Idol Inspiration

Doris — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:22:14 -0500

I was not really impressed with the song choices. I loved Jason, but I really like his charm and his song choice seemed to be right on.

Carly - I like her voice, but her facial expressions seem off. At least that is what I think it is. She never seems to look right.

I was less then inspired this week.

Doris

Hell's Kitchen WAS way more interesting this week than Idol

Elise Bauer — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:17:50 -0500

Hell's Kitchen WAS way more interesting this week than Idol, have to agree with Lynn. I agree with Simon that Carly is in danger. It simply wasn't a good performance.

Brooke over-sang "You've got a friend". Not a good choice of song. I think it's hard to do that one in a way that would knock out the audience.

Kristy actually did do a good gob. Still finding it hard to like her though, she bores me to tears.

Jason sang IZ's Over the Rainbow just a little too fast. I wanted him to slow down and nurse the song a bit more. This is one of my favorite all time songs, the way that Iz does it. I really like Jason, he's unusual, can sing, and has a great spirit. Don't think he has the range to be the Idol winner though.

David A. has the most extraordinary voice, I want to hear anything he sings. Last night I was waiting for him to get up from the piano, take the mike, sing to the audience, and really let it out. He finished beautifully, but I have to agree most of the song was a little on the low and soft side for him.

Why did Syesha have to do Fantasia's song? Didn't she watch Idol last year? Someone from that group did Fantasia's song with the same result. You just end up getting compared to Fantasia, and unless your version is completely different, it just isn't going to work.

I disagree with you about Michael. I love watching him perform. Sort of a cheesy song, but he's so easy on the eyes. I thought he pulled off the song well.

Elise Bauer

Simply Recipes

Learning Movable Type

I stopped watching

blackdomesticgoddess — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:08:49 -0500

I stopped watching Idol when Taylor Hicks won.

Boring, I agree.

thegoddess

www.blackdomesticgoddess.com

Boring.

coolpiggyz — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:43:04 -0500

Boring, boring, boring. The best part is watching Hell's Kitchen after Idol.

Lynn K.

"After the Dust Settles" http://korfforiginals.com/blog.html

American Idol Recap: The Top 8 Inspire...eye rolls, that is

Elisa Camahort — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:05:48 -0500

Can I just point out that this is a really dark and morose group, if we judge by which songs they think are "inspirational." I knew I liked them for a reason.

OK, I'm all for charitable programs, obviously (have you donated to our BlogHers Act/Global Giving program yet, have you?) but why should they necessarily be accompanied by treacly music? Seriously, a night of "songs of inspiration" was not filling me with joyful anticipation. Does that make me a bad person?

I'm happy to say that several of the Idols picked off-the-beaten-path inspirational songs, so it wasn't quite as horrific as I was expecting.

1. Michael sang Dream On

Dream On? See, I wouldn't have picked it as an inspirational song, even if the chorus exhorts us to "Dream On, dream until your dreams come true." Michael's problem wasn't that the song didn't really qualify as that inspiring, it's that he is not that inspiring of a performer. He has a nice voice, he goes for it on the falsetto, but he's about 80% on, and just enough off to notice it. And he just didn't put a lot of emotion into the performance. To the point that they spent more time showing the guitarist than Michael.

Bottom line: I keep waiting for Michael to be at risk because he is good, but not graet.

2. Syesha sang I Believe

Last week Whitney, this week Fantasia. Syesha is on a suicide mission. I loved what the judges said about Fantasia...I loved that while they usually bring up how unconnected and uncommitted the contestants can be, that they pointed out that that is what makes Fantasia a star. That being said, I thought this was Syesha's best performance yet. She may not be Fantasia, but she did connect to the material in her own way...and even succeeded in making the song "her own" a bit. She did have a couple of pitch issues, but they didn't overly concern me. But yeah, she's going to pale in comparison, which is why it was a fairly stupid choice.

Bottom line: Back to the Bottom 3 for Syesha?

3. Jason sang the Israel Kamakawiiwo'ole version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, complete with ukulele

Jason totally screwed up the lyrics on this, but it mattered not one bit. No, it did not bring something new to the Jason table. No, he didn't stretch himself or show more power. But it was sweet and soulful and moving...and that is what Jason does best.

Bottom line: I think he probably regained some footing with this performance.

4. Kristy Lee sang Anyway (Martina McBride)

Well, much as I hate to admit it...I liked this. This was definitely her best performance yet. I believed her. I liked her. And I never thought I'd say that. I will say that you could tell she had a lot of emotion when singing it, and in that second verse that she called out specifically, that high emotion actually drove her off pitch a bit. But she got it back under control and delivered a mature and admirable performance. No, she's not some wild, new talent, but she's certainly as competent as some of the other Idols (hello? Kelli Picker?) who have gone on to record country albums successfully.

Bottom line: She could be safe with this one, but she still ain't gonna win.

5. David C. sang Innocent (by Our Ladies of Peace)

OK, this was just a weird mis-step after several weeks of stellar performances. The beginning was just garbled and confusing, and he looked incredibly uncomfortable and inauthentic. He had some great vocal moments, because he really does have a nice, facile voice. But I did not get this at all.

Bottom line: I think his previous weeks of kicking ass should keep him out of the Bottom 3, but this really was an inaccessible performance.

6. Carly sang The Show Must Go On (Queen)

Another "inspirational" song that was kind of hostile and angry. Strange choice. And yes, her outfit was better, but by no means has she achieved fashion nirvana...not with those high-waisted pants. So, this was another weird one I didn't get. Her furrowed brow of concern was back and prominently displayed, and in fact the whole last section was pitchy and pretty terrible.

Bottom line: I think this earns Carly a trip to the Bottom 3 for the first time in a while.

7. David A. sang Angels

Well, if this is one of the great pop songs (which I don't really agree it is) you certainly wouldn't know it from this performance. Bland, too low in his range. The ending was indeed awesome, but it took a long time to get there.

Bottom line: Could David A. end up in the Bottom? Somehow I doubt it, but it wouldn't be undeserved.

8. Brooke sang You've Got a Friend

The arrangement was loungy and cheesy. Her vocal breaks, which can sound charming, were happening every other note, which got distracting, and she seemed so over-emotional and sad that the song seemed anything but inspirational. Worst of al it was boring and predictable. nothing new was found in this song. Is the bloom off the Brooke?

Bottom line: I'd put her at risk, because it was, as they like to say: Forgettable.

Bottom line for the Bottom 3:

If it were me, the Bottom 3 would be:
Brooke, Carly and Syesha, and I would personally send Brooke home, because as Evil Willow would say: Bored Now.

But I have no illusions that this will happen.

If I had to predict I'd say the Bottom 3 will be:
Carly, Syesha and Michael??? (We gotta get a guy in there don't we?)

And Syesha's luck may have run out?

What do you think?

BlogHer - American Idol Recap: The Top 8 Inspire...eye rolls, that is - Comments

Idol Inspiration

Hell's Kitchen WAS way more interesting this week than Idol

I stopped watching

Boring.

American Idol Recap: The Top 8 Inspire...eye rolls, that is