It's a new week so it's time for another recap of last night's American Idol performances. We're one week later than last week because of President Obama's address to Congress on Tuesday. Either way, we still get two shows this week. It's another week of songs from the Billboard Top 100 from any year, apparently. So the contestants have a wide selection of songs to pick from. One thing I am definitely liking this year over last is the choice of contemporary songs in the semi-final round. That was sorely lacking last season and it's nice they've done an about-change in season eight. As for this week, I am liking a few changes they have made since the last performance show. The parents/friends are in the audience instead of up on the balcony - so we aren't getting any overly excessive chatter once the performances have concluded. Also, there weren't nearly as many camera flaws or production errors. It appears they have most, if not all of their ducks in a row. So, on with the review!
Jasmine Murray - "Love Song" : I do enjoy her choice in this contemporary song, especially one that allowed Sara Bareilles to become a break-out star. As for Jasmine, it doesn't start out all that great. In using Randy's term, it was very pitchy in spots. It seemed to get better as the performance moved along but yet I don't believe this was the right song choice for her. It was just an okay performance; certainly did not blow me away. As she's proven during her audition and in Hollywood week, she can sing. She just needs to pick the right song that really shows off her vocal ability. "Love Song" doesn't allow Jasmine to do that. I will say this, her stage presence is very good and she appeared very confident.
Matt Giraud - "Viva La Vida" : Up next we have Michigan's very own Matt Giraud, so you know I am rooting for him to do well. I am a bit worried, however, because he picks such a well-known contemporary song that was one of the top songs for the year in 2008. I don't know if it's exactly the kind of song that shows off Matt's vocal abilities. In fact, I think it may be too big of a song for him. He's trying to do too much with the song; trying to deliver an epic and memorable performance. Honestly, it falls short for me. Like the judges, I find him most appealing when he's behind a piano doing the more soulful stuff. Why haven't we seen any contestants playing instruments in the semi-finals anyways? They were allowed to last season - so why not now? Anyways, I am rather disappointed for Matt.
Jeanine Vailes - "This Love" : Another of those contestants that we know absolutely nothing about! It was Ricky last week and now Jeanine this week. Well, we do know she's a bartender. Big whoop. She's 28 and apparently she's been waiting all her life for an opportunity like this. Let's see if she can deliver. Nope; not gonna happen. I think Maroon 5 is a fabulous group, but this is the wrong song for Jeanine. She just blew her big shot at a music career. Back to being a bartender, I'm afraid. It's a train wreck right from the start. She's all over with the notes and towards the end, she wasn't either above or below the actual notes. I think she was trying to do way too much with the song in the later half. It just doesn't sound good at all. Oh well, at least she has great looking legs!
Nick Mitchell - "And I am Telling You" : This guy is an absolute clown, but I have to admit, he's hilarious. The whole banter between him and Simon during Nick's audition was hysterical. Plus, when he's not being comedic, he can actually sing. He has a good singing voice somewhere behind the hysterics. I am actually hoping the real Nick Mitchell shows up and not Normund Gentle - because this is where things get serious and a person needs to show off how well they can sing. Ah well, he doesn't follow my advice and he's doing the Normund routine. Even though this is a competition to find America's next break-out music star, Nick is kind of refreshing. Although this isn't the right show for him (try "America's Got Talent" instead), he certainly is a memorable figure and makes the show interesting whenever he happens to be on. Again, very funny stuff.
Allison Iraheta - "Alone" : She is very young; not even 17 yet! She doesn't seem all that confident in herself and appears to be quite nervous. And ouch, right off the bat she's picking the classic Heart song that has been covered countless number of time's on the Idol stage. So I am definitely nervous for her. Will her performance even be comparable to Carrie Underwood's or Gina Glocksen's? I don't necessarily believe it was as good as Carrie's version (and honestly, who's ever will?), but it was still very good. She may not seem all that confident during interviews, but on that stage, she's a powerful singer. Now that is how to do a performance during the semi-finals. Allison has the best performance of the night so far and she should earn a spot in this season's top 12.
Kris Allen - "Man in the Mirror" : Uh oh; not another Michael Jackson song! It didn't work out very well for Stephen Fowler last week; we'll see if it's any different for Kris this week. He's another contestant we don't know much about so he'll definitely have to kick it into high gear and sing for his life, otherwise he has no shot. I really didn't care how the song starts - and it's not really Kris's fault for that because that is how the song is. He has a few pitch problems here and there but his performance improves as the song moves along. Despite the interesting song choice, Kris doesn't do that badly with it. I just wish the song would've been a lot stronger in the beginning, otherwise Kris would've had more of a fighting chance. I wasn't blown away by it, but it ends up being the best male vocal so far.
Megan Joy Corkrey - "Put Your Records On" : I really like her and hope she does well. I agree with Paula's assessment that she looks great on camera. She has a very unique sound to her and I am absolutely digging this song choice for Megan. I would agree that her stage presence does need work; she's fidgety and does some odd twists. However, her singing isn't bad. Again, it's not spectacular vocal-wise but she did a decent job with it. The song fits her vocal abilities but some of the notes, especially in the higher range were off at times. But I thought she provided one of the more shining moments during the show than what we've seen so far.
Matt Breitzke - "If You Can Only See" : I think the contestant's have been picking great songs; yet in most cases, they are not the right songs for them, per se. It was another example of that for Matt. I really enjoy this Tonic song but Matt's rendition was pretty bland. I just wasn't jumping up and down with it and although he can sing, as we've seen during Hollywood week, it just didn't live up to its potential. He should've chosen a song that shows off more of his vocal prowess. I would agree with the judges that he hit all of the right notes in the song, however, the song doesn't have a real big range to it. It also would've helped if was a higher energy song, too. Would've helped his chances in advancing to the top 12 some.
Jesse Langseth - "Bette Davis Eyes" : Prior to the episode where the top 36 were chosen, we didn't know much about Jesse. However, at least we know more of her history than we do for Jeanine and Kris. It appears she has been singing for awhile and is waiting for a big break. Maybe Idol will help her out. When I first heard her performance of "Bette Davis Eyes," I wasn't all that impressed. However, after listening back to it a couple of different times, it's grown on me. Like we've seen many times so far in group two, I wasn't blown away by it but vocally it was quite good and it definitely had its moments. Again, could she have picked a song that had more of a range? Yes, but she did quite well with what she chose.
Kai Kalama - "What Becomes of a Broken Hearted" : So after all of the contemporary songs the contestant's have chosen so far during the performance night, Kai's pick is the song with the oldest track record. As Paula said, he seems to like the older songs more, which might be why he performs them the most. However, he says he's a contemporary guy, but we probably won't be able to see that side from him after this performance. He definitely comes across as an old fashioned guy. Again, I am not blown away by it. It's just average and I'm actually bored. He could've picked a Bee Gees song or something with a little more energy - if he wants to sway towards the throw-back songs. Another disappointment from someone with high potential.
Mishavonna Henson - "Drops of Jupiter" : Back on the contemporary train (no pun intended) and Mishavonna picks a good one. However, it's not a good choice for her performance. It's not really a vocally powerful song and the performance becomes rather bland to me. I mean, she can definitely sing and I feel quite bad for her because she has been in the Idol competition for two year's running and it's going to fall short for her again. I liked it more once it picked up tempo half-way through but still not as spectacular as I was hoping. Again, if she could've chosen a song more fitting to her style, she'd definitely be a lock for a spot into the top 12, if not the wildcard. I still believe she's going to fall well short of contention.
Adam Lambert - "Satisfaction" : You know, I haven't been a big fan of Adam thus far in the competition. I thought he's been too dramatic, over-the-top and yes, too theatrical. However, I think the tide is beginning to turn and he became more likable for me tonight. "Satisfaction" is definitely a high-energy song and it'll get everyone up off their feet. During the performance, he's a little shouty at times but he's certainly having a good time on stage. I agree with Kara in that he has a phenominal vocal range - you don't see many guys who can sing with such an amazing falsetto. No surprise here; he's a shoo-in for top male vocal in group two.
So, who sang the best and the worst during the top 36 - group two performance night? Well, here's how I rank them:
Top Six Male Performers:
1.) Adam Lambert
2.) Kris Allen
3.) Matt Giraud
4.) Matt Breitzke
5.) Kai Kalama
6.) Nick Mitchell
Top Six Female Performers:
1.) Allison Iraheta
2.) Megan Joy Corkery
3.) Jesse Langseth
4.) Mishavonna Henson
5.) Jasmine Murray
6.) Jeanine Vailes
Who'll be advancing to the top 12? Here are my picks:
M - Adam Lambert
F - Allison Iraheta
M - Matt Giraud
Be sure to enjoy tonight's results! Despite the corny group performances, it's always a high intensity show. See you again next week!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Lake Effect Snow
Lake Effect Snow is a phenomena that happens in only select regions of the world. Obviously, you need a big body of water, such as a lake, for it to occur. The right conditions need to be met in order for heavy snow to fall, which happened over a week ago on the lee side of Lake Superior in central Upper Michigan. Other notable record snow events have occurred in the past in cities like Sault Ste. Marie, MI; Grand Rapids, MI; and Buffalo, NY. In the winter time, the Great Lakes are known for producing epic amounts of snow. But you don't necessarily need a big lake for lake effect to occur. The Great Salt Lake in Utah is a relatively small lake in comparison to the Great Lakes; yet it has been known as an ample-enough body of water to produce lake effect snow in the right condition. Hudson Bay in Canada is a large body of water that can produce lake effect snows, but it freezes up rather quickly in the winter time, so there's only a small amount of time early in the season for lake effect to occur up there. There is also such a thing as ocean-effect snow, which can also occur under the right circumstances. Probably the most notable location in the United States where this occurs is on Cape Cod off the coast of Massachusetts. Ocean-effect snows at this location are far less frequent than lake effect on the Great Lakes, but it still does occur from time to time.
Over a week ago, one dominant lake effect snow band set up over Lake Superior between Marquette and Munising in Upper Michigan. This band barely moved, although it fluctuated a bit, moving slightly to the west or slightly to the east at times. Those locations under the band experienced snow rates of up to five or six inches of snow per hour. The winds were also strong, gusting as high as 35 mph at times. This caused a well-traveled section of roadway in the U.P. to be closed; highway M-28 between Munising and Harvey. It's not uncommon for this roadway to be closed during very extreme winter conditions. It basically rides along the Lake Superior coast for up to 40 miles. Strong North winds blowing across the lake can whip up the snow extremely easily, making visability extremely poor. Within two weeks during three separate snow events, M-28 has been closed.
My hometown where I grew up was located within that lake effect snow band two weekends ago. Although I wasn't there when this snow event occured, I heard a lot about the storm. Up to 35 inches of snow fell within 24-36 hours. It's not uncommon for us to pick up snow totals like that, but for it to fall in such a short amount of time like it did; that's incredible. And with the winds blowing the snow around all over the place, it's easy to see why M-28 was closed. The alternate route around the closed highway wasn't much better, from what I gathered. The road commission had its hands full trying to keep the roads somewhat passable, although it probably wasn't a smart thing to even be on the roads when this blizzard-type event hit. But sometimes lake effect is so unpredictable; it can pop up rather suddenly and the snow band can quickly change directions. It's one of the reasons why the weather in the Great Lakes is so changable.
Lake Effect snow off of Lake Superior in the winter time is something we've all grown accustomed to for those who live in the U.P. Sometimes I think what it would be like if we didn't have Lake Superior to our north. Yes, the snow is inconvenient in the winter time, but when it doesn't produce snow, it's a magical body of water. It's so picturesque and a beautiful location to just sit and watch the day go by. Yes, we'd definitely have less snow to deal with in the winter time, but I don't think that's enough to justify a huge loss we'd all have to endure without the big lake. I guess being without Lake Superior is one thing we don't have to worry about for a long time to come.
Over a week ago, one dominant lake effect snow band set up over Lake Superior between Marquette and Munising in Upper Michigan. This band barely moved, although it fluctuated a bit, moving slightly to the west or slightly to the east at times. Those locations under the band experienced snow rates of up to five or six inches of snow per hour. The winds were also strong, gusting as high as 35 mph at times. This caused a well-traveled section of roadway in the U.P. to be closed; highway M-28 between Munising and Harvey. It's not uncommon for this roadway to be closed during very extreme winter conditions. It basically rides along the Lake Superior coast for up to 40 miles. Strong North winds blowing across the lake can whip up the snow extremely easily, making visability extremely poor. Within two weeks during three separate snow events, M-28 has been closed.
My hometown where I grew up was located within that lake effect snow band two weekends ago. Although I wasn't there when this snow event occured, I heard a lot about the storm. Up to 35 inches of snow fell within 24-36 hours. It's not uncommon for us to pick up snow totals like that, but for it to fall in such a short amount of time like it did; that's incredible. And with the winds blowing the snow around all over the place, it's easy to see why M-28 was closed. The alternate route around the closed highway wasn't much better, from what I gathered. The road commission had its hands full trying to keep the roads somewhat passable, although it probably wasn't a smart thing to even be on the roads when this blizzard-type event hit. But sometimes lake effect is so unpredictable; it can pop up rather suddenly and the snow band can quickly change directions. It's one of the reasons why the weather in the Great Lakes is so changable.
Lake Effect snow off of Lake Superior in the winter time is something we've all grown accustomed to for those who live in the U.P. Sometimes I think what it would be like if we didn't have Lake Superior to our north. Yes, the snow is inconvenient in the winter time, but when it doesn't produce snow, it's a magical body of water. It's so picturesque and a beautiful location to just sit and watch the day go by. Yes, we'd definitely have less snow to deal with in the winter time, but I don't think that's enough to justify a huge loss we'd all have to endure without the big lake. I guess being without Lake Superior is one thing we don't have to worry about for a long time to come.
Friday, February 20, 2009
American Idol 8 - Random Thoughts
A new episode of American Idol is four days away, when another group of 12 will perform in front of the judges and most importantly, America. As we head into the weekend, there are a few topics I wanted to bring up in regards to the show. First off is Danny Gokey, the crowned "front-runner" by producers of American Idol. I guess I am kind of on the fence about the guy. You could probably blame the onslaught of negativity Danny has received from a variety of on-line entities, in the form of blogs and magazines about the show. People are claiming that Danny has been "over-pimped" by the producers of American Idol. So far during the show, what is Danny most known for? Probably not so much for his singing, but for the fact that his wife died four weeks prior to his audition. Again, we saw another reminder of Danny's tragic situation when a family friend held up a small picture of Danny and his deceased wife during the last result's show. By no means do I wish to belittle the situation that Danny has been put through. To lose the love of your live at such a young age has got to be unbelievably heartbreaking. But I can't help but think it's continuing to be shoved down our throats every time the guy shows up on the screen. And yes, I did stick up for the guy in my last recap thread as I thought the negativity he's received was unjust. I don't particularly feel it's his fault that it keeps being brought up, either. Does it hurt his chances in the long run of him becoming the next American Idol if it continues to be brought up week after week? Indeed I do. The early favorite of this season could wind up being eliminated much earlier than we can imagine - and he's already lost some support because of it. Personally, I don't believe Danny himself should be criticized for what's going on. People claim he's been acting too smug or self-centered in most recent episodes. Hey, maybe the guy likes the camera? But so far I cannot totally fault Danny in how the producers have portrayed him. Sure, he could probably handle himself a little better on camera; be a little more grateful and not be so preachy. However, he still has a tremendous fan base for someone this early into the competition and that should carry him well into the top 12.
Now, as for my final opinion on the new format that Idol has embraced for choosing it's top 12; I gotta say I do not like it. As in previous years, the judges/producers have whittled the competition down from a top 50 to top 24. Once we reached the semi-finals, the top 12 guys or girls perform, and the two contestants with the least amount of votes were sent packing. This went on until we got to the top 12. I liked it this way because we got to see more of the contestants each week as opposed to just seeing them sing one time before they get selected to the top 12, if they happen to perform well. Those contestants who weren't shown auditioning or didn't get much screen time in Hollywood week could at least display more of their skills in the semi-finals and build a fan support. We hardly knew anything about Jason Castro last season prior to him being selected to the top 24, and look where he ended up? The top four. So for contestants this season like Ricky Braddy and Stephen Fowler, whom we didn't really get to know all that well prior to the semi-finals, they are at more of a disadvantage more than ever before. In Ricky's case, he performed quite well, even better than Michael Sarver, in my opinion. But it was his lack of screen time that really did him in. And that's unfortunate. Hopefully the judges end up handing him a wildcard, because he and Anoop Desai deserve another chance. So hopefully next season, American Idol will realize what a big mistake this top 36 format is and revert back to what has done so well in previous seasons. I'd hate to see a singer like Michael Sarver make it in only because of a Simon Cowell lifeline.
I must admit, during my years of watching this show, I've learned a few TV slang words and phrases that I knew absolutely nothing about. Last year, I saw "TPTB" show up quite often on message boards and in blogs. I didn't know what that stood for, and it honestly bothered me! Someone with the same curiousity as me happened to create a new topic on a message board addressing that very issue, "what does TPTB mean?" For those that may not know, it's "the power's that be," i.e. the producers or anyone with creative control of a show. Within the last week, I've learned of another phrase people have used when talking about certain American Idol contestants. The phrase is "cannon fodder." It's most notably a military phrase as Wikipedia states, "an informal term for military personnel who are regarded or treated as expendable in the face of enemy fire. The term is generally used in situations where soldiers are forced to deliberately fight against hopeless odds (with the foreknowledge that they will suffer extremely high casualties) in an effort to achieve a strategic goal." In the American Idol world, it refers to those contestants who get very little screentime prior to the live shows, such as Ricky Braddy or Stevie Wright. Basically, it comes down to a contestant being chosen just because they needed to fill that slot - because they have absolutely no shot of becoming the next American Idol, at the fault of the producers. A contestant may be a great singer, get very little screen time, and receive mediocre comments from the judges (kind of like Braddy, even though he received praise from all of the judges except for Simon). Then the follow night, they get eliminated. You compare that to a Danny Gokey or Michael Sarver, who have had a ton of screen time in prior rounds and one may not have sung exceptionally well. Yet, that fan recognition helps get them into the next round. Hopefully that makes even better sense when I try to compare the two.
Well, that is about all I had to say in regards to American Idol for this week. Even though Anoop Desai wasn't selected for the top 12 this time around, he's almost a lock for a wildcard spot. Danny and Alexis were shoo-ins for the top 12 and with Simon's help, Michael got that extra push. Next week should prove to be another very intriguing week of performances. Hopefully more contestants will step up and deliver some memorable performances. You can bet that I'll have the recap right afterwards.
Now, as for my final opinion on the new format that Idol has embraced for choosing it's top 12; I gotta say I do not like it. As in previous years, the judges/producers have whittled the competition down from a top 50 to top 24. Once we reached the semi-finals, the top 12 guys or girls perform, and the two contestants with the least amount of votes were sent packing. This went on until we got to the top 12. I liked it this way because we got to see more of the contestants each week as opposed to just seeing them sing one time before they get selected to the top 12, if they happen to perform well. Those contestants who weren't shown auditioning or didn't get much screen time in Hollywood week could at least display more of their skills in the semi-finals and build a fan support. We hardly knew anything about Jason Castro last season prior to him being selected to the top 24, and look where he ended up? The top four. So for contestants this season like Ricky Braddy and Stephen Fowler, whom we didn't really get to know all that well prior to the semi-finals, they are at more of a disadvantage more than ever before. In Ricky's case, he performed quite well, even better than Michael Sarver, in my opinion. But it was his lack of screen time that really did him in. And that's unfortunate. Hopefully the judges end up handing him a wildcard, because he and Anoop Desai deserve another chance. So hopefully next season, American Idol will realize what a big mistake this top 36 format is and revert back to what has done so well in previous seasons. I'd hate to see a singer like Michael Sarver make it in only because of a Simon Cowell lifeline.
I must admit, during my years of watching this show, I've learned a few TV slang words and phrases that I knew absolutely nothing about. Last year, I saw "TPTB" show up quite often on message boards and in blogs. I didn't know what that stood for, and it honestly bothered me! Someone with the same curiousity as me happened to create a new topic on a message board addressing that very issue, "what does TPTB mean?" For those that may not know, it's "the power's that be," i.e. the producers or anyone with creative control of a show. Within the last week, I've learned of another phrase people have used when talking about certain American Idol contestants. The phrase is "cannon fodder." It's most notably a military phrase as Wikipedia states, "an informal term for military personnel who are regarded or treated as expendable in the face of enemy fire. The term is generally used in situations where soldiers are forced to deliberately fight against hopeless odds (with the foreknowledge that they will suffer extremely high casualties) in an effort to achieve a strategic goal." In the American Idol world, it refers to those contestants who get very little screentime prior to the live shows, such as Ricky Braddy or Stevie Wright. Basically, it comes down to a contestant being chosen just because they needed to fill that slot - because they have absolutely no shot of becoming the next American Idol, at the fault of the producers. A contestant may be a great singer, get very little screen time, and receive mediocre comments from the judges (kind of like Braddy, even though he received praise from all of the judges except for Simon). Then the follow night, they get eliminated. You compare that to a Danny Gokey or Michael Sarver, who have had a ton of screen time in prior rounds and one may not have sung exceptionally well. Yet, that fan recognition helps get them into the next round. Hopefully that makes even better sense when I try to compare the two.
Well, that is about all I had to say in regards to American Idol for this week. Even though Anoop Desai wasn't selected for the top 12 this time around, he's almost a lock for a wildcard spot. Danny and Alexis were shoo-ins for the top 12 and with Simon's help, Michael got that extra push. Next week should prove to be another very intriguing week of performances. Hopefully more contestants will step up and deliver some memorable performances. You can bet that I'll have the recap right afterwards.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
American Idol 8 - Top 36 Group 1
And here we are! It's the start of the season eight of American Idol performance review blogs here on Luke's Ponderings. Last night we had one group of semi-finalists perform and tonight we will find out which three will advance to the top 12. I'm not sure I'm digging this new format that American Idol has adopted quite yet - that is still up for debate. Anyways, it is what it is and we'll have to live with it for now. So tonight, we'll find out which top vote getting female and male contestant makes it through to the finals. Then, the third highest vote getter, whether it's female or male, will also advance. To be honest, there were only about three or four that sang that well last night, so the voting by the American public should've been pretty easy. On with the reviews!
Jackie Tohn - "A Little Less Conversation" : Jackie is probably our one and only true female rocker on this season of American Idol. I definitely liked how she put her own spin on this classic Elvis song. However, some of the phrasing of the lyrics was a bit awkward at times. It almost seemed as if she performed this song in the past. She certainly is a good performer, even though the vocals might not be spectacular. The performance didn't blow me away, per se, but it was still quite entertaining. Was it one of last night's best performances? It was up there, but not the best.
Ricky Braddy - "Song For You" : It's rather a shame that the producers did very little to promote this guy during the past few weeks because he's actually a very good singer and a likable guy. We certainly know a ton more about Michael Sarver and Danny Gokey than we do with Ricky. I think his lack of screen time will hurt him in the end. I was pleasantly surprised by his performance as he displayed great vocal control and had no trouble hitting the right notes in the song. It was basically a pitch-perfect performance and he injected a great amount of soul into the song. Simon said he may not have star quality - which he himself should accept some of the blame, seeing that Ricky's received very little air time on Idol thus far.
Alexis Grace - "Never Loved a Man" : She has definitely changed her image from the first time we saw her during the audition stage of the show. She looks more edgy and grown up, if you will. She's got a very big voice for such a small person. Another very soulful performance, like her predecessor. It was a very sassy, almost sultry performance. Who knew she had this in her? It was a very strong vocal performance and certainly not boring. In fact, it was a joy to watch. It ended up being one of the highlights of the night - the best female performance of group one. Showed a ton of confidence.
Brent Keith - "Hicktown" : It appears Brent would like to become a country star if he happens to make it far on Idol. He seems to have that country look to him and if he can succeed, he could go far. I am not familiar with country music, so I don't know anything about this song. It sounds like a country-rock kind of song; definitely something fun to dance to. It's up-beat and he's rocking out to it, but I don't think it's exactly the right song for Brent. I agreed with Kara's comment in that it was a safe song choice. He could've picked something that showed off his vocals more. At least he had fun with it.
Stevie Wright - "You Belong to Me" : Stevie was one of my favorites from the very beginning of this season. We really didn't see a whole lot from her during Hollywood Week, so I was pleased she made it through to the top 36. However, this song for her was the absolute wrong choice. It doesn't even start off all that well. It's very pitchy and it almost seems too low for her. She struggles with that lower register in the song. Yes, it's a fun up-beat song and it's a safe selection, but she doesn't even sing it half-way decent. I suspect her nerves may have gotten the best of her. It just didn't work out for Stevie last night.
Anoop Desai - "Angel of Mine" : Anoop is probably considered a front-runner of the competition thus far. And those are high expectations when the live shows are only just beginning. Like Randy commented, I thought this was a very interesting and ambitious song choice for Anoop. I don't necessarily believe it was the right song for him, either. At times it seemed too high for him and he had his struggles during certain moments. He's definitely a great vocalist and he did a decent job with the song. But it certainly wasn't his best; not as spectacular as it could've been. And that may hurt him at this stage of the competition.
Casey Carlson - "Every Little Thing She (He) Does is Magic" : Casey is a very good looking, cute girl. Just her overall image alone probably made the AI producers salivate. However, you have to be a good singer to complete that package. And Casey didn't do that last night. It turned out to be the wrong song choice again (and we saw that a lot last night). I don't necessarily believe that singing a song made famous by someone of the opposite sex is always a wise choice. Sometimes it works and other times, particularly in this case, it doesn't. Some of her facial expressions seemed inappropriate and it was like she was making a joke out of the whole process. Still, she had fun despite the performance being littered by off-pitch moments.
Michael Sarver - "I Don't Wanna Be" : I'm beginning to feel that this song should be one of those banned by Idol producers (even though no song will probably ever be banned) because it's becoming over sung. Personally, I enjoy Gavin DeGraw's interpretation of it as well as a few other past Idol contestants. However, Michael didn't end up hitting a home run with it. It was just okay for me. Michael seems more into the country genre than anything - he definitely has that look to him. This song never did properly display his vocals in the way that it should've. An example of the kinds of songs he should sing are like his performance during the sing-off, before the judges selected him as a semi-finalist. He can do a lot better, in my opinion.
Ann Marie Boskovich - "Natural Woman" : She was another one of my personal favorites prior to Hollywood week and she appeared to have a fan following. Ann Marie performs an incredibly huge Aretha Frankin song. Obviously Aretha is an incredible singer and you really need the vocal chops to perform a song like this. Unfortunately it falls short for me. She's off-pitch right from the start and she appears uninspired, just as one of the lyrics says. Yet again, another example of the wrong song choice. Just as with Casey, Ann Marie is very pleasant on the eyes but her singing is only sub-par.
Stephen Fowler - "Rock With You" : In my opinion, Stephen had a good chance to sneak into the top 12 if he presented a stellar performance during semi-finals. He really had a great tone to some of his earlier performances (except for that David Cook song where he forgot the lyrics). But he chooses a Michael Jackson song that is probably one of his least popular. This really fell flat and I agreed with some of the judges criticism in that it was all a bit corny. Even though he says he's not that strong performing behind a piano, what does he have to lose by giving it another shot? Overall, I was disappointed to see Stephen do so badly.
Tatiana Del Toro - "Saving All My Love for You" : Oh brother. Here we have everyone's favorite psycho contestant who is definitely one of the more talked about performers of season eight. Could it be possible that Tatiana could help to lift the spirits of the overall Idol audience by performing half-way decently? I was really questioning Tatiana's decision to pick a Whitey Houston song, much like Randy did. But all in all, it really wasn't that bad. I mean sure, it wasn't perfect; but it was probably the second or third best female performance of the evening. I thought it started off rather shaky and she was a bit hard to understand. But once the song got into a higher register for Tatiana, she performed much better. We'll see if America has fallen in love with Tatiana's antics after tonight's results show. Does she make it through?!?
Danny Gokey - "Hero" : Last but not least, it's Danny's turn to wow the audience. You know, maybe the producers were doing us a huge favor by scheduling Danny to sing last because he really lifted up my spirits after a dismal performance night. He's actually taken some harsh criticism from some of the on-line community because of the back-story involving his wife passing away four weeks before he auditioned. They feel he's been over-pimped by the producers and basically shoved in all of our faces. Give the guy a break already. It's not his decision to be so prominently displayed during these early rounds. And after all, he's a tremendous singer. He's set to go very, very far in season eight. He's already a consummate pro.
So, how do I rate tonight's perfomers? Here is a listing of the top six males and the top six females:
Top Six Male Performers:
1.) Danny Gokey
2.) Ricky Braddy
3.) Anoop Desai
4.) Michael Sarver
5.) Brent Keith
6.) Stephen Fowler
Top Six Female Performers:
1.) Alexis Grace
2.) Jackie Tohn
3.) Tatiana Del Toro
4.) Ann Marie Boskovich
5.) Casey Carlson
6.) Stevie Wright
And last but not least, who do I think will advance to the Top 12:
M - Danny Gokey
F - Alexis Grace
M - Anoop Desai
Enjoy the results tonight!
Jackie Tohn - "A Little Less Conversation" : Jackie is probably our one and only true female rocker on this season of American Idol. I definitely liked how she put her own spin on this classic Elvis song. However, some of the phrasing of the lyrics was a bit awkward at times. It almost seemed as if she performed this song in the past. She certainly is a good performer, even though the vocals might not be spectacular. The performance didn't blow me away, per se, but it was still quite entertaining. Was it one of last night's best performances? It was up there, but not the best.
Ricky Braddy - "Song For You" : It's rather a shame that the producers did very little to promote this guy during the past few weeks because he's actually a very good singer and a likable guy. We certainly know a ton more about Michael Sarver and Danny Gokey than we do with Ricky. I think his lack of screen time will hurt him in the end. I was pleasantly surprised by his performance as he displayed great vocal control and had no trouble hitting the right notes in the song. It was basically a pitch-perfect performance and he injected a great amount of soul into the song. Simon said he may not have star quality - which he himself should accept some of the blame, seeing that Ricky's received very little air time on Idol thus far.
Alexis Grace - "Never Loved a Man" : She has definitely changed her image from the first time we saw her during the audition stage of the show. She looks more edgy and grown up, if you will. She's got a very big voice for such a small person. Another very soulful performance, like her predecessor. It was a very sassy, almost sultry performance. Who knew she had this in her? It was a very strong vocal performance and certainly not boring. In fact, it was a joy to watch. It ended up being one of the highlights of the night - the best female performance of group one. Showed a ton of confidence.
Brent Keith - "Hicktown" : It appears Brent would like to become a country star if he happens to make it far on Idol. He seems to have that country look to him and if he can succeed, he could go far. I am not familiar with country music, so I don't know anything about this song. It sounds like a country-rock kind of song; definitely something fun to dance to. It's up-beat and he's rocking out to it, but I don't think it's exactly the right song for Brent. I agreed with Kara's comment in that it was a safe song choice. He could've picked something that showed off his vocals more. At least he had fun with it.
Stevie Wright - "You Belong to Me" : Stevie was one of my favorites from the very beginning of this season. We really didn't see a whole lot from her during Hollywood Week, so I was pleased she made it through to the top 36. However, this song for her was the absolute wrong choice. It doesn't even start off all that well. It's very pitchy and it almost seems too low for her. She struggles with that lower register in the song. Yes, it's a fun up-beat song and it's a safe selection, but she doesn't even sing it half-way decent. I suspect her nerves may have gotten the best of her. It just didn't work out for Stevie last night.
Anoop Desai - "Angel of Mine" : Anoop is probably considered a front-runner of the competition thus far. And those are high expectations when the live shows are only just beginning. Like Randy commented, I thought this was a very interesting and ambitious song choice for Anoop. I don't necessarily believe it was the right song for him, either. At times it seemed too high for him and he had his struggles during certain moments. He's definitely a great vocalist and he did a decent job with the song. But it certainly wasn't his best; not as spectacular as it could've been. And that may hurt him at this stage of the competition.
Casey Carlson - "Every Little Thing She (He) Does is Magic" : Casey is a very good looking, cute girl. Just her overall image alone probably made the AI producers salivate. However, you have to be a good singer to complete that package. And Casey didn't do that last night. It turned out to be the wrong song choice again (and we saw that a lot last night). I don't necessarily believe that singing a song made famous by someone of the opposite sex is always a wise choice. Sometimes it works and other times, particularly in this case, it doesn't. Some of her facial expressions seemed inappropriate and it was like she was making a joke out of the whole process. Still, she had fun despite the performance being littered by off-pitch moments.
Michael Sarver - "I Don't Wanna Be" : I'm beginning to feel that this song should be one of those banned by Idol producers (even though no song will probably ever be banned) because it's becoming over sung. Personally, I enjoy Gavin DeGraw's interpretation of it as well as a few other past Idol contestants. However, Michael didn't end up hitting a home run with it. It was just okay for me. Michael seems more into the country genre than anything - he definitely has that look to him. This song never did properly display his vocals in the way that it should've. An example of the kinds of songs he should sing are like his performance during the sing-off, before the judges selected him as a semi-finalist. He can do a lot better, in my opinion.
Ann Marie Boskovich - "Natural Woman" : She was another one of my personal favorites prior to Hollywood week and she appeared to have a fan following. Ann Marie performs an incredibly huge Aretha Frankin song. Obviously Aretha is an incredible singer and you really need the vocal chops to perform a song like this. Unfortunately it falls short for me. She's off-pitch right from the start and she appears uninspired, just as one of the lyrics says. Yet again, another example of the wrong song choice. Just as with Casey, Ann Marie is very pleasant on the eyes but her singing is only sub-par.
Stephen Fowler - "Rock With You" : In my opinion, Stephen had a good chance to sneak into the top 12 if he presented a stellar performance during semi-finals. He really had a great tone to some of his earlier performances (except for that David Cook song where he forgot the lyrics). But he chooses a Michael Jackson song that is probably one of his least popular. This really fell flat and I agreed with some of the judges criticism in that it was all a bit corny. Even though he says he's not that strong performing behind a piano, what does he have to lose by giving it another shot? Overall, I was disappointed to see Stephen do so badly.
Tatiana Del Toro - "Saving All My Love for You" : Oh brother. Here we have everyone's favorite psycho contestant who is definitely one of the more talked about performers of season eight. Could it be possible that Tatiana could help to lift the spirits of the overall Idol audience by performing half-way decently? I was really questioning Tatiana's decision to pick a Whitey Houston song, much like Randy did. But all in all, it really wasn't that bad. I mean sure, it wasn't perfect; but it was probably the second or third best female performance of the evening. I thought it started off rather shaky and she was a bit hard to understand. But once the song got into a higher register for Tatiana, she performed much better. We'll see if America has fallen in love with Tatiana's antics after tonight's results show. Does she make it through?!?
Danny Gokey - "Hero" : Last but not least, it's Danny's turn to wow the audience. You know, maybe the producers were doing us a huge favor by scheduling Danny to sing last because he really lifted up my spirits after a dismal performance night. He's actually taken some harsh criticism from some of the on-line community because of the back-story involving his wife passing away four weeks before he auditioned. They feel he's been over-pimped by the producers and basically shoved in all of our faces. Give the guy a break already. It's not his decision to be so prominently displayed during these early rounds. And after all, he's a tremendous singer. He's set to go very, very far in season eight. He's already a consummate pro.
So, how do I rate tonight's perfomers? Here is a listing of the top six males and the top six females:
Top Six Male Performers:
1.) Danny Gokey
2.) Ricky Braddy
3.) Anoop Desai
4.) Michael Sarver
5.) Brent Keith
6.) Stephen Fowler
Top Six Female Performers:
1.) Alexis Grace
2.) Jackie Tohn
3.) Tatiana Del Toro
4.) Ann Marie Boskovich
5.) Casey Carlson
6.) Stevie Wright
And last but not least, who do I think will advance to the Top 12:
M - Danny Gokey
F - Alexis Grace
M - Anoop Desai
Enjoy the results tonight!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
American Idol Season 8 - And So it Begins!
Ladies and gentlemen, let season eight of American Idol officially begin! Okay, so this season actually began over a month ago already. But to me, the real season of Idol begins next week. It all starts when America gets a say and votes for their favorites. I am pretty psyched for the semi-finals to begin where the top 32 perform live. This year, 12 contestants will perform per week with the three highest vote-getters moving onto the top 12. After three weeks, nine contestants will be selected by America to compete for the top 12. The remaining three singers will be considered "wildcards" and be selected by the judges. This will be an interesting twist to the competition; something that was done in previous seasons of Idol but not in quite some time. I guess I'll have to wait and see how things turn out before I like or hate this new selection process.
So far, no one is really jumping out at me as being a clear-cut favorite or front runner. In fact, I'd have to say that prior to the top 32 performing, this competition is about as wide open as it can get. I mean sure, there are definitely a lot of good singers in this season's semi-finalists. Danny Gokey, 28, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin is excellent. He has a sort of raspy singing voice; but in a good way. He has a voice similar to the lead vocalist of Blues Traveler, John Popper. He has a blusey-soulful sound to him. Simon made a comparison that he's like Elliot Yamin from season five. I can't say I disagree with that assessment. I will say this, however. I was greatly disappointed that his best bud Jamar Rogers got the axe. You can't tell me he was worse than the girl with the annoying laugh, Tatiana Nicole Del Toro or the slapstick comedian Nick Mitchell (who by the way, is very funny). As I said, I was disappointed the judge's didn't move him through. I think the show is being dictated more by the producer's who would rather see contestants that bring the highest amount of drama to the show versus those with actual singing talent. And honestly, what was up with the whole "judge's mansion" location this year? What was wrong with the "elevator ride of agony" like in previous seasons? Has American Idol jumped the shark?
Anyways, more contestants - others whom have a strong chance of making the top 12 include: Anoop Desai - honestly, he rarely ever goes off pitch! Matt Giraud - I thought he got better and better as Hollywood week moved along, plus he's also a fellow Michigander. Lil Rounds - she has major vocal chops; but she better lay off those Whitney or Mariah songs (don't these contestants ever learn?). As for everyone else - they are all equally as good. It's really hard to decide who's the best because they are all pretty decent. What will matter, however, is how they perform when they need to the most. If there's any pitchiness or forgotten lyrics, this year more than ever, it will prove costly.
I will say this - no season will probably ever compare to the joy I had in season seven. The top 12 from last season was probably the strongest ever in the history of American Idol. Last year I couldn't get enough American Idol and when that week's worth of shows was over, I couldn't wait until the next week. It was so addictive last year and although I was hoping I wouldn't get too caught up in the competition this season, I kind of hope something similar happens again this year. But so far, I am not feeling the excitement that I felt going into the top 24 of last season. Right from the start, David Archuleta was my favorite and I rooted him on to win right until the very end. But you just never knew what was going to happen. How can we forget the shocking elimination of Michael Johns? You just never know when that next shocking elimination might happen. And although I was disappointed that David Archuleta didn't win the crown of being the American Idol, I was still okay with it because I knew he'd be fine. His debut song "Crush" has already reached platinum status and is only 500,000 copies away from going double platinum. His debut album has sold 600,000 copies; certified as gold. He's about to emerge on a solo tour across the country - with many stops already sold out. Archie will do just fine, as will just about everyone else from the top 12 of season seven. Obviously the higher up you go in the show, the better off a contestant will be. But seeing how strong the top 12 was last season, I don't really think it matters what position a person was in.
With live performances taking place next week as American Idol moves into the semi-final round, be sure to watch for my Idol recaps next week. Usually they will be posted that night after the show is over or sometime the next day. It's finally here; season eight of American Idol!
So far, no one is really jumping out at me as being a clear-cut favorite or front runner. In fact, I'd have to say that prior to the top 32 performing, this competition is about as wide open as it can get. I mean sure, there are definitely a lot of good singers in this season's semi-finalists. Danny Gokey, 28, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin is excellent. He has a sort of raspy singing voice; but in a good way. He has a voice similar to the lead vocalist of Blues Traveler, John Popper. He has a blusey-soulful sound to him. Simon made a comparison that he's like Elliot Yamin from season five. I can't say I disagree with that assessment. I will say this, however. I was greatly disappointed that his best bud Jamar Rogers got the axe. You can't tell me he was worse than the girl with the annoying laugh, Tatiana Nicole Del Toro or the slapstick comedian Nick Mitchell (who by the way, is very funny). As I said, I was disappointed the judge's didn't move him through. I think the show is being dictated more by the producer's who would rather see contestants that bring the highest amount of drama to the show versus those with actual singing talent. And honestly, what was up with the whole "judge's mansion" location this year? What was wrong with the "elevator ride of agony" like in previous seasons? Has American Idol jumped the shark?
Anyways, more contestants - others whom have a strong chance of making the top 12 include: Anoop Desai - honestly, he rarely ever goes off pitch! Matt Giraud - I thought he got better and better as Hollywood week moved along, plus he's also a fellow Michigander. Lil Rounds - she has major vocal chops; but she better lay off those Whitney or Mariah songs (don't these contestants ever learn?). As for everyone else - they are all equally as good. It's really hard to decide who's the best because they are all pretty decent. What will matter, however, is how they perform when they need to the most. If there's any pitchiness or forgotten lyrics, this year more than ever, it will prove costly.
I will say this - no season will probably ever compare to the joy I had in season seven. The top 12 from last season was probably the strongest ever in the history of American Idol. Last year I couldn't get enough American Idol and when that week's worth of shows was over, I couldn't wait until the next week. It was so addictive last year and although I was hoping I wouldn't get too caught up in the competition this season, I kind of hope something similar happens again this year. But so far, I am not feeling the excitement that I felt going into the top 24 of last season. Right from the start, David Archuleta was my favorite and I rooted him on to win right until the very end. But you just never knew what was going to happen. How can we forget the shocking elimination of Michael Johns? You just never know when that next shocking elimination might happen. And although I was disappointed that David Archuleta didn't win the crown of being the American Idol, I was still okay with it because I knew he'd be fine. His debut song "Crush" has already reached platinum status and is only 500,000 copies away from going double platinum. His debut album has sold 600,000 copies; certified as gold. He's about to emerge on a solo tour across the country - with many stops already sold out. Archie will do just fine, as will just about everyone else from the top 12 of season seven. Obviously the higher up you go in the show, the better off a contestant will be. But seeing how strong the top 12 was last season, I don't really think it matters what position a person was in.
With live performances taking place next week as American Idol moves into the semi-final round, be sure to watch for my Idol recaps next week. Usually they will be posted that night after the show is over or sometime the next day. It's finally here; season eight of American Idol!
A Blast From the Past - Old Journal #1
Back when I was in high school as part of an English course I was taking, we had to write journals on a regular basis. It wasn't a typical journal where you could write anything you wanted. The teacher handed out a schedule we had to follow along with specific journal topics we had to write. Overall, it was a fun thing to do - at least for me, anyways. I was going through all of my old assignments from high school and college tonight just for kicks because I hadn't really looked at those things for quite awhile. I tell ya, it really brought back some good memories. Anyways, here's one journal in particular that really hit home for me, especially at this time. The topic of this journal involved us writing about a situation or situations that made us realize we were no longer children. I got to see my Uncle John for the first time in many years when my grandma was dying in her hospital bed. That is why this particular journal is so poignant.
Journal #42
Written 5-5-1998
There have actually been a number of experiences in my life that made me realize I was no longer a child. They are just small instances that made me think at the time but didn't stick in my mind for long.
Probably the biggest incident happened at Christmas time in 1995. It was a couple days after Christmas day and we were headed out to my Grandma's house to visit and also to open some presents. When we got there, just my Grandma, her son, and two of my Uncle John's sons were there. We had a little Christmas dinner first, then we opened presents.
When I grabbed my Uncle John's present, I didn't know what to expect. He had always given me these strange presents before so I was a little leery about opening this one. I kind of shook it around at first to guess what it was but I couldn't tell, so I began to open it.
When I saw what the gift was, I was shocked. I had never gotten that kind of present before. But it was something appropriate for my age. It was cologne. Everyone in the room was chuckling a bit but I wasn't. I threw it in the box and never looked at it again. I always got some kind of toy from my Uncle John but never something like that. I guess that is something to expect from everyone as I grow older.
All the other incidents are less significant. The Christmas one is probably the most important as it does stick out in my mind as an event that made me realize I was no longer a child.
And you want to know something? I still have that cologne from that Christmas in 1995. I never became a big cologne wearer but I have used that particular cologne once in a great, great while. Ah, such great memories. It's really fun to go back and re-read these old journals. Don't be surprised to see a few more of these show up on certain occasions.
Journal #42
Written 5-5-1998
There have actually been a number of experiences in my life that made me realize I was no longer a child. They are just small instances that made me think at the time but didn't stick in my mind for long.
Probably the biggest incident happened at Christmas time in 1995. It was a couple days after Christmas day and we were headed out to my Grandma's house to visit and also to open some presents. When we got there, just my Grandma, her son, and two of my Uncle John's sons were there. We had a little Christmas dinner first, then we opened presents.
When I grabbed my Uncle John's present, I didn't know what to expect. He had always given me these strange presents before so I was a little leery about opening this one. I kind of shook it around at first to guess what it was but I couldn't tell, so I began to open it.
When I saw what the gift was, I was shocked. I had never gotten that kind of present before. But it was something appropriate for my age. It was cologne. Everyone in the room was chuckling a bit but I wasn't. I threw it in the box and never looked at it again. I always got some kind of toy from my Uncle John but never something like that. I guess that is something to expect from everyone as I grow older.
All the other incidents are less significant. The Christmas one is probably the most important as it does stick out in my mind as an event that made me realize I was no longer a child.
And you want to know something? I still have that cologne from that Christmas in 1995. I never became a big cologne wearer but I have used that particular cologne once in a great, great while. Ah, such great memories. It's really fun to go back and re-read these old journals. Don't be surprised to see a few more of these show up on certain occasions.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Street Lights
To start off the month of February, I am going to write about something that has occurred in the town where I grew up. Needless to say, I don't live there regularly anymore but I still visit quite often. It's a small town so not a lot goes on - but when something does, it definitely gets noticed, especially by me. During the past week, the power company has been changing street lights along the roads in the village - that includes the local roads and the state highway. In my opinion, this is a long time coming. Back in the early 1990's, the power company changed all of the street lights through the downtown section of the village and left the remainders throughout town in tact. The new lamps that were installed are the high-pressure sodium vapor lights; the ones that have an orangish-yellow glow. All of the rest were the old-style mercury vapor lights; which has the bluish-white glow. So all these years later, the power company has finally taken the initiative to make the switch. But I don't think they entirely had a choice.
Back in 2005, Congress passed an energy bill that basically phased out mercury vapor bulbs and ballasts. MV lights are the least efficient high intensity lighting that exists, except for an incandescent bulb which is worse. Sodium vapor and even metal hallide are much better and use much less energy to create light. So back in 2005, MV lights got their walking papers, so to speak. Production of MV ballasts ended in January of last year, meaning when an existing MV ballast fails, they have to be replaced by something else. If a MV bulb burns out, you can still find them but that is about it. So, if you live in a community that still has mercury vapor lights adorning the streets or you have one in your yard, eventually they will be replaced by something else.
It's nice to see the old hometown get with the times, although I think they didn't care as long as they had street lights. It all came down to the power company in making the switch. I had grown accustomed to the old lights around town; even in the neighbor's backyard. That one also got replaced this week by a new sodium vapor fixture. I never would've thought it could make a difference like it did, but even though the light is on our neighbor's property, it still basically lights up much of our backyard. Hey, we're not complaining about it, either. But just like with anything, it takes getting used to something all over again when you're accustomed to what used to be there. The street light across from our house seemed to shine more in our driveway than it does with the new lamp. But it's not too much of a difference, really. It's all about energy efficiency and in this day and age, that seems to be the norm.
Back in 2005, Congress passed an energy bill that basically phased out mercury vapor bulbs and ballasts. MV lights are the least efficient high intensity lighting that exists, except for an incandescent bulb which is worse. Sodium vapor and even metal hallide are much better and use much less energy to create light. So back in 2005, MV lights got their walking papers, so to speak. Production of MV ballasts ended in January of last year, meaning when an existing MV ballast fails, they have to be replaced by something else. If a MV bulb burns out, you can still find them but that is about it. So, if you live in a community that still has mercury vapor lights adorning the streets or you have one in your yard, eventually they will be replaced by something else.
It's nice to see the old hometown get with the times, although I think they didn't care as long as they had street lights. It all came down to the power company in making the switch. I had grown accustomed to the old lights around town; even in the neighbor's backyard. That one also got replaced this week by a new sodium vapor fixture. I never would've thought it could make a difference like it did, but even though the light is on our neighbor's property, it still basically lights up much of our backyard. Hey, we're not complaining about it, either. But just like with anything, it takes getting used to something all over again when you're accustomed to what used to be there. The street light across from our house seemed to shine more in our driveway than it does with the new lamp. But it's not too much of a difference, really. It's all about energy efficiency and in this day and age, that seems to be the norm.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)