American Idol -- The Finals

Cafe Society
21

[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
I though jordin would do a better job with this song but her pitch was kind of shaky at the beginning. She still doesn’t sound that strong in the chorus. Surprisingly, I think Blake might win this round (this round is really just a turd-polishing contest, but Blake eneded up with a slightly more shiny turd).
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Really? I just don’t know what to say to that. IMHO, the difference between them was so…so… faints

I don’t think that was a fair song for Blake at all, but…man.

22

Paula has been gone all night, but…“Chris, I love you”?!

23

Only half paid attention through both singing the inspirational “winner’s” song.

That song is so vapid and forgettable that I actually had to ask El Perro Fumando if they sang two different songs, or one song twice. Because I could not remember over the space of one commercial break.

Just curious, what’s the highest that any one of these turds has ever charted as a “rush it out to capitalize on the win” single?

I can only remember two of them: Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This” (primarily because it’s since been used in various commercials), and Taylor Hicks’ “Do I Make You Proud” (only because of Weird Al’s parody “Do I Creep You Out”)

24

[QUOTE=LilyoftheValley]
Really? I just don’t know what to say to that. IMHO, the difference between them was so…so… faints

I don’t think that was a fair song for Blake at all, but…man.
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The difference is that Blake was in key and Jordin wasn’t. Jordin should have owned that round but she sounded unrehearsed and hesitant and yes…pitchy.

She’s probably still going to win the show, though.

And did we really have to be subjected to that entire, crappy Daughtry song?

25

Awww, how can you not hear how much better Jordin did on the sucky inspirational dreck than Blake did?

First round him, second her, third her, she wins!

26

I’m just glad it’s all over so Jordin will stop shrieking and rolling her eyes at me. It’s really starting to bug me.

I want Blake to win, which means that he won’t. That’s typically how it works for me.

That last song was terrible, but the single they force the newly crowned Idol to put out usually is. Kelly’s wasn’t that bad in season one (or, more accurately, it wasn’t that bad when she sang it; Justin Guarini’s take on it was not so good), but the rest have all been jokes. I think next year they should try having one of the mentors write the song.

27

[QUOTE=Only Mostly Dead]
I have to think that the “songwriting contest” was just “give us some insipid, cliche lyrics. We’ll provide the same boring ass arrangements as always.” Effing boring.

Here’s a radical idea, Idol: Don’t saddle your finales with any “all my dreams have come true” original song!
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Truer words were never spoken. The Suck Song always fucking blows. This one was a pinch better than previous years, but jayzuz…pass the NoDoze. That was painful. And very unfair to Blake. What guy in his right mind would pick that song to pin his career on? :confused: Like…NO ONE.

I wasn’t nuts about him anyway. I think Jordin will run away with it. WooHOO! Even if she isn’t Melinda.

28

Blake:

You Give Love a Bad Name - Mixed review. Already excellent beatboxing parts tightened up. Straight vocal parts significantly worse than last time. Great performance skills. A-

Maroon 5 - I’m not really a fan of theirs, but he should have started doing their stuff weeks earlier. I think that this is his best straight vocal of the entire competition; it just suits his voice. A

Dreck - He did what he could with a crappy song utterly unsuited to him. I actually thought that he did a decent job with it, but a few spots showed off the weaknesses in his voice. B+

Overall: A-

Jordin:

Fighter - Never heard this one before, but she did a good job with it. Nice vocal, young and in the right genre, but probably not what I would have picked for the final. B+

With a Broken Wing - Again, country probably isn’t what I would have picked for her for the final, but it was an excellent vocal all around and a good performance. A

Dreck - A decent fit for her (though it can never sound very great). An OK vocal, but she didn’t bring it like she should have. A–

Overall: A-

The competition goes to:
I’d say it’s neck and neck. I’m throwing my vote to Blake, because ultimately I enjoyed him more tonight, but it’s a very close thing. I think that he stepped up, and she failed to match him like she could have and should have.

29

The final performance show is always underwhelming, but last year’s final results was awesome and I can only hope this one lives up.

30

Jordin looked exceptionally hot tonight. I feel like a perv for saying that, but damn!

And what the hell was Randy wearing?

31

Hey dog, check it out…

I think Jordan will win but Blake will have a better career. He’s a fresh voice not just someone who can belt out a tune. When he gets a band and some material that plays to his strengths he’ll do fine. Jordan will have to rely on the songs the AI handlers pick out for her - and, if tonight’s glurge-a-tron is any guide, they will be stuff that is too Celine Dion for Celine Dion.

Since the first season snippets have been in the press about winners and runners up fighting with the producers about song choice, etc. etc. Until tonight I thought that was all made up to make the singers appear a little bit edgy and give them some street cred. Something they need as they are the products of an artificial corporate process. After this season, however, with its week after week of “superstars” over the age of 55 and the crapola songs they pick for the contestants, I’m starting to think that the producers really do have no feel for the sensibilities of people under 45.

32

[QUOTE=Long Time First Time]
I think Jordan will win but Blake will have a better career. He’s a fresh voice not just someone who can belt out a tune.
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I agree. The funny thing is that I want Jordin to win, but I’m infinitely more likely to buy a Blake CD. Go figure.

33

I pretty much gave up on the already crappiest season ever when they voted Melinda off, but I somehow felt I had to watch it just 'cause I’ve watched every other episode. My OCD wouldn’t let me not watch it.

Worst finals ever. Seriously. I turned to Boy Next Door and said “Can you believe this is the finals? These people suck!”

Sigh.

Anybody know if there’s another Rockstar in the works? That show is so much better.

34

Aahh, the finale. Gloves off.

Round 1
Blake: Gets major points off because it’s goddamn 2007 and there’s a pasty-faced jackass beatboxing on my TV. If he were doing it in addition to singing well it might not cause my eyes to roll back in my head quite so far, but that ain’t happening. Singing is no better than average, as usual.

Jordin: Better than Blake, but a lot of it felt rushed and a little desperate. She needed better preparation on that one.

Advantage: Jordin

Round 2
Blake: Pitiful. No strength in the vocal, notes all over the place.

Jordin: Much more solid, and a better performance than the first time she sang it. A few moments of uncertainty, however. Not as polished as one would like from a pro, which is what they’re all aspiring to be.

Advantage: Jordin

Round 3

First of all, the song was horrible. But having both of them sing it reveals who is the class act here.

Blake: Sounded like crap. No power in his voice, spastic, desperate moves totally inappropriate for the character of the song. Spare me the bullshit about it not being his style. Idol’s been on for five years, he should have known what sort of song they’d pick for something like this.

Jordin: The only thing missing for her to actually mop the floor with Blake as opposed to figuratively is a wooden handle.

Here we see what a real performer does when circumstance puts them in front of an audience with way-below-sub-par material. They sell it to the audience anyway, as she did. I would never purchase or even leave the radio tuned to this song in a million years, but only a fool could not be impressed with that performance. Blake is neither a singer nor a performer, he’s just a gimmickmeister, and on this number, when his gimmickry was powerless to save him, his desperation was broadcast far and wide.

Advantage: Please

The future

Blake: As mentioned in previous weeks, Simon revealed on 60 Minutes that 19 Entertainment and SonyBMG get first refusal on ALL Idol contestants. Blake will release an album, it will be received decently. His second album will flop. Because he’s a beatboxer and its 2007! If a very smart music act comes along they will hire him as their artistic manager and director, because what he lacks in talent he more than makes up for in imagination*. His ideas for performance presentation are excellent, he just completely lacks the chops to pull them off himself.

Jordin: Will have at least one very good-selling album, and very possibly more solid work beyond that, but I detect a dangerous note of swelled head in her already. She could self-destruct in terms of public goodwill before too long if she does not keep it reined in.

*such as imagining that beatboxing is something people want to hear in 2007!!

35

[QUOTE=LilyoftheValley]
The funny thing is that I want Jordin to win, but I’m infinitely more likely to buy a Blake CD.
[/QUOTE]
Me too. I think I’ll store it with my Marcel Marceau’s Greatest Hits, Best of Edgar Bergen, and Ronco Presents “Now That’s What I Call Air Guitar!”

ME-LIN-DA-HUH-Huh-huh…

That was supposed to be me wailing and trailing off into a piteous sob.

36

Yeah, I think Jordin cleaned up tonight. I thought she sang great on all three songs (even that abomination of a song they had to sing at the end). Blake was crazy to sing two ballads. I know the third was forced on him, but he should have arranged it as something much peppier. He should have done three energetic, creative songs tonight, because that was the only way he was going to beat Jordin. Because man, if they’re both just sitting on a stool singing, Blake comes off as a very distant second best.

Jordin should win. Or rather, Melinda should’ve won, but of these two, Jordin should win.

37

Song 1:

Blake: That was even better than the first time he perfomed it.
Jordin: Good song choice for her. I didn’t think she was “shrieky” like Simon said.

Round 1 goes to Blake

Song 2:

Blake: I like Maroon 5, but I’ve always hated this song, so I’m starting out with a not-so-favorable view already. Blake couldn’t hit the high notes. And ‘meh’.

Jordin: The song was very boring at the beginning (again, I don’t like this song to begin with) and she only wowed me with the last 1/4 of the song.

Round 2: Jordin by a hair

Song 3: I don’t even want to discuss song 3. What a load of the usual finale song garbage. I’ll give Round 3 to Blake for even attempting that song. Clearly, it was written for someone like Jordin, but he had to work harder to sing that shit.

Winner: Even though I gave Blake the night, Jordin wins the competition.

Did Paula fall on her lips, too?

38

[QUOTE=koeeoaddi]
After last week American Idol is dead to me. Stone cold ceased-to-be.

I’m rooting for Blake but don’t mind at all that Jordin will win.
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Exactly my sentiment.

39

That was then. This is my suck.

Loved Randy’s outfit!

Don’t really care who wins tonight. Enjoyable season, AFAIC.

40

I guess I’ll be the lone voice of dissent here, but I liked the last song. And Jordin sang the hell out of it. I teared up when she teared up. Some people like glurgy dreck! :wink:

She won all the rounds as far as I’m concerned. Blake has talent as a performer, but the vocals go to Jordin all the way.

Go Jordin! I actually voted last night for the first time, about 50-60 times. (My husband’s cell phone has free text messaging.)