I want to get outside before I have to go to work today (it's beautiful out!), so the recap of last night's American Idol episode will be rather short. I wasn't even able to watch the episode - instead having to rely on YouTube last night to find clips. I was at work while Idol was on, and then I thought my VCR was set to record correctly. Apparently not! When I went to start watching the episode, it was this season's episode of the Top 10 male performances during the semi-finals. Alex Lambert and Todrick Hall were still in the competition then. Ahhh! So like I said, I resorted to YouTube to catch out on what I missed. Here are my thoughts:
Siobhan Mangus - "Through the Fire" by Chaka Khan : This is definitely Siobhan's weakest performance to date. It just seemed underwhelming to me, plus she was had some off-pitch moments. The song did not to her justice and I think she needs to step back and re-evaluate her strategy going into next week. I thought her usage of the scream at the end of her song not once, but twice was unfortunate and unnecessary. Maybe she felt her performance was falling flat and she resorted to amping things up? Well, it didn't work.
Casey James - "Hold On I'm Coming'" by Sam and Dave : This was probably my favorite performance by Casey to date. He showed a lot more personality, didn't just stand in one spot on that stage, and you could really tell he was having a good time. He is really coming into his own this season and could wind up going quite far. He still needs to work on his stage presence, but it's definitely getting better with each passing week.
Michael Lynche - "Ready for Love" by india.arie : I'm with Kara - I was not familiar with the song at all. However, I know it now and Mike did fantastic this week. He really enunciates his vocals, almost too well at times. But this again showed off his excellent stage presence, this time being close to the center of the audience (and not in front of the judges, strange stage placement but nice to see!). He really connected with the song and showed his softer side. R&B music is definitely in his wheel house.
Didi Benami - "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" by Jimmy Ruffin : A classic R&B/soul song and it's certainly a good one. Didi had some issues this week - it seemed that by picking this song, it brought back tearful memories of her past (probably involving her friend that passed away - which was mentioned during her audition). And she struggled on stage this week. The song just didn't do her any favors at all as I felt she lacked any connection to it. She was pitchy at times and it was the wrong song for her singing style.
Tim Urban - "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker : Tim has certainly taken his fair share of shots on the Idol Stage since the live shows have started, and rightly so. He's not advancing each week by his singing abilities, that's for sure. You can't honestly tell me Tim was the best choice as a male replacement to make the top 24? I don't know what more I can say of Tim. His performance this week was boring, lacked any excitement, and his singing was just plain flat. He tries, but it's just not good enough.
Andrew Garcia - "Forever" by Chris Brown : The song selection for Andrew this week was definitely an interesting one. A Chris Brown song - and you all know the kind of trouble he's been in most recently? And the song that was featured in Double Mint gum ads! I gotta say, this is the best Andrew has performed in a long, long time. This is the kind of potential we've all been waiting to see from Andrew! He still has some work to do, but he just might have finally turned the corner and is on his way to living up to his front-runner status.
Katie Stevens - "Chain of Fools" by Aretha Franklin : So Katie picks a big song this week and she does a fairly decent job with it. I wouldn't say it was her best by any means, but she's getting there. I agree with the judges that she may have went backwards a bit by choosing an older song. She needs to embrace her youth and pick more contemporary songs where she can. I think she has a tendency to under-sing the notes, too. I noticed a few off-pitch and sharp notes here and there. But she seems to be improving week after week.
Lee Dewyze - "Treat Her Like a Lady" by Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose : For awhile now, we've been waiting for Lee to have a spectacular, pitch-perfect performance where we can collectively say that it was his best. And finally, this was it. He was confident, he chose a song and re-worked it just enough to fit his style and made it quite enjoyable. Now hopefully, by having a good performance like this, it doesn't make him even more nervous to live up to his front-runner status!
Crystal Bowersox - "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips : Just when you think we've seen all that we need to see from Crystal. Even though she did hint at this surprise last week, it was still nice to see and it was a nice change of pace. Actually I think I would've liked it even more if she would've stayed at the piano the whole performance. But yet, we did get to see her perform without the guitar and just holding the mic. It was another great performance from Crystal and it was nice seeing another side of her.
Aaron Kelly - "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Whithers : I think there's a great bit of danger involved with Aaron picking this song because Kris Allen performed this it last season and had a moment with it. You know people will be comparing the two performances (just like I'll be doing - HA!). Did it compare favorably to Kris' rendition last year? Not really. But I think he did change it up just enough to make it his own. However, it wasn't his best performance. It seemed like he was struggling to hit the right notes. Kind of a downer-way to end the night.
Top 10 Performance Rankings:
#1: Lee Dewyze
#2: Crystal Bowersox
#3: Michael Lynche
#4: Casey James
#5: Andrew Garcia
#6: Didi Benami
#7: Aaron Kelly
#8: Katie Stevens
#9: Siobhan Magnus
#10: Tim Urban
So who's going to be voted out this week? It's going to be rather tricky deciding who gets sent home. I think the most obvious pick is Tim, but he's got a lot of young girls voting for him so his fanbase might save him yet again. Despite a strong performance this week, I think Andrew still could be in trouble. His lackluster performances up until this point might be enough to eliminate him. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see Katie wind up in this week's bottom three. And for a shocker, Siobhan might make her first visit to the bottom three. But will she be voted out? I don't think so. As of now, I'm leaning towards Tim Urban as getting eliminated this week.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Cougars' Dream Season Ends
My old high school's run at a state title in the Class D boy's basketball tournament came up a bit short on Thursday. Despite a four-point half-time lead and leads into the third quarter, the Cougars were not able to sustain that lead. In fact, their magical shooting touch which carried them all season disappeared. Nothing was going in the basket and the breaks weren't going their way. It was a disappointing finish to such a great season, but you have to admire what these boys did this season - not just for their school, but for the community, alumni, and the Upper Peninsula as a whole. Previously, the Cedarville Trojans, a high school from the eastern end of the Upper Peninsula, was the dominant force in Class D boys basketball in the Upper Peninsula. They were the last Upper Peninsula team to win a state title in 2007. But the Cougar boys foiled their attempts at a fifth trip to the Breslin Center in East Lansing and another berth in the final four in Class D. This basketball team brought interest back to the school. You wouldn't believe how many people on Facebook, who graduated from the school, left positive messages about the team and the school during this tournament run. It just goes to show you that school pride still runs deep for many people, despite how long ago it's been since they've stepped inside that school building. And many alumni members that live close to Lansing were able to attend the game and root on their old high school. That in of itself is a pretty cool thing.
As I mentioned, Cedarville was the last boys basketball team to win a title for the U.P. in Class D in 2007. Prior to that it was the North Central Jets in 1984 and the Ewen Trout-Creek Panthers in 1972. So as you can see, the teams representing the U.P. in Class D over the years have had little success in winning a title downstate. It's hard to say exactly why this is - some argue that it's the long travel time that many U.P. teams have to make in order to play these games. For my school, it was a seven hour bus ride down to East Lansing - but they split that travel time up into two days. Teams from the western end of the U.P. like Ontonagon or in the Keweenaw like Chassel or Ewen-Trout Creek, have further driving time. Do teams around Detroit, Flint, and Grand Rapids have a better advantage than teams in the U.P. do in that regard? Possibly. Another thing to consider is the venue that the Final Four games are played on - the Breslin Center. Is it too big for the U.P. teams to handle? There isn't an arena like it in the Upper Peninsula. Regional tournament games have been played at Michigan Tech's SDC gym most recently (but not this year due to the Tech Women holding the NCAA Division II Regional there) and the Hedgcock Fieldhouse on Northern Michigan University's campus prior to that. Obviously they are nowhere near the size that the Breslin Center is, but they were bigger arenas than what a lot of schools in the U.P. play in. Bigger high schools in Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Lansing are more accustomed to playing in bigger arenas. Another advantage for downstate teams?
I don't want this to turn into a big pity party for Upper Peninsula teams, because a tournament run like the one my high school experienced is magical even if we fall a few games short of the title. But still, to think of what might've been can really get to you. Now, here's another issue I have to gripe about regarding downstate media and a team from the Upper Peninsula. Obviously they don't know much about the U.P., its people, and its small towns (except for those that grew up here and moved down there - but they are too few and far between). The school is based in Eben Junction, Michigan. Yet the school is known as Superior Central. We are not the school district of Eben Junction. For some reason, the MHSAA - the governing body of high school sports in Michigan - needs a town included in the school's name when participating in tournaments. We are the Superior Central School District - never, until the team makes it to the Quaterfinals, do we become Eben Junction - Superior Central. I was reading a chat put on by a downstate internet media website where they often described our school as being Eben or Eben Junction. No mention of Superior Central much. I also listened to the MHSAA radio feed on-line and watched the TV feed on the computer. Eben was pronounced wrong - with a long "E". The correct pronunciation is Eh-ben, as in the first part of Ebenezer Scrooge's name. Don't you think some of these media people could do a little more research and find out if they have the right or wrong pronunciation of a town, no matter how simple of a name it might be? I know how easy it is to assume, but dig a little deeper and you'll find the right way to say it. I do want to commend the broadcasters doing the TV and radio broadcasts - they more often than not referred to the school as just Superior Central. Every once in awhile, they'd include the Eben Junction part, but not too often. It was more of the newspaper and sports reporters from downstate that referred to the school as Eben Junction. But honestly, what a small inconvenience to pay for our school reaching the semi-finals of a state-wide basketball tournament, right?
I was also disappointed with the MHSAA.tv website during the game. They promised visitors "watch the semi-final games live!" Well, that didn't exactly happen as planned. Pretty much the first half of the game was broadcast on that website, but about two minutes before the first half ended, the feed for the game froze up. I tried refreshing the website a couple of different times, but to no avail. And the feed never did come back on for the game which was super disappointing for me. We still could listen to the game on the radio, but it just wasn't the same. Not all of us from the Upper Peninsula who follow the Cougars could be down in Lansing to watch the game. Seeing the game live on TV/computer should've been the next best thing. The MHSAA needs to find a better and more reliable host for its games on-line. I realize that hosting broadcasts of its final four games on its website is somewhat of a new concept for them - but lets get it together before next year's tournament games. I know we're in bad economic times, but I'm sure this organization gets plenty of money from its school's across the state. Do something about the broadcast of the games on-line. Even the games archived on the website cut out every now and again after watching it for a few minutes. So then you have to start the game all over again and try to remember where it last left off. Honestly, what kind of set-up is that?
Okay, enough complaining for one day. The Boys and Girls basketball season in the state of Michigan is over for this year. But what a season it's been, especially for the Cougars! And I shouldn't leave out the girls team because they've now won district titles three years running. Prior to that, they hadn't won a district title in the school's history (since 1987)! So congratulations to both squads for great seasons. Its been fun following along, even if it's mostly from TV and radio reports. And here's to even bigger and better season's in 2010-11!
As I mentioned, Cedarville was the last boys basketball team to win a title for the U.P. in Class D in 2007. Prior to that it was the North Central Jets in 1984 and the Ewen Trout-Creek Panthers in 1972. So as you can see, the teams representing the U.P. in Class D over the years have had little success in winning a title downstate. It's hard to say exactly why this is - some argue that it's the long travel time that many U.P. teams have to make in order to play these games. For my school, it was a seven hour bus ride down to East Lansing - but they split that travel time up into two days. Teams from the western end of the U.P. like Ontonagon or in the Keweenaw like Chassel or Ewen-Trout Creek, have further driving time. Do teams around Detroit, Flint, and Grand Rapids have a better advantage than teams in the U.P. do in that regard? Possibly. Another thing to consider is the venue that the Final Four games are played on - the Breslin Center. Is it too big for the U.P. teams to handle? There isn't an arena like it in the Upper Peninsula. Regional tournament games have been played at Michigan Tech's SDC gym most recently (but not this year due to the Tech Women holding the NCAA Division II Regional there) and the Hedgcock Fieldhouse on Northern Michigan University's campus prior to that. Obviously they are nowhere near the size that the Breslin Center is, but they were bigger arenas than what a lot of schools in the U.P. play in. Bigger high schools in Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Lansing are more accustomed to playing in bigger arenas. Another advantage for downstate teams?
I don't want this to turn into a big pity party for Upper Peninsula teams, because a tournament run like the one my high school experienced is magical even if we fall a few games short of the title. But still, to think of what might've been can really get to you. Now, here's another issue I have to gripe about regarding downstate media and a team from the Upper Peninsula. Obviously they don't know much about the U.P., its people, and its small towns (except for those that grew up here and moved down there - but they are too few and far between). The school is based in Eben Junction, Michigan. Yet the school is known as Superior Central. We are not the school district of Eben Junction. For some reason, the MHSAA - the governing body of high school sports in Michigan - needs a town included in the school's name when participating in tournaments. We are the Superior Central School District - never, until the team makes it to the Quaterfinals, do we become Eben Junction - Superior Central. I was reading a chat put on by a downstate internet media website where they often described our school as being Eben or Eben Junction. No mention of Superior Central much. I also listened to the MHSAA radio feed on-line and watched the TV feed on the computer. Eben was pronounced wrong - with a long "E". The correct pronunciation is Eh-ben, as in the first part of Ebenezer Scrooge's name. Don't you think some of these media people could do a little more research and find out if they have the right or wrong pronunciation of a town, no matter how simple of a name it might be? I know how easy it is to assume, but dig a little deeper and you'll find the right way to say it. I do want to commend the broadcasters doing the TV and radio broadcasts - they more often than not referred to the school as just Superior Central. Every once in awhile, they'd include the Eben Junction part, but not too often. It was more of the newspaper and sports reporters from downstate that referred to the school as Eben Junction. But honestly, what a small inconvenience to pay for our school reaching the semi-finals of a state-wide basketball tournament, right?
I was also disappointed with the MHSAA.tv website during the game. They promised visitors "watch the semi-final games live!" Well, that didn't exactly happen as planned. Pretty much the first half of the game was broadcast on that website, but about two minutes before the first half ended, the feed for the game froze up. I tried refreshing the website a couple of different times, but to no avail. And the feed never did come back on for the game which was super disappointing for me. We still could listen to the game on the radio, but it just wasn't the same. Not all of us from the Upper Peninsula who follow the Cougars could be down in Lansing to watch the game. Seeing the game live on TV/computer should've been the next best thing. The MHSAA needs to find a better and more reliable host for its games on-line. I realize that hosting broadcasts of its final four games on its website is somewhat of a new concept for them - but lets get it together before next year's tournament games. I know we're in bad economic times, but I'm sure this organization gets plenty of money from its school's across the state. Do something about the broadcast of the games on-line. Even the games archived on the website cut out every now and again after watching it for a few minutes. So then you have to start the game all over again and try to remember where it last left off. Honestly, what kind of set-up is that?
Okay, enough complaining for one day. The Boys and Girls basketball season in the state of Michigan is over for this year. But what a season it's been, especially for the Cougars! And I shouldn't leave out the girls team because they've now won district titles three years running. Prior to that, they hadn't won a district title in the school's history (since 1987)! So congratulations to both squads for great seasons. Its been fun following along, even if it's mostly from TV and radio reports. And here's to even bigger and better season's in 2010-11!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Cougar Power!
My old high school's run in the Michigan Class D state basketball tournament continues for another game! Last night they took on a four-time state semi-finalist team and won. It was a close game as both teams took over the lead several different times up until the third quarter. But then the Cougars went on an 18-4 run and basically took the game over. The opponents just couldn't overcome that deficit and the final score ended up being 74-61. The Cougars now head downstate to East Lansing, Michigan, where they'll play on the campus of Michigan State University in a semi-final match-up Thursday evening.
I can't tell you how exciting a state tournament run like this can be for a community, especially if the team goes far. Going into this season, the expectation for this Cougar boys team was rather unknown. Last year they were bounced in the first game of the districts and their regular season record wasn't that spectacular. But this season they took off and have become the best Class D team in the Upper Peninsula. I am reminded of the memories of the 1994 team and the excitement that particular tournament run gave our school and surrounding communities. Our community is basically comprised of three small towns in the middle or forests and country-land. So an event like this really is something special. It basically ends up being a giant road trip for many of the members of these communities. And we live approximately 300 miles north of East Lansing, so it's definitely a long drive downstate. But it's one that many individuals won't mind driving.
The prospect of a state basketball championship is rather mind blowing for me - and I don't want to get too far ahead of myself because there is one game before the Cougars reach the championship game. If you're familiar with the movie "Hoosiers," one of my favorite movies of all time, the situations in that movie remind me of this real-life experience involving my high school. The time period during the movie is most certainly different, yet it still has a very similar feel. We're a small school located in three small communities. For many people, high school sports in a small community, especially basketball in the winter time, is all there is to look forward to. Now in Class D, all school are pretty much small. Yet, for a team from the Upper Peninsula to reach the state semis and to play in an arena like the Breslin Center, where the Michigan State Spartans play, it's a pretty incredible thing. Now our gym back home is modern, not like the gymnasium in the "Hoosiers" movie, but it's no Breslin Center for sure. And another nice little tid-bit about this team's playoff run, the Cougars are the ONLY Upper Peninsula boys basketball team to be competing in East Lansing this year. So we're pretty much representing the entire U.P. this time around.
You know, I've been out of school for ten years now and I don't have any real connection to the boys on this basketball team. The coach for this team was the same coach I had when I played basketball in junior high and my freshman year. His son, the team captain of the 2010 team, was just a little guy at the time (roughly in 1997), probably three or four years old, running all over the basketball court. To see him now, all grown up and a star athlete really shows how old I'm getting to be! But no matter how long ago you graduated from high school, you still feel a connection to your high school no matter what. For this team to represent the U.P. and to play on the same court as the current men's and women's MSU basketball teams, it gives me great pride. And even if they do wind up a little bit short on Thursday (or Saturday), they still made the community and the Upper Peninsula proud. Even though I won't be there in person, I'll still be rooting for them loudly via the computer and radio. Go Cougars! U.P. Power!
I can't tell you how exciting a state tournament run like this can be for a community, especially if the team goes far. Going into this season, the expectation for this Cougar boys team was rather unknown. Last year they were bounced in the first game of the districts and their regular season record wasn't that spectacular. But this season they took off and have become the best Class D team in the Upper Peninsula. I am reminded of the memories of the 1994 team and the excitement that particular tournament run gave our school and surrounding communities. Our community is basically comprised of three small towns in the middle or forests and country-land. So an event like this really is something special. It basically ends up being a giant road trip for many of the members of these communities. And we live approximately 300 miles north of East Lansing, so it's definitely a long drive downstate. But it's one that many individuals won't mind driving.
The prospect of a state basketball championship is rather mind blowing for me - and I don't want to get too far ahead of myself because there is one game before the Cougars reach the championship game. If you're familiar with the movie "Hoosiers," one of my favorite movies of all time, the situations in that movie remind me of this real-life experience involving my high school. The time period during the movie is most certainly different, yet it still has a very similar feel. We're a small school located in three small communities. For many people, high school sports in a small community, especially basketball in the winter time, is all there is to look forward to. Now in Class D, all school are pretty much small. Yet, for a team from the Upper Peninsula to reach the state semis and to play in an arena like the Breslin Center, where the Michigan State Spartans play, it's a pretty incredible thing. Now our gym back home is modern, not like the gymnasium in the "Hoosiers" movie, but it's no Breslin Center for sure. And another nice little tid-bit about this team's playoff run, the Cougars are the ONLY Upper Peninsula boys basketball team to be competing in East Lansing this year. So we're pretty much representing the entire U.P. this time around.
You know, I've been out of school for ten years now and I don't have any real connection to the boys on this basketball team. The coach for this team was the same coach I had when I played basketball in junior high and my freshman year. His son, the team captain of the 2010 team, was just a little guy at the time (roughly in 1997), probably three or four years old, running all over the basketball court. To see him now, all grown up and a star athlete really shows how old I'm getting to be! But no matter how long ago you graduated from high school, you still feel a connection to your high school no matter what. For this team to represent the U.P. and to play on the same court as the current men's and women's MSU basketball teams, it gives me great pride. And even if they do wind up a little bit short on Thursday (or Saturday), they still made the community and the Upper Peninsula proud. Even though I won't be there in person, I'll still be rooting for them loudly via the computer and radio. Go Cougars! U.P. Power!
American Idol 9 - Top 11
Here comes another week of reality TV at its best - it's American Idol! You know, ratings for the show this season have gone down compared to last year. Its actually been a gradual slide in ratings for the show since season five. The general consensus is that more people are tuning out due to this season's mediocre talent. I can buy that to an extent, but after nine seasons, a show does get stale. Anyways, we've had our fair share of stars rise out of this reality competition, like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, and David Cook. Who's to say season nine won't popularize one or two more nobodies and make them household names. It seems that once you reach the top 12 on Idol, you get to be pretty famous as it is. Oh the power of American Idol! This week we have Miley Cyrus mentoring the contestants (Miley, really?). Oh yes ... she's such a powerful and influential musician these days (sarcasm). Eh, I guess she wasn't a horrible mentor to the contestants. I just would've figured they'd have a mentor with a little more experience in the music industry. And this week's theme? #1 Billboard songs ... ZZZZ. Come on Idol, let's get some better inspiring themes already (I gotta admit, Rolling Stones was quite good last week). On with this week's recap!
Lee Dewyze - "The Letter" by the Boxtops (version by Alex Chilton) : Lee has been gradually improving week after week and it's certainly clear what kind of artist he wants to become. He just needs to become a more polished artist on stage because the nerves are still there. Do you ever notice how often he taps his right foot during a performance? It's usually going faster than the beat of the song! As for this week's performance - it wasn't bad, yet it wasn't great. This isn't the first time we've seen this version of the song performed on stage (going back to that great season seven duet with Michael Johns and Carly Smithson) and Lee does an admirable job with it. I am not overly enthusiastic about it, though and think Lee can do a lot better. He needs to embrace his rock-star persona.
Paige Miles - "Against All Odds" by Phil Collins : Oh brother; here's one song that needs to just go away from the Idol stage forever. I love the original, but its been overdone on the show. And now it's Paige's turn to give it new life. Last week she was dealing with laryngitis and sounded quite good overcoming that obstacle. And she probably picked up quite a few sympathy votes because of it, too. This week she's back to normal (so it appears) yet she sounds worse than ever. Holy cow, she is off pitch. She really struggles with the lower notes in her register and it just sounds awful. The higher notes in the performance were nice but they weren't enough to save this rendition from being a complete train wreck.
Tim Urban - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen : To use a famous quote by Simon Cowell, Tim is a "funny little thing," isn't he? So far his Idol journey has been less-than-stellar. His only shining moment has been "Hallelujah" which was such a smart song choice for him because it saved him from being cut that week and it allowed him to advance into the Top 12. Not to say the vocal in that performance was splendid, because it wasn't. But he sang it well just enough and put together a very emotional and pleasant performance. This week again I was bored by his vocals. He doesn't do enough runs and riffs and sings a song plain-Jane. I just don't buy him as being a legit musician. I actually thought he sang the song well, but his vocal abilities are just too boring. And the schtick on stage was just a bit too much. But he knows exactly what he's doing because that performance is going to get him a lot of votes from his fans (teen girls).
Aaron Kelly - "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith : It seems throat ailments are going around amongst the Idol contestants lately. Last week it was Paige dealing with laryngitis, this week it's Aaron's turn to struggle with losing his voice (along with tonsillitis). So he chooses a song that, yet again, has been overdone on the show. Can he bring anything new to the song and make it memorable? Taking all things into consideration, he does a decent job with the song. I wouldn't necessarily say it was his best vocal and I think he should get a pass this week because of his throat issues. But he's definitely coming into his own and improving week after week. If he keeps improving, he's got a good shot to go quite far.
Crystal Bowersox - "Me and Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin : I just had to laugh at the thought of Miley mentoring Crystal this week. Honestly, Miley trying to give advice to an artist that's already a true-professional is just laughable. And I could tell that Crystal had a few negative inner-thoughts whirling around in her head while Miley was trying to be constructive. Crystal is going to do whatever she wants because she's always good! Again, this week was no exception. She's comfortable with who she is and she's not afraid to express her artistic vision. I really enjoyed where the tempo kind of picked up a bit towards the end and she starting jamming out and riffing. It truly was the highlight performance of the night.
Michael Lynche - "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge : Michael took a few steps back last week with the judges when they did not love his more up-tempo performance along with his erratic stage movements. Michael is definitely the strongest when he sings an R&B ballad. He's really able to get into a song and sing to such an emotional level and make it quite powerful. This week he's going back to his most successful roots, a slowed-down R&B ballad. And honestly, it's quite good. Vocally it's spectacular - by far and away the best vocal for a male contestant this week. It's a rare thing to hear off-pitch notes from Michael. I do tend to agree it was a bit on the old fashioned side, but it was definitely one of the better performances of the evening.
Andrew Garcia - "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye : This is a song that my high school choir sang back in the day (and it was a fun song to sing, too). What does that tell ya about Andrew's performance this week? Again, the judges evoked the "Straight Up" cover from Hollywood week - AGAIN. But Simon rightfully made the comment about overrating that particular moment. Honestly, was it REALLY that good? I think it was such a jaw-dropping moment because it was a Paula Abdul song and this was her first season where she's not on the show. And nobody had ever covered a Paula song quite that good during the show's history. Again this week, Andrew's performance just fell flat for me. This clearly shows that he's just a one-trick pony.
Katie Stevens - Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie : Okay first of all, big props to Katie for stepping away from the pageanty-dresses she's worn since she's been singing live. Her look this week was miles-away the best that she's looked so far on her Idol journey. Now, for her singing. I liked the song choice as it was current and really helped to embrace her teenage persona. But it still wasn't sung well enough. I thought it started off pretty decent, but once we got into the chorus, it started going off-pitch. And it was also sharp and flat at times. Man, she needs a vocal coach. Yes, it's definitely step in the right direction but she needs to actually sing well for a change. Still plenty of room for improvement.
Casey James - "Powerful Love" by Huey Lewis and the News : One of the biggest surprises this week was seeing this song chosen by a contestant. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy Huey Lewis and his '80's music, but Idol and Huey Lewis songs just don't match. And yes, we even get a "Back to the Future" mention from Ryan. Casey really tries to rock it out and he does a decent job. Yet, between the goofy grin on his face and his stiff, boring performance style, it just shows he has some work to do to win over the Idol voting public. Vocally it was quite good and this kind of stuff shows what type of artist Casey is going to be. With some of the contestants, we don't know what they are going to do yet. Casey has truly embraced who and what he's all about.
Didi Benami - "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt : Between the over-done songs and oldies this week, you'd think we stepped back in time! Only Katie has really delivered on being current this week. Let me just say that last week, I thoroughly enjoyed Didi's Rolling Stone cover of "Play with Fire." I found myself listening to it over and over again. I actually liked it more than Siobhan's cover! This week I am just not digging Didi's song choice. I loved her look on stage, though - YOW! But her vocals were just kind of mediocre during the performance. I just don't think the song suited her unique singer-songwriter style. When she picks the right song, she hits the performance out of the ballpark. But yet, there are times when the song doesn't help her cause like this week.
Siobhan Magnus - "Superstition" By Stevie Wonder : Honestly, how brave is this girl? She has chosen song pretty crazy songs and have done quite well with them. We all know the famous "Think" performance where she hit that incredible note. And now this week, she tackles a Stevie Wonder song (not her first Stevie Wonder song, either - she covered on during Hollywood Week). It's a very upbeat, funky song. She slinks across the stage, from one point to another. I mean, what more can you say? You can definitely tell she had fun with the song. And vocally I thought it was quite good. People are beginning to tire with her frequent use of including those big, shrieky notes at the end of her performances. But that's what makes Siobhan unique! Without it, she'd just be another Katie Stevens or Paige Miles.
Week 11 Performance Rankings:
#1: Crystal Bowersox
#2: Siobhan Magnus
#3: Michael Lynche
#4: Aaron Kelly
#5: Lee Dewyze
#6: Casey James
#7: Didi Benami
#8: Katie Stevens
#9: Tim Urban
#10: Andrew Garcia
#11: Paige Miles
Going Home: I think it's Paige's time to head home. She just has not lived up to the early hype from the judges and delivered one of the worst performances on the Idol stage ever. Her rendition of "Against All Odds" was all over the place. She is not deserving to stay another week and to be on the summer tour because of it.
Lee Dewyze - "The Letter" by the Boxtops (version by Alex Chilton) : Lee has been gradually improving week after week and it's certainly clear what kind of artist he wants to become. He just needs to become a more polished artist on stage because the nerves are still there. Do you ever notice how often he taps his right foot during a performance? It's usually going faster than the beat of the song! As for this week's performance - it wasn't bad, yet it wasn't great. This isn't the first time we've seen this version of the song performed on stage (going back to that great season seven duet with Michael Johns and Carly Smithson) and Lee does an admirable job with it. I am not overly enthusiastic about it, though and think Lee can do a lot better. He needs to embrace his rock-star persona.
Paige Miles - "Against All Odds" by Phil Collins : Oh brother; here's one song that needs to just go away from the Idol stage forever. I love the original, but its been overdone on the show. And now it's Paige's turn to give it new life. Last week she was dealing with laryngitis and sounded quite good overcoming that obstacle. And she probably picked up quite a few sympathy votes because of it, too. This week she's back to normal (so it appears) yet she sounds worse than ever. Holy cow, she is off pitch. She really struggles with the lower notes in her register and it just sounds awful. The higher notes in the performance were nice but they weren't enough to save this rendition from being a complete train wreck.
Tim Urban - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen : To use a famous quote by Simon Cowell, Tim is a "funny little thing," isn't he? So far his Idol journey has been less-than-stellar. His only shining moment has been "Hallelujah" which was such a smart song choice for him because it saved him from being cut that week and it allowed him to advance into the Top 12. Not to say the vocal in that performance was splendid, because it wasn't. But he sang it well just enough and put together a very emotional and pleasant performance. This week again I was bored by his vocals. He doesn't do enough runs and riffs and sings a song plain-Jane. I just don't buy him as being a legit musician. I actually thought he sang the song well, but his vocal abilities are just too boring. And the schtick on stage was just a bit too much. But he knows exactly what he's doing because that performance is going to get him a lot of votes from his fans (teen girls).
Aaron Kelly - "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith : It seems throat ailments are going around amongst the Idol contestants lately. Last week it was Paige dealing with laryngitis, this week it's Aaron's turn to struggle with losing his voice (along with tonsillitis). So he chooses a song that, yet again, has been overdone on the show. Can he bring anything new to the song and make it memorable? Taking all things into consideration, he does a decent job with the song. I wouldn't necessarily say it was his best vocal and I think he should get a pass this week because of his throat issues. But he's definitely coming into his own and improving week after week. If he keeps improving, he's got a good shot to go quite far.
Crystal Bowersox - "Me and Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin : I just had to laugh at the thought of Miley mentoring Crystal this week. Honestly, Miley trying to give advice to an artist that's already a true-professional is just laughable. And I could tell that Crystal had a few negative inner-thoughts whirling around in her head while Miley was trying to be constructive. Crystal is going to do whatever she wants because she's always good! Again, this week was no exception. She's comfortable with who she is and she's not afraid to express her artistic vision. I really enjoyed where the tempo kind of picked up a bit towards the end and she starting jamming out and riffing. It truly was the highlight performance of the night.
Michael Lynche - "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge : Michael took a few steps back last week with the judges when they did not love his more up-tempo performance along with his erratic stage movements. Michael is definitely the strongest when he sings an R&B ballad. He's really able to get into a song and sing to such an emotional level and make it quite powerful. This week he's going back to his most successful roots, a slowed-down R&B ballad. And honestly, it's quite good. Vocally it's spectacular - by far and away the best vocal for a male contestant this week. It's a rare thing to hear off-pitch notes from Michael. I do tend to agree it was a bit on the old fashioned side, but it was definitely one of the better performances of the evening.
Andrew Garcia - "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye : This is a song that my high school choir sang back in the day (and it was a fun song to sing, too). What does that tell ya about Andrew's performance this week? Again, the judges evoked the "Straight Up" cover from Hollywood week - AGAIN. But Simon rightfully made the comment about overrating that particular moment. Honestly, was it REALLY that good? I think it was such a jaw-dropping moment because it was a Paula Abdul song and this was her first season where she's not on the show. And nobody had ever covered a Paula song quite that good during the show's history. Again this week, Andrew's performance just fell flat for me. This clearly shows that he's just a one-trick pony.
Katie Stevens - Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie : Okay first of all, big props to Katie for stepping away from the pageanty-dresses she's worn since she's been singing live. Her look this week was miles-away the best that she's looked so far on her Idol journey. Now, for her singing. I liked the song choice as it was current and really helped to embrace her teenage persona. But it still wasn't sung well enough. I thought it started off pretty decent, but once we got into the chorus, it started going off-pitch. And it was also sharp and flat at times. Man, she needs a vocal coach. Yes, it's definitely step in the right direction but she needs to actually sing well for a change. Still plenty of room for improvement.
Casey James - "Powerful Love" by Huey Lewis and the News : One of the biggest surprises this week was seeing this song chosen by a contestant. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy Huey Lewis and his '80's music, but Idol and Huey Lewis songs just don't match. And yes, we even get a "Back to the Future" mention from Ryan. Casey really tries to rock it out and he does a decent job. Yet, between the goofy grin on his face and his stiff, boring performance style, it just shows he has some work to do to win over the Idol voting public. Vocally it was quite good and this kind of stuff shows what type of artist Casey is going to be. With some of the contestants, we don't know what they are going to do yet. Casey has truly embraced who and what he's all about.
Didi Benami - "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt : Between the over-done songs and oldies this week, you'd think we stepped back in time! Only Katie has really delivered on being current this week. Let me just say that last week, I thoroughly enjoyed Didi's Rolling Stone cover of "Play with Fire." I found myself listening to it over and over again. I actually liked it more than Siobhan's cover! This week I am just not digging Didi's song choice. I loved her look on stage, though - YOW! But her vocals were just kind of mediocre during the performance. I just don't think the song suited her unique singer-songwriter style. When she picks the right song, she hits the performance out of the ballpark. But yet, there are times when the song doesn't help her cause like this week.
Siobhan Magnus - "Superstition" By Stevie Wonder : Honestly, how brave is this girl? She has chosen song pretty crazy songs and have done quite well with them. We all know the famous "Think" performance where she hit that incredible note. And now this week, she tackles a Stevie Wonder song (not her first Stevie Wonder song, either - she covered on during Hollywood Week). It's a very upbeat, funky song. She slinks across the stage, from one point to another. I mean, what more can you say? You can definitely tell she had fun with the song. And vocally I thought it was quite good. People are beginning to tire with her frequent use of including those big, shrieky notes at the end of her performances. But that's what makes Siobhan unique! Without it, she'd just be another Katie Stevens or Paige Miles.
Week 11 Performance Rankings:
#1: Crystal Bowersox
#2: Siobhan Magnus
#3: Michael Lynche
#4: Aaron Kelly
#5: Lee Dewyze
#6: Casey James
#7: Didi Benami
#8: Katie Stevens
#9: Tim Urban
#10: Andrew Garcia
#11: Paige Miles
Going Home: I think it's Paige's time to head home. She just has not lived up to the early hype from the judges and delivered one of the worst performances on the Idol stage ever. Her rendition of "Against All Odds" was all over the place. She is not deserving to stay another week and to be on the summer tour because of it.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Universal Health Care
So it appears Universal Health Care will be provided to 32 million Americans who are currently without coverage, all thanks to the Health Care bill signed by Congress this past weekend. It's not often that I comment on controversial subjects such as this, but I felt the urge to dive into this topic a little bit. While I think it's important that everyone in the United States should receive health care benefits, I just don't know if this bill is right at this time. Don't get me wrong, I applaud the Democrats' willingness to get this done. I think it's a long time coming. However, I think it was put together too quickly and it's not perfect. I cannot go into great details about the bill because I just don't know enough about it. But from what I have heard, and the majority of Americans having doubt about the Health Care bill, I just don't get a satisfied feeling about it.
One of the key advocates of this particular Health Care bill is House Representative Bart Stupak. We're very familiar with him in Northern Michigan because he represents our district. He's been a long-time representative and up until last year, has been little-known outside of our district. But he was the individual to include the amendment about abortions not being funded by the Health Care bill. Up until the vote on the Health Care bill, he was adamantly against supporting the bill if it included abortions being funded via Universal Health Care coverage. But, he ended up supporting the bill anyways at the last minute, after being promised an executive order from President Obama that the "abortion amendment" would yet be addressed again at a later date. You know, I am glad that Stupak stuck to his guns right until the last minute. But in a sense I feel he gave in and it remains to be seen if that executive order will come up for Stupak and his fellow pro-life members of Congress. I'd certainly hate to see him end up with egg all over his face regarding such a monumental bill.
Obviously the health care fight in Congress and across the United States isn't over quite yet. From the sounds of it there are a few things that still need ironing out (particularly the abortion issue). Exactly when will it get enacted? Will it cause the National Debt to increase even more than it already has? Also another big issue is what will this do to the Democrats come this November? There are a lot of races to be contested in the fall - will this and President Obama's performance take a toll on the Democrats? A lot of questions need to get answered before the end of the year. This is clearly a hot topic issue and will probably remain that way for years to come. Was this right at this time - especially when our country is still struggling economically? I certainly think it's a good thing that people who were without health care coverage can now have an affordable option for coverage. But at what cost will it come? That remains to be seen in the days, months, and years ahead.
One of the key advocates of this particular Health Care bill is House Representative Bart Stupak. We're very familiar with him in Northern Michigan because he represents our district. He's been a long-time representative and up until last year, has been little-known outside of our district. But he was the individual to include the amendment about abortions not being funded by the Health Care bill. Up until the vote on the Health Care bill, he was adamantly against supporting the bill if it included abortions being funded via Universal Health Care coverage. But, he ended up supporting the bill anyways at the last minute, after being promised an executive order from President Obama that the "abortion amendment" would yet be addressed again at a later date. You know, I am glad that Stupak stuck to his guns right until the last minute. But in a sense I feel he gave in and it remains to be seen if that executive order will come up for Stupak and his fellow pro-life members of Congress. I'd certainly hate to see him end up with egg all over his face regarding such a monumental bill.
Obviously the health care fight in Congress and across the United States isn't over quite yet. From the sounds of it there are a few things that still need ironing out (particularly the abortion issue). Exactly when will it get enacted? Will it cause the National Debt to increase even more than it already has? Also another big issue is what will this do to the Democrats come this November? There are a lot of races to be contested in the fall - will this and President Obama's performance take a toll on the Democrats? A lot of questions need to get answered before the end of the year. This is clearly a hot topic issue and will probably remain that way for years to come. Was this right at this time - especially when our country is still struggling economically? I certainly think it's a good thing that people who were without health care coverage can now have an affordable option for coverage. But at what cost will it come? That remains to be seen in the days, months, and years ahead.
Friday, March 19, 2010
March Madness
You turn on the TV these days and see endless amounts of college basketball games on a variety of channels. You turn to the sports page in the newspaper and see basketball covered from front to back. March is the month for basketball tournaments and crowning champions. And if a team you follow is in the midst of the hunt for a championship, you know you're going to follow with great interest. Such is the case for me when it comes to my old high school's current basketball team. They just won their regional tournament championship in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Class D tournament. They now move onto the quarterfinals where they'll play again this Tuesday. And although I won't be able to attend that game, I hope to at least catch the game on the radio (if I'm able to get reception of the radio station the game will be broadcast on) and root on the Cougars.
This tournament run that the current team finds itself in reminds me of the great memories I experienced while I was in the sixth grade and when our school last made a run like this in the basketball tournament. It was 1994 and that team had a similar record that the 2010 team has and was ranked in the region-wide polls all season long. Yes, there were a few bumps in the road in the form of losses along the way. But you know what they say, losses often make a team stronger. And no doubt, those losses during the regular season in 1994 helped the team wind up in the state championship game in the Class D tournament, which was held in East Lansing at the Breslin Center on the Michigan State University campus. There were some epic games along the tournament run. The Regional Final game saw the Cougars down by a significant margin in the third quarter. But the team dug deep and clawed their way back. It lead to an exciting 3-point victory before reaching the Quaterfinals. And when your school's basketball team is firing on all cylinders and keeps winning, it's no surprise to see the entire school and community get behind this team. Everybody was so excited for the games in 1994 and my family attended every game. Unfortunately we came up one game short of the state championship. We lost 77-70 to a Catholic school out of Grand Rapids. It was a disappointing outcome, but we lost to the defending state champions. They were a formidable team and we made an incredible run. It's not often you see teams from the Upper Peninsula compete at the state level.
Obviously upset with the outcome of the game, the 1994 team had a gathering that evening involving beer. Seeing that they were minors at the time, that was a big no-no. The team was initially given an award for good sportsmanship during the final four of its run at the Breslin Center, but that was taken away after those events came to light to tournament officials. When we returned back home after the trip downstate, that story made major news on local TV. It ended up leaving a black eye on a great tournament run. Yes, we all hate to lose, especially after getting so close to winning a championship. But to "drown your sorrows," so to speak, it just wasn't the right thing to do. And a lot of young people at that time looked up to the athletes on that team and it really left a lot of people with a sour taste in their mouths about the whole incident. I think a lot of people in the community have forgotten about that particular incident and rightly so. We mainly focus on the sporting accomplishments rather than the embellishments that those athletes took that night. It was a great tournament run and that's something to be proud of. But the extra-curriculars, if you will, were not.
The 2010 team has a chance to re-write the record books. They are on a roll and have the opportunity to showcase the school as a premiere learning and athletic school. It's a small school located in the Upper Peninsula. Total enrollment is under 400 students for a K-12 school with all grades in one building. Even reaching the state semi-finals in the Michigan basketball tournament really gives the school great recognition state-wide. And just think if they manage to win the whole thing?! We were that close in 1994 and we're on our way this year. Obviously we still have a long way to go - the Quaterfinal match-up is against a team that competed downstate in the semi-finals and finals the past few years. So I don't want to jump to conclusions just yet. But this is a strong group of kids that are highly athletic and know how to play the game. If they're at the top of their game, they very well could bring home a title to the local area and the Upper Peninsula. They'll be a team that everyone could be talking about for a long time to come.
This tournament run that the current team finds itself in reminds me of the great memories I experienced while I was in the sixth grade and when our school last made a run like this in the basketball tournament. It was 1994 and that team had a similar record that the 2010 team has and was ranked in the region-wide polls all season long. Yes, there were a few bumps in the road in the form of losses along the way. But you know what they say, losses often make a team stronger. And no doubt, those losses during the regular season in 1994 helped the team wind up in the state championship game in the Class D tournament, which was held in East Lansing at the Breslin Center on the Michigan State University campus. There were some epic games along the tournament run. The Regional Final game saw the Cougars down by a significant margin in the third quarter. But the team dug deep and clawed their way back. It lead to an exciting 3-point victory before reaching the Quaterfinals. And when your school's basketball team is firing on all cylinders and keeps winning, it's no surprise to see the entire school and community get behind this team. Everybody was so excited for the games in 1994 and my family attended every game. Unfortunately we came up one game short of the state championship. We lost 77-70 to a Catholic school out of Grand Rapids. It was a disappointing outcome, but we lost to the defending state champions. They were a formidable team and we made an incredible run. It's not often you see teams from the Upper Peninsula compete at the state level.
Obviously upset with the outcome of the game, the 1994 team had a gathering that evening involving beer. Seeing that they were minors at the time, that was a big no-no. The team was initially given an award for good sportsmanship during the final four of its run at the Breslin Center, but that was taken away after those events came to light to tournament officials. When we returned back home after the trip downstate, that story made major news on local TV. It ended up leaving a black eye on a great tournament run. Yes, we all hate to lose, especially after getting so close to winning a championship. But to "drown your sorrows," so to speak, it just wasn't the right thing to do. And a lot of young people at that time looked up to the athletes on that team and it really left a lot of people with a sour taste in their mouths about the whole incident. I think a lot of people in the community have forgotten about that particular incident and rightly so. We mainly focus on the sporting accomplishments rather than the embellishments that those athletes took that night. It was a great tournament run and that's something to be proud of. But the extra-curriculars, if you will, were not.
The 2010 team has a chance to re-write the record books. They are on a roll and have the opportunity to showcase the school as a premiere learning and athletic school. It's a small school located in the Upper Peninsula. Total enrollment is under 400 students for a K-12 school with all grades in one building. Even reaching the state semi-finals in the Michigan basketball tournament really gives the school great recognition state-wide. And just think if they manage to win the whole thing?! We were that close in 1994 and we're on our way this year. Obviously we still have a long way to go - the Quaterfinal match-up is against a team that competed downstate in the semi-finals and finals the past few years. So I don't want to jump to conclusions just yet. But this is a strong group of kids that are highly athletic and know how to play the game. If they're at the top of their game, they very well could bring home a title to the local area and the Upper Peninsula. They'll be a team that everyone could be talking about for a long time to come.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
American Idol 9 - Top 12
With the wide-open semi-finals out of the way, the remaining 12 contestants left on the show will now get to deal with regular theme weeks. During the three weeks of semi-finals, they basically got to sing any song they wanted, as long as it placed in the Billboard Charts. But the remaining contestants have reached the latest stepping stone in their progression towards the finale. Obviously two contestants will reach the end of that proverbial road, but each of the remaining 12 need to try and master the latest challenge in their journey. They'll have to deal with singing older songs on a more regular basis, like we have this week with the Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones have released some epic songs during their careers and hopefully the contestants this week will be able to cover these songs gracefully and won't butcher them too terribly. Let's see how they fared during the tribute to the Rolling Stones.
Michaeal Lynche - "Miss You" : Big Mike is up first this week and he has definitely delivered on strong performances during the semi-finals. He chooses a more up-beat Rolling Stones song which hearkens back to his first semi-final performance where he performed a Maroon 5 song, which wasn't totally embraced by the judges. I get the same reaction from this performance this week. I think he uses the falsetto too much and his on-stage dancing and swaying is a bit off-putting. He almost makes the song too unrecognizable with his dramatic overhaul, trying to give it a more R&B flavor. Don't get me wrong, his vocals were quite good, it's just the overall performance felt too cheesy for me.
Didi Benami - "Play with Fire" : Didi has put together a few consistent performances the past few weeks (even if her cover of "Lean on Me" wasn't as loved by the judges like her previous two - I still thought it was decent). I'm anxious to see how she adjusts to the bigger Idol stage and whether that throws her off or not. I really enjoyed Didi's performance this week. She put together an intense, focused performance of this classic Rolling Stones song. Yes, it wasn't perfect. She messed up the lyrics in a few spots (but recovered nicely in both instances) and she was off-pitch in a few spots (especially on the last note - was that a hiccup?) - but all in all, Didi's performance was highly enjoyable. She is definitely putting up a fight to stay in this competition a long while.
Casey James - "It's All Over Now" : So Casey's run during the semi-finals can be described as being up and down - a bit too inconsistent. He did well the first week, not so well the second, and then delivered a decent, yet forgettable performance during the third week. This week he brings his rock-edge and electric guitar back. It's a strong performance overall, but yet again I find it to be a bit forgettable. I liked that he injected a bit of country twang into the performance (makes sense since he's from Texas) and he put together an upbeat performance. Yet I just didn't feel all that connected to Casey and his performance. And he's just so stiff on that stage that he needs to loosen up. Still, it's an improvement over last week.
Lacey Brown - "Ruby Tuesday" : Lacey picks probably one of the more recognizable Rolling Stones tunes they released. There's no question Lacey has a distinct sound - the trouble is she doesn't know what to do with it (oh yeah, she likes to sing songs that evoke emotion - who doesn't?). Last week was her best of the semi-finals, but she has a long way to go. She tries to make the song her own with some subtle changes. I liked the violin accompaniment throughout the song but some of her phrasing I had issues with. The arrangement of the song wasn't as good as it could've been. Her vocals seemed to struggle a bit with the slower pace of the song, especially in the non-chorus portion of the song. And I didn't enjoy the sped-up "still I'm gonna miss you" portion of the song. Definitely has work to do to improve.
Andrew Garcia - "Gimme Shelter" : I was wondering if the judges would bring up Andrew's "Straight Up" cover from Hollywood Week once again and sure enough, Simon mentioned it. I think it's time to get over that performance because Andrew has not lived up to it since. I think that particular performance and everyone of them since has uncovered Andrew as being a one-trick pony. That's the only performer he knows how to be! Again, Andrew just fell flat for me this week. It was apparently obvious this week that he's trying to switch things up since the semi-finals were an overall disaster. He goes without that acoustic guitar, which we hadn't seen him be without and tries to be more of a rocker. But he struggled staying on pitch and the performance was all over the place.
Katie Stevens - "Wild Horses" : I thought the name of the song sounded familiar, but I just couldn't put my finger on where I had heard it before until Simon mentioned that he recorded it with Susan Boyle. Then it all came back to me. As for Katie, what more can you say? She has struggled to find her identity since Hollywood Week. She's almost a carbon copy of Andrew Garcia, except I don't remember her having that memorable of a performance during Hell Week like Andrew did. I think this week, Katie definitely gets things together and delivers a more admirable performance. Was it spectacular? No. Was it without pitch problems? No. Yet it was a step in the right direction, certainly not as big of a disaster as the semi-finals were for Katie. She still has a lot more work to do, however.
Tim Urban - "Under My Thumb" : I have yet to see a performance from Tim that completely wowed me. Yes, "Hallelujah" last week was good for him, but it certainly wasn't the greatest rendition of the song that I've heard. He has a long way to go if he wants to be as good as some of his female competitors like Siobhan and Crystal. I'd say he's made baby-steps in his overall performance improvement. However, I don't know if I'd call this week's performance of "Under My Thumb" an improvement. Vocally it wasn't too bad. Except the issue I have with Tim is that his singing style is just too plain. He doesn't do enough runs and doesn't take enough risk with his vocals. It's quite clear that is intention is not to win the crown of American Idol, but to make the summer tour. Hopefully he falls short of reaching that goal within the next few weeks.
Siobhan Magnus - "Paint it Black" : It seems to me this isn't the first time "Paint it Black" has been covered on Idol during its nine seasons. But no one has made it as memorable like Siobhan was able to do this week. You can always expect the unexpected with Siobhan and you never know how she's going to interpret the song. I wouldn't say the vocal was totally flawless. And even her big note at the end wasn't as spectacular as it was when she sang "Think." However, the overall feel of the performance changed several different times. At first, it was very slowed down with an almost somber feel. Then the tempo picked up and she gave it almost an emo-feel to it. I felt that the song was set a little too low for Siobhan, one octave higher could've improved it. Still, what imperfections there was were quite minor. Siobhan is a force to be reckoned with.
Lee Dewyze - "Beast of Burden" : At this stage, Lee is probably the strongest male contestant in the top 12. However, that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. So far he still hasn't had a vocally flawless performance. And it appears that nerves are still getting the best of him at times (which could be a contributing factor to being off-pitch). If he really wants to make it far, at least through to the top five, he really has to overcome the nerves and own that stage. I'll say that he's making gradual improvements towards reaching that goal. His performance of "Beast of Burden" was actually quite good. I didn't really notice any blaring off-pitch notes. I do agree that I was expecting a bit more out of the performance and that it could be described as being a bit safe.
Paige Miles - "Honky Tonk Woman" : Paige dodged a huge bullet last week when she was declared safe over Katelyn Epperly and moved onto the top 12. She clearly delivered the weakest performance of the top 16, which makes me wonder who was voting for her (she got more votes than Lily, Katelyn, and Alex!). Nonetheless, she gets a reprieve but is dealing with a bout of laryngitis. Apparently she just can't get a break. Considering that her voice wasn't all there, her rendition of "Honky Tonk Woman" was quite good. She was very powerful on those higher notes and yet struggled on those lower notes in the song. Good for her for not trying to play the sympathy card - only until the judges brought it up. She'll likely stay another week just for that and also, she wasn't the worst performer this week, either.
Aaron Kelly - "Angie" : Aaron has not been a fan favorite as of late with his less-than-stellar performances. Obviously the judges selected him to be in the top 24 for a reason - yet we really hadn't seen a reason why yet. His semi-final performances had mixed results - his first week performance was probably his best, and it has trailed off since. So Aaron really needed to deliver this week to get fan support back on his side. And taking everything into consideration, he did exactly what he needed to do. His performance was much more controlled and he didn't over-exert himself on those bigger notes. I'd say he had a lot more success this week than he's had so far during the live shows and if he keeps it up, a lot more people will begin to notice.
Crystal Bowersox - "You Can't Always Get What You Want" : Ah Crystal, the proverbial favorite of this season. Yet, even she realizes that the competition is far from over. And I think she understands that even more after last week's surprising eliminations. Simon has pimped her as being the favorite to win it on "The Tonight Show," but I think at this stage, it's way too early to tell. He's said the same thing about certain constants on previous years, and it hasn't exactly worked out that way. Crystal's performance this week probably wasn't her best that we've seen, but it was still way better than many of the contestants tonight. She's just so comfortable on that stage and knows exactly the kind of artist she wants to be. She can do no wrong.
Top 12 Performance Rankings:
1. Siobhan Magnus
2. Didi Benami
3. Crystal Bowersox
4. Lee Dewyze
5. Aaron Kelly
6. Casey James
7. Paige Miles
8. Michael Lynche
9. Katie Stevens
10. Tim Urban
11. Lacey Brown
12. Andrew Garcia
I think it's finally time for Andrew Garcia to go home. He has not lived up to his Hollywood Week hype and people are getting tired of him doing the same old schtick. He tried reinventing himself this week but it just fell flat. Look for Lacey Brown to end up on the bottom three as and I wouldn't be surprised to see Paige Miles or Tim Urban wind up there, either. But I definitely think it's time for Andrew to go.
Michaeal Lynche - "Miss You" : Big Mike is up first this week and he has definitely delivered on strong performances during the semi-finals. He chooses a more up-beat Rolling Stones song which hearkens back to his first semi-final performance where he performed a Maroon 5 song, which wasn't totally embraced by the judges. I get the same reaction from this performance this week. I think he uses the falsetto too much and his on-stage dancing and swaying is a bit off-putting. He almost makes the song too unrecognizable with his dramatic overhaul, trying to give it a more R&B flavor. Don't get me wrong, his vocals were quite good, it's just the overall performance felt too cheesy for me.
Didi Benami - "Play with Fire" : Didi has put together a few consistent performances the past few weeks (even if her cover of "Lean on Me" wasn't as loved by the judges like her previous two - I still thought it was decent). I'm anxious to see how she adjusts to the bigger Idol stage and whether that throws her off or not. I really enjoyed Didi's performance this week. She put together an intense, focused performance of this classic Rolling Stones song. Yes, it wasn't perfect. She messed up the lyrics in a few spots (but recovered nicely in both instances) and she was off-pitch in a few spots (especially on the last note - was that a hiccup?) - but all in all, Didi's performance was highly enjoyable. She is definitely putting up a fight to stay in this competition a long while.
Casey James - "It's All Over Now" : So Casey's run during the semi-finals can be described as being up and down - a bit too inconsistent. He did well the first week, not so well the second, and then delivered a decent, yet forgettable performance during the third week. This week he brings his rock-edge and electric guitar back. It's a strong performance overall, but yet again I find it to be a bit forgettable. I liked that he injected a bit of country twang into the performance (makes sense since he's from Texas) and he put together an upbeat performance. Yet I just didn't feel all that connected to Casey and his performance. And he's just so stiff on that stage that he needs to loosen up. Still, it's an improvement over last week.
Lacey Brown - "Ruby Tuesday" : Lacey picks probably one of the more recognizable Rolling Stones tunes they released. There's no question Lacey has a distinct sound - the trouble is she doesn't know what to do with it (oh yeah, she likes to sing songs that evoke emotion - who doesn't?). Last week was her best of the semi-finals, but she has a long way to go. She tries to make the song her own with some subtle changes. I liked the violin accompaniment throughout the song but some of her phrasing I had issues with. The arrangement of the song wasn't as good as it could've been. Her vocals seemed to struggle a bit with the slower pace of the song, especially in the non-chorus portion of the song. And I didn't enjoy the sped-up "still I'm gonna miss you" portion of the song. Definitely has work to do to improve.
Andrew Garcia - "Gimme Shelter" : I was wondering if the judges would bring up Andrew's "Straight Up" cover from Hollywood Week once again and sure enough, Simon mentioned it. I think it's time to get over that performance because Andrew has not lived up to it since. I think that particular performance and everyone of them since has uncovered Andrew as being a one-trick pony. That's the only performer he knows how to be! Again, Andrew just fell flat for me this week. It was apparently obvious this week that he's trying to switch things up since the semi-finals were an overall disaster. He goes without that acoustic guitar, which we hadn't seen him be without and tries to be more of a rocker. But he struggled staying on pitch and the performance was all over the place.
Katie Stevens - "Wild Horses" : I thought the name of the song sounded familiar, but I just couldn't put my finger on where I had heard it before until Simon mentioned that he recorded it with Susan Boyle. Then it all came back to me. As for Katie, what more can you say? She has struggled to find her identity since Hollywood Week. She's almost a carbon copy of Andrew Garcia, except I don't remember her having that memorable of a performance during Hell Week like Andrew did. I think this week, Katie definitely gets things together and delivers a more admirable performance. Was it spectacular? No. Was it without pitch problems? No. Yet it was a step in the right direction, certainly not as big of a disaster as the semi-finals were for Katie. She still has a lot more work to do, however.
Tim Urban - "Under My Thumb" : I have yet to see a performance from Tim that completely wowed me. Yes, "Hallelujah" last week was good for him, but it certainly wasn't the greatest rendition of the song that I've heard. He has a long way to go if he wants to be as good as some of his female competitors like Siobhan and Crystal. I'd say he's made baby-steps in his overall performance improvement. However, I don't know if I'd call this week's performance of "Under My Thumb" an improvement. Vocally it wasn't too bad. Except the issue I have with Tim is that his singing style is just too plain. He doesn't do enough runs and doesn't take enough risk with his vocals. It's quite clear that is intention is not to win the crown of American Idol, but to make the summer tour. Hopefully he falls short of reaching that goal within the next few weeks.
Siobhan Magnus - "Paint it Black" : It seems to me this isn't the first time "Paint it Black" has been covered on Idol during its nine seasons. But no one has made it as memorable like Siobhan was able to do this week. You can always expect the unexpected with Siobhan and you never know how she's going to interpret the song. I wouldn't say the vocal was totally flawless. And even her big note at the end wasn't as spectacular as it was when she sang "Think." However, the overall feel of the performance changed several different times. At first, it was very slowed down with an almost somber feel. Then the tempo picked up and she gave it almost an emo-feel to it. I felt that the song was set a little too low for Siobhan, one octave higher could've improved it. Still, what imperfections there was were quite minor. Siobhan is a force to be reckoned with.
Lee Dewyze - "Beast of Burden" : At this stage, Lee is probably the strongest male contestant in the top 12. However, that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. So far he still hasn't had a vocally flawless performance. And it appears that nerves are still getting the best of him at times (which could be a contributing factor to being off-pitch). If he really wants to make it far, at least through to the top five, he really has to overcome the nerves and own that stage. I'll say that he's making gradual improvements towards reaching that goal. His performance of "Beast of Burden" was actually quite good. I didn't really notice any blaring off-pitch notes. I do agree that I was expecting a bit more out of the performance and that it could be described as being a bit safe.
Paige Miles - "Honky Tonk Woman" : Paige dodged a huge bullet last week when she was declared safe over Katelyn Epperly and moved onto the top 12. She clearly delivered the weakest performance of the top 16, which makes me wonder who was voting for her (she got more votes than Lily, Katelyn, and Alex!). Nonetheless, she gets a reprieve but is dealing with a bout of laryngitis. Apparently she just can't get a break. Considering that her voice wasn't all there, her rendition of "Honky Tonk Woman" was quite good. She was very powerful on those higher notes and yet struggled on those lower notes in the song. Good for her for not trying to play the sympathy card - only until the judges brought it up. She'll likely stay another week just for that and also, she wasn't the worst performer this week, either.
Aaron Kelly - "Angie" : Aaron has not been a fan favorite as of late with his less-than-stellar performances. Obviously the judges selected him to be in the top 24 for a reason - yet we really hadn't seen a reason why yet. His semi-final performances had mixed results - his first week performance was probably his best, and it has trailed off since. So Aaron really needed to deliver this week to get fan support back on his side. And taking everything into consideration, he did exactly what he needed to do. His performance was much more controlled and he didn't over-exert himself on those bigger notes. I'd say he had a lot more success this week than he's had so far during the live shows and if he keeps it up, a lot more people will begin to notice.
Crystal Bowersox - "You Can't Always Get What You Want" : Ah Crystal, the proverbial favorite of this season. Yet, even she realizes that the competition is far from over. And I think she understands that even more after last week's surprising eliminations. Simon has pimped her as being the favorite to win it on "The Tonight Show," but I think at this stage, it's way too early to tell. He's said the same thing about certain constants on previous years, and it hasn't exactly worked out that way. Crystal's performance this week probably wasn't her best that we've seen, but it was still way better than many of the contestants tonight. She's just so comfortable on that stage and knows exactly the kind of artist she wants to be. She can do no wrong.
Top 12 Performance Rankings:
1. Siobhan Magnus
2. Didi Benami
3. Crystal Bowersox
4. Lee Dewyze
5. Aaron Kelly
6. Casey James
7. Paige Miles
8. Michael Lynche
9. Katie Stevens
10. Tim Urban
11. Lacey Brown
12. Andrew Garcia
I think it's finally time for Andrew Garcia to go home. He has not lived up to his Hollywood Week hype and people are getting tired of him doing the same old schtick. He tried reinventing himself this week but it just fell flat. Look for Lacey Brown to end up on the bottom three as and I wouldn't be surprised to see Paige Miles or Tim Urban wind up there, either. But I definitely think it's time for Andrew to go.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
American Idol 9 - Top 16 (Boys Night)
So here we are; the final performances during the semi-finals, and it's the guys trying to deliver solid performances to assure a slot in the top 12. So far, it's been a bit of a struggle to see who the stand-outs are. I mean really, there are only a handful of contestants who have been consistent week after week. For some, they may have sung well one week, but completely bombed the next. It's all about singing well once we reach this stage of the game (and if you haven't been depicted as being cannon fodder by the producers, too). Overall, I'd agree with the judge's earlier assessment about the girls being the better gender this season, but yet by only a small margin. The guys have showed that they have some contenders, too. Let's see how well the guys did during this week's performances.
Lee Dewyze - singing "Fireflies" by Owl City : So this week, Lee decides to go a bit outside the box and pick a highly popular, current pop song. It's a surprise song choice for me, but it worked out quite well for Lee. He adapted the song to his style, giving it a rock edge. I really noticed his confidence on stage this week and you could tell he was enjoying being out there. I don't think it's necessary to point out Lee's pitchiness when there hardly was any (maybe one or two off notes). Another solid performance for Lee.
Alex Lambert - singing "Trouble" by Ramon Lamontagne : Alex had a major confidence boost last week when he rose from a horrid performance during the first male semi-final night and delivered a highly enjoyable rendition of a John Legend song. He capitalized on that added confidence by putting together a tolerable performance of "Trouble." I agree with the general consensus that he didn't do much to stray from the original, but Alex remains a work in progress. You can't expect him to be glowing with confidence immediately.
Tim Urban - singing "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley : Before last night, Tim was probably the most likely male contestant not to make the top 12. Needless to say, his two previous live performances just haven't cut it. He made a very wise choice in picking this song because honestly, it's not a very difficult song to sing. If a contestant needs to rise above adversity, pick "Hallelujah!" I am quite partial to Jason Castro's spectacular rendition from season seven, and Tim's version is just okay for me. Yet, it probably gives him a good shot to make the top 12.
Andrew Garcia - singing "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera : It's pretty obvious to say that Andrew has had a difficult time of it lately. There's no question his "Straight Up" performance during Hollywood Week put him in such a difficult position that it's been impossible to live up to and try to match. All of his performances during the semi-finals have fallen flat, and the same can be said for "Genie in a Bottle." I applaud his effort in trying to reinvent songs, but it just hasn't worked out lately. Maybe he truly is just a one-trick pony.
Casey James - singing "You'll Think of Me" by Keith Urban : So Casey took a bit of a step back with last week's performance, although his electric guitar playing was quite impressive. But we must keep in mind this is a singing competition and last night, he put the focus back on his vocal skills. I was really digging the acoustic guitar intro and as he sang further into the song, I noticed a similar sound to the rock legend Bob Seger. Although I wasn't blown away by his performance, it was still pretty solid. He should have no trouble making this season's top 12.
Aaron Kelly - singing "I'm Already There" by Lonestar : So far this season's youngest contestants haven't had much success on the Idol stage during the semi-finals. Hailey was voted out last week, Katie had a rough performance Tuesday, and Aaron's rendition of this Lonestar hit was pretty mediocre to say the least. The first-third of the song was pretty horrendous. I don't know if he was trying to add more vibrato but it just didn't sound very good. He sounded somewhat better towards the end, but it was already too late. He may be headed home after tonight.
Todrick Hall - singing "Somebody to Love" by Queen : Todrick has been in the same position as Katie Stevens and Andrew Garcia, in that they haven't been able to put together a decent performance during the semi-finals. Todrick was ripped apart for drastically changing his two previous songs but last night he toned things down and instead put a bit of a gospel spin on this Queen classic. It was his best live performance to date and he actually made things quite entertaining. He certainly livened up an already dull show.
Michael Lynch - singing "This Woman's Work" by Maxwell (Kate Bush) : Last night, the coveted pimp spot for the guys went to Big Mike, and he truly deserved the honor. I was a bit skeptical when the performance first started - I wasn't totally digging the falsetto. But then he upped the ante with a passionate, energetic, and emotional vocal. I did find him to be a bit over dramatic with his on-stage moves, but even that is being nit-picky. I am beginning to see a bit of a resemblance to Ruben Studdard, season two's eventual champ. That's good company to be included in.
My favorite performers of the night: Michael Lynch and Lee Dewyze.
Performances that were so-so: Todrick Hall, Casey James, Tim Urban, and Alex Lambert.
In danger of being voted out: Aaron Kelly and Andrew Garcia.
Going home: The first selection is actually quite easy - Aaron Kelly. He has not delivered consistent, solid performances and his age definitely shows his vocal limitations. He needs more stage and singing experience and once again proves the point that he probably auditioned way too soon for Idol. Sometimes you got to have more than just a great singing voice. Hopefully Idol will prove to be a great learning experience for Aaron, at least. As for the other selection, it's literally a toss-up. Andrew should be going home because he has not delivered a memorable moment since his Paula Abdul cover. However, he has developed a pretty serious fan following, so I am not inclined to choose him. Todrick is another possibility, even though he finally delivered a solid performance during the semi-finals. But is it too little, too late? The same could be said for Tim Urban. At the end of it all, the other male contestant to be leaving tonight will be Todrick Hall.
Lee Dewyze - singing "Fireflies" by Owl City : So this week, Lee decides to go a bit outside the box and pick a highly popular, current pop song. It's a surprise song choice for me, but it worked out quite well for Lee. He adapted the song to his style, giving it a rock edge. I really noticed his confidence on stage this week and you could tell he was enjoying being out there. I don't think it's necessary to point out Lee's pitchiness when there hardly was any (maybe one or two off notes). Another solid performance for Lee.
Alex Lambert - singing "Trouble" by Ramon Lamontagne : Alex had a major confidence boost last week when he rose from a horrid performance during the first male semi-final night and delivered a highly enjoyable rendition of a John Legend song. He capitalized on that added confidence by putting together a tolerable performance of "Trouble." I agree with the general consensus that he didn't do much to stray from the original, but Alex remains a work in progress. You can't expect him to be glowing with confidence immediately.
Tim Urban - singing "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley : Before last night, Tim was probably the most likely male contestant not to make the top 12. Needless to say, his two previous live performances just haven't cut it. He made a very wise choice in picking this song because honestly, it's not a very difficult song to sing. If a contestant needs to rise above adversity, pick "Hallelujah!" I am quite partial to Jason Castro's spectacular rendition from season seven, and Tim's version is just okay for me. Yet, it probably gives him a good shot to make the top 12.
Andrew Garcia - singing "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera : It's pretty obvious to say that Andrew has had a difficult time of it lately. There's no question his "Straight Up" performance during Hollywood Week put him in such a difficult position that it's been impossible to live up to and try to match. All of his performances during the semi-finals have fallen flat, and the same can be said for "Genie in a Bottle." I applaud his effort in trying to reinvent songs, but it just hasn't worked out lately. Maybe he truly is just a one-trick pony.
Casey James - singing "You'll Think of Me" by Keith Urban : So Casey took a bit of a step back with last week's performance, although his electric guitar playing was quite impressive. But we must keep in mind this is a singing competition and last night, he put the focus back on his vocal skills. I was really digging the acoustic guitar intro and as he sang further into the song, I noticed a similar sound to the rock legend Bob Seger. Although I wasn't blown away by his performance, it was still pretty solid. He should have no trouble making this season's top 12.
Aaron Kelly - singing "I'm Already There" by Lonestar : So far this season's youngest contestants haven't had much success on the Idol stage during the semi-finals. Hailey was voted out last week, Katie had a rough performance Tuesday, and Aaron's rendition of this Lonestar hit was pretty mediocre to say the least. The first-third of the song was pretty horrendous. I don't know if he was trying to add more vibrato but it just didn't sound very good. He sounded somewhat better towards the end, but it was already too late. He may be headed home after tonight.
Todrick Hall - singing "Somebody to Love" by Queen : Todrick has been in the same position as Katie Stevens and Andrew Garcia, in that they haven't been able to put together a decent performance during the semi-finals. Todrick was ripped apart for drastically changing his two previous songs but last night he toned things down and instead put a bit of a gospel spin on this Queen classic. It was his best live performance to date and he actually made things quite entertaining. He certainly livened up an already dull show.
Michael Lynch - singing "This Woman's Work" by Maxwell (Kate Bush) : Last night, the coveted pimp spot for the guys went to Big Mike, and he truly deserved the honor. I was a bit skeptical when the performance first started - I wasn't totally digging the falsetto. But then he upped the ante with a passionate, energetic, and emotional vocal. I did find him to be a bit over dramatic with his on-stage moves, but even that is being nit-picky. I am beginning to see a bit of a resemblance to Ruben Studdard, season two's eventual champ. That's good company to be included in.
My favorite performers of the night: Michael Lynch and Lee Dewyze.
Performances that were so-so: Todrick Hall, Casey James, Tim Urban, and Alex Lambert.
In danger of being voted out: Aaron Kelly and Andrew Garcia.
Going home: The first selection is actually quite easy - Aaron Kelly. He has not delivered consistent, solid performances and his age definitely shows his vocal limitations. He needs more stage and singing experience and once again proves the point that he probably auditioned way too soon for Idol. Sometimes you got to have more than just a great singing voice. Hopefully Idol will prove to be a great learning experience for Aaron, at least. As for the other selection, it's literally a toss-up. Andrew should be going home because he has not delivered a memorable moment since his Paula Abdul cover. However, he has developed a pretty serious fan following, so I am not inclined to choose him. Todrick is another possibility, even though he finally delivered a solid performance during the semi-finals. But is it too little, too late? The same could be said for Tim Urban. At the end of it all, the other male contestant to be leaving tonight will be Todrick Hall.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
American Idol 9 - Top 16 (Girls Night)
We have reached the final week of the semi-finals in which we'll see how the top 12 shapes up after results night. So far, I don't totally buy into the early season hype for the girls. I think there are some strong male contenders in the mix, too. But at this stage of the game, there's probably only three stand out performers that could make a run to finale week. So there are plenty of people who need to step up their game. Let's see if there's any surprise performances tonight and whether or not someone has blown their chances. On with the recap!
Katie Stevens - singing "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson : Seriously? Another Kelly Clarkson cover? It seems like there have been a bunch in the semi-finals this season (not necessarily from Katie, neither). There are definitely a few off-pitch notes to start and this performance falls flat for me. I don't believe this was the right song for Katie. Going first certainly doesn't help her cause, either. I don't know, it seems as if Katie has fallen quite hard during these semi-finals and she has not lived up to the hype from early on in the show.
Siobhan Magnus - singing "House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals : Another unexpected song choice from Siobhan, but I wouldn't expect anything less from her. She has definitely become one of my favorites this season and she delivers another solid performance. It didn't necessarily have that "wow" moment like last week, but I really loved the accapella start to it. It kind of had an eery, haunting feel with it in the beginning. She definitely embraced the song, made it her own, and really delivered a solid performance.
Lacey Brown - singing "The Story" by Brandi Carlisle : So far, we have yet to see the real reason why Lacey has made it this far in the competition. She has the potential and has embraced a unique look that transfers well to a TV audience. I feel as if the beginning of the performance is a bit underwhelming. She wavers a bit, as if she's nervous and I notice a few off-pitch notes. I'll say this, the song certainly fits her style - probably the best song she's chosen thus far. I don't think she didn't anything remarkable with the song, but it was good overall.
Katelyn Epperly - singing "I Feel the Earth Move" by Carol King : The last couple of weeks, she's had some very strong performances and has proven herself to be a real contender for the girls. Tonight it fell a little flat for me. It was more or less just a bland, safe performance. I was not a big fan of the song as it was basically middle-of-the-road. I liked her "look" tonight, as she stood up playing the piano. But I just thought she played it too safe and just was not wowed by this.
Didi Benami - singing "Rianna" by Fleetwood Mac : Didi had a rough time last week and I felt the judges were rather harsh on her then. How did it turn out this time? The song was a much better choice for her as it suited her style better. I also liked that she played the guitar and accoustically, too. She sang with much more passion and conviction tonight. I think she really wanted to prove that she could come back from such a negative performace from last week. Overall, I thought she sung it very well.
Paige Miles - singing "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin : So far this season, Paige has been stuck at the end or the middle of the pack of this competition for the girls. She needs to pick a song that can make her stand out. Unfortunately she really took two steps back with her song selection. She really goes old school with this "oldie" and does not sound good singing it at all. She's pitchy, flat, and not inspiring in the least. I just didn't find anything nice to say about this performance. I think she just punched her ticket home tonight.
Crystal Bowersox - singing "Give Me One Reason" by Tracy Chapman : First of all, this is one of my favorite songs from the 1990's, so already Crystal is doing great for me. I don't know what else you can say about Crystal that hasn't already been said. She's consistent for one and knows exactly what kind of performer she wants to be. Her vocals were stellar tonight and I really enjoyed her electric guitar playing. She kind of puts Casey James to shame! She's in a class all to her own.
Lilly Scott - singing "I Fall To Pieces" by Patsy Cline : Lilly has been quite consistent in the semi-finals thus far and is a unique artist all her own. I could really see this season coming down to a show-down between the most unique contestants. I was so not expecting to hear a country song from Lilly tonight, so this is quite the surprise for me. I heard a few pitchy notes to start, but then she sang it quite well. I wouldn't necessarily say this was her strongest performance to date, but it wasn't terrible by any means. It was another solid, consistent performance from Lilly.
My favorite performers of the night: Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus, Didi Benami.
Performances that were so-so: Lacey Brown, Katelyn Epperly, Lilly Scott.
In danger of being voted off: Paige Miles, Katie Stevens.
Going Home: Paige Miles and Katie Stevens. I don't think any of Paige's performances prior to tonight were terrible, just forgettable. She really needed to nail it tonight to solidify her chances of making it into the top 12 and she failed miserably. Her performance was not good at all and I'd be utterly shocked if she advances. She was pretty much cannon fodder from the start, anyways. As for Katie Stevens, she never lived up to the early-season hype. I don't know if she's been mislead by the commentary from the judges, but she's never had a spectacular performance to date. Her chances were seriously damaged by going first and delivering a pitchy and forgettable performance. Again, I'd be shocked if she advanced, but yet Katelyn could be a surprise pick for an early departure, too. But I'm not expecting it.
Katie Stevens - singing "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson : Seriously? Another Kelly Clarkson cover? It seems like there have been a bunch in the semi-finals this season (not necessarily from Katie, neither). There are definitely a few off-pitch notes to start and this performance falls flat for me. I don't believe this was the right song for Katie. Going first certainly doesn't help her cause, either. I don't know, it seems as if Katie has fallen quite hard during these semi-finals and she has not lived up to the hype from early on in the show.
Siobhan Magnus - singing "House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals : Another unexpected song choice from Siobhan, but I wouldn't expect anything less from her. She has definitely become one of my favorites this season and she delivers another solid performance. It didn't necessarily have that "wow" moment like last week, but I really loved the accapella start to it. It kind of had an eery, haunting feel with it in the beginning. She definitely embraced the song, made it her own, and really delivered a solid performance.
Lacey Brown - singing "The Story" by Brandi Carlisle : So far, we have yet to see the real reason why Lacey has made it this far in the competition. She has the potential and has embraced a unique look that transfers well to a TV audience. I feel as if the beginning of the performance is a bit underwhelming. She wavers a bit, as if she's nervous and I notice a few off-pitch notes. I'll say this, the song certainly fits her style - probably the best song she's chosen thus far. I don't think she didn't anything remarkable with the song, but it was good overall.
Katelyn Epperly - singing "I Feel the Earth Move" by Carol King : The last couple of weeks, she's had some very strong performances and has proven herself to be a real contender for the girls. Tonight it fell a little flat for me. It was more or less just a bland, safe performance. I was not a big fan of the song as it was basically middle-of-the-road. I liked her "look" tonight, as she stood up playing the piano. But I just thought she played it too safe and just was not wowed by this.
Didi Benami - singing "Rianna" by Fleetwood Mac : Didi had a rough time last week and I felt the judges were rather harsh on her then. How did it turn out this time? The song was a much better choice for her as it suited her style better. I also liked that she played the guitar and accoustically, too. She sang with much more passion and conviction tonight. I think she really wanted to prove that she could come back from such a negative performace from last week. Overall, I thought she sung it very well.
Paige Miles - singing "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin : So far this season, Paige has been stuck at the end or the middle of the pack of this competition for the girls. She needs to pick a song that can make her stand out. Unfortunately she really took two steps back with her song selection. She really goes old school with this "oldie" and does not sound good singing it at all. She's pitchy, flat, and not inspiring in the least. I just didn't find anything nice to say about this performance. I think she just punched her ticket home tonight.
Crystal Bowersox - singing "Give Me One Reason" by Tracy Chapman : First of all, this is one of my favorite songs from the 1990's, so already Crystal is doing great for me. I don't know what else you can say about Crystal that hasn't already been said. She's consistent for one and knows exactly what kind of performer she wants to be. Her vocals were stellar tonight and I really enjoyed her electric guitar playing. She kind of puts Casey James to shame! She's in a class all to her own.
Lilly Scott - singing "I Fall To Pieces" by Patsy Cline : Lilly has been quite consistent in the semi-finals thus far and is a unique artist all her own. I could really see this season coming down to a show-down between the most unique contestants. I was so not expecting to hear a country song from Lilly tonight, so this is quite the surprise for me. I heard a few pitchy notes to start, but then she sang it quite well. I wouldn't necessarily say this was her strongest performance to date, but it wasn't terrible by any means. It was another solid, consistent performance from Lilly.
My favorite performers of the night: Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus, Didi Benami.
Performances that were so-so: Lacey Brown, Katelyn Epperly, Lilly Scott.
In danger of being voted off: Paige Miles, Katie Stevens.
Going Home: Paige Miles and Katie Stevens. I don't think any of Paige's performances prior to tonight were terrible, just forgettable. She really needed to nail it tonight to solidify her chances of making it into the top 12 and she failed miserably. Her performance was not good at all and I'd be utterly shocked if she advances. She was pretty much cannon fodder from the start, anyways. As for Katie Stevens, she never lived up to the early-season hype. I don't know if she's been mislead by the commentary from the judges, but she's never had a spectacular performance to date. Her chances were seriously damaged by going first and delivering a pitchy and forgettable performance. Again, I'd be shocked if she advanced, but yet Katelyn could be a surprise pick for an early departure, too. But I'm not expecting it.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Most Visited Blog Entries
With 265 total blog entries at Luke's Ponderings compiled in a little over three years, some have registered to be quite popular more than others. For some of the blogs that have proven to be most popular, I have come to wonder why they are so interesting to people seeking more information on such particular topics. I have done a ton of blogging about American Idol and when the season is in progress, the blog definitely gets more hits during this time of the year. So far Michael Lynch has gathered some interest from fans while searching for him and ventured to my blog. Janell Wheeler, one of last week's eliminees on the show also notched one search result at Luke's Ponderings. And David Archuleta also proved to be a search for one interested fan last week. But surprisingly, American Idol has not proven to be as popular of a search as you might think. Here are some of the blogs that have become the most popular on Luke's Ponderings:
Meaningful Songs in Time of Sorrow - For this entry to be so popular has been somewhat of a surprise for me. I am honored, though, that people have taken the time to check out my blog and to "listen" to those songs I found meaningful in times of sorrow. I can only speculate that people have been mourning a similar loss that I was dealt with last year, when I composed this blog entry a week after my grandmother had passed away. Sometimes there are certain songs that give a person great comfort. Those two particular songs that I chose as being meaningful during that time really helped to enhance those great memories that I had of my grandmother. It's true that over time, we get over death. But we honestly never forget the memories. I can't help not to think of my grandma from time to time, especially this year. She never got to see my new house and she'll never see any future developments in my life. But I know that she's looking down on all of us (family) and enjoying what's going on in our lives. That gives me great comfort. (As a note, the two YouTube clips I included in this blog entry are no longer available. You'll need to do a search of your own to find them there.)
Other notable blog entries that have received hits from viewers out there include my Trouble at Work/Work Drama blogs (I guess I'm not the only one to deal with stressful situations at work), a certain road construction blog with a vague title (that actually detailed specific road construction projects around the Marquette, Michigan area), and my favorite fast food restaurant blog. Needless to say, I write about a lot of different things at Luke's Ponderings. Certain people will like some entries, and other people will like different entries as those. So I cater to a bunch of different people. And I've been trying to make a better effort at writing more blogs lately (it's helped with American Idol back on TV, too), so in the months ahead, you can be sure you'll see something here at Luke's Ponderings. And if you forget about my blog after an initial visit, who knows, you might find yourself returning after finding one of my entries in your search results.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
American Idol 9 - Top 20 (Girls Night)
After Tuesday's sudden switch to the guys singing, the girls finally get their night to perform. If anything, it allowed the girls a chance to polish their performances even more. Hopefully that extra day helped! It also allowed Crystal to heal up enough to perform. She has proven to be such a bright spot so far, it'd be a shame for her to miss out. I am looking forward to seeing the girls step up over last week. They were the more hyped-up group over the guys leading up to Hollywood Week. Let's see if they can live up to the hype tonight as the performances begin!
Crystal Bowersox - singing "As Long as I See the Light" by Creedence Clearwater Revival : Such a pleasure to see Crystal performing tonight after her recent health scare. This season's competition would've seriously suffered if she ended up being disqualified. Couldn't hardly tell she had been suffering on stage because her performance was absolutely lights out. What a wonderful way to start the show out. She was on pitch, her guitar playing was great, and her singing was perfect. There's no question she'll end up going far (as long as she stays healthy).
Haeley Vaughn - singing "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus : Ah Haeley. I remember her having such a strong audition. Ever since then, it's been pretty much downhill. Honestly, I think the judges thought she had strong potential, which is why they put her through to the top 24. It probably would've been better if she waited a few more years before auditioning. This performance is not good. She's having trouble staying on pitch and she's not really connecting with the song. She really struggles trying to hit the high notes.
Lacey Brown - singing "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer : So Lacey's journey on Idol can be traced back to last season, when she nearly made it into the top 36 but lost out to Megan Joy in the sing-off. I really like Lacey's look and she has the potential to go quite far if she can put together a decent performance. This week was an improvement over last - yet she still did not deliver a homerun. I liked that it was more of an upbeat song, but her moves on stage were awkward as if she didn't know what to do with herself. More stage experience needed, I think.
Katie Stevens - singing "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae : Apparently Katie has quite the on-line following. Last week she ended up tallying the highest percentage on Dial Idol, even though her performance was average. She has the potential to do a lot better with a more current song in "Put Your Records On." Yet, it's not as spectacular as it could've been. It wasn't perfect by any means as I heard a few off-pitch notes. Again, Katie performs another average performance. Good thing she didn't do worse than some of the others, otherwise she'd be in trouble.
Didi Benami - singing "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers : Didi has a similar singing style to last season's contestant Megan Joy (wow, used her name twice so far). However, I think Didi is a much more polished singer than Megan Joy was at this point in the competition. Last week was a pretty good week for Didi. She's trying to switch things up a bit and perform this Bill Withers song. You know, it's not half-bad. The first part of the song was a bit rough, but I think she pulled things together at the end. The judges over-reacted a bit, I think.
Michelle Delamor - singing "With Arms Wide Open" by Creed : Ah, Michelle is doing the "sing a song originally performed by the opposite gender" trick that often works. Michelle hasn't done enough to really stand out in this season's group so far. I can't even tell you what she sang last week. Hopefully she'll pull through and put together a memorable performance. Overall, it's a decent rendition of "With Arms Wide Open," but I don't think she did enough with it. She changed it up some, but it's not powerful-enough for her. Not totally on pitch, either.
Lilly Scott - singing "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke : Lilly is one of those girls this season that we all want to know more about. She is one unique individual, from the way she dresses, her hair, to her singing style. And she is super confident on stage. There's no question she is extremely comfortable on stage; one thing that some of the other girls lack. Her performance this week was absolutely stunning. She knew the song, had a deep connection with it, and sang her heart out. It was definitely enjoyable to watch.
Katelyn Epperly - singing "The Scientist" by Coldplay : Katelyn kind of surprised a lot of people last week with a good performance. She certainly has the potential to advance quite far as long as she can pick the right songs. This week she picks something contemporary - a Coldplay song. Yes, the song was quite slow and a slightly faster tempo could've made it better. However, she was able to put her awesome vocal abilities on display with this tune. Her piano playing was excellent (who knew?!) and her vocals were quite good.
Paige Miles - singing "Walk Away" by Kelly Clarkson : A few of Kelly Clarkson's songs have been covered on Idol this season - and nobody has lived up to the original American Idol so far (this season). Again, Paige is one of those contestants we don't know much about. Her performance last week was rather forgettable - can she be memorable this week? She makes a good effort this time out but yet again, she doesn't do enough to stand out. I kind of agree with Simon that she may have the best vocals out of all the girls this season. Decent, yet forgettable.
Siobhan Magnus - singing "Think" by Aretha Franklin : Siobhan is really taking a huge risk by covering an Aretha song. The judges always warn the contestants about taking on songs by such powerful artists. I must admit, there were some parts in the beginning that were not good, but the later half of the song was stellar. And that last note - wow! This girl has some amazing potential and I love her spaciness. She's so random and interesting at the same time. Siobhan has quickly become one of my favorites of the season.
My favorite performers of the night: Crystal Bowersox, Lilly Scott, Siobhan Magnus, and Katelyn Epperly.
Performances that were so-so: Katie Stevens, Didi Benami, Paige Miles.
In danger of being voted off: Haeley Vaughn, Lacey Brown, Michelle Delamor.
Going Home: Haeley Vaughn and Lacey Brown. Haeley just hasn't sang well enough to stay in this competition any further. She definitely needs additional experience and hopeful Idol proves to be a huge wake-up call for her. Too bad she auditioned this season - a couple of more years may have done her some good. As for Lacey, bad song picks have done her in so far. Her singing isn't exactly where it needs to be, either. If she does get a second chance, hopefully it all comes together for her. After coming so close to advancing into the top 36 last year, I'm sure she doesn't want to get voted out yet.
(3/4/10) Actual Eliminee: Haeley Vaughn and Michelle Delamor. No huge surprise here, particuarly with Haeley's depature. I thought Michelle might be spared one more week before eventually getting the boot. But it appears many voters were not in love with her rendition of "With Arms Wide Open" (and with Creed in general - not a lot of Creed fans out there, I guess!).
Crystal Bowersox - singing "As Long as I See the Light" by Creedence Clearwater Revival : Such a pleasure to see Crystal performing tonight after her recent health scare. This season's competition would've seriously suffered if she ended up being disqualified. Couldn't hardly tell she had been suffering on stage because her performance was absolutely lights out. What a wonderful way to start the show out. She was on pitch, her guitar playing was great, and her singing was perfect. There's no question she'll end up going far (as long as she stays healthy).
Haeley Vaughn - singing "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus : Ah Haeley. I remember her having such a strong audition. Ever since then, it's been pretty much downhill. Honestly, I think the judges thought she had strong potential, which is why they put her through to the top 24. It probably would've been better if she waited a few more years before auditioning. This performance is not good. She's having trouble staying on pitch and she's not really connecting with the song. She really struggles trying to hit the high notes.
Lacey Brown - singing "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer : So Lacey's journey on Idol can be traced back to last season, when she nearly made it into the top 36 but lost out to Megan Joy in the sing-off. I really like Lacey's look and she has the potential to go quite far if she can put together a decent performance. This week was an improvement over last - yet she still did not deliver a homerun. I liked that it was more of an upbeat song, but her moves on stage were awkward as if she didn't know what to do with herself. More stage experience needed, I think.
Katie Stevens - singing "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae : Apparently Katie has quite the on-line following. Last week she ended up tallying the highest percentage on Dial Idol, even though her performance was average. She has the potential to do a lot better with a more current song in "Put Your Records On." Yet, it's not as spectacular as it could've been. It wasn't perfect by any means as I heard a few off-pitch notes. Again, Katie performs another average performance. Good thing she didn't do worse than some of the others, otherwise she'd be in trouble.
Didi Benami - singing "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers : Didi has a similar singing style to last season's contestant Megan Joy (wow, used her name twice so far). However, I think Didi is a much more polished singer than Megan Joy was at this point in the competition. Last week was a pretty good week for Didi. She's trying to switch things up a bit and perform this Bill Withers song. You know, it's not half-bad. The first part of the song was a bit rough, but I think she pulled things together at the end. The judges over-reacted a bit, I think.
Michelle Delamor - singing "With Arms Wide Open" by Creed : Ah, Michelle is doing the "sing a song originally performed by the opposite gender" trick that often works. Michelle hasn't done enough to really stand out in this season's group so far. I can't even tell you what she sang last week. Hopefully she'll pull through and put together a memorable performance. Overall, it's a decent rendition of "With Arms Wide Open," but I don't think she did enough with it. She changed it up some, but it's not powerful-enough for her. Not totally on pitch, either.
Lilly Scott - singing "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke : Lilly is one of those girls this season that we all want to know more about. She is one unique individual, from the way she dresses, her hair, to her singing style. And she is super confident on stage. There's no question she is extremely comfortable on stage; one thing that some of the other girls lack. Her performance this week was absolutely stunning. She knew the song, had a deep connection with it, and sang her heart out. It was definitely enjoyable to watch.
Katelyn Epperly - singing "The Scientist" by Coldplay : Katelyn kind of surprised a lot of people last week with a good performance. She certainly has the potential to advance quite far as long as she can pick the right songs. This week she picks something contemporary - a Coldplay song. Yes, the song was quite slow and a slightly faster tempo could've made it better. However, she was able to put her awesome vocal abilities on display with this tune. Her piano playing was excellent (who knew?!) and her vocals were quite good.
Paige Miles - singing "Walk Away" by Kelly Clarkson : A few of Kelly Clarkson's songs have been covered on Idol this season - and nobody has lived up to the original American Idol so far (this season). Again, Paige is one of those contestants we don't know much about. Her performance last week was rather forgettable - can she be memorable this week? She makes a good effort this time out but yet again, she doesn't do enough to stand out. I kind of agree with Simon that she may have the best vocals out of all the girls this season. Decent, yet forgettable.
Siobhan Magnus - singing "Think" by Aretha Franklin : Siobhan is really taking a huge risk by covering an Aretha song. The judges always warn the contestants about taking on songs by such powerful artists. I must admit, there were some parts in the beginning that were not good, but the later half of the song was stellar. And that last note - wow! This girl has some amazing potential and I love her spaciness. She's so random and interesting at the same time. Siobhan has quickly become one of my favorites of the season.
My favorite performers of the night: Crystal Bowersox, Lilly Scott, Siobhan Magnus, and Katelyn Epperly.
Performances that were so-so: Katie Stevens, Didi Benami, Paige Miles.
In danger of being voted off: Haeley Vaughn, Lacey Brown, Michelle Delamor.
Going Home: Haeley Vaughn and Lacey Brown. Haeley just hasn't sang well enough to stay in this competition any further. She definitely needs additional experience and hopeful Idol proves to be a huge wake-up call for her. Too bad she auditioned this season - a couple of more years may have done her some good. As for Lacey, bad song picks have done her in so far. Her singing isn't exactly where it needs to be, either. If she does get a second chance, hopefully it all comes together for her. After coming so close to advancing into the top 36 last year, I'm sure she doesn't want to get voted out yet.
(3/4/10) Actual Eliminee: Haeley Vaughn and Michelle Delamor. No huge surprise here, particuarly with Haeley's depature. I thought Michelle might be spared one more week before eventually getting the boot. But it appears many voters were not in love with her rendition of "With Arms Wide Open" (and with Creed in general - not a lot of Creed fans out there, I guess!).
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
American Idol 9 - Top 20 (Boys Night)
Off we go with another American Idol review! Last night, the remaining 10 male contestants performed another Billboard Top 100 hits theme night to mixed results. Overall, I'd say it was much improved over last week's performances. But it's still evident that the boys need a lot of work to challenge the girls this season. And in somewhat of a surprise, the boys and girls flip-flop performance nights because of an unknown illness to female contestant Crystal Bowersox. She ended up being hospitalized all day yesterday, forcing the powers that be at Idol to showcase the boys on Tuesday and the girls on Wednesday. I'd have to say that it did not seem to faze the boys all that much in performing a night earlier. I think we would've been dealt the same results no matter which night they went. So, let's get this started!
Michael Lynch - singing "This is a Man's World" by James Brown : Last week Michael was buried in the middle of the pack with his Maroon 5 song. I believe R&B songs suit his style more, rather than the pop/rock variety. Last night he followed suit with this classic James Brown song. I liked the overall vibe of this performance. He was confident with the song, very soulful, and made it enjoyable to listen to. And although he's not overly flashy with his singing style, he gets the job done. Going first will certainly not hurt him this week.
John Park - singing "Gravity" by John Mayer : I am kind of looking forward to seeing John perform well because we really haven't seen him perform a lot so far in this season. And when we saw him perform last week, it wasn't very good. Let's see if he became more confident and picked a suitable song to fit his style. I can see John having success with the John Mayer style of music. I heard a lot of potential in his performance this week, although it still was not perfect. I'd rate it as being average due to pitch problems and it being a tad boring.
Casey James - singing "I Don't Want to Be" by Gavin Degraw : Whenever I hear someone is covering this song on Idol, I cringe because it hasn't been successful for some of the previous contestants. Maybe Casey can have better luck with this song, especially if he's rocking out to it with his guitar. You know, it's not half-bad. I don't think the vocals were exceptional by any means as the music tended to drown out his voice at times. But Casey certainly has some real potential in this competition. I'd be shocked if he doesn't make the top 10.
Alex Lambert - singing "Everybody Knows" by John Legend : There is no question that Alex is a likable guy. I think he could do himself some good by getting a haircut, though! As you know, last week was not good for Alex. He dodged a bullet and gets a second chance to prove himself. He has to calm his nerves and improve his stage presence, however. All in all, Alex's performance was actually quite enjoyable. I agree with the judges that he has such a unique tone to his voice. He just needs additional stage experience and confidence and he should do fine.
Todrick Hall - singing "What's Love Got to Do with It" by Tina Turner : Todrick is a guy who appears to enjoy taking risks. He likes toying with songs and turning them into his own work's of art. That being said, he hasn't had great success yet with his arrangements on Idol thus far. Much can be said about his latest re-work of "What's Love Got to Do with It." I think the song became too slowed down with Todrick's new arrangement and wasn't as great as it could've been. I thought the beginning of the song was stronger than the last half.
Jermaine Sellers - singing "What's Goin' On" by Marvin Gaye : It appears that Jermaine is quickly becoming the most disliked contestant of season nine so far. He's dissed the band, talked back to the judges, and some of his comments are a little out there. And his singing hasn't been that great so far, either. Again, I am noticing plentiful of pitch problems throughout this performance. He struggles with the upper notes in his register and some of those notes ended up being quite brutal, to be honest. I think Jermaine is in trouble this week.
Andrew Garcia - singing "You Give Me Something" by James Morrison : Andrew has a soft speaking voice and is a tenor. I totally agree with the judges' comments that he has a very unique sound to his voice that's very enjoyable to listen to. If he can pick the right songs, he has a very good chance to go far into this competition. I think Andrew fell backwards a bit again this week. I wasn't all that enthused about this performance and it fell rather flat. He was off-pitch at a few times and the performance was simply boring. I know he can do much better.
Aaron Kelly - singing "My Girl" by the Temptations : Coming into this season, I thought Aaron had the potential to be the next David Archuleta. Well so far, he's no Archie! That doesn't mean he's doing horrible, however. He certainly doesn't have a ton of confidence on stage yet and hasn't had a lot of stage presence, yet. I thought his peformance of "My Girl" was decent, yet wasn't completely flawless. I often felt like he was trying to do too much with the song and I wasn't in love with the arrangement. A different song probably would've suited him better.
Tim Urban - singing "Come on Get Higher" by Matt Nathanson : Before going any further, let me just say I love this song. I hope Tim doesn't butcher this song like he did to One Republic's "Apologize" last week. I just never understood the hype around Tim going into Hollywood week. He's another one who dodged a bullet last week and he improved himself slightly this week over last. However, it's quite evident he needs a lot of work. I liked that he played the guitar and that probably boosted his confidence some. He just needs to work on his singing skills!
Lee Dewyze - singing "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder : Hmm, a Hinder song on American Idol. Has one of their songs ever been covered on the show before? Lee is a very serious contender for the boys. He just needs to continuing working on his confidence and not let the nerves get to him so much! He seems like a nice, humble individual that I hope continues to succeed this season. Despite some pitchiness here and there, all in all I thought Lee's performance was quite enjoyable. It's clear that the rock genre is something he'd like to pursue.
My favorite performers of the night: Lee Dewyze, Alex Lambert, Michael Lynch.
Performances that were so-so: Tim Urban, Aaron Kelly, Andrew Garcia, Casey James.
In danger of being voted off: Jermaine Sellers, Todrick Hall, John Park.
Going Home: Jermaine Sellers and Todrick Hall. Last week I was totally off with my predictions even though the majority of the performances were mediocre. It was honestly difficult picking who would be sent packing! There is one stand-out from Tuesday night, however, who is most deserving to go. It's Jermaine. He just has not stepped it up and his singing has been absolutely dreadful to listen to. I am left to wonder what the judges saw in him during Hollywood week to advance him further. He's just not coming off as a very likable guy so far. As for Todrick, I think he could potentially be this week's shocking eliminee. If he does make it through to another week, he really needs to pick a song that can showcase his vocals. He also needs to pull back and not do as much vocal Olympics during his performances. All this will be for naught if he's voted off Thursday, however!
(3/4/10) Actual Eliminees: John Park and Jermaine Sellers. Again, no surprise with these two getting the boot. I was sure Jermaine was going home, but I thought John might get spared another week in favor of Todrick. Unfortunately for me, it was the other way around.
Michael Lynch - singing "This is a Man's World" by James Brown : Last week Michael was buried in the middle of the pack with his Maroon 5 song. I believe R&B songs suit his style more, rather than the pop/rock variety. Last night he followed suit with this classic James Brown song. I liked the overall vibe of this performance. He was confident with the song, very soulful, and made it enjoyable to listen to. And although he's not overly flashy with his singing style, he gets the job done. Going first will certainly not hurt him this week.
John Park - singing "Gravity" by John Mayer : I am kind of looking forward to seeing John perform well because we really haven't seen him perform a lot so far in this season. And when we saw him perform last week, it wasn't very good. Let's see if he became more confident and picked a suitable song to fit his style. I can see John having success with the John Mayer style of music. I heard a lot of potential in his performance this week, although it still was not perfect. I'd rate it as being average due to pitch problems and it being a tad boring.
Casey James - singing "I Don't Want to Be" by Gavin Degraw : Whenever I hear someone is covering this song on Idol, I cringe because it hasn't been successful for some of the previous contestants. Maybe Casey can have better luck with this song, especially if he's rocking out to it with his guitar. You know, it's not half-bad. I don't think the vocals were exceptional by any means as the music tended to drown out his voice at times. But Casey certainly has some real potential in this competition. I'd be shocked if he doesn't make the top 10.
Alex Lambert - singing "Everybody Knows" by John Legend : There is no question that Alex is a likable guy. I think he could do himself some good by getting a haircut, though! As you know, last week was not good for Alex. He dodged a bullet and gets a second chance to prove himself. He has to calm his nerves and improve his stage presence, however. All in all, Alex's performance was actually quite enjoyable. I agree with the judges that he has such a unique tone to his voice. He just needs additional stage experience and confidence and he should do fine.
Todrick Hall - singing "What's Love Got to Do with It" by Tina Turner : Todrick is a guy who appears to enjoy taking risks. He likes toying with songs and turning them into his own work's of art. That being said, he hasn't had great success yet with his arrangements on Idol thus far. Much can be said about his latest re-work of "What's Love Got to Do with It." I think the song became too slowed down with Todrick's new arrangement and wasn't as great as it could've been. I thought the beginning of the song was stronger than the last half.
Jermaine Sellers - singing "What's Goin' On" by Marvin Gaye : It appears that Jermaine is quickly becoming the most disliked contestant of season nine so far. He's dissed the band, talked back to the judges, and some of his comments are a little out there. And his singing hasn't been that great so far, either. Again, I am noticing plentiful of pitch problems throughout this performance. He struggles with the upper notes in his register and some of those notes ended up being quite brutal, to be honest. I think Jermaine is in trouble this week.
Andrew Garcia - singing "You Give Me Something" by James Morrison : Andrew has a soft speaking voice and is a tenor. I totally agree with the judges' comments that he has a very unique sound to his voice that's very enjoyable to listen to. If he can pick the right songs, he has a very good chance to go far into this competition. I think Andrew fell backwards a bit again this week. I wasn't all that enthused about this performance and it fell rather flat. He was off-pitch at a few times and the performance was simply boring. I know he can do much better.
Aaron Kelly - singing "My Girl" by the Temptations : Coming into this season, I thought Aaron had the potential to be the next David Archuleta. Well so far, he's no Archie! That doesn't mean he's doing horrible, however. He certainly doesn't have a ton of confidence on stage yet and hasn't had a lot of stage presence, yet. I thought his peformance of "My Girl" was decent, yet wasn't completely flawless. I often felt like he was trying to do too much with the song and I wasn't in love with the arrangement. A different song probably would've suited him better.
Tim Urban - singing "Come on Get Higher" by Matt Nathanson : Before going any further, let me just say I love this song. I hope Tim doesn't butcher this song like he did to One Republic's "Apologize" last week. I just never understood the hype around Tim going into Hollywood week. He's another one who dodged a bullet last week and he improved himself slightly this week over last. However, it's quite evident he needs a lot of work. I liked that he played the guitar and that probably boosted his confidence some. He just needs to work on his singing skills!
Lee Dewyze - singing "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder : Hmm, a Hinder song on American Idol. Has one of their songs ever been covered on the show before? Lee is a very serious contender for the boys. He just needs to continuing working on his confidence and not let the nerves get to him so much! He seems like a nice, humble individual that I hope continues to succeed this season. Despite some pitchiness here and there, all in all I thought Lee's performance was quite enjoyable. It's clear that the rock genre is something he'd like to pursue.
My favorite performers of the night: Lee Dewyze, Alex Lambert, Michael Lynch.
Performances that were so-so: Tim Urban, Aaron Kelly, Andrew Garcia, Casey James.
In danger of being voted off: Jermaine Sellers, Todrick Hall, John Park.
Going Home: Jermaine Sellers and Todrick Hall. Last week I was totally off with my predictions even though the majority of the performances were mediocre. It was honestly difficult picking who would be sent packing! There is one stand-out from Tuesday night, however, who is most deserving to go. It's Jermaine. He just has not stepped it up and his singing has been absolutely dreadful to listen to. I am left to wonder what the judges saw in him during Hollywood week to advance him further. He's just not coming off as a very likable guy so far. As for Todrick, I think he could potentially be this week's shocking eliminee. If he does make it through to another week, he really needs to pick a song that can showcase his vocals. He also needs to pull back and not do as much vocal Olympics during his performances. All this will be for naught if he's voted off Thursday, however!
(3/4/10) Actual Eliminees: John Park and Jermaine Sellers. Again, no surprise with these two getting the boot. I was sure Jermaine was going home, but I thought John might get spared another week in favor of Todrick. Unfortunately for me, it was the other way around.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Winter Olympics
I hope most of you out there in blog-land have been able to catch at least a little bit of the Olympics the last few weeks. I missed some of the events earlier on last week but have been watching as much as I can lately, because it's almost over. This Sunday is the closing ceremonies already. There is a sense of sadness and depression once the Olympics are over, at least for me. I would compare it to the experience after Christmas, a family reunion, or some other event that was a lot of fun but ended all too soon. The Olympics are an event that unites countries from all over the world to compete in sports. For two weeks every four years (per season), countries all play the same events in the hope of capturing gold, silver, and bronze metals. All of the world events; fighting, wars, and politics get pushed aside for the hope of worldwide comradery during these two weeks. It doesn't always happen but at least the effort from all is appreciated.
A sport that I've been finding myself more and more fascinated by is curling. Within the United States, it's a sport that pretty foreign. There are curling clubs within the United States but they mainly lie along the Canadian border. I know there are one or two curling facilities in the Upper Peninsula, but not that many (and there might be even more - I just don't know of them). I was lucky enough to get a shot at playing curling approximately ten years ago down in Wisconsin while visiting my sister. There was a curling facility a short drive from where she lived at the time and I don't recall the circumstances that brought us there anymore. But I remember attempting to slide a few stones down the surface of the ice and coming up rather short of the target. The game looks pretty basic but after watching it on TV, it seems rather complex. You have guards, sweepers, hog lines, double scoring, you name it. I have yet to understand the rules and regulations involving the sport but would definitely like to learn more about it. The women's gold medal match is on TV right now and it's turning out to be a pretty intriguing game between Canada and Sweden. Here's hoping for future appreciation for the sport of curling within the United States in the years to come.
Many of the sports featured during the Winter Olympics are quite commonplace in the Upper Peninsula. There are hundreds of cross country ski trails across the U.P. and some are more developed than others. The Noquemanon is a cross country ski marathon that takes place at the end of January every year in the Marquette area. It draws cross country skiers from all across the United States. Ski jumping is also very big. Tournaments are held at the Pine Mountain and Suicide Bowl ski jumping facilities each winter and draws athletes from all over the world. It's not uncommon to see ski jumpers participating in these two respective jumps that have also ski jumped in the Olympics. There are several different downhill skiing facilities across the western and central Upper Peninsula and they often feature different ski races from time to time. The U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame is located in the heart of the Upper Peninsula in Ishpeming. Several of the nation's biggest and best skiers have been elected into the national hall of fame.
And then we have speedskating. In Marquette at Northern Michigan University, an education and training facility has been developed for several Olympic sports including speedskating. The United States Olympic Education Center has been established in Marquette for awhile now and not only trains athletes in their respective Olympic sport, but it also allows them to achieve a quality education while doing so. Even though Apolo Ohno was not a part of the speedskating program at the USOEC, he often visited and did some training there. Alison Baver attended the USOEC and in the 2010 Olympics, picked up a bronze metal for her involvement in the 3,000 meter relay. Shani Davis, a long-track speedskater and a former athlete of the USOEC, picked up a gold and silver medal at the recent Vancouver games. Marquette was host to the World Cup Short Track Speedskating event this past fall and also hosted the United States Speedskating Team Trials that solidified the team to represent the United States at the Vancouver games. So all of the faces you see competing on the U.S. Speedskating team were here in the Upper Peninsula this past fall. It just goes to show you that Marquette and the Upper Peninsula play a major role in the Winter Olympics every four years.
With the Winter Olympics coming to a close, it's time to look back on the excitement the Olympics have brought across our nation and the world. The current medal totals for the U.S. are a record for a Winter Olympics and it shows our strengthening power in the winter sports movement. We have medaled in sports that we haven't had any success with for the first time in years. Meanwhile, we continue to show our dominance in snowboarding and hockey. The Olympic games are ever changing and no two events are ever the same for a particular country. Some athletes rise from adversity to capture a medal while others struggle (even some of the favorites predicted to win). It's an intriguing spectacle that occurs every four years. Once the Vancouver games have wrapped up after this week, it's another four-year wait to see stars like Shaun White, Lindsey Vonn, and Shani Davis compete for a gold medal. However, it's only two years away until the next Summer Games take place. It'll be here before we know it.
A sport that I've been finding myself more and more fascinated by is curling. Within the United States, it's a sport that pretty foreign. There are curling clubs within the United States but they mainly lie along the Canadian border. I know there are one or two curling facilities in the Upper Peninsula, but not that many (and there might be even more - I just don't know of them). I was lucky enough to get a shot at playing curling approximately ten years ago down in Wisconsin while visiting my sister. There was a curling facility a short drive from where she lived at the time and I don't recall the circumstances that brought us there anymore. But I remember attempting to slide a few stones down the surface of the ice and coming up rather short of the target. The game looks pretty basic but after watching it on TV, it seems rather complex. You have guards, sweepers, hog lines, double scoring, you name it. I have yet to understand the rules and regulations involving the sport but would definitely like to learn more about it. The women's gold medal match is on TV right now and it's turning out to be a pretty intriguing game between Canada and Sweden. Here's hoping for future appreciation for the sport of curling within the United States in the years to come.
Many of the sports featured during the Winter Olympics are quite commonplace in the Upper Peninsula. There are hundreds of cross country ski trails across the U.P. and some are more developed than others. The Noquemanon is a cross country ski marathon that takes place at the end of January every year in the Marquette area. It draws cross country skiers from all across the United States. Ski jumping is also very big. Tournaments are held at the Pine Mountain and Suicide Bowl ski jumping facilities each winter and draws athletes from all over the world. It's not uncommon to see ski jumpers participating in these two respective jumps that have also ski jumped in the Olympics. There are several different downhill skiing facilities across the western and central Upper Peninsula and they often feature different ski races from time to time. The U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame is located in the heart of the Upper Peninsula in Ishpeming. Several of the nation's biggest and best skiers have been elected into the national hall of fame.
And then we have speedskating. In Marquette at Northern Michigan University, an education and training facility has been developed for several Olympic sports including speedskating. The United States Olympic Education Center has been established in Marquette for awhile now and not only trains athletes in their respective Olympic sport, but it also allows them to achieve a quality education while doing so. Even though Apolo Ohno was not a part of the speedskating program at the USOEC, he often visited and did some training there. Alison Baver attended the USOEC and in the 2010 Olympics, picked up a bronze metal for her involvement in the 3,000 meter relay. Shani Davis, a long-track speedskater and a former athlete of the USOEC, picked up a gold and silver medal at the recent Vancouver games. Marquette was host to the World Cup Short Track Speedskating event this past fall and also hosted the United States Speedskating Team Trials that solidified the team to represent the United States at the Vancouver games. So all of the faces you see competing on the U.S. Speedskating team were here in the Upper Peninsula this past fall. It just goes to show you that Marquette and the Upper Peninsula play a major role in the Winter Olympics every four years.
With the Winter Olympics coming to a close, it's time to look back on the excitement the Olympics have brought across our nation and the world. The current medal totals for the U.S. are a record for a Winter Olympics and it shows our strengthening power in the winter sports movement. We have medaled in sports that we haven't had any success with for the first time in years. Meanwhile, we continue to show our dominance in snowboarding and hockey. The Olympic games are ever changing and no two events are ever the same for a particular country. Some athletes rise from adversity to capture a medal while others struggle (even some of the favorites predicted to win). It's an intriguing spectacle that occurs every four years. Once the Vancouver games have wrapped up after this week, it's another four-year wait to see stars like Shaun White, Lindsey Vonn, and Shani Davis compete for a gold medal. However, it's only two years away until the next Summer Games take place. It'll be here before we know it.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
American Idol 9 - Top 24 (Boys Night)
It's night number two of the top 24 performances and this time it's the boy's turn to try and impress the American voting audience. Overall, I'd have to say that the girl's were disappointing in their performances. Don't get me wrong, there were definitely some bright spots here and there. But considering how the producers and the judges were pimping the girls - it just didn't live up to their hype. Now taking all of this into account, maybe the boys can take advantage of the girls' faltering and try to become the better gender of singing contestants this season. Let's see what happens!
Todrick Hall - "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson : I was quite impressed with Todrick's performances during Hollywood week. He seems like quite the polished performer and has the potential to go far. He completely rearranged Kelly Clarkson's famous tune "Since U Been Gone" and turns it into this hyped-up, electronic, dance song and makes it totally unrecognizable to the original! Despite that, it's not that half-bad. He took a big risk by changing up the song as dramatically as he did. I think that in itself is admirable.
Aaron Kelly - "Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascall Flatts : Here we have a contestant who's 16, who we know is a great singer, yet had his ups and downs during Hollywood Week (including forgetting the lyrics). I wasn't all that familiar with this Rascall Flatts tune, but overall I'd say he did a pretty decent job with the song. I wasn't totally blown away by his performance and he did have a few off-notes here and there. But he didn't forget any words and it was overall a pretty solid performance.
Jermaine Sellers - "Get Here" : Here's one contestant that didn't receive a whole lot of air-time during Hollywood week, but when he did, it was probably for all the wrong reasons. He threw the band under the bus after one of his performances and it was not perceived as a good thing (rightly so). Tonight is his shot at redemption, so to speak. Overall, it was an average performance - nothing that really wowed me. He seemed to struggle at times to hit the high falsetto notes and went way over the top with the runs. He really needs to reign it back in.
Tim Urban - "Apologize" by One Republic : So Tim is the last-minute addition to the American Idol puzzle after Chris Golightly's sudden disqualification from the competition. You know, after watching Tim during Hollywood week, there was nothing that really impressed me about his singing abilities. So it surprised me he received a second chance. Needless to say, I remained unimpressed after his rendition of "Apologize." The arrangement of the song was terrible and he was struggling to hit the high notes in the song. It doesn't look too good for him.
Joe Munoz - "You and I Both" by Jason Mraz : I am quite surprised by how many of the male contestants I don't know a whole lot about, yet it seems like the girls have gotten a lot of exposure thus far (producer pimping, anyone?). Anyways, Joe is one of those unfamiliar contestants, yet his performance of this Jason Mraz tune is pretty decent. Sure, he appears to be nervous and hits a few off-pitch notes. But overall it was a pretty pleasant performance. He definitely has a great voice and he's pretty easy to listen to.
Tyler Grady - "American Woman" by the Guess Who : I guess I don't really remember anything memorable out of Tyler so far on his Idol journey, just that he embraces 1970's music and style. How is that going to work in today's contemorary style? Nevertheless, he didn't make it this far based on that, so let's see if he has the vocal chops to advance far. Based on tonight's performance, I'm not entirely impressed. I liked his blusey take on the song to start, but it became rather indulgent and not all that vocally strong. There were several off pitch moments in there.
Lee Dewyze - "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol : I remember Lee's journey during Hollywood week wasn't without its dramatic moments. He was really wondering whether he'd be chosen in the top 24, and finally he heard the words he wanted to hear. Tonight's performance wasn't perfect, but it was one of the better of the night. He really changed the melody of the song and turned it into a new song. He made it more of a rock tune and I found it quite enjoyable to listen to. He needs to work on his vocal abilities a little more, though.
John Park - "God Bless the Child" by : Hmm, I know very little about this guy and I don't forsee him going very far in this. He's one of those contestants labeled as cannon fodder. All of a sudden he made the top 24 last week and it came out of nowhere. As for tonight's performance, it's downright dreadful. Who honestly picks a song like that and expects to get votes for it? It starts off so dreadful and I can barely understand the lyrics he's singing. It gets a tiny bit better but I have no hope for this guy advancing. If he does, it's pure luck.
Michael Lynch - "This Love" by Maroon Five : Michael is the contestant we've probably seen the most prior to tonight's semi-final performances out of them all. His wife had a baby during Hollywood week and that took up more of the show than his actual singing. That being said, he's probably one of the most consistent contestants so far. His performance of this Maroon Five song was pretty decent; one of the best of the night by the boys (but that ain't saying a lot). He didn't bring anything new to the song by any means but he did sing it quite well.
Alex Lambert - "Wonderful World" by James Morrison : Here's a contestant that we haven't seen a lot of singing from prior to tonight's performance round. He was unlucky to find himself in the group with Mary Powers that didn't do so well with their performance during Hollywood week. It kind of amazes me he made it out of that because tonight's performance is not going so good. He's off-pitch pretty steady and seems awfully unsure of himself on stage. He later admits he hasn't done a lot of singing in front of large groups and it shows.
Casey James - "Heaven" by Bryan Adams : I'm left to believe that Casey is a contestant that's flown under the radar and is out to surprise a lot of people. So far, he's more known for his good looks than his singing ability. But tonight, he really stepped it up and picked the perfect song. I am a bit partial to this Bryan Adams tune because it's one that David Archuleta excelled at. Casey does just as well, even though he was at a serious disadvantage by the judges and their antics while he sung. Despite that, he still did quite well.
Todrick Hall - "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson : I was quite impressed with Todrick's performances during Hollywood week. He seems like quite the polished performer and has the potential to go far. He completely rearranged Kelly Clarkson's famous tune "Since U Been Gone" and turns it into this hyped-up, electronic, dance song and makes it totally unrecognizable to the original! Despite that, it's not that half-bad. He took a big risk by changing up the song as dramatically as he did. I think that in itself is admirable.
Aaron Kelly - "Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascall Flatts : Here we have a contestant who's 16, who we know is a great singer, yet had his ups and downs during Hollywood Week (including forgetting the lyrics). I wasn't all that familiar with this Rascall Flatts tune, but overall I'd say he did a pretty decent job with the song. I wasn't totally blown away by his performance and he did have a few off-notes here and there. But he didn't forget any words and it was overall a pretty solid performance.
Jermaine Sellers - "Get Here" : Here's one contestant that didn't receive a whole lot of air-time during Hollywood week, but when he did, it was probably for all the wrong reasons. He threw the band under the bus after one of his performances and it was not perceived as a good thing (rightly so). Tonight is his shot at redemption, so to speak. Overall, it was an average performance - nothing that really wowed me. He seemed to struggle at times to hit the high falsetto notes and went way over the top with the runs. He really needs to reign it back in.
Tim Urban - "Apologize" by One Republic : So Tim is the last-minute addition to the American Idol puzzle after Chris Golightly's sudden disqualification from the competition. You know, after watching Tim during Hollywood week, there was nothing that really impressed me about his singing abilities. So it surprised me he received a second chance. Needless to say, I remained unimpressed after his rendition of "Apologize." The arrangement of the song was terrible and he was struggling to hit the high notes in the song. It doesn't look too good for him.
Joe Munoz - "You and I Both" by Jason Mraz : I am quite surprised by how many of the male contestants I don't know a whole lot about, yet it seems like the girls have gotten a lot of exposure thus far (producer pimping, anyone?). Anyways, Joe is one of those unfamiliar contestants, yet his performance of this Jason Mraz tune is pretty decent. Sure, he appears to be nervous and hits a few off-pitch notes. But overall it was a pretty pleasant performance. He definitely has a great voice and he's pretty easy to listen to.
Tyler Grady - "American Woman" by the Guess Who : I guess I don't really remember anything memorable out of Tyler so far on his Idol journey, just that he embraces 1970's music and style. How is that going to work in today's contemorary style? Nevertheless, he didn't make it this far based on that, so let's see if he has the vocal chops to advance far. Based on tonight's performance, I'm not entirely impressed. I liked his blusey take on the song to start, but it became rather indulgent and not all that vocally strong. There were several off pitch moments in there.
Lee Dewyze - "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol : I remember Lee's journey during Hollywood week wasn't without its dramatic moments. He was really wondering whether he'd be chosen in the top 24, and finally he heard the words he wanted to hear. Tonight's performance wasn't perfect, but it was one of the better of the night. He really changed the melody of the song and turned it into a new song. He made it more of a rock tune and I found it quite enjoyable to listen to. He needs to work on his vocal abilities a little more, though.
John Park - "God Bless the Child" by : Hmm, I know very little about this guy and I don't forsee him going very far in this. He's one of those contestants labeled as cannon fodder. All of a sudden he made the top 24 last week and it came out of nowhere. As for tonight's performance, it's downright dreadful. Who honestly picks a song like that and expects to get votes for it? It starts off so dreadful and I can barely understand the lyrics he's singing. It gets a tiny bit better but I have no hope for this guy advancing. If he does, it's pure luck.
Michael Lynch - "This Love" by Maroon Five : Michael is the contestant we've probably seen the most prior to tonight's semi-final performances out of them all. His wife had a baby during Hollywood week and that took up more of the show than his actual singing. That being said, he's probably one of the most consistent contestants so far. His performance of this Maroon Five song was pretty decent; one of the best of the night by the boys (but that ain't saying a lot). He didn't bring anything new to the song by any means but he did sing it quite well.
Alex Lambert - "Wonderful World" by James Morrison : Here's a contestant that we haven't seen a lot of singing from prior to tonight's performance round. He was unlucky to find himself in the group with Mary Powers that didn't do so well with their performance during Hollywood week. It kind of amazes me he made it out of that because tonight's performance is not going so good. He's off-pitch pretty steady and seems awfully unsure of himself on stage. He later admits he hasn't done a lot of singing in front of large groups and it shows.
Casey James - "Heaven" by Bryan Adams : I'm left to believe that Casey is a contestant that's flown under the radar and is out to surprise a lot of people. So far, he's more known for his good looks than his singing ability. But tonight, he really stepped it up and picked the perfect song. I am a bit partial to this Bryan Adams tune because it's one that David Archuleta excelled at. Casey does just as well, even though he was at a serious disadvantage by the judges and their antics while he sung. Despite that, he still did quite well.
Andrew Garcia - "Sugar We're Going Down" by Fall Out Boy : Out of 12 semi-final male contestants, Andrew is clearly the front runner to do the best. His Hollywood performance of "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul was probably one of the best out of the lot. Tonight, he re-arranges a Fall Out Boy song to match his style. Overall, it's not half bad. The arrangement is a bit weird and the song does sound more lounge-style. Also, the song seems extremeny high for Andrew. All in all, not his strongest but one of the better performances of the night.
My favorite performers of the night: Andrew Garcia, Casey James, Lee Dewyze, Joe Munoz.
Performances that were so-so: Michael Lynch, Aaron Kelly, Toddrick Hall.
In danger of being voted off: Alex Lambert, John Park, Tyler Grady, Tim Urban, Jermaine Sellers.
Going Home: Tim Urban and John Park. Urban's performance was pretty shaky and downright dreadful. I honestly have no idea why the producers brought him back as opposed to someone else with a little more stage precense and charisma. Park's wasn't much better, especially the way the song first began. It was practically unintelligible! Their terrible performances and their lack of air-time previously should probably do them in. However, the way the guys performed tonight as a whole, I wouldn't be surprised if all of them could be in danger of going home. There were only a couple that really stood out in the crowd. Don't forget to see how it all plays out tonight during the results!
(2/25/10) Actual Eliminees: Tyler Grady and Joe Munoz. Total fail this week, even though I had a feeling Tyler was in danger of being voted off. Ultimately, I didn't pick neither one.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
American Idol 9 - Top 24 (Girls Night)
Welcome to the American Idol live shows! Its been a long time coming, but they have finally returned. We are also going to see how Ellen does during the live performance shows. Overall, I thought she did quite well tonight (and has been doing great since joining the show). Tonight, the girls performed pretty much any song they wanted to sing (it was bascially a billboard top 100 songs-type of night). Some performed older songs, while some went current. All in all, it was a bit of a disappointment overall. A few of the girls picked the wrong song and others just didn't sound very good. However, there were some bright spots. Let's get to the reviews!
(BTW, the reviews at this stage of the game are going to be shorter and I'm not going to focus too long on the write-ups. Either the contestants are memorable or they're not.)
Paige Miles - "Alright Now" by Free : So this is basically the first glance we get of this girl. I don't really remember much of her prior to tonight. I was not totally wowed by this performance. I mean, it was good but it didn't blow me away. She probably could've been helped by a more current song, but please no Alisha Keys, Mariah, or Whitney. She may be hurt by the lack of previous screen time and by going first. We'll see how it all pans out on Thursday.
Ashley Rodriguez - "Happy" by Leona Lewis : I do enjoy the direction she was trying to go with this song (by going current) however, I do agree with the judges that this song was just too big for her. Honestly, by tomorrow this performance will be forgettable (already I'm forgetting how she sang it). It was too sound-alike, she didn't differentiate herself from Leona, and it wasn't sung as well as it could've been. She would've done much better, I believe, with a different song.
Janell Wheeler - "What About Love" by Heart : I really like the original but Janell is not doing well with this selection. This is a big, rocker-chick kind of ballad and Janell doesn't necessarily fill that mold. I liked her Hollywood performance when she sang that Kara Dioguardi song while she played the guitar. I am afraid she tried to go all-out and went too far with this one. Again, it wasn't memorable enough and it was just an average performance. She has potential but this didn't cut it tonight.
Lilly Scott - "Fixin' a Hole" by the Beatles : Finally, someone that breathes new life into tonight's otherwise dull performance show. I enjoy the music from the Beatles but this is one song I'm definitely not familiar with. I swear she could've wrote this song herself and made a hit from it. The very beginning of the song was a bit off for me but then she truly delivers and I'm totally digging her style. She's passionate, soulful, and very fun to listen to. And look, I guess they can play the guitar during the semi's, too!
Katelyn Epperly - "Oh Darlin' " by the Beatles : Another of the Beatles' lesser popular songs, but it's a nice selection by Katelyn. I gotta admit, I follow a lot of Idol sites out there and many didn't think very highly of Katelyn prior to tonight. But I must say she was better than expected. It's probably not a performance we're all going to remember in a week, but it should be enough to get her through. I'd like to see her back playing the guitar like we saw during Hollywood week.
Haeley Vaughn - "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles : Wow, why all these Beatle songs tonight (not that there's anything wrong with that, of course)? I like that she distinguishes herself from the original and does an original take on it with guitar in hand. However, she struggles with the higher notes in her upper register. And some of those notes, boy, they were painful to listen to. Not as strong as it could've been. It probably would've been better for her if she waited a year or two before auditioning.
Lacey Brown - "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac : Another older song pick but hey, oldies are goodies, right? It's a very slow, serious song. I'm just not wowed by it and I noticed a lot of pitchy notes. I feel bad for her because I think she's got some major potential. Seeing how close she was last year to making the semi-finals and then making it this year, I was expecting a lot more. It just wasn't as strong as it could've been and the judges let her know it. She could definitely be in trouble.
Michelle Delamor - "Fallin' " by Alisha Keys : Just as I had feared, someone performing an Alisha Keys' song, particularly this one. In the past, contestants have not fared well performing this one. Michelle does a good job with it but it sounds too much like the original. She doesn't do enough to distinguish herself from Alisha's masterful job with the song. However, I will say that she did enough to stay for another week. She can definitely sing, there's no doubt about that.
Didi Benami - "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson : I had to laugh when I first heard she was singing this because another contestant sang this song during their audition and Simon hated the song! He had nothing bad to say about the song this time but he certainly wasn't wowed. I got what the judges were saying about Didi's performance but all in all, I thought she did very well compared to most of the previous contestants tonight. I think Didi has the potential to go very far this season.
Siobhan Magnus - "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak : What an excellent song choice and one that I don't believe any previous contestant has picked before. This song showed that Siobhan has an incredible range. Just look at how low she had to go at the beginning of the song and really went high in the middle and the end. She was definitely in the moment with this performance and it was virtually flawless. Definitely one of my favorites of the night, despite the fact that it's a dark and dreary-kind of song.
Crystal Bowersox - "Hand in my Pocket" by Alanis Morissette : Another song choice I am loving - Alanis really knows how to write some epic songs. And Crystal truly has some staying power in this year's competition. She's an original, she's soulful, and she knows what kind of an artist she wants to be. I remember seeing her play the harmonica during Hollywood and I was blown away then. I, too, am glad to see that Crystal auditioned for American Idol because she has the potential to win the entire show.
Katie Stevens - "Feeling Good" by Michael Buble : Katie has gotten a lot of early hype which has been well deserved. Now that we're into the live shows, will she be able to keep it up? She has the all-important pimp spot tonight which should definitely work to her favor. She does not disappoint but it's probably not as great as it could've been. I do agree with the judges, that even though it's a current song, Buble's kind of music is more old-fashioned. Katie is 17 and we need to remember that.
So, my favorites tonight were: Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus, Didi Benami, Lilly Scott, and Katelyn Epperly. These five should definitely advance.
Performances that were so-so: Katie Stevens, Michelle Delamor, Paige Miles, Janell Wheeler. They weren't great, but they weren't terrible. These girls should be safe.
In danger of being voted off: Ashley Rodriguez, Haeley Vaughn, and Lacey Brown. Start to pack your bags tonight, girls.
Going home: Haeley Vaughn and Lacey Brown. Unfortunately Haeley enterted the competition too soon. I think she would've been better off waiting a few more years. As for Lacey, it just wasn't her night. However, during these semi-final rounds, usually there's a surprise or two. One of these girls just might be safe. But as of now, these are my predictions.
That is all, folks. I'll probably be able to blog during most of tomorrow night's show when the boys perform, but I will not be able to finish. Be sure to catch the rest of tomorrow's blog the follow day.
(2/25/10) Actual Eliminees: Ashley Rodriguez and Janell Wheeler. Not totally surprised by this outcome, although I thought Janell would've been saved by the voters because of her good looks. It was all for naught this time, however.
(BTW, the reviews at this stage of the game are going to be shorter and I'm not going to focus too long on the write-ups. Either the contestants are memorable or they're not.)
Paige Miles - "Alright Now" by Free : So this is basically the first glance we get of this girl. I don't really remember much of her prior to tonight. I was not totally wowed by this performance. I mean, it was good but it didn't blow me away. She probably could've been helped by a more current song, but please no Alisha Keys, Mariah, or Whitney. She may be hurt by the lack of previous screen time and by going first. We'll see how it all pans out on Thursday.
Ashley Rodriguez - "Happy" by Leona Lewis : I do enjoy the direction she was trying to go with this song (by going current) however, I do agree with the judges that this song was just too big for her. Honestly, by tomorrow this performance will be forgettable (already I'm forgetting how she sang it). It was too sound-alike, she didn't differentiate herself from Leona, and it wasn't sung as well as it could've been. She would've done much better, I believe, with a different song.
Janell Wheeler - "What About Love" by Heart : I really like the original but Janell is not doing well with this selection. This is a big, rocker-chick kind of ballad and Janell doesn't necessarily fill that mold. I liked her Hollywood performance when she sang that Kara Dioguardi song while she played the guitar. I am afraid she tried to go all-out and went too far with this one. Again, it wasn't memorable enough and it was just an average performance. She has potential but this didn't cut it tonight.
Lilly Scott - "Fixin' a Hole" by the Beatles : Finally, someone that breathes new life into tonight's otherwise dull performance show. I enjoy the music from the Beatles but this is one song I'm definitely not familiar with. I swear she could've wrote this song herself and made a hit from it. The very beginning of the song was a bit off for me but then she truly delivers and I'm totally digging her style. She's passionate, soulful, and very fun to listen to. And look, I guess they can play the guitar during the semi's, too!
Katelyn Epperly - "Oh Darlin' " by the Beatles : Another of the Beatles' lesser popular songs, but it's a nice selection by Katelyn. I gotta admit, I follow a lot of Idol sites out there and many didn't think very highly of Katelyn prior to tonight. But I must say she was better than expected. It's probably not a performance we're all going to remember in a week, but it should be enough to get her through. I'd like to see her back playing the guitar like we saw during Hollywood week.
Haeley Vaughn - "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles : Wow, why all these Beatle songs tonight (not that there's anything wrong with that, of course)? I like that she distinguishes herself from the original and does an original take on it with guitar in hand. However, she struggles with the higher notes in her upper register. And some of those notes, boy, they were painful to listen to. Not as strong as it could've been. It probably would've been better for her if she waited a year or two before auditioning.
Lacey Brown - "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac : Another older song pick but hey, oldies are goodies, right? It's a very slow, serious song. I'm just not wowed by it and I noticed a lot of pitchy notes. I feel bad for her because I think she's got some major potential. Seeing how close she was last year to making the semi-finals and then making it this year, I was expecting a lot more. It just wasn't as strong as it could've been and the judges let her know it. She could definitely be in trouble.
Michelle Delamor - "Fallin' " by Alisha Keys : Just as I had feared, someone performing an Alisha Keys' song, particularly this one. In the past, contestants have not fared well performing this one. Michelle does a good job with it but it sounds too much like the original. She doesn't do enough to distinguish herself from Alisha's masterful job with the song. However, I will say that she did enough to stay for another week. She can definitely sing, there's no doubt about that.
Didi Benami - "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson : I had to laugh when I first heard she was singing this because another contestant sang this song during their audition and Simon hated the song! He had nothing bad to say about the song this time but he certainly wasn't wowed. I got what the judges were saying about Didi's performance but all in all, I thought she did very well compared to most of the previous contestants tonight. I think Didi has the potential to go very far this season.
Siobhan Magnus - "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak : What an excellent song choice and one that I don't believe any previous contestant has picked before. This song showed that Siobhan has an incredible range. Just look at how low she had to go at the beginning of the song and really went high in the middle and the end. She was definitely in the moment with this performance and it was virtually flawless. Definitely one of my favorites of the night, despite the fact that it's a dark and dreary-kind of song.
Crystal Bowersox - "Hand in my Pocket" by Alanis Morissette : Another song choice I am loving - Alanis really knows how to write some epic songs. And Crystal truly has some staying power in this year's competition. She's an original, she's soulful, and she knows what kind of an artist she wants to be. I remember seeing her play the harmonica during Hollywood and I was blown away then. I, too, am glad to see that Crystal auditioned for American Idol because she has the potential to win the entire show.
Katie Stevens - "Feeling Good" by Michael Buble : Katie has gotten a lot of early hype which has been well deserved. Now that we're into the live shows, will she be able to keep it up? She has the all-important pimp spot tonight which should definitely work to her favor. She does not disappoint but it's probably not as great as it could've been. I do agree with the judges, that even though it's a current song, Buble's kind of music is more old-fashioned. Katie is 17 and we need to remember that.
So, my favorites tonight were: Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus, Didi Benami, Lilly Scott, and Katelyn Epperly. These five should definitely advance.
Performances that were so-so: Katie Stevens, Michelle Delamor, Paige Miles, Janell Wheeler. They weren't great, but they weren't terrible. These girls should be safe.
In danger of being voted off: Ashley Rodriguez, Haeley Vaughn, and Lacey Brown. Start to pack your bags tonight, girls.
Going home: Haeley Vaughn and Lacey Brown. Unfortunately Haeley enterted the competition too soon. I think she would've been better off waiting a few more years. As for Lacey, it just wasn't her night. However, during these semi-final rounds, usually there's a surprise or two. One of these girls just might be safe. But as of now, these are my predictions.
That is all, folks. I'll probably be able to blog during most of tomorrow night's show when the boys perform, but I will not be able to finish. Be sure to catch the rest of tomorrow's blog the follow day.
(2/25/10) Actual Eliminees: Ashley Rodriguez and Janell Wheeler. Not totally surprised by this outcome, although I thought Janell would've been saved by the voters because of her good looks. It was all for naught this time, however.
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