American Idol 9: Discussion & Poll (FM Theme Night?)

[skcin]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

It was bound to happen, I suppose. It happens to me every year. My favorite contestant is the most hated.

Yeah, you think you'd have developed better taste by now. JK - to each his own.

I find that I'm not even looking forward to the show each week.

[Livia]

Even my DVR hates this season - it frequently freezes up recording and reboots itself whenever AI is on - then it either picks up recording the same episode again or not at all. When it doesn't, I don't miss it. I don't watch the results show anyway, just the last 30 seconds and if I miss that, well, that's what the internet is for.

[skcin]

Oy. Aaron should go home. Tim was bland, but not awful. I'm still unsure about Mike's re-do of Eleanor Rigby. Kind of cool, but that tune is so perfect as is I'm leaning toward Mike's being blasphemous. Andrew's re-do didn't bother me in that way, but it wasn't that great.

Siobhan's vocal was beautiful. Casey was the best of the night, IMO. Loved Crystal as usual. Katie's vocal was great but she bores me. I thought Lee was off-key, but I guess it was just me.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by skcin

Oy. Aaron should go home. Tim was bland, but not awful. I'm still unsure about Mike's re-do of Eleanor Rigby. Kind of cool, but that tune is so perfect as is I'm leaning toward Mike's being blasphemous. Andrew's re-do didn't bother me in that way, but it wasn't that great.

Siobhan's vocal was beautiful. Casey was the best of the night, IMO. Loved Crystal as usual. Katie's vocal was great but she bores me. I thought Lee was off-key, but I guess it was just me.

Lee's version of "Hey Jude" hurt my everything. I can't even begin to describe how bad that was... The dude has a four-note range, which he embellishes with screams into an 8-note range, and the first mistake he made was to ratchet up the key from the original (when his actual voice is not all that high). Then came the off-key belting. Then came the faux-Springsteen posturing. And to be quite blunt- he looks vacant. Lights on, nobody home. Granted, nobody from this season is exactly a Mensa member, but I suspect this Lee dude was probably left back a grade or two in school.

I agree that Mike's rendition of "Eleanor Rigby" was just wrong. Does he even know what the song is about? Instead of sounding like a song about people living lives of quiet desperation, he makes it sound like some kind of soul jam.

The only passingly good performance was Casey's "Jealous Guy." I don't think he has a particularly great voice, but I think his rendition seemed to come from a genuine place and he made an inspired song selection. Of all of the finalists, I think he has the greatest potential to go on and become a recording artist. Sadly, it will most likely be in that bland, generic Nickelback-Creed-Daughtry vein. He won't win Idol, but he will be the most successful.

Although I didn't think he did too badly, I think this is finally Andrew's week to go home. However, in a just world, Lee would go home for that sh**eous rendition.

[skcin]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Lee's version of "Hey Jude" hurt my everything. I can't even begin to describe how bad that was... The dude has a four-note range, which he embellishes with screams into an 8-note range, and the first mistake he made was to ratchet up the key from the original (when his actual voice is not all that high). Then came the off-key belting. Then came the faux-Springsteen posturing. And to be quite blunt- he looks vacant. Lights on, nobody home. Granted, nobody from this season is exactly a Mensa member, but I suspect this Lee dude was probably left back a grade or two in school.

I agree that Mike's rendition of "Eleanor Rigby" was just wrong. Does he even know what the song is about? Instead of sounding like a song about people living lives of quiet desperation, he makes it sound like some kind of soul jam.

The only passingly good performance was Casey's "Jealous Guy." I don't think he has a particularly great voice, but I think his rendition seemed to come from a genuine place and he made an inspired song selection. Of all of the finalists, I think he has the greatest potential to go on and become a recording artist. Sadly, it will most likely be in that bland, generic Nickelback-Creed-Daughtry vein. He won't win Idol, but he will be the most successful.

Although I didn't think he did too badly, I think this is finally Andrew's week to go home. However, in a just world, Lee would go home for that sh**eous rendition.

I'm glad you mentioned the "up a key" bit - another thing I thought was just me. It was just....off in general. And I agree - I don't mind his voice, but for being "soulful" he doesn't have any. He's really dull & has no spark.

And ITA about Casey too - although I thought he was incredible last night, and his performance really got to me, when he was standing there next to Seacrest, all I could think was "goddammit Nickelback!" Cuz that's what he looks like.

[Dodfather]

This was the first week I've liked Katie, which surprised me! As everm Crystal was just GREAT!! Love her. Just a shame I can't vote!

Aarson is dull, sull, dull, and he picked one of the worst Beatles songs. I'm a huge Beatles fans but that song is just...eeuchh!

[TrueFaith77]

Tim Urban - All My Loving - Ranks with Siobhan's "Wicked Game" and "Think" as the best performance of the season. Someday, somebody other than me will appreciate Tim for his phrasing and his melodic sensibility: he is now without competition as the best Idol this season. So, once again, I predict he will go home. His best performance so far.
Casey James - Jealous Guy - Roxy Music's cover of this Lennon solo outing is the definitive version (heartache made palpable through BEAUTY), but Casey's gruff and (over)emotive version made the song "his own" while adding definite tingle missing from the show--other than the lift of Tim's triumph.


Crystal Bowersox - Come Together - She always looks down at her guitar while she plays and sings.


Siobhan Magnus - Across the Universe - I wish I had felt the emotion in the song that she showed after the song. Better than Rufus Wainwright, but so is anybody... ANYBODY. Even Danny Gokey.
Michael Lynche - Eleanor Rigby - Almost thrilling by the end, but the first half was flat and arhythmic.
Katie Stevens - Let It Be - Compared to Brooke White? Puh-leez. Her best performance to date, nonetheless.
Aaron Kelly - The Long and Winding Road - Compared to David Archuleta? No way. I actually think Aaron could be tops in this competition, but somehow he's not able to do it. I would love if they used the Judge's save on him, but that won't happen til Idol Gives Back. (Let's hope Tim makes it that far!)


Lee DeWyze - Hey Jude - !!!!!!GRUNT!!!!!!!!!HEY JUDE!!!!!!!!!ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! + bagpipe
Andrew Garcia - Can't Buy Me Love - No vocal range. Ugly arrangement.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Tim Urban - All My Loving - Ranks with Siobhan's "Wicked Game" and "Think" as the best performance of the season. Someday, somebody other than me will appreciate Tim for his phrasing and his melodic sensibility: he is now without competition as the best Idol this season. So, once again, I predict he will go home. His best performance so far.
Casey James - Jealous Guy - Roxy Music's cover of this Lennon solo outing is the definitive version (heartache made palpable through BEAUTY), but Casey's gruff and (over)emotive version made the song "his own" while adding definite tingle missing from the show--other than the lift of Tim's triumph.


Crystal Bowersox - Come Together - She always looks down at her guitar while she plays and sings.


Siobhan Magnus - Across the Universe - I wish I had felt the emotion in the song that she showed after the song. Better than Rufus Wainwright, but so is anybody... ANYBODY. Even Danny Gokey.
Michael Lynche - Eleanor Rigby - Almost thrilling by the end, but the first half was flat and arhythmic.
Katie Stevens - Let It Be - Compared to Brooke White? Puh-leez. Her best performance to date, nonetheless.
Aaron Kelly - The Long and Winding Road - Compared to David Archuleta? No way. I actually think Aaron could be tops in this competition, but somehow he's not able to do it. I would love if they used the Judge's save on him, but that won't happen til Idol Gives Back. (Let's hope Tim makes it that far!)

Lee DeWyze - Hey Jude - !!!!!!GRUNT!!!!!!!!!HEY JUDE!!!!!!!!!ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! + bagpipe
Andrew Garcia - Can't Buy Me Love - No vocal range. Ugly arrangement.

Um... they already blew their load last night on Fat Mike. No more saves, thank goodness. I would imagine it must have been rather distressing for the judges to see the only two "minority" contestants on the chopping block last night; I don't think there has ever been such a lily-white roster of finalists evah! Still, although I don't agree with their decision to save him, I understand why they did it.

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Um... they already blew their load last night on Fat Mike. No more saves, thank goodness. I would imagine it must have been rather distressing for the judges to see the only two "minority" contestants on the chopping block last night; I don't think there has ever been such a lily-white roster of finalists evah! Still, although I don't agree with their decision to save him, I understand why they did it.

I know. I was just posting my original writeup.

Mike is pathetic, second-rate, and uncommercial. Waste of a save.

The reason for the lily-white finalists is because they intentionally cast the worst of the ethnic performers to be in the Top 24.

[skcin]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Um... they already blew their load last night on Fat Mike. No more saves, thank goodness. I would imagine it must have been rather distressing for the judges to see the only two "minority" contestants on the chopping block last night; I don't think there has ever been such a lily-white roster of finalists evah! Still, although I don't agree with their decision to save him, I understand why they did it.

I liked him at the beginning but he's becoming pretty run of the mill for me now. And he's a big dude, but not fat. He's really muscular. I mean, he's big but he's not Reuben fat. And I don't think they saved him to keep a minority in the competition; I DO think they saved him because he's the "R&B" contestant. You know the formula! They jam everyone into their own neat little mold, whether they truly fit it or not:

Rocker chick (Crystal)
Rocker guy (Lee)
R&B guy or gal (Mike)
Country pop rock guy or gal (Casey)
Singer-songwriter gal (Lacey)
AC guy (Aaron)
AC gal (Katie)
Teeny bopper guy or gal (Tim & Haelley)

And this season, they've introduced some new characters:
Weirdo (Siobhan)
I'm not sure wtf Andrew is. Maybe they thought he could be singer-songwriter guy? ala' Kris Allen?

[TrueFaith77]

I just wanted to send out a friendly plug to encourage anyone open to encouragement to throw a few (or more) votes the way of Tim Urban tonight.

It would mean a lot.

Thank you.

[StreetAngel95]

GOOD RIDDANCE KATIE STEVENS!!!!!!!!!!

long live Siobhan Magnus and Tim Urban!!!!!!

[DefDumbandBlond]

Oh good she left, she got on my nerves.

I've forgotten to watch the past few weeks, whoops!

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by StreetAngel95

GOOD RIDDANCE KATIE STEVENS!!!!!!!!!!

long live Siobhan Magnus and Tim Urban!!!!!!

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by DefDumbandBlond

Oh good she left, she got on my nerves.

I've forgotten to watch the past few weeks, whoops!

I don't understand all of the Katie hate. I don't think she's all that great, but I certainly find her less offensive than the other girls like Pigpen, er, Crystal and Siobhan. Katie actually has a really good voice for country music, but it does seem a little odd coming from this WASPy teenage girl from Connecticut.

The one contestant that I loathe is Siobhan. Sure, she can scream a dog whistle frequency when she wants to. But she has absolutely no connection with whatever song she is singing. And her singing style is quite conventional while her got-dressed-in-Cyndi-Lauper's-closet-without-the-lights-on look is incongruously out there. She's a poser and there really is nothing original about a girl who can stay in tune but cannot deliver a song properly. And to be quite blunt, she's kind of hard to look at. Yes, that's harsh, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she would just clean herself up a bit. Unfortunately, if Crystal doesn't snag the Idol win, it will be Siobhan.