I've had Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" stuck in my head for days. I was thinking this morning, when I turned off the radio on "Need You Now", that I'd much rather have Lady Gaga stuck in my head than Lady Antebellum...
Anyway, when I sing "Bad Romance", I discovered that I automatically was correcting some bad grammar. "I want your loving and I want your revenge, you and I could write a bad romance." Of course, that's not what Lady Gaga sings. She sings "You and me could write a bad romance." My mother (a former English teacher) wouldn't let me get away with that. "Would you say 'Me went to the store'?" she'd query me if I said something like "Jane and me went to the store." I learned.
But, for some reason, popular songs are full of the kind of grammar people wouldn't use in everyday speech. Why?
Years ago, when I was single again after over 20 years of marriage, I heard a song on the radio. "I don't wanna be no man's woman," Sinead O'Connor wailed. Hmm, I thought, neither do I. I'd much rather be some man's woman. Well, that wasn't what she meant at all. "I only wanna be my own woman," she sang later in the song. Well, if that's what she meant, why didn't she say so earlier?
Double negatives have been a part of popular music for generations, growing (as rock and roll did) out of the blues. I was looking for a suitable blues quote, and happened across Bessie Smith, "Downhearted Blues", recorded in 1923:
"I ain't never loved but three men in my life
No, I ain't never loved but three men in my life
'T'was my father, brother and the man who wrecked my life."
Does anybody say "ain't" any more? When I was a kid, we used to joke "'Ain't' ain't in the dictionary!" Back then it wasn't. Now it is. And for some reason, it shows up all the time in popular music. Take the chorus of Train's current hit song, "Hey, Soul Sister", for example:
"Hey soul sister, ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo, the way you move ain't fair, you know!"
I wonder if Patrick Monahan would use "ain't" in everyday speech. I'm willing to bet he wouldn't. And I like this guy; he wrote a song about somebody with my old-fashioned first name, Virginia, and made her sexy and desirable.
Anyway, I'm sure I could go on and on. But I won't.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
American Idol: The End
This will be the last season I blog American Idol. There is no reason to continue to watch the show. It's not a talent contest. The object is to find a commercial success, somebody squeaky-clean and marketable. And let's face it, as I frequently note, American Idol is marketed to the teens and tweeners, mostly girls. They would pick a handsome male who can barely carry a tune over a multitalented female every day.
Which is exactly what happened last night. Again. A repeat performance of last year, where the candidate who shone most brightly throughout the entire season ended up in second place. The only reason I can find for this is that Crystal, the dreadlocked, pierced, tattooed single mom, just wasn't as marketable as Lee, the short-haired reasonably well-groomed paint salesman whose first single will be a disaster unless they Auto-Tune it to death. Probably even then.
I am deeply disappointed in the show, in its voting audience, and in the judges for shamelessly pimping Lee. I can guarantee that I will buy Crystal's record when it comes out - and second-place candidates always seem to get recording contracts, too. Look at Clay Aiken. His records outsell Ruben Studdard's, I'm pretty sure. And Adam Lambert has a successful single right now. To be fair, I'm pretty sure Kris Allen does, too, but which one of them got to mentor this year's contestants?
Anyway, I'll continue to blog (not that it matters - nobody reads this anyway), but it won't be about American Idol.
Which is exactly what happened last night. Again. A repeat performance of last year, where the candidate who shone most brightly throughout the entire season ended up in second place. The only reason I can find for this is that Crystal, the dreadlocked, pierced, tattooed single mom, just wasn't as marketable as Lee, the short-haired reasonably well-groomed paint salesman whose first single will be a disaster unless they Auto-Tune it to death. Probably even then.
I am deeply disappointed in the show, in its voting audience, and in the judges for shamelessly pimping Lee. I can guarantee that I will buy Crystal's record when it comes out - and second-place candidates always seem to get recording contracts, too. Look at Clay Aiken. His records outsell Ruben Studdard's, I'm pretty sure. And Adam Lambert has a successful single right now. To be fair, I'm pretty sure Kris Allen does, too, but which one of them got to mentor this year's contestants?
Anyway, I'll continue to blog (not that it matters - nobody reads this anyway), but it won't be about American Idol.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
AI9: Finals
May is drawing to a close, and after a lackluster season, so is American Idol, Season 9. Simon Cowell judged his last contestants last night. I wonder if the show can go on without him. It won't be the same, that's for sure. After this season, that can only be an improvement - right?
Last night, one person clearly showed herself to be the winner. One person just showed up. And now it's not a question of talent - Crystal Bowersox clearly has the most talent of any contestant this season - it's a question of whose fan base voted the most often last night. If I sound a little downhearted, it's because I am. The results should be clear. But they aren't, and that's disappointing.
Each contestant sang three songs last night. One was their favorite song of the past season. One was chosen for them by the executive producer of the show, Simon Fuller. And the last one was the song the winner will release as their first single. I was fully expecting another composed-for-American-Idol song, and was hoping it would be closer to Season 7's "The Time of my Life" than to last season's clunker, "No Boundaries". I guess they learned their lesson last year, though; each contestant was allowed to cover an existing song. More on that later.
The contestants flipped a coin (a large one, with a picture of Crystal on one side and I assume Lee on the other) to see who would go first. Crystal won the toss, and she chose to go second. She's a smart woman, Crystal – wanted to be in the “pimp spot”.
Lee DeWyze chose “The Boxer” as his favorite of the songs he performed this season. Interesting – I read in the Boston Globe that Paul Simon (the song's composer) performed it at the Brandeis commencement, where he was getting an honorary degree. I figured today's audience was made aware of the song by Lee's performance of it earlier in the season. He did a very laid-back version, so slow that some of the passion of the song was gone. I noticed he left out the verse about the whores on Seventh Avenue... Anyway, it was a kind of lukewarm performance; he really should have given the song more energy and focus and a lot more emotion. Randy told him he needed to pick it up a little, get some more energy going. Ellen booed Randy (one gentle “boo”) and said to Lee “I couldn't be prouder if I'd birthed you myself.” She thought he did it better than he had the first time. Kara agreed with Randy, though. Simon said he would expect a lot more passion and excitement. “That was a kiss on the cheek when I want a kiss on the lips – not from you,” he added quickly.,“but you know what I'm saying. It's got to be a bit more than that.”
Crystal Bowersox sang “Me and Bobby McGee”, an excellent choice, since this was one of her best-received songs of the season. She started out with just her acoustic guitar. She had her microphone stand from home (with the glass lamp chimney on it). This song suits Crystal's style so well; it was definitely the performance choice of a winner. She sounded awesome. Randy thought it was “dope.” Ellen thought Crystal was so compelling on stage. Stunning. Kara loved it. “You have fire in your belly tonight. Go for it.” Simon said it brought him back to the time when they absolutely fell in love with her. “We've got a competition tonight. That was terrific.”
Round 1, in my opinion, goes to Crystal.
Round 2 was Simon Fuller's choices for the finalists. Lee DeWyze was given “Everybody Hurts” by REM. This should have been an excellent song choice for him; it would fit perfectly with Lee's strengths. Unfortunately, the large intervals at the beginning served to emphasize his pitch problems, and he never really recovered from that. Randy thought it was definitely better, although he commented about it being a little “pitchy” at the beginning. Ellen thought he went off a couple of times. She thought he really got into it a couple of times, but then he pulled back again. Kara said that what makes him great as a performer is that he was emotionally accessible. “It wasn't a perfect vocal, but I love that about you.” Simon thought it was a brilliant choice of song for him. He pointed out that Lee went off key at parts. Simon understands that Lee is nervous, but he has to give it all for his last performance because he's capable of it.
Crystal Bowersox was given “Black Velvet” by Alannah Miles. This is a bluesy, sexy song about Elvis, and Crystal executed it perfectly. She walked down the stairs (in heels! I couldn't have done it.) and leaned out to touch a few audience members' hands, all without missing a note. The way her voice dropped to a whisper when she sang "it happened so soon..." Wow. She blew me away. Randy said “MamaSox is in it to win it! That was hot!” Ellen thought it was fantastic. She gave her a standing O. Kara said tonight was the night for Crystal to excel, and that's what she did. Simon had problems with the song choice because so many people have “absolutely murdered it” in auditions, but “you took that song and you absolutely nailed it. I'm very impressed.”
Round 2 clearly goes to Crystal.
Now for round 3. Lee DeWyze performed the song he will release as a single if he wins. I was surprised to find out that it wasn't some agonizing ballad composed especially for American Idol; instead it was “Beautiful Day” by U2. Damn, I love this song, and I was a little afraid of what Lee might do to it. He didn't exactly murder it, but he didn't give U2 any serious competition, either. A few pitch problems, and his voice cracked a few times, but all in all he did the song justice. It was clear to me that he was more connected with this song than he had been to the first two. There were some lovely moments. Randy said it started weak, but by the middle it was the Lee that he loved. Ellen asked him how he felt. He said he felt good. She said he was fully present for this song. That's a positive change for Lee. Kara said he got swallowed up by the song. There were good moments and bad moments. But he deserved to be here. Simon said “This is what this competition was designed for.” - giving poor people (who just a few weeks ago were selling paint in a hardware store) a break. He's worked hard and remained a genuinely nice person throughout.
Crystal Bowersox performed the song she will release as a single if (when)she wins. “Up to the Mountain” by one of my favorites, Patty Griffin, her tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. It's a kind of folksy song, with a lot of soul, slow. Crystal sounded gorgeous. It was just her and her guitar (and the back-up singers). Just beautiful. Very moving. There were a few moments when Crystal appeared to be near tears. Her heart poured out of her with every note. Randy said “Culminating our 9th season on this show...This is what this show is about, an amazing song by an amazing singer. And I”m telling you what, I'm so proud of you, man. This is one of the greatest performances and one of your best moments at the perfect time on this show. That was incredible. Incredible.” Ellen said that she couldn't compare her to any contemporary artist. “You are in a league of your own...You have a beautiful voice...so clear and it just pulls you in, and if you're making an album I'm going to buy it, if you go on tour, I go on tour and watch you, if you're making a salad, I'll eat it...” Kara said “This was a very important song for you tonight.” She was completely emotionally invested in that song. “Amazing.” Crystal thanked Simon before he spoke. When he finally got his chance, he said “I thought that was by far the best performance and the song of the night.” His final critique: “That was outstanding.”
Round 3 goes to Crystal.
I managed to get in ten votes (at least) for Crystal. So did my son. But our twenty or so will be a drop in the bucket of the at least 60 million votes that are sure to have been cast last night. I can only hope that her clearly superior talent manages to pull in all the people who haven't voted yet this season. Tonight is my handbell night, and while I'll tape the show, I probably won't be able to sit through the entire thing before I find out what happened. I just remember two years ago, the War of the Davids, when I was watching the tape after my handbell rehearsal and when Ryan Seacrest finally announced the winner, it went like this:
"Ladies and gentlemen...David and David...the winner...by twelve million votes...of American Idol...2008...is...David..."
And the TiVo cut out.
It was priceless. Fortunately, I found out who really won within seconds by searching for somebody's live blog.
Tonight, I want to see Crystal Bowersox crowned the next American Idol. She's my American Idol in any case. Good luck, Crystal!
Last night, one person clearly showed herself to be the winner. One person just showed up. And now it's not a question of talent - Crystal Bowersox clearly has the most talent of any contestant this season - it's a question of whose fan base voted the most often last night. If I sound a little downhearted, it's because I am. The results should be clear. But they aren't, and that's disappointing.
Each contestant sang three songs last night. One was their favorite song of the past season. One was chosen for them by the executive producer of the show, Simon Fuller. And the last one was the song the winner will release as their first single. I was fully expecting another composed-for-American-Idol song, and was hoping it would be closer to Season 7's "The Time of my Life" than to last season's clunker, "No Boundaries". I guess they learned their lesson last year, though; each contestant was allowed to cover an existing song. More on that later.
The contestants flipped a coin (a large one, with a picture of Crystal on one side and I assume Lee on the other) to see who would go first. Crystal won the toss, and she chose to go second. She's a smart woman, Crystal – wanted to be in the “pimp spot”.
Lee DeWyze chose “The Boxer” as his favorite of the songs he performed this season. Interesting – I read in the Boston Globe that Paul Simon (the song's composer) performed it at the Brandeis commencement, where he was getting an honorary degree. I figured today's audience was made aware of the song by Lee's performance of it earlier in the season. He did a very laid-back version, so slow that some of the passion of the song was gone. I noticed he left out the verse about the whores on Seventh Avenue... Anyway, it was a kind of lukewarm performance; he really should have given the song more energy and focus and a lot more emotion. Randy told him he needed to pick it up a little, get some more energy going. Ellen booed Randy (one gentle “boo”) and said to Lee “I couldn't be prouder if I'd birthed you myself.” She thought he did it better than he had the first time. Kara agreed with Randy, though. Simon said he would expect a lot more passion and excitement. “That was a kiss on the cheek when I want a kiss on the lips – not from you,” he added quickly.,“but you know what I'm saying. It's got to be a bit more than that.”
Crystal Bowersox sang “Me and Bobby McGee”, an excellent choice, since this was one of her best-received songs of the season. She started out with just her acoustic guitar. She had her microphone stand from home (with the glass lamp chimney on it). This song suits Crystal's style so well; it was definitely the performance choice of a winner. She sounded awesome. Randy thought it was “dope.” Ellen thought Crystal was so compelling on stage. Stunning. Kara loved it. “You have fire in your belly tonight. Go for it.” Simon said it brought him back to the time when they absolutely fell in love with her. “We've got a competition tonight. That was terrific.”
Round 1, in my opinion, goes to Crystal.
Round 2 was Simon Fuller's choices for the finalists. Lee DeWyze was given “Everybody Hurts” by REM. This should have been an excellent song choice for him; it would fit perfectly with Lee's strengths. Unfortunately, the large intervals at the beginning served to emphasize his pitch problems, and he never really recovered from that. Randy thought it was definitely better, although he commented about it being a little “pitchy” at the beginning. Ellen thought he went off a couple of times. She thought he really got into it a couple of times, but then he pulled back again. Kara said that what makes him great as a performer is that he was emotionally accessible. “It wasn't a perfect vocal, but I love that about you.” Simon thought it was a brilliant choice of song for him. He pointed out that Lee went off key at parts. Simon understands that Lee is nervous, but he has to give it all for his last performance because he's capable of it.
Crystal Bowersox was given “Black Velvet” by Alannah Miles. This is a bluesy, sexy song about Elvis, and Crystal executed it perfectly. She walked down the stairs (in heels! I couldn't have done it.) and leaned out to touch a few audience members' hands, all without missing a note. The way her voice dropped to a whisper when she sang "it happened so soon..." Wow. She blew me away. Randy said “MamaSox is in it to win it! That was hot!” Ellen thought it was fantastic. She gave her a standing O. Kara said tonight was the night for Crystal to excel, and that's what she did. Simon had problems with the song choice because so many people have “absolutely murdered it” in auditions, but “you took that song and you absolutely nailed it. I'm very impressed.”
Round 2 clearly goes to Crystal.
Now for round 3. Lee DeWyze performed the song he will release as a single if he wins. I was surprised to find out that it wasn't some agonizing ballad composed especially for American Idol; instead it was “Beautiful Day” by U2. Damn, I love this song, and I was a little afraid of what Lee might do to it. He didn't exactly murder it, but he didn't give U2 any serious competition, either. A few pitch problems, and his voice cracked a few times, but all in all he did the song justice. It was clear to me that he was more connected with this song than he had been to the first two. There were some lovely moments. Randy said it started weak, but by the middle it was the Lee that he loved. Ellen asked him how he felt. He said he felt good. She said he was fully present for this song. That's a positive change for Lee. Kara said he got swallowed up by the song. There were good moments and bad moments. But he deserved to be here. Simon said “This is what this competition was designed for.” - giving poor people (who just a few weeks ago were selling paint in a hardware store) a break. He's worked hard and remained a genuinely nice person throughout.
Crystal Bowersox performed the song she will release as a single if (when)she wins. “Up to the Mountain” by one of my favorites, Patty Griffin, her tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. It's a kind of folksy song, with a lot of soul, slow. Crystal sounded gorgeous. It was just her and her guitar (and the back-up singers). Just beautiful. Very moving. There were a few moments when Crystal appeared to be near tears. Her heart poured out of her with every note. Randy said “Culminating our 9th season on this show...This is what this show is about, an amazing song by an amazing singer. And I”m telling you what, I'm so proud of you, man. This is one of the greatest performances and one of your best moments at the perfect time on this show. That was incredible. Incredible.” Ellen said that she couldn't compare her to any contemporary artist. “You are in a league of your own...You have a beautiful voice...so clear and it just pulls you in, and if you're making an album I'm going to buy it, if you go on tour, I go on tour and watch you, if you're making a salad, I'll eat it...” Kara said “This was a very important song for you tonight.” She was completely emotionally invested in that song. “Amazing.” Crystal thanked Simon before he spoke. When he finally got his chance, he said “I thought that was by far the best performance and the song of the night.” His final critique: “That was outstanding.”
Round 3 goes to Crystal.
I managed to get in ten votes (at least) for Crystal. So did my son. But our twenty or so will be a drop in the bucket of the at least 60 million votes that are sure to have been cast last night. I can only hope that her clearly superior talent manages to pull in all the people who haven't voted yet this season. Tonight is my handbell night, and while I'll tape the show, I probably won't be able to sit through the entire thing before I find out what happened. I just remember two years ago, the War of the Davids, when I was watching the tape after my handbell rehearsal and when Ryan Seacrest finally announced the winner, it went like this:
"Ladies and gentlemen...David and David...the winner...by twelve million votes...of American Idol...2008...is...David..."
And the TiVo cut out.
It was priceless. Fortunately, I found out who really won within seconds by searching for somebody's live blog.
Tonight, I want to see Crystal Bowersox crowned the next American Idol. She's my American Idol in any case. Good luck, Crystal!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
AI9: Too Nervous to Watch
I taped the American Idol results show last night, as I do every Wednesday. I'm usually out at a handbell choir rehearsal, but it was canceled last night and I was home, so I tuned in - and knew immediately that I couldn't stand the tension of waiting until the very end to find out if insanity would prevail and my favorite - MY next American Idol, Crystal Bowersox - would somehow not make it through. So we watched something else until after 10. Then I fast-forwarded through the show and saw Casey James sitting on the stage singing "Daughters", clutching a little girl who looked enough like him to be his daughter. (Maybe she was, but I was guessing she was more apt to be his niece.)
So my favorite, Crystal Bowersox, goes to the finals with the judges' favorite, Lee DeWyze, or David Cook Lite, as I think of him. I'm so relieved that Crystal's still here; I just got a little sick of the judges' pimping of Lee this week. Crystal will have to be on her A game next week to carry through, if they continue to stack the deck against her.
So my favorite, Crystal Bowersox, goes to the finals with the judges' favorite, Lee DeWyze, or David Cook Lite, as I think of him. I'm so relieved that Crystal's still here; I just got a little sick of the judges' pimping of Lee this week. Crystal will have to be on her A game next week to carry through, if they continue to stack the deck against her.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
AI9: Top 3 Perform
Last night on American Idol, each of the three remaining singers performed two songs: one of their own choice, and one that the judges chose for them. It was a disappointing evening overall. For one thing, there's a subtle difference between choosing a song you enjoy performing and choosing a song that will show you off as a clear front-runner. All of the candidates chose songs they enjoyed performing, which weakened this round considerably.
I'm not sure who set up the performing order, but it served as an indicator of what the judges expect the end results to be. Casey James performed first, which indicated to me that they expect him to wind up in third place. He chose "OK, It's Alright with Me" by Eric Hutchinson, a song that was unfamiliar to most of the audience, including me. I'd never even heard of Eric Hutchinson, which is a trifle embarrassing because it turns out he went to Emerson College here in Boston and got his start here. Okay, I don't follow the local music scene very closely. Anyway, not only was this song unfamiliar, it was lightweight, and it didn't show off Casey's weak voice particularly well. It had a kind of bluesy feel, and I can see why he likes it, but he wasn't always on key (something which drives me nuts - I don't know why the judges don't criticize him about it any more), and the performance never caught fire. Randy said “Listen, the funny thing about that lyric is that song was kind of just all right with me, too.” He wanted to hear more from Casey, something different, unique, interesting. He shouldn't have done such a safe, easy song at this point. Ellen babbled for awhile, but finally said she wished he'd really brought it. Kara thought he should have picked a more familiar song. Simon said it was the most important night of his life, and he compared the first song to the salad; it will leave no lasting effect on the audience. A “dud” song choice, Simon said, but he sounded good. Off-key is "good" these days?!
Crystal Bowersox performed next, which indicated to me that the judges expect her to finish second. She chose Melissa Etheridge's "Come to my Window" - one of my favorite songs, and the one I always thought I'd perform if I got to audition for American Idol (you know, when they do the Senior version, where all their contestants are at least 55...). I was expecting to be blown away by her performance. It was a perfect song choice for her, one that ought to have shown off all her best qualities. But I was disappointed. She started out with a brief harmonica and acoustic guitar introduction, then sang half the first verse and headed for the "just to reach you" part. I know they have to shorten these songs for the live performances, but the jump was disconcerting to me. I kept waiting for Crystal to come to life, to pour her heart and soul into the lyrics and let it all out. I don't know if it was the harmonica rig dangling in front of her mouth or what, but her voice didn't sound quite as full and resonant as it usually does. I still want Crystal to win, and the performance she gave wasn't the performance I know she could have given.
The judges weren't blown away by it, either. Randy "didn't love" the arrangement, but what he did like was Crystal's vocal on it. It all worked in the end. Ellen thought it was a great song choice. Kara agreed that Crystal was a little lost in the arrangement; acoustically, it would have been a little stronger. Simon agreed; this wasn't the most stunning version of the song. Simon liked that she still hasn't compromised herself as an artist. A very honest performance, and she probably made the right choice. “Congratulations.”
Performing third was the judges' front-runner, Lee DeWyze. He chose "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and he accompanied himself on acoustic guitar. He did very well, too, which bothers me, because I still want Crystal to win. The song suited his voice and style. It still wasn't as great as it could have been, but clearly the best of the first three. Randy said it was a brilliant song choice; he sounded amazing, and he's feeling he could win it. He's ready. Ellen said he took this seriously. Kara said that what he did tonight was what every contestant needs to do. “In my opinion, Round 1 goes to Lee.” (she's right, too, as much as I hate to admit it.) Simon asked him why he chose it. Lee said when he plays it, he's really happy to be playing it. “When I have a song I can get into like that, it's totally different than me picking a song that I couldn't.” He could have picked a more current song, but he wouldn't have connected to it the way he did to that song. Simon thought his song choice was "absolutely on the money."
Now for the judges' choices. I'm not sure how they picked which judge chose for which contestant, but I doubt it's a coincidence that Simon picked for Lee DeWyze...
Anyway, first up was Casey James, and Kara and Randy chose John Mayer's "Daughters" for him. This is a slow, tender ballad ("Fathers, be good to your daughters..."), and was clearly chosen to make Casey show off his vulnerability. They bathed him in magenta light while he sang it. I didn't think he sounded all that good. The slow and tender vibe was good for him, but his pitch control wavered so badly that it put me off. He had a guitar solo, which was good. Randy thought the song choice fit him like a glove. Ellen liked it, too. Kara thought it showed the more artistic side of him, where he's vulnerable. She thought he did a good job. Simon thought it was a better song choice than the first one. It was a bit of a lazy arrangement, though. He held Randy and Kara responsible for not giving him a bigger vocal moment. Simon didn't think the song had the “Wow” factor. He's got a point.
Ellen chose the song for Crystal Bowersox. I'm uncomfortable with the fact that the least musical of the judges got to choose for my favorite singer in the competition. But her song choice, "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney, worked out brilliantly. Crystal blew it away; she sang from the heart, she sang with all her voice. She went from passionate screaming to gentle sighs; it was amazing. Randy said “Great song, great vocals, and we've got somebody else in it to win it!” Ellen (whose eyes appeared damp) said “I couldn't have asked for more.” Kara thought she showed parts of her voice we hadn't heard until tonight. Crystal didn't use an instrument, which Kara thought was a choice that paid off. Simon thought she proved she had soul. She worked outside of her comfort zone, and she might be thanking Ellen next week for putting her in the final.
I winced when I found out Simon had chosen Leonard Cohen's overdone "Hallelujah" for Lee DeWyze. Didn't Jason Castro give this song its Idol moment a couple of years ago? But Lee rose to the occasion, and gave quite a good performance. It started out with just his acoustic guitar for accompaniment, but by the end, there was a brass band and a gospel choir, so it had turned into quite a production. Randy said he's been waiting all season for this. His biggest moment on this show. Lee has tears in his eyes. Ellen thought it was stunning. Kara said he's what this show is all about. He owned the entire night. Simon said he was very proud of Lee.
What burns me the most about last night's performances is that Lee DeWyze was put into the position of front-runner, one that still belongs to Crystal Bowersox as far as I'm concerned. Lee is David Cook/Chris Daughtry Lite. It's been done before. Crystal is like no other Idol winner so far. She's warmer, bluesier, and her voice is unique. She deserves to win. Lee has made a strong showing, but he shouldn't dislodge Crystal from the top.
Casey James should be eliminated tonight, and next week, we should be seeing Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze going head to head. Not the ending I had envisioned. This has been a disappointing season overall; a win from Crystal could save it.
I'm not sure who set up the performing order, but it served as an indicator of what the judges expect the end results to be. Casey James performed first, which indicated to me that they expect him to wind up in third place. He chose "OK, It's Alright with Me" by Eric Hutchinson, a song that was unfamiliar to most of the audience, including me. I'd never even heard of Eric Hutchinson, which is a trifle embarrassing because it turns out he went to Emerson College here in Boston and got his start here. Okay, I don't follow the local music scene very closely. Anyway, not only was this song unfamiliar, it was lightweight, and it didn't show off Casey's weak voice particularly well. It had a kind of bluesy feel, and I can see why he likes it, but he wasn't always on key (something which drives me nuts - I don't know why the judges don't criticize him about it any more), and the performance never caught fire. Randy said “Listen, the funny thing about that lyric is that song was kind of just all right with me, too.” He wanted to hear more from Casey, something different, unique, interesting. He shouldn't have done such a safe, easy song at this point. Ellen babbled for awhile, but finally said she wished he'd really brought it. Kara thought he should have picked a more familiar song. Simon said it was the most important night of his life, and he compared the first song to the salad; it will leave no lasting effect on the audience. A “dud” song choice, Simon said, but he sounded good. Off-key is "good" these days?!
Crystal Bowersox performed next, which indicated to me that the judges expect her to finish second. She chose Melissa Etheridge's "Come to my Window" - one of my favorite songs, and the one I always thought I'd perform if I got to audition for American Idol (you know, when they do the Senior version, where all their contestants are at least 55...). I was expecting to be blown away by her performance. It was a perfect song choice for her, one that ought to have shown off all her best qualities. But I was disappointed. She started out with a brief harmonica and acoustic guitar introduction, then sang half the first verse and headed for the "just to reach you" part. I know they have to shorten these songs for the live performances, but the jump was disconcerting to me. I kept waiting for Crystal to come to life, to pour her heart and soul into the lyrics and let it all out. I don't know if it was the harmonica rig dangling in front of her mouth or what, but her voice didn't sound quite as full and resonant as it usually does. I still want Crystal to win, and the performance she gave wasn't the performance I know she could have given.
The judges weren't blown away by it, either. Randy "didn't love" the arrangement, but what he did like was Crystal's vocal on it. It all worked in the end. Ellen thought it was a great song choice. Kara agreed that Crystal was a little lost in the arrangement; acoustically, it would have been a little stronger. Simon agreed; this wasn't the most stunning version of the song. Simon liked that she still hasn't compromised herself as an artist. A very honest performance, and she probably made the right choice. “Congratulations.”
Performing third was the judges' front-runner, Lee DeWyze. He chose "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and he accompanied himself on acoustic guitar. He did very well, too, which bothers me, because I still want Crystal to win. The song suited his voice and style. It still wasn't as great as it could have been, but clearly the best of the first three. Randy said it was a brilliant song choice; he sounded amazing, and he's feeling he could win it. He's ready. Ellen said he took this seriously. Kara said that what he did tonight was what every contestant needs to do. “In my opinion, Round 1 goes to Lee.” (she's right, too, as much as I hate to admit it.) Simon asked him why he chose it. Lee said when he plays it, he's really happy to be playing it. “When I have a song I can get into like that, it's totally different than me picking a song that I couldn't.” He could have picked a more current song, but he wouldn't have connected to it the way he did to that song. Simon thought his song choice was "absolutely on the money."
Now for the judges' choices. I'm not sure how they picked which judge chose for which contestant, but I doubt it's a coincidence that Simon picked for Lee DeWyze...
Anyway, first up was Casey James, and Kara and Randy chose John Mayer's "Daughters" for him. This is a slow, tender ballad ("Fathers, be good to your daughters..."), and was clearly chosen to make Casey show off his vulnerability. They bathed him in magenta light while he sang it. I didn't think he sounded all that good. The slow and tender vibe was good for him, but his pitch control wavered so badly that it put me off. He had a guitar solo, which was good. Randy thought the song choice fit him like a glove. Ellen liked it, too. Kara thought it showed the more artistic side of him, where he's vulnerable. She thought he did a good job. Simon thought it was a better song choice than the first one. It was a bit of a lazy arrangement, though. He held Randy and Kara responsible for not giving him a bigger vocal moment. Simon didn't think the song had the “Wow” factor. He's got a point.
Ellen chose the song for Crystal Bowersox. I'm uncomfortable with the fact that the least musical of the judges got to choose for my favorite singer in the competition. But her song choice, "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney, worked out brilliantly. Crystal blew it away; she sang from the heart, she sang with all her voice. She went from passionate screaming to gentle sighs; it was amazing. Randy said “Great song, great vocals, and we've got somebody else in it to win it!” Ellen (whose eyes appeared damp) said “I couldn't have asked for more.” Kara thought she showed parts of her voice we hadn't heard until tonight. Crystal didn't use an instrument, which Kara thought was a choice that paid off. Simon thought she proved she had soul. She worked outside of her comfort zone, and she might be thanking Ellen next week for putting her in the final.
I winced when I found out Simon had chosen Leonard Cohen's overdone "Hallelujah" for Lee DeWyze. Didn't Jason Castro give this song its Idol moment a couple of years ago? But Lee rose to the occasion, and gave quite a good performance. It started out with just his acoustic guitar for accompaniment, but by the end, there was a brass band and a gospel choir, so it had turned into quite a production. Randy said he's been waiting all season for this. His biggest moment on this show. Lee has tears in his eyes. Ellen thought it was stunning. Kara said he's what this show is all about. He owned the entire night. Simon said he was very proud of Lee.
What burns me the most about last night's performances is that Lee DeWyze was put into the position of front-runner, one that still belongs to Crystal Bowersox as far as I'm concerned. Lee is David Cook/Chris Daughtry Lite. It's been done before. Crystal is like no other Idol winner so far. She's warmer, bluesier, and her voice is unique. She deserves to win. Lee has made a strong showing, but he shouldn't dislodge Crystal from the top.
Casey James should be eliminated tonight, and next week, we should be seeing Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze going head to head. Not the ending I had envisioned. This has been a disappointing season overall; a win from Crystal could save it.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
AI9: Bye Bye, Big Mike
Yeah, I'm disappointed. First of all, look at the top three American Idol contestants ("artists"?!). Two of them have trouble carrying a tune. Is that pathetic or what?
Second of all, Michael Lynche has the voice and the charisma and the stage presence to be a star. I'm glad they had fourth-place-finisher Chris Daughtry on last night, to show Big Mike how far somebody can go after being axed by American Idol.
So we go to the finals with a very cute and talented guitarist who can sort of sing (that'd be Casey James), a deer-in-the-headlights on stage, gruff-voiced paint salesman who hasn't sung through a song yet without flatting at least one note (that'd be Lee DeWyze), and one genuine American Idol contender (that'd be Crystal Bowersox). Say it with me, now! BOW-ER-SOX! BOW-ER-SOX!
Second of all, Michael Lynche has the voice and the charisma and the stage presence to be a star. I'm glad they had fourth-place-finisher Chris Daughtry on last night, to show Big Mike how far somebody can go after being axed by American Idol.
So we go to the finals with a very cute and talented guitarist who can sort of sing (that'd be Casey James), a deer-in-the-headlights on stage, gruff-voiced paint salesman who hasn't sung through a song yet without flatting at least one note (that'd be Lee DeWyze), and one genuine American Idol contender (that'd be Crystal Bowersox). Say it with me, now! BOW-ER-SOX! BOW-ER-SOX!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
AI9: Top 4 Perform
It was Movie Night last night on American Idol. Jamie Foxx mentored the singers. Last year he was the mentor on Rat Pack Standards Night, which was the equivalent of last week's Sinatra Night but not limited to Sinatra. No matter. Jamie Foxx is a great mentor for Movie Week, since he has an Oscar for playing Ray Charles (giving him movie cred) and several Grammy awards. Of course, when I think of him musically now, I think of that Auto-Tuned piece he did with T-Pain on the Grammy Awards this year, "Blame It". To me, Auto-Tune is for people who can't actually carry a tune. Taylor Swift could have benefited from it on the same Grammy show...
But I digress. Jamie Foxx had brought along two T-shirts: one said CONTESTANT and the other said ARTIST. I didn't write down exactly what he said, but it was along the lines of a CONTESTANT merely being carried along week to week, not really striving, while an ARTIST was more focused on the music and how they were performing. The goal was to be an ARTIST. (Kara has kind of sucked the life out of this word throughout her tenure on AI.)
There was a list of 34 movie-related songs on iTunes (you can find it here), but the contestants/artists were allowed to choose others if they wanted. Most of them stuck to the List.
Lee DeWyze performed Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" (from Batman Forever, 1994). This is a difficult piece of music; there are large interval jumps and modulations, and I wasn't sure if Lee could handle it. His pitch control has been an ongoing problem. I remember Chris Sligh doing it as an audition piece during Season 6. Chris had a lot of personality issues, but he was a good singer, and he pulled it off. If anybody else has done this on American Idol, Wikipedia doesn't mention it.
Lee did better than I thought he would, though. In his mentoring session, Jamie gave him the ARTIST T-shirt. Lee stayed fairly close to the correct pitch, and I enjoyed listening to it. He was enthusiastic and focused, and I thought the judges would be praising him to the skies. They didn't. Randy thought Lee did nothing with the song. It was okay, "pitchy" in spots. He thought Lee should have chosen a rock song. Ellen thought he could have done more with it, but she loved it. Kara commented on how difficult the song is; she thought he got lost a little and was out of tune in spots, but he was still great. Simon thought Lee could have found a song and made it original for him. It was verging on karaoke, trying too hard to sound like the original. In Simon's opinion, Lee should have gotten the CONTESTANT T-shirt.
Michael Lynche deviated from the List; he sang a Michael Jackson song, "Will You Be There" (from Free Willy, 1991). After their mentoring session, Jamie offered him the CONTESTANT T-shirt because he forgot the lyrics. Michael refused to take it, saying he'd be back for the ARTIST one later. The song has a gospel feel to it, and Big Mike was backed up by a small gospel choir. I liked it, although I wasn't blown away by it. It suited his style, and gospel-style music always has a feel-good aspect to it. Randy thought Michael should have chosen something R&B instead of this gospely song. Ellen liked the gospel choir behind him, but she thought it was a little bit predictable. Kara wanted goosebumps, but she didn't feel that from him. She thought he played it safe. Simon had trouble relating it to a whale called Willy. Simon made a willy joke; why am I note surprised? He said that Michael gave it 100%, and he (Simon) felt like he (Big Mike) meant it.
The crowning glory of the evening was the next performance, a duet between Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox. They did "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová from their 2007 movie Once; the song won an Oscar in 2008. This was a welcome deviation from the List. They started out with their acoustic guitars as the only accompaniment. I remember the original song as being kind of delicate and wispy. Crystal and Lee put a lot more heart and excitement into it. They worked well together, and I think Crystal helped keep Lee on key. I loved this performance and will be downloading it. Randy loved it. “It could be a hit right now.” Ellen said they were like the new Captain and Tennille. Kara said it was one of her favorite moments of the entire season. She liked the interaction; they brought out the best in each other. Simon called it a fantastic song.
Afterwards, when they were talking with Ryan, Crystal said that Lee is her musical crush. She told Lee that in Chicago when they were both auditioning. She was sitting next to him.
It was a long way down to the next performance, Casey James doing "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon and Garfunkel (from The Graduate, 1967). I find this song irritating because of the rhyming syllables used in the verses: "And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson/Jesus loves you more than you will know/Whoa, whoa, whoa." And so on. Jamie gave Casey an ARTIST T-shirt after the mentoring session, I'm not sure why, but I think it was because they're both from Texas. Casey chose to accompany himself on the mandolin, and he slowed it down. They had him performing down in the Swaybot Pit. He sounded okay - no goat bleats, usually on key. It's just not much of a song. Randy pointedly asked him why he chose that song. Casey kind of laughed and said “A lot of things,” at which point everybody looked at Kara. Older woman, younger man. Oh, yeah. Ellen commented that she wished they'd have given him a big-boy guitar. (Somebody said "That's what a regular guitar looks like on Mike.") She liked it, and she's turning the commentary over to Mrs. Robinson. Er, Kara. A flustered Kara thought it was a good choice. (Of course she would.) Simon didn't think the song or performance had the substance required on this important night for Casey. He thought it was a little bit lazy, and he could have made more of an impact. Strange song choice.
Crystal Bowersox decided to do "I'm Alright" by Kenny Loggins (from Caddyshack, 1980). I saw the movie once and I don't remember the song at all, so I have no idea if she changed it up. Of course Jamie gave her an ARTIST T-shirt. She sounded good, of course. Randy thinks she's definitely an artist, and she tried to switch it up and make it interesting and fit her. Ellen said the performance just got Crystallized. She took that song and made it better. Kara agreed with Ellen and Randy. Simon thought after that performance she's back in the game. In my opinion she was never out of it.
The last performance was a duet from Casey James and Michael Lynche. Now what movie duets are available for two men? Yeah, I couldn't think of any, either. They did Bryan Adams' "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" (from Don Juan DeMarco, 1995). (Aside: the aforementioned Chris Sligh did this one during Hollywood Week back in Season 6.) Casey started with a Spanish riff on the guitar, then he took the first verse. When Big Mike came in, the song quality improved immensely. I couldn't feel any connection between the two guys; they were just two random performers sharing a stage. When they harmonized, Casey took the higher notes, and he was a little flat. Once again, Casey's guitar playing was better than his singing. Randy loved Casey's guitar work, and he thought the duet was really good.. Ellen said, “Well, as a matter of fact, yes, I have loved a woman.” Everybody cracked up. That was her entire commentary. Kara thought the duets were incredible, better than all of the solo performances. Simon said “Really good. Well done.” They were running out of time by then, so the commentary was short, but I was left wondering if they'd heard the same performance I had.
Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze are safe. That duet alone should give them enough pull to get through to the Top 3. I give the third-place position (as I have since the beginning of the season) to Big Mike Lynche. Casey James should be going home tonight. It's going to be all about the fan base again this week, though. My son and I voted for Crystal and Big Mike again.
But I digress. Jamie Foxx had brought along two T-shirts: one said CONTESTANT and the other said ARTIST. I didn't write down exactly what he said, but it was along the lines of a CONTESTANT merely being carried along week to week, not really striving, while an ARTIST was more focused on the music and how they were performing. The goal was to be an ARTIST. (Kara has kind of sucked the life out of this word throughout her tenure on AI.)
There was a list of 34 movie-related songs on iTunes (you can find it here), but the contestants/artists were allowed to choose others if they wanted. Most of them stuck to the List.
Lee DeWyze performed Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" (from Batman Forever, 1994). This is a difficult piece of music; there are large interval jumps and modulations, and I wasn't sure if Lee could handle it. His pitch control has been an ongoing problem. I remember Chris Sligh doing it as an audition piece during Season 6. Chris had a lot of personality issues, but he was a good singer, and he pulled it off. If anybody else has done this on American Idol, Wikipedia doesn't mention it.
Lee did better than I thought he would, though. In his mentoring session, Jamie gave him the ARTIST T-shirt. Lee stayed fairly close to the correct pitch, and I enjoyed listening to it. He was enthusiastic and focused, and I thought the judges would be praising him to the skies. They didn't. Randy thought Lee did nothing with the song. It was okay, "pitchy" in spots. He thought Lee should have chosen a rock song. Ellen thought he could have done more with it, but she loved it. Kara commented on how difficult the song is; she thought he got lost a little and was out of tune in spots, but he was still great. Simon thought Lee could have found a song and made it original for him. It was verging on karaoke, trying too hard to sound like the original. In Simon's opinion, Lee should have gotten the CONTESTANT T-shirt.
Michael Lynche deviated from the List; he sang a Michael Jackson song, "Will You Be There" (from Free Willy, 1991). After their mentoring session, Jamie offered him the CONTESTANT T-shirt because he forgot the lyrics. Michael refused to take it, saying he'd be back for the ARTIST one later. The song has a gospel feel to it, and Big Mike was backed up by a small gospel choir. I liked it, although I wasn't blown away by it. It suited his style, and gospel-style music always has a feel-good aspect to it. Randy thought Michael should have chosen something R&B instead of this gospely song. Ellen liked the gospel choir behind him, but she thought it was a little bit predictable. Kara wanted goosebumps, but she didn't feel that from him. She thought he played it safe. Simon had trouble relating it to a whale called Willy. Simon made a willy joke; why am I note surprised? He said that Michael gave it 100%, and he (Simon) felt like he (Big Mike) meant it.
The crowning glory of the evening was the next performance, a duet between Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox. They did "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová from their 2007 movie Once; the song won an Oscar in 2008. This was a welcome deviation from the List. They started out with their acoustic guitars as the only accompaniment. I remember the original song as being kind of delicate and wispy. Crystal and Lee put a lot more heart and excitement into it. They worked well together, and I think Crystal helped keep Lee on key. I loved this performance and will be downloading it. Randy loved it. “It could be a hit right now.” Ellen said they were like the new Captain and Tennille. Kara said it was one of her favorite moments of the entire season. She liked the interaction; they brought out the best in each other. Simon called it a fantastic song.
Afterwards, when they were talking with Ryan, Crystal said that Lee is her musical crush. She told Lee that in Chicago when they were both auditioning. She was sitting next to him.
It was a long way down to the next performance, Casey James doing "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon and Garfunkel (from The Graduate, 1967). I find this song irritating because of the rhyming syllables used in the verses: "And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson/Jesus loves you more than you will know/Whoa, whoa, whoa." And so on. Jamie gave Casey an ARTIST T-shirt after the mentoring session, I'm not sure why, but I think it was because they're both from Texas. Casey chose to accompany himself on the mandolin, and he slowed it down. They had him performing down in the Swaybot Pit. He sounded okay - no goat bleats, usually on key. It's just not much of a song. Randy pointedly asked him why he chose that song. Casey kind of laughed and said “A lot of things,” at which point everybody looked at Kara. Older woman, younger man. Oh, yeah. Ellen commented that she wished they'd have given him a big-boy guitar. (Somebody said "That's what a regular guitar looks like on Mike.") She liked it, and she's turning the commentary over to Mrs. Robinson. Er, Kara. A flustered Kara thought it was a good choice. (Of course she would.) Simon didn't think the song or performance had the substance required on this important night for Casey. He thought it was a little bit lazy, and he could have made more of an impact. Strange song choice.
Crystal Bowersox decided to do "I'm Alright" by Kenny Loggins (from Caddyshack, 1980). I saw the movie once and I don't remember the song at all, so I have no idea if she changed it up. Of course Jamie gave her an ARTIST T-shirt. She sounded good, of course. Randy thinks she's definitely an artist, and she tried to switch it up and make it interesting and fit her. Ellen said the performance just got Crystallized. She took that song and made it better. Kara agreed with Ellen and Randy. Simon thought after that performance she's back in the game. In my opinion she was never out of it.
The last performance was a duet from Casey James and Michael Lynche. Now what movie duets are available for two men? Yeah, I couldn't think of any, either. They did Bryan Adams' "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" (from Don Juan DeMarco, 1995). (Aside: the aforementioned Chris Sligh did this one during Hollywood Week back in Season 6.) Casey started with a Spanish riff on the guitar, then he took the first verse. When Big Mike came in, the song quality improved immensely. I couldn't feel any connection between the two guys; they were just two random performers sharing a stage. When they harmonized, Casey took the higher notes, and he was a little flat. Once again, Casey's guitar playing was better than his singing. Randy loved Casey's guitar work, and he thought the duet was really good.. Ellen said, “Well, as a matter of fact, yes, I have loved a woman.” Everybody cracked up. That was her entire commentary. Kara thought the duets were incredible, better than all of the solo performances. Simon said “Really good. Well done.” They were running out of time by then, so the commentary was short, but I was left wondering if they'd heard the same performance I had.
Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze are safe. That duet alone should give them enough pull to get through to the Top 3. I give the third-place position (as I have since the beginning of the season) to Big Mike Lynche. Casey James should be going home tonight. It's going to be all about the fan base again this week, though. My son and I voted for Crystal and Big Mike again.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
AI9: It's all about the fan base
Not a talent show...it's just a popularity contest. That being said, American Idol voters FINALLY eliminated Aaron Kelly, who I felt should have gone last week at the very latest. Singers like Aaron stump me; why didn't he wait a few more years to audition, until he was more seasoned and mature? He could have walked away with the whole thing.
It also intrigues me that there were more audience members shrieking for Casey James (who should have bleated his way home last night, baa, baa, baa...) than there were screaming for Aaron. Casey appeals to us cougars (smirk), so we "older" women must have had a greater presence in the audience - and in the voting public - than teenyboppers. In any case, he wasn't apparently in the Bottom 2, although who knows? Ryan could have been manipulating us again. He put Michael Lynche in the Bottom 2 with Aaron.
Crystal Bowersox obviously still has a huge fan base, including me. I want her to win, not Lee DeWyze, who is off-key so often. (Harry Connick, Jr., criticized Randy's use of the non-word "pitchy". He used words like "sharp" and "flat" where I settle for the more general "off-key".)
Lady Gaga was fun to watch last night. Watching her is a kind of guilty pleasure for me. I think she's very talented, and I wish she'd come out from under those veils and elaborate costumes once in awhile. Not all the time - I love her costumes.
I cracked up when the Top 5 did a medley of Sinatra songs starting out with 17-year-old Aaron Kelly singing "When I was seventeen, it was a very good year..." He just turned seventeen! I hope he continues to have a good year! That same medley included Crystal Bowersox singing "The Lady is a Tramp" - which makes me wonder if, way back when it was written, it meant something else, not a woman of ill repute. When I was a kid (my dad loved Big Band music, and I grew up with it) I thought it meant something like the lady liked to bum around the country like a hobo.
Anyway, our Top 4 are all deserving candidates, even though my personal pick for the foursome went home last week (our Cape Cod girl, Siobhan Magnus). Lee DeWyze continues to improve, and Crystal Bowersox continues to excel. Michael Lynche is just such a nice guy with such a rich, velvety voice. And Casey James - hell, he can bleat all he wants, as long as he plays guitar and looks so eye-catching with his blond hair and blue eyes and sexy smile.
Next week is Movie Week. Jamie Foxx will be the mentor. I remember him doing it before. I know he's a talented singer. It should be better than this week was.
It also intrigues me that there were more audience members shrieking for Casey James (who should have bleated his way home last night, baa, baa, baa...) than there were screaming for Aaron. Casey appeals to us cougars (smirk), so we "older" women must have had a greater presence in the audience - and in the voting public - than teenyboppers. In any case, he wasn't apparently in the Bottom 2, although who knows? Ryan could have been manipulating us again. He put Michael Lynche in the Bottom 2 with Aaron.
Crystal Bowersox obviously still has a huge fan base, including me. I want her to win, not Lee DeWyze, who is off-key so often. (Harry Connick, Jr., criticized Randy's use of the non-word "pitchy". He used words like "sharp" and "flat" where I settle for the more general "off-key".)
Lady Gaga was fun to watch last night. Watching her is a kind of guilty pleasure for me. I think she's very talented, and I wish she'd come out from under those veils and elaborate costumes once in awhile. Not all the time - I love her costumes.
I cracked up when the Top 5 did a medley of Sinatra songs starting out with 17-year-old Aaron Kelly singing "When I was seventeen, it was a very good year..." He just turned seventeen! I hope he continues to have a good year! That same medley included Crystal Bowersox singing "The Lady is a Tramp" - which makes me wonder if, way back when it was written, it meant something else, not a woman of ill repute. When I was a kid (my dad loved Big Band music, and I grew up with it) I thought it meant something like the lady liked to bum around the country like a hobo.
Anyway, our Top 4 are all deserving candidates, even though my personal pick for the foursome went home last week (our Cape Cod girl, Siobhan Magnus). Lee DeWyze continues to improve, and Crystal Bowersox continues to excel. Michael Lynche is just such a nice guy with such a rich, velvety voice. And Casey James - hell, he can bleat all he wants, as long as he plays guitar and looks so eye-catching with his blond hair and blue eyes and sexy smile.
Next week is Movie Week. Jamie Foxx will be the mentor. I remember him doing it before. I know he's a talented singer. It should be better than this week was.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
AI9: Top 5 Perform
It was Frank Sinatra night last night on American Idol. I was not looking forward to it. What I like best about American Idol is when they give us new looks at today's music. When they do these big-band nights, getting the young singers to perform in that outdated style is like trying to jam square pegs into round holes with a sledgehammer. But apparently Simon is a huge Frank Sinatra fan, and we have to put up with these excursions into the deep, dark past. Frank's two daughters, Nancy and Tina, were in attendance last night and presented Simon with one of their father's monogrammed handkerchiefs. He seemed genuinely touched.
Harry Connick, Jr., was this week's mentor. I basically admire him, although I'm not a huge fan of his music. He put a lot of hard work into mentoring, doing arrangements of the old standards for each of the singers and accompanying most of them on the piano. When Ryan introduced him at the beginning of the show, he let Harry give the traditional opening line: "THIS - is American Idol!"
Aaron Kelly opened the show with “Fly Me to the Moon.” Big Band meets Teeny Bopper! His voice really isn't big enough for this song, although he gave it his best effort and managed to sound like a talented student at a high-school variety show (which is, in my opinion, where he ought to be singing). Randy thought he did a really good job. Ellen thought he really pulled it off. Kara thought it was good, but it wasn't as strong as last week. Simon said that if Sinatra was a lion, then Aaron was a mouse. He didn't think Aaron sang with conviction, and the performance came off as a little corny.
Handsome Casey James sang "Blue Skies." Unfortunately, he sang it very badly. From the opening notes - which were way off-key - to the last sustained notes, which sounded for all the world like a sheep bleating, he was painful to listen to. This sort of music is definitely not in Casey's comfort zone. Harry gave him a very bluesy arrangement, and made some comment during the mentoring session about how sometimes it wasn't about the lyrics, sometimes it was about the groove. Well, the groove never quite got there. Randy thought it was his worst performance. Pitchy, out of his element. Ellen said that it was about being cool and having swagger, and Casey was very stiff. Kara said it took him a long time to warm up. She commented on his bleating tone when he holds long notes. Simon thought he came over as a bit embarrassed and awkward. Last week, Casey was in the Bottom 2 with one of his best performances. After this poor showing, I'm convinced he'll be the one who goes home tonight.
Crystal Bowersox chose “Summer Wind” for personal reasons, which she didn't divulge. She wore a floor-length black lace strapless dress and piled her hair on top of her head; she looked like a nightclub singer, which suited the song. She did a creditable job, although it wasn't her strongest performance. Randy commented that it was one of her more subdued performances; it was okay but a little sleepy for him. Ellen thought she started out by swallowing every word, but then she opened up a little. Kara said it was out of her element, but she kind of liked it. She liked her phrasing. Simon thought it was a little bit indulgent; the first half was too jazzy, but the second half got better. It's not about singing for yourself any more, he said. I know what he meant; she chose the song for herself, not because it would show off her talent, and that may have been a mistake at this stage of the competition. Crystal is still my favorite of this year's singers, and I still want her to win.
I was counting on Michael Lynche to show everybody else how Sinatra songs ought to be sung, and he didn't let me down. He was superb. He chose “The Way You Look Tonight.” This song has been performed by so many different people, and I was wondering if even Big Mike could bring something new to it. But he was in his element. His voice is well suited to big-band style. Randy said it was an unbelievable arrangement, unbelievable vocal, Mike's in it to win it, this is what it's all about! Ellen thought he was the most comfortable on stage. He looked the part, sounded the part, very smooth, a lot of charisma. Kara said he found the drama, he did everything right, and he didn't lose himself in the song. Simon loved that Mike listened and everybody worked together on the arrangement. Mike was clearly the star of the evening for me.
Lee DeWyze sang “That's Life”. Before the mentoring session, Harry remarked that his wife really likes Lee. He figured out that Lee looks like a "new,improved" version of himself. For this arrangement, Harry played a small organ (it sounded kind of rinky-dink; I wasn't sure it fit). All I can say about Lee is that if he could stay on key, he'd be really, really good. His false notes really bother me, though. I can't figure out why the judges don't notice them. Randy thought it was another great arrangement. He thought Lee stayed his rocker self for it. (I didn't see it.) Ellen said “At first I was distracted by Harry's organ.” But she loved it. Kara asked him if he thinks he can win. She thinks he can. Simon thought Harry brought out Lee's personality and confidence. The judges heaped the praise onto Lee; it seemed that he was their personal favorite tonight. Sorry, Lee, Mike outsang you by a mile. I'm sick to death of the judges pimping Lee all the time.
Tonight's top performance, as I just said, was by Michael Lynche. Lee DeWyze gave a good (if slightly off-key) performance, and I'd rate him above Crystal Bowersox for it. The song showed off what he can do more than her "indulgent" choice did. But Crystal is still solid, and still my personal front-runner.
Casey James gave the worst performance and should be going home tonight. I'll miss him, but by now, he's out of his element. Aaron Kelly should join him in the Bottom Two, but I expect Aaron will stay. If they do a Bottom Three, they might be joined by Crystal, which is hard to accept. My son and I both voted for Crystal and Mike last night. By now, it's just which singer has the largest fan base.
Harry Connick, Jr., was this week's mentor. I basically admire him, although I'm not a huge fan of his music. He put a lot of hard work into mentoring, doing arrangements of the old standards for each of the singers and accompanying most of them on the piano. When Ryan introduced him at the beginning of the show, he let Harry give the traditional opening line: "THIS - is American Idol!"
Aaron Kelly opened the show with “Fly Me to the Moon.” Big Band meets Teeny Bopper! His voice really isn't big enough for this song, although he gave it his best effort and managed to sound like a talented student at a high-school variety show (which is, in my opinion, where he ought to be singing). Randy thought he did a really good job. Ellen thought he really pulled it off. Kara thought it was good, but it wasn't as strong as last week. Simon said that if Sinatra was a lion, then Aaron was a mouse. He didn't think Aaron sang with conviction, and the performance came off as a little corny.
Handsome Casey James sang "Blue Skies." Unfortunately, he sang it very badly. From the opening notes - which were way off-key - to the last sustained notes, which sounded for all the world like a sheep bleating, he was painful to listen to. This sort of music is definitely not in Casey's comfort zone. Harry gave him a very bluesy arrangement, and made some comment during the mentoring session about how sometimes it wasn't about the lyrics, sometimes it was about the groove. Well, the groove never quite got there. Randy thought it was his worst performance. Pitchy, out of his element. Ellen said that it was about being cool and having swagger, and Casey was very stiff. Kara said it took him a long time to warm up. She commented on his bleating tone when he holds long notes. Simon thought he came over as a bit embarrassed and awkward. Last week, Casey was in the Bottom 2 with one of his best performances. After this poor showing, I'm convinced he'll be the one who goes home tonight.
Crystal Bowersox chose “Summer Wind” for personal reasons, which she didn't divulge. She wore a floor-length black lace strapless dress and piled her hair on top of her head; she looked like a nightclub singer, which suited the song. She did a creditable job, although it wasn't her strongest performance. Randy commented that it was one of her more subdued performances; it was okay but a little sleepy for him. Ellen thought she started out by swallowing every word, but then she opened up a little. Kara said it was out of her element, but she kind of liked it. She liked her phrasing. Simon thought it was a little bit indulgent; the first half was too jazzy, but the second half got better. It's not about singing for yourself any more, he said. I know what he meant; she chose the song for herself, not because it would show off her talent, and that may have been a mistake at this stage of the competition. Crystal is still my favorite of this year's singers, and I still want her to win.
I was counting on Michael Lynche to show everybody else how Sinatra songs ought to be sung, and he didn't let me down. He was superb. He chose “The Way You Look Tonight.” This song has been performed by so many different people, and I was wondering if even Big Mike could bring something new to it. But he was in his element. His voice is well suited to big-band style. Randy said it was an unbelievable arrangement, unbelievable vocal, Mike's in it to win it, this is what it's all about! Ellen thought he was the most comfortable on stage. He looked the part, sounded the part, very smooth, a lot of charisma. Kara said he found the drama, he did everything right, and he didn't lose himself in the song. Simon loved that Mike listened and everybody worked together on the arrangement. Mike was clearly the star of the evening for me.
Lee DeWyze sang “That's Life”. Before the mentoring session, Harry remarked that his wife really likes Lee. He figured out that Lee looks like a "new,improved" version of himself. For this arrangement, Harry played a small organ (it sounded kind of rinky-dink; I wasn't sure it fit). All I can say about Lee is that if he could stay on key, he'd be really, really good. His false notes really bother me, though. I can't figure out why the judges don't notice them. Randy thought it was another great arrangement. He thought Lee stayed his rocker self for it. (I didn't see it.) Ellen said “At first I was distracted by Harry's organ.” But she loved it. Kara asked him if he thinks he can win. She thinks he can. Simon thought Harry brought out Lee's personality and confidence. The judges heaped the praise onto Lee; it seemed that he was their personal favorite tonight. Sorry, Lee, Mike outsang you by a mile. I'm sick to death of the judges pimping Lee all the time.
Tonight's top performance, as I just said, was by Michael Lynche. Lee DeWyze gave a good (if slightly off-key) performance, and I'd rate him above Crystal Bowersox for it. The song showed off what he can do more than her "indulgent" choice did. But Crystal is still solid, and still my personal front-runner.
Casey James gave the worst performance and should be going home tonight. I'll miss him, but by now, he's out of his element. Aaron Kelly should join him in the Bottom Two, but I expect Aaron will stay. If they do a Bottom Three, they might be joined by Crystal, which is hard to accept. My son and I both voted for Crystal and Mike last night. By now, it's just which singer has the largest fan base.
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