Idol Review - 03/17

[Sir_Galahad]

Well, lord knows I am not the world's biggest C & W music fan but I actually enjoyed most of the performances tonight. I was enthralled with Adam's rendition of "Ring of Fire" and said to Lady G before Simon said it that it sounded like a version that could have been done by Led Zeppelin. He is unique, that is for sure. Whether or not you like his particular uniqueness is open to discussion. I do. I also happened to like Danny, Anoop and Matt tonight. The girls did not impress me although I did like Megan's rendition of "Walkin After Midnight." Again, a little quirky, but I thought it was good, flu and all.

I also though Lil was way out of her element and her rendition of "Independence Day", IMO was poor. Her vocals were fine but I had absolutely no connection to her through the song. And, the outfit she wore tonight, IMO, was atrocious. Scott and Allison were forgettable for me tonight.

In my bottom three tonight will be Lil, Michael and Kris with Michael being shown the door tomorrow.

[KillerTomato]

I'm tired as hell (it's been a looooooooooooooong day, and I just finished watching my DVR of Idol), but here's a quickie take on just a couple of things I thought:

- Michael was a HELLUVA lot better than the judges gave him credit for. That song is VERY difficult, and while it doesn't have the runs and big notes, but he did a good (but not great) job. The problem is, the judges HAD to trash him, since their pimped-up contestant (see below) was just dreadful, and SHOULD go, but they want him to stay, so they had to trash someone (and it couldn't be one of the women, since there are so few of them left). So Michael was the sacrificial lamb, poor guy.

- Speaking of pimped-up contestants, even though Simon correctly trashed him tonight, Adam's "performance" was just dreadful. I'm not a big C&W fan either, and I have no problem with singers choosing oddball arrangements to make a song that would not normally be anywhere near their wheelhouse fit into their "style" (and thought Cook made some smart choices in this area, although absolutly NOT his version of "Billie Jean"), but this was just self-indulgent crapola. And he still found a way to screech about a dozen notes.

- The judges were also way too hard on Alexis. I absolutely hate Dolly's version of "Jolene" (along with 99.999% of twangy country), but there's no way you could call her version "copycat" (aka "karaoke"). I liked it a lot (almost as much as "Dirty Diana" last week, which they also unfairly trashed).

- How weird is it when the best advice actually came from PAULA????? What she told...um...I think it was Allison, about cutting out one verse to get to the chorus was right on the money. And there were one or two other things she said that I just sat up and said "OMG, she's RIGHT!" to.

- I think I liked Matt the best tonight. Maybe it's just because they gave him the pimp spot, and his song is the freshest in my mind, but I really liked it. I also liked Scott's performance, but (and again, I can't believe I'm saying this) Paula's right, he does need to lighten up.

- When they showed at the beginning that Carrie Underwood was an Opry member, I said, "Well, in that case, Danny'll be singing 'Jesus Take the Wheel'..." And of course, I was right.

- I was disappointed Megan didn't attempt "Crazy" rather than "Walkin' After Midnight," but maybe it was for the best. It's SO iconic it probably wouldn't have worked.


I'll probably have more to say tomorrow after I sleep on it, but if it were up to me, the bottom three would be Lil (dulldulldull tonight), Megan and Adam, with Adam screaming his way home (and causing the judges to use their Veto, so that's be out of the way).

[Ritterskoop]

Varying observations:

We thought Anoop was the only great performance of the night. Roomie is an old country fan from way back, and nothing else suited him. Adam's nightmare had him visualizing Johnny Cash wearing out his pants rolling over in his grave. I adore Adam but I hated that mess. He is a hot mess, though, so that's what you get. I love that he gave the show a big F-you for country week, but having to sit through the actual performance was not fun. Good thing we watched it on disk.

No way Adam is voted out. The 13-year-old girls will cover him up with votes. This show is all about voting blocs, and he has several. He is safe for weeks and weeks, as long as he does not pull that much indulgent crap again. Cook showed us how far you can go with it, and this was way too far. But he only has to beat one person to make the tour, so no problem there.

I think Alexis may be in trouble. Her usual votes will go to Megan, whose performance I didn't care for but who will get sympathy votes for being sick.

I thought Danny sucked. He was flat several times even during the chorus.

Lil was OK. I did appreciate the idea that she would do better with a more angry, F-you type song like "Before He Cheats", instead of a vaguely victimish song like "Independence Day".

Someone (Carly?) did "Jolene" last season when Dolly coached, and did it fairly well.

Sarver, eh.

Matt, pretty nice but I won't be buying it.

Scott is close to the end of his run.

Allsion, very good as always.

Kris, adequate bordering on good.

Leaving this week: Alexis.

Judges' save would be used only on Danny, Adam or Allison. Maybe even not Allison, but she should be safe this week.

[MarkBarrett]

I find the judges blind and deaf when it comes to Megan. They have been overhyping and overpraising her all season. I see her in the bottom three with Michael and Alexis. I'll be quite surprised if it is anyone else leaving tomorrow.

Yes, the judges would save Danny or Adam (not they will hit the bottom after the vote), but I think they would also use up their save on Lil.

The one I do not want to see leave yet is Kris. The judges still seemed surprised he made the top 3 vote in the semis. Guitar or no guitar that guy can sing and should not be departing the show without making the tour 10 cut.

Anoop would seem to have done enough to have bought a week or two more.

[SportsFan68]

Who is the Vote For The Worst favorite? Or did they find somebody else to bother?

[Ritterskoop]

Who is the Vote For The Worst favorite? Or did they find somebody else to bother?

They picked Megan tonight, which was fair. Her song choice was appropriate but she made some off arrangement choices.

She looked fantastic, which I noticed often because they kept putting the camera up close on her face to avoid the awkward swimming thing she does in place of dancing.

Her being sick reminded me of Kelly Clarkson in season 1, who could barely speak with laryngitis, but still blew out one of her two songs the night they had two.

[Ritterskoop]

I just read Entertainment Weekly's suggestions of country songs from a day or two ago, and...

THIS


could
have
worked




Adam Lambert: Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues"

[dimmzy]

No way Adam is voted out. The 13-year-old girls will cover him up with votes.

I wonder ... The 13-year-old I know, who actually TALKED to Adam a couple of weeks ago, said she thought he was terrible. She said she didn't feel "right" voting for him, so she decided to not vote for anyone else either. Apparently, for a 13-year-old, this is the equivalent of a moral dilemma!

Another friend said Adam's version is "what you'd hear at a gay club at 3 a.m."

That DOES sum it up!

[KillerTomato]

BTW, Skoop, IIRC it was Brooke that did "Jolene" last year.

Here's my take on why Adam blew chunks even more than usual last night. I think he's coming off too calculating (and even a bit Machiavellian) with the over-the-top theatricality. He's thinking that since Cook got praised time and time again (and not always deservedly IMO) for using off-the-wall arrangements, that he'll be praised too. The problem is that something like that is only original once. After that, you're just aping someone else. So when Blake did it, it was original. When Cook did it, it was original-ish. Now Adam'trying to do it and, for me at least, it's coming off derivative.

But what's really surprising is that this year, the judges' pimping is becoming so much more overt, and it's really starting to affect my enjoyment of the show.

[ksbirchtree]

Last week, when Anoop did a rather bland version of MJ's "Bad" they ripped him on doing an "iconic" song.

This week, when Adam totally trashed THE Johnny Cash song they didn't say a word. Adam should go. You will get nothing but theatrical over-the-top performances from him every week. That's who he is, so I guess he's staying "true to himself" but is definitely not someone who I would EVER listen to on the radio.

[tried to use some color but not sure it worked]

Christy, the other one who quilts.

[Appa23]

Watched some of the performances on YouTube.

Isn't Danny Gokey a church choir director?

How did he miss so badly on "Jesus Take the Wheel"?????

Forget rolling over in his grave. I am surprised that Johnny Cash's soul did not re-enter his body, burst from his grave, and then travel to Hollywood, just to beat the last breath of life out of Adam Lambert.

Country really seems to be a genre where emotions can mean more to a performance than simply singing the words in key. It explains many of last night performances.

Time after time, you see contestants singing a song on Idol, and they clearly have not understood the lyrics. They smile their cheesy smiles, keeping tossing runs in where they are not needed, and totally do an injustice to the song.

It is a rare jewel when someone covers a song in a new genre, actually re-interprets a song's meaning, and gies us a version as good, or better, than the original.

IIRC, the contestants have a limited list from which to choose. Otherwise, if Lambert was so intent on trying a Johnny Cash song, then why not "Hurt"?

[Ritterskoop]

IIRC, the contestants have a limited list from which to choose. Otherwise, if Lambert was so intent on trying a Johnny Cash song, then why not "Hurt"?

They often cannot get clearance for whatever songs they want. I watched the EW interview with last week's ouster Jasmine, who the judges had said the week before she should do some Rhianna. She picked two songs by that artist but could not get them cleared, so she went to Aguilera's "Reflection," which she preferred anyway.

Sometimes, too, the contestants fight over who gets to do a particular song - though once or twice, years ago, two of them would compete by doing the same song the same week. I think the show has put a stop to that.

Last night was the first time I'd heard the word "hatpick" - used by Scott to say he'd lost a hatpick - meaning he and someone else wanted the same song, and they drew numbers out of a hat.

[geoffil]

I did not like Adam's version of the song. I can't imagine him being the winner and making it as a mainstream singer. He is too modern for me.

[T_Bone0806]

We went out last night and got back later than expected. I forgot to set a tape (yeah yeah yeah..I'm not part of the TiVo/DVR generation yet), so I missed everything before Adam. So these are impressions based on about 60% of the show.

I enjoyed Matt much more this week.
I think I enjoyed Anoop most of all. He did a very nice take on that tune, I thought.
I thought Scott did a nice, easy-to-listen-to version of "Wild Angels". It was not spectacular, but I wouldn't change the station if it came on the radio. Pleasant is the word. The judges are dipshits. More on that later.
Danny was not so good tonight. Kara will still fall all over him even if he does the William Hung version of "She Bangs", though. Could you be more obvious who you're rooting for, Kara?
Alexis is really starting to annoy me. I do not find her particularly wonderful, she gives off a bit of a pissy attitude when she's criticized, and I don't care if she's "dirty" or not.
Likewise, if Adam continues to howl at inappropriate times during a song (once or twice is MORE than enough and often it is not called for at all), I will start hating him. Over the top is not the badge of accomplishement he seems to think it is.
Megan did her little wind-up-toy dance (which is kinda like Chubby Checker doing the twist without moving his feet) and pronounced some things strangely. She was better than last week but I can't say I liked it all that much.
I think my favorite so far is young Allison. I am sorry I missed her performance. What I heard at the recap sounded fine, and seemed to fit her sassy, feisty persona. Missing Lil do the overdone "Independance Day' was probably a blessing. "Ain't Goin' Down", with its mile-a-minute lyrics, would not seem to be a wise choice for anyone on that show. Kris is eye candy for the female voters, so anything short of a total disaster should keep him in the running.


I've had it with the judges. Randy says one thing one week and then says the exact opposite the next when offering advice. Both he and Kara are only impressed by vocal gymnastics and glory notes. Not surprising on Kara's part when you consider the type of crap on her resume. Kara speaks in terms of marketablity and packaging instead of depth of feeling and artistry. But again, she's a hack songwriter (Kat McPhee's "Open Toes", anyone?), so that should be expected. Simon only sems interested in picking fights with Paula and getting his weekly jab in at Taylor Hicks (it was 3 seasons ago , SImon..let it go, brother). And Paula......she has 5 stock cliches which she dispenses randomly no matter whether it makes sense or not. Waitaminnit..I used "Paula" and "making sense" in the same sentence. What's wrong with THAT picture? Telling Scott he needs to mix it up and get out from behind the piano? Yeah, great idea, Paula. THE GUY CAN'T FRIKKIN' SEE!!!! Why not have him dance across the stage utilizing some of your old dance moves??? IDIOT!

I was literally mouthing off at my TV screen whenever the judges were spewing forth their infinite wisdom. Methinks my infatuation with this show may be approaching its end.

[T_Bone0806]

AHA!!!! I have been trying to come up with what Megan's little dance reminds me of. It has been nagging at me, but it finally came to me!

At the end of "The Santa Clause 2", the fake Santa has been shrunken down and is in line with a bunch of "Dancing Santa" toys. The little dance he does is JUST like Megan's!!!

I feel better now. Thankyewverramuch.

[geoffil]

I think Megan is channeling Elaine from Seinfeld, but she is "making it her own." I don't know why she has to show off her tattoo every show by wearing a sleeveless dress. It detracts from her singing because I always think why in the world did she get that horrible tattoo.

[Estonut]

Waitaminnit..I used "Paula" and "making sense" in the same sentence. What's wrong with THAT picture?

Nothing wrong with that picture, since the sentence also included "not!"

[KillerTomato]

Waitaminnit..I used "Paula" and "making sense" in the same sentence. What's wrong with THAT picture?

Nothing wrong with that picture, since the sentence also included "not!"

Under normal circumstances, I'd agree with you, but this year seems to be different somehow. Paula actually IS making some sense, and she had several comments last night I agreed with. But it IS weird!

[dimmzy]

Under normal circumstances, I'd agree with you, but this year seems to be different somehow. Paula actually IS making some sense, and she had several comments last night I agreed with. But it IS weird!

Making they changed Paula's meds.