This is going to be brief because I'm tired. We've been working our tail ends off around here and we're beat. Also, my inbox has grown to over 100 emails. I owe some of you emails. They're coming. We're mostly just swamped.
JUDGES' PICKS
Danny's 1st song - I think Terrence Trent D'arby was a good choice but that song, not so much. It was okay but nothing memorable. In fact, I already forgot it.
Kris's 1st song - Loved it. Those first two judges are sometimes deaf to talent and style. I heard his originality in the song and I love his voice and easy manner.
Adam's 1st song - I didn't like the arrangement. I was so excited when Simon named the song ("One" by U2) but it was too Broadway and too far from the original. You know on his second song, Adam said he didn't change it up much because the original is so good. I wish he'd thought the same of One. Love the song, didn't like the performance or arrangement all that much.
CONTESTANTS' PICKS (Clearly they're better at this than the judges)
Danny's 2nd song - Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful?" Brilliant choice. Perfectly suited to Danny's voice. Well done. Loved it.
Kris's 2nd song - HOLY MOSES it was good. HOLY MOSES! I LOVED IT! I would buy his album in a heartbeat. Like Mark says, he's the most relevant of the 3. And I love that song 2 was a big "in your face" to Randy and Kara -- why didn't he do the first song with an acoustic guitar? That's why. Kris rules. He played sans band. Who does that?! And it was awesome. I loved it. And for those keeping score at home -- Kris played piano and then guitar. The other two did not play instruments. I know it's a singing competition, but I'm just sayin' . . .
Adam's 2nd song - AWESOME. True rocker. Love it. We have no one like him nowadays. Excellent. Well done.
Best to worst:
Kris's 2nd song
Adam's 2nd song
Danny's 2nd song
Kris's 1st song
Adam's 1st song
Danny's 1st song
Do you see a trend? I'm hoping for a Kris-Adam finale. :) And, as of right now, I think Kris may be my favorite.
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8 comments:
I agree wholeheartedly. Adam, I felt like I was watching "U2: The Musical." Kris was the best of the night. Danny was solid as usual. I'm really glad we weren't subjected to Clive Davis choices this year--we'd just get to hear songs that have been overdone and that don't have anything challenging to them.
And what was with Kara this week?! She was insane!
Yeah, One started out pretty good and then he TOTALLY lost me.
I'm really hoping for a Kris/Adam finale, but I'm worried Kris will get the shaft because there is no justice in the world.
I think Kara's found Paula's pain killer stash.
Adam – Refer back to my last analysis of this one-dimensional artist. However, he did cut back on the camera gazing. If I were Simon I would be so angry that after I just announced to the American Idol world I got special permission from one of the greatest bands of all time, to use one of their best songs, Adam butchers it. I know my wife disagrees on the butchering but she’s wrong. He ruined it. It’s a good thing that U2 isn’t a one hit wonder because they would be screwed with some arrogant contestant tampering with something that didn’t need tampering.
Kris – His version of Heartless proved why it wouldn’t be mistake for him to win. He took a song that has been redone by Kanye West and is currently getting a ton of air time, and made his sound like Kanye got the idea from Kris. One of the few times I agreed with Randy (see below). Kara’s choice for him was like a set-up. She picks a song she knows is already close to his style. He has a solid, not great, performance. Kara then tells him that she didn’t want him behind the piano and he needed to do something else. Her feedback should have been, “I really just want you and everyone else not named Adam to give up.”
Danny – Once again set-up by the judges. He had no chance to sound great with their choice. His choice and arrangement proved why he wouldn’t be a mistake to win.
Randy – I’m convinced that the Randy we see on T.V. is in fact the greatest robot ever created. His comments are the same each year. He probably just recorded two positive comments and two negative comments and uploaded them into the robot. If it’s not a robot why does he even show up. Just become a behind the scenes producer like he is for MTV’s, America’s Best Dance Crew.
Kara – She might have great success as a song writer but she has no business being up there as a judge. Seriously, she gets defensive of her song choice for Kris because he didn’t “make the song his own.” That phrase should be banned from American Idol. What the hell does she want him to do with it? Don’t pick a song that is already in his genre and expect him make drastic changes to it. Why would she expect him to go away from his strengths? Adam never does and he gets his ego stroked week in and week out. You can’t fault him for trying to play on an equal field as his competition. And what’s with her vain attempts to argue with Simon. She’s not going to “win” with him. I swear the only reason Simon doesn’t fire her is because her temper tantrums help with the ratings.
Paula – We all know she’s intoxicated and most likely illiterate. Next time she has to read her notes (written by someone else) she’ll struggle with the big words like, “the” or “song”. I don’t think she would bother me so much if the camera didn’t gravitate to her horrible dancing while the contestants are singing. Why do the people at American Idol think we care about her getting into the song? If they’re going to have shots of anyone other than the contestant while singing, it should be either the band or the audience.
Simon - Was there really a need for Simon to explain that he had to ask permission from U2 to use the song? Simon doesn’t need permission from any musician to use a song. No band in their right mind is going to get mad because Simon Freakin’ Cowell chose their song to be sung by the front-runner of American Idol. Is he really running out of ways to tell everyone how cool he is? The sad thing is Simon is the only judge who is actually judging.
Why is there such a double standard when it comes to Adam and the rest of the contestants? Apparently Adam can do no wrong. I’ll admit that he is vocally talented in the rock genre. But is this all he has to offer? Can he arrange anything beyond the starting low, slowly working his way up to screaming, desperately trying to keep his tongue from falling out, quickly working back to quite tones? I didn’t think so. The Adam we saw last night was the same Adam from week one. No progression, no evolution. Once again he is talented but he’ll be on VH1’s One Hit Wonders of the 2000’s if he doesn’t learn that there is more than just his “RockWay”. That’s right, I said, RockWay. It’s lame but so’s his face. Thank you John Dorian. Overall he doesn’t take risks but he gets praised all the time. Kris and Danny are constantly taking risks and get nailed for it. The sad thing is they are both (especially Kris) better musicians than Adam. Yeah, the show claims to be about the singing but half the comments from the judges have nothing to do with the singing. I swear the judges got together in Vegas one weekend and put down larges amounts of cash on Adam winning this thing. I think they realize that Kris should be the one winning and regret placing the bet. So now they’re forced to praise him and tear down Kris and Danny. And please don’t get caught up in who “deserves” to win. All that any contestant deserves on the show is equal constructive criticism from all the judges. And it’s so one sided I don’t know how the show still has any credibility. I’ll just enjoy VH1’s One Hit Wonders ten years from now. I just hope they do it “Pop-Up Video” style.
Final thought – Adam is like the big cigarette company and the judges are like the lobbyists who payoff congressmen. Think about it for a second. The only good thing about American Idol is knowing that as soon as it’s over, So You Think You Can Dance? starts up.
Ohhh Mr. Foltron, that was good. I completely agree. Adam is a one pony show. There is nothing more to him. I have only been watching the past 4 weeks and I see no difference in his performance. Plus, I don't care to see his tonsils. Why does the guy throw his tongue out so much? It is getting old for me. What he does, he does well, but is that all there is to it?
Kris is fabulous and he has the whole package. A guy who has talent like that deserves to win. He has the likes of Daughtry, meaning he is more than just singing, he has pure talent. Actually, it might work better for him if he gets voted off now. That way he can break his ties from AI and pull in the real cash. Is the free Ford the only incentive to win this thing or have they brought in a flat screen TV as well?
I was writing Danny off until his last performance. Wow, that guy can sing. If he was in any other season he would be it. Come on, Ruben Studdard? Seriously. Danny has talent but he is forgettable in comparison. Paula should pay for his elimination. That first pick sucked. Although Danny did the best with what he could.
Also, what was really going on between Paula and Simon when Danny's judging was finished? Honestly, that would have been good for the ratings.
Wow peeps. I don't think I can say anything else. I agree that all of the 2nd songs were much better! I think I even got a little teary with Danny's. So tender. But I LOVED Kris' performance. That is major guts to go out there with only a guitar at this point. Fabulous.
The reason that Mr. Foltron made a huge comment is because I refused to debate it all with him last night. I just told him that my brain hurt and I couldn't handle it. Sorry you all had to suffer the consequence of my sore brain! hehe...
For Foltron: I too am sick of the tongue hanging out. Also, I LOVE pop-up video! ;)
I think I am leaning toward Kris myself - I never would have thought that a few weeks ago, but like some of your other commenters said, Adam is very one-dimensional, and the more he sings the more you realize it. I'd probably be much more likely to buy a Kris album than an Adam album!!!
Man Greg, you're on a roll. Hilarious.
Okay, I'm way behind here, but I want to comment.
Greg, I agree with most of paragraph #1 though I think "butchers" is a bit extreme and I would not call Adam a one-dimensional artist. I was sorely disappointed in his version of U2's One. UGH.
Your paragraph on Kara? SPOT ON. Especially this part: "Don’t pick a song that is already in his genre and expect him make drastic changes to it. Why would she expect him to go away from his strengths?" Amen, brother (in law)!
I must disagree on Paula, though. I'd much rather see her dance than those drones in the audience.
See, and Simon? I think he does the least amount of *musical* judging and way more $$ what sells $$ kind of judging.
As for Adam and his apparent lack of evolution . . . that's what's hard about people that are already good (reference Ruben-Clay), if they don't seem to "get better" each week, we think they're lame and boring when really, they're "already there" and that's why we see little progression. Doesn't mean they're not good. It means they're already good. And consistent. But I love your John Dorian reference just the same. :)
I agree re: the Vegas betting, but I think they had their money on Danny. Idiots.
As for SYTYCD, I've not ever gotten into it. I've tried, but I get bored by it very quickly. Is there a secret to getting hooked? Maybe I don't try long enough (I hate the early weeks of Idol with the stupid bad auditions, but I stick it out because I love the competition part).
Jessica, I'm glad you weren't up for the debate because I heart Greg tirades.
All excellent comments. I love having fellow Idol groupies!
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