This show aired on March 26th. I am late in getting this blog out. Sorry about that!
According to Ryan Seacrest, there were over 36 million votes that came in. It was the most they ever received in the top 10 in the history of AI.
Ruben Studdard, Joss Stone, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder were all guest entertainers this evening.
The Top 10 performs a medley of Motown songs. I don't care what others say, but I usually enjoy the group performances. They're fun to watch and this year I enjoy trying to figure out how they are going to make it work with Scott not being able to see. They seem to be doing great with that and some creative camera work.
Ruben sang a new song of his called "Together". It was a nice song. Not my thing, but a nice song.
Ryan begins calling down the Idols to let them know whether or not they are safe. Right away, here is what we find out:
Adam is safe. We kinda figured that, didn't we?
Matt is in the bottom 3. Whaaaat?! How can that be? I am just now really getting to like this guy.
Kris is safe. I like Kris alright, as he really seems to be improving as he goes, but I still can't believe that he wouldn't be in the bottom 3 and Matt is. I think Matt is better than Kris. I wonder if the order of the performances made a difference here.
Lil finds out she is safe.
Michael is in the bottom 3. This is no surprise to me and I recall thinking that I hope he is the one to go home and not Matt. (sorry Michael!)
Smokey and Joss do a duet together. It was really sweet. Called "You're The One For Me". I loved Joss's hair and dress. So hippy-ish. It struck me how much she sounded like Megan Joy. Did you notice that? Actually, I think Megan is a bit more unique in the sound of her voice, but very similar none-the-less. I didn't particularly like the song though. It sounded disjointed or something. Their individual voices were really good, it was just a weird song.
Ryan again begins to announce some more of the Idol's status:
Allison is safe. (whew!)
Anoop is safe.
Danny is safe.
Scott is in the bottom 3. Again. He really needs to improve, become amazing, or more recognizable for something other than the fact that he is blind (and charming).
Despite the bad comments from Simon the day before, Megan came in safe.
All of the bottom 3 are gathered. Michael, Scott and Matt. Right away Ryan tells Scott he is safe and can go and sit down. I was blown away! I thought for sure they would have told Matt he could sit down and it would be Scott or Michael up there.
Matt and Michael have to wait for a performance by Stevie Wonder, a Motown medley.
We resume our anxiousness with Ryan, Michael and Matt on the stage. Ends up that Michael goes home and Matt is safe. I'm so glad!!! I think Michael is a sweet guy and I really wish him the best, but I'm glad it was him and not Matt.
Michael re-performs "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" for the "save" vote by the judges. He continues to smile, like the evening before, even though it's in direct violation of the song's theme. Totally wrong song choice. His mood didn't match his song - at all.
So that wrapped up the evening of fun and tension!
Oh, and I'm waiting for a Ford commercial with Scott in the driver's seat. I'm just saying. That would be funny, no?
Until next week, when they perform again but no one seems to know the theme. There are rumors, but we'll have to see!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
How Ironic - Abortion Chain Owner's Family Dies in Plane Crash, Near Tomb of the Unborn
On Sunday, March 22nd, you may have heard about a plane crashing into a cemetary. I heard about it. According to Christian Newswire's Gingi Edmonds, what I didn't know and our infamous mainstream media didn't tell us is that the family of Bud and Pam Feldkamp were among those on that plane. Bud and Pam's two daughters, two sons-in-law and five grandchildren, among some family friends. Who are they, you ask? Well, they are the owners of the largest, for profit, abortion chain in the nation, Family Planning Associates in California - outranking Planned Parenthood! These "Family Planning" clinics perform abortions throughout the first five months of pregnancy.
Coincidence? I don't think so. Our God is a just God. You snub your nose at Him and stuff happens. As Ezekiel 35:6 says, "therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you."
According to Gingi's article, a group called The Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust would stand outside the Feldkamp's home and hold up signs showing the fetal development. Apparently, Pam Feldkamp laughed at the signs. Bud Feldkamp would avoid the protesters eyes.
Sad that they can't see. We need to pray that their eyes are opened and hearts softened to the travesty of it all.
The only thing the mainstream media did cover, which is another sign from God if you ask me, is that only 2 years ago Bud and Pam's 10 month old grandchild, Chase, tragically died when he apparently slipped between the mattress and the side of the bed during a nap. He was taken to the hospital, but eventually taken off of life-support.
Coincidence? I don't think so. Our God is a just God. You snub your nose at Him and stuff happens. As Ezekiel 35:6 says, "therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you."
According to Gingi's article, a group called The Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust would stand outside the Feldkamp's home and hold up signs showing the fetal development. Apparently, Pam Feldkamp laughed at the signs. Bud Feldkamp would avoid the protesters eyes.
Sad that they can't see. We need to pray that their eyes are opened and hearts softened to the travesty of it all.
The only thing the mainstream media did cover, which is another sign from God if you ask me, is that only 2 years ago Bud and Pam's 10 month old grandchild, Chase, tragically died when he apparently slipped between the mattress and the side of the bed during a nap. He was taken to the hospital, but eventually taken off of life-support.
Jason Castro's Birthday was.........yesterday.
And I forgot to blog about it. He turned the ripe old age of 22. When he began his journey on AI, he was only 20. He turned 21 while on the show last season. I don't have access to the pics, but they had a birthday party for him, which was really sweet. All his obsessive fans gave him stuff. Heck, I don't think they have stopped giving him stuff since!
Ah, my dear, sweet Jason with the baby blues.
Let's see if I have a pic of him that I like best.....
Okay, so it's the one I like the best, that I could get on here. You see, my computer crashed and all my good pics are in a different format. I can't access them on the super slow, crappy computer. It doesn't have Vista.
Annnnyyywaaaay, I have soooo many great pics and funneez to share with you, to honor Jason and my obsession with, that I don't know if I can possibly fit them all in one blog. We'll see!
Here is a pic that sums up my obsession quite well.....
...and so was I! Just ask half a dozen of my good friends. hehe
That pic is a collage that another "Dreadhead" (an obsessed "Deadhead" of the new millenium who is assigned a "bus" and a "number".) My screen name is Momalicious, which is spelled wrong here, and my Dreadhead number is 2874. I'm on bus fifty-something. Can't remember now. The symbol in the center of the collage is the Trinity symbol that Luna guitar made for Jason. Each of the Idol's received one that was according to their personality and that was what Jason's had on his. I thought it was thoughtful and awesome for Luna to do that.
In case it's too hard to read, here is what it says: Castroholicism - Symptoms include (but are not limited to): sleeplessness, sore thumbs, increased knowledge of modern technology and hair care, empty wallet syndrome, internet dependence, chronic thudding, heightened pantz awareness and a stong desire to be this man's everything.
I don't know why this pic turned out like it did. It's not like this in my files, but here it is, all messed up. Too bad too. He's singing Hallelujah (the Jeff Buckley version) here. I have another one that's not messed up:
Ahhh, that's better! I love a man in worship and I certainly think that was on his mind when he was singing this song. He does both hand-raising moments during great parts of the song, that would be a worship-like moment. Just another reason I fell in love with him. I think this was about the time during season 7 when I realized that he was a Christian. Too many things he was doing started to add up.
Have you ever seen LOLCatz? They are funny pics of kitties that people put funny captions to. They have a lot of silly wording and Jason's funny pics were no exception. His mom, Betsy, on the Castro Message Boards I was on would laugh hysterically over some of them. She really enjoyed reading what the fans were doing. Did I ever tell you about the discussion her and I got into about parenting??? Hmmm, 'nother time perhaps.
Anyway, the preceding picture is one of my favs. The captions are just a bonus. I have the pic with captions and without. Putting pictures on here is a pain, so I thought I'd just post the one. I really love this pic.
Here's another great pic:
He looks older with his hair down and not pulled back, like they seemed to really like doing when he was on AI. I like him that way too, but he looks, shall I say, sexier and older with it down.
I figure I may as well post all my non-LOLz pics first. The following picture is when he is laughing, singing his "going home" song after he was voted off. The day before, when he sang it, Simon asked him what he was thinking, singing someone like a Bob Marley song. Jason' s reply? "I was thinking Bob Marley, Yeah!" That ended up being one of the best quotes, ever . Jas on wasn't one to talk back to the judges. He was always sweet and accepting of whatever he was told. I think he just had it at this point. Simon just didn't get it at all.
Now on to some good LOLz. The next pic is of Paula. If you recall, she had some seriously bizarre moments last season, including one in which she judged Jason's performance - before he sang it. Oh yes. No only did she slur half the season, stumble over her words and couldn't create a coherant sentence, she did that to him too. So, we just couldn't let that go, now could we???
Doesn't that just crack you up??? I love Paula, but I suspect she has some serious issues with either drugs or alchohol. Perhaps both. As the season goes on, she gets goofier and goofier.
That was so me too. I went to the American Idol top 10 show in Detroit with my good friend Kim. It was a blast! We waited before the show at the buses at about noon. We were there for about 4 or 5 hours, waiting for the Idols to arrive. We met a lot of them, but not Jason. :-( I got lots of signatures and a picture with me and Chikezie. That was great. I like him a lot too. Never even got a glimpse of Jason. He had to do press that week, which is what they all rotated doing and were obligated to do. I ended up going to Grand Rapids with Mary and her daughter and her daughter's friend, to wait at the buses there. The girls got to see who they were there for (David Archuleta) and got his signature and all that jazz. Did I see Jason? Yes. Did he come and talk to us, sign stuff, etc? NO! I was so bummed. He got off the bus and walked away, talking on the cell phone. He didn't look good that day. Seemed like he was not feeling well or something, but we were so bummed. I hung out (at both locations) with a bunch of crazy women like me who were just dying to see him. Some of them again. One woman was the one who was behind the idea to do Date Night with a setting of a table and menu. Unfortunately it ended up a huge fiasco with feelings hurt and all that jazz. I liked it though. It was creative and fun. She pulled the video of behind-the-scenes of that Date Night, which bummed me out because I thought that made it more real and I enjoyed it. She was supposed to send me a copy of it, and never did.
Jason was known for not being very good at interviews. He got much better, but I think it added to his charm. He really didn't like doing them at first, but I think he has warmed up to it now. He's not the kind of guy who likes a lot of the focus on him. He just wants to do his music. That's what it's all about!
The Pantzzzzz were a big hit on Castrocopia.com. I love that blog and site, even with all the swears. The girlz there are HILARIOUS! They did a lot of these LOLz. I wish I could give credit to those that did them, but some of them don't have anything in the corner, indicating who created the LOLz. This one does. I would like to give credit to those whose hilarious brains made up da funniez. I didn't create any of the ones in this blog.
One of the things that was very common and poor Jason had to endure time after time, was questions about his dreads. It was really redundent. He was gracious though, but we felt for him. That's where the previous LOLz came from. Seemed that the interviewers couldn't come up with something a little different to ask and it got old - quick.
That one cracks me up because it is SO true! I think this is one thing that most Jason fans have in common....he unexpectedly won us over with the Purdy-ness! :-)
If you don't know who Legolas is, he was played by the ever-so-cute Orlando Bloom in Lord of the Rings. Oooh, another sweet face, that Orlando. (oh, sorry.....this is about Jason, isn't it?) Do you sense a mid-life crisis coming on?
Isn't that funny??? A wallet. Yep, that's me. I want to be Jason's wallet. Better yet, his pantz. Who said that??????
And last, but certainly not least:
Awwwww! Baby Jason and his beautiful eyes.
Ah, my dear, sweet Jason with the baby blues.
Let's see if I have a pic of him that I like best.....
Okay, so it's the one I like the best, that I could get on here. You see, my computer crashed and all my good pics are in a different format. I can't access them on the super slow, crappy computer. It doesn't have Vista.
Annnnyyywaaaay, I have soooo many great pics and funneez to share with you, to honor Jason and my obsession with, that I don't know if I can possibly fit them all in one blog. We'll see!
Here is a pic that sums up my obsession quite well.....
...and so was I! Just ask half a dozen of my good friends. hehe
That pic is a collage that another "Dreadhead" (an obsessed "Deadhead" of the new millenium who is assigned a "bus" and a "number".) My screen name is Momalicious, which is spelled wrong here, and my Dreadhead number is 2874. I'm on bus fifty-something. Can't remember now. The symbol in the center of the collage is the Trinity symbol that Luna guitar made for Jason. Each of the Idol's received one that was according to their personality and that was what Jason's had on his. I thought it was thoughtful and awesome for Luna to do that.
In case it's too hard to read, here is what it says: Castroholicism - Symptoms include (but are not limited to): sleeplessness, sore thumbs, increased knowledge of modern technology and hair care, empty wallet syndrome, internet dependence, chronic thudding, heightened pantz awareness and a stong desire to be this man's everything.
I don't know why this pic turned out like it did. It's not like this in my files, but here it is, all messed up. Too bad too. He's singing Hallelujah (the Jeff Buckley version) here. I have another one that's not messed up:
Ahhh, that's better! I love a man in worship and I certainly think that was on his mind when he was singing this song. He does both hand-raising moments during great parts of the song, that would be a worship-like moment. Just another reason I fell in love with him. I think this was about the time during season 7 when I realized that he was a Christian. Too many things he was doing started to add up.
Have you ever seen LOLCatz? They are funny pics of kitties that people put funny captions to. They have a lot of silly wording and Jason's funny pics were no exception. His mom, Betsy, on the Castro Message Boards I was on would laugh hysterically over some of them. She really enjoyed reading what the fans were doing. Did I ever tell you about the discussion her and I got into about parenting??? Hmmm, 'nother time perhaps.
Anyway, the preceding picture is one of my favs. The captions are just a bonus. I have the pic with captions and without. Putting pictures on here is a pain, so I thought I'd just post the one. I really love this pic.
He looks older with his hair down and not pulled back, like they seemed to really like doing when he was on AI. I like him that way too, but he looks, shall I say, sexier and older with it down.
Doesn't that just crack you up??? I love Paula, but I suspect she has some serious issues with either drugs or alchohol. Perhaps both. As the season goes on, she gets goofier and goofier.
That was so me too. I went to the American Idol top 10 show in Detroit with my good friend Kim. It was a blast! We waited before the show at the buses at about noon. We were there for about 4 or 5 hours, waiting for the Idols to arrive. We met a lot of them, but not Jason. :-( I got lots of signatures and a picture with me and Chikezie. That was great. I like him a lot too. Never even got a glimpse of Jason. He had to do press that week, which is what they all rotated doing and were obligated to do. I ended up going to Grand Rapids with Mary and her daughter and her daughter's friend, to wait at the buses there. The girls got to see who they were there for (David Archuleta) and got his signature and all that jazz. Did I see Jason? Yes. Did he come and talk to us, sign stuff, etc? NO! I was so bummed. He got off the bus and walked away, talking on the cell phone. He didn't look good that day. Seemed like he was not feeling well or something, but we were so bummed. I hung out (at both locations) with a bunch of crazy women like me who were just dying to see him. Some of them again. One woman was the one who was behind the idea to do Date Night with a setting of a table and menu. Unfortunately it ended up a huge fiasco with feelings hurt and all that jazz. I liked it though. It was creative and fun. She pulled the video of behind-the-scenes of that Date Night, which bummed me out because I thought that made it more real and I enjoyed it. She was supposed to send me a copy of it, and never did.
Jason was known for not being very good at interviews. He got much better, but I think it added to his charm. He really didn't like doing them at first, but I think he has warmed up to it now. He's not the kind of guy who likes a lot of the focus on him. He just wants to do his music. That's what it's all about!
The Pantzzzzz were a big hit on Castrocopia.com. I love that blog and site, even with all the swears. The girlz there are HILARIOUS! They did a lot of these LOLz. I wish I could give credit to those that did them, but some of them don't have anything in the corner, indicating who created the LOLz. This one does. I would like to give credit to those whose hilarious brains made up da funniez. I didn't create any of the ones in this blog.
One of the things that was very common and poor Jason had to endure time after time, was questions about his dreads. It was really redundent. He was gracious though, but we felt for him. That's where the previous LOLz came from. Seemed that the interviewers couldn't come up with something a little different to ask and it got old - quick.
That one cracks me up because it is SO true! I think this is one thing that most Jason fans have in common....he unexpectedly won us over with the Purdy-ness! :-)
If you don't know who Legolas is, he was played by the ever-so-cute Orlando Bloom in Lord of the Rings. Oooh, another sweet face, that Orlando. (oh, sorry.....this is about Jason, isn't it?) Do you sense a mid-life crisis coming on?
Isn't that funny??? A wallet. Yep, that's me. I want to be Jason's wallet. Better yet, his pantz. Who said that??????
And last, but certainly not least:
Awwwww! Baby Jason and his beautiful eyes.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
American Idol's Season 8, Motown Week - Top 10
Motown's own Smokey Robinson (wrote over 4,000 songs) and Berry Gordy (Founder of Motown) represented Motown Week on American Idol tonight. I LOVE Smokey. He's just a beautiful person. I'm glad to have been a part of Motown my whole life.
So the show begins with a weird exchange between Paula and Ryan, making a date for after the show. I wonder if they went anywhere! haha
The producers showed a nice short film honoring 50 years of Motown, featuring the top 10 (or top 9, as we later learned) visiting Detroit's Hitsville USA. Awwww man! Had I only known they would be there!
Smokey was the mentor this week for the Idols. He tells us that Berry Gordy said back at it's inception, "We are not going to make black music. We're going to make music for everybody." And they have.
Starting off the night was Matt Giraud, who I have to say is quickly becoming my favorite. Matt sang "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye.
Smokey said that he thought Marvin would love it. When I heard the clip of Smokey and Matt working together, I thought "Wow! This is gonna be great!". And it was.
Matt left the piano shortly after he started singing, giving us the best of both worlds. This song is so him.
Kara commented that Matt came out of his shell but could have pushed it more. A solid performance.
Paula said he seemed comfortable coming out from behind the piano and that he didn't "over-riff".
Simon said it was a brilliant song choice "other than the corny bit where you came up" (to the judges). "You are one of the front runners".
Kris Allen was next with "How Sweet It Is" by Marvin Gaye.
Smokey says that, "Kris blew me away. It was wonderful."
Kris was on guitar. I liked it okay. He had a unique take on the song and it was enjoyable, but sometimes I think, Would I want to buy an album of his based on this song? and the answer at this point is No.
Randy's take? "It's all good right now baby".
Kara said, "You didn't do James Taylor, you didn't do Marvin Gaye, you did Kris. You did everything right."
Paula, as always was encouraging with, "Really nice seeing you come into your own" and "It was brilliant. I'm proud of you."
Simon was also encouraging (for once) by telling Kris that he's having a good competition right now. He tells Kris that he doesn't have the confidence he needs to succeed though. Simon claims you need to be conceited to be a star (whaaat?), which just leads into a weird conversation between the judges and Ryan about the comment Simon made on a previous show about the Idols needing to watch video of him (Simon) to see how they should be. Talk about conceited. Hmmf.
Scott MacIntyre was next with "You Can't Hurry Love" by Diana Ross and The Supremes.
Smokey said that Scott brought the song right up to date and that it was very contemporary. I don't agree. I'm by no means anything near a song expert, but as someone who enjoys music immensely, I don't see that as being contemporary. Anyway, Scott decided to stay at the piano, despite the comments from Paula from last week. The song started slowly and then it was jazzed up nicely. I like what he did with it, (and I love him), but unfortunately I wasn't blown away by his style or anything. I did think he was creative with the song, but I guess I just wasn't crazy about the song choice.
Paula thought that Scott did something to please both Simon and her, by taking the criticisms from last week and working it into this week.
Simon didn't like the version and thought it sounded like "honky tonk piano playing". Thinks it sounded cheap and that he's a better artist than that.
Randy said he doesn't agree with Simon often, but thinks Simon was right that Scott is a better performer and the song was just wrong.
Kara disagrees on the song -- she thought he "brought tempo". He "took liberties with the melody and when you do that, you have to nail it!" I think she was saying that he didn't nail it.
Paula was mad at Simon for being childish, so she reached down below the table and came up with a pad of paper and a box of Crayola Crayons and gave it to him. They goofed around a bit, Simon was laughing and poor Scott was up there with no clue what was going on until Ryan told him what they were up to. We did find out, however, that Scott didn't know he was wearing pale pink pants until 10 minutes before the show. Wow, what a bummer.
Megan Joy chose to sing "For Once In My Life" - a Stevie Wonder song.
Smokey said that she is half jazz, half cabaret and that it's refreshing. He told her, "You are so different, I like it".
I liked it more when we saw the clip of her singing for Smokey. It was livelier, jazzier and more "Megan". While she sings tonight though, the camera gets a shot of Simon and you can tell that he doesn't like it almost from the beginning.
Randy said he likes the outfit. "Dude, song was a trainwreck for me. Needs more vibrato. Too rushed, hectic. Something."
Kara told her that "My Guy" would have been better. She told her the song was dominating her and that she needs to dominate it.
Paula told her that she was a stunning beauty and that it takes her breath away. The whole time she's speaking, Simon is saying, "tell the truth, tell the truth, tell the truth" and she's hitting him, telling him to stop and attempting to ignore him. It doesn't work. She then tells Megan that the camera loves her.
Simon tells Megan that the good news is that she does look good. The bad news is that it was horrible. He told her that whoever it was that was advising her, he would fire. (Noice one Siiiimon)
Anoop Desai is up next with "Oooh Baby Baby" by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles.
Smokey told Anoop that it is a sensual song and that he felt so much when Anoop sang it. He told him that he wouldn't change a thing.
I thought it was too slow of a song to be something contemporary, even though the vocals were great. You just can't fake that kind of voice, you know?! I really struggle with Anoop. I want him to do well, but he doesn't do anything for me as far as a current artist goes. I guess with him it's a wait-and-see.
Randy tells him that next week he should give us energy with the vocals and not be just a balladier.
Kara tells him how it's one of the hardest songs to sing. She says, "Overall, that was very hard to do and you did a good job. Just now, seeing what you can do - push it more. Be more creative."
Paula wants to see more confidence. "Your phrasing, delivery and falsetto is not only spot-on, it's sweet, tender."
Simon said it was a great vocal but that he looked half asleep. He commented on how Anoop has had two good weeks in a row and that he has to find that balance.
Michael Sarver sang "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by The Temptations.
We find out that Michael had been so sick the previous week that his doctors told him that it was better for him to stay back from the trip to Detroit, so he didn't get the chance to go. He's glad he listened to them, as he ended up really sick.
Smokey said Michael has a big voice and needs to use it more for this song. "Pound it more". "Tonight needs to not be sweet talk."
I don't think he listened to Smokey enough. He smiled too much for the theme of this song. He also has quirks in his face and head movements that just bug me. He's not one of my favorite contestants, even though I personally like him alot.
Randy said that it's "an unbelievable song that has been sung..." "It's just too big for you". "You're not an R&B dude". "You made it a little bit corny because you tried to do too much with it."
Kara said that "at this point in the competition, it's not about the singing. It's about artistry. Who are you as an artist?"
Paula said that for her it was a tough performance. "It was a little Las Vegas, loungy for me." "You need to dominate the song, not let the song dominate you." (didn't we just hear that from you, Paula?)
Simon: "I couldn't wait for it to end. You have no chance of winning it based on that vocal. That was below par."
Wow, could you be any more direct?
Lil Rounds sang "Heat Wave" by Martha and the Vendella's.
Smokey said she could sing the phone book and really seemed to enjoy his meeting with Lil.
Lil did a great job looking the part. From her hair to her earrings and dress. All of it. Her vocals were awesome. Her performance, however, doesn't show what she is going to be when she leaves AI. I'm still not sure after all this time. Perhaps I missed it.
Randy said her vocals were unbelievable. "But the wrong song for me, for you. Rushed." I hate when he says the, "for me, for you" thing.
Kara said she looked great and that she was the diva tonight but that she didn't think Lil picked the right song. She said, "You stayed true to the song and we need more."
Paula said she doesn't agree. "You look great. I think you own that song."
Simon's take on it was, "I think you did an authentic tribute to the sound of Motown. You are one of the best singers we have in this comptetition. I'm dying for you to do what you did a few weeks ago, blow everyone away."
Adam Lambert. Whoa!! What a surprise there! He sang "Tracks of My Tears" by Smokey Robinson. He didn't just perform that song, he became the song. What a transformation! If you have been following Adam thus far, and have not seen this performance, you must! Go here and be blown away by what you see. (click the little picture)
Smokey said he kept it tender, sweet and soft and it impressed him how he kept it so soft.
Adam blew me away and really knows how to fit the part! He had excellent vocals (as usual) and great emotion. He came on stage with no black nail polish, but a clean look with a pompadour hair style! I loved it! What a chameleon he is. The only thing I think there is to criticize is his lack of "being him", as the judges like to point out.
Randy said it was "unbelievably hot" and that he "used everything in your arsenal".
Kara said he was "one of the best performances of the night."
Paula said he was "handsome and classy. An element of surprise. You are exciting. You are it!"
Simon said that he disagrees with Kara. "It was THE best performance. You have emerged as a star tonight."
As I said before the judges rendered their verdicts on the performance, I am surprised that they didn't say anything about not being true to himself like they have to others. Perhaps because he has already established who he is as an artist and we have absolutely no doubts about that.
Danny Gokey sang "Get Ready" by The Temptations.
Smokey thinks that people are gonna love it.
I didn't like this song choice at all. I think I was hoping for something soulful, bluesy or jazzy like Matt did. Of all the Motown songs to choose from, I'm surprised he didn't find anything else he could have done that was more true to his talents. It was an okay performance, but I expected more from him.
Randy said it "wasn't the best performance but I loved the energy and feel of it." (the judges were rushed due to a continuing lack of time as the night went on)
Kara told him that it wasn't great but that she's a huge Danny fan.
Paula told him how he has a first class performance every week.
Simon told him that he is a good singer but that this performance was clumsy and amateurish.
Finally, we have Allison Iraheta singing "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" by The Temptations.
Smokey thought she would "do it really, really great."
I think she nailed it, personally. I think it was a great song for her to do. As always her vocals were great. It's amazing to me how mature she is for her age.
Randy told her that she was "blazin' hot!".
Kara said "Oh my God! America, you gotta vote for her. You sing like you've been singing for years."
Paula told her "you're amazing."
Simon said that she was a "survivor" and "that was really one of your best past performances".
Tomorrow we find out who will leave the top 10 performers. I wouldn't be too terribly sad to see Michael or Anoop go. Even Kris Allen. I like them all personally, but they do very little for me as far as being excited to see them each week. The ones that interest me from the top 10 and who I look forward to seeing each week is Adam, Scott, Matt, Megan, Danny and Allison. Lil I'm on the fence about. I think she could be good, but if she went now, I don't know that I'd be too torn up about it. The boys are definitely much better than the girls this year. I keep holding out for Scott to do something profound. Gonna have to go and pray about that one!
Till tomorrow!
So the show begins with a weird exchange between Paula and Ryan, making a date for after the show. I wonder if they went anywhere! haha
The producers showed a nice short film honoring 50 years of Motown, featuring the top 10 (or top 9, as we later learned) visiting Detroit's Hitsville USA. Awwww man! Had I only known they would be there!
Smokey was the mentor this week for the Idols. He tells us that Berry Gordy said back at it's inception, "We are not going to make black music. We're going to make music for everybody." And they have.
Starting off the night was Matt Giraud, who I have to say is quickly becoming my favorite. Matt sang "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye.
Smokey said that he thought Marvin would love it. When I heard the clip of Smokey and Matt working together, I thought "Wow! This is gonna be great!". And it was.
Matt left the piano shortly after he started singing, giving us the best of both worlds. This song is so him.
Kara commented that Matt came out of his shell but could have pushed it more. A solid performance.
Paula said he seemed comfortable coming out from behind the piano and that he didn't "over-riff".
Simon said it was a brilliant song choice "other than the corny bit where you came up" (to the judges). "You are one of the front runners".
Kris Allen was next with "How Sweet It Is" by Marvin Gaye.
Smokey says that, "Kris blew me away. It was wonderful."
Kris was on guitar. I liked it okay. He had a unique take on the song and it was enjoyable, but sometimes I think, Would I want to buy an album of his based on this song? and the answer at this point is No.
Randy's take? "It's all good right now baby".
Kara said, "You didn't do James Taylor, you didn't do Marvin Gaye, you did Kris. You did everything right."
Paula, as always was encouraging with, "Really nice seeing you come into your own" and "It was brilliant. I'm proud of you."
Simon was also encouraging (for once) by telling Kris that he's having a good competition right now. He tells Kris that he doesn't have the confidence he needs to succeed though. Simon claims you need to be conceited to be a star (whaaat?), which just leads into a weird conversation between the judges and Ryan about the comment Simon made on a previous show about the Idols needing to watch video of him (Simon) to see how they should be. Talk about conceited. Hmmf.
Scott MacIntyre was next with "You Can't Hurry Love" by Diana Ross and The Supremes.
Smokey said that Scott brought the song right up to date and that it was very contemporary. I don't agree. I'm by no means anything near a song expert, but as someone who enjoys music immensely, I don't see that as being contemporary. Anyway, Scott decided to stay at the piano, despite the comments from Paula from last week. The song started slowly and then it was jazzed up nicely. I like what he did with it, (and I love him), but unfortunately I wasn't blown away by his style or anything. I did think he was creative with the song, but I guess I just wasn't crazy about the song choice.
Paula thought that Scott did something to please both Simon and her, by taking the criticisms from last week and working it into this week.
Simon didn't like the version and thought it sounded like "honky tonk piano playing". Thinks it sounded cheap and that he's a better artist than that.
Randy said he doesn't agree with Simon often, but thinks Simon was right that Scott is a better performer and the song was just wrong.
Kara disagrees on the song -- she thought he "brought tempo". He "took liberties with the melody and when you do that, you have to nail it!" I think she was saying that he didn't nail it.
Paula was mad at Simon for being childish, so she reached down below the table and came up with a pad of paper and a box of Crayola Crayons and gave it to him. They goofed around a bit, Simon was laughing and poor Scott was up there with no clue what was going on until Ryan told him what they were up to. We did find out, however, that Scott didn't know he was wearing pale pink pants until 10 minutes before the show. Wow, what a bummer.
Megan Joy chose to sing "For Once In My Life" - a Stevie Wonder song.
Smokey said that she is half jazz, half cabaret and that it's refreshing. He told her, "You are so different, I like it".
I liked it more when we saw the clip of her singing for Smokey. It was livelier, jazzier and more "Megan". While she sings tonight though, the camera gets a shot of Simon and you can tell that he doesn't like it almost from the beginning.
Randy said he likes the outfit. "Dude, song was a trainwreck for me. Needs more vibrato. Too rushed, hectic. Something."
Kara told her that "My Guy" would have been better. She told her the song was dominating her and that she needs to dominate it.
Paula told her that she was a stunning beauty and that it takes her breath away. The whole time she's speaking, Simon is saying, "tell the truth, tell the truth, tell the truth" and she's hitting him, telling him to stop and attempting to ignore him. It doesn't work. She then tells Megan that the camera loves her.
Simon tells Megan that the good news is that she does look good. The bad news is that it was horrible. He told her that whoever it was that was advising her, he would fire. (Noice one Siiiimon)
Anoop Desai is up next with "Oooh Baby Baby" by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles.
Smokey told Anoop that it is a sensual song and that he felt so much when Anoop sang it. He told him that he wouldn't change a thing.
I thought it was too slow of a song to be something contemporary, even though the vocals were great. You just can't fake that kind of voice, you know?! I really struggle with Anoop. I want him to do well, but he doesn't do anything for me as far as a current artist goes. I guess with him it's a wait-and-see.
Randy tells him that next week he should give us energy with the vocals and not be just a balladier.
Kara tells him how it's one of the hardest songs to sing. She says, "Overall, that was very hard to do and you did a good job. Just now, seeing what you can do - push it more. Be more creative."
Paula wants to see more confidence. "Your phrasing, delivery and falsetto is not only spot-on, it's sweet, tender."
Simon said it was a great vocal but that he looked half asleep. He commented on how Anoop has had two good weeks in a row and that he has to find that balance.
Michael Sarver sang "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by The Temptations.
We find out that Michael had been so sick the previous week that his doctors told him that it was better for him to stay back from the trip to Detroit, so he didn't get the chance to go. He's glad he listened to them, as he ended up really sick.
Smokey said Michael has a big voice and needs to use it more for this song. "Pound it more". "Tonight needs to not be sweet talk."
I don't think he listened to Smokey enough. He smiled too much for the theme of this song. He also has quirks in his face and head movements that just bug me. He's not one of my favorite contestants, even though I personally like him alot.
Randy said that it's "an unbelievable song that has been sung..." "It's just too big for you". "You're not an R&B dude". "You made it a little bit corny because you tried to do too much with it."
Kara said that "at this point in the competition, it's not about the singing. It's about artistry. Who are you as an artist?"
Paula said that for her it was a tough performance. "It was a little Las Vegas, loungy for me." "You need to dominate the song, not let the song dominate you." (didn't we just hear that from you, Paula?)
Simon: "I couldn't wait for it to end. You have no chance of winning it based on that vocal. That was below par."
Wow, could you be any more direct?
Lil Rounds sang "Heat Wave" by Martha and the Vendella's.
Smokey said she could sing the phone book and really seemed to enjoy his meeting with Lil.
Lil did a great job looking the part. From her hair to her earrings and dress. All of it. Her vocals were awesome. Her performance, however, doesn't show what she is going to be when she leaves AI. I'm still not sure after all this time. Perhaps I missed it.
Randy said her vocals were unbelievable. "But the wrong song for me, for you. Rushed." I hate when he says the, "for me, for you" thing.
Kara said she looked great and that she was the diva tonight but that she didn't think Lil picked the right song. She said, "You stayed true to the song and we need more."
Paula said she doesn't agree. "You look great. I think you own that song."
Simon's take on it was, "I think you did an authentic tribute to the sound of Motown. You are one of the best singers we have in this comptetition. I'm dying for you to do what you did a few weeks ago, blow everyone away."
Adam Lambert. Whoa!! What a surprise there! He sang "Tracks of My Tears" by Smokey Robinson. He didn't just perform that song, he became the song. What a transformation! If you have been following Adam thus far, and have not seen this performance, you must! Go here and be blown away by what you see. (click the little picture)
Smokey said he kept it tender, sweet and soft and it impressed him how he kept it so soft.
Adam blew me away and really knows how to fit the part! He had excellent vocals (as usual) and great emotion. He came on stage with no black nail polish, but a clean look with a pompadour hair style! I loved it! What a chameleon he is. The only thing I think there is to criticize is his lack of "being him", as the judges like to point out.
Randy said it was "unbelievably hot" and that he "used everything in your arsenal".
Kara said he was "one of the best performances of the night."
Paula said he was "handsome and classy. An element of surprise. You are exciting. You are it!"
Simon said that he disagrees with Kara. "It was THE best performance. You have emerged as a star tonight."
As I said before the judges rendered their verdicts on the performance, I am surprised that they didn't say anything about not being true to himself like they have to others. Perhaps because he has already established who he is as an artist and we have absolutely no doubts about that.
Danny Gokey sang "Get Ready" by The Temptations.
Smokey thinks that people are gonna love it.
I didn't like this song choice at all. I think I was hoping for something soulful, bluesy or jazzy like Matt did. Of all the Motown songs to choose from, I'm surprised he didn't find anything else he could have done that was more true to his talents. It was an okay performance, but I expected more from him.
Randy said it "wasn't the best performance but I loved the energy and feel of it." (the judges were rushed due to a continuing lack of time as the night went on)
Kara told him that it wasn't great but that she's a huge Danny fan.
Paula told him how he has a first class performance every week.
Simon told him that he is a good singer but that this performance was clumsy and amateurish.
Finally, we have Allison Iraheta singing "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" by The Temptations.
Smokey thought she would "do it really, really great."
I think she nailed it, personally. I think it was a great song for her to do. As always her vocals were great. It's amazing to me how mature she is for her age.
Randy told her that she was "blazin' hot!".
Kara said "Oh my God! America, you gotta vote for her. You sing like you've been singing for years."
Paula told her "you're amazing."
Simon said that she was a "survivor" and "that was really one of your best past performances".
Tomorrow we find out who will leave the top 10 performers. I wouldn't be too terribly sad to see Michael or Anoop go. Even Kris Allen. I like them all personally, but they do very little for me as far as being excited to see them each week. The ones that interest me from the top 10 and who I look forward to seeing each week is Adam, Scott, Matt, Megan, Danny and Allison. Lil I'm on the fence about. I think she could be good, but if she went now, I don't know that I'd be too torn up about it. The boys are definitely much better than the girls this year. I keep holding out for Scott to do something profound. Gonna have to go and pray about that one!
Till tomorrow!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
American Idol's Season 8, Top 11 - Opry week results
Ryan announces there were 31 million votes. Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis do a duet for the first time. Brad Paisley performs.
The group song, which I am guessing is called "T-R-O-U-B-L-E", was fun and I liked watching it. I kinda like the group songs anyway. A lot of people thing they're cheesy, but I enjoy them for the most part. Scott MacIntyre was on piano for most of the song.
We got a glimpse into the tear-jerker after party for those who were most recently voted off, Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez. It was very sweet, as the Idols stood up and said something nice about each of them.
Going on tour is Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Anoop Desai, Scott MacIntyre, Megan Joy Corkrey, Matt Giraud, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert. The bottom three were: Allison Iraheta, Michael Sarver and Alexis Grace. After a few breaks and some music, Ryan announced to Allison that she was safe. That left Michael and Alexis. I have been saying since last week that I thought Michael had a really good chance of going home. I think we were all really surprised when they announced that Michael was safe and Alexis had to perform again. The judges had said before the announcement that one of them was being considered for the 'save'. When Alexis was performing "Jolene" with more spunk and "edge" to this one, knowing this was it, they discussed it and came back to her when she was through. Simon told her that they were "kind of unanimous on this" but that it's the end of the road for her.
Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis sang "I Told You So", which was a really nice song. Again, I'm not into country music, so I am not familiar with the song, but I really liked it a lot. I loved the way Randy kept gazing at her when she was singing.
What I wasn't crazy about was Carrie's hair. Uhg! At first it looked like something Olilvia Newton John would wear. And that black thing. Ugly. My 2 cents, of course.
Next week will be 50 Years of Motown! Whoop! The regular Idol schedule is being prempted by the President, so instead of Tuesday/Wednesday, it will be Wednesday/Thursday. I can't wait to see what they do!!!
The group song, which I am guessing is called "T-R-O-U-B-L-E", was fun and I liked watching it. I kinda like the group songs anyway. A lot of people thing they're cheesy, but I enjoy them for the most part. Scott MacIntyre was on piano for most of the song.
We got a glimpse into the tear-jerker after party for those who were most recently voted off, Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez. It was very sweet, as the Idols stood up and said something nice about each of them.
Going on tour is Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Anoop Desai, Scott MacIntyre, Megan Joy Corkrey, Matt Giraud, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert. The bottom three were: Allison Iraheta, Michael Sarver and Alexis Grace. After a few breaks and some music, Ryan announced to Allison that she was safe. That left Michael and Alexis. I have been saying since last week that I thought Michael had a really good chance of going home. I think we were all really surprised when they announced that Michael was safe and Alexis had to perform again. The judges had said before the announcement that one of them was being considered for the 'save'. When Alexis was performing "Jolene" with more spunk and "edge" to this one, knowing this was it, they discussed it and came back to her when she was through. Simon told her that they were "kind of unanimous on this" but that it's the end of the road for her.
Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis sang "I Told You So", which was a really nice song. Again, I'm not into country music, so I am not familiar with the song, but I really liked it a lot. I loved the way Randy kept gazing at her when she was singing.
What I wasn't crazy about was Carrie's hair. Uhg! At first it looked like something Olilvia Newton John would wear. And that black thing. Ugly. My 2 cents, of course.
Next week will be 50 Years of Motown! Whoop! The regular Idol schedule is being prempted by the President, so instead of Tuesday/Wednesday, it will be Wednesday/Thursday. I can't wait to see what they do!!!
American Idol's Season 8, Keeping the Faith
I was just reading an article, American Idol Keeps the Faith, sent to me by a newsletter I receive called Breaking Christian News. It highlighted an article about this year's season on American Idol which I found interesting. According to the article, this year's Idol contestants with a background of church performances make up a significant portion of the remaining 11. More than half, so it says. Danny Gokey is a no-brainer, since he has spoken often of his faith and that he is the music minister in his church. Three of the 6 have worked as music ministers, in fact. The article isn't really clear about who all 6 are, but I thought it was fascinating none-the-less.
I noticed that Idol seems to have a lot of Christian contestants, which is a big reason I keep coming back despite the antics of the judges and their overbearing producers. Season six had Phil Stacey, Melinda Doolittle, Jordin Sparks and Chris Sligh, at the very least and that was just out of the top 12. Last season's Idol performers were chock full of Christians as well. David Archuletta, Brooke White, Syesha Mercado, Chikezie, Kristy Lee Cook and my all-time favorite, Jason Castro. Some were "stronger" and more outspoken Christians than others, but I think this is significant. I loved discovering what the personal beliefs of each one are as the season goes on and I look forward to this season as well. The article on Breaking Christian News surprised me because I didn't really know too many of them and I didn't think there were as many as 6 out of the final 11 professing to be Christians. I wish they would have listed them all, but time will tell. Make sure you read the full article here!
American Idol's Season 8, Top 11 - Opry Week
Tonight's show theme is the Grand Ole Opry and our guest to help the Idols was Randy Travis. I was just telling someone that I am not a country fan, but I absolutely love Randy Travis's version of Open the Eyes of My Heart. I think I have it on one of my Wow CDs. Anyway, I digress...
Michael Sarver was up first. He sang the Garth Brooks song, "Ain't Goin' Down Until the Sun Comes Up". I sure hope that's the title, anyway! I think it was a fun song to hear him sing, since the lyrics were so difficult, but that was it. I don't think it made him unique enough, yet again, unfortunately. Simon didn't understand a word apparently and thought it was a bit clumsy. Michael got sassy with him saying that if we were all perfect, we wouldn't need this show. Oooooh! Simon was asked by Ryan what he'd rate the song from a 1-10. Simon said he'd give it a 1.2. Schmuck.
Allison Iraheta sang "Blame it on Your Heart" by Patty Loveless. Allison always gives an awesome performance that is unique and fun to watch. I have never heard this song (as I suspect will be the theme of the evening), but I liked Allison's version of it anyway. Randy commented that he doesn't think he's heard someone of Allison's age with such a mature voice. I agree. It's amazing. I keep forgetting she's only 16. Kara thinks that she "could sing the alphabet and sing it well". She loves how Allison is getting better every week. Paula said it was a "rock solid performance" and "brings a rock edge". She also told her to experiment with the songs more. Simon thought it was very good, but tuneless in parts. "Verging on precocious". Randy didn't think it was precocious, he thought it was DOPE! (whatever that means).
Kris Allen sang a Garth Brooks tune "To Make You Feel My Love". Randy says he's a strong ballad singer and was impressed how he made it his own. Paula was pleasantly surprised and said it was a vulnerable performance. Overall a smart choice. Simon thought it was terrific (wow!). He said it was a "great, great choice of song. Not over the top." He thinks that for the first time, he has a shot. (double wow!) Randy said there were "tender moments from my dog, Kris" Kara mentioned that it wasn't even Country, that it was "very Kris Allen". I agree. It was good. Well done vocals.
Lil Rounds tried to really work outside of her comfort zone and do a genuine country song. I give her "props" for that, as Kara and Randy would say. She sang the Martina McBride song "Independance Day". Randy Travis mentioned that "she's got some big pipes!". Simon, who couldn't get her name right and insisted on calling her "Little", (because after all, "Lil" is short for "Little", right? Doh!), said it felt and looked uncomfortable. I personally don't agree. Simon didn't like her song choice at all. Randy thought it was interesting and ambitious. Said, "It didn't feel comfortable for me on you." (boy he has a way with words) Kara said, "We all know you're a great singer. We would have to be deaf." and "I give you props for doing this song". Paula said the vocals were spot-on and that she would have done better if she didn't sing 2 verses. Then an argument ensued between Paula and Simon....one of many for the night. I thought the vocals were great. I saw another side of Lil that impressed me even thought it's not her thing. I think she did better than they gave her credit for.
Adam Lambert, our ever-famous unique guy. I don't even know what to call him. A rocker? An Emo dude? What? Anyway, Adam sang "Ring of Fire" -- a Johnny Cash song, though you'd NEVER know it in a million years. Wow. Randy Travis had this to say: "I don't even know what to say about this song". I think it was just so totally different from the way it was intended to sound, he was speechless. Adam totally made it his own, if you haven't figured that out by what I've said so far! Kara said, "I didn't know what to make of it. It was strange, but I liked it. Left me confused and sorta happy." Well that about summed it up for me as well! Paula's comments were that it stood out and was true to who he is as an artist. "Great song choice. We are going to expect more and more out of you" rounded out her comments to the unique Adam. Simon said that he thinks Randy (Travis) was trying to say, "What the hell was that?". Simon thought it was "absolute, indulgent rubbish". "Horrific". Well Simon, I don't agree. Randy mentioned that it was like Nine Inch Nails doing a country song. "It was current. It was HOT!" Now that's what I'm talking about. As I said in previous blogs, his style is not my thing, but I sure do appreciate his talent.
Scott MacIntyre sang another song I have never heard of called Wild Angels by Martina McBride. Randy Travis said he was "surprised by Scott and didn't think it was a good choice at first". I personally like him. His vocals are great but it just wasn't anything spectacular and I think that is what we need to see in Scott in order for him to continue on in this competition. He can't skate through much longer on what he's been doing. Randy said he's looking for "hot, crazy vocals" and that Scott needs to stand out. (Isn't that what I've been saying? Listen up Randy!) Kara said that he needs to "up your game a little". "Wow us. That's what we're all saying. You bring class and poise." Paula's comments were getting harder to understand as the night went on. I wonder what was in that Coke glass in front of her. (hmmm?) She said that tonight was another impressive performance. She said that the piano may be a bit of a crutch that we need to see more of a showman. She also said something about it needing to be mixed up a bit, but I think she's the mixed-up one. It didn't make sense to me. Simon said that he doesn't agree with Paula and that Scott shouldn't leave the piano at all because that's who he is and what he's good at.
Alexis Grace: Jolene by Dolly Parton. Randy Travis thinks it is a great song and that Dolly will be proud when she hears it. I think it was well-done, but then again, I'm an Alexis Grace fan. Randy Jackson said there were pitch problems and didn't think it was a great performance (boooo!). Kara said that Alexis lost her edge a bit and that it was a little flat for her. Paula thinks "it's more effective for you than the others think for you". She enjoyed the soft and vulnerable side. Simon thought it was okay, but a little bit "sound-alike", to which Alexis asked for clarification. Simon said that meant that she sounded too much like the original artist. He also stated that the vocals were okay and forgettable.
Danny Gokey sang a Carrie Underwood song, "Jesus Take the Wheel". Okay, so I know this one! Randy Travis said that he needed to get almost 100% on his performance. I think he didn't care for Danny's rendition much. I was surprised by Danny's nervousness with Randy T. I noticed, too, that Danny had on yet another pair of glasses. Does he have like 20 of them, or what? Not complaining...just noticing. I thought he gave his own "Danny spin" to the song and I liked his vocals, as always. Kara said, "When you hit your strides, it's like none other. The first 1/2 wasn't spectacular. Randy J. agrees with Kara and adds that he needs to support his verses. (I don't know what that means) He also stated that some were a little pitchy. Paula thinks he was brilliant. She said, "I think Carrie Underwood would not only approve, she'd go out and buy the record." Wow. Simon said that his only problem is what he was wearing. They all went on to make comments about his puffy jacket for a few moments.
Anoop "dog" Desai sang "You're Always On My Mind" by Willie Nelson. I have to admit that I was groaning inward when I heard that was the song he was going to sing. His reputation for picking the wrong song made it hard to like the idea of him singing this song. However......It was surprisingly great! I was really impressed, as were the judges. Randy Travis said that he had doubts about how Anoop was going to get Willie's version out of his mind but that went out the window when he "heard him sing the first line". Me too! I was really impressed by his vocals. None of us expected this performance. I'm not sure it will be enough to keep him, but we'll have to wait and see! Randy said this is the reason we wanted Anoop here. He liked the arrangement and said it was DOPE! (again, whatever that means) Kara said it was amazing and the biggest surprise of the night. Paula said, "Anoop is back!". She said she was proud of him for the song choice. "The glove fit this week. It was tender, honest. Amazing sweet vocals." Simon said Anoop "managed to go from zero to hero". He said he made a good choice of song and that in a way it was the favorite song of the evening. He also said that he takes back last week's advice. "Glad to have you back".
Megan Joy (previously known as Megan Corkrey). Someone must've suggested she drop the last name. It suits her well. Megan sang a Patsy Cline song, "I Go Walking After Midnight". I think she did a great job keeping to her uniqueness. It was totally "Megan Joy", that's for sure. I loved her outfit a lot too. Randy Travis thought it was "totally unique" and she did a "good job". He also said she "nails every vocal" and "you have to like it". Megan had a major case of the flu this week and you would have never known it if she didn't begin coughing at the end of her performance. She looked miserable by the end of the night. Randy J. thought it was going to be a trainwreck, but was impressed. It's funny, because my husband said the very same thing just moments before Randy. Kara said it was the perfect song. Paula told us about how what we didn't know was that Megan had the flu and was in and out of the hospital. Simon said that she was better this week than last. He called her gorgeous but thinks that the person dressing her is taking away too much of her quirkiness that they love.
We ended the evening with Matt Giraud singing "So Small" by Carrie Underwood. Randy Travis said he wasn't sure it was a smart choice, but liked it after he heard the "soulfulness". "People will love it". Matt played the piano again, which I think is a good thing. It was soulful and bluesy, which I LOVE. His vocals and performance were very good. Randy J. said, "For me, favorite vocals tonight". "You got it on baby". kara said that "there ain't nothin' small about you!" Paula applauds his authenticity and Simon said he didn't think that Matt has had enough credit for his vocals. He thinks his voice is very similar to Danny Gokey (which is what I was thinking as well). "One of the best tonight", according to Simon.
Well, that wraps up the commentary and performances for the evening. We'll have to see who makes it through tonight. My prediction: Michael Sarver will get the boot. I originally thought it would be Anoop, but I think he redeemed himself this time with his awesome vocals and surprisingly good song choice.
Michael Sarver was up first. He sang the Garth Brooks song, "Ain't Goin' Down Until the Sun Comes Up". I sure hope that's the title, anyway! I think it was a fun song to hear him sing, since the lyrics were so difficult, but that was it. I don't think it made him unique enough, yet again, unfortunately. Simon didn't understand a word apparently and thought it was a bit clumsy. Michael got sassy with him saying that if we were all perfect, we wouldn't need this show. Oooooh! Simon was asked by Ryan what he'd rate the song from a 1-10. Simon said he'd give it a 1.2. Schmuck.
Allison Iraheta sang "Blame it on Your Heart" by Patty Loveless. Allison always gives an awesome performance that is unique and fun to watch. I have never heard this song (as I suspect will be the theme of the evening), but I liked Allison's version of it anyway. Randy commented that he doesn't think he's heard someone of Allison's age with such a mature voice. I agree. It's amazing. I keep forgetting she's only 16. Kara thinks that she "could sing the alphabet and sing it well". She loves how Allison is getting better every week. Paula said it was a "rock solid performance" and "brings a rock edge". She also told her to experiment with the songs more. Simon thought it was very good, but tuneless in parts. "Verging on precocious". Randy didn't think it was precocious, he thought it was DOPE! (whatever that means).
Kris Allen sang a Garth Brooks tune "To Make You Feel My Love". Randy says he's a strong ballad singer and was impressed how he made it his own. Paula was pleasantly surprised and said it was a vulnerable performance. Overall a smart choice. Simon thought it was terrific (wow!). He said it was a "great, great choice of song. Not over the top." He thinks that for the first time, he has a shot. (double wow!) Randy said there were "tender moments from my dog, Kris" Kara mentioned that it wasn't even Country, that it was "very Kris Allen". I agree. It was good. Well done vocals.
Lil Rounds tried to really work outside of her comfort zone and do a genuine country song. I give her "props" for that, as Kara and Randy would say. She sang the Martina McBride song "Independance Day". Randy Travis mentioned that "she's got some big pipes!". Simon, who couldn't get her name right and insisted on calling her "Little", (because after all, "Lil" is short for "Little", right? Doh!), said it felt and looked uncomfortable. I personally don't agree. Simon didn't like her song choice at all. Randy thought it was interesting and ambitious. Said, "It didn't feel comfortable for me on you." (boy he has a way with words) Kara said, "We all know you're a great singer. We would have to be deaf." and "I give you props for doing this song". Paula said the vocals were spot-on and that she would have done better if she didn't sing 2 verses. Then an argument ensued between Paula and Simon....one of many for the night.
Adam Lambert, our ever-famous unique guy. I don't even know what to call him. A rocker? An Emo dude? What? Anyway, Adam sang "Ring of Fire" -- a Johnny Cash song, though you'd NEVER know it in a million years. Wow. Randy Travis had this to say: "I don't even know what to say about this song". I think it was just so totally different from the way it was intended to sound, he was speechless. Adam totally made it his own, if you haven't figured that out by what I've said so far! Kara said, "I didn't know what to make of it. It was strange, but I liked it. Left me confused and sorta happy." Well that about summed it up for me as well! Paula's comments were that it stood out and was true to who he is as an artist. "Great song choice. We are going to expect more and more out of you" rounded out her comments to the unique Adam. Simon said that he thinks Randy (Travis) was trying to say, "What the hell was that?". Simon thought it was "absolute, indulgent rubbish". "Horrific". Well Simon, I don't agree. Randy mentioned that it was like Nine Inch Nails doing a country song. "It was current. It was HOT!" Now that's what I'm talking about. As I said in previous blogs, his style is not my thing, but I sure do appreciate his talent.
Scott MacIntyre sang another song I have never heard of called Wild Angels by Martina McBride. Randy Travis said he was "surprised by Scott and didn't think it was a good choice at first". I personally like him. His vocals are great but it just wasn't anything spectacular and I think that is what we need to see in Scott in order for him to continue on in this competition. He can't skate through much longer on what he's been doing. Randy said he's looking for "hot, crazy vocals" and that Scott needs to stand out. (Isn't that what I've been saying? Listen up Randy!) Kara said that he needs to "up your game a little". "Wow us. That's what we're all saying. You bring class and poise." Paula's comments were getting harder to understand as the night went on. I wonder what was in that Coke glass in front of her. (hmmm?) She said that tonight was another impressive performance. She said that the piano may be a bit of a crutch that we need to see more of a showman. She also said something about it needing to be mixed up a bit, but I think she's the mixed-up one. It didn't make sense to me. Simon said that he doesn't agree with Paula and that Scott shouldn't leave the piano at all because that's who he is and what he's good at.
Alexis Grace: Jolene by Dolly Parton. Randy Travis thinks it is a great song and that Dolly will be proud when she hears it. I think it was well-done, but then again, I'm an Alexis Grace fan. Randy Jackson said there were pitch problems and didn't think it was a great performance (boooo!). Kara said that Alexis lost her edge a bit and that it was a little flat for her. Paula thinks "it's more effective for you than the others think for you". She enjoyed the soft and vulnerable side. Simon thought it was okay, but a little bit "sound-alike", to which Alexis asked for clarification. Simon said that meant that she sounded too much like the original artist. He also stated that the vocals were okay and forgettable.
Danny Gokey sang a Carrie Underwood song, "Jesus Take the Wheel". Okay, so I know this one! Randy Travis said that he needed to get almost 100% on his performance. I think he didn't care for Danny's rendition much. I was surprised by Danny's nervousness with Randy T. I noticed, too, that Danny had on yet another pair of glasses. Does he have like 20 of them, or what? Not complaining...just noticing. I thought he gave his own "Danny spin" to the song and I liked his vocals, as always. Kara said, "When you hit your strides, it's like none other. The first 1/2 wasn't spectacular. Randy J. agrees with Kara and adds that he needs to support his verses. (I don't know what that means) He also stated that some were a little pitchy. Paula thinks he was brilliant. She said, "I think Carrie Underwood would not only approve, she'd go out and buy the record." Wow. Simon said that his only problem is what he was wearing. They all went on to make comments about his puffy jacket for a few moments.
Anoop "dog" Desai sang "You're Always On My Mind" by Willie Nelson. I have to admit that I was groaning inward when I heard that was the song he was going to sing. His reputation for picking the wrong song made it hard to like the idea of him singing this song. However......It was surprisingly great! I was really impressed, as were the judges. Randy Travis said that he had doubts about how Anoop was going to get Willie's version out of his mind but that went out the window when he "heard him sing the first line". Me too! I was really impressed by his vocals. None of us expected this performance. I'm not sure it will be enough to keep him, but we'll have to wait and see! Randy said this is the reason we wanted Anoop here. He liked the arrangement and said it was DOPE! (again, whatever that means) Kara said it was amazing and the biggest surprise of the night. Paula said, "Anoop is back!". She said she was proud of him for the song choice. "The glove fit this week. It was tender, honest. Amazing sweet vocals." Simon said Anoop "managed to go from zero to hero". He said he made a good choice of song and that in a way it was the favorite song of the evening. He also said that he takes back last week's advice. "Glad to have you back".
Megan Joy (previously known as Megan Corkrey). Someone must've suggested she drop the last name. It suits her well. Megan sang a Patsy Cline song, "I Go Walking After Midnight". I think she did a great job keeping to her uniqueness. It was totally "Megan Joy", that's for sure. I loved her outfit a lot too. Randy Travis thought it was "totally unique" and she did a "good job". He also said she "nails every vocal" and "you have to like it". Megan had a major case of the flu this week and you would have never known it if she didn't begin coughing at the end of her performance. She looked miserable by the end of the night. Randy J. thought it was going to be a trainwreck, but was impressed. It's funny, because my husband said the very same thing just moments before Randy. Kara said it was the perfect song. Paula told us about how what we didn't know was that Megan had the flu and was in and out of the hospital. Simon said that she was better this week than last. He called her gorgeous but thinks that the person dressing her is taking away too much of her quirkiness that they love.
We ended the evening with Matt Giraud singing "So Small" by Carrie Underwood. Randy Travis said he wasn't sure it was a smart choice, but liked it after he heard the "soulfulness". "People will love it". Matt played the piano again, which I think is a good thing. It was soulful and bluesy, which I LOVE. His vocals and performance were very good. Randy J. said, "For me, favorite vocals tonight". "You got it on baby". kara said that "there ain't nothin' small about you!" Paula applauds his authenticity and Simon said he didn't think that Matt has had enough credit for his vocals. He thinks his voice is very similar to Danny Gokey (which is what I was thinking as well). "One of the best tonight", according to Simon.
Well, that wraps up the commentary and performances for the evening. We'll have to see who makes it through tonight. My prediction: Michael Sarver will get the boot. I originally thought it would be Anoop, but I think he redeemed himself this time with his awesome vocals and surprisingly good song choice.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
American Idol's Season 8, Top 13
You read that right! It's no longer the top 12, but the top 13. If you have read anything on AI or saw any of the recent shows, you would probably know that, but I thought I'd let you in on that big little secret anyway.
Here is my assessment of Tuesday night's Michael Jackson themed show, for what it's worth:
Lil Rounds started the evening out singing "The Way You Make Me Feel". She did a great job, though I am not a huge fan. Though she has talent, and that's obvious, she does nothing for me. I can't imagine getting an album by her when all is said and done, unless she picks a style that piques my interest. For the record, I really like jazzy, bluesy styles. We'll have to wait and see. I think she'll be around for a while.
Scott MacIntyre was up next on his piano singing "Keep The Faith", a not-so-common song of Michael Jackson's. I'm so glad to see him behind a piano, where he's most comfortable. I don't know what his style will be yet, but I like him so much, I would get his album anyway. I think his performance was awesome, but the song forgettable, if I am to be honest.
Danny Gokey was third with "PYT" (Pretty Young Thing). The girls love him, no doubt. He is cute and I like that he was raised in a Christian home. They didn't say it in his interview about learning with music, but it made me wonder if he was homeschooled. I'd be curious to find out. Of course Danny did a great job and he's getting better with his stage presence and dance movements each time he performs.
Michael Sarver was next with "You Are Not Alone". I think he did well, but not great. It was forgettable. I didn't agree with Randy's rave review that he was one of the best so far this evening. His vocals were off a bit and even I could tell. I think they were generous with Michael.
Jasmine Murray sang "I'll Be There". Jasmine is a sweet young lady with a lot of talent. I don't think she will make it through, but she has a lot of years ahead of her and she is so cute. She has been noticed, I'm sure. The judges weren't overwhelmingly generous with their compliments to her after this song. In fact, I'd venture to say they were a harder on her than they had to be.
Kris Allen graced us with his guitar and his rendition of "Do You Remember the Time" that Randy says is very Jason Mraz-y (or was that Mraz-ish?). The guitar seemed to be more of a prop than an instrument. But hey, he looked good, right?
Allison Iraheta, the group's "Heart-like" rocker, really rocked out the song "Give In To Me". I don't remember much, but I know I liked it, even if it's too rock-ish for my taste. She's cute and intriguing, especially for a 16 year old.
Anoop "Dog" Desai sang "Beat It" and I have to say, I didn't like it at all. The judges were rough on him too, which I think was unnecessary. I don't know what I would have said to Anoop but I now know why the judges use the term "karaoke".
Jorge Nunez, the cutest Purto Rican I know (personality included). He sang a very dull "Never Can Say Goodbye", which I loved when the Jackson 5 sang it. I mean, I really liked his performance of it, but I think it was dull still. How can that be? IDK! The judges didn't like it, except for Paula, who feels he just chose the wrong song.
Megan Corkrey, my favorite quirky girl. She sang "Rockin' Robin" by the Jackson 5 and I thought it suited her perfectly. I totally disagreed with Simon, who just ragged on her for her song choice. (what's new?) It was cute, she was cute....the whole thing....just cute.
There is no doubt that Adam Lambert can work a stage. He sang "Black or White". The crowd loved him and he really rocked it out, as Randy would say. It is my opinion that it started a bit rough, but got so much better that even the judges didn't remember the first part. It's clear that he is one of the judges favorites. He definitely is intriguing and I can't wait to see what else he does.
Matt Giraud performed "Human Nature" on the piano. I think it was fabulous!! He's a natural and I can see him as an artist with an album already.
Alexis Grace performed "Dirty Diana" with some jerky movements that made me want to watch, weirdly enough. I liked her performance - a lot. She's definitely one to watch. I can't wait to see what she does next week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, the next day we get the run-down on how the new rule of the judges "save" works. In previous years, the judges were bummed to see some of their favs leave earlier than they should have, for whatever reasons. The "save" option allows them to keep that person another week, even if they were voted off. This would also have to be a unanimous vote among the four judges. This could have benefited Michael Johns of last season, when he was unexpectedly voted out. Now, that person who is "saved" could get kicked off the next week of course, as there are now two who will leave in that that situation. It could also be someone else, after proving their worth one more time. That's the idea, anyway.
This time, the two who were voted off were Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez. The judges didn't decide to use their "save" on either one of them. I agreed with Jasmine being voted out, but I think it should have been Anoop that went before Jorge. That, I am surprised by. Heck, it may have only been one more week for Jorge to be there, but it could have given him more time to show what he's got. I think Anoop, as much as I like the guy, had a lot of chances, and he seems to be blowing every one of them.
This evening we heard Kanye West Heartless and Kelly Clarkson perform My Life Would Suck Without You. I didn't care for Kanye's song too much. Kelly's was okay. Apparently everyone and their brother has heard Kelly's song except for me. I'm still waiting for Jason Castro to perform his new single, as AI was supposed to have last week. They took him out last Wednesday due to time restraints when they changed the format at the last minute. Uhhhg!
Next week's theme is Grand Ole Opry.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Why I Voted Democrat
Okay, I didn't. But it caught your attention, didn't it? Here is an e-mail I received that I thought made some great points. You may not agree and that's okay. You may have even seen it. I kept one line out that I don't agree with and I thought was a bit crude and unnecessary in order to make the point.
Clarity At Last
I voted Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever I want. I've decided to marry my horse.
I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene, but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn't.
I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.
I voted Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.
I voted Democrat because when we pull out of Iraq, I trust that the bad guys will stop what they're doing simply because they now thing we're good people.
I voted Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers and thieves. (look at Washington D.C.)
I voted Democrat because I believe that people who can't tell us if it will rain on Friday, can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don't start driving a Prius.
I voted Democrat because I'm not concerned about the slaughter of millions of babies, so long as we keep all death row inmates alive.
I voted Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as THEY see fit.
I voted Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters.
Clarity At Last
I voted Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever I want. I've decided to marry my horse.
I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene, but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn't.
I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.
I voted Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.
I voted Democrat because when we pull out of Iraq, I trust that the bad guys will stop what they're doing simply because they now thing we're good people.
I voted Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers and thieves. (look at Washington D.C.)
I voted Democrat because I believe that people who can't tell us if it will rain on Friday, can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don't start driving a Prius.
I voted Democrat because I'm not concerned about the slaughter of millions of babies, so long as we keep all death row inmates alive.
I voted Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as THEY see fit.
I voted Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters.
"A liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own"
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Barack's Big Gaffe with Great Britain
Wow. What can one say? I'm so appalled that I actually wrote to Prime Minister Brown on behalf of America, apologizing for the President. Don't know what I'm talking about? You should really watch Glenn Beck on Fox News Channel (FNC) for everything that the major liberal media will not report. He's so "out there", I love him. The UK was upset because no one over here was talking about what happened. Thanks ABC, CBS and CNN.
Anyway, still wondering about Barack's Big Gaffe, huh? Boy do I have a lot to tell you, and so little time! (Beck's coming on in about an hour!) From what I understand, and what was reported by Glenn Beck yesterday (5pm Eastern), Obama really goofed big time.
First, as is customary, when the Prime Minister of the UK came visiting, he gave the President very thoughtful and priceless gifts. Our first African-American president was presented with a pen holder which was made from the oak timber of HMS Gannet, a Navy vessel that served on anti-slavery missions off of Africa. Another treasure given to our President is a framed commissioning paper for the HMS Resolute, a Royal Navy ship that came to symbolize British-American goodwill when it was rescued by the U.S. from icebergs and given to Queen Victoria. It is the sister ship of the HMS Gannet. Oh and one more thing the P.M. gave to Obama... a first-edition of Martin Gilbert's 7-volume biography of Winston Churchill, whose WWII partnership with President Franklin Roosevelt symbolized the U.S. - Anglo alliance.
What did our esteemed president give in return? Oh, you'll never guess if you haven't already heard. 25 classic movies. Yep, you read that right. That was it. Movies. It wouldn't be quite so bad if P.M. Brown were known as a movie buff. He's not as far as I can tell. What an embarrassment.
If you're as incensed as I am, you can write to the Prime Minister here:
British Embassy
3100 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
Anyway, still wondering about Barack's Big Gaffe, huh? Boy do I have a lot to tell you, and so little time! (Beck's coming on in about an hour!) From what I understand, and what was reported by Glenn Beck yesterday (5pm Eastern), Obama really goofed big time.
First, as is customary, when the Prime Minister of the UK came visiting, he gave the President very thoughtful and priceless gifts. Our first African-American president was presented with a pen holder which was made from the oak timber of HMS Gannet, a Navy vessel that served on anti-slavery missions off of Africa. Another treasure given to our President is a framed commissioning paper for the HMS Resolute, a Royal Navy ship that came to symbolize British-American goodwill when it was rescued by the U.S. from icebergs and given to Queen Victoria. It is the sister ship of the HMS Gannet. Oh and one more thing the P.M. gave to Obama... a first-edition of Martin Gilbert's 7-volume biography of Winston Churchill, whose WWII partnership with President Franklin Roosevelt symbolized the U.S. - Anglo alliance.
What did our esteemed president give in return? Oh, you'll never guess if you haven't already heard. 25 classic movies. Yep, you read that right. That was it. Movies. It wouldn't be quite so bad if P.M. Brown were known as a movie buff. He's not as far as I can tell. What an embarrassment.
If you're as incensed as I am, you can write to the Prime Minister here:
British Embassy
3100 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
Animal Farm - Government control run amok -- Starring Big Brother Barack
Taking a break for some serious discussion. To some of you this may seem like science fiction or just plain craziness. No, I'm not a paranoid schizophrenic. I'm informed. And the more informed I become, the more I wish I were a paranoid schizophrenic.
What could I be talking about? Well, you may already be aware of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) that I have spoken about in years past. In very simple terms, this is the government's control over what type of animals you can have, buy, sell, produce, etc. As of March 1, 2007, in my home state of Michigan, cows were required to be microchipped and your property (if you own cows) was required to be "registered". The registration is essentially a global coordinate to your home. That means they can use an updated, daily version of Google Earth to spy on you if they want to.
Then there's the spying that goes on with microchipping your favorite products, also known as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). Gillette has been the leader of this wave of intrusion into our lives by voluntarily chipping a few of it's products (the last I heard, anyway) like your razors, so they can keep track of purchases, and you. Why can't they do this by inventory slips at WalMart? I have no clue. And it's happening right under your nose.
As if all that is not enough for you, there is the RFID microchipping of our State ID, also known as your driver's license. May of 2008 was when it supposedly went into effect for Michigan. I had to renew my license then, but saw hide nor hair of this in my new ID, at the Secretary of State office or in any of their literature. Eventually you will not be able to fly, take a train or enter a federal building without one. How's that for control?
Now we have the Smart Grid. The Smart Grid is much like the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) that I previously mentioned. The President (not mine, mind you) has deemed this spying so necessary, that it is to be funded with the Stimulus Package, which is supposed to go for emergencies only. The Smart Grid program will be implemented within 60 days of the bill passing. What it does is gather info about individual energy use by using embedded sensors in businesses and homes. IBM and GE will be the two highest paid companies to benefit from the Smart Grid. Essentially the government will be collecting information about you, your habits and your possessions. According to this article, it's already happening in South Bend, Indiana, Florida and California.
Up until now I was thinking that us rural folk will be able to get away with more, since the city is where the most control seems to be focused on. Well, apparently I'm wrong. I envision eventually putting up camoflaged tents over my property so that satellites can't see what I'm doing or what I have on my land. I envision going off grid so that the Smart Grid can't monitor me and my household....how much we shower, what we eat, how much we eat and how long I spend in the bathroom. Oh, and did I mention how high you keep your thermostat? Does this sound like something you want to be a part of? Well, keep researching (And don't stop at the over-simplified explanations on Wikipedia linked to above and other sites in favor of it. They are getting paid a pretty penny to speak highly of it.) because this is what your current president wants rushed through with the stimulus package. Oh yes. Barack Obama. The beginning of the end.
What could I be talking about? Well, you may already be aware of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) that I have spoken about in years past. In very simple terms, this is the government's control over what type of animals you can have, buy, sell, produce, etc. As of March 1, 2007, in my home state of Michigan, cows were required to be microchipped and your property (if you own cows) was required to be "registered". The registration is essentially a global coordinate to your home. That means they can use an updated, daily version of Google Earth to spy on you if they want to.
Then there's the spying that goes on with microchipping your favorite products, also known as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). Gillette has been the leader of this wave of intrusion into our lives by voluntarily chipping a few of it's products (the last I heard, anyway) like your razors, so they can keep track of purchases, and you. Why can't they do this by inventory slips at WalMart? I have no clue. And it's happening right under your nose.
As if all that is not enough for you, there is the RFID microchipping of our State ID, also known as your driver's license. May of 2008 was when it supposedly went into effect for Michigan. I had to renew my license then, but saw hide nor hair of this in my new ID, at the Secretary of State office or in any of their literature. Eventually you will not be able to fly, take a train or enter a federal building without one. How's that for control?
Now we have the Smart Grid. The Smart Grid is much like the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) that I previously mentioned. The President (not mine, mind you) has deemed this spying so necessary, that it is to be funded with the Stimulus Package, which is supposed to go for emergencies only. The Smart Grid program will be implemented within 60 days of the bill passing. What it does is gather info about individual energy use by using embedded sensors in businesses and homes. IBM and GE will be the two highest paid companies to benefit from the Smart Grid. Essentially the government will be collecting information about you, your habits and your possessions. According to this article, it's already happening in South Bend, Indiana, Florida and California.
Up until now I was thinking that us rural folk will be able to get away with more, since the city is where the most control seems to be focused on. Well, apparently I'm wrong. I envision eventually putting up camoflaged tents over my property so that satellites can't see what I'm doing or what I have on my land. I envision going off grid so that the Smart Grid can't monitor me and my household....how much we shower, what we eat, how much we eat and how long I spend in the bathroom. Oh, and did I mention how high you keep your thermostat? Does this sound like something you want to be a part of? Well, keep researching (And don't stop at the over-simplified explanations on Wikipedia linked to above and other sites in favor of it. They are getting paid a pretty penny to speak highly of it.) because this is what your current president wants rushed through with the stimulus package. Oh yes. Barack Obama. The beginning of the end.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
American Idol's Season 8, Wild Card Results Show
Oh man! What a night. About 1/2 way through the performances, something popped into my head. I thought to myself that it wouldn't surprise me if they did a top 13 instead of a top 12. It was a fleeting thought and I didn't say anything to my husband, because I quickly dismissed it. Uhg! I should have said something because when they announced that they were going to do just that, I screamed, "I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!", thrusting my fist at the TV and kicking myself across the room. I hate when I figure something out that would impress my husband and then not say anything! LOL In case you didn't get to watch it, here is what happened:
The final FOUR chosen from the Wild Card night were the following: Jasmine Murray, Megan Corkrey, Matt Giraud and Anoop (Dog) Desai
Jasmine I could have lived without, if I'm to be honest. Jasmine sang Christina Aguilera's "Reflection". She is cute, she is talented and no doubt could do well in this competition, but I'm just not a fan. Perhaps it's because I'm a girl and girls like relationships. I know very little about her and have no connection to her as a person. I appreciate what she brings to the table, but that's about it. I am very attracted to humbleness and a relationship with our God. If I discern that in a person, it's all the better. (think Jason Castro from last season) I also like unique individuals which leads me to my next finalist chosen as a Wild Card....
...Megan Corkrey. Megan is so unique and cute. You gotta love her little quirks. What I was disappointed to see what that on this night, none of the judges made a comment about her vocals. She sang KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree". They all made comments about her quirkiness or how she looks, but nothing positive about her vocals. I'm actually surprised they put her through to the top 13.
Matt Giraud looked good that night, despite what Simon said (it was Simon that said that, wasn't it???). I disagreed with Simon when he told Matt that he saw Taylor Hicks in him. Wow, I saw Justin Timberlake. So Matt returned to the bluesy sound that won everyone over to begin with by singing Jackson 5's "Who's Loving You" (which I never heard....and I thought I have heard ALL of the Jackson 5 tunes!).
Anoop (Dog) Desai was the surprise #13 singing Bobby Brown's "My Perogative" (again, though the judges were okay with him doing it, just not Tatiana). I like him but I think they could have chosen someone else for the #13 spot. It's actually not surprising that they would put him through, as they really seemed to give over the top comments about his performances and how he did. They seemed crazy about him, which was out of proportion to what he did as a performer. I think Jesse Langseth would have been a better choice here, but hey, who am I? I suspect it's the ratings game -- again.
Speaking of those that didn't make it and Jesse Langseth, who should have....she performed Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good" this evening. No, the performance wasn't all that and a bag of chips, but I still think she has more interesting things to offer than Anoop. (sorry buddy). She's so sassy and interesting. I think she would have been really interesting to watch. I'm really hoping that the AI people didn't pick Anoop because he was different....as in race. I have nothing against his race, if he can do the job and sell himself, but I wouldn't put it past AI to put him through so that they can appear to be more politically correct and all-encompassing. IDK. I really like him though. Just not an interesting enough singer for me.
Von Smith was a disappointment for me during his performance of Elton John's "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word". He started off pretty rough, with his lower vocals (can you tell I'm not a music person....I don't even know what it's called!) When the judges were criticizing him, I felt so bad. Actually, they weren't all that harsh, but he knew he was not going to make it and he looked as if he was going to cry. I hope someone in the music industry picks him up. He deserves another chance.
Ricky Braddy is one of those that has great vocals, but he does absolutely nothing for me. I think he looks MORE geeky since he got rid of his glasses. I liked his glasses. They were hip. They weren't duct taped, so I don't know what the big deal was and why he chose to get rid of them. So, his vocals during his performance of "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder was pretty darned good. He's not unique enough for me, or something....I just can't get into him, but the crowd sure could. I'm surprised they elimated him, which just proves that AI is fixed and manipulated and not as much of a reality show as we would like to think. Disappointing.
Tatiana Del Toro was up next and sang her heart out to Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love" -- AGAIN. As much as her behaviour is unpredictable her song choice isn't. I think the judges and AI are really using her for the drama. It's pretty obvious, but I'm SO glad they chose not to keep her around any longer. I can't even look at her she is so disturbing to me. I'm embarrassed for her. Someone said that she will have a good career in acting. How true.
So there you have it folks. Jen's opinions on all things Idol. Fascinating, huh? :-D From here on out, when the urge hits me, I will comment on further shows. It may not be from every show, but I will blog about it.
Don't forget to subscribe to the blog, so you get up to date information on all things current! (see right side bar)
The final FOUR chosen from the Wild Card night were the following: Jasmine Murray, Megan Corkrey, Matt Giraud and Anoop (Dog) Desai
Jasmine I could have lived without, if I'm to be honest. Jasmine sang Christina Aguilera's "Reflection". She is cute, she is talented and no doubt could do well in this competition, but I'm just not a fan. Perhaps it's because I'm a girl and girls like relationships. I know very little about her and have no connection to her as a person. I appreciate what she brings to the table, but that's about it. I am very attracted to humbleness and a relationship with our God. If I discern that in a person, it's all the better. (think Jason Castro from last season) I also like unique individuals which leads me to my next finalist chosen as a Wild Card....
...Megan Corkrey. Megan is so unique and cute. You gotta love her little quirks. What I was disappointed to see what that on this night, none of the judges made a comment about her vocals. She sang KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree". They all made comments about her quirkiness or how she looks, but nothing positive about her vocals. I'm actually surprised they put her through to the top 13.
Matt Giraud looked good that night, despite what Simon said (it was Simon that said that, wasn't it???). I disagreed with Simon when he told Matt that he saw Taylor Hicks in him. Wow, I saw Justin Timberlake. So Matt returned to the bluesy sound that won everyone over to begin with by singing Jackson 5's "Who's Loving You" (which I never heard....and I thought I have heard ALL of the Jackson 5 tunes!).
Anoop (Dog) Desai was the surprise #13 singing Bobby Brown's "My Perogative" (again, though the judges were okay with him doing it, just not Tatiana). I like him but I think they could have chosen someone else for the #13 spot. It's actually not surprising that they would put him through, as they really seemed to give over the top comments about his performances and how he did. They seemed crazy about him, which was out of proportion to what he did as a performer. I think Jesse Langseth would have been a better choice here, but hey, who am I? I suspect it's the ratings game -- again.
Speaking of those that didn't make it and Jesse Langseth, who should have....she performed Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good" this evening. No, the performance wasn't all that and a bag of chips, but I still think she has more interesting things to offer than Anoop. (sorry buddy). She's so sassy and interesting. I think she would have been really interesting to watch. I'm really hoping that the AI people didn't pick Anoop because he was different....as in race. I have nothing against his race, if he can do the job and sell himself, but I wouldn't put it past AI to put him through so that they can appear to be more politically correct and all-encompassing. IDK. I really like him though. Just not an interesting enough singer for me.
Von Smith was a disappointment for me during his performance of Elton John's "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word". He started off pretty rough, with his lower vocals (can you tell I'm not a music person....I don't even know what it's called!) When the judges were criticizing him, I felt so bad. Actually, they weren't all that harsh, but he knew he was not going to make it and he looked as if he was going to cry. I hope someone in the music industry picks him up. He deserves another chance.
Ricky Braddy is one of those that has great vocals, but he does absolutely nothing for me. I think he looks MORE geeky since he got rid of his glasses. I liked his glasses. They were hip. They weren't duct taped, so I don't know what the big deal was and why he chose to get rid of them. So, his vocals during his performance of "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder was pretty darned good. He's not unique enough for me, or something....I just can't get into him, but the crowd sure could. I'm surprised they elimated him, which just proves that AI is fixed and manipulated and not as much of a reality show as we would like to think. Disappointing.
Tatiana Del Toro was up next and sang her heart out to Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love" -- AGAIN. As much as her behaviour is unpredictable her song choice isn't. I think the judges and AI are really using her for the drama. It's pretty obvious, but I'm SO glad they chose not to keep her around any longer. I can't even look at her she is so disturbing to me. I'm embarrassed for her. Someone said that she will have a good career in acting. How true.
So there you have it folks. Jen's opinions on all things Idol. Fascinating, huh? :-D From here on out, when the urge hits me, I will comment on further shows. It may not be from every show, but I will blog about it.
Don't forget to subscribe to the blog, so you get up to date information on all things current! (see right side bar)
Thursday, March 5, 2009
American Idol's Season 8, Top 36 - Group 3
I was just saying last night that people who are unique or strong singers are more apt to be recognized right away and get a record deal, even at this stage of the game. For example, Adam Lambert from last week's show is recognizable. If he had not gotten through to the top 12 for some reason, I would have been okay with that, because I know that he would be noticed by the record companies by now. I am interested in seeing the underdog (s) get their chance to shine, week after week. Get recognized and perhaps succeed. I'm kinda tired of only the ones who have a ton of experience and especially past record deals getting through. They had their chance. Let someone else try. As much as I liked Nick Mitchell (aka Norman Gentle), he is now someone who has been seen and heard and he is definitely recognizable, even if you haven't really been paying all that much attention to AI this year.
Another observation of mine, in case you're interested: the third group has a distinct advantage over the first two for several reasons. One, they have more time to figure out what they are going to sing, and practice their music. They also have the advantage of hearing the criticisms of the judges and still have time to change from their previously boring song to one that will hit a chord with Randy (WHAT??), Kara (I-want-to-know-who-you-are), Pauler and Siiiimon.
So, we started off the night with the adorable Von Smith. Except for his hair, I love him. He reminds me a bit of Rick Astley. Rick, I mean Von, sang Marvin Gaye's "You're All I Need to Get By".
Taylor Vaifanua sang Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You". My opinion? Forgettable.
Alex Wagner-Trugman is the resident geek. Okay, so he's really sweet and stuff and I wish him well, but he certainly doesn't have the package thing they are looking for. Perhaps they are thinking he may be another Clay Aiken, who I understand is or was pretty geeky. I didn't watch that year's American Idol, so I'm not sure. Alex sang an Elton John tune, "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues". It's my opinion that he just tried too hard. He added an affect to his voice that just didn't do anything for me.
Ariana Afsar was next with her version of ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All". I felt really bad for her. She is so freakin' cute and has a beautiful voice, but really botched this one bad. Now, again, I'm no expert on "pitchy-ness" and vocal ability, but I kept thinking throughout the song, "Is it supposed to sound like this?". I know there are songs out there that sound weird to me and they are supposed to be "good", but I wasn't sure about this one. The way the judges were commenting, apparently it wasn't just me. Sorry Ariana. I really liked you.
Ju'Not Joyner was next with his rendition of the Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" and I thought he did an awesome job! He mixed it up nicely and I hope he gets noticed by a record label.
Kristen McNamara is so darned cute and I like her and all, but she really doesn't have a style to call her own. She sang Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason", which I love, but it was not remarkable.
Nathaniel Marshall sang a Meatloaf song, of all things. "I Would Do Anything For Love" was okay. It had no personality, despite the interesting look of Nate. His headband style has got to go. In some ways I like him, but his performance left a lot to be desired.
Felicia Barton sang Alicia Keys' "No One". If you recall, Felicia didn't originally make the top 36, which is a mystery to me. She has good vocals, so what gives? She was called up to replace Joana Pacitti, who I can't recall the reason for her demise on the show. Felicia did a great job with the song even if it was a bit "copy cat" according to Simon.
Scott MacIntyre is someone who I think may just be my "Jason Castro" replacement for this year. Anyone who knows me knows how enamoured I was with Jason last season. (okay, that's an understatement) For me it was the whole person, or the "whole package" as the judges like to say. Scott has a good voice and I love him as a person. He is sweet, humble and dare I say cute in his own way? I think if they do some current styling with his hair, he'd be even cuter. Heck, they were able to transform David Cook's geeky hair-do, I'm sure they can do something for Scott as well. Anyway, Scott sang Bruce Hornsbys' "Mandolin Rain". I love his passion and agree with the judges when they say that he feels the song and his passion comes through it. I think that's important in a performer.
Kendall Beard in her sunny yellow dress sang Martina McBride's "This One's For the Girls". She's definitely a country singer and even though I'm not a huge fan of country music, I really like her. I think she has good vocals and she is cute. The Whole Package? Perhaps.
Jorge Nunez was next with his slightly accented version of "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" by Elton John and it was pretty good. I don't think I would like him as an artist, but he definitely has a cute personality! The spanish he blurts out cuz that's all he has in his head, is so endearing.
The final spot this evening was by Lil Rounds. What a unique name! I think that alone completes the "whole package" and will get her far. Okay, she has great vocals as well, but heck, who can forget her name? Lil sang "Be Without You" by Mary J. Blige.
Here are the finalists that made it through: Scott MacIntyre, Jorge Nunez and Lil Rounds.
Competing in the Wild Card Show, airing Thursday night are: Von Smith, Jasmine Murray, Ricky Braddy, Megan Corkrey, Tatiana Del Toro (eegads!), Matt Giraud, Jesse Langseth, and Anoop Desai.
I'm very happy to see Megan Corkrey, Matt Giraud and Jesse Langseth get a second chance. Actually, I'd like to see what Von Smith can pull off too. I HATE that they asked Tatiana to come back. Uhg! I can't stand her and I guess that the drama is what they are looking for. Yuck. I really can't stand her fake laugh and her fake crying and her fake everything. She's such a fake and a flake. Can you tell I don't like her? Have mercy on us and don't call in a vote for her. Ever.
Stay tuned for my final thoughts from tonight's Wild Card show.
Another observation of mine, in case you're interested: the third group has a distinct advantage over the first two for several reasons. One, they have more time to figure out what they are going to sing, and practice their music. They also have the advantage of hearing the criticisms of the judges and still have time to change from their previously boring song to one that will hit a chord with Randy (WHAT??), Kara (I-want-to-know-who-you-are), Pauler and Siiiimon.
So, we started off the night with the adorable Von Smith. Except for his hair, I love him. He reminds me a bit of Rick Astley. Rick, I mean Von, sang Marvin Gaye's "You're All I Need to Get By".
Taylor Vaifanua sang Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You". My opinion? Forgettable.
Alex Wagner-Trugman is the resident geek. Okay, so he's really sweet and stuff and I wish him well, but he certainly doesn't have the package thing they are looking for. Perhaps they are thinking he may be another Clay Aiken, who I understand is or was pretty geeky. I didn't watch that year's American Idol, so I'm not sure. Alex sang an Elton John tune, "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues". It's my opinion that he just tried too hard. He added an affect to his voice that just didn't do anything for me.
Ariana Afsar was next with her version of ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All". I felt really bad for her. She is so freakin' cute and has a beautiful voice, but really botched this one bad. Now, again, I'm no expert on "pitchy-ness" and vocal ability, but I kept thinking throughout the song, "Is it supposed to sound like this?". I know there are songs out there that sound weird to me and they are supposed to be "good", but I wasn't sure about this one. The way the judges were commenting, apparently it wasn't just me. Sorry Ariana. I really liked you.
Ju'Not Joyner was next with his rendition of the Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" and I thought he did an awesome job! He mixed it up nicely and I hope he gets noticed by a record label.
Kristen McNamara is so darned cute and I like her and all, but she really doesn't have a style to call her own. She sang Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason", which I love, but it was not remarkable.
Nathaniel Marshall sang a Meatloaf song, of all things. "I Would Do Anything For Love" was okay. It had no personality, despite the interesting look of Nate. His headband style has got to go. In some ways I like him, but his performance left a lot to be desired.
Felicia Barton sang Alicia Keys' "No One". If you recall, Felicia didn't originally make the top 36, which is a mystery to me. She has good vocals, so what gives? She was called up to replace Joana Pacitti, who I can't recall the reason for her demise on the show. Felicia did a great job with the song even if it was a bit "copy cat" according to Simon.
Scott MacIntyre is someone who I think may just be my "Jason Castro" replacement for this year. Anyone who knows me knows how enamoured I was with Jason last season. (okay, that's an understatement) For me it was the whole person, or the "whole package" as the judges like to say. Scott has a good voice and I love him as a person. He is sweet, humble and dare I say cute in his own way? I think if they do some current styling with his hair, he'd be even cuter. Heck, they were able to transform David Cook's geeky hair-do, I'm sure they can do something for Scott as well. Anyway, Scott sang Bruce Hornsbys' "Mandolin Rain". I love his passion and agree with the judges when they say that he feels the song and his passion comes through it. I think that's important in a performer.
Kendall Beard in her sunny yellow dress sang Martina McBride's "This One's For the Girls". She's definitely a country singer and even though I'm not a huge fan of country music, I really like her. I think she has good vocals and she is cute. The Whole Package? Perhaps.
Jorge Nunez was next with his slightly accented version of "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" by Elton John and it was pretty good. I don't think I would like him as an artist, but he definitely has a cute personality! The spanish he blurts out cuz that's all he has in his head, is so endearing.
The final spot this evening was by Lil Rounds. What a unique name! I think that alone completes the "whole package" and will get her far. Okay, she has great vocals as well, but heck, who can forget her name? Lil sang "Be Without You" by Mary J. Blige.
Here are the finalists that made it through: Scott MacIntyre, Jorge Nunez and Lil Rounds.
Competing in the Wild Card Show, airing Thursday night are: Von Smith, Jasmine Murray, Ricky Braddy, Megan Corkrey, Tatiana Del Toro (eegads!), Matt Giraud, Jesse Langseth, and Anoop Desai.
I'm very happy to see Megan Corkrey, Matt Giraud and Jesse Langseth get a second chance. Actually, I'd like to see what Von Smith can pull off too. I HATE that they asked Tatiana to come back. Uhg! I can't stand her and I guess that the drama is what they are looking for. Yuck. I really can't stand her fake laugh and her fake crying and her fake everything. She's such a fake and a flake. Can you tell I don't like her? Have mercy on us and don't call in a vote for her. Ever.
Stay tuned for my final thoughts from tonight's Wild Card show.
American Idol's Season 8, Top 36 - Group 2
So I slacked a little. I didn't give my opinions of last week's Group 2. I think that was because it was unremarkable for the most part. But,for the benefit of my readers, here goes:
Before I get into commenting on the finalists, I have to say that I have observed some really weird things this year and I'm not so happy about them. It's just really chaotic. First, the judges cannot figure out how they are going to sit or how they are going to give their comments (the order in which they do that). I liked it better when Simon was last and he either agreed with the rest of the judges or disagreed. It seemed more interesting that way. IDK, something small, but I noticed and I'm sure you did too. I also noticed that Ryan mixed it up from the first week, where they spoke with the contestant's family just prior to their performance. This week, they kept the families in the audience and did the blurbs about them on the big screen. I really don't care one way or the other, I would just like some consistency. It appears as though AI doesn't really know what they are doing this year and that's sad to me.
I can't even figure out how the Wild Card night is going to look. Once, I heard someone on AI say that they would be selecting 12 cast-offs to re-perform and then they would decide three from that. Then I hear they are going to select one from each night to make up the three and there won't be any more performances from them. Make up my mind, you know?
Okay, so the first contestant in Group 2 was Jasmine Murray. I think Jasmine tried too hard to be something she wasn't. I like her, but her song choice just wasn't her. She sang Sara Bareille's "Love Song", which I like, but again, not for her. She can't hit the low notes and the beginning of the song was horrible.
Our own Michigan's Matt Giraud was kind of a disappointment. I was waiting for the bluesy style he did so well in Hollywood Week, when he sang Ray Charles' "Georgia". Instead, he performed something that was totally not his style by Coldplay -- "Viva la Vida". He didn't make it and I think that was why.
Jeanine Vailes' song choice, once again, left something to be desired. I don't know what I would have liked to see her sing, since I had no clue who the heck she was! They showed nothing of her in previous weeks and I didn't even know she made the top 36 until the Group 2 night. Jeanine sang Maroon 5's "This Love". All I kept thinking about was when Blake Lewis did it a few years ago and how well he did.
I have to say that I think Idol really has a lot of influence over who makes it and who doesn't, just by allowing a lot (or none at all) of "face time" each week for each of the contestants. This is disappointing too because we, the fans, like to think that we have most of the control over who succeeds and who doesn't. They really do like to amp up the drama (which they did brilliantly this year), in a desperate attempt to get more viewers. What about us faithful? If you are anywhere on the boards, you will realize that those of us who are AI diehards are really struggling with all the stunts AI has been performing for ratings. Could the changes be because Nigel Lythgoe is gone?
Okay, so on with my critique of the finalists:
Nick Mitchell aka Norman Gentle was up next. He is a riot! I struggle each week with wanting to see more of what he would do, but then, I felt like if he went through another round, it may just be making a mockery of the actual singing the contestants were there for. Yet, he can sing! I do hope he gets noticed by someone and gets a gig somewhere. The only thing that bothered me is that he would always do the same song. It was beginning to get old. I wanted to see something new from him, even if it was ridiculously funny and not at all serious. Norman, I like you, but I'm glad you didn't make it through. Sorry buddy.
Allison Iraheta, the dyed redhead, did pretty well. She reminded me of a cross between Gina Glockson (season 6 and one of my husband's favs) and Amanda Overmyer with her raspy voice. I liked her a bit more than Amanda though, as she wasn't too niche-y. She seemed to be a little more well-rounded in her style. I think it was good she went through. Allison sang a Heart song - "Alone". Seemed appropriate for her.
Though Kris Allen did well in his vocals, I didn't think he was all that memorable. Obviously I was wrong, or the votes wouldn't have gotten him through. Kris sang "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson. At first, when I heard he was going to do Michael, I got nervous because the judges are always saying not to "touch" songs like that, but I think he pulled it off.
Megan Corkrey was the cutest thing ever. I love her style (hippie-ish), her voice (jazzy) and just - her (fun). I had hoped she got through, but she didn't :-( . Perhaps she will be one of the Crazy Cards, Wild Cards, Whatever Cards. I just want to see her again! Oh, and for those of you who didn't see her, she sang "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Baily Rae.
And then there's Matt Breitzke. Though I love the guy and I think he's a sweetheart, I think he's boring as an artist. This week Matt sang Tonic's "If You Can Only See", which is a song I really like, but it was nothing special in my opinion. Now, this is coming from someone who likes the entire package. His vocals seem to be spot on, but I suck at that anyway, so I can't be sure they really were. Whenever the judges tell a contestant that they were "pitchy", I don't always hear it. That's why I don't sing!
Jesse Langseth was an interesting one. I loved her rendition of "Betty David Eyes" by Kim Carnes but her personally, I'm not sure about. She is a typical sassy red head (Yes, I'm stereotyping - sue me). That may just prove to be interesting in coming weeks, if she had made it through. She didn't. Perhaps she will be a wild card.
Kai Kalama aka Sayid (ABC's Lost). Sayid, oh, I mean Kai sang "What Becomes of a Brokenhearted?" by Jimmy Ruffin. He sang it well (though I found his facial expressions to be a bit distracting) and I like the song, but it wasn't contemporary enough or showed who he was. Now I sound like Kara. Anyway, I think Simon's comment about being a "good backup singer" did him in and that's why he didn't go on. Wild card? Maybe.
Mishavonna Henson. What a pretty name. I loved her dress. That's about it though. I don't really remember her performance and had to go back for a reminder in order to write this about her. She sang "Drops of Jupiter" by Train. Her vocals were good. Really good in fact, but it was not memorable for me.
Adam Lambert hit it out of the park according to the judges. I knew he would even if it was a bit too theatrical. I'm not so keen on his style, but he's cute in his own way and I wish him the best. I hope he doesn't get the AI title, simply because it's not my thing AND I think he is a bit too much of an actor and not a musician, but whatever happens, happens. Right? Oh, and he sang The Stone's "I Can't Get No Satisfaction". I have to say though that I can't help but to think that there is some manipulation on the judges part. I felt this way when I saw the extreme excitement that they portrayed when he was finished. It didn't feel real. It was overdone. IDK. Maybe that's just me.
My dear, dear Jason Castro, from last season's AI (white dreadlocked boy who came in 4th) was supposed to perform his new song Wednesday for the results show (like Brooke White and Michael Johns/Carly Smithson did the previous two weeks) but they couldn't fit him in. It was the Wild Card portion that took up the extra time. I should boycott AI for that one (okay, I won't) but we better see him soon!!!
To summarize: The three that ended up going through were: Adam Lambert, Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta.
Before I get into commenting on the finalists, I have to say that I have observed some really weird things this year and I'm not so happy about them. It's just really chaotic. First, the judges cannot figure out how they are going to sit or how they are going to give their comments (the order in which they do that). I liked it better when Simon was last and he either agreed with the rest of the judges or disagreed. It seemed more interesting that way. IDK, something small, but I noticed and I'm sure you did too. I also noticed that Ryan mixed it up from the first week, where they spoke with the contestant's family just prior to their performance. This week, they kept the families in the audience and did the blurbs about them on the big screen. I really don't care one way or the other, I would just like some consistency. It appears as though AI doesn't really know what they are doing this year and that's sad to me.
I can't even figure out how the Wild Card night is going to look. Once, I heard someone on AI say that they would be selecting 12 cast-offs to re-perform and then they would decide three from that. Then I hear they are going to select one from each night to make up the three and there won't be any more performances from them. Make up my mind, you know?
Okay, so the first contestant in Group 2 was Jasmine Murray. I think Jasmine tried too hard to be something she wasn't. I like her, but her song choice just wasn't her. She sang Sara Bareille's "Love Song", which I like, but again, not for her. She can't hit the low notes and the beginning of the song was horrible.
Our own Michigan's Matt Giraud was kind of a disappointment. I was waiting for the bluesy style he did so well in Hollywood Week, when he sang Ray Charles' "Georgia". Instead, he performed something that was totally not his style by Coldplay -- "Viva la Vida". He didn't make it and I think that was why.
Jeanine Vailes' song choice, once again, left something to be desired. I don't know what I would have liked to see her sing, since I had no clue who the heck she was! They showed nothing of her in previous weeks and I didn't even know she made the top 36 until the Group 2 night. Jeanine sang Maroon 5's "This Love". All I kept thinking about was when Blake Lewis did it a few years ago and how well he did.
I have to say that I think Idol really has a lot of influence over who makes it and who doesn't, just by allowing a lot (or none at all) of "face time" each week for each of the contestants. This is disappointing too because we, the fans, like to think that we have most of the control over who succeeds and who doesn't. They really do like to amp up the drama (which they did brilliantly this year), in a desperate attempt to get more viewers. What about us faithful? If you are anywhere on the boards, you will realize that those of us who are AI diehards are really struggling with all the stunts AI has been performing for ratings. Could the changes be because Nigel Lythgoe is gone?
Okay, so on with my critique of the finalists:
Nick Mitchell aka Norman Gentle was up next. He is a riot! I struggle each week with wanting to see more of what he would do, but then, I felt like if he went through another round, it may just be making a mockery of the actual singing the contestants were there for. Yet, he can sing! I do hope he gets noticed by someone and gets a gig somewhere. The only thing that bothered me is that he would always do the same song. It was beginning to get old. I wanted to see something new from him, even if it was ridiculously funny and not at all serious. Norman, I like you, but I'm glad you didn't make it through. Sorry buddy.
Allison Iraheta, the dyed redhead, did pretty well. She reminded me of a cross between Gina Glockson (season 6 and one of my husband's favs) and Amanda Overmyer with her raspy voice. I liked her a bit more than Amanda though, as she wasn't too niche-y. She seemed to be a little more well-rounded in her style. I think it was good she went through. Allison sang a Heart song - "Alone". Seemed appropriate for her.
Though Kris Allen did well in his vocals, I didn't think he was all that memorable. Obviously I was wrong, or the votes wouldn't have gotten him through. Kris sang "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson. At first, when I heard he was going to do Michael, I got nervous because the judges are always saying not to "touch" songs like that, but I think he pulled it off.
Megan Corkrey was the cutest thing ever. I love her style (hippie-ish), her voice (jazzy) and just - her (fun). I had hoped she got through, but she didn't :-( . Perhaps she will be one of the Crazy Cards, Wild Cards, Whatever Cards. I just want to see her again! Oh, and for those of you who didn't see her, she sang "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Baily Rae.
And then there's Matt Breitzke. Though I love the guy and I think he's a sweetheart, I think he's boring as an artist. This week Matt sang Tonic's "If You Can Only See", which is a song I really like, but it was nothing special in my opinion. Now, this is coming from someone who likes the entire package. His vocals seem to be spot on, but I suck at that anyway, so I can't be sure they really were. Whenever the judges tell a contestant that they were "pitchy", I don't always hear it. That's why I don't sing!
Jesse Langseth was an interesting one. I loved her rendition of "Betty David Eyes" by Kim Carnes but her personally, I'm not sure about. She is a typical sassy red head (Yes, I'm stereotyping - sue me). That may just prove to be interesting in coming weeks, if she had made it through. She didn't. Perhaps she will be a wild card.
Kai Kalama aka Sayid (ABC's Lost). Sayid, oh, I mean Kai sang "What Becomes of a Brokenhearted?" by Jimmy Ruffin. He sang it well (though I found his facial expressions to be a bit distracting) and I like the song, but it wasn't contemporary enough or showed who he was. Now I sound like Kara. Anyway, I think Simon's comment about being a "good backup singer" did him in and that's why he didn't go on. Wild card? Maybe.
Mishavonna Henson. What a pretty name. I loved her dress. That's about it though. I don't really remember her performance and had to go back for a reminder in order to write this about her. She sang "Drops of Jupiter" by Train. Her vocals were good. Really good in fact, but it was not memorable for me.
Adam Lambert hit it out of the park according to the judges. I knew he would even if it was a bit too theatrical. I'm not so keen on his style, but he's cute in his own way and I wish him the best. I hope he doesn't get the AI title, simply because it's not my thing AND I think he is a bit too much of an actor and not a musician, but whatever happens, happens. Right? Oh, and he sang The Stone's "I Can't Get No Satisfaction". I have to say though that I can't help but to think that there is some manipulation on the judges part. I felt this way when I saw the extreme excitement that they portrayed when he was finished. It didn't feel real. It was overdone. IDK. Maybe that's just me.
My dear, dear Jason Castro, from last season's AI (white dreadlocked boy who came in 4th) was supposed to perform his new song Wednesday for the results show (like Brooke White and Michael Johns/Carly Smithson did the previous two weeks) but they couldn't fit him in. It was the Wild Card portion that took up the extra time. I should boycott AI for that one (okay, I won't) but we better see him soon!!!
To summarize: The three that ended up going through were: Adam Lambert, Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta.
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