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#166
03-10-2009, 08:02 PM
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This Michael Jackson show is a disaster. Everyone is pretty boring but that guy Chris just made my skin crawl. His affect is so irritating, and the way he enunciates things- gah. I'm sad about this season so far. Usually I am pulling for someone by now.
*Sigh* Maybe it will pick up. 
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#167
03-10-2009, 08:23 PM
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 Anoop literally made my ears bleed. Him over Rickey? RIDICULOUS!
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Curtis
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#170
03-10-2009, 08:36 PM
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 ....along with Anoop and Jasmine. 
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Curtis
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#173
03-10-2009, 08:50 PM
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God Bless Homosexuals. This show would suck without them. I'm oddly attracted to Matt G.
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Curtis
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#174
03-10-2009, 09:04 PM
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I'm on the fence about Alexis.
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#175
03-10-2009, 09:10 PM
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All in all, a pretty bland show. Adam and Matt are the only two I enjoyed.
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Curtis
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#176
03-11-2009, 09:57 AM
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American Idol - Season 8
Top 13 (Michael Jackson Week) American Idol ruins pop music. Every week, it perverts how meaning is made in pop and divorces spectators from genuine response. It's scary to think what the impact will be. It's obvious that the songs are now removed from their original context for an entire generation (Example: Danny Noriega sang "Superstar" -- not in solidarity with a gay Icon but because he knew the song from its Season 2 rendition by a Idol winner Ruben Studdard). This week, the show disparages Michael Jackson's development of an original (pop-rock-r&b-hiphop expansive) pop idiom that literally shook the world. Removing the catalogue from its personal context (MJ) and circumstances of its global appeal, the show takes advantage of its license to destroy meaning-making. Thanks to Simon Cowell, "a white boy with soul," as he describes Danny Gokey, is defined by pointless growling through the better part of "P.Y.T." (after a lame slowed-down opening). So this confuses matters, even within the confines of the show, when Simon -- rightly -- criticizes Anoop Desai's frat-house talent-show rendition of "Beat It" for lacking "aggression." But is Simon conflating Michael Jackson's hard-hitting staccato "Beat It" with Danny Gokey's obscene growling? Who knows? Continuing the damage, Simon boasts: "Art is fine, just not on this show." Well, that gives it all away. But step back. He attributes the label of "art" to Scott MacIntyre's utterly artless, "inspirational" version of "Keep The Faith." So "art" = "sappy"? No wonder Simon doesn't see the ART that Danny Gokey turns into self-indulgence in "Beat It." All of this establishes the show's domination over meaning and its attempts to strip pop of its liberating potential. Imagine, then, the impact on audience consciousness when the show (via Ryan Seacrest) blames the Recession on uppity black folk in general and Jasmine Murray, specifically. Yes, it happened (cue your dvr's to Ryan's pre-performance interview with Jasmine). Thus, the show uses its influence to perpetuate one of the most dangerous current political myths. I'd bet money Jasmine lands in the Bottom 3 this week. The Good Adam Lambert -- "Black or White" -- The performance goes from Adam Lambert's spiritual godparents Liza Minnelli to Ted Neeley (not horrible antecedents, but I don't buy that that's a combination made in "current" heaven; sorry: Randy). I was roused by Adam's theatrical enunciation of "And I told about equality / And it's true / Either you're wrong / Or you're right" and his kick-back on "Don't tell me you / Agree with me / When I saw you / Kicking dirt in / My eye." I sensed Adam's genuine solidarity with MJ, as outsiders with rock aspirations. (As a friend of mine put it, Adam Lambert is the person MJ always wanted to be: a white boy comfortable with his sexuality.) The Bad Megan Joy -- "Rockin' Robin" -- Along with Adam's performance, this is the one I most re-watched. Unlike the judges, I thought this was a clever song choice for her as she infused it with her jazz stylings, which, when she broke out into the -- wonderful -- "Caw! Caw!" vocalizations at the end suddenly made me realize: maybe she's not a Duffy-like phony. She may actually be connecting personal neuroses through her musical fetishizing, if not expressing it through art. Allison Irehata -- "Give In To Me" -- Unfortunately for Allison, this was actually forgettable even though while watching it I felt energized by her confidence and her ability to strip down the song to its rock essence. Kris Allen -- "Remember The Time" -- What a strange reminder of how good Jason Castro was on this show, but I give Kris props for originality and when his folk-rock approach to the song worked, it really worked. Matt G. -- "Human Nature" -- I could picture this being performed at The Grammy's. The falsetto was nice. Jasmine Murray -- "I'll Be There" -- I felt she redeemed her position in the Top 13 with this performance. Even though she still sounds like Fergie, I felt this was her best, most on-pitch application of Fergie. Jorge Nunez - "Never Gonna Say Goodbye" -- Though the vocal was strong as he tried to add some Latin touches to the song, and I applaud Jorge for nearly exposing the way Idol producers fix the show by forcing song choices on fodder contestants, it really was the wrong song. The impact of the performance was ultimately uncomfortable. I think the producers' fix will prove effective. The U-G-L-Y (You Ain't Got No Alibi) Scott MacIntyre -- "Keep The Faith" -- He makes me laugh, but he's funnier without his piano. That said: it was his best vocal to date. What allows MJ to sing songs like this is his combination of conviction, talent, and ability to personalize the song. Scott doesn't have any of those skills. Anoop Dawg -- "Beat It" -- I love how Anoop snaps back at the judge's critiques by calling them on their previous request that he act the fool. If only he had been able to apply that same sense of resistance in the performance of the song. . . Lil Rounds -- "The Way You Make Me Feel" -- Her best vocal to date, but she reduces a great Michael Jackson song to a mediocre Whitney Houston song as sung by a singer not even in the same league as Whitney Houston. The profound line (a challenge) -- "Ain't nobody's business but mine and my baby" -- means NOTHING here. Michael Sarver -- "You Are Not Alone" -- On a particularly cheesy episode of Idol, this takes the cheesecake. Again, conveying no understanding of the song's profound social vision -- a deeper understanding of empathy -- Sarver reduces it, through his performance, to sentimentality. He doesn't mean what he sings. Alexis Grace -- "Dirty Diana" -- The backup vocalists and the musical accompaniment create the impression of intensity; don't be fooled. Like her redeux of The Commitments version of "Never Loved A Man" -- no wonder it sucked -- this is a copy cat vocal limited by her considerable vocal limitations. What's Grosser Than Gross? Danny Gokey -- "P.Y.T." -- I guess by "aggressive," Simon refers to the fact that Danny turned the song into a threat. (When he sings, "I'll take you there," am I the only person who thought he meant his dungeon?) Danny Gokey must be stopped. iTunes-worthy: I might buy the Adam Lambert "Black or White" just so I can figure out why it moved me so much.
__________________
"They love each other so much, they think they hate each other." Imagine paying $1000 to hear "Don't Dream It's Over" instead of "Go Your Own Way" Fleetwood Mac helped me through a time of heartbreak. 12 years later, they broke my heart.
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#177
03-11-2009, 10:43 AM
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 Maybe Gayken & Danny Noriega eased them into the idea of a gay boy.Quote:
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I thought her vocals were very cool. I thought the song choice was realy f*cking stupid - let's face it, Rockin' Robin may as well be a kid's song. And the "caw caw" at the end? Soooo bad.  But I do like her (btw - I was looking at her teeth & she doesn't have vampire fangs or a snaggle tooth - perhaps the person who posted that last week was confusing her mouth with Scott's )Lil was solid. HORRID outfit - who the hell did that to her? Were they just being mean? You do not put a curvy woman in pleated tapered white pants.  Barf.Danny gave a solid performance too, but he doesn't move me as much as everyone else, apparently. My faves were Allison (although I agree that song was cool but forgettable - I hope she has enough fans to pull her through), Adam, Megan, and Sarver. Not sure about Alexis - now I'm leaning toward Curtis' opinion that she's playing dress up. Jasmine was OK but dull & once again, nothing special. I'm not a fan of Kris, but I thought he was great last night. Scott is OK, but not great. But he'll get through - a blind guy singing a tune about keeping the faith? Please. Matt was alright I guess - I hate that friggin song though. Anoop was horrendous. Really bad. As soon as he came out, I said "oh no, karaoke." Maybe he is doing this as a goof... Didn't like Jorge either. Lil, Danny, Scott & Alexis should be solid - they are the only ones I didn't get through to one the first try. Who I want to go tonight? Anoop (sorry, buddy, I like you but that was just sad) and Jorge. I think Anoop & Matt might actually go - perhaps Jasmine. Anyone hear what the judge's big bombshell will be tonight? Think they'll reserve the right to override America's decision if they think they got it wrong?
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#178
03-11-2009, 11:07 AM
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My predictions for the bottom three: -Jasmine Murray. Her rendering of Mariah Carey singing the Jackson 5 was so dull and without passion. And to be honest... she is a little bit difficult to look at- kind of like a character out of Mars Attacks.  -Megan Caw-krey. This is despite the fact that she has the Vote for the Worst bloc behind her. She was beyond horrific... but somehow she redeemed herself with those caw caw noises at the end.  -Anoop. It's a shame since he seems like the most non-douchey of the bunch of guys. But he has demonstrated for the third time in a row that the boy has the worst taste in music. But then again... an upset could occur due to the cresting wave of Indian pride following the Slumdog phenomenon. If Anoop doesn't bite it, then Allison will be in his slot, if for no other reason than the fact that rocker chicks are doomed to fail on Idol. Always. Who gets a lifeline from the judges? Megan
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#179
03-11-2009, 12:09 PM
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My winning streak is probably over, but I predicted the bottom 3 will be:
Jorge And the people going home tonight will be: Jorge and Jasmine. Quote:
__________________
"They love each other so much, they think they hate each other." Imagine paying $1000 to hear "Don't Dream It's Over" instead of "Go Your Own Way" Fleetwood Mac helped me through a time of heartbreak. 12 years later, they broke my heart.
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#180
03-11-2009, 01:22 PM
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