American Idol - 11,12 March [open spoilers posibble, open at your own risk]

[The_Tof]

People I liked:

Chikeze: I never thought I would dig Chikeze, but damn he made me love him. (“I didn’t wanna do it…”)

David Cook: I really dug his performance. I was surprised to see the great variety in opinions of his song this week. Count me as one who liked it.

Carly: I also dug her version. I actually really thought Amanda was going to sing this song, and was surprised to see Carly take it on, as I was sure she’d do something like Yesterday. I do like Carly, she has a lot of potential. Again, I was surprised to see the negative comments.

Brooke: She really seems to know what she is musically, and it really benefits her. She always seems to choose the song that will suit her the best, and this was no different. Plus, it helps that I want to take her home and keep her in my basement as my sex slave.

Amanda: I have to admit, I don’t know this song. After Carly sang “Come Together” I thought, ‘Well, that leaves Helter Skelter’ for Amanda." And yet she picked a different song and made it hers. I admit, I like Amanda, she is so different from all the other girls.

People who were Meh-

Sayesha: You got so much more inside of you, there is no way you should put out a Meh performance like that. It was so Blah.

Ramiele: No risk in this song. I actually disagree with most, in that I thought she did the song OK. I didn’t think it was boring, so much as, it just wasn’t new or interesting. It was very very safe, I just want to make it through this week type of performance.

Michael Johns: I neither liked nor disliked this performance. I really don’t have much to say on it at all.

Jason Castro: Now THIS is boring. I would have more to say, but I fell asleep.

In Serious Trouble:

David Archuletta: Forgot the words, sang his song awful, didn’t know songs by THE FREAKING BEATLES!!! Ugh…

Kristy Lee Cook: I really appreciate the risk that she took, but her song turned out awful. They REALLY needed to slow the tempo on that song down quite a bit. Wow.

David Hernandez: Unlike Kristy Lee Cook- there was no attempted risk to the song. He made an awful version of a song that isn’t too difficult to sing. He tried way too hard, and could never wrap himself around it. Just came off very very bad.

[Brynda]

@Sam Stone

<snip>

You’re talking about the ability to interpret a song - to find what makes the song special and transmit it to the audience. That’s a gift in its own right. There are a lot of singers with great pipes who nonetheless are completely boring to listen to. And there are others who technically suck, but who can rip your heart out when they sing to you. I think this is what Paula incoherently babbles about when she talks about ‘feeling your heart’.

Some of my favorite singers fall into this category - Bob Dylan, John Prine, Johnny Cash, Joe Cocker, Leonard Cohen, Frank Sinatra. None of them are great singers by the standards set by American Idol (except Sinatra), but any of them can tell you a story in a way that will just choke you up.

This is why Brooke White and Jason Castro are two of the best talents on the show. Brooke doesn’t have anywhere near the vocal talent of Carly Smithson or even Syesha or Ramiele, but she has the (much rarer) gift of being able to find the soul of a song and bring it out. Same with Jason Castro. What I hate the most are those singers who will come out on stage and sing a song about loss and pain while prancing around with a goofy grin and winking at the audience. People who you look at and go, “yep. That person doesn’t have a clue what they’re really singing. It’s just notes to them.” Syesha falls into this category. Watching her sing, it all looks very mannered, and you can tell her brain is all tied up worrying about the next big note or run she’s about to attempt. What the song is actually about is the furthest thing from her mind. At least, that’s what her performances to date have suggested.

Brooke White, on the other hand, was crying when she finished her song. While she was singing it, she was thinking about it, about what it meant to her, maybe how it related to her life, maybe about the message in the song. And she told the audience what she was feeling.

Here’s a perfect example of what I’m talking about - Storm large singing ‘Wish You Were Here’ on RSN: Youtube Link.

That’s why Brooke and Jason are my favorites. Great post.

[Gangster_Octopus]

@Brynda

That’s why Brooke and Jason are my favorites. Great post.

I see it Brooke, but not so much in Jason.

[Cat_Whisperer]

I’m a hard-ass when it comes to singing; I demand both the ability to interpret the song AND a fantastic voice. One or the other doesn’t cut it.

I think Ramiele’s problem was that she tried to sing it small and pretty, but to stand out at this point, she needed to make it exquisite, or it just wasn’t good enough.

I was almost loving Brooke’s singing; when she started off, it was great. Then the song demanded that she get big and bold and kick the shit out of it, and she just didn’t. That’s when it fell down for me.

[woodstockbirdybird]

@OpalCat

I agree with you, if by “nailed it” you mean beat a rusty spike through its heart with a big iron mallet and leaving it bleeding and defeated on the side of a barn somewhere. I LOATHED his rendition of that song. He didn’t stick with the melody, which is a lot of what makes the song beautiful. His version of the melody made me want to murder people.

Once again, I must agree with my esteemed colleague. He absolutely ruined that song, and I’m baffled by the love for him here. I’m especially baffled that after last night’s performance, some posters are still ranking him somewhere near the middle. It was a trainwreck - I’m familiar with Stevie’s cover version, and it didn’t even work as an arrangement of that. I hope we’ll be saying “Later, bitch” to him tonight - they kicked off fan favorite Danny last week (and rightly so, IMO), so maybe there’s hope.

[Sam_Stone]

@featherlou

I was almost loving Brooke’s singing; when she started off, it was great. Then the song demanded that she get big and bold and kick the shit out of it, and she just didn’t. That’s when it fell down for me.

Why would you think that “Let it Be” is a song you need to ‘kick the shit’ out of? The whole message in the song is, “Calm down, don’t take it too hard. Let it go. There’s a meaning to all of this, no matter how bad it seems. In the morning, it will all be better.”

The song as performed by the Beatles actually ends rather quietly after a more rocking bridge in the middle. The dominant emotions of the song are comfort and serenity. Too many performers would succumb to the temptation to kick the shit out of it and decorate it with runs and high-octave power notes (Syesha, for example), and it would be totally wrong. The fact that Brooke kept it stripped down and ended it quietly and wistfully is exactly why I like her.

[Liberal]

I do think all the criticisms of David A are valid, but I think he deserves credit for one thing, namely the grace with which he took the beating from the judges. No back-talk. No hateful snarls. No prima donna “how dare you” tosses of the head. He just stood there and took it. I liked him for that.

[phungi]

@Sam Stone

This is why Brooke White and Jason Castro are two of the best talents on the show. Brooke doesn’t have anywhere near the vocal talent of Carly Smithson or even Syesha or Ramiele, but she has the (much rarer) gift of being able to find the soul of a song and bring it out. Same with Jason Castro. What I hate the most are those singers who will come out on stage and sing a song about loss and pain while prancing around with a goofy grin and winking at the audience. People who you look at and go, “yep. That person doesn’t have a clue what they’re really singing. It’s just notes to them.” Syesha falls into this category. Watching her sing, it all looks very mannered, and you can tell her brain is all tied up worrying about the next big note or run she’s about to attempt. What the song is actually about is the furthest thing from her mind. At least, that’s what her performances to date have suggested.

Brooke White, on the other hand, was crying when she finished her song. While she was singing it, she was thinking about it, about what it meant to her, maybe how it related to her life, maybe about the message in the song. And she told the audience what she was feeling.

Great Point/Post, and I agree 100%. Unfortunately, the voting masses appear to fall into the same category, and have no idea what the songs are about either.

Thanks for the WYWH link…

[Cat_Whisperer]

@Sam Stone

Why would you think that “Let it Be” is a song you need to ‘kick the shit’ out of? The whole message in the song is, “Calm down, don’t take it too hard. Let it go. There’s a meaning to all of this, no matter how bad it seems. In the morning, it will all be better.”

The song as performed by the Beatles actually ends rather quietly after a more rocking bridge in the middle. The dominant emotions of the song are comfort and serenity. Too many performers would succumb to the temptation to kick the shit out of it and decorate it with runs and high-octave power notes (Syesha, for example), and it would be totally wrong. The fact that Brooke kept it stripped down and ended it quietly and wistfully is exactly why I like her.

Oh, no, no runs and high-octave power notes - she just sang it the same from beginning to end. Where’s the drama? Where’s the denouement? It was like a roller coaster with no highs and lows. I did think she needed to get big and loud in the middle, then go quiet and soft again. In my opinion, of course.

[Stillwell_Angel]

If DialIdol is anywhere near correct, poor Syesha is toast. I’m not a huge fan of hers but there’s no one who deserves to be booted more than Kristy, that was simply awful.

[Lama_Pacos]

Yeah, I can certainly see Syesha going. I can’t remember anything about her performance except that it was blandly pleasant. I’ve spent the last twenty-four hours trying to forget Kristy’s, but I can’t.

[ouryL]

Personally, I liked what David A did. It could have been a terrific. He’s young. He forgot the words and got blustered.

[PunditLisa]

David Hernandez: He hit it out of the ball park the last few weeks and then…this? Horrible.

Syesha: Solid, but she’s kind of forgetful.

Chikezie: Pleasant surprise with the fresh arrangement. He looked very comfortable on stage. Good for him because I honestly didn’t think he’d make it far.

Amanda: She keeps hanging on. Solid performance.

Michael Johns: I liked it, but then again I want to sleep with him. I’m wondering if Simon’s comment that if this were a TALENT competition and not a POPULARITY contest, David Cook would win, was directed at Michael Johns. Whatever he’s got, I want some of it.

Kristie Lee Cook: Oh my.

Ramiele: Lovely background music. Honestly, she needs to go because, emotionally speaking, I don’t think she can handle many more elimination nights.

Brooke: Boy did she look ill at ease on that big stage. Everytime she looked at the camera, she looked like a (cross-eyed) deer in the headlights. But a beautiful vocal and the perfect song for her. “Let it Be” is one of my favorite Beatles tunes behind “Something.”

David Cook: Nice twist on “Eleanor Rigby” but he’s starting to sound the same on all of his songs.

Carly: Very good, but I’m deducting a full letter grade for admitting she sang “Come Together” every night with her band.

Jason Castro: Loved it for its sweet simplicity. I love how he doesn’t try to sound perfect. I just love this kid in a completely non-sexual way.

Poor David A. Poor kid. I’m sure he would have rather sang “Yesterday” or something lovely. But he sooo wanted to please Simon who moaned that he was singing downer songs. He sure lightened it up, but only because it was borderline comical because he was so ill at ease and awkward.

Here’s how I’d rank them:

Brooke
Chikezie
Carly
David Cook
Amanda
Jason Castro
Syesha
Michael Johns
Ramiele
David Hernandez
David Archuleta
Kristy Lee

[gonzomax]

@ouryL

Personally, I liked what David A did. It could have been a terrific. He’s young. He forgot the words and got blustered.

He sings the songs like they are merely words. He does not get or give the message the songs are meant to convey. He is probably too young.

[LilGypsyGirl]

Sweet wailing baby Jesus! Not again!!! :smack:

[tnetennba]

I rarely see an American Idol performance where the singer has any feeling for the words.

[tnetennba]

Kathy isn’t singing an L/M song (George wrote it), but she’s doing all right with it. It’s a great song. Holds its own against any L/M ballads.

[Queen_Tonya]

Hey, someone finally taught Katherine McPhee to quit grinning through her songs!

Mostly.

[tnetennba]

I don’t know if he told her to quit smiling through her songs, but if she keeps working with David Foster, she’s going places. He’s got a damned good resume.

[Biggirl]

Ah, that’s all kinds of wrong!