get in over some of the other “supposed” personalities. I’m hoping the ones who got axed get some attention anyway, from the exposure they did receive. But they never do follow-ups on them, so who’s to know? Oh well. I guess we can always google them!

They would follow up if one of them had success. They even follow up on William Hung. They are happy to exploit anyone in any way they can if they can do it. So if you don't hear from them, they likely aren't doing anything.

Ricky and Kristen both sang very well and were ignored. Once again proving what we've always known, they don't care about singing. Even Simon admitted it when we openly said it was all about "Casting" the show, not picking the best singers.

There's a couple of talents on the show this year and a lot of boring personalities. That Norman guy was like a living parody of the show and that's why they took no chances of him actually being on the show. They placed him up against the toughest male singer field of the 3 shows just to make sure, even though he outsang all but one of them.

But if any of those artists are smart, they will use AI just like AI uses them. That's how commercial music has always worked and still does. I think Norman and Tatiana should go out on tour with each other. = )

Brian

That's funny!

Top 13, Mar 10/09 - My picks.

I have always felt that Adam has great vocals, tonight he was amazing, reminded me of Steve Tyler and other terrific rock artists. My only worry is that he may be peaking too soon. I hope he is wise enough to rest up, and focus on continuing to work hard. You don't want to assume you have it in the bag. My bottom two are Kris & Anoop... many of the others are rated pretty close to each other right now.

*Adam (10/10)
*Danny (7.25/10)
*Lil (7/10)
Matt (6.95/10)
Alison (6.9/10)
Meagan (6.8/10)
Michael (6.75)
Jasmine(6.6/10)
Jorge (6.55/10)
Scott (6.5/10)
Alexis (6.30/10)
-Kris (6.25/10)
-Anoop (5/10)

My takes:

1. Lil - 8, decent but didn't blow me away. She's safe.
2. Scott - 8, he wasn't the worst, but he's no idol. He's safe for now.
3. Danny - 10 - excellent; he could make the finals
4. Michael - 9 - not bad, won't make the finals, but is probably safe this week.
5. Jasmine - 7 - pitchy, shrilly, She will go home either this week or next
6. Kris - 10 - very nice; he's safe. He has some weird facial expressions that he needs to work on.
7. Allison - 9 - I really like her; I hope America does too. She should be safe this week.
8. Anoop - 7 - bad performance, bad song for him. I will be surprised if he's not gone tonight.
9. Jorge - 7 - bad performance; bad diction - he was sharp almost the whole song. He'll he gone tonight.
10 - Megan - 8 - not an impressive vocal, but she seems to be popular just like Brooke White was last year, so she's safe for now.
11. Adam - 10 - another knockout performance. A real contender here. My only concern is that he may peak too soon.
12. Matt - 9 - solid performance; he's safe
13. Alexis - 9 - she was good, just not as good as she thought. Being in the coveted "final" slot, she's no doubt safe.

Highs: Adam and Danny
Lows: Anoop and Jorge; possibly Jasmine

Simon will be quoted for some time: "It's fine being artistic, just not on this show."

I thought the 3 best were:

Adam
Danny
Allison

I thought the 4 worst were:

Jorge
Scott
Anoop
Jasmine

All four of these need to be gone. None deserved to be in the finals in the first place and they all proved it last night. Scott is the weakest overall singers of everyone and though he had 1 good performance in Hollywood, he's now had 2 miserable ones. Jorge has sucked from the start and I can't figure out why anyone has supported him throughout. I realize they want diversity (remember Simon said they had to "cast" the show) but I refuse to believe there wasn't a single other male latin singer that wasn't better all year.

I thought Lil was completely forgettable. Sure, she sings okay, but who really cares?

Adam is a veteran performer/singer. He's been doing this a really long time. In terms of pop music, he's really at the upper end of the age bracket. Though he's impressive, I think that Allison is more impressive being that good at 16. I think she has the most raw talent of the girls and it's really a 3 horse race already between her and Danny and Adam. All 3 have different styles and approaches. Danny is very much another Taylor Hicks. Adam ventures off into being theatrical rather than musical a lot of time and it may cost him a bit over the long haul. Allison took an MJ pop song and made it a legitimate edgy rock song. Compared to the pretender Alexis trying to be a rocker at the end, Allison made her look silly.

Deserves to go: Jorge and Scott

Will Go: Anoop and Jorge.

Possible Upset: Kris or Matt in the bottom 3.

Post deleted by TAMERA64

Tammy,

Keep in mind that legally, once you have released a song (i.e. made it for sale) then anyone who pays the PRO licenses (which I am sure Penny's does) can play that music any time they want. They wouldn't need permission of any kind from you. If you had never put it up for sale, then it would be an issue unless you gave someone permission to do something with it (which I imagine you did with American Idol as was previously discussed). But really it's a moot point since it's for sale. That's how it all works. Anyone can play it any time they want and use it to make money anytime they want. It's up to you to follow up with your PRO if you aren't seeing income from it. You might ask them if any licensing fees would apply (not sure what type of deal they might have worked out with Penny's so it might be worth a call to your rep just to learn exactly how it works in your specific case).

All that aside, I am not surprised someone would play the song. It's very positive and you sound great on it so why not? I've played your music on the radio before. In fact, you were the very first JPF member I ever played on the radio way back around 1999 when I was doing a radio show and was playing songs from various members. I think I kicked the show off with Seasons of Love. = )

Brian

Can someone explain the new ruling? I missed it. Something about if the judges don't like the audience choice for who goes home they can overrule it? Then who goes home? The other person in the bottom 2?

Well.. I am not unhappy with the 2 they booted. Jasmine might not have been the worst of the night, but she was so horrible in the Round of 36 that she never should have been advanced to the wild card round in the first place. And Jorge was also not deserving but they claimed he was voted in via popular vote. Really? Then why was he gone so fast? The whole thing seemed pretty suspect.

The good news is 2 of the 5 weakest are gone. Scott, Meagan and Anoop will be the cannon fodder over the next 3 weeks. The early cream of the crop are Adam, Danny, Alison, Lil and Alexis. Perhaps one or two of the other guys will perform to their potential and break out of the middle of the pack.

The new rule Kristi is simply that they can "save" a contestant 1 time during the season if they unananimously (i.e. all 4 but more likely the producers) agree on the vote. They can only do it one time and only up until the final 5. They claim that they want to avoid having someone voted off like Hudson, Daughtry or JPF Member Johns from last season. But I remember the year Jennifer Hudson was ousted I was a huge supporter of her and said she should make it to the finals, but the judges reamed her week after week until she was gone. They are trying to revise history with this whole thing just because she made them all look really stupid. It was obvious at the time they didn't want her to go on... she was the cream of the crop that season to anyone paying attention. This will do 1 thing.. it will give a slim amount of hope to those voted off so that when they sing their final song, they have a glimmer of hope and thus might perform better. But I still can't believe they are having them do the very songs that got them voted off.. if they sucked that bad why are we forced to hear that bad song again.. why don't they let them do their best songs up to that point from any time in the season? Some day they will figure that out.

Brian

I think the vote was correct. Jorge and Jasmine were right at the bottom. I agree that Scott, Megan, and Anoop should be the next three to go.

If the judges are smart, they will save their one "save" for some sort of unexpected turn of events, such as Adam getting voted off next week or something weird like that.

The nice thing about the new rule is that it seems to indicate there is no vote manipulation going on by the network or the producers. Otherwise, they'd just change the votes for the person they want.

My understanding of the "unanimous" decision necessary is that it is made right on the spot by the judges - at least that's what was demonstrated tonight - they made the decision right there. Unless the producers communicate to the judges during the commercial break, it seems like it's pretty much the judges' decision alone.

If you noticed, there was no 4 way discussion going on last night. There was a tiny amount of discussion between Paula and Kara and then there was some discussion between Randy and Simon separately of that while the 2 girls were watching the performance. So whatever it really is, it's not 4 of them deciding anything. AND.. it was 100% clear that they knew who was being voted off BEFORE the show because Randy said (after Jasmine was announced) that they'd had a long discussion about it and decided not to save her. Well, since they announced it and then she performed, it was clear they weren't talking to each other at all and then right when she was done he says they all had a long discussion. So these decisions are made PRIOR to the show even happening and the judges know exactly who is being voted off in advance. You could even tell by watching their faces during the announcements. In previous years there was sometimes surprise. None this week.

On another topic, didn't Kanye West once again suck horribly? That guy is the least talented music star I've ever seen. It's a huge case of "the emperor has no clothes." I don't know what he has over the heads of the industry, but they all kiss his ass and for nothing. They give this guy more respect than Paul McCartney. He's is devoid of talent. He sometimes has a good feel for theatrics, but musically he's a fraud. The Grammy's pretty much hand the show over to him whenever he pleases to do his self aggrandizement.

Kelly Clarkson was okay. The song will likely do well on pop stations. But it wasn't one of my favorite performances of hers. But compared to Kanye, she was a goddess.

Brian

i think it's gonna come down to danny and adam.

kayne was... who knows, i can never get past the pants falling down thing...

Babette,

Ha! My wife was totally annoyed by that too. = )

Brian

I am confused by the Kanye thing...he wasn't any worse than any of the "rappers" to me...I dunno...I feel pretty numb to any of them after their performance, whether it be the grammys, or AMA or whatever...and I SWEAR that I TRY to like it...I really do...I DON'T wanna be out of it, and not like whats in...but he was the usual Kanye...why did people think it sucked, I saw that on comcast too...why don't I get it?

I thought the idol rejects were appropriate Anoop was hilarious trying to be bad and I agree that Scott and him will go next...Megan is cute, she maybe surprise for awhile

His voice was off key for most of it. And the rap song itself was terrible. It's okay if you don't like Rap music. Once you decide it's all not for you, then there's no reason to think twice about it. I like GOOD rap music. I have heard plenty of it. What Kanye does isn't good rap music.. it's not even mediocre rap music. It's terrible rap music. It's not the subject matter. Most of the time he's singing/rapping about the same stuff you'd hear in any pop, rock or country song. He's not a "gangsta" rap artist. But he sucks. And he sucks BADLY.

He's a cult of personality to many. They love him for no particular reason beyond they are supposed to. There's no more artistic merit to what he does than what any bad country singer does. Bad is bad. But he's the king of the world in his community and no one will tell the truth about his voice of talent.

I am friends with a major insider in that community and he wasn't able to explain it to me acceptably either. It's the most puzzling thing I've come across in the commercial music world in any genre.

Brian

k, I dunno Brian, he wasn't really singing, he was TALKING off key? I must have a tin ear...well actually I know I do ! Thanks for the clarity

Kanye was half-rapping, half-singing. They had the live version of autotune working very obviously as an effect - or he was singing/rapping along with a track that had autotune set to make the Cher "Believe" effect all through the song.

I fast-forwarded most of his song so I wouldn't have to endure it. I've heard some good rap, that wasn't so good. I don't hate rap music. I've even produced a couple of rap tunes in my studio, but I just don't get this guy.

"It's the most puzzling thing I've come across in the commercial music world in any genre."

Phew! Thanks Brian; I really thought it was just me. I've seen very little of the man before but I've heard the hype (mostly his own words of course) but it's really astonishing to me that he even has a record deal of any sort. Maybe not.

Cheers,
Steve R.

http://www.steverobinsonmusic.com/

Lesson from Randy Travis - whether he liked something or not, he always found something positive and encouraging to say.

I think optimism and a positive outlook helps you get farther in this business.

My recap of Top 11 (country week):

First of all, they should hire real Nashville musicians to do Nashville night, not just a harp and steel player to add a flavor of country. The bass player, drummer, and guitarist were not convincing (especially the bass player) in that style at all - very disappointed in the sound of the band playing country.

1. Michael Sarver - 6; Ain't Goin' Down 'til the Sun Comes Up; boring, boring, boring. So he remembered all 2000 words or whatever. It wasn't a memorable performance at all. He sounded Karaoke to me. He is at the bottom of the list, IMHO.

2. Allison Ireheta - 8; Blame It On Your Heart; I like this girl. She's spunky and an amazing singer for 16 years old. I think the band really s***ked on the arrangement so didn't do her any favors, but vocally, I think she did a very respectable job. I hope she's popular enough to be safe.

3. Kris Allen; 9; To Make You Feel My Love; This was a very good performance. Just something about his facial expressions bugs me...I think he's safe for now.

4. Lil Round; 8; Independance Day; No Simon..."Lil" is NOT always a contraction of "little"...it could be Lillian, Lily, or liliputian! I think it was an OK performance, but not Idol quality. She's safe for this week.

5. Adam Lambert; 10; Ring of Fire; Although Johnny Cash may have been writhing in his grave, I think the guy took a big risk and pulled off a "Led Zepplin" version of this. A younger Robert Plant would have been proud. I think the teens will go for him. He's definitely safe.

6. Scott MacIntyre; 7; Wild Angels; His pitch is fine; he's just doing the same thing every week, and it's not all that good. He went out of his way to make a smokin' country tune boring. He may not go this week, but I hope he goes soon. At this point, I'd rather see him go than anyone else. He's simply not an idol.

7. Alexis Grace - 7; Jolene; It was simply ok. I think she pushed Dolly classic "bluegrassy" song too far in the blues direction, but she's a cute girl with a decent set of pipes, and I hope she's around for a few more weeks. I'm kind of getting the feeling she may not have the staying power though - we'll see.

8. Danny Gokey - 9; Jesus Take the Wheel; Who'd have figured a guy could pull that song off. He did a great job. The man is a real contender for the #1 spot; he'll definitely be in the finals.

9. Anoop Desai - 10; Always On My Mind; no one could believe the transition; even Simon said "from Zero to Hero" and took back his statement that Anoop didn't belong in the top 13. The man made the song his own and pulled me right into his rendition. This is the voice I thought he demonstrated during Hollywood week, but screwed up last week. He's definitely safe for now.

10. Megan Joy - 9; After Midnight; props to Megan for performing with the flu (she had been in the hospital for it). I gave her an extra point for that because her performance was only an 8. She lost some of her quirkiness (maybe due to the flu), but I think she's safe this week.

11. Matt Giraud - 10; So Small; solid performance; He's not exactly my cup of tea, but I can respect his musicianship and that he's another real contender for the Finale. He reminds me of Billy Joel, who also was never my cup of tea, but an icon in the industry.

My Top 3 from last night's performance:

1. Anoop Desai
2. Matt Giraud
3. Danny Gokey
(honorable mention of Adam Lambert for uniqueness)

Bottom 3, IMHO:

1. Michael Sarver
2. Scott MacIntyre
3. Alexis Grace

Who will America vote off?

Alexis or Allison

I an so glad Anoop finally was able to show off his vocals last night--that's the voice I fell in love with during Hollywood week. Now lets see if he can keep the momemtum going. Matt gave an outstanding performance also...

Bottom 2

Michael Sarver
Alexis Grace

I thought the best 3 of the night by a large margin:

1. Allison
2. Anoop
3. Matt

I thought the 3 worst were:

1. Lil Round (She was friggin TERRIBLE)
2. Scott MacIntyre (he was worst last week.. he needs to go!)
3. Tie: Alexis and Danny Gokey. Both were awful.

Deserve to go: Scott MacIntyre and Lil Round

Most Likely to go: Michael Sarver or Anoop

There were only 4 decent performances (add Kris to my top 3) and one novelty performance (Adam). The others were mediocre. Lil Rounds sang by far the worst. Scott sang better than last week but was pathetic. His disability is the only reason he is there and I find that unfair. Compare his performance to Matt Giraud on the piano/singing. It's night and day.

Brian

Scott definitely should be the one to go...I loved Adams ring of fire ! ! I doubt that mainstream country will like it, but he knew he'd get through, and he REALLY went for it...Sarver and Scott should go in the next 2 decisions...I didn't think Danny was as bad as you did Brian, though the verses were a little off...he really has a soulful voice and is a likeable guy

Not a Danny fan, huh Brian? I like the guy myself. He's certainly safe tonight.

TOP 11 – 17Mar09 – Country Week

Best dressed award goes to: Paula (lovely gown), Ryan & Randy, who outclassed Kara and Simon in the fashion department. On to the singing….

MICHAEL SARVER (6.5/10) – Michael seemed in his element with this song. I like the quality of his voice. The song wasn’t “challenging” in terms of range, but he sang and performed it well. I could see him on the country charts. Vocally he sings a little too “tight” – he shapes his vowels very flat and very wide, this places the voice in the back of the throat. He would get more depth and range and projection if he opened in the right way. When he does open his mouth, there is good quality in the tone. I know it’s country style. I totally disagree with Simon’s “1.2 out of 10.” Michael looked good, had fun, remembered the lyrics, and sang on pitch. It was at least a 6.5.

ALISON IRAHETA (6.0/10) – Alison has a good voice, but she hasn’t got enough experience or training to understand her instrument. For me it sits too far back – it’s like she’s swallowing the words. Another “tight” singer – meaning you clamp down on the voice in the throat, and then push for ‘power’. So you get a ‘hollow’ sound. Doesn’t work that way. That way is the road to constriction and potential damage. And limited range. There IS a bloom in the voice, but it is hard to hear it with this method of singing (oversinging). That’s why it sounds “tuneless” and has a “dull” tone.

KRIS ALLEN (6.25/10) – Kris has a clear tone, there’s a nice bloom on the voice. The song was well-arranged (simple) and let him shine. Well-phrased. It didn’t blow my socks off, but I thought it was solid.

LIL ROUNDS (6.10) – Lil is not a country singer, but I wish she had chosen a song that fit her better. However, it was well-phrased. She has good tone and solid vocals. I agree with Paula, singing a second verse before going to the chorus was not the best choice, the song took too long to take off. Simon was right – the song didn’t fit her.

ADAM LAMBERT (9/10) – Well I was looking forward to this as IMO Adam clearly has all the ingredients to be an American Idol. What will he do with country, I wonder. Johnny Cash, ‘Ring of Fire.’ All rocked up, interesting take on the song. The best voice in the competition, bar none. If I had him in my studio I’d have very little to say. He seems in command of his instrument, and he’s creative with it. He’s an Artist, for sure. I disagree with Simon – it was an different & interesting take on the song, not at all ‘horrific’. I agree with Randy – Nine Inch Nails doing country (“Hurt”, anyone?).

SCOTT MACINTYRE (5.0/10) – Scott is talented, no doubt. Especially on the piano. But I don’t think he’s a particularly good singer at this moment in time. I think the voice needs further development. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about him, or want to see his dream die, but I think we also need to assist young people to assess their abilities honestly and figure out what they need to work on to grow and improve. One of the issues is how he pronounces his words… very wide vowels, which means he loses tonal quality and strength of tone. The too-big shapes and the lifting of the head as he sings leads to an unnatural vibrato in his voice and a sense of thinness in the sound. I found the debate between Paula & Simon over whether or not Scott should use use the piano to be irritating. I agreed with Randy, it was a ‘nice’ and ‘safe’ performance.

ALEXIS GRACE (5.5/10) – Alexis has a strong voice, she phrased the song well and put her own interpretation on it. Her top voice needs development – really, she needs to understand her instrument better. When we have a powerful chest voice and we are in the habit of oversinging… our pushing takes something away from the top voice and makes the transition to the upper register more difficult (and unhealthy). There was a word that she especially pushed on that caused the tonal quality to be very hard/harsh, and there was an unnatural wobble in the sound at that point. This kind of pushing leads to pitch problems and uneven tone. She needed to sing it simply, and trust the song to bring her voice out (if a song doesn’t bring your voice out effectively – pick a different song!). One of my main issues with the Idol shows as samples of ‘good singing’ is that they often lead to the misapprehension that ‘loud’ is better. Alexis’s performance was a good example of that misunderstanding.

DANNY GOKEY (7.0/10) – Danny has a good voice, although I find it a little nasal in quality, especially in the verse. Pretty solid performance, though. I didn’t feel like it was a terrific song choice for him, and I agree it took awhile for the song to begin to work for him. Randy was right about the need to support the verse better, and Danny said he didn’t know what to do with that part. That surprises me. I understood that, besides working with Randy Travis, the competitors had a vocal coach. But I guess they can choose whether they use those resources or not. If you don’t know… why wouldn’t you work with a coach. If you don’t know… perhaps it’s the song itself that isn’t a fit. In any case, I thought it was extremely interesting to hear the judges comment on this performance. Compare what they said about Danny to what they said about Adam. They actually said that Danny’s performance was better than Adam's performance. Really?

ANOOP DESAI (7.10/10) – I like the placement of Anoop’s voice. It’s not back in the throat, it doesn’t resonate in the nasal cavity, he has a clear bright tone. He phrased the song well, and I liked how he built the song using vocal texture – which demonstrates sensitivity and mastery. Sometimes, simple is best. And letting the song ‘sing itself’ while you sing from your heart, is powerful.

MEAGAN JOY (5.2/10) – There is a depth to Meagan’s voice, but I don’t think this song (or any other song she’s sung to date) really shows it. I thought this was a rather “girlish” performance and that some of her licks were insecure. I felt like it was “Beach Blanket Bingo”. However, at the end of the song, the judges pointed out that Meagan has been very ill, and I give her kudo’s for performing so well under enormous pressure. As a singer myself, I know there is nothing you can do to create tone or stay on pitch if you are so ill that the voice isn’t responding. However, I looked back at how I’ve rated her in the past… the average out of 3 performances was 5.1 out of 10. I marked her 5.2 for this performance. I’m sure she’ll be back, and we’ll see how she progresses.

MATT GIRAUD (5.5/10) – Nice bloom on the voice, I like that warm vibrato. I wondered about some of the phrasing and how breathing was handled. The practice of singing breathy in the verses (which tires the apparatus) and then pushing the chorus is one I dislike for many reasons. The judges raved so much about this sometimes pitchy, seemingly insecure performance that I went back and watched it again. It certainly didn’t work for me, and I shook my head when Kara, Paula and Simon were all over it as being the best of the night. Not to put Matt down for putting it out there and doing his best, but I do sometimes wonder if I am hearing a different performance than the judges, or if it sounds different in the theatre than it does on tv.

Who should go: Scott.
Who will go: Lil.

Top 11 - Results

Bottom Three:

*Alison (my rating - 6.0/10)
*Michael (my rating - 6.5/10)
*Alexis (my rating - 5.5/10)

Alison is safe, says Ryan. While Carrie Underwood & Randy Travis sing, I'm rooting for Michael to stay.

I'm not quite sure what Carrie is wearing, her headdress and the waist of her dress is kinda strange, but the colour red suits her. Carrie sings with a clear and solid tone, the textures of her voice transmit the emotion of the song. When she goes up, she makes the transition smoothly and the upper notes are clear and strong. She never pushes the voice, altho she's always present in what she's doing. Randy comes in with his part. I feel like they are slightly imbalanced, the song seems slightly low for him, but he has an agreeable warm tone. The song is really hers.

Back to the results. Simon says they would consider saving one of the bottom two. We go to commercial as I wonder which one they would save. Hopefully Michael.

Here we go - after the nationwide vote of 31 million... Michael is safe. Alexis is going home. Or maybe not. She has to sing & then they will decide. As she sings I think it's ridiculous that she had the least votes when the weakest vocalist in the show this week was clearly Scott. Meagan we can forgive.

Unfortunately they decide not to save her after all. But she's young and talented. People know who she is. She has the potential for a career if she is wise and uses the contacts she has made to move forward.

Idol is the beginning - not the end.

excellant point-Ms Viks

you nailed it-Idol is just the beginning-and usually the end as well-even for those who WIN it....cause you dont become a great singer doing karoke...........you need strength and depth in songwriting........thats why most of these wannabe's disapear so fast after their 15 mins of fame on Idol.......Idol doesnt exist to find and launch great unknown talent......Idol exists for Idol-the producers-stars etc.........they do ya and dump ya after their have had whatever use they can make of you in any way........that said-it is in fact a good introduction to the hard realities of the music business.......one which most of these dreamers desperately seem to need.....last summer Nashville Star had 6,000 wannabe's lined up for auditions.............same deal-into the grinder they go.......I think these shows are possibly the worst investment of time a hopeful can make..........just my opinion


Tom

Warning! This will be a completely sexist post.

Not that any of the female contestants are unattractive, but with Alexis gone, I have no more reason to watch this season. Heck I even turned off the "mute" feature when she came on and she wasn't half bad!

Alexis was cute and ok as a singer, but it's pretty obvious that several of the guys blow her away vocally. She was never going to be an idol even though she may still make a record with someone. The judges were right to hold onto their "save" until they can use it for someone who has a serious shot at the #1 spot.

I think Megan is pretty attractive as well, and she has learned how to flirt with the camera. I would have MUCH preferred that Scott go over Alexis, but he'll be gone pretty soon.

I'll go out on a limb and say the idol this year will be a male. Lil Round, Allison and Megan are the 3 gals left and none of them are outstanding as idols, although Allison definitely has a future in the music biz. I think there are too many strong males and not an outstanding clear-cut female lead. Adam is in a vocal league of his own, with Matt, Anoop, Kris, and Danny strong contenders.

I think tonight was the best I've ever heard Carrie sound. She was breathtakingly beautiful both to look at and to listen to. It was a great tear-jerker of a country song she sang with Randy Travis - very moving.

What ever happened to Faith Hill? She was the #1 country diva until Carrie started winning all the CMA awards.

Tom,

You said:

"...you dont become a great singer doing karoke...........you need strength and depth in songwriting."

I have to disagree with that statement. It doesn't apply to Idol winners for one thing - they have hordes of writers in the wings. Even beyond Idol, songwriting is not a requirement to be a great singer. How many legendary singers (besides Elvis, Frank Sinatra, et al) didn't write a lick. Carrie Underwood seems to be doing just fine without much writing ability. Country is like that. Pop and R&B used to be like that. R&B is mostly still like that. However modern pop and rock does seem to require a modicum of songwriting ability - if you are the artist. However, Pop/rock artists who are weak in songwriting can always team up with a co-writer.

I also think you're wrong about the "churn 'em and burn 'em" approach you think Idol uses. Yeah, it's a tough business, but they can go into obscurity for many reasons: not enough talent is certainly at the top of the list; but there are other factors such as perseverence and drive; maybe the music biz isn't what they thought it would be (too many weirdos or something); or maybe they simply didn't want to stay away from their family any longer.

Why else would Idol bother to keep track of former Idols AND contestants like Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Kat McPhee, David Archuleta and other Idol "alumni". They even have a whole section on the Idol website about Idol alumni and what they're doing.

I believe the Idol producers DO want a long-term artist. They also want short-term ratings (yes, they ARE greedy). However, my understanding of the contract is that you are tied to 19 Entertainment for quite some time after you leave the show (probably seven years - a typical contract length): they get a percentage of your earnings as a manager, so they are more than happy to help someone like Carrie Underwood continue to make millions for the next 40 years if possible. For instance, Kelly Clarkson just got out of her 19 Entertainment contract (isn't it about seven years now?) and was therefore able to make a CD of music without Idol's approval of the material - and she changed her style if you'll notice.

I think these shows are by far the BEST possible investment of time a young artist could make if they are inclined to sing popular music of some type and perform it live. Where else would someone in that position get to perform and/or appear in front of 25 million people twice a week for 2-3 months. They will all get their names in People, US, Entertainment Weekly, go on major talk shows, and on and on...it's not 15 minutes of fame, but more like 9 months if you include the Idol tour. If they still have staying power, then they start their own record deal, rehearse new material, and then do a tour or at least a series of shows. What an incredible opportunity for someone with absolutely no connections - or simply not enough connections!

There's no downside to being on Idol no matter what happens. By being seen and heard on even a single episode you are performing for the largest audience you'll ever be in front of. There's no downside to that. If you flop, that just means you're a flop. You still got in front of the masses which you never would have done on your own.

As for tonights results, I had no problem with it. I thought Alexis was in the bottom 3. Sarver will likely be next to go. I was disappointed to see Alison in the bottom 3. If I had to sign 1 artist from this crop, it would be her. She has nothing but upside. Adam can be a giant star with the right songs and production, but I still don't think he has the same upside potential as a 16 year old who sings that well. Danny is a great artist but I think he's similar to to the grey haired dude that won a few years ago (I can't even think of his name.. which sort of sums him up). What are they going to do with Danny that they didn't try to do with him? Right now Adam seems to be the winner. Danny will be seen as his challenger and there will be a couple close calls until it comes down to those two. Paula actually got that one right. Danny could get upset around the final 4 which happens some seasons, but beyond that, everyone else is simply cannon fodder while they get Adam out in front of the public for a season to build his recognition and following. It would be great if Allison caught on with fans and gave them a run. Lil Rounds blew her shot to rise to the top ranks with that hideous performance. Now we can expect to hear monotonous R&B performances from her week after week. Yawn.

No one will miss or think twice about Alexis. She was cannon fodder.

Brian

valid points made by you two-Larry/Brian

but overall-for every Carrie Underwood (who does indeed have talent) theres way too many (in my opinion) Jessica Simpson types rising to the top for whatever reason......remember the one who showed up wearing a bikini?......I just think that ok-given that its commercial tv and has to do stuff for ratings-the show and the American Idol process has become totally bastardized in favor of ratings and not talent.....but I do have some prejudice I admit-seeing so many truly talented singers in the honkytonks trying to make it the old fashioned-PRE IDOL-way..

Tom

Yeah, I've never been a fan of the blonde bimbo types that occasionally make a successful record or two. Jessica Simpson definitely fits into that mold. Without autotune, I'm sure she is average at best. Even with autotune, I've never been impressed. There was another bimbo type who bombed out when her pre-recorded track started on the wrong song on SNL? Obviously, a forgetable gal.

No doubt there are too many "pagent alumni" auditioning for Idol these days. There were several last year (and we had bikini girl this year). Like I said above, the producers want the short-term ratings AND the long-term artist. There is nothing wrong with "eye candy" per se, as long as there is talent in addition to that.

It's interesting that looks have become so important...I recently had a young gal ask me to find songs and produce a CD for her (I had never met her). She didn't spend any time telling me where she had been performing (very little experience), but she did mention she had been a runner-up in a "Miss Teenage [something or other]" contest.

The key to success today (assuming you have sufficient talent and perseverence) is marketing. It can easily cost $1,000,000 to launch a new artist, with TV spots, VH1 or MTV videos, posters, radio ads, industry magazine ads, tour support, etc. Someone performing in a local honky-tonk will NEVER have that kind of money unless they find a sugardaddy of some type. That could be a record label, but record labels only want "sure things" nowdays so you have to prove you've already had success on your own before they'll sign you.

Wasn't that Ashlee Simpson on SNL? (Just being nit-picky )

Edit: Oops, I thought you were saying it was Jessica Simpson on SNL. That's what I get for reading while asleep.

This week was Motown week. There were some great performances—Adam, Allison, Matt, Danny, Kris and Anoop. I was expecting a better performance by Lil this was her genre--she was good. I wanted to see her blow the crowd away with her big vocal range. She promises next week. The bottom three--Scott, Michael and Megan.

Bottom two
Michael
Megan

My recap of Motown night:

1. Matt Giraud - 9; Let's Get It On; very respectable performance, but didn't grab me; he's safe though.

2. Kris Allen - 9; How Sweet It Is (I didn't know this was a Motown song - I thought James Taylor wrote it); very nice job; he's safe

3. Scott McIntyre - 7; You Can't Hurry Love; other than some nice chords at the beginning, it was trite. I agreed with Simon: he couldn't wait for the song to be over. Why people keep voting for him MUST be out of pure sympathy, 'cause the guy isn't any better than most bar band singers. I have a feeling he'll be safe for another week though...

4. Megan Joy - 7; For Once In My Life; I wouldn't call Stevie Wonder "Motown", and what she sang was simply cabaret that could have been sung in the lounge on the "Love Boat". Had she made the song really, really campy, then it might have worked. I think she's in danger this week.

5. Anoop Desai - 8; Ooh, Baby Baby; respectable performance; a couple of pitchy moments, but overall, pretty decent. He's safe this week.

6. Michael Sarver - 6; Ain't Too Proud to Beg; this was by far the worst performance of the evening. The guy couldn't find the pocket if you stuffed his hand in it. He shouted it like a rocker and looked like he was at the local karaoke bar. He's my candidate for bye-bye this week.

7. Lil Rounds - 7; Heatwave; Uh...this SHOULD have been her week and she kind of blew it. A bit shouty and pitchy in places and she didn't do anything unique with it: kind of karaoke-style. She's probably safe though.

8. Adam Lambert - 10; Tracks of My Tears; This guy is a bloody genius; week after week he comes up with something that makes me remember him in a very positive way and he passed the "goosebump test" tonight. Smokey Robinson got misty and gave him a standing ovation. Brilliant performance - in a league of his own. He's definitely NOT a "one style" kind of artist. I just hope he doesn't peak too soon. Regardless, there will be a bidding war to sign this guy - I guarantee it.

9. Danny Gokey - 9; Get Ready; very nice, driving performance. I like this guy and he seems sincere about a music career; I just hope he can be marketed better than Taylor Hicks.

10. Allison Iraheta - 10; Papa Was a Rolling Stone; Wow! This girl does NOT sound 16 years old. She has cojonas in her voice and impressive stage presence! 2nd best performance of the night and she could possibly be in the finale with Adam.

Top 2: Adam and Allison
Bottom 2: Michael Sarver and Scott McIntyre

Most likely to go home: Michael Sarver

My take on American Idol:

Meagan should go, Lil will go, Seacrest sings sweetly -
http://myvote-americanidol.blogspot.com/

:o

Adam & Allison were freakin' AWESOME!!!!
My eyes welled up during Adam's incredible performance & arrangement .. geez .. thats talent
Allison .. her stage presence and confidence put her over the top with her incredible voice !!
Sorry .. I think Michael, Scott & Megan had tough nights.

Just a side note - Paul Jackson Jr. was the guitarist that sat right next to Adam. I've seen him on AI a lot over the years. A lot of the recorded and sampled guitars from the Ensoniq keyboards were from recorded sessions with Paul.

IMHO, Adam is head and shoulders above the rest...it's not even close...he is already a star

clearly Adam outshined them all
(although I thought a couple other were close last night)

This was the first time I liked Adam.
in previous weeks he's done good until his vocals went over the edge. Too much shouting, too many runs
and my husband who normally can't stand him.. vocals, hair...everything also liked him last night.
So he even passed muster with some more conservative listeners.

Reminded me a lot of the night last year when David Cook sang a tender song from Phantom of the Opera.
Both had done a fare amount of musical theater and have these chops even if they prefer a harder edge.

and I have to agree on Scott. it must be the sympathy votes because he's blind.... because no way is he in the league with the others. an excellent pianist... but this is a singing contest!

Post deleted by TAMERA64

Well, the bottom 3 (not in results, but in performance) were Scott, Megan and Michael. Scott is about 10 notches below all the others and he's been the worst all 2 of 3 weeks by a large margin and was second worst to Lil Rounds the other week. But apparently a lot of people who are not interested in singing talent is voting for him. At least he should be gone in the next few weeks.

Michael was the one I predicted... I was here watching the show with Linda and our friend Harold Payne (there's a picture of Harold, Tammy and Me on my desk now that I think of it... ) and all 3 of us agreed that Scott was the worst and deserved to go, but that he wouldn't. We also agreed that Michael Sarver, who was never the worst singer, would be going because he was so generic and boring. He had zero chance to win... he wsa cannon fodder. Soon we'll see Megan and Scott gone. But the singer who has fallen the farthest is Lil Rounds who was among the worst the last 2 weeks. She deserves to go soon. They keep propping her up though.

The Idols have lip synched every single week during the group performances... it's been quite obvious. They aren't very good at it either. They don't understand that if you swing the mic away from your mouth, it would be noticeable.. someone should suggest they learn that little fact.

I thought Alison was the best this week. I thought she was the best in the first two weeks as well. Glad that the judges finally reconize it. I think Adam is clearly the most "star" ready right now, but Alison has WAY more upside because Adam is already nearly too old to appeal to the core audience he will attract.. the Disney tweens and those who love Zach Effron. And he's flamboyantly gay, so that will limit his older pop appeal among the mainstream a bit. He'll have a great next few years for sure.. but you have to wonder why he hasn't broken out with that supercharged vocal overdrive he can kick into. Has anyone seen his drag queen photos they were talking about in the news? I haven't seen them.

Danny is strong and may well finish second.. but he's a strong but only 1 trick pony at this point. He always sounds the same.. good but predicatable. I think outside those 3, Kris is the only other that might get in the top 2. But it's already Adam's to lose. Alison might take one of the two final guys out if they split the vote. I'd still sign her before any of the others. You could count on 20 years of solid rock appeal with her.

Brian

Post deleted by TAMERA64

I didn't notice the lip syncing last week, but definitely noticed it tonight. The vocals were too smooth and perfectly in tune - and I saw a couple of of "out-of-sync" lips. The mix was way better than usual as well. I'll go back and watch the recording of last weeks' results show and see.

I predicted that Michael would go tonight, so no surprises there, but I was surprised that Matt was in the bottom three.

Did I miss the cake and ice cream...?

When it comes to the bottom line-- mine is: what act did I rewind because I wanted to here the song again? Alison easily. I rewound tattoo girl because I wanted to see if it really was that bad- it was. I rewound Adam because my wife said it was "amazing". I wasn't as impressed but he has the star package and I was impressed with his interaction with his musicians and that he asked Smoky R what inspired "Tracks of my tears". I think he is a thoughtful musician and it would not disappoint me if he took it all.

But, Alison- wow! she is the definition of "gifted"

Mar 31/09 - TOP 9

I think the AI band is great but I think the producers need to work a little on sound, several times tonight I felt the band and back-up singers overshadowed the lead. I know they want to fill the theatre with sound. I’d like to actually hear the contestants. This is not the first show I’ve noticed this with. Doing sound for a live televised show is a big challenge…. but this is not their first season.

Here’s my ranking, from bottom to top:

*9-MEAGAN (Bob Marley) – I have yet to be impressed with Meagan’s vocals. Her voice seems weak… there is tone, but she tends to sing so that it resonates nasally or she crunches it back in the throat. The colour of the voice is then dark and metallic. I think she needs some serious vocal coaching, and IMO she doesn’t belong in the top 10.

*8-SCOTT (Piano Man) – as a voice teacher I just itch to work with Scott for a few weeks, lol. There is potential– but Scott’s way of singing is getting in his way. He tends to either sing closed, through the teeth, or big & wide AND pushing; there is tightness in the jaw; he tends to lift his head up which stretches the neck & causes tension; these things cause an unnatural and unattractive vibrato. However, I do appreciate his spirit.

*7-MATT (You Found Me) – Vocally Matt was pretty good, his voice shows promise, but the song didn’t thrill me.

*6-ALISON (Don’t Speak) – she sang off pitch and off beat. I wrote down that she shouted the song – and then Simon mentioned it. I do think she tries too hard. She needs to understand dynamics. But I could give a hoot about what she chooses to wear.

*5-LIL (I Surrender) – Lil is a singer in search of her vocal identity. She’s got fabulous pipes but every week they tell her, it’s not the right song. Yet she works incredibly hard to produce a good performance. She has good depth & warmth of tone, although I heard the odd pitch issue, I thought she really came to life in the second half. She’s a diva in the making, if the right people could help her figure it out.

*4-ANOOP (Usher) – I agreed with Randy that Anoop sang well but the song choice didn’t thrill me.

*3-DANNY (What hurts the most) – in the first verse, I wrote ‘wonderful bloom in the voice, great texture, very expressive. But when the song hit the chorus… the sound was unbalanced and my ear couldn’t pick out his voice from the mix & the performance didn’t seem as strong. I also thought the arrangement was rather strange.

*2-KRIS (Ain’t No Sunshine) – Another singer with good potential, if he would open a little bit more (sing less through the teeth). Excellent arrangement, good singing, solid performance.

*1-ADAM (Play that Funky Music) – Great vocals, of course. Everything a voice teacher would want. Thought he made it his own, lots of fun, good stage presence. What can you say but ‘wow, Steve Tyler move over’.

My recap with 1-10 ratings for 3/31:

1. Anoop Desai - "Caught Up" by Usher; 7; This guy just doesn't realize he can't sing R&B. Not the worst performance tonight, but close. I predict he'll be in the bottom 3.

2. Megan Corkrey - "Turn Your Lights Down Low" by Bob Marley; 8; I think her vocals still need a bit of work, but she has a very identifiable (and likable) sound and style. Cheryl Crow isn't a great singer either, but I hear a similar quirkiness in "All I Wanna Do" - and Cheryl's off-key on that one. The judges really panned Megan, so she'll probably be in the bottom 3 as well.

3. Danny Gokey - "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts; 8; The judges loved this, but I thought it was only good, not great. He's very safe this week though.

4. Allison Iraheta - "Don't Speak" by No Doubt; 9; I don't care that the judges hated her outfit. They probably would have hated Cyndi Lauper and Madonna's clothes, too. I think she sounded great. This girl has a lot of long-term potential and I don't care if she dresses like a rocker-girl. She should leave the guitar at home though.

5. Scott MacIntyre - "Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel; 6; worst performance of the night. I am convinced now that the judges are either deaf or they are being paid to sell out and give this guy kudos for some reason. I couldn't believe Simon didn't jump all over him for doing a version no better than you'd hear in any Holiday Inn lounge in the country. It was a sappy 30-year-old song and he just made it sound sappier. The guy has to go. He has no imagination and he's not a very good singer.

6. Matt Giraud - "You Found Me" by the Fray; 7; another decent performance of a bad choice in songs. Was this song really a hit? Matt seems to be popular, so he's safe...but IMHO, he's skating on thin ground unless he does something really cool next week.

7. Lil Rounds - "I Surrender" by Celine Dion; 8; I don't know what the judges want out of this girl. They told her to do something to show off her big voice and she did. She showed them that a Celine Dion song was NOT too big for her and they still panned her. I thought she did a very good job - not brilliant, but respectable.

8. Adam Lambert - "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry; 10; Another brilliant arrangement of an old R&B tune. I only wish the song had been longer...the guy is already a star.

9. Kris Allen - "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers; 10; Wow! The band I jam with every couple of weeks does this song and it sure doesn't sound like this! The weird expressions on his face seem to have tamed down and we can all now concentrate on his amazing voice and control. He closed the show with a great performance.

My Top 3: Kris, Adam, and Danny
My Bottom 3: Scott, Anoop, and Megan

Who SHOULD go home: Scott, no question; he's out of his league

Who will go home? Megan (unfortunately)

American Idol was disappointing tonight. No one really stood out.

Scott was actually good this week. And Kris keeps growing on me. I expected more from Danny, Allison, Adam and Lil. The best of the night were Scott and Kris. Adam has no appeal for me—he is a great performer but his high notes irritate me.

The bottom two:
Megan
Matt

I was really impressed with Kris this week. He's not a great pianist, but didn't need to be. Having the string section right there made it a bit more intimate. The arrangement was beautiful, and he's definitely moving up. I noticed less facial contortions too. I thought his was the best performance of the night.

The judges are either idiots or are being told who to trash ahead of time because they sure didn't give honest opinions based on the performances in front of them.

Lil Rounds was HORRIBLE. She was flat throughout and can't hit any of the high notes at all. It was BRUTAL. They decided to attack her song choice instead of her terrible singing. Even her "highlight" clip was terrible and flat. I can't stand Scott, but she was even worse than him this week. Why are they propping this woman up?

And on the other end of that, why are they trashing Alison? They couldn't, with a straight face, attack her singing, so they spent half the show attacking her clothes which were 100% age and style appropriate. She looked great and she performed great. They just hate her for some reason.

Most honest and accurate judge tonight? Paula. Yup. I said it. She was the only one to be consistent throughout and at least not prop up the bad performers with 1 expection.. her LOVE And LUST for Scott. Ack.

The best performance of the night was easily Kris. Adam was also great. Alison was third, her weakest finish, but still clearly in the top 3. Danny was flat and couldn't hit the big notes at all. He really exposed a lot of weakness tonight and Kris just took away his second place spot in the pecking order with a bullet.

Best performances:

Kris
Adam
Alison

Worst performances:

Lil Rounds
Scott
Meagan

Should go home:

Scott or Lil Rounds, both in the bottom 2 consisently

Will go home:

Either Meagan or Anoop.

They haven't trashed a great contestant like Alison since they trashed Kelly Clarkson and Jordin Sparks unfairly until they jumped on their bandwagons late. Alison can't win this year because Adam is just too much of a force. The race is for second, third and forth between Alison, Kris and Danny. I think Danny's stock is slipping and he better have a good week and Kris have an average or bad week next week or Kris will clearly enter the 2 horse race at the top. Alison can't get a fair break. She's been in the top 3 every single week and she was the best performer at least twice.

It would be nice if the judges simply told the truth without the prefab agendas. We all know it will take something shocking for Adam not to win already. He's a mile ahead of the others. Only Kris's performance tonight showed any chance of taking him out.

Brian

Hi Brian,

I noticed a little flatness, but I think in that high register, for most listeners, you have to be flat at least 25 cents (a quarter of a half-step) for the brain to signal the wince muscles. Wouldn't you at least agree there can be "pleasurable" flatness/sharpness?

LOL...You must not care for Dionne Warwick very much...


I thought Kris Allen made a lot of little timing and pitch errors, but he was self correcting amazingly well, like he's got some monitoring system from the future...Really, it's all about where self-confidence can take you, "mistakes" morph into genius before the brain signals "mistake"...Kris was the best, imo, last night...

Whereas Scott MacIntyre really was not good at all, a very studied, careful, dull performance. I cussed the judges. What were they hearing?

Mike

ya what were they thinking...you can walk into almost any piano bar and hear a more original version...of anything...Scott needs to go badly...for like 3 weeks now...

Redlady....Adam's high notes for me, do the opposite of what they do for you....I would call it...shock and awe...I looked at the people I watched the show with, and EVERYONE had a HUGE smile on their face during his entire performance...I don't think that Mick Jagger EVER could go that high...and it's effortless !

I am with you Herbie ... Adam hits those high notes with smoothe accuracy .. there is neve a shrill! i am amazed ... i am jealous

Post deleted by TAMERA64

APR 1ST RESULTS

We know that Alison & Meagan are in the bottom three. The last two people on stage waiting to hear which group they are in? Scott & Anoop. Randy says Scott should stay, but that’s bullshit, the better singer is clearly Anoop. Nope, Scott is safe.

They’d save one of the bottom three, Simon says. I think they’d save Alison. No worries, she’s safe.

Now Anoop and Meagan. Yes, Meagan is last. Okay, finally. She should go, IMO. She certainly has a wonderful look, but she needs some serious vocal training if she expects to have a career. Her final performance didn’t change my mind. But she’ll tour the group, so her journey is not over.

I totally agree with the final result.

When Danny chose "What hurts the most" I thought, "man if he can pull this off, he will be a contender". But to do it, he would have to do as well as Gary LeVox in the Rascal Flatts original. I think he gave it his all; but now he has showed us that he is no Gary Levox- and that does not bode well for his chances to finish on top.

My favorite for the Final Four are Adam, Allison, Kris and Danny. All the other 4 show significant weaknesses. Scott isn't any better than some of the kids in my sons choir!

Allison has been in the bottom 3 twice so you could make a logical case for her NOT to be in the final four but she deserves to be there. Like Adam had to do after his outrageous cover of "Ring of Fire", she must now play a little politics: dress cute and rein in her urge to be too extreme.

Not surprised and kind of glad Meagan went home. She showed a good amount of "attitude" that I'm sure is the reason Simon said "forget it." I found her aping at the camera annoying.
What was with the crow wing flapping?? weird.

No idea about the flapping...that WAS weird. Both girls did it.

On the other point, yeah, she sure does know how to flirt with the camera. It doesn't bother me. The VJ's all do it (VH1, etc).

My guess is she's probably already had an offer from some producer. She'll still be going on the road tour with the rest of the contestants so will have time to polish her performance skills a lot. In the mean time, she can spend time with her toddler and be a mom.

Who knows, she may end up being another Kellie Pickler: 1. Not a good singer, but a good looker; 2. knew how to flirt with the camera and was very likeable.

My guess is that Adam and Alison will in the finale. Adam is a shoe-in, and the judges will save Alison should she get voted off.

They keep trashing Alison and driving her into the bottom 3. They had nothing bad they could say about her performance, so they spent a huge amount of time slamming her.. for her clothes... I don't get why they are against the idea of a great young singer with a bright future ahead of her doing well? She's not going to win.. that's a 1 horse race with 3 second tier folks vying for who will compete with Adam in the top 2. (By the way, Adam can't lose on talent.. he can only lose on non-talent factors.. like if little girls who vote like one of the others better). Alison, Kris and Danny are all on equal footing and along with Adam are worlds above all the rest. But the judges seem to want Lil Rounds who sucks to be in that final 4 instead of Alison.. who needs another weak R&B wannabe singer? Didn't they learn anything from previous boring R&B singers? They don't have a country act this year so they can't mimic the success of Carrie Underwood, but they have Alison who CAN mimic the success in the Pop/Rock genres. But they just don't want her to do well. And it's clear that's not based on their opinions of her singing, but something else. Hmmmm.

Meagan was cannon fodder. So is Anoop. So is Scott. Scott is that contestant they have every year that is terrible but gets propped up for no apparent reason long enough to outstay his welcome. He has sung well exactly 1 time on the show and that was in Hollywood week. Since then he's been terrible. Even this week, his best, was cheesy and lame from start to finish.. but at least he wasn't out of tune the entire time.

So we'll watch the next few weeks as Anoop, Scott and probably Matt all go down. Sadly Alison may end up out with them.. even though she doesn't deserve to go. Then we'll have Danny and Kris trying to fight over the table scraps left after Adam is done eating then alive.

Brian

think it will be
Adam, Kris, Alison, & Danny will be in the top 4

when you go to the AI community
http://myidol.americanidol.com/go/forum/viewcategory/32575/Current_Season

here's how many threads & responses that fans have been written about each

Adam Lambert 1,870 53,663

Anoop Desai 1,045 30,744

Matt Giraud 702 19,199

Danny Gokey 605 17,174

Allison Iraheta 425 3,817

Kris Allen 408 4,809

Scott MacIntyre 365 12,296

Lil Rounds 172 1,126



Megan Joy 522 7,791
Michael Sarver 306 5,349
Jasmine Murray 105 462
Jorge Nuñez 116 2,408
Alexis Grace 202 1,827

Interesting info Ande. Thanks for posting it. (And nice to see you around.. haven't seen you in ages!).

With those numbers it seems weird that Lil Rounds is still on the show doesn't it? I don't think she deserves to be.

Brian

TOP 8 – APRIL 7/09

Here’s my ranking, from bottom to top:

SCOTT (The Search is Over) – unfortunately this was totally the wrong song choice for Scott. He’s not a rock singer and it felt like the music was off kilter – something in the timing didn’t work. Instead of showing Scott’s skill, the song made his vocal weakness quite clear. His instrument is really just not ready for a singing competition.

LIL (What’s Love Got to Do With It) – Seemed a bit low at the start. Tina Turner? Why not Shirley Bassey or Whitney Houston or something that sits higher and brings out the voice more effectively. She did pull it out a little about half way through. Again, song choice. Kara made an excellent point about the low range not working effectively. Choose songs that accentuate your strengths, then.

KRIS (All She wants to do is Dance) – good vocals, on pitch, nice groove. Not bad. Didn’t think it was really challenging, but it was fun.

ALISON (I can’t Make You Love Me) – her voice is very mature for a 16 year old. I thought she sang with restraint and simplicity, this served her well. The song didn’t thrill me as a show of skill, but she sang it well.

ANOOP (True Colours) – solid tone, very emotive, on pitch, nice bloom on the voice, sweetly sung. Nice modulation and phrasing. Yes, not brilliant but solid.

MATT (Part-time Lovers) – very musical, easy riffs, good arrangement, sung with great spirit. Fun.

DANNY (Stand by Me) – great song choice, a little nasal in quality sometimes. Secure, confident, worked it out – a very good performance.

ADAM (Mad World) – excellent control, beautiful phrased, sung from the heart, good song choice. Magical, powerful performance. I wrote “a star” and then Simon rose to his feet and gave a standing ovation. This is what good voice training can do – assist in the expression of the artist within.

Likely Scott or Lil will go. It should be Scott. Give Lil one more chance to show what she can do with the right song.

I thought that overall, tonight's performances were not all that strong with a couple of exceptions.

Here's my take on the top 8, in performance order:

1. Danny Gokey (Stand by Me) - 8; I thought this was a respectable, but not outstanding performance - especially for the show opener. Unique arrangement that the judges liked as well.

2. Kris Allen (All She Wants To Do Is Dance) - 7; I loved Don Henley's version, but this version was slowed down and made into some stock R&B groove. If he'd have just kept the same Henley rock groove and kept it rock, it would have gone over better. This was disappointing and he could be in trouble.

3. Lil Round (What's Love Got To Do With It) - 5; a bad karaoke version. The best comments the judges found were that she looked good tonight. She was pitchy and totally unoriginal. She's had a few bad weeks in a row, so I think she's also in trouble.

4. Anoop Desai (True Colors) - 7; not bad, but I heard more than a few pitchy notes. He didn't pull me in and convince me he was sincere. He's no idol and will probably go about the same time as Scott.

5. Scott MacIntyre (The Search Is Over) - 6; he had some really weak parts of his voice too far out front in this song. He sounded like someone "trying" to sing like a pro - and NOT succeeding. This was one of the few performances where I couldn't wait for it to end...

6. Alison Iraheta (I Can't Make You Love Me) - 9; finally, the judges heard what I've been saying (along with Brian, too) that this girl is pretty amazing. Easily the best performance up to this point in the show. She took a difficult song to sing and did a unique interpretation that still respected the original version. Excellent!

7. Matt Giraud (Part-Time Lover) - 8; That's a generous 8. I don't know why the judges were going ga-ga over this performance. I was sure Simon would pull the ol' "self-indulgent" cliche he overuses. It really was overly indulgent with the mock megaphone/nasal vocals at the beginning and (at times) pitchiness. I will say that even with that, I enjoyed the performance, so he was entertaining at least. He's definitley safe this week.

8. Adam Lambert (Mad World) - 10; Adam, Adam, Adam...the guy is simply killing his competition. I had never heard this song before, but he just sucked me in and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole song. He doesn't seem to be burning out early...he's still in a league of his own.

Top 2: Adam and Alison
Bottom 3: Lil Round, Kris Allen, and Scott MacIntyre.

I think Lil will be going home. She's had several bad weeks in a row, whereas Kris has been getting better - except for this week when he mis-judged the song & arrangement. I think the Tweenie girls are voting (and texting) for him more so than the Bible Belt voting for Lil. Scott is there simply to show people that the judges can be kind. I'm finding it terribly hard to believe he's getting enough votes to keep him there legitimately.

Wow.. was that a suck fest.. it was by far the weakest show of the season... they ALWAYS have a week each season that is terrible...

They didn't even get the timing right so I bet no one is going home because Adam performed well after most DVR's were done recording. We had added 5 minutes to ours and only because of that did we catch his performance.. most did not.

So.. who were the best this week? Nobody was great. Not even Adam.

Best of the night:

Kris: They trashed him.. but vocally and vibe wise, he came off as the most commercially polished and accessible of the night. He was on par with John Mayer in every way vocally and charismatic. I wonder if he can write good songs?

Adam: It's really just status quo. I'd say it was his weakest and most irrelevent performance to date. But his worst is still better than most of these folks best. By the way, that song was actually made famous by JPF member Gary Jules and Gary does it SO much better than Adam.

Alison: My least favorite performance from her of the season. But she did do 1 thing better than all the others: She interpreted the song with feelings and you could tell she knew every word and sang the story rather than the notes. This girls is mind blowingly mature for her age. Most singers just sing past whatever lyric is there. She lived those words at 16 for that 1.5 minutes. Very impressive.

Anoop: He's got a great tone for ballads. Boring, but sang well.

Worst of the Night:

Scott: He's simply an embarassment. And they talk to him with kid gloves as if he's mentally impaired instead of physically. It's disgusting and offensive to me. But he needs to go. He's not even as good as an average open mic performer. Sad.

Lil Rounds: once again, she needs to go. She's gets all these props for being an amazing singer. Really? When was that exactly? She's the worst female vocalist ever to make it this far. Hopefully they'll nuke 2 people next week (as I doubt anyone is going home this week) and her and scott will go together. THEN we'll have a respectable contest.

3. Matt Giraud: Part Time lover? Really? That was pathetic. Bad song choice.. cheesy performance. Pointless.

4. Danny Gokey: Speaking of pointless. What a lame ass song choice. Taking a tired old song from the 60's and saying it was a cover of a re-release was really pathetic. And he sang it EXACTLY the same as he sings every single song. He has zero diversity and zero musical personality. Nice guy who can sing and who I'd never buy a record from or even want to see him perform live. A total yawner.

They desperately need a strong mentor like Barry Manilow who is fantastic with the kids in previous seasons. The energy on the show right now is very low.

Brian

I was only able to see the last ten minutes of the show last night. However, I was able to view them on the AI website. The best was Allison and Kris. I still do not see the fascination with Adam even though Simon gave him a standing ovation. Lil was disappointing this week. When is she going too blow us away with her powerhouse vocals. Matt, Danny and Anoop need to be more original and blow the audience away. Scott was medium. The bottom two:

Lil
Scott

Reading the comments, guess I'm not so sorry I missed last night's show. I did leave the TV on for the Bud, the dog while I was gone and made sure it was set to Fox/AI ... I'll have to ask Bud his thoughts of the performances.

I keep my DVR set to record 15 minutes past - just in case.

Yeah...they keep talking about how great a singer Lil is. I can't remember a time when I felt that way - maybe Hollywood week?

Alison needs to warm up to the audience. That's probably her weakest point.

I did NOT enjoy Kris' performance at all. According to one the prediction sites, dialidol, he's most likely to get voted off. If that were to happen, do you think the judges would use up their one "save" on him? I kind of doubt it. They would want to use that for someone who is more likely to win, and I don't think Kris is likely to win.

i didn't understand why they all flipped out over 'part time lover'? that was so confusing to me. all the judges loved it... i kept waiting for simon to say 'karaoke'.

i'm not really connecting to any of the performers for some reason... ah well, maybe next season

RESULTS - Apr 8/09

ADAM - safe. Good. No suprise.

KRIS - judges said he was boring & indulgent. I don't think so. Yes, Kris is safe.

ANOOP - judges said he was original & flawless - in the bottom 3.

DANNY - judges said he sang well, made song his own, brilliant. Safe.

MATT - judges praised his vocal ability, incredible on every level. Safe.

SCOTT - judges were not impressed - in the bottom 3. Good.

ALISON - judges loved her rendition, a la Kelly Clarkson. Safe. Darn right.

LIL - she should be bottom 3. Beautiful karaoke, 3rd rate Tina Turner. Needs to be more original - in the bottom three.

So we have Anoop, Lil and Scott on the stools waiting.

In the meantime, let's talk about Scott, cause I've been thinking about him all night. As a voice teacher it is part of my ethical obligation to be both supportive and also honest. I appreciate Scott for all he is, but at this moment in time, he does not belong in this competition. It is a disservice to his talent to allow him to think he is currently singing at a professional level. We must have enough respect for him to be honest in our assessment of his instrument and his skill right now. I believe in dreams but I also believe in hard work and humility. My coaches paid me the compliment of using their eyes and ears and instincts to help me assess where I was, and shared their expertise with me so I could grow over time. They taught me to observe myself disspassionately, objectively, without judgement and use my awareness to know what needed work. When they told me something was very good, I knew it was excellent. They never led me astray. Their honesty was a gift to my process of growth as an artist.

Is it just me or is Kelly Pickler way off key? Ouch.

One person back to safety is.... Lil. Well, I disagree with that. Anoop clearly sang better than Lil last night. However, I think they both should stay. Hopefully that will be the result. We shall see.

Anoop & Scott. 34 million votes. 30,000 difference in votes between them. The lowest number of votes goes to Scott. I nod my head. Anoop is safe. This is right.

Scott needs to sing for a save, which I hope they will save this time. His performance doesn't change my mind. They are divided on the save, which suprises me. Simon finally speaks up. He's right. It doesn't diminish what Scott has accomplished, he will tour with the top ten, he has a chance to make a career. But for right now, he's going home.

Nice recap, Vikki.

I personally don't think Scott belonged in the top 12, but the fact that he made it this far was due mainly to the courtesy and compassion of the judges (and possibly fear of the ACLU OR EEOC or some other special-interest group). He has defintely run his course and then some.

The judges are definitely saving their "save" for someone who will have a chance at the #1 spot, and there are only a couple I can think of...

Yeah, my wife wanted me to fast forward through Kelly Pickler. She was a bit pitchy but definitey nice to look at. She was WAY way improved over Season 5 - she was painful to listen to back then - but she was funny and does have really nice legs. I'm sure she couldn't even sit down in that super-tight dress.

Flo-Rida was a typical rapper a-hole. He didn't even perform live - he was lip syncing. The kids seem to like him though. I guess my parents HATED that some of my favorite artists as a teenager had bad reputations for wild sex parties and trashing hotel rooms, so I guess what goes around...comes around.

Frankie Avalon DID sing live (and he definitely can't sing like he used to), but at least he showed some integrity by performing live.

Hey, did you notice that this week the Idols opening song was done LIVE? It was NOT lip synced! I guess enough people complained. It wasn't perfect (I heard some pitch and timing problems), but it was much more enjoyable simply because it had the human imperfections in it.

Next Week: Songs from Movies

They were NOT split on the vote. That was all just Political Correctness run amok. They SAID they were split because they don't want to be mean to Scott. But by being so patronizing and treating him differently BECAUSE of his physical limitation, they did exactly the wrong thing. People want to be treated based on merit, not on some non related factor. It's not as if Scott was born without vocal cords and was overcoming something that would affect singing. Their entire treatment of him with kid gloves and false praise was revolting and inexcusable.

Lil Rounds at least made the bottom 3... apparently Anoop can do nothing to save himself since he well outsang Lil Rounds every single week but still rates below her apparently. But Anoop has always been canon fodder with not only no chance of winning, but no chance of being in the top 2. He's already outsurvived his life expectancy on the show and might have one more week in him to survive should Lil Rounds tank once again, especially without Scott there to be even worse. Anyone want to bet she'll do some R&B version of a movie song again? Nah.. that would never happen. She'd be smart to do some type of theatrical performance, or maybe do a song from the 20's or something just to show a little personality and get out of the generic dreck she's done every week.

Two more weeks of Cannon fodder before things get serious in the race for second place.

Brian

I didn't know Gary Jules was a JPF member...I have his CDs , and they're pretty good ... as far as AI, here's Lambert's performance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XOpgcEOhC4

My wife and daughter are devoted to this show...me I'm too busy these days...but they tape it and play me what they think is great...and this one they absolutely loved! I agree it's a "breakthrough" that should put this guy as the odds on favourite to win...if he's not already there.

The way he made this "his own" by coming into the chorus in a unique way, and by his ending, and the way the angst came to the forefront...(you have to know how Jules does it to understand what I mean) was IMO what made it for me.

Here's Jules' version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4


Oh, and, from what Ive heard coming from them, Allison deserves to be there with Adam in the finals...great voice for such a youngster...

curious to see how things go in the coming weeks

Right now Adam seems to be the run away favorite,
Kris is talented, handsome, & very commercial,
Allison is a raspy voiced wunderkind, &
Danny is an excellent emotional singer.

Think Lil & Anoop might be next to go, but if someone makes a bad song choice or has an off night, the order might shift.

Ande

Top 2 will be Adam vs (Kris, Allison, or Danny)

Hey Larry....

Didn't hear this, but it got me thinkin' about possible choices for the contestants:

Adam: "Live and Let Die"

Danny: "Against All Odds"

Allison: "The Morning After"

Matt: "The Way You Look Tonight"

Lil: "The Way We Were"

Anoop: "A Whole New World"

Kris: "Streets of Philadelphia"

I guess the fact that I had a hard time picking songs for Anoop and Lil (these are just shots in the dark) reinforces some of the judges' comments: I'm having trouble pegging who they are as musicians too.

Anyhoo, this should be a fun week. There are tons of good options -- no excuses for poor song selection. I just pray Danny doesn't sing "Tears In Heaven" .

Feel free to join in the guessing game...

Beth

I'd like to hear Lil sing a James Bond theme a la Shirley Bassey.

Those would actually be fun choices Beth... something tells me, however, that their choices will not be so inspired or fun. They almost always pick useless songs to do.

Brian

is it just me or is it painfully apparrent this year that 19 entertainment has already picked there guy(adam)? he never gets a bad comment. simon acatually gave him a stading o. i've heard several pitch problems along the way and randy never pointed it out. i mean is there at least a chance that the votes(and the easterbunny) arean't real? ok maybe thats a little extreme.........i do get candy every year

The've always used clever and legal ways to manipulate the results, but it's never been so obvious as this year. I think in part that may be because no one except Kara seems to even be trying (though I must say that Paula has been the more accurate judge during the final weeks.. shocking as that seems) and perhaps they are just so burned out they don't care. Once you've become world famous and have pretty much any project you want to work on pre-green lighted and you have multiple truck loads of cash, I can see that it might get a bit boring.

Adam is the most talented vocalist, but he's very cabaret/theatrical and would be better suited for that scene or to front an art rock band or something similar. Danny sings well but he's nearly identical to that gray haired guy who won (totally forgetting his name.. which by itself sort of makes my point) and was never heard from again commercially. They seem determined to make sure that Alison doesn't do well even though I'd sign her WAY before any of the others. And no one else has enough talent to sustain an AI type career outside of Kris and I am not sure how long he'll be around. And I think his strength in a John Mayer type and it will all depend, in the long term, if he can write his own songs. Otherwise he'll suffer from credibility issues in that scene. (After all, why listen to him to covers when you have John Mayer writing his own hits).

Brian

good points brian, i guess that's what is most irritating this year. it's like if they want someone to get voteed off they put them first, or at least they are testing their fan base that way. If you ask me danny is more of the clear choice as far as a lasting artist only i see it bieng in a christian rock genre really. if adam wins he'll probably be done with records after 2. then it will be onto broadway, where he really belongs.

OK, the weekly recap...of the top seven doing songs from movies.

Overall, MUCH better than last week. Quentin Tarantino was the vocal coach. Yeah, I thought the same thing: "He's a movie producer, what's he know about singing", but honestly, he did more for the contestents than Randy Travis did during country week. He actually gave them some direction and probably saved a couple from dreadful (or at least mediocre) performances.

There were a couple of surprises, too. The main one was that they split the judging into pairs: Simon and Paula would judge one contestant, then Randy and Kara would judge the next one. I could see Simon squirming a bit when he couldn't comment - just itching to make some nasty remark. This new judging method was supposedly because they've been running overtime and needed to cut back. That doesn't make sense to me. They can simply play the "Idol" music as a cue when each judge has reached their 15-20 second time limit and keep everything under control that way. I also don't buy it because once they eliminate one more contestant, they'll have an extra 3-4 minutes of time.

Anyways...in order of appearance:

1. Allison Iraheta, 9 - "I Don't Want To Miss a Thing" - best opening performance of the season. Not perfect, but very solid. She gave it her all.

2. Anoop Desai, 9 - "Everything I Do, I Do For You" - I think this was Anoop's best performance of the season. He actually did a nice job on this.

3. Adam Lambert, 9 - "Born To Be Wild" - Well, appropo to the title, it was wild. Personally, I think it was a bit pitchy at times and he screamed more than usual: not his best performance. However, the man is simply mesmerizing on stage and I would pay money to see him perform.

4. Matt Giraud, 7 - "Have You Really Loved A Woman". The first clunker of the evening. He tried to make the melody too fancy. It's a tough song NOT to do copy-cat, but he took it way too far and it lost the power. He could be in danger this week.

5. Danny Gokey, 9 - "Endless Love". Nice job. My wife actually got teared up right at the end. It was really heartfelt and possibly his best performance of the season. He's definitely safe this week.

6. Kris Allen, 7 - "Falling Slowly". This song is pretty obscure and didn't really do much for me. Randy agreed with me. Kara and my wife felt a connection though. Maybe it's a "guy" thing, but I didn't get it and I think he'll be in the bottom three this week.

7. Lil Round, 6 - "The Rose". Ooh bad, bad performance. Pitchy all over the place. The producers gave her the coveted "last song" spot and she still blew it. Not only did she give a performance that didn't move me at all, but she then argued with Simon, who quipped "no excuses anymore", and she copped an attitude that was a combination of defiant and stupid ("...but I MADE it more R&B!"), so I think she's a goner this week.

I don't think anyone knocked it out of the park, but Allison, Anoop, Adam and Danny all had good solid performances that should keep them out of the bottom two or three.

Matt, Kris, and Lil are the bottom three. Lil will probably go home. After tonight's performance, I'm convinced that she deserves to go home. She hasn't had a good performance for at least 3 weeks, maybe longer.

here's the original version of
Falling Slowly
by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoSL_qayMCc

here's their live version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=938XY6DX02w

they won an Academy Award for best song

Remember this thread where a JPF member got a really cool break?
http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/656431

I was actually surprised this week—I thought it was going to be a disaster but I felt Quentin Tarantino was one of the the best vocal coach they have had thus far. I was glad for Anoop—he’s been one of my favorites from the beginning. I know he has no chance of winning but I just love his voice. Matt has been a favorite also but last night he performance was average he had good moments and bad. And Lil was disappointing I think this may be the final week for her--unless the judges use this “Save” they have. I am glad that they finally acknowledged that Allison is just as good as Adam as a Vocalist. I like Adam but he is just too theatrical for me and I cannot see myself buying an album of him screeching and screaming. The top three were Adam, Allison and Anoop. Danny was good but he just does not seem to have the star presence of Adam or Allison.

The bottom two:

Matt
Lil

Thanks, Ande. I liked that original version better than Kris' version, but now I can appreciate his more - and see why it touched the gals. The lyrics are beautiful.

I didn't see the movie "Once", and even if the song won an Academy Award, it probably didn't make it high on the Billboard charts. I still think he'll be in the bottom two or three - but I don't think he needs to go yet.

April 14- This is the way I heard it- best to worst: Adam, Anoop, Allison, Danny, Chris, Matt and Lil rounding out the bottom.

Allison ("I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing") sounded like Kelly Clarkson did after too many weeks stressing her voice in that first season. But she delivered anyway. Annop (Everything I Do) had the most uniform, pitch perfect night I can remember from any contestant on any show. Danny (Endless Love) was solid as ever, but wavered a bit in the low register. Adam (Born to be wild) rocked the house and is unstoppable. Lil' Round (The rose) and Matt(Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?) made the same mistake, taking a beautiful melody and screwing in up with pretentious and poorly executed 'soul'. The bell will toll for Lil round and Matt soon. Chris' performance (Falling Slowly) was curiously forgettable- I could barely remember his song. He reminds me of that kid on campus that plays at the local coffee house and draws a good crowd on the weekends. There is a lot of potential hiding there but it's all up to him. If he stays the same, he will be gone in 3 weeks behind Lil round and Matt.

No judge in their right mind will save Lil Round. She has blown it for 6 weeks in a row. The save will be for Allison who is right now AI's money girl for a recording contract. She has been in the bottom 3 twice before so obviously the unwashed masses don't quite get her- but I think the judges do.

Adam will win this thing. What I like most about him is that he acknowledges the contribution of the folks who perform with him. The back up singers and the musicians love him. On stage, he is an 'event'. He has a big heart and is musically generous- if that makes sense. Play back his version of 'Born to be Wild' and watch the band- they loved it. He is going to have the biggest tour draw since the Eagle's Hell freezes over tour.

I agree. What do you think the chances are that Simon will agree to use his "save" after she argued with him last night?

Answer: Nil.

One of the prediction sites says that Kris will get the low vote. Now if that happens, the judges MAY just use their "save". He doesn't deserve to go before Lil.

I hear Quintin is doing a new movie after getting an idea last night...it's called Kill Lil

You're welcome, Falling Slowly was an obscure choice I was familiar with it, Once was an indie film, it was quite a triumph for glen & marketa to win an oscar for it

It didn't do much on the charts

here's their acceptance speech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx8yLvb0gZM

John... HA!!!! Was that your idea? Fantastic quip.. send it to the media...

I just saw the tape and they are getting ready to announce who is eliminated so I better make it quick.

Unlike many others, I thought this was another weak week. Better than last week, but boring for the most part.

Alison, my favorite contestant, was bad this week. That's two weeks in a row and ironically, after being the best all season and having the judges trash her.. they over praised her this week. Hard to figure that out.

Best:

Kris
Anoop
Adam

Worst:

Lil
Matt
Alison

In the middle and boring as always...

Danny

Lil needs to go. Anoop is more likely to go being in the bottom for so long, but he deserves to outlast both Lil and Matt. We COULD see Matt go.. that would be fine.. but I think finally Lil may be out of here. Her attitude has always been terrible and the last bad attitude performer was told upfront she wouldn't be saved.. Lil might get the same treatment. Ironically this was her best performance of the season because she wasn't singing flat the entire time like she has never every previous performance.. but she's boring and predictable and a jerk. Bye Bye.

I agree they would save Alison. Or Adam. Or Kris. Or Danny. Anyone else is gone gone gone.

Brian

Brian

I can't believe they wasted a "Save" based on that performance.
I know he was emotional but life does go on after idol.
Lil should have went home tonight. I like Matt--he just doesn't know who he is as a artist yet. Lil and Anoop are having the same problem--vocal identify crisis. I hope they pull this together by next week. Its Disco week.......

The only reason I think the judges made the right choice in saving Matt is that he shouldn't go before Lil. She should have gone tonight.

Next week they're doing disco (my least favorite night) and Lil COULD pull a good Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor or even Chaka Khan peroformance out of the hat. But if she does, I'll be surprised.

Since TWO will go next week, it's highly likely she'll go then.

I think Lil should do "I Will Survive" and give a knock out performance. I want to see her powerhouse vocals...

they might wish they had their save if Alison or Danny end up in the bottom 2 next week. It's entirely possible with folks trying to protect both Lil and Matt since they were in the bottom 2. Anoop is the one screwed the most. I bet it will be him and someone else just because of that factor. If lil had gone, then Matt, then Anoop.. that would have been perfectly fair.

Ah well.. it was pretty predictable they'd "save" him simply because they wanted to use it and establish "history."

Yawn.

Brian

It's too bad they wasted the save on Matt. Simon said it: "You don't have a chance to win" I think Allison is going to need it some where in the final three weeks.

I hate disco so everybody will suck next week, and I will probably want everybody kicked off. Well, Adam might find an interesting way to twist disco. Now if he can twist it as much as he did for country (Ring of fire) I might even like it.

I love disco! Classic 70's disco has some tough songs to sing; and this will be a real test for the males.

[quote=Samuel (joe) Harris]It's too bad they wasted the save on Matt. I think Allison is going to need it some where in the final three weeks.

they could only use the save up til week 5 ......that's when i want adam to go. i can't take the falsetto much longer... give the guy a broadway show already and get him off my tv.

matt was lucky and the only reason i think they honestly saved him was because nextweek they won't be able to justify saving anyone. not looking forward to it.

I'm rooting for Anoop. He has the best RAW vocals among the male contenders. The others, I believe, have the common "boy band" voice, and are getting through mostly because of their looks.

Paula looked at the three bottom contestants and said, "All of you had some flaws in your performance" She was wrong. Anoop had no flaws. It was perfect, but perfect doesn't win this contest. I think he has a little "slum dog millionaire" appeal that may keep him afloat for a couple of weeks but eventually, no matter how brilliant he sings, he is not going to win it all. I agree that he may have the most control of melody of any. I would like to put a pitch meter to see if he is as accurate as he sounds to me.

I actually think the males will be better off than Alison who's rocker voice isn't as well suited. Anoop, Matt and Adam will have no problem at all since they basically are pop vocal singers anyway. Danny just needs to choose the right song. Lil should have an easy time, but to date she hasn't performed anything very well. Perhaps the number of votes between the bottom 3 and top 3 candidates are so substantial they felt there was no risk to one of their favorites next week anyway.

Brian

so what disco songs would you like to hear each performer sing??

All I can hear in my head is Adam doing the Leo Sayer popularized song, "You make me feel like dancin" ...

Here's an article I wrote during the auditions.

-----

Why I hate American Idol (but still watch it nevertheless)

I used to LOVE watching American Idol, not because I believe it's a venue for fresh faces or one that actually gives those with REAL talent a chance to shine (and this is not to say that those with REAL talent didn't really make it), but basically because it shows the obvious flaws EVERY human being on earth has, from the one who conceptualized it, the ones producing it, organized it, judging it, the ones who fall in long lines all day just to have a shot at the judges, both to show what they've got, or humiliate themselves with what they think they have, to the ones who actually watch Simon, Paula, and Randy from time to time make fools of themselves when they scratch their heads and wonder how in the hell that one particular contestant even make it into Hollywood, oblivious to the fact that they had something to do with it in the first place.

I love hearing new and unique raw voices that I would love to have myself. I love seeing some of them make it through the auditions, the eliminations, the finals. I love seeing and hearing them evolve or devolve. I love hearing their weekly song choices, and compare my "judgment" of them with that of the 3 (now 4) judges. I love the fact that it's actually America who votes for their favorites, and it kinda gives you hope that raw talent could really still make a difference in the world.

I used to wonder why they had to show MOST of those who actually shouldn't even think of singing at all, least of all think that they have the talent to do so. I kinda hate those parts, but, after eight 7 seasons, I started to understand that without those "talentless freaks," David Cook won't even shine. I started to understand the gimmicks and the costumes come of these people get into just for 5 to 15 minutes of TV air time, because for some or most of them, getting attention, that proverbial 15 minutes, was all they need. There's always next year, or the comedy club downtown.

And there's the real special ones; it began with William Hung, who for his charm got a one hit wonder, then the guy who looked like Clay, who we didn't really care about, and who can forget our very own Renaldo Lapuz who impressed the three with his all white garb and Pinoy fighting spirit with his original song "we're Brothers Forever.

Then, there's the bikini clad Casey Carlson Katrina Whatsherface who got through the auditions by sheer, er, skin factor, despite the fact she dissed Cara whatshername, earning the ire of Paula in the process.

There's also the occasional surprise of a REALLY talented individual in an unsuspecting "Indian (not Native American) geek grad student in shorts" package that left all four judges in awe when they heard that the guy's got the voice to get him through to the next round. (edit: And I was really glad Anoop made it as a Wildcard.)

I loathe Simon as a person, but love his sarcasm. I mean, he's really nothing compared to House, but House isn't auditioning singers. Being sarcastic myself, I can't help but agree with most of his quips about life and the 12 notes, yet still end up loathing his presence.

What about Paula Abdul? Who cares? She's a dancer who sings, and that's just about it. Her voice is NOTHING compared to the talents she's auditioning, and she should just have stuck to dancing since I can't find a reason to hate her back then when she was dancing.

And Randy, whom Ive never really heard of until Idol, basically transformed from a whale to an elephant seal, probably because of the stress of being with Paula and Simon for the last 7 seasons.

And who can forget the controversies? A few to mention, but one worth the spotlight is the AI "songwriting contest" which is actually marred with issues, since most of the finalists are professionals and the winners so far actually didn't need to win since they've more than a dozen hits on their belts, considering the fact that the AI organizers had the gall to charge $10 dollars an entry. That actually doesn't surprise me anymore, since the issue is quite familiar in our local songwriting contest scenes.

I mentioned David Cook. I knew he was going to win, but NOT because of his talent. I actually like the gayish David Archuleta since the kid has a better tonal quality and a wider vocal range than Cook can ever sing in his lifetime, and Archuleta is still a kid.

So I still hate AI, but, I still watch it from time to time, when the reruns on other channels have run their course and have burned themselves onto my idling brain, I idle it further watching Idol.

Because, in all honestly, at one time or another, we've all wanted that 15 minutes...

Excuse me, but is there a good disco song? name one. I guess it depends upon how loosely you categorize it. For instance Men at Work's song "Land down under" was classified as disco. I love that song.

Copa Cobana is a Disco song...

I did a little research and made a real effort to find some stuff I liked about disco...

I tend to think of disco as two different genres: those with sophisticated chord changes, interesting grooves/rhythms and high energy, and the four-on-the-floor repetitive rhythms with intelligence-insulting lyrics that made every musician I knew cringe.

Here are some of the WORST songs (IMHO):

1. Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste of Honey
2. Macho Man & YMCA - in fact, anything by the Village People
3. Disco Duck - Rick Dees
4. We Are Family - Sister Sledge
5. That's the Way (uh huh, uh huh) I Like It - KC and the Sunshine Band (anything by these guys is really bad)
6. Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now - McFadden & Whitehead
7. Copacabana - Barry Manilow
8. Car Wash - Rose Royce

Now that I've made everyone cringe ;), I decided to find SOMETHING about Disco I liked. Here are some that I think are actually decent songs:

1. Billie Jean - MJ
2. I'm So Excited & Jump (For My Love) - Pointer Sisters
3. Turn the Beat Around - Vicki Sue Robinson (prior to Gloria Estefan)
4. September - Earth, Wind & Fire
5. Brick House - Commodores
6. Lady Marmalade - Patti LaBelle
7. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
8. Conga - Miami Sound Machine

I actually like 3 of the songs on your WORST list Larry. = )

I'd have to get a big list of Disco Hits and choose my most and least faves from that. But this is simply like all eras of music. Many hated it while it was happening but it comes back for many without that bias. 80's music is all the rage and keep in mind, anything from the 80's is now considered classical rock by young kids and classical rock from the 60's and 70's are golden oldies... anything before 1960 might as well be Classical for most young listeners. Disco sounds far more inspired than most of pop today. At least all those songs had hooks that you remember. I could sing every single song you listed easily. I can't even tell you what any of the songs in the current top 10 are without looking, let alone sing them. Can you Larry?

Brian

Larry,

I'm not watching AI this year (I've seen two shows, total), but I'm one of those folks that liked, and still likes, Disco. From your two lists (worst and liked) I like all but three of them, the first three on your worst list. I do not agree, however, that "anything" by The Village people and KC and the Sunshine Band is awful. They both had one or tewo that I liked.

"Copacabana", "Carwash" and "Conga" are three of my favorite songs. I's all a matter of taste. But since I was playing lead guitar in a country band from the 60s through tghe early 90s, even admitting that I had ever listen to a Disco song was consider near blasphemous! I generally like Disco music and enjoyed dancing to it. As I said, all a matter of personal taste.

Hope all is well in Santa Clarita. When I lived in Bakersfield, we went through Santa Clarita almost every month enroute to the Ventura County fairgrounds. That's a real pretty valley between Santa Clarita and Ventura. We usually stopped at the Taco Bell in Santa Paula (Highway 126, I think) and had lunch on the way daown.

Take care, all the best.

Alan

I'm surprised guys...I guess I'll have to go back and edit my post to say "IMHO"....

Brian, me either. I can't name (let alone sing) any of the current Billboard top 10. I think pop music is in a real slump at the moment. Last I looked over half of the top ten were rap songs with no melody or hook. You do make a good point about disco having hooks. It was ALL about dancing to "the hook".

Al, in the 70's I played in a band that did about half disco and half rock, so played Boogie Oogie, Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now, and a couple of KC tunes (and I DID cringe on the KC stuff). It was a pretty eclectic band: we would follow "My Sharona", "Smoke on the Water", or "Sweet Home Alabama" with "Last Dance", "Celebration" or something equally non-sequitor.

I guess it's all a matter of what you like.

Yeah, I go through Santa Paula on the 126 when I head out to the beach at Oxnard. It's very nice here and only a half-hour north of Hollywood. Close enough for meetings and rehearsals, and far enough away for sanity and safety.

Larry,

I was what they called a "Hot Shot" courier for a couple of years when I lived in Bakersfield. A Hot Shot courier is one on call who will go anywhere at any time of day or night, assuming properly rested. I paid GREAT money because of the immediate need and difficulty getting someone to do it o at any hour, day or night. I often went from Bakersfied to Universal Studios, a couple of times a month on average. From Bakersfield, the round trip is about 4 1/2 hours and they paid me anywhere from $300.00 to $400.00, depending on the weight of the load and the time of day or night. Not bad for a half day's work!

Take care, Larry

Alan

I've pretty much been a fan of American Idol for the past 6 years. This year, however, it hasn't appealed to me as much. It's not a matter of the talent (although some folks would say "lack of", but not me all the time). Simon's unnecessarily brutal evaluations have worn thin for me. I don't often disagree with his opinions...just the caustic manner in which he delivers them. I don't advocate giving them false praise and hollow patronizing. But there is a way in which to deliver the message that isn't so brutal. These are relatively young folks. Yes, you have to have a thick skin in this tough business. But, that skin develops over time, not overnight. It is rather easy to discount most of what Paula says...mostly because she doesn't say much of anything that means anything. For my money, Randy is most often pretty accurate with his evaluations of the performances.

I seem to be one of the few here who think the talent isn't all that bad in many cases. I have seen comments here such as "Is this the best young talent America has to offer? What a shame!", or something to that affect. I say, no, of course it isn't. It is, in the opinion of the show, the most talented of those who auditioned. There are many, many young performers who are as good, or better, than most of the contestants on American Idol. But, they didn't show up for the audtions! Why? Who knows. Too busy with prior musical commitments, no funds to get there, scared to audition, too old, too young, no parental approval if minors...could be anything. Regardless, they didn't show up!

I think many who diss the program aren't fully aware if its intent. Simply put, it allows voters to compare the contestants against one another...not the rest of the young talent in America...rather, against one another. As I said, there are probably thousands of young entertainers equally or more talented. But, they didn't show up to be considered! If you vote in a local contest of some sort, your friend, brother, sister, whomever, may be significantly more talented than anyone in the contest. But you can't vote for them if they didn't enter. Same principal on American Idol...just at a more visible level.

As far as those who get upset because these folks haven't necessarily "paid their dues". I don't buy into that completely. Yes, I do agree that perhaps they haven't paid as many dues as you, me and a lot of other folks. But, of those who make that complaint, would they have turned down a similar opportunity when they were that young and had no other opportunity to be heard...an opportunity for national and, to a lsser degree, international exposure...millions and millions of potential fans? I doubt it. The "paying your dues" approach doesn't reflect real life. I wish that were true, but it isn't. As the old adage goes..."Life isn't fair!". For the most part, folks who are succesful attained that succes because they took advantage of the opportunities when they were presented. There may have been dozens of other folks more deserving at the time. But, do you think he/she said "Hmmm, Bill and Sally and John are more deserving than me for this opportunity for succes. I think I'll pass and let it slide to them." Again, I doubt it.

At least these folks on AI had the gumption (that's word we don't use often enough), perseverence and tenacity to seize the opportunity.

Some of the winners, ie., Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks, have had little to no success. But, not everyone in the mainstream music business who uses their opportunities ends up succesful. But, in my opinion, it is difficult to say that Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood are not tremendously successful and talented. In my opinion, they are as good as anyone else in their respective genres.

I could go on and on, but I've already blabbed too long!

Alan

Larry, I'm not sure I agree with classifying all of these songs as "disco". Of your "best" list, the only one I would consider to be disco would be "Turn the Beat Around." The others fall variously into "pop", "r&b", or "Latin". Of course, my opinion along with 5 bucks, will just about buy you a cup of coffee.

The Rolling Stones Miss You is considered Disco. I love that song.

Brian

Kevin, I pulled every song off both lists from a "top 100 disco songs" list. Granted, it WAS a Google search that got me the lists, but I sure think they all fit into the disco category.

Disco had more variety than the BeeGees and KC.

For better or worse, I think disco is coming back. I was at a jam session last night and we ended up playing "Boogie Oogie Oogie, "I Will Survive" and "Le Freak".

Larry, thanks for the list. The second list gives me some hope. Didn't Adam Lambert already do "Play that funky music white boy"?
Billy Jean may be the best song on the list but who in their right mind would tackle that one. David Cook attempted that one last year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_aiawC-9aM

Al, are you pulling our leg? I can't believe a guy like you, with such country licks programed into your fingers, likes disco- all I can think of is you must have been scoring a lot back in those days.

Joe,

Nope, not pulling your leg! And, for the record, my entire history of recreational drugs was 2 joints on a Thursday night in Portales, New Mexico in November of 1978. I can find a lot to like in just about all music, with very few exceptions. Screamo, Grunge and Gansta rap still have me searching for something to like. I write music as a member of the music profession; but I listen to music as a fan. I don't listen analytically unless I have a specific reason to do so.

I enjoy George Strait, Barbara Streisand, Maroon 5, Diana Krall, Whitney Huston, Donna Summers, Perry Como, Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennet, The Beach Boys, Lou Rawls and Ray Price very much. I could listen to any of them for long periods of time and enjoy it. Of that group, though, my two favorites are Ray Price and Diana Krall. But, I like all of them a lot.

I concur with Al. I've never smoked anything more "lethal" than Marlboro Red...

Yep, Adam sang it March 31st. I found it on youtube. His rock version...kicks serious butt!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daVvuqfUfFk

...and the studio version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c17o3GbMH9c&feature=related

***MOVIE SONGS Apr 14/09 - Top 7

My assessments, in order of ranking:

ADAM - Right on pitch, good body in tone, a fun song, great range as always; wonderfully done. I do wonder if he could sustain that kind of performance for an entire concert.

ANOOP - beautifully bright and open tone (forward position), securely on pitch, understood the words, has a 'bloom' on the voice, lovely top notes.

DANNY - Husky tone, in charge of his instrument, nice falsetto, pretty strong performance.

ALISON - verse felt too low, chorus was OK, also seemed a bit low, it didn't bring out her voice in the way I'd wish. A couple pitchy spots, after the key change it started to work. She has a distinctive sound, but she places her voice so it resonates in the throat and we can't understand the words.

KRIS - I liked the beginning, I wrote 'solid vocal' but at the end I agreed with Randy that it was pitchy here and there.

MATT - Nice tone, swallows the words a bit, bridge a little pitchy/squeaky.

LIL - I was disappointed in the song choice. I use 'The Rose' as the first rock ballad for some of my female students who have not yet developed much range. It is very low and has very little in the way of vocal challenge - it spans less than an octave. I expected Lil to sing something like 'Goldfinger'. Anyway, I wasn't sure of the arrangement; it was a bit pitchy, and I agreed with Simon that she's got to challenge herself vocally if she expects to stay in the competition.

***RESULTS

Bottom Three: Anoop, Lil & Matt. Matt got the lowest number of votes but was saved by the judges.

Kris wasn't saved by the judges. Matt got the lowest number of votes and was saved by the judges. Kris wasn't even in the bottom 3. = )

They've been telling Lil she sucks all season but apparently it doesn't matter. She's been the worst performer most weeks and has never had an above average night so far. Fortunately she should be finally gone this week unless one of the deserving contestants gets screwed and doesn't have a save there to pick them up.

Brian

Thanks for pointing that out. I knew it was Matt but somehow I wrote Kris instead. lol.

Anoop has been in the bottom 3 three or four times in a row now, even tho he's singing well. I think you're right, Lil has been the weakest of the bunch. We'll see what happens next week.

DISCO NIGHT - APR 21/09 - TOP 7

My take on the night, from top to bottom.

ADAM (If I can't have you) - beautiful phrasing, well-modulated dynamics, excellent tone, heartfelt, wonderfully done, understated elegance and simplicity that shows true spirit and skill.

DANNY (September) - Definitely showed strength and range, good solid vocal, fun performance.

KRIS (She Works Hard for the Money) - Nice bloom on the voice, worked it out in his own style, interesting arrangement, world vibe. Good work.

MATT (Staying Alive) - When I heard the title I wondered how he was going to manage the range. But he delivered, sang a good solid vocal and it was a fun performance.

ALISON (Hot Stuff) - Once again I am impressed with the maturity/depth of Alison's voice, however, I thought the song, or the arrangement it of it, was blah. She sings in her throat, swallows the words, and has no dynamics in her phrasing. But she is a strong performer.

ANOOP (Dim the Lights) - Anoop has a wonderful tone, beautifully bright, good range, a lovely bloom on the voice. The vocals were strong and secure, but the song sucked.

LIL (I'm Every Woman) - It was fun but I don't think the song did anything for her.

I think Lil & Anoop will go home.

Vikki, you and I are tracking fairly close tonight.

In order of appearance:

1. Lil Rounds; 7; I'm Every Woman; Simon was right: this was Karaoke. At least she looked good (hair, makeup, clothes) tonight, but the vocals were the usual pitchiness and very little originality in the arrangement. She's most likely a goner.

2. Kris Allen; 9; She Works Hard For The Money; Wow, an "alt-pop-latin" version of this song was totally unexpected. He pulled it off well both as an arrangement and vocally. He still needs to work on his weird facial expressions though. That's the main thing that bugs me about him, but he's safe this week.

3. Danny Gokey; 9; September; very respectable, just not outstanding performance. Interesting variation on the arrangement. He stretched the melody a bit, which was good.

4. Allison Iraheta; 9; Hot Stuff; I can't think how she might have done the song better; vocals were amazing and on-pitch; she just didn't make me want to stomp my feet and get up and dance. Maybe it was the arrangement, but it may also just have been that slight "distance" she has from the audience that's practically undefinable. She's a great singer who will definitely get some sort of record deal, but she needs to warm up as a person or no one will buy her music.

5. Adam Lambert; 10; If I Can't Have You; He knocked this one way out of the park tonight; it passed the goosebump test with both me and my wife; she even welled up a little near the end of the song. The man has already proven he can scream the high notes with the best of the rockers, and tonight he proved he can reach out and grab your heart with tenderness as well.

6. Matt Giraud; 8; Stayin' Alive; bad song choice and the arrangement wasn't unique enough to counter that. It was still a respectable, but not amazing performance.

7. Anoop Desai; 7; Dim All The Lights; I think this was his swan song; Kara seemed to be oblivious to the fact that he only hit 75% of the notes on pitch. His tone is ok, but he's had constant pitch problems. I actually cringed on a couple of notes tonight and could hardly wait for the song to end.

Unless Lil has a huge fan club, she's a goner tomorrow night. I think Anoop has also sung his last.

Dialidol predicts Allison and Kris as the bottom two, but they were wrong last week, too.

and then..... the opposing view....

I was really starting to like Adam's performance last night until he started screaming again.
I can't take screaming, don't like it, can't do it, never have.

I was totally underimpressed by Danny and Matt. couldn't wait for them to finish.

And no... it wasn't terribly original... but I enjoyed Lil. (I think I'm the only one LOL) but yeah... she needs to go.

I really enjoyed Anoop as well.
and was blown away by Chris.
If it was my vote..... I'd put him in the finals..

bottom line...again...if it were up to me.....I'd send Danny and Matt home tonight.

but I doubt it will go that way .

I do have one nit on Allison Iraheta, she's an awesome singer, yet she's sung a few songs about mature life situations she probably hasn't experienced yet like "Hot Stuff" & "I Can't Make You Love Me"

She smiled a few times when she sang
"I Can't Make You Love Me"
the song's about a woman who's in love with a man who doesn't love her, she's hurt to the core as they have their last night together.

It surprises me that the judges didn't mention song selections being too mature or the importance of showing the proper emotions while performing a song.

I Can't Make You Love Me
written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin
as performed by Bonnie Raitt


Turn down the lights
Turn down the bed
Turn down these voices
inside my head

Lay down with me
Tell me no lies
Just hold me close,
don't patronize

Don't patronize me

Cause I can't make you love me
if you don't
You can't make your heart feel
something it won't
Here in the dark
in these final hours
I will lay down my heart
And I'll feel the power
but you won't
No, you won't
Cause I can't make you love me
if you don't

I'll close my eyes
then I won't see
the love you don't feel
when you're holding me

Morning will come
and I'll do what's right
just give me till then
to give up this fight
and I will give up this fight

Cause I can't make you love me
if you don't
You can't make your heart feel
something it won't
Here in the dark
in these final hours
I will lay down my heart
And I'll feel the power
but you won't
No, you won't
Cause I can't make you love me
if you don't

Post deleted by TAMERA64

Ande,

I'm not watching American Idol this year. But, since you posted this lyric, I was wondering if you knew that Mike Reid is a retired defensive lineman from the Cincinnati Bengals. He also had a couple of major country hits a few years back as a singer/songwriter. He's also a very accomplished keyboardist.

If nothing else, perhaps a note of interest for those who didn't know.

Alan

Called it.

The disco medley sucked.

What's up with Simon? Telling someone they are clumsy or horrible is, at best, unhelpful.. at worst, arrogant.

The main thing I didn't like about the disco medley is that it was lip-synced so they could concentrate on dancing. The dancing wasn't bad though. I didn't think the medley itself was that bad. It wasn't totally enjoyable, but I did find it entertaining.

Yeah, I predicted Anoop and Lil as well.

Simon must not have gotten his nap today. Even Ryan called him grumpy.

The two old ladies and KC all sucked big time. I couldn't wait for that segment to end; and KC simply sucked WORSE than he did 30 years ago. He looked like Tony Soprano except I think Tony is more coordinated.


NEXT WEEK: Songs made famous by the "Rat Pack" (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr)

Here's a link to some of their songs:

http://www.ratpack.biz/rat-pack-songs.htm

...and who will get Mack the Knife - one of my favorites from that era?

Now...what the heck does being able to sing one of these golden oldie songs of the 50's have to do with selling a gazillion CDs and downloads in today's market? It will be an entertaining night, but totally irrelevant to today's market methinks - unless someone (geez, guess who that might be?) comes up with a super-hip "unplugged alt-rock-latin-world-dance" version of one of these.

I think it will be a tough week for Allison - this is not her style at all.

I meant when they brought out the other singers to do their disco medley - the first woman was way off pitch... I missed who it was, but I was cringing in the kitchen.

Ahhh, yes - totally with you. I only cringed on the 2nd lady but felt slightly nauseous when watching KC.

BTW, I forget where I heard it, but the AI songwriting contest will not be held this year. Apparently Kara is writing the winner's song. Nice perc for the job, huh?

That's exactly what I have been thinking the whole time...What does any of this have to do with todays market...although,I can see where a few of the contestants have taken songs and rearranged them ,making them sound more contemporary....But I really dont understand what they are trying do here...

That yellow dress on Thelma Houston with her old boobs hanging out was insane...jeez, honey act your age ! ! The right two people went home...

So do you agree that this is the most talented group of any season?

Anoop is gone but he could easily have a recording career. He may not be the most charismatic contestant, but he has a great texture to his voice and sings with expression. Lil Round seemed to have sung worse, and became more obnoxious each week- what's with that?

for the remaining 5,

In order of talent: it is Adam, Allison, Danny, Chris and Matt.

In order of marketability: it is Adam, Chris, Allison, Matt and Danny

In order of votes: Adam is on top, Matt on the bottom and the rest is anybody's guess.

Well.. I've been saying that Alison and Kris are the most easily marketable. Adam has some baggage and his theatricality makes it hard for him to easily be mainstream unless he goes the Clay Aiken route. (And he's way too talented for that I think). I'd love to see him become a Freddie Mercury, flamboyant/theatrical artist.

Kris is all about the songs. If he's a great writer (or at least can become one) he can have a great career. If he has to do songs fed to him by the lame 19 Entertainment people the rest of his career he'll be more of a short term success.

For Alison, the sky is the limit. She can be everything from Edgy Rocker Chick to Power Pop artist similar to Kelly Clarkson. If she's this good now, imagine her in 5-10 years if she's supported properly and not burned out.

Danny is just another Taylor Hicks waiting to happen. He's slightly more dynamic but has the least diversity of any contestant remaining (and less than Anoop for that matter). He was made into a favorite due to his family story that was pounded into the media relentlessly. It's too bad for the others who started off with such a popularity disadvantage.

But as we get towards the finish, it will be a race for second. Adam hasn't tanked yet and probably won't. All the others have had bad weeks. Alison especially.

Is it the most talented? I think the improvement didn't come as much from the top but among the bottom. But let's face it, they had their share of really bad contestants too. Lil Rounds was terrible throughout, the blonde chick that danced badly (that wiggle), the girl that was the first to go was heinously bad, the blind guy was one of the worst ever to make it as far as he did. Matt is quite weak and should be next to go. When he's gone, the competition will heat up.. the next one out after that will be a surprise no matter who it is I think.

Brian

Of ANY season, I don't think so. Maybe better than last season (remember Ramiele and Kristy Lee?) and better than Season Six (Sanjaya and Haley); but not better than Season Five (except for Kellie Pickler, who is still terrible). Season Five had Chris Daughtry, Kat McPhee, Paris Bennett, Taylor Hicks, etc. That was a pretty good group.

Do you think its gunna be the last season for Idol?? I heard paula didn't want to do it anymore...

(SORRY, MESSED UP THE QUOTE BOX THINGY....SO HERE'S WHAT LARRY SAID:)

....not better than Season Five (except for Kellie Pickler, who is still terrible). Season Five had Chris Daughtry, Kat McPhee, Paris Bennett, Taylor Hicks, [color:#009900]ETC. That was a pretty good group.[/color]

And this is my retort: "Good Golly, Larry! How could you forget my future son-in-law Bucky Covington ?! " (seen below flanked by my rugrats Charlie and Samantha. Don't remember the picture being blurry when I took it, but those beer goggles, dang!! )

Beth

After tonight, (the rat pack songs) you may want to reconsider if you think a past season's crop of singers is better than this years. All of the contestants did outstanding.

Kris (The way you look tonight) was about as good as I have seen him.

Allison (Someone to watch over me) showed she can deliver a ballad and not step on the mood or message.

Danny (come rain or come shine) seemed to have finally become a performer and not just a singer.


Matt (Funny Valentine) showed us how to interpret a classic in a modern way.

Adam (Feeling Good) continues to make your jaw drop with his range and power. This was a really great night with no poor performances.

I do have my favorites but I would hate to have to pick the best.
I love Allison's voice. I think Kris has the best sense of the songwriters message. I think Danny has the most passion for what he is singing. I would probably boot Matt next but the kid can sing. No one will stop Adam.

If each song was on the radio dial and I had to tune in just one, I would probably tune in Allison's "Someone to watch over me".

TOP 5 - APR 28/09 - RAT PACK

KRIS (The Way You Look Tonight); I like Kris and his style. His technique is not bad. The voice is a little throaty. He has a good sense of phrasing and dynamics, his upper tones are solid and sweet. 8.5/10

ALISON (Someone to Watch Over Me); I thought she sang with a little more dynamic sense than usual, her nasal huskiness is distinctive, but the voice sits too far back for me, it makes her tone have a dull and sometimes hard edge. Her best performance to date, IMO. 8/10

MATT (My Funny Valentine); I disagree with the lowering of the key. I felt the beginning of the song was too low and this made Matt lose tone in the first few phrases. He does have some agility and range, but he's up against stiff competition. 7.5/10

DANNY (Come Rain or Come Shine); I have always thought that Danny and Adam are pretty closely matched. I like Danny's husky voice, and he has such a good sense of musicality. Very nice dynamics, good phrasing, every note on pitch. He has natural power, he looked and sounded totally committed to the song. Excellent. 9.5/10

ADAM (Feeling Good); Beautifully bright tone to start off, immaculately on pitch. Extremely well done, can't fault him. 9.6/10

I believe Matt will go home this week.

Here's my take:

1. Kris (The Way You Look Tonight); 8/10; Good performance, especially as the opener. Didn't reach out and grab me with charisma, but can't really flaw the performance much, and he contained his tendency to make monkey faces (yea!).

2. Allison (Someone to Watch Over Me); 10/10; I can't think of anything she could have done better; I got goosebumps halfway into the first verse. The girl mesmerized me. Why Simon continues to be down on her is beyond me. He's an idiot and both Randy and Kara practically said so. He wants Lambert to win and she's probably his only real competition, and so he disses her.

3. Matt (My Funny Valentine); 7/10; worst performance of the night. It was pitchy in several places and sounded like an unimaginative karaoke performance. I think Simon pimped him just to spite the others on the Alison disagreement. This was NOT a good performance.

4. Danny (Come Rain or Come Shine); 9/10; This was a good solid performance; I especially liked what he did with the end. Pitch was solid - no attention on it.

5. Adam (Feeling Good); 9/10; I disagree that this was pitch immaculate. This is the first performance of his where I had any attention on his pitch being off on 2 or 3 notes. Except for the long high note he held (which WAS pitch perfect), I didn't think he was that much better than Danny - just more theatrical. AI is definitely pushing him: Who else got to use the staircase and had the extra-special lighting? This wasn't my favorite performance of his (or even in the top 3), but he's gold for now.

Sam...you may be right about the overall level of the singers this season. I can't think of a previous top five that would have done as well as these guys - IN THIS STYLE. I just question the marketability of this style right now. I think it's kind of irrelevant. I hope next week has something with more relevance to today's market.

Beth...OMG...are you serious? I don't think Bucky was in the top five (maybe top 10). I think he made a country CD, but I don't know if he sold too many. I did see him perform on TV during some Country Music award.


For this week, I think at least three of us agree that Matt will go home. It was the weakest performance regardless of any props by Simon. I sure hope it's not Allison.

Hard to say. Hadn't heard that about Paula. My understanding is that they all had 8-year contracts that are ending this year, so who's to say if any will renew. I've heard Simon wants to move back to England, but that could just be a negotiating ploy.

Rumors are that they all get $1M per show - or that could be per week - not sure. With all the advertising revenue, the producers could probably double that and retain all of them until ratings slip to the unprofitable range. Right now, they're still getting incredible ratings.

Where else could any of these people find work for that kind of money? Of course, they're all so rich that money probably isn't a primary motivator at this point.

When I went to the top three show back in Season Five (with Taylor Hicks, Kat and Eliott), I got in through the back lot and saw Simon's Ferrari and Ryan's "lowered" Bentley in the parking lot. Paula was driving a more "modest" BMW X5 ($60K-70K loaded), but she did have a rather buff looking male chauffer.

I agree with Brian about Adam--he too theatrical but that could be what they want this year. Danny won me over with his performance tonight. If he could put the energy and presence in the next weeks to come he may have a chance. Matt was the weakest this week. I did not agree with lowering the key of the song. This may be his week to go home. Allison I loved her rendition of "Someone to watch over me". But she is competing for votes from those little girls who love male singers. And she is up against four male eye pleasers.

Well.. it was a good night.. but a little boring. But that's motly because they are all pretty good and surprisingly were all fairly even tonight. That's really unusual for AI to have 5 singing well and all choosing great songs. (Song choice has been pretty strong all season.. I think they are getting help).

My ranking for this week's performances:

1. Alison: She should be in the final two but probably won't be. Shame!
2. Danny: I am not a Danny fan, but he did a nice job. His pre-show publicity will likely carry him all the way to second place. It's a good example of how the show manipulates the results all season. They wanted him in the finals and they likely have him. And it was all created before the show ever started.
3. Kris: He's still the most immediately marketable and relevent contestant. He's likely to be a non finalist success story for them.
4. Adam: He's always good but I totally didn't feel his performance this week. It's my least favorite of his all season. But he's still by far the best voice in the competition.
5. Matt: Didn't connect, was flat, sucked. But I will say at least his suck was far better than the typical suck this late in the game. In previous seasons he might have been a contender. Here here's clearly the weakest of the 5.

Alison and Matt will likely be on the chopping block. I sure hope Alison gets at least 1 more week. If she does last, it might get interesting as the other 3 guys may start splitting votes enough to give her a chance to stick around even longer. This is a dangerous week for her and the fact that it was her Birthday this week that is nearly ALWAYS the kiss of death for every contestant. They even did a spot on that last season when it happened again.

Can Alison break the curse of Birthday week? Stay tuned.

Brian

Hey Larry,

Yup, totally serious. I was not a huge fan of his on the show, but my daughter was in LOVE, and because of her, we have followed him on his musical journey, and he has BLOSSOMED. Aside from being one of the nicest guys I've ever met, he really has done well for himself:

His debut album, Bucky Covington, was released on April 17, 2007, to positive reviews. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at #4 selling 61,000 copies. It also debuted at #1 on the Top Country Albums chart, making the album the best opening week for a debut album by a male on the chart since Billy Ray Cyrus' 1992 debut with Some Gave All.[8] Covington's debut surpassed the previous record held by Jason Michael Carroll's Waitin' in the Country.[9] He performed selections from his album during a nationwide tour in 2007, and the track "Empty Handed" appeared in NASCAR 08 as part of the in-game soundtrack. Overall, Bucky Covington accounted for three singles. "A Different World" peaked at #6, followed by "It's Good to Be Us" at #11 and "I'll Walk" at #10.

Here's a link to his myspace page, and you can listen to the new single from second album coming out in September.

http://www.myspace.com/buckycovington

I vaguely remember you thought he was pretty shmaltzy (sp?) , but that's cool. If we all liked the same music, that would be boring (PLUS, more room for us at his shows )....

As to American Idol, I do concur with you about Simon's Allison remarks -- I thought she was stunning. And also that Matt should leave tonight....

I hadn't read the rest of the posts from the show last night, but I thought Jamie Foxx was actually a decent mentor. Just like Quentin Tarentino....two people who you wouldn't necessarily expect to be helpful. Certainly a lot better than Randy Travis was....

Anyhoo, have a groovy day!
Beth

i don't even watch the show any more, i just read y'all re-caps so thanks for all the writing!

So Matt went home. No surprises there.

It was a little surprising to see Adam in the bottom three. I think people are not voting for him because they feel he's a shoe-in anyways and he doesn't need the votes. I think a similar thing happened when Daughtry got voted off "early".

Natale Cole was boring (the band was awesome backing her though). Taylor Hicks performed well. He still has that "x" factor for personality/charisma and shows some polish over the past couple of years. Jamie Foxx performed...uh, I fast forwarded through his song.

Overall, tonight was a pretty boring show.

Next week: ROCK AND ROLL!

If "schmaltzy" was the worst comment I made, that isn't too bad.

I'll give his stuff a listen.

I fast forwarded though the Natalie Cole and Jamie Foxx--although I do want to see his movie "The Soloist." Adam was shocked that he was in the bottom three also--especially since he placed himself in the top two group. Then Ryan escorted him over the bottom two with Matt and Kris. Jamie prepared them by telling them they will have careers after idol as "Artists".

i think at this stage, it is all about song choice. The top two finishers, Danny and Allison, sang the most recognizable songs ("Come rain or come shine" and "Someone to watch over me". Matt's Funny Valentine is from the 1936 musical Babes in Arms" and the lyrics don't really suit a twenty-something artists. It is better sung by a middle aged artist. Adam chose the 1965 Sammy Davis Jr. song "Feeling Good". It is already pretty obscure and his style obscured it even more. Chris did better singing the Frank Sinatra classic "The way you look tonight", which I think is an amazingly well written song. He didn't bring anything new to it but he "got it".

The voting probably went this way:

1. Danny
2. Allison
3. Chris
4. Adam
5. Matt

Allison might have beat Danny but AI has to have some mystery about the voting.

It's a real horse race now and anyone could end up on top but watch the song choices because that is probably going to determine the winner. Until this week I would have put my money on Adam. Now, I'll have to agree in Brian- it could be Danny.

If Adam wants to get back on top next week he should slick his hair back and channel Elvis with "Jail House Rock". He sings way better than Elvis ever did and he could probably convince women from 8 to 80 that Elvis lives. He is after all, an actor.

The voters got it right.. and the correct final 4 are there just as predicted at the start. I really is anyone's game.. to finish 2nd. Unless Adam just tanks it, all those who were lax in voting for him will put him back on top by a large margin... I also don't think Adam was actually 4th. If you listen closely to what words they use they give themselves room to put someone not actually second to last in that spot for dramatic purposes.

Sadly I think Danny is on top. I think he's the least interesting artist of the 4 remaining, but I have to say this is 100% for sure the best top 4 ever by a large margin. And they are all very different from each other which makes it fun. Too bad we can't get 2-3-4 shows with just these 4 because they've been the most talented all season.

The question is where do Matt's votes go? That's a toss up. His Faux R&B style was different than the others. So they may go everywhere.. or to the perceived underdog which I guess right now is Kris.

Overall, the show sucked (Natalie sucked bad and Jamie Foxx who can sing his ass off played Vocoder man all night and anyone on the planet could have sang that song exactly as he did and sounded the same with that processing. Really lame to think that is the #1 song in the country. I will say that he seems to be the most talent actor/singer out there. Usually they suck. I won't name names because some of them are members and have entered our awards in the past.

Brian

I see what you mean, Brian. It's actually one of those "DUH!" moments: If Adam was in the "bottom 3" out of 5, then by strict mathematics, he was also in the "top 3". He was IN THE BLOODY MIDDLE so could be placed with either pair. Clever marketing to move him to the lower group to create the drama...

At no time did they say Adam had the 2nd lowest votes. Once they had Adam in the low group, all they said was that Kris was safe and could go to the other side.

Tricky manipulation master marketers. Adam was probably third all right. He looked a little PO'ed. I'm not taking any bets on the outcome.

I loved the duet album Nat and Natalie did but last night she was embarrassing. She actually lost her place trying to string 'Something's gotta give' over and over at the end of the song. Wy don't artist take their appearance on the show more professionally? It is probably the biggest audience most have ever had.

Down to the last four. Slash was the mentor and they brought out the heavy rockers for the band (no mini-orchestra w/strings, just Marshall and Bogner amp stacks!). The band definitely rocked out all night.

Adam - 10/10 - Whole Lotta Love (Led Zepplin) - what could he have done better? He ripped on it. Robert Plant never did it better even in his heyday.

Allison - 8/10 - Cry Baby (Janis Joplin) - Arguably the weakest solo performance of the evening. She's really good, but having to follow Adam tonight didn't do her any favors. Not that she's bad in the least (she's really, really good), but she may be in danger.

Kris/Danny Duet - Renegade (Styx) - This was weird and made them both look bad IMHO. They harmonized well, but neither one are rockers, so they looked out of place.

Kris - Come Together (Beatles) - 9/10 - The judges didn't seem all that thrilled with it, but I thought it was a solid performance myself.

Danny - Dream On (Aerosmith) - 8.5/10 - this was just barely better than Allison. I thought it had a weak beginning and except for the long scream at the end was pretty forgetable.

Adam/Allison Duet - Slow Ride (Foghat) - this kicked butt. The two rockers in the group doing a rockout duet. They should do this song on the tour.

Personally, I would like to see either Danny or Kris go home, but Adam was the usual standout, and Allison delivered only an adequate, but not spectacular performance (mainly due to song choice), so I think she's most likely to go home tonight.

I pretty much agree with Larry. Adam aced his number- but I have always hated that song personally. "I wanna give you every inch of my love..." Give me a break.

Allison probably needs to get away from Janis Joplin numbers because there aren't that many to chose from and the last thing Allison needs is to be constantly compared to a drug addicted rocker who died at 27.

Chris picked the wrong song. It's a great song but anyone with a 1 octave range could do it. Randy was tripping on his guitar playing. He needs to show that he has vocal chops not just artistic interpertation skills because this is a singing contest. It's probably too late now

Danny was doing OK until he tried to scream. It was embarrassing and all it did was confirm the fact the Adam is miles ahead of the rest when it comes to native vocal range and control.

I thought the duel gimmick did not server Danny and Chris very well because Adam went up first and blew everyone away; then Allison followed. The third act was the Chris and Danny's duet so it had the psychological effect of suggesting that Allison and Adam can do it on their own while Chris and Danny need support. And the fact that Adam and Allison are the better Rockers just seem to reinforce the suspicion that the AI producers are, if not rigging the deck, at least not being too subtle about showcasing their favorites.

Danny is the only one of the four who has never been in the bottom three so even though he may have had a weak night, he is probably safe. Allison is never safe but if Simon is right, her duet with Adam may have saved her. That leaves Chris, who looks like he is ready to get out of Dodge anyway. He already admitted he is the least vocally talented of the group. Curious that he is probably the most marketable. Hey, I wonder if AL will ever have a songwriter's week? That would be interesting but probably only a handful of contestants have every written anything.

TOP 4, MAY 5/09

Interesting choice of a Mentor for the contestants this week. I thought the music itself was well-played and the arrangements were good. I am losing interest in hearing the judging panel. Four is too many. It would be more effective to have three judges who have more time to give longer critiques to help the singers (and the public) understand what they need to work on. As a voice teacher and composer, etc., feedback from those more experienced than I is a crucial part of my growth. I'd like to hear more notes on singing and performance, and less 'you're the bomb, dog,' 'that's artistry,' 'you look great tonight,' 'that was boring.' That IS boring.

ADAM (Whole Lotta Love); right in his element, couldn't take my eyes (or ears) off of him. Vocally powerful, strong and resilient, good depth, bright tone, great range, I understood every word.

ALISON (Crybaby); Didn't get all the words. Some of the notes seemed too low and we lost her, the last note was very nice and showed bloom on the voice. The performance was solid but the song didn't thrill me.

Duet: KRIS / DANNY; Renegade. Well done, showed Danny's voice is stronger and has more range, Kris was good but Danny overshadowed him, great combination and fab harmonies.

KRIS (Come Together); I think Kris was out of his element this evening. I like him, I think he has his own style, but this sort of music doesn't suit him. I think he's a good singer, but in terms of vocal 'presence', he's the weakest of the four. In terms of appeal and performance, I think he's a top contender.

DANNY (Dream On); I really appreciate Danny's vocal chops, but as a voice teacher I have grave concerns. When he went into falsetto near the end, it sounded strained and weak, and the scream at the end made me shudder. Vocal damage 101: screaming, Danny, is the quickest way to node city. You have talent, you have a great voice, it's unfortunate that you are up against Adam, or you'd have a shot at the title. I think this song was a big mistake, vocally as well as in performance. Not only for this particular show, but at this point, only three weeks from the final, to push your voice in such an unhealthy manner could affect the ability to perform for the rest of the season, assuming the public gives you the chance. I'd suggest resting the voice for a couple of days. No talking, no singing.

Duet: ALLISON / DANNY; well matched. I thought this song suited Allison better than her solo did. Strong performances from both.

My take? Vocally, Kris is the weakest. Danny might be in trouble. I'm not over the moon about Allison's solo performance. They each have their fans. Most likely Kris will go home.

ah gee.... sometimes I think I watch a different broadcast than most....

I can't fault Adam's performance.... (although it seemed that his version was a little more subdued than Zepplin....
I just don't care for him.... It certainly didn't sound very original to me this week... a major difference from his past weeks

I didn't know Allison's song... so it was harder to get into.
and it was okay.... actually...I liked it a bit more than Adam...(but I'm biased so...)

now the duet between Kris and Danny I thought was great. the harmonies were perfect..and the voices together were a good fit.
THAT'S what a duet is all about.

and again.....(I know I'm out here on an island) I liked Kris' song best. No... he didn't yell or scream... but for those of us who aren't realy into hard rock... it was great.

Danny... well the scream.... but as Slash had said in the intro...he HAD to go for it...everyone expected it... and blood-curdling as it was... it seemed the way it should come out. I would have prefered he had found a way to skip the scream... but again...that's my bias....I hate screaming

lastly... the duet between Adam and Allison... was only so-so for me. Most of what they did was just trade lines back and forth. and when they did sing together....I sure didn't hear any kind of blending of voices or harmony.
For me...it was no where near as good as the other duet.

I would love to see Danny go home this week.
and contrary to most of America....I would love to see Kris take the title.... but I won't hold my breath LOL

Wow Harriet
We are at polar ends ! ! I agree with you Larry, Adam was better than Robert Plant in his heyday ! ! I do believe at this point they are all winners, but Adam can just kill anything ! ! The other three can have their niche, but Adam could play on Broadway one day...then jump off and onto a hard rock show and nail both !
At this point in the competition, it's a popularity contest, and he might not win, but it won't matter to his career !

Unrelated question. AI isn't going to do a song contest this year, are they? (I was so looking forward to getting rejected again...)

Joe

Yeah, and I don't want to tune into a soap opera of Paula and Simon's latest romp in a hotel room or how their "relationship" is doing either.

Maybe it's time to bring in some new blood to the judges desk. Kara is not impressing me: she's off the mark as often as on - and I'm kind of P.O.'ed that she gets to write the winning song because she threw a hissy fit about it last year. Nice negotiating, but bad for the "gene pool" of fresh songwriters.

Best in Order:

Adam
Alison
Kris
Danny

Best Duet:

Adam/Alison

Danny was truly horrible. He gives the same performance every week and always has. Sure, he can sing in that one narrow style and he can't seriously do a different genre, unless he can still sing exactly the same. If this was fair, he'd be long gone.

Kris was much better than they said. I actually thought he did a great job being faithful both to Rock and his Singer-Songwriter style. He came off legit 100% where Danny was an imposter. Speaking of imposters.....

Adam can hit any note high or low you want to throw at him. He has power to burn behind that. But he's not a rocker. As massive as his performance was, it wasn't true to rock or even that song. There was no grit in the performance and it sound like a guy with a world class gigantic voice singing out of genre. Freddie Mercury had a similar range and power but he made it work in context of the threatrical rock songs they did. Adam can do the same thing, but Robert Plant has that rock vibe when hitting the same giant notes.. Adam does not. I always look forward to seeing/hearing him and would be happy to see him in concert. He's so much more polished than any previous contestant (including all previous winners) that it's laughable. It's like bringing in the NFL player to perform against really good ALL Star high school football players. But in this case, he used that skill to try and play Rugby and it didn't really work... (except for the duet.. more on that in a second)

Alison looked great (Adam knows his hair) and performed amazingly and was by far the most authentic of the 4 in the genre (followed by Kris). He stage presence was great and she seemed ultra confident to me, until the moron judges once again trashed her and trashed her. Sorry.. but they can only be doing this because they've been told to or have a personal agenda (maybe they don't like her personally or something). Oddly enough the only weeks they were all supportive were the 2 really bad weeks she's had this season. Outside of those 2 weeks, she's either been the best or second best every other week.

This week she was not the best vocalist. Adam sang 100% great (outside of genre) and Kris sang excellently in his song. But Alison really IS a rocker, and a seasoned one at that, and the music industry DESPERATELY needs more legit female rock singers. (Kelly Clarkson is pop rock and could easily have been country like Carrie Underwood). Alison is old school 1970's rocker chick and if they don't blow it and try to make her a Pop/R&B singer like they seem to try and make EVERYONE for the last 10 years, she could be a huge star. It will all come down to handling.

The duets were night and day. Kris and Danny were two ducks out of water. Their harmonies were great, but when that stopped, they both came off as lame and awkward. Kris did sing poorly no question, but Danny was way out of his element. And there was ZERO chemisty happening.

On the other extreme, Adam and Alison were AMAZING. It wasn't just singing, though both sang really well... but they were 100% legit and Adam lost his pristine perfection and sang like a rocker, which he didn't do on his solo song. He really had no choice as he had to sing WITH Alison, but it really served him well. It gave him a personality and connection to what he was doing that really worked. For me, that was him most impressive performance. It wasn't vocal pyrotechnics, it was him becoming the artist that he could be and being legit and not a fish out of water who can sing better than any previous AI contestant.

Danny should be gone. Kris problably will go though. And I agree that he seems like he's ready to go. All of them know they don't DESERVE to win over Adam. They just don't. I like Alison a lot, but she doesn't deserve to beat Adam. And Danny has only done this well all season because of his back story and nothing else. If you'd never heard a word about any of these folks before this started, we'd all agree that Danny had outstayed his welcome. But if the media and AI staff has anything to say about it, Danny will be in the final no matter what.. even more likely than Adam apparently at this point. And that is a shame.

Which final show would be more fun to watch? Adam and Alison, who seem to actually like each other and are by far the 2 most polished acts, or Danny and anyone else where Danny will once again sing exactly the same as he always does no matter what they are singing? Yawn. And that yawn is exactly how much anyone will care about him as an artist. I actually realized that Taylor Hicks is even BETTER than Danny when they were both on the same episode. And he's done nothing either. Danny's back story can only carry him so long. His best bet is to become a CC artist where I think perhaps he could become a star and sustain it. It's a natural fit and that's where he should go.

It was very clear that this was by far the best final 4 in AI history.

Brian

PS: In past season, anyone finishing their song like Danny did would have been run out on a rail by everyone. It was pre-season Idol cringe worthy. The way the judges all glossed over the disasterous performance was all you needed to know about what their agenda was.

I think they realized it wasn't the big money maker they thought it could be... now they can still pick the exact same songs they would have anyway and not spend so much money on the contest which probably cost as much as they made and more. (Since they wasted tv screen time mentioning it and they can do better promoting more major label artists who pay them for performance slots and to promote their movies...)

See my last post above. Kara gets to write the winner's song this year. She entered last year and didn't get picked so kicked up a fuss about it. Apparently, she managed to negotiate it into her contract, so if the song does well, she'll get some nice royalty income over the next few years. Nice job if you can get it: guaranteed song placement

At least the above is what I read on an Idol site blog. Since there is no contest this year, I'm assuming it's true or at least mostly true.

I thought Kris performance was very good. But the way the judges trashed him. That made me think they had a agenda of who the want in the top three. Then they trashed Allison. It looks more and more like a set up. Danny was the worse but I think they want him and will send Kris or Allison home. Danny deserves to go home. He has no artistry, originality or “wow” performances but will he? He reminds me of Tyler Hicks.

Interesting that Kris was #1 in the voting - at least according to how they gave the results. Allison went home, that's cool for me - I did appreciate her style, but didn't feel she was as appealing a performer as the others.

Pretty lame.. but not surprising. They emphasized over and over that the results were not in order. I bet it was Danny, Adam, Kris, Alison in votes (if you can trust previous results as being true). I bet Adam will get nearly all of Alison's votes. So that may propel him to a much deserved win. It was predictable very early on that Kris and Danny would compete for second, but I guess there's a chance it is Adam and Kris competing. They should definitely be in the finals before Danny. But part of me hopes Danny will win just to spite AI. Just what they need, a slightly weaker version of Taylor Hicks.

But the smart money is still on Adam as it always has been. His looks alone would have taken him far, but his voice simply dwarfs all the rest. The next couple weeks will be far less interesting without Alison in it. Ho hum.

Brian

I could do without hearing another week of Danny, but I was sorry to see Alison go. She went out proudly though, didn't she?

She'll get a deal. Daughtry is the perfect example of not winning, but doing better than the "winner".

Next week the judges pick one and the performer picks one. What in the world could they pick that would make Danny stand out?

I NEVER watch the show. I do watch the rewind auditions sometimes with my wife cause they are funny.

This week I heard THEE RIFF "Whole Lotta Love" so i had to go see what it was. And I watched my first full episode of American Idol

And since it was ROCK week I thought lets see what's what.

What I caught was a LOT of them doing the WRONG songs. Do they have a choice?
Or do they have to choose from two? I don't know the rules.

All I had to do was hear them for 10 seconds to know what songs they should be doing and not doing, Besides having some strategy.

I have NEVER heard any of them before but here's what I thought.

ADAM - Has a face I would like to take a little swipe at, gentle like but ya know LOL... But he has GREAT pipes. And his range and control are both terrific. He does have some theatre in his voice and style. The BLUES is what's missing from him and of course Robert Plant has that... But he was the best of the night no doubt.

If your allowed to pick a song...

HERE"S the mistakes- ENERGY SONGS! After Adam does Whole Lotta Love you HAVE to do songs with a non stop energy no coming down and then building up.

Alison - What are you thinking with that song? Do "MAGIC MAN" by Heart or Barracudda. These songs ROCK and they belt as Ann Wilson is what you;ll need to even get into Zeppelins world at all at least. Bad song I knew that as soon as she said what she was going to sing,

Chris - NO BEATLES! As a Beatles freak but even more as a music LOVER.I KNOW The BEST Beatles songs are mid-tempo ones and ballad like. They have great unique middle feel songs that is totally original to the Beatles.
They are not the best Fast or Hard Rock Band.
What are your choices - Helter Skelter,BAck In The USSR, Revolution, Get Back..
HELLO! None of these work. Dumb move! he was out of Rock night anyway If I were him I would have just went for Peter Frampton's "Show Me The Way"

Danny - he would have done WAY better doing Renegade all by himself than "Dream On"
Plain and simple after Adam you must do "BABBA O RILEY" for those who don't know "Teen Age Wasteland" lol by The WHO or another WHO monster Rock song.
Actually Danny could have even went basic with a Southern Rock style song like ZZ Tops "Tush" Or Rock N Roll Hootchie Koo"

C'mon guys "Highway Star" or something. Ya gotta be high energy after "Whole Lotta Love"

The main reason why the duet of Renegade sounded so good if your wondering when they sang together was those GIRLS singing in the background.
Even on that they should have planned it better, Not line for line but let Chris back uo on the harmony only and then just take the smaller lines, leading too
"I'm a Wanted Man"

Bad choice of songs! but the first guy can have his pick with that range. Only he's theatre bound from what I hear. It was like going to see a GREAT ROCK PLAY and they are performing "Tommy" or something. You leave going wow those singers dancers and musicians were GREAT!

But never could be the Actual artists or writers but..... very well done!

Ok so listen dog, Paula's got mad ventriloquist skills! There was a few times that she was singing (if you want to call it that) and her lips didn't even move. She still has the moves and looks good on stage, but why don't they let the contestants use the over-processed vocal toys like she and jamie foxx get to use??? Danny's scream would have been better, and with that technology, you don't even really have to be able to sing anymore, do you?

As much as I don't like the style, "No Doubt" was FANTASTIC!!! They were live and you could hear Gwen's real voice. Great stage presence, great energy, and a bit of fresh air to the usual typical and boring performances.

Did someone else perform too...? I just don't remember.

No, he was probably second from the bottom. For the sake of drama they put him in the 'safe' seat first to make us think that even Adam might be in trouble.

Had Allison sung Cry baby Cry like she did in her farewell song, she might have stuck around. She sang it Wednesday with the abandon of Janis Joplin. My favorite performance from her.

I wanted Danny to go because I don't think there is anything else he can show us musically, unless it is an even more hideous scream. I will say that he is a really nice guy with a great self deprecating sense of humor. His scream will go down in history like the famous Wilhelm scream of the movies. Here is Danny Gorkey 12 second nightmare scream. Listen for it next summer in your favorite horror thriller at your local movie theater. He will probably be getting royalties for the next 50 years!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOAKLuAcOXA

Here is the Wilhelm scream soon to be replaced by Danny Gorkey's blood curdling contribution to movie sound effects http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PxALy22utc&NR=1

Chris has got a lot under the hood that he isn't showing so I am still intrigued by what he might do. Mike Caro had some great suggestions for what the AI final four should have sung. Peter Frampton's "Show Me The Way" would have been perfect for Chris.


I wanted to see Adam and Allison in the final showdown but I think all four will have careers. I know that Adam is the best singer but I am actually less interested in hearing an album by him that Allison or Chris. That is not to say that I wouldn't want to hear him live or in the theater though.

If they all released an album, here is the order of my interest. 1. Allison 2. Chris. 3. Adam 4. Danny.

TOP 3- 12May09

DANNY (Dance Little Sister), I thought he rocked it up, he had fun, the voice was spot on.

KRIS (Apologize), thought the voice was a bit stressed in the chorus, but there was some very nice quality in the rest of the song.

ADAM (One), tremendous breath flow, great range, bright clear tone.

DANNY (You are so beautiful), interesting voice, from a singing teacher's point of view. Very breathy/raspy to start, but then finds beautiful clear tone in the higher notes. Tastefully ornamented, great sense of musicality. I thought it was a wonderful interpretation of the song. Showed control, range, and heart.

KRIS (Heartless), I enjoyed the song, well sung, well performed. Voice has a bloom on it, a warm vibrato that is appealing. Refreshing and different.

ADAM (Crying), ohhh I loooove Aerosmith. I couldn't sing it, but he sure can. Couldn't hear anything not to appreciate.

For me, vocally and performance-wise, these three singers are very close. I do think Adam has an amazing instrument and great musicality, I think Danny also has good range and musical sensibilities, I think Kris is very talented and has great artistry. How do you choose between them? If by vocal ability alone, then I have to choose Adam, with Danny a close second.

If the voting is based on last night's show alone, I actually think Adam should be the one going home.

I picked Adam and Danny to be 1 and 2 way back on the first "competition" program of the sentence. Adam is definitely the best performer so far, but his voice lacks the rasp or edge to be the "Rock God" everyone wants him to be. He comes across as an actor portraying a rock star.

Danny has a nice voice and has the rasp, but his voice is much more limited. He doesn't seem to be comfortable on the stage and comes across as a music teacher trying to be a star.

The surprise for me has been Kris. I didn't pay much attention to him at first, but he has been consistent throughout the competition. He has a clear, pleasant voice and seems comfortable on stage. He doesn't seem to try to be anything other than what he is, a talented pop singer.

At this point, I honestly think any one of the three could win. I think the panel wants Adam, and Simon was smart enough to realize that the votes could end up going for either of the other two, hence his plea for people to vote for Adam.

I agree. They each have their strengths.

Gotta say I really thought Adam's rendition of "One" was horrible. I tuned in just in time to hear about how they got Bono's permission to do the song...then got to hear what must've been Adam's worst performance I've seen.

Didn't hang around to catch the rest of the show, but it doesn't surprise me if always-steady Kris steals this thing.

-Ethan

I wasn't blown away by anyone in particular last night, but thought they all did a fairly decent job. Adam had a few pitch issues that bugged me - especially on the U2 song. I think Danny is still the weakest of the three.

I'm pretty sure the finale will be between Adam and Kris - either one could win because Danny's votes will probably go to Kris, not Adam.

They are all winners at this point ! In fact, the added pressure of being "idol" might be a negative...ya know..? It could be better career wise to NOT win ! !

Don't be so quick to count Danny out. He is the only one who has never been in the bottom three- well technically he is now because the bottom three are also the top three.

I hated Adam's Aerosmith's "Crying". His normally high range was annoying lat night.

Danny and Chris were OK.

I would put the performances in this order 1. Chris 2. Danny 3. Adam. I would be a bit surprised if Adam went home but not shocked. But generally I am losing interest.

I get a Dish Network news letter that said some interesting things about each of the three. When Chris was in Mozambique he give away his Takamine guitar to Christian singing group.
The article said that Adam was the first openly gay AI contestant. I didn't detect any "openness" about it. Danny was minutes from pulling out of the audition when friends talked him into sticking with his plans after his wife's death.

Ah yes, the finale will be with...Adam and Kris.

Although I have to admit, Danny did a really nice job on "You Are So Beautiful" both last night and tonight.

Katy Perry...well, she can't sing very well, but does write songs with memorable hooks (Ur so Gay, I Kissed A Girl, etc) and puts on a good show. I believe we said the same thing about Madonna 20 years ago.

Didn't Alicia Keys look absolutely stunning? She's a real class act and I was hoping to hear her perform, but oh well.

They mentioned a 2-day finale next week? Huh? Anything to stretch the advertising income I guess. With 88 million votes, they can sure charge a lot for a 15-second spot.

Madonna sings far better than Katy Perry.. but that's like saying mud tastes better than dirt I guess. = )

The performance by the kid with Alicia was pointless. At best it was exploitation with good intent.. but it just all felt wrong. I'd much rather have had a talented peformer perform something in their native tongue with music that wasnt' Americanized. Blech... Alicia is the real deal though.

Danny is finally gone. About 3-4 weeks late, but better late than never. Kris is a worthy finalist. I thought he blew Adam and Danny off the stage on both performances. Adam I thought had his worst week of the season. His performance of "One" was particularly terrible. He screamed it (albeit in tune at least) and it had no qualities to it that were musical or artistic. Really terrible.

Danny was exactly as he was every week. Same sound, same performance, same dull and boring result. He's the only one in the top 4 that NEEDED to win to be successful going forward.

Kris is the most polished and relevent of the top 4 and he might just pull the upset now that Danny is gone. I believe he will gain far more of Danny's voters than Adam will because Adam has been seen all season as Danny's arch rival. That plays perfectly into Kris's hands. Adam is going to need one of his midseason performances where he surprises you to win I think. If he's predicatable and just screams his way through a couple more songs, then Kris will have a shot.

I miss Alison, but I can't be unhappy with Kris or Adam.. both are worthy and deserving artists.


Brian

It was interesting to read back through this thread because Kris Allen flew completely under the radar until the final 10. Some early folks didn't even include him in there top 54 and later 36. There was buzz about Adam before he even went to Hollywood. Matt, Anoop, Lil Round and Danny were all mentioned early and often. Nary a peep about Kris- and now he could take it all. My first post on this thread was when the field was narrowed down to three groups of 12. I wrote:

"Just for the fun of it I would like to make a prediction. Because this guy's voice seems to not have a limit, and because he looks like Elvis a little, and because watching him reminds one of a concert instead of an audition (Paula's observation), I will put my money on Adam Lambert. While other contestants are trying to find their "stuff", this guy has so much of it that he has to notch it down".

I think what happened is that Kris grew. He did find his "stuff". I think Allison did to, and she is the one that I would have liked to see on top.

I'll probably stick to my prediction but I want Kris to win.
It is interesting that no one, myself included, could see Kris in the top 10 much less in the finals for so long. He reminded me of a nice college kid who likes to sing at the local campus coffee house on the weekends. It turns out that he has a songwriter's instinct about "message". He may be the most connected to the material he sings. Adam impressed me because he is always so respectful of the musicians and writers. America got it right I think. Stick Allison there in the middle and you have the cream of the crop.

You couldn't see "Kris" in the finals because you'd never seen or heard of him. He didn't get the background push that Danny got. Danny was only there in the final 5 because of that. Sure, he sang well, but was boring boring boring. The same can be said of the partially blind guy who was an embarrassment.

AI are masters of manipulation. From the subtle (like which key weeks to do which genres of music) to the performance order of the show, to the clearly staged judges comments meant to push the right buttons (sometimes harsh criticism can help as much as praise if done at the right times). But their ultimate weapon is how much face time people get pre-Top 12. Danny and the partially blind guy got way more than Kris ever did.

I wasn't a huge fan of Kris from the tiny amount of footage I was allowed to see. I wish they would put clips at least of the Hollywood week contestants up so folks could really see them. But they like this sort of invisible unless you're paying attention manipulation and it has worked well for them over the years (in their minds). Sadly, I think if they were more balanced with their converage, they might have better results at the end. They are lucky this year that they had a handful of really good singers that didn't collapse under the pressure. Lil Rounds and Scott were the two worst in the Top 10. (Not even mentioning the people that finished 13th, 12th and 11th.. all were pretty terrible). They left several true talents by the side of the road after Hollywood week was over and they were picking the final 13. We'll never know why exactly. The girl that finished 13th was totally a set up. She was cute and looked like an already famous actress but couldn't sing AT ALL. In the end, they found 4-5 really talented singers/performers, out of the 100K or whatever the number was that they auditioned. You decide if that was enough or not.


Brian

Adam Lambert doing Sam Cook (a change is gonna come)- that pretty much sealed the deal tonight I thought. The song, was chosen in 2007 by the Library of Congress to join the National Recording Registry and voted the #12 Greatest Song of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2005

Lambert's last song, written by kara and some accomplices, wasn't very good, but he had two good performances and Kris had only one good one. Unfortunately Kris sung last and couldn't hit the high notes which was too much of a contrast to the easy way Adam hit his notes.

It's not over until the contracts are all signed. I would bet that Kris will have the better first album and Adam will have the biggest concert tour.

Hi Samuel,
Those were pretty much my thoughts also.I was thinking if I was to go out and buy a CD,it would probably be Kris's,but If I were going to a concert,Adam would be the better performer.

I wasnt really impressed with Kara's song.and it kinda reminded me(lyrically)of miley cyrus's new song.

I guess it could go either way tomorrow night.It would seem after tonights performances that Adfam would have sealed the deal,but there is the chance that Kris will now be getting all of Danny's votes also.

IMO both finalists have their own strengths, and a lot of appeal. Vocally the match has to go to Adam, he has fantastic range, power, and terrific mastery of his instrument - and he sings from the heart. I think Kris is original, is musically talented, and has a lot of artistry. No matter who wins, if they have their heads on straight and use the exposure effectively, both will have long careers. My vote is for Adam.

At this point, I don't think it really matters who will win. They've both proven what they can do, and likely they both will have good recording contracts. Being the winner of AI hasn't proven that you will get a better deal than the first-place loser.
I think Kris will win though, most likely because he gets Danny's votes.

And the winner is......


KRIS ALLEN!!!

Big upset I think...would've preferred Adam myself, but they'll both do well. The finale show was actually pretty decent, a lot of big names showing up.

Great season!!

Beth

You can all bet I was pretty hopping-up-and-down excited when Queen came out of the fog to back up Adam and Kris on "We Are the Champions." :-)

We picked Kris to win in our house because he would get Danny's leftover votes. Adam seems to be polarizing. You either love him (we do) or you can't stand him.

I felt all season that AI somehow caught a REALLY BIG FISH in their net when Adam auditioned.

And I'm with Brian on the "not-so-subtle" manipulations they pull too - why not REALLY let America vote - from Hollywood week? Let them get even coverage. It's so skewed. Skip the zany goofy bad auditions - I mean, if they were TRULY SCREENING FOR TALENT ONLY at these auditions these horrible singers would not get in front of Paula and Simon et al in the first place. It is for the sake of TV drama and that's all. (Which I hate: they're messing with people's lives, hopes and dreams here - but I digress)

I'm happy Kris won.
I think he'll need the publicity more than Adam will.
I also think Kris was truly shocked. Adam held his composure really, really well and I was pleased to see that he was such a good sport about it. (Then again, with his 17 years of actor's training, he may just know not to break character. Who is the REAL Adam Lambert - do we know that yet?)

And Simon looked decidedly ticked.

I hope that not-winning, actually, gives Adam a more fair artist contract than he may have gotten with the win.

Let's see where they go from here, what kind of songs they write or sing. Then again, Adam could sing about his favorite tomato and I'd listen to him.

I'm excited to see where Allison goes from here, too. I have my fingers crossed she and Adam will record a heavy-duty rock album together. Hehe, with Queen backing them up. We haven't seen rock voices like this emerge since the 70s. IMHO.

In the back of my head though I'm wondering if there was some sort of a secret-audition where they've been sending scouts out to make SURE they have great talent on the show in the finals.... I'm skeptical that way....

Onward -

Linda

PS - Sub, I'm with you on the song choices - I'd like to see the LIST they had to pick from. And HELP them, for pity's sake. Allison definitely could have knocked "Barracuda" out of the park. It was cool to see her perform with Cyndi Lauper tonight - but man - neat as it was to see and hear Cyndi looking and sounding so great - I would have preferred to see her with Heart. I haven't heard a voice like hers since Ann & Nancy took the stage. WOW.

Actually Linda, Fergie sang with Ann Wilson last year on AI and Fergie not only held her own, but actually upstaged Ann on Barracuda and from that moment on, I was a Fergie fan whereas before that I thought she was just the hot chick in Black Eyed Peas.

I thought the show was throroughly entertaining start to finish. They FINALLY stopped taking themselves too seriously. They had a lot of humor, they brought back the two most talented and dramatic rejects who were both funny and had no problem making fun of themselves, and they even brought out Steve Martin who made two of the forgettable losers look and sound excellent. (I will actually buy his album now because of it.. I was already a Steve Martin fan anyway).

The best moment of the night was KISS in full regalia. That was AWESOME. Also, one of my least favorite contestants Lil Rounds did a nice job with Queen Latifah.. neither sang well, but they entertained well and I really liked the song they sang (is that Queen Latifah's new release or what?). The Keith Urban match up with Kris was good but it was interesting to see how much more comfortable Keith Urban is with his stage presence. But Kris will quickly catch up I think.

Was it an upset? Not really. The reason is that it was predictable that the fans of Adam's arch rival would mostly go to Kris. Had Adam been paired against anyone else, he would have won. Danny's fans are the reason Kris won. They "slayed the dragon" so to speak and voted against Adam more than for Kris.

But both were deserving. I actually think Adam needed AI more than Kris. Ironically I think it may hurt Kris in the long run. He's a much better dark horse than leading man.

Adam should join Queen and go on tour. He's perfectly suited to replace Freddie from a vocal and stage presence point of view. I was sad to see only 2 members of Queen remaining. Though they wrote a lot of the songs (Guitarist and Drummer).

The vocals through the night were not the best ever, but as entertainment it was by far the most entertaining live show I have seen on TV since the last Farewell tour of Cher years back. (That was the best live show on TV I have ever seen).

Good for AI for using their power to put together not just a star studded line up, but well thought out entertainment finale. I was a little disappointed that Alison didn't get a big rock song to sing, but did anyone else notice she was by FAR the most enthusiastic person on stage all night no matter what she was doing? Imagine just turing 17 and being featured in the middle of all that. WOW.

Kudos to AI. The season never seemed as good as it should have been but the finale was worth it all by far.

Brian

Steve Martin had John McEuen accompanying on the mandolin. John taught Steve the banjo and is most famous for his work with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
I wasn't shocked when I saw KISS, but it was a highlight for me too. By that point in the show, I began noticing that the outfits and songs performed suggested who would appear next. Adam's weird wings made me immediately think of Kiss (I guess singing "Beth" helped too), but the costumes played a big part. Speaking of costumes, I loved Ryan's comment about what Bikini Girl had been up to (as she showed off her new implants).
I thought it was great to see a more uncommon instrument (the mountain dulcimer) being used. Cyndi was really playing it too, but I think they faded her playing out towards the end, as Paul Jackson Jr. was stronger on guitar.
Overall, an extremely entertaining show - AND I'm glad Linda got to see the new Adam-ized Queen.

It was a thoroughly entertaining show, and we really enjoyed it...I think Adam is better off in 2nd career wise, as I believe he's only under 19 entertainment's wings for one year...the winner is in for SEVEN. Kelly Clarkson just got realeased from hers ! I think Adam is a PERFECT replacement for Freddie Mercury... Queen could actually make a comeback with Adam...Paul Rogers never fit with them IMHO...Hopefully Kris will grow into the "idol" tag and prove Brian wrong about being better at being the dark horse than the winner...He's a very humble and nice guy, and I hope that is works out that way...winning has NO correlation to success in terms of idol...just getting in the public eye by finishing in the top 6 or so is enough

Carlos Santana, Kiss, Black Eyed Peas, Keith Urban, Lionel Richie, Cindy Lauper and a surprisingly nice sound from Steve Martin performing with Megan Joy (tatoo arm girl) and Michael Sarver (oil rigger cowboy).

I skipped Rod Stewart so I don't know if he was good or not (just overexposed)- but overall, a good night for music.

It got outrageous when Karla surprised bikini girl and showed her how to sing and then stripped off her clothes revealing a bikini of her own- which I think completely embarrassed her because she kept trying to put the package back in the wrap.

A splendid time was had by all and of course Henry the horse danced the waltz- that would probably be "Norman Gentle".

Oh - that's right, Brian, Fergie did sing with Ann - I forgot about that. I guess I've never been as impressed with her as I've been, watching Allison (could be the songs she chooses to sing, though, I just don't like her stuff much).

I think Adam would be PERFECT with Queen too. Brian May is quoted somewhere as saying they never wanted to "replace" Freddie, since you just can't replace him anyway - and that with Paul Rodgers they felt a chemistry and enjoy working together. I like Paul - he *can* sing - but Adam feels like a much better fit overall for the frontman slot.

BTW - in case any of you didn't know - Queen has a new album out with Paul Rodgers, with all-new songs, "The Cosmos Rocks." It's a hit in the UK but isn't getting any airtime here, although there's some good singles on it. They never really "left" fame in England to have to 'come back' to - over there, they're second only to the Beatles. Just huge. They sold out a 4-month European tour last fall. Here in the US, they pretty much flopped after the Brit-humor video for "I Want to Break Free" failed to go over with US audiences.

FYI - for Brian Whitney et al on Queen post-Freddie's passing - Brian May & Roger Taylor are left active with the band, picking up Paul Rodgers as a third plus a solid set of musicians that tour with them. John Deacon (bass) is formally retired and it's a bit of a mystery where he is or what he does these days, but the word is that their current stuff has his approval - he just wants to be retired. (I can't imagine leaving music behind like that, but, that's me. Shrug.)

Anyway, I'd love to see what they could write with Adam. IF they went for it - which is doubtful, I suppose. Nice to know they've met, though. :-) One can dream.

Linda

i enjoyed both shows and the superstar line up
Think Adam is the better singer but Kris got more teen girl votes because he's cuter.
I'm curious how everybody's CDs are going to do, I'm sure at least 6 maybe more of this seasons will make a CD.

One friend said she bet's Kris' Cd will be easier to listen to.
Curious to see what's going to be on Adam's.
Bet Kara's gonna to get a bunch of cuts on this crop of albums.

Now the real game begins.

ande

...late to the party. Been out of town (and gigging a lot) and didn't even get to watch the recorded show until Sunday.

I can't think of a better finale than what they ended up with. I enjoyed everything except the Black-Eyed Peas...and Rod Stewart was drugged up or something - he kept tripping on stage.

Other than that...Queen, KISS, Cyndi Lauper, Keith Urban, Lionel Ritchie, Carlos Santana, Steve Martin, Norman Gentle, Bikini Girl (Katrina something) with an enhancement she didn't need IMHO, and Kara letting us hear a nice set of pipes as well as showing a nice six-pack stomach herself, and the whiney Tatiana, all made a very entertaining show. I think it had better overall talent than many of the Grammy shows I've seen. I'm glad I have my Tuesdays and Wednesdays back, and am looking forward to seeing if we'll have the same judge lineup next year.

they shoulda done the contest
no boundaries
Kara's 'Idol' Champ Tune Cut From Tour
http://www.popeater.com/music/article/american-idol-tour-kara-dioguardi/

good, it was NOT a good song