AMERICAN IDOL: Official Ledge Thread - Page 14

skcin · #**196** 03-13-2009, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vermicious knid

HIDEOUS

That clip just gave me herpes.

Seriously I had blocked it out until you posted it. Truly awful. Why did they zoom on him? Do they think it's cute & amusing that he can't dance? Barf.

skcin · #**197** 03-16-2009, 03:01 PM

Grand Ole Opry week.

God help us all.

Perfomers listed for Wed. are Carrie Underwood, Randy Travis & Brad Paisley. Doesn't say if all are performing or if any were a mentor or what.

ontheEdgeof17 · #**198** 03-16-2009, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skcin

Grand Ole Opry week.

God help us all.

Perfomers listed for Wed. are Carrie Underwood, Randy Travis & Brad Paisley. Doesn't say if all are performing or if any were a mentor or what.

It might be a carrie/randy duet. I think she has a new single with him. Odd pairing, to say the least.

TrueFaith77 · #**199** 03-18-2009, 09:40 AM

American Idol - Season 8
Top 11 (Grand Ole Opry Week)

The lie that bothered me most last night: Kara Dioguardi's insistence that "Always On My Mind" is "almost untouchable." The second sentence in the wiki entry on the song reads thusly: "Allmusic list over 300 recorded releases of the song in versions by dozens of performers." That's a LOT of touching. What this reveals is that the judges are highly-paid morons who know nothing about music or music history. They just blather. And last night they were all on auto-pilot (Kara Dioguardi complimented one contestant: "You can sing the alphabet!"). Yet, the show promotes the judges' words as expertise. The result is that American listeners will be ignorant to the Pet Shop Boys dance version of "Always On My Mind" -- which expanded the realms of romantic sentiment as assuredly as it expanded the song's audience back in 1988 (the track it bounced onto the Singles charts from the revolutionary orchestral dance album Introspective). For a karaoke competition that challenges the Idol contestants to transform songs from various genres into contemporary pop hits, the legacy of artists TOUCHING "Always On My Mind" should stand as the criteria for judgment, yet the judges pretend no such legacy exists. By robbing you of YOUR pop heritage -- it's yours, TAKE IT BACK! -- the show also attempts to also rob you of your truest responses. Two performers last night awaken those responses.

The Good

Adam Lambert -- "Ring of Fire" -- Adam's rejection of his pop heritage is his biggest problem. He ended his take on another artist's Middle-Eastern infused "Ring of Fire" by dissing Nashville, saying he'd never plan on visiting. He should. He could learn a lot. And I want him to learn because, for the second week in a row, Adam has completely crushed the competition. Simply put, his vocals are just in another class than the rest of the competition. He probably meant his sitar-backed "Ring of Fire" to be a challenge to patriotic Nashville. That's because he's stupid. However, the performance of the song acted as a seduction to appreciate the sound of the Other. He is transforming Idol -- and I don't yet know what that means or even if it's a good thing. But right now, he's untouchable.

Kris Allen -- "To Make You Feel My Love" -- I detect the influence of Bryan Ferry's enchanted, romanticized version from the radical, unheralded covers album As Time Goes By. That's the right place to go for inspiration because Kris pulls of the song's heartthrob potential. Beautiful.

The Bad

Megan Joy -- "Walkin' After Midnight" -- Last week, I watched and rewatched Megan's "Rockin' Robin" because it represented pure giddy, well, joy. Perhaps future viewings of "Walkin" will yield similar wonders. During the show's Top 11 line up at the end, it appeared as though Megan, who was hospitalized that day for the flu, turned toward the camera after vomiting behind her. Just what this show deserves!

Anoop Desai -- "Always on My Mind" -- Elvis, Willie Nelson, the Pet Shop Boys, Sanjaya Malakar all performed this song in a fashion that made it indelible and uniquely suited to their particular musical styles (Willie Nelson's country ache, Pet Shop Boys' yearning sophistication, Sanjaya's melodic tenderness). Anoop, on the other hand, made it diffident, not special, and then threw in an r&b "girl" probably to distance himself from the Pet Shop Boys. The notes crashed at the end. Still, it's a good song choice because, contrary to Kara's stupid commentary, it gifts anyone who sings it.

Scott McIntyre -- "Wild Angels" -- He's just not very good. But his line about moving the piano closer to the audience was inspired. And he called out the hat-picking process for song choices. I wonder which of the performed songs he wanted to sing.

Allison Irehata -- "Blame It On Your Heart" -- The problem with Allison is that all her songs sound the same and, despite having a recognizable tone and infectious confidence, she's forgettable.

Matt Giraud -- "So Small" -- Musical wallpaper. Remember that one?

The U-G-L-Y (You ain't got no alibi)

Alexis Grace -- "Jolene" -- Just don't screw up the melody and rhythm of this Dolly Parton classic, and the song will carry you through. Alexis screwed up the melody and rhythm. Terrible. Bad vocal too.

Lil Rounds -- "Independence Day" -- It's got the slow build-up and the big notes at the end. She's bad at both. Simon's insistence that Lil (short for Liliane or something) is short for Little made for a typically condescending spectacle -- driving home the point that she needed to do "I Will Always Love You." Lil will have the last laugh; she, like Kristy Lee Cook last year, played to the night's audience.

What's Grosser Than Gross?

Danny Gokey -- "Jesus Takes The Wheel" -- All is forgiven, David Cook. I'm sorry for every bad thing I ever said about you. Danny is terrorizing the pop catalogue. Verses? Screw 'em. Chorus: TIME TO SHOUT!!! He destroys all meaning of the vocal lexicon -- and makes these tropes ugly and disingenuous. Note how in the pre-performance clip with mentor Randy Travis, Danny PRETENDS to be overwhelmed with humility in front of the famous member of the Grand Ole Opry. He's disgusting.

Michael Sarver -- "Ain't Going Down (Until The Sun Comes Up)" -- As in rap, it is the rhythm, speed, impact, wit and enunciation/pronunciation that achieves what Michael claimed was his goal: to have "fun." He failed. One of the worst performances in Idol history.

iTunes-worthy: I will buy all Megan Corkrey videos because I love watching her perform. Also, Adam Lambert and Kris Allen deserve repeat listens.

HejiraNYC · #**200** 03-18-2009, 02:44 PM

The oil dude is gonna bite it tonight.

TrueFaith77 · #**201** 03-18-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

The oil dude is gonna bite it tonight.

According to DialIdol it's either allison, alexis, megan. I'm betting on Alexis, but word on the street is taht it's oil dude. Should be an interesting test of dialidol this year.

ontheEdgeof17 · #**202** 03-18-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

The oil dude is gonna bite it tonight.

I hope so.

It's the cut before the Top 10 Touring Group. I can't see them letting go a girl or using the veto. It would be a cluster f*** if they used the veto and had to eliminate two next week. Which one would go on tour?

Oil dude, it is. Please?

HejiraNYC · #**203** 03-18-2009, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

According to DialIdol it's either allison, alexis, megan. I'm betting on Alexis, but word on the street is taht it's oil dude. Should be an interesting test of dialidol this year.

There is no way Alexis is going home. She's already part of the final four, if the mole quoted in yesterday's Daily News can be believed. I think Allison is going to be the other one in the bottom two. Even though I think she would do well doing tween music ala Miley Cyrus, unfortunately, to put it nicely, there isn't very much they can do for her looks-wise.

Even the stylist at AI seems to have raised his/her hands and given up.

Megan is dreadful, but she knows how to swing her (ample) moneymakers around and she looks like a trashier version of Reese Witherspoon. I think she will go far with them.

goodun · #**204** 03-19-2009, 07:26 AM

Does anyone have original images of Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, and Fantasia? If so, send them to me, and I'll put them on Wikipedia.

TrueFaith77 · #**205** 03-19-2009, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

There is no way Alexis is going home. She's already part of the final four, if the mole quoted in yesterday's Daily News can be believed. I think Allison is going to be the other one in the bottom two. Even though I think she would do well doing tween music ala Miley Cyrus, unfortunately, to put it nicely, there isn't very much they can do for her looks-wise.

Even the stylist at AI seems to have raised his/her hands and given up.

Megan is dreadful, but she knows how to swing her (ample) moneymakers around and she looks like a trashier version of Reese Witherspoon. I think she will go far with them.

I have guessed every single placement (top 12) and elimination this season in my work pool.

ontheEdgeof17 · #**206** 03-19-2009, 10:33 AM

I can't believe that Sarver guy is going to tour. He is terrible.

skcin · #**207** 03-20-2009, 10:20 AM

Poor Alexis. She's a good singer, but she really blew it this week. I wasn't surprised, although I thought Oil Rig should go.

tuigirl · #**208** 03-20-2009, 01:58 PM

Adam is an interesting one isn't he? I wonder if the US could handle a guy with so much makeup these days?? I absolutely cringed at his "fire" rendition (and I see Simon agreed with me!) but he sure has got something there+ a cute smile...hope he does well.