The Winner By Knockout?

Yes, I am going to gloat but I will try to be nice about it. I do recall stating quite forcefully that although Kris won the popular vote – by popular I mean ATT-texting teenagers and a few women in Nebraska – the real voting would take place in the fall when his and Adam’s albums were released. Because, ultimately, this is the music business not a beauty contest (although Adam was selected as Sexiest Rocker in People magazine’s 110 Hottest Guys on the Planet) and in the business – and by the business I mean the industry – it’s how people vote with their dollars that counts.

So if the early returns are any indication, this vote has the potential for a landslide. Kris’ CD sold 80,000 copies in the first week, the lowest first week total for any Idol winner. That’s less than Taylor Hicks (who I voted for) dreadful CD (that I bought) which sold so bad, he lost his label deal.

Adam’s CD (quite excellent by the way), on the other hand, sold 198,000 and opened at #3 ahead of Lady Gaga and Rihanna! This is even after the brouhaha at the AMAs and despite the lack of a strong single – For Your Entertainment (the single) had fallen off the charts prior to the album’s release. Having said that, For Your Entertainment moved back to the charts [#61] this week, presumably on the strength of the album sales.

To be fair to Kris, his album isn’t dreadful and his single Live Like We’re Dying is selling well - #38 as I write this. Still, the single didn’t bring the album with it, which doesn’t bode well. And next week’s sales for Adam will be as interesting as this week’s because this year so many artists have seen a big drop-off from the first week. But still hard to argue against the impact that Adam has already had in the REAL voting.

There. That wasn't too big a gloat, was it?

p.s. Need I also mention the following: Adam on GMA; Adam on Letterman; Adam on Ellen; Adam on the View! Adam on Conan; Adam on Leno; Adam on the finale of So You Think You Can Dance! Adam is one of Barbara Walters' Ten Most Fascinating People! Uh, so what exactly did Kris win, again? (sorry, couldn't help myself . . . .)

p.p.s Kris is on So You Think You Can Dance in their next-to-finale show. Adam gets the finale. Gee, who do you think Fox considers the real Idol winner?

OK, yes, now I am gloating!

Let the Games Begin Anew!

OK – it’s on. Idol selling season has begun in earnest and my ears (and eyes) are tingling with excitement. November is generally when the winners and “winning losers" (see Daughtry, Chris) get their albums released. And we are beginning to get not-so sneak peeks.

I’m sure a certain Kris Allen has something that’s probably floating around in cyberspace and I have been hearing generally good things about his pre-album buzz. But clearly, I expect the battle of the A’s this selling season to be all about Adam with a generous helping of Allison.

Allison first. Here is the link to her new single which has been getting good reviews: http://www.allisoniraheta.com/us/news/y-music-loves-friday-ill-be-over-u
I have to confess that I like this song: kind of Bangles meet April Lavigne meets Pink meets Eurodance pop. Very catchy and WAY better than the usual teen pop crap. And Jenny – she is singing an age appropriate song and sounds like a teenager – but one with talent. Is that OK? (I am breathlessly awaiting your critique)
I do wish they had left the Autotune in the closet for the chorus. She can actually sing so why bother with the vocal effects?

Now Adam. His video for “Time for Miracles” is here http://www.myspace.com/adamlambert. It's from the soundtrack of the upcoming (Nov. 13) scifi disaster film 2012.
Don’t be fooled by the beginning of the song as I was (generic, serviceable and safe – and will sell fine). But then three minutes into the song it gets CRAZY good - and VERY BIG - and Adam is AMAZING. Simply amazing. Did I mention how great the end of the song was? It left me breathless – well, after I went around the house screaming at anybody who would listen – “Whoa! Adam’s new song is SICK!!!!!!”

Note to Mr. Allen – your album better be good, dude. Let the Games begin anew!

Ellen!!!!

Ellen Degeneres the new Idol judge? How GREAT is that? This is so huge. I was seriously worried a bit about Paula leaving not so much because of Paula but because of the chemistry with the other judges and the audience. Whatever you thought of Paula’s wackiness, she was an essential element of the Idol chemistry. But – sheesh – Ellen is her own freaking chemistry! She loves music like the rest of us Idol geeks – I have long said that her dancing through the studio audience each day on her show is the best moment on TV – and c’mon, she will be funny on purpose!

The BIG question is, though, who has the power? Isn’t Ellen arguably a bigger star than Simon? She certainly is as big or bigger a personality. How will you not want to always hear what she has to say? How will Simon deal with that? And how much fun will she be with Ryan? Dude, this is so delicious!

Can you tell I love this?

MJ Tribute Week - how did Adam not win? Ah, Alexis!

How in the ^&^#%*(&&%^$^^(*) did Kris win? Travesty is the word that immediately comes to mind.

Alexis. Heart Be Still.

Favorite MJ songs? That is way too hard a question but here’s a few that immediately come to mind: Beat It (Eddie Van Halen!), Jam, Human Nature, Scream (with sis); maybe my favorite Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, Morphine (from a not so well known mostly remix album called Blood on the Dance Floor), Heartbreak Hotel, Dancin’ Machine . . . . yes, Thriller (100 million copies worldwide? Are you kidding me?)

Tonight’s replay of MJ week was a lot of fun to be able to both relive and re-evaluate the season. More than ever – if such a thing is possible – I think Adam and Alexis were robbed. But I am ahead of myself, so on with the re-evaluations.

Lil – The Way You Make Me Feel – her bluesy, R&B take on this was so good. What happened to her that she got so bad?

Scott – Keep the Faith – boring, no pop, sizzle and pitchy. It’s nuts that he kept moving on each week.

Danny – PYT – dude, Danny can flat out sing. Yeah, he can’t dance! I still can’t believe he lost to Kris. Crazy.

Michael (Oil Rig Dude) – You Are Not Alone – What can I say? I got up and went to the restroom. Really.

Jasmine – I’ll Be There – nice start but got really pitchy when the song got big.

Kris – Remember the Time – OK, apparently I didn’t because it was better than I remember. But Danny and Adam were better, and at the time, so was Lil. And Allison.

Allison – Give In To Me – I love her voice but I wouldn’t have picked that song. Not enough range in it to show off her voice but still, she has amazing pipes.

Anoop – Beat It – in his interview he said he wanted credibility. So he picks this song? Arrogance? Lunacy? Naïveté? All three. Painful.

Jorge – Never Can Say Goodbye – I wanted him to do well but this was so bad. I remember liking it more the first time and after seeing it again, I have no idea why.

(Simon-Crushing) Megan – Rockin’ Robin – Mute Button! Stat! That was painful. And she lasted longer than Alexis?

Adam – Black and White – this was the one that put him on the map. Nobody even close – a class by himself in every regard – vocally, performance, look, stage presence. A travesty that he didn’t win. I am angry again!

Matt – Human Nature - I seriously forgot he was on the show. The words from the song, “Why? Why?”, perfectly capture Matt. I still don’t get what the judges saw from this performance.

Alexis – Dirty Diana. OK, she is still so totally hot. But this is a really hard song to sing because of the flow of the words and she didn’t really pull that off. Did I mention that she is so cute? And then Country Week came the next week and finished her off. Still, she was better than over half the people on the show. Yes, I am still angry!!!!

Idol Update - Carly Smithson

This has me REALLY excited. Much as I like David Cook, Carly Smithson was my fave last year and, in my opinion, was a leading contender for Best Idol Singer Ever - a list made completely irrelevant by Adam. And now Carly has something really going on. She is the lead singer in a band named Fallen which is the original Evanescence band that singer Amy Lee fired before hiring a new band for "their" second album before she fired them, too. But I digress although I must admit that Amy is one of my all-time favorite singers and most captivating performers ever.

Anyway, the first Evanscence band's album Fallen (get the connection between this and the band's new name?) only sold 15 million copies! And that band and the new one has Ben Moody who wrote much of that album as well as songs for Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne, Celine Dion and co-wrote Daughtry's smash "What About Now"? Carly is as close to an Amy-Lee sound-alike as you can get - she even sang an Evanscence song during the Idols tour - which tells me this band and album will probably be really close to the original Evanescence. I seriously cannot wait for this!

Check out this link (after 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday) for more on this cool development http://www.wearethefallen.com/

or her MySpace http://www.myspace.com/carlysmithson

Idol update - Adam

In a shameless but can-you-really-blame-them money grab, small-time record label Hi Fi Recordings is rushing out an album of some Adam Lambert recording sessions he did a few years ago as a struggling, young artist. They have just "released" a "single," called "Want," from the sessions, and the album, On With the Show, is due out later this summer. Here is a link to the song: http://www.hifirecordings.com/

It's clearly Adam and we can clearly expect better from his more legitimate, upcoming fall album which is being produced by RedOne, Lady Gaga's producer (and I cannot wait!!!!). For his part, he has released a statement distancing himself from the label and the material. Still, it feeds the Adam's already huge publicity machine.

I'm Down off the Ledge (and giving love to Kris)

OK. Kris won. It’s been a week and I will learn, in time, to forgive. Now to restore order to the cosmos, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and President Obama need to give Adam a Grammy and a Presidential Medal of Honor, respectively, for making Kiss sound good.

Seriously, here’s what great about Kris. The last seasons prior to this one Jordin Sparks, and then David Cook, came from back in the pack to win. They each beat out the early, presumptive favorite (Melinda Doolittle and David Archuleta) by getting better each week and gaining momentum until they created a buzz. Kris followed in their footsteps. It became enjoyable watching Kris grow into his stardom as it was with Jordin, and David C.

Listen to Matchbox Twenty/Rob Thomas or The Fray and you can hear Kris and understand that he can be a credible artist. With the right songs, he can be a star beyond his first CD. Forget his looks – certainly to his advantage and a large part of his success – because he does also have an exceptional ability to create an emotional bond with his listeners in the way that the above bands have (as the Kris Lovin' Ladies have insisted). He really can sing, too, when the song is right for him and the fun of Kris is that the right songs can be quite unexpected – She Works Hard for the Money and Heartless were pure magic. And Ain’t No Sunshine? In the Finals, that was just plain one of the best Idol performances I’ve ever seen.

The challenge for Kris will be to get good enough material that establishes him as more than a pretty boy with a built-in following from idol as opposed to a real artist who will be around for the long haul. The other challenge will be for him to grow even faster now into stardom. The “Adam is way better than me” thing works best if he believes - and acts like he believes – that he’s good, too.

Adam, as runner-up is more than fine. He already is a star and winning or losing Idol will mean nothing to his success. He is far and away the most captivating performer ever on Idol. Even if you didn’t like his singing, he commanded your attention. I believe that “losing” has already enhanced his career as the shock of his finishing second has generated even more media and public attention than he had before. I know I cited stats in my last entry but here’s another one: YouTube videos for Kris – 2,930; for Adam – 8,640.
Speaking of video, here is an amazing one that recently surfaced and, speaking of star power, the song was just made into a single for iTunes! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvwcJUhIa0U

A story about the video (one of many) can be found here: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1608947/20090409/story.jhtml

This was a typically fun, funny and frustrating Idol Season. My competitiveness, criticality and passion for music always get the best of my objectivity. My favorites NEVER win and probably never will. Next year, my heart will be broken by another Alexis just as it was Asia’h the year before and Sabrina the year before that. I stay more upset about good singers that leave too soon rather than good singers who don’t win.

I look forward to the careers of Kris and Adam. I hope that we hear from Allison and Danny, too. And I promise to keep up the banter throughout the off-season. Expect to see me comment soon on the Elliott Yamin concert I went to Sunday as well as his new CD (I LOVE it!).

Is Kris Really the "American" Idol?

Don’t worry Kris Lovin’ Ladies, I PROMISE that I will eventually get around to giving Kris some well-deserved dap but the Feeler has been put back into the corner and Mr. Objectivity has been put back in charge as a way of working through my grief.

First, let’s deal with the story first reported by a Fox affiliate in Arkansas that ATT claimed 38 million votes in that state were cast for Kris. 38% of the votes cast by 1% of the national population. ATT has since claimed “erroneous data” had been given out and can neither confirm or deny any voting results. Putting aside what clearly is an in-house spat between Fox and one of their major sponsors, the governor of the state has proudly boasted of the success of his get-out-the-vote campaign. Truth, angry rumors or conspiracy theory? Who knows? Maybe Kris is the American Idol or maybe he’s just the Arkansas Idol.

Indeed, Kris won the popular vote among Idol voters. But who has made a bigger impact on the American psyche? Here are some real, verifiable facts:

Google Adam Lambert, excluding Kris or Allen – 12m hits
Google Kris Allen, excluding Adam or Lambert – 9.4m hits

Google News Adam Lambert, excluding Kris or Allen – 429 hits
Google News Kris Allen, excluding Adam or Lambert – 223 hits

Adam’s Myspace 960,000 views; 2760 friends
Kris’ Myspace 433,000 views; 1817 friends

Adam’s Facebook 206,000 fans
Kris’ Facebook 88,000 (according to PageData)

In the real-not-the-American Idol-TV-show world, winning the show isn’t much different than winning an election primary. It’s not who sends text messages or dials 866-436-57xx a gazillion times for their favorite (hey, I voted for Adam around a dozen times) that matter. Rather, it’s who actually spends dollars after the contest that matters. That’s the real election. Kris’ devoted fans may vote multiple times but they each won’t buy 40 albums.

To wit, some more numbers:
Idol Winners Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, Taylor Hicks album sales: 5.8m
Idol “Losers” Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson, Daughtry album sales: 12.4m plus a Grammy and Oscar for Jennifer.

So, a little perspective on our maddening TV show is in order. Kris won a particular popular vote but is not the most popular as measured by who has the larger social network that “idolizes” him, not to mention that Adam has much greater media interest. Adam lost the Idol text/phone vote but has a support base and media attention that may generate Aiken-Hudson-Daughtry-like sales.

Part of me hates the fact that you can vote multiple times because it does obscure who is really the most “popular”. But it does make for good TV. Would we still be rabid fans – or would the show even exist – if it was one vote per? Or if the Vote for the Worst website didn't exist? The genius of the show is it's ability to consistently generate such overdone emotions and responses over who or what you like or don't like. It is brilliant and it is fun - and my favorites NEVER win!

OK, I am done “bashing” Kris. The competitor and music critic in me hates to lose. The data makes me feel a lot better. As I move to the Acceptance stage of grief, I PROMISE to give Kris – and Adam – their deserved propers in the next post.

Idol Giveth and Idol Taketh Away.

Idol giveth – Carlos

Idol giveth – many shots of Alexis – work those thigh-high boots, girlfriend!

Idol giveth (quite sadly) – the return of Oil Rig Dude and Simon-Crushing Megan

Idol giveth – a reminder of how good Allison is

Idol taketh – Adam

More to say after I work through the stages of grief. I seem to be cycling between shock and anger.

Performance or Popularity?

Based on PERFORMANCE, tonight was not even close. Kris started strong but was done in by the songs he had to sing when he already was the less complete singer. But as I have been reminded, at the end of season, Idol is no longer a singing competition. It is a popularity contest. I hate that that is true but, nonetheless, it is the inescapable truth. So the following critical evaluation is fun but meaningless. OK, I do enjoy the banter even when it is so woefully misguided . . . .

Round 1
Adam’s Mad World was a bit too subdued this time around. Adam subdued?
Kris Ain’t No Sunshine was brilliant. When he’s good, he is really good.
Round 1 to Kris, close call but clear.

Round 2
Adam – Change is Gonna Come – I wrote at the time: “crazy, sick, good, best ever!!!!!!!!!” I stand by that opinion. One of the great songs ever by one of the great singers ever and Adam was up to the task.
Kris – What's Going On described the bad song choice for him and horrible arrangement, to boot. This is not a song you can do “light” as he did with Kanye last week. It is a serious song and the performance totally missed the gravity and historic importance of the song. I was honestly offended by my girl Kara when she suggested that Kris connected emotionally connected with the song. Not at all.
Round 2 to Adam by a mile.

Round 3
Adam – Not his best performance but given that he had to do three songs this week and this was a new one, it was very, very well done. Again, the restrained Adam has no peer. This song was meant for a good singer and it allowed Adam to show his complete repertoire.
Kris – this was a train wreck. The song is just way too big for Kris. It was like someone decided to write the worst possible song for him. Conspiracy theories, anybody? Even the judges pulled back from commenting on the performance to focus on his whole body of work.
Round 3 to Adam by a mile.

Winner by knockout – Adam Lambert.
Adam needed to show restraint this week - and he did.
Kris needed to pull off the big Written for the Idol Final Song - and he didn't.

However (unfortunately?), I honestly think Kris will win the popularity contest. I find that preposterous, as you all know by now. I will give him his due, though. He has grown through the season and each season has someone who did that. David Cook was far from the best at the start of last year. Kris is really good at what he is good at. He does have a particular talent and I would love to hear an album of songs suited to him. I would probably enjoy seeing him at a small, intimate venue or small arena. I just don’t think he was the best this year.

How did this happen?

How did THIS happen? How did one of the best singers in Idol history lose to a guy who was hit-or-miss each week? And according to Ryan, only a million votes (out of 80+ million) separate him and THE best singer in Idol history? How did THAT happen? For crying out loud, KRIS COULD BE THE NEXT AMERICAN FREAKING IDOL. Who, besides the completely irrational Kris Lovin’ Ladies could have seen that coming 12 weeks ago? [Bitter about losing my bet that Danny would last longer than Kris? No, not at all. I’m not mad about Alexis being gone either.]

I’m upset by more than my friendly wager. I know the rules - America gets to vote and pick who they want. And right now, I keep typing and erasing because I can’t intelligibly form words for how upset I am about a great singer like Danny being outvoted by an inferior singer. Argghhh!!!!!!!!!!

It is the mad genius of the Idol Machine that wreaks havoc with our emotions each week. I just wish I didn’t love it so. But I am still upset beyond belief.

Good stuff. So What Happens Now?

Lot to say so let me get right to it in the order of appearance.

Danny #1 –inspired choice of Introducing The Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby (one of my all-time favorite albums) by Paula – I'm mad at myself for not thinking of it because he and Danny are so similar vocally – but HORRIBLE choice of song!!!! Why not Sign Your Name or Wishing Well? Or almost EVERY other song on the album but that one! Upbeat and dance-y is not where Danny lives. Paula - do you not recall what he did to September during disco week? Mediocre performance – no fault of his – and I thought the jazzy rather than funky soul arrangement hurt Danny even further.

Kris #1 – a disaster. I have thought all season that Apologize would be a great song for him and I was wrong. He couldn’t hit the high notes and you HAVE to hit those in this song. It was pitchy in the lower notes and whiny, otherwise. And he brought zero artistry to the song. (At this point, my bet looks good)

Adam #1 – One by this season's Number One. The winner has been declared. Look, I know some won’t like it and, frankly, I wish he had kept up the restraint he had in the beginning of the song. He is unreal when he is controlled. But this performance was still way above the rim and way the best of Round 1. Oh, you did notice that I called for a big U2 song in my last post? If Paula or Simon leaves the show (as rumored every year), have the Fox people call my people. (Except that I have no people. I have two teenagers and a bunch of their animals.)

Danny #2 – You Are So Beautiful was, indeed, beautiful. The patented Danny slow start, great middle, wow finish. Randy is right – Danny has mad vocals. And this time, the arrangement was perfect. [Editor’s note: I had Joe Cocker on my suggested song list but left him out as I had so many songs for Danny, already.]

Kris #2 – Dude! That was sick! Kanye? Dude. Risky - like his Donna Summer joint during disco week – and TOTALLY worked. Ack! My bet isn’t looking so good now. (Sad side note – the Fox station in Scottsbluff went out so the Kris Lovin’ Ladies missed the whole show. Are you kidding me? You CANNOT lose transmission during the hour of the week’s #1 program!)

Adam #2 – GOOSEBUMPS!!!!! Note to Danny – THAT’S how you hit THE note in a song! Great song choice for him (still think Journey is better) as it legitimately combines a bluesy restraint with over-the-top wailing.

On merit it’s Adam, then Danny, then Kris. But Idol is not a meritocracy. Last year’s presumptive favorite, Melinda Doolittle, went out this week. And the other presumed favorite, David A., didn’t win, either. So you can’t count Adam in or Kris out. Tomorrow’s results show should be VERY interesting.

Let the Games Begin!

Well it comes down to tomorrow night as to whether we get the long-awaited Adam/Danny finale with the expected anointing of Adam; or the surprising Adam/Kris finale with the expected anointing of Adam - along with my humiliating defeat to the Kris Lovin’ Ladies (and one in particular).

I thought since it was judges’ pick week, it was yet another excuse for me to pick songs. So here goes:

Adam
If Randy has any guts, he will pick a Journey song for Adam since he is the first Idolist ever to credibly be able to rise to Steve Perry-like heights. Seriously, if Adam sings Faithfully, when he’s finished crushing that big note at the end, it’s over and you have your winner. Check please. 19 Management can just bring a contract and a pen out for him to sign right there on the spot.

Hot but not nearly as hot would be Journey's Open Arms, Wheel In the Sky; or a big U2 song like With or Without You.

Danny
I have lots of songs for Danny:

• A true classic like House of the Rising Sun;
• Bad Company’s Bad Company since I think he has a Paul Roger’s kind of voice;
• How about some Otis Redding Try a Little Tenderness or Hard to Handle;
• A nice and interesting suggestion from regular reader Gina: Al Green - maybe something like Let’s Stay Together.

Kris

• My clear top choice is Come on Get Higher by Matt Nathanson
• Richard Marx: Hold Onto the Nights or Right Here Waiting
  
• How about Elton John’s Levon

Let the games begin!!!

OK, Ray. Get a Grip.

So, first reaction was shock and horror at seeing “ice for lunch” Kris go to safety first, first being a relative term since we didn’t learn that until well past half of the show.

Then the next reaction was total Feeling – I was bummed about Allison. Distraught. Angry. Hurt. Even feeling empathy for Allison lovers everywhere, especially those watching the TV with me. Can you imagine me feeling their pain?

Then the Thinker woke up. Seriously, Ray, get a grip on yourself. She was never going to win. Back in the day, I had her at best as the 3rd or 4th member of the Adam, Danny, Alexis (ahhh, Alexis), Allison Final Four. She never really gathered support due either to Jenny’s relentless anti-Allison campaign or because of various pernicious societal biases that Sociology major Diandra will rattle off which threatened not only Allison but at this moment are putting the entire social and cultural fabric of the American way of life at risk.

She’s sixteen and she finished 4th behind some pretty good singers (I am referring, of course, to ONLY Adam and Danny). She could have won in some years. She had a great run. She went out with class and grace and spunk. She sang her behind off on her way out. More importantly, I believe we will hear from her again. She is such a “package artist” as my girl Kara says - totally marketable as a personality and voice. I am inclined to agree with Diandra that she has Pink’s power and tone but with better range and with the same vocal runs as Christina Aguilera at that age. As we heard tonight, Chris Daughtry went home early and sold five million records. Won’t predict five million but I’d be surprised if we don’t hear a lot more from young Allison.

So, on to next week with judges’ and personal picks, always a tricky week (I‘m still mad at Simon for submarining my girl Syesha with that horrific Rhianna song). And my bet with a certain Kris Lovin’ Lady as to whether Kris or Danny lasts longer goes another week. Danny, dude, PLEASE keep your Aerosmith records on the shelf!

One awesome. One good. One not good. One horrific.

In other words, Adam. Allison. Kris. Danny.

Adam – thank you for taking one of my suggested songs! (Yes, the image you have of me is taking my bow.) He took Slash’s advice and restrained the shrieking. Adam is good enough to take on the classics even when the singers are near impossible to emulate. Even Diandra said she hoped Robert Plant was listening. Easy Best of the Night by miles and should restore him back to his rightful place at the top of the heap.

Allison – OK, this is me taking a bow again. I considered several Janis songs for Allison because Janis is in her range. But I rejected them because Janis' songs do not generally have much vocal range (minus her shrieks) and, therefore, have limited value in a singing competition. Allison has great vocal quality (Jenny, you know I luv ya and I know we can amicably disagree) and did the song justice. But not enough for what this kind of competition demands. Plus she had to follow Adam. She looked great though!

Kris – I am really angry that he chose a Beatles song. Yes, they are technically a rock band but to me that was a cop-out. I know rock isn’t supposedly his thing but there are many borderline rock artists he could have done that fit him better than the Beatles. And he wanted to do Revolution??????? That would have been a complete train wreck. As it was, Come Together didn’t work for him, either. Look, Kris Lovin’ Ladies, it wasn’t awful. But it just wasn’t him.

Danny – speaking of train wrecks – what in the *^%$@)& was Danny thinking? Somehow Dream On was appropriate because he clearly was in an altered state of consciousness when he thought that would work for him. Just a disaster from start to finish. No, actually the finish was a cataclysm.

Duets? Kris and Danny were dreadful despite Paula trying to find something nice to say about their harmonies. Neither of these guys are arena rockers. Who picked that song (Renegade - fun song, though) for them?
Adam and Allison were fun and do need to do a song together. It’s obvious they have great chemistry in their relationship and they perform wonderfully together. Paula was right about them feeding off each other whereas Kris and Danny looked like they were trying to stay out of each others way.
I think the duets should be part of future Idols. Good or bad, they added a cool element of fun and unpredictability.

Predictions. I hope tomorrow night Daughtry will do What I Want and Slash will play guitar like on the album - and Diandra will go into a Wanda-With-Prince-like frenzy. Assuming such a thing is even possible.

Oh, the voting? Ugh. Adam is safe. After that it gets murky. On merit, Allison should be safe but the judges may have hurt her tonight. I think Danny is the wildcard, though. As in college football, it’s better to lose early than to lose late and Mr. Untouchable was bad when it’s bad to be bad. I guess we will see how big his fan base is this week. Not to mention I have a side bet with a certain shamelessly and hopelessly devoted Kris Lovin’ Lady that Danny lasts longer than her Idol.

Ray Plays Producer

Sure, Ryan Seacrest is my hero but, man, oh, man would I ever love to be a rock producer. So that’s what I’m doing this week as I call the Idolists into Timbalinder Studios to work with them on the songs they should do this week.

My advice is crucial because there is so much at stake this week, especially for Adam and Allison because they are supposed to be good. Adam, in fact, has the most to lose, especially given his surprising fall from the top spots. He has to pick the perfect song to match whatever theatrics he will bring to the stage.
This is also supposed to be Allison’s sweet spot, so she can’t disappoint, either. Plus, I’m going to make Jenny like her this week. Mr. Consistency Danny Gokey seems to be untouchable and Kris is playing with house money so there is less pressure on them. But at this point, they will still feel the pressure of being “in it to win it”, so I’ll pick great songs for them, too, though.
The challenge for all of them is that they have to do songs that are familiar to an Idol audience (so no Soundgarden of Audioslave for Adam*), yet have to bring their own style to the songs as to not be karaoke copycats.

[*note to Gina and Margo: but wouldn’t you just love to hear Adam peel off some Spoonman or Show Me How to Live? Or dim the lights for Black Hole Sun?]

Adam
So what’s it going to be this week Adam? The restrained, pathos-laden Adam of Tracks of My Tears or Mad World? If so, then you HAVE to do Journey’s Wheel in the Sky and totally blow Randy away IF you keep your wail in check. Journey songs are made for Idol but nobody but you can dare to compare himself to Steve Perry.
Or are you going for the unrestrained, wailing Adam? Then you HAVE to do Guns ‘N Roses Welcome to the Jungle and blow Slash away.
Alternate choices (not as good as the above but credible): Aerosmith Dream On, Led Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love or Jon Bon Jovi Blaze of Glory.

Danny
Danny, Go Directly to Creed. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Scott Stapp’s gruff, impassioned vocals plus his Christian-themed lyrics are tailor-made for you and you have a better voice than Stapp to boot. If you want to go your usual route of start-slow-kill ‘em-at-the-end, go with My Own Prison. At the big finish, you’ll take “I cry out to God seeking only His decision” right straight to church and the crowd will go nuts. Simon will call it “indulgent” but it will be brilliant.
However, I think you should change it up and go big right at the start with My Sacrifice. Also take a look at Higher or one of my all-time favorite songs Weathered.
If you don’t go Creed, here’s a couple of alternates: a high-energy crowd-pleaser like Bon Jovi’s Have A Nice Day or show the judges you are a current rock singer with a song that’s on the radio now, Shinedown’s Second Chance.

Kris
The chicks might love to hear you sing I’ll Be Watching You but Sting is so hard to sing. I hear Stealer’s Wheel Stuck in the Middle With You but the other Idolists are going to ROCK so you have to bring something bigger than that. If you want to play it safe, you could do a crowd pleaser like Jackson Browne’s Doctor My Eyes.
But since you playing to win, here’s what you need to do: strap on your guitar and do Tommy James Crimson and Clover. What will the Kris Lovin’ Ladies do when he sings, “But I think I could love her?” My, oh, my.
[note to Wanda: Prince’s new version made me fall to the floor and cry]

Allison
No, we are not going to do Black Velvet or I Love Rock ‘n Roll. Too predictable, safe and boring. Melissa Ethridge is fine but also a bit predictable.
THE song for you is Shine by Collective Soul. I heard a teenager with a voice just like yours by the name of Charity Von do this song and you can sho’ nuf rock this out just like she did.
Another inspired choice is to reach back and do that bluesy-rock classic of Blue Cheer’s Summertime Blues.

OK, I will stop here and resist my urge to over-think this. I anxiously await your reactions.

Whew! That Was Close!

Well we got a little bit of a scare – more like outright shock and horror – but we survived the experience. Matt is the right person to be gone. And the right four are left. But what’s up with Adam falling into the Dreaded Bottom Three? Guess that opens things up quite a bit. And with Rock Week coming next week, it’s even more open since all four can credibly do well with that.
Speaking of rock week – did you guys hear Diandra (and, uh, OK, her dad) SCREAM when Ryan said Slash will be the mentor? Dude better play something on Wednesday's Fox Gets Paid Idol Results Show.
And speaking of Matt, I think the shot of him counting his dollars at the piano bar was so cool. You have to love seeing someone go from that to millions of fans each week on the biggest stage of them all. Props to Matt although he probably would have done better if he had used that piano more.

Oh, I loved Jamie Foxx as mentor. Who knew? But his performance tonight was dreadful. When that is the No. 1 song in the country, why are we shocked at the Idol voting results?
Question? How did Taylor Hicks win when he's just not that good of a singer? Because he had a great, high energy stage presence and winning personality. I was happy to see him doing a song that fit him rather than stuff like the dreadful first album created for him as the Idol winner.

Finally, I love hearing Carrie Underwood’s take on Motley Crue's Home Sweet Home each week during the "goodbye, loser" portion of the Fox Gets Paid Idol Results Show. Didn’t think it possible to like a Motley Crue song and even saying “song” and “Motley Crue” in the same sentence is a paradox.

OK, the Final Four. Somebody good goes each week. It’s fun and painful at the same time – the genius of American Idol.

Best Week of the Year

This was the best week of the year in terms of overall performances. I had trouble deciding who was best so I had to go back and re-watch my three favorite performances. Well, technically, not “re-watch” because what I like to do when I replay a performance is listen with my eyes closed so I can just focus on the singing. It is, as Randy reminds us, a singing competition. While the difference between my Top Three of the Night is small, I was clearer the second time around.

#1. Adam – superior from beginning to end. I do get that you either love him or you hate him but he demands and commands attention and is the most complete package ever as performer, singer and even arranger.

#2. Danny – his best week in a while and he needed it because, ironically, he was getting kind of boring just being good each week. He was incredible in the way he built the song up from a slowly paced beginning to a passionate ending - and he totally tore up the end of the song. He is so, so good but his problem is Adam - kind of like all the great basketball players who never won championships because they had to play against Michael Jordan.

#3. Allison – but this is a 3rd place with honor because she was fabulous, too. She just sings beyond her years and finally showed a broader stylistic range than we had previously seen. I could find no fault in her performance. It’s just that Danny and Adam were ever so slightly better. I, like Simon, do fear for her as I did last week. But I wish he hadn’t said that so emphatically, especially since he apparently likes her as a singer (just not as an ego) and since he knows how much his opinion matters in the voting.

I’m willing to allow that others may rank these three differently and I won’t think bad thoughts about you as long as these were your Top Three of the Night.
Which brings us to the back of the Idol Rat Pack:

Kris – sorry, Kris Lovin’ Ladies of Scottsbluff, it takes more than great eyes to impress this writer. I agreed with Simon here rather than the other gushing judges. Look, he sang fine. But it was a pretty forgettable performance unless you’re remembering how cute you think he is. Jazzy standards aren’t his style of song at all and I give him credit for doing as well as he did. He’s just not a good enough singer to go outside his narrow range of strengths.

Matt – was absolutely, positively dreadful. He was so pitchy and My Funny Valentine – a true classic among classic songs – was way bigger than his talent. I suggest he take lessons from Kris on how less = more; and from Danny on when and where to place your vocal runs; and he should have watched a video of Melinda Doolittle doing that song two years ago to realize he can’t sing it.

I hope Simon is wrong about Allison. Matt has deserved to go and deserves to go this week.

By the way, best Rat Packer album ever is Sinatra's Songs for Swinging Lovers.

What, Donna Summer Wasn't Available?

True – I hate the results show like I hate lima beans. But this week? Who could have guessed that the Idolist Group Sing would be better than the medley of guest, uh, “performers”? A quick recap, as painful as it is to bring back those memories I tried to bury into my unconscious:
Freda Payne – still singing her one song, just now she sings it badly. And the, uh, "dress," was worse. And apparently her plastic surgeon appreciates her business.
Thelma Houston – still singing her one song and can still sing it but clearly pulled a, uh, "dress," to wear out of Freda’s closet.
K.C. minus the Sunshine Band (always the best part of K.C.’s act) – still singing his one song (although he was clever enough to make the same song into five different hit records) and, well, K.C. still can’t sing and is not even fun anymore.
What, Donna Summer, who can still sing and had lots of songs, wasn’t available?

The Idolist Group Sing is worth mentioning because it was a reminder that, with all of her weekly buffoonery, Paula should be respected for her place in the industry as a dancer and choreographer. Yeah, she had some cute songs, too, but seriously, let's focus on the dancing.

David A. is still as adorable as ever but dare I say that he was pitchy?

Oh, yeah, Lil and Anoop are gone. No big. But for Anoop, I think it's cool that he was the first ever 13th Idolist and then went on to justify that choice by going on to 6th place.

So, can we now get rid of Matt? I fear that he will be with us longer than Allison, who does little wrong, yet continues to find a place in the Dreaded Bottom Three. And I guess there is still no chance of bringing Alexis back?

Disco Week - and No Disco!!

So here I sit in a living room in Scottsbluff, NE with two of the Kris Lovin’ Ladies of Scottsbluff – Karla and Margo – having watched Idol. No, they didn’t act like screaming, crying teenagers at a Beatles concert. They were adult and orderly yet insistent that Kris was the best of the night. They were wrong, of course, but I admire their devotion.

So, how do you like Disco Week with almost no disco songs? Basically, only Danny and Matt did disco arrangements.

Anyway let’s rank order them and then comment.
1. Adam
2. Kris
3. Allison
4. Danny
5. It really doesn’t matter from here does it? OK, in order, Matt, Anoop, Lil.

Gone: Lil and Anoop.

I am somewhat torn between Kris and Adam. I really can’t believe this Kris guy is growing on me and I am putting him in the same category as Adam - but only for this week. But his risky take on Donna Summer totally was credible and totally worked.
Adam was brilliant as usual. He is totally captivating. We were talking – well at least I was – through each performance except Adam’s. He is the best singer and best performer ever in Idol by a long shot. Yet, I still found Kris’ uniqueness quite engaging.

Allison – I disagree with Randy in that I liked the bluesy arrangement of a classic song, kind of like Etta James meets Disco.
Danny – horrible song choice but he “worked it out” as Randy would say. Great voice but I think Kris is gaining momentum and maybe has passed him. Kris Lovin' Lady Karla thinks he passed him a long time ago but she would wrong.
Matt – Stayin’ Alive – prophetic? - may be enough to save him although it was just OK. Bad song choice, though.
Anoop – still wants to be in Boyz II Men
Lil – still doesn’t get the difference between original and karaoke. She is so gone.

Disco Week - and I pick the songs!

Disco week. In spite of the genre’s shameful reputation, there are a LOT of great disco songs but most were played in the clubs and not the radio. So chances are we won’t hear what I would call the good stuff because it’s too obscure.

To wit: The Greatest Disco Song of All-Time in the History of the Cosmos and Even When the Cosmos Was Just an Idea in God’s Mind - is Risky Changes by Bionic Boogie. Raise your hands if you’ve ever heard of it. Didn’t think so. It was actually the B side of Dance, Little Dreamer (probably never heard that one, either) which was a #1 song on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1978. Risky Changes featured an unknown at the time singer named Luther Vandross! I could rattle off a bunch more great disco songs like this that we won’t hear on the show because they are too obscure - unless you spent much of your early adult life in dance clubs as I did.

OK, here’s The Greatest Disco Song Everybody Has Heard Of: Vicki Sue Robinson’s Turn the Beat Around. And please, keep Gloria Estefan’s version away from me.

Here are the songs that should NOT be sung and, if so, the Idolists, the guest mentor, Ricky Minor and the band, and the producers of Idol should all be flogged:
YMCA or anything else by the Village People unless it’s San Francisco – their fabulous first single which I'm sure nobody has heard of.
Do Ya Think I’m Sexy – I LOVE Rod Stewart and this song is proof I am a forgiving person.
Copacabana – Barry Manilow. I rest my case.
Dancing Queen or anything else by Abba – sorry Mama Mia fans but a movie with Abba songs? I have no words for how deep and excruciating my pain is that such a thing is even possible.

This week could challenge the Idolists as much as Country Week but here are some popular songs that I think would be interesting to hear from each of them. I tried as much as possible to recommend songs that most Idol watchers would be familiar with.

Adam –Disco Inferno (Trammps), You Make Me Feel Mighty Real (Sylvester)
Lil – Don’t Leave Me This Way (Thelma Houston), I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
Allison – Hot Stuff (Donna Summer); or a rocked-up Turn the Beat Around (the aforementioned Vicki Sue Robinson) - but we've never heard her sing a fast song
Anoop – Boogie Nights (Heat Wave), Rock With You (Michael Jackson)
Danny – Don't Leave Me This Way – (Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, in case Lil doesn’t do the song); or Livin’ It Up (Friday Night) – Bell and James
Matt – Got to Give It Up (Marvin Gaye) – he could totally slay this
Kris – a "Kris-ed up" version of More Than a Woman (Bee Gees) will have ladies in and out of Scottsbluff, NE going totally nuts
Alexis - Shame (Evelyn "Champagne" King). What's that? She was? Really? When did that happen? Wow, that is SO wrong.

Speaking of Danny and Lil, I don’t know the rules around Idolists singing the same song or even if the two versions of Don’t Leave Me This Way are considered the “same” since they are by different artists. But I think it would be WAY cool to hear the female vs. male versions of the song – kind of a competition within a competition.

Judge's Save? No Big Deal.

Forget the drama about the Precious Judges’ Save – both Matt and Lil are gone next week, anyway. Unless, of course, Anoop-Dog goes back to trying to channel his inner brother and succumbs to oversinging a disco song next week. More on the disco later, after I ask some important questions.

How bad a song is “Maniac” (the Idolist Choir song)? So bad, that none of them including Adam, sounded good in it.

How bad is Miley Cyrus? So bad that Diandra said it makes her appreciate Britney Spears who, at the same age, had the good sense to just breathe heavy and make cooing noises into a microphone, and not actually try to sing.

How good is Jennifer Hudson? Real good.

How annoying is Ryan getting with his safe or Dreaded Bottom Three teases? Very.

And how much fun will disco week be? A lot of fun!! I’m looking forward to reliving some awesome years spent gettin’ down on the dance floor – and lifting Christine off of the dance floor and spins and death drops and dance contests and Dance Fever . . . . . . How over the top will Adam be was my first thought. Can Danny sing a disco song? Can Kris for that matter? Should be interesting.

I Hate Music in Movies

Yes, the addiction rules. I am out of town, having a fabulous Flounder in Black Bean Sauce at a nice Asian restaurant, aware that, with my usual cut-it-so-close sense of time, I am possibly going to be late for Idol if I dawdle. So, I pay and dash to the car. Fortunately, I’m not as fast as I used to be because a staff person was able to chase me down with my credit card that I left behind. Nothing like being distracted, huh?

The rule change that allows judges to speak only two at a time is stupid. A core element of the show is the judges differing opinions and Simon acting as the final authority – right or wrong. What – demanding them to be brief wasn’t an option? I guess Paula isn’t capable of doing that.

Any Springsteen fans catch the shots of Little Stevie?

Since this blog really is all about me, I should tell everybody – and some of you already know this – that I don’t like “songs” in movies. With some exceptions for specific reasons, I detest musicals (and the Sound of Music - just seeing those words makes me ill - is particularly nefarious). So, tonight’s theme was hard for me and I didn’t really connect with the show. Yes, these are great songs but the second I get a mental image of the song as it was in the movie, I get a complex that a Jungian analyst could not unravel.

I thought about rank ordering the Idolists but I think I can be more conversational this week.

I liked Allison best this week because she was really good and because I liked Born to Be Vegas Adam less. Close your eyes when she sings and you don’t hear a 16-year old singer. Regarding Adam, I might be feeling a bit of what the Ring of Fire Defenders were so mad at me about. This is a classic straight-ahead rock song and his take on it was a bit too odd and over the top for me - like something I would see in a Vegas show. His vocal prowess is amazing but I was surprised that Simon didn’t break out “indulgent” regarding his performance. I thought it was. But I do agree with Simon in this regard, that some will like it and some will not.

Lil is gone. If not her, it’s Matt. But it should be her. She has no sense of artistry and despite her protests to the contrary, she didn’t bring either the R&B or gospel flavor. And Matt just doesn’t know who he is as an artist.

The rest – Anoop-Dog, Hottie Kris and (no-nickname) Danny – all good. None great. I think Danny got caught up in the emotion of the song until he settled in; the 2nd half was much better than the first.

I think Adam and Allison are in the final three. Then it’s either Kris or Danny who joins them.

It's worth a buck!

Legend has it that before Motown founder Berry Gordy would release a record, he would pull people off the street, have them listen, and then ask them if they only had a dollar and were hungry, would they buy food or the record?
I bring up this story because the studio version of Adam’s Mad World is available on iTunes and, if you are hungry, it’s way better than anything on the value menu at Mickey D’s. 99 cents is all it costs to have a remarkable performance of music on your iPod or computer. This song definitively clears up the one doubt I had about him – does his obvious giftedness as a performer translate to the recording studio as a pop star?
This was the Taylor Hicks Curse. Taylor was a marginal singer who won a singing contest because he was a fun performer. He’d get the studio audience whipped up shaking their “Soul Patrol” signs, get you, me, and millions of other TV viewers at home all excited and then everybody would go vote for Taylor. Problem was - nobody bought the album. Aside from the fact the he wasn’t a pop singer in the first place (also Melinda Doolittle’s problem, Chris Daughtry’s problem, and perhaps, ultimately, Allison’s undoing), his stage charisma could not be captured on a CD.
Despite far-and-away being the best singer in the history of Idol, I worried about that with Adam. When you can’t see him and his outsized, yet captivating, stage presence, can you feel the same about him? Can he make the same magic on a studio mic as he does on a stage mic?
The full, final definitive “YES” answer is on the studio version of Mad World (which, by the way, is actually an obscure 2001 rendition of Gary Jule's version of the original by Tears for Fears). It is beautiful beyond words and announces him as a real talent to be reckoned with on Idol and eventually on the music charts.
He should, beyond a shadow of any doubt, win Idol this year. But, as we have seen with Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson, the public’s tastes are, using a pet Simon word – bizarre. And even Simon voted against Daughtry in his audition and disparaged Jennifer Hudson, proving that he, too, can get it wrong. So becoming a music star is a tricky business. And Melinda once held the title of Best Singer in the History of Idol and she went out fourth. Still, I am hoping Adam’s combination of incredible vocal ability and live performances make him unbeatable, and even if you like rocker chick Allison or hot Kris, go buy Mad World, anyway!

Goodbye Scott (finally)

Scott is gone - rightfully and finally so on merit.

Now I need to editorialize. While I like the “Judge’s Save” in concept, I detest the way it plays out on TV. I think it is demeaning and humiliating to the Idolist who stands there in front of tens of millions of people while the fate of what they believe is their future hangs in the balance of the judges' own drama. This is somehow very different to me than the trainwreck weeks. In Scott’s case, it even became patronizing, as Paula ("you're an inspiration blah-blah-blah") could not contain herself against Simon’s candid pronouncement that Scott just isn’t good enough.

OK, a few random notes about the show. Frankie Avalon – that was cool. The Dreaded Group Sing was among the worst ever. Kellie Pickler still isn’t a very good singer but who cares? How can you not LOVE Kellie? On the other hand, we had to endure Flo Rider perpetuating negative stereotypes of women and black males. With confetti.

I re-watched Matt and decided that he was better than I previously thought.

Last thing - I came across this interesting page in Wikipedia listing Kara's songwriting credits. Pretty impressive: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Songs_written_by_Kara_DioGuardi

It's Not a Mad World. It's Adam's World.

Tonight's Official Don’t Argue With Me Because I’m Right and You’re Wrong Rankings*
Adam
Allison
Danny
Anoop
Matt
Kris
Lil
Scott

Now let’s talk about ‘em a bit:

Emo-Chic aka Funky White Boy aka Adam – Simon’s standing ovation says it all.
Allison – OK, I think we drop the “for sixteen” descriptor (did she do enough for you this week, Jenny?). When she gets a song that fits her, you can hear her artistry, if I can steal a word from my girl Kara. She should give Lil lessons on how to sing in her lower register.
Danny – Danny’s problem is Adam. He’s consistently good to great but Adam is consistently amazing.
Anoop-Dog – the vote is over - the black guy Anoop should be is the 5th Boys to Men. Not Usher. Not Michael Jackson. Not Bobby Brown. He really did do a legitimately soulful version of a Cyndi Lauper classic that sounded “his own”.
Matt – Matt’s strengths are the Justin thing but I just wasn’t enthused as the judges were. Maybe I couldn’t get Stevie out of my head enough to appreciate the JT/jazzy version of Part-Time Lover.
Kris – sorry Kris Lovin’ Ladies of Scottsbluff (and I apologize if I have left out other chapters of Kris Lovin’ Ladies), but the judges totally got it right – the arrangement took over the song and you lost both Kris and the song
Lil – is in trouble. The judges were totally right about her, too. She just hasn’t defined herself beyond having a good voice. At this point, she is just a good karaoke singer, and at times, not even good.
Scott – can we be done now? Finally, he was really bad. Usually, he’s just bad but he may have finally done enough to get him voted off.

We’re down to the point where predictions make sense and, once Scott is gone, those that are left are pretty good with the possible exception of Lil who has failed to live up to her audition promise. So, here goes:

Should Win – Emo-Chic aka Funky White Boy aka Adam
Would Win in A Different Year – Danny, Allison
Good But Never Had a Chance – Kris, Matt, Anoop-Dog
She’s Done – Lil
Gots-to-Go - Scott

*(except my Mom has already called to tell me I'm wrong)

She’s gone. We’re happy.

She’s gone. We’re happy. Diandra said it best: “She doesn’t know anything about, like, pitch.” So . . . . moving to on more substantive issues . . . .

Lots of shots of Alexis!!!!!! Lots!!!!! OK, so it will be Season 28 and I still won’t be over Alexis.

From cringe to joy: when Ryan said the Idolists were going to group sing Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’”, Christine pulled a blanket over her head, and Diandra and I stared at each other, slack-jawed in a mutual combination of horror and alarm. Some of you know that Journey is, for me, holy ground, and Steve Perry is the high priest. And, let’s face it, Journey songs are at the top of the list for Bad Karaoke so this had the potential for unmitigated disaster. But Allison kicked it off fine with her bluesy-rock thang and Kris – can I believe that I am starting to like this guy? – held his own. We had some dull and some downright scary moments but then – I knew THE NOTE was coming and we really hadn’t seen Funky White Boy Emo-Chic, yet. THE NOTE came, our boy was there, and c’mon, you can count on less than all your fingers the number of people who can hit Steve Perry notes with Steve Perry power and Steve Perry clarity. Pure joy.

David Cook. Gotta love David Cook. Yes, I am going to review his album. And maybe comment on some others, too: Melinda Doolittle, Chris Sligh, and Mandisa.

Lady Gaga – and the judges were concerned about what Allison was wearing? I LOVE Lady Gaga’s album but, frankly, she was disappointing live. Already knowing about her stage get-up, I was anticipating a call from my Mom – and Mom didn’t disappoint!

What about Allison? Why is she in the Bottom Three again? This bugs me, really bugs me. She’s not the best but she’s better than Bottom Three.

Allison vs. Paris

A question for experienced Idol Watchers – how do you rate Allison against “Miss P” Paris from three years ago? Is Allison Better? Not as good? About the same as Miss P?

Kris! Yes - Kris! And Funky, White Boy Emo-Chic!

Yes. I am going to give some dap to Kris. Because he earned it and not because I’m trying to keep the Kris Lovin’ Ladies - and you know who you are in Scottsbluff, Nebraska - off my back. My back is strong enough to be as critical as I wanna be.
But first, a major shout out to Ryan Seacrest. I want his job. C’mon – he uses his voice, plays music, and is surrounded by computers. He has my dream job!

OK, back to the competition. Poor Danny was great once again, and it’s hard to recall what he did after Funky White Boy Emo-Chic and Kris. I have to give some mad love to Kris. That’s a hit single that I would buy in a heartbeat. Great performance and re-arrangement of a very familiar song. He is definitely finding his zone and it’s clear I need to re-evaluate him.
Funky White Boy Emo-Chic – what can you say? Arrangement was sick. Nearly a total rewrite. Loved it. And you just can’t deny the mad vocal skills. I seriously was worried when he said he was doing that song because it is already pretty over the top but he completely turned it into something else that was all his.

Danny completes my top three with Allison in 4th tonight. Danny can just flat sing and he picked a perfect song for him. Allison started great, really great, but the chorus wasn’t as good. It lacked the energy of the original. But for 16 years old? Wow!

The rest:
Anoop – he wants so desperately to be black. Sorry, Anoop, the positions are filled, especially Usher’s. But since I want to be Ryan Seacrest, maybe it could work out . . .

Lil – I thought she was very pitchy and just not that good. I agree with the judges about bad song choice and I, too, would have loved to hear her do Mary J. Blige’s version of One. Or how about It’s Rainin’ Men? Randy’s right, she needs to get her swagger on. She’s not a Celine-style diva. For the Conspiracy Theorists among you, how about having Ryan and Randy play with the kids? Are the producers trying to generate votes?

Matt – that was ugly. Again, the judges were right, he needed to do One Republic’s Apologize or (suggestion by Ray) maybe J.T.’s Summer Love. Like Lil, he is really struggling to figure out who he is.

Scott – I just don’t understand what the judges are hearing. I was bored. Diandra was in pain. She said she was too much in pain to be bored and I said I was too bored to be in pain.

Simon-Crushing Megan – speaking of pain . . . . I would really like to hear her do Duffy, Adele or Amy Winehouse. Not that it would be good. And since I love all three, not that I wouldn’t be appalled and uncontrollably scratch the skin off my neck. But . . . that’s where she would sound the best she can (which still probably isn’t much).

Can Win: Funky White-Boy Emo-Chic, Danny, Kris (!)
Maybe Can Win: Allison – she is fabulous but because she was in the Bottom Three, I wonder how much support she has as compared to the above
Will Be Around Way Longer Than Deserved: Scott
Just a Matter of Time: Anoop, Matt, Lil
Time to Go Away: Simon-Crushing Megan - but will the Vote For the Worst folks save her?
Still Grieving Over You: Alexis

Goodbye, Oil Rig Dude

The only shock here is that Matt makes the Dreaded Bottom Three. What's up with that? The flip side of that is, of course, that Simon-Crushing Meagan once again parlayed her two skills of being pretty and having a long tattoo into avoiding the Bottom Three. Who is voting for her and how long will they continue to force her upon us? She's a nightmarish combination of Kristy Lee Cook and The Unspeakable One.

Adam.

Adam. Period. End of discussion. I'll take the check now. Oh, you don't like Adam? HELLO!!! SMOKEY FREAKING ROBINSON GIVES HIM A STANDING O AFTER SINGING ONE OF HIS CLASSIC SONGS? HELLO!!!!!! Check, please. (Yes, this week Emo-Chic is Adam. This week was serious. Maybe we get back to Emo-Chic next week.)

Allison. This young lady is good beyond her years. She took on Papa Was a Rolling Stone - one of My Greatest Pop Songs of All-Time and totally nailed it. Totally. If she ends up within a sniff of the Bottom Three again, it's a crime against humanity.

And as long as we're on crimes against humanity - Simon-Crushing Meagan. Our language and communication is simply insufficient to describe how awful she was. The closest I can say is that it was in the realm of The Unspeakable One. Alexis is gone and we are stuck with this? (140 words before I mentioned Alexis. I'm starting to get over her, I think.)

And in the category of criminally negligent stupidity, let's add Oil Rig Dude who apparently smiles and shakes girls' hands while singing a song about begging and pleading to your girl to come back. As a HUGE Temptations fan, that was a personal affront but I recalled the hit I put out on him when he admitted he knew it was bad.
Finally, let's add Scott to the list of bad - neither unspeakably bad or stupidly bad; just bad.

OK, we've dealt with the best and, hopefully, the Bottom Three. The rest:
Matt - pretty good tonight, actually, and I think he can make a run at this
Kris - Simon is spot-on: no star quality.
Anoop-Dog - fair, not good, not bad; his falsetto voice is weak and he needs to avoid songs where he he has to go there.
Lil - HUGE disappointment. This should have been her night but she picked a song that was way too fast and I agree with Kara that My Guy would have fit her better.
Danny - also a let down because of bad song choice. I could give you a dozen Temptations songs off the top of my head that would have been better. In fact, of all of their songs, he picked the worst one for him. And maybe a Four Tops song would have been better, something like I'll Be There. He can flat-out sing but it's clearer that with Adam and Allison, he's not that much of a better singer than everybody and maybe not even the best.

Can Win: Adam, Allison, Danny
Coming on Strong: Matt
Fading: Lil
Can't Win: Kris, Anoop-Dog
Need to Go Now: Scott, Oil Rig Dude
Need to Be Punished for Intolerable Crimes Against Humanity: Simon-Crushing Meagan

Another Year, Another Heartbreak

I have lost the will to live but I will attempt to write something before I consider what manner of death will be appropriate for my pain.
But before I die, I need to ask myself, "Ray, why are you surprised?" Two years ago, it was Sabrina. Gone too soon. Last year it was Asia'h. Gone too soon. Now, it's Alexis. Another year. Another heartbreak. How will I get up the strength to watch each week now without having someone I am in love with? (I have heard, however, that the new judge is pretty cute.) IT'S A CRUEL INJUSTICE AND I AM OUTRAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And to add insult to injury, including the ones I am inflicting on myself right now, I had to watch Brad Paisley AND Randy Travis. Somehow it is ironic that I survived that only to see My Girl Alexis get the boot.

I actually thought it was going to be Adam who was gone. While I liked him last night, I recognize that it was an all-or-nothing performance (thanks to Diandra for that line) and I feared that most people would vote "nothing". Which begs another question to me before I impale myself on a sharp kitchen object: "Ray, would you have felt as badly if Adam had been the one to go?" Alas, my Thinking logic wins over my Feeling affectations. I would have been a lot more upset because he is a much better singer. But I'm still angry because Alexis is so much better than half the people still in it. And I have ever mentioned how cute she is?
IT'S A CRUEL INJUSTICE AND I AM OUTRAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I demand a Congressional investigation.

The Amazing Power of Idol

The Amazing Power of Idol was most clearly demonstrated tonight. I willfully (but not without agony) sat through two hours of country music and Randy Travis, no less. Fortunately, a few minutes of seeing Alexis was not only a welcome respite but definitive proof that there is a God and He loves me. Still, I am glad Country Week is over and not just because I steadfastly refuse to acknowledge it as a legitimate music genre. It's just that few of the Idolists can sing it authentically and that every year the better singers don't really show themselves that strongly on Country Week.

I have to admit that perhaps this crop of Idolists is living up to the hype as the strongest yet from top to bottom. There just weren't any bad performances tonight and, frankly, there were a few surprises. Oil Rig Dude was OK, Simon-Crushing Meagan didn't embarrass herself (but what was that she was wearing!), and Anoop might have restored his Dog status even if Diandra thinks he wants to be the 5th member of Boyz To Men. Because of how close I think everybody is, could there be some surprise exits coming?

Before I get to performances, my other highlight this week - I did mention Alexis, right? - was Emo Chic. Even after replaying it, I'm not sure I understand it. As Kara said, "It left me confused and happy." But I liked it. A lot. I will buy it when it comes out on iTunes. I am quite sure I will get some grief from some of you but, hey, I'll be the one who is "current, young, fresh and hot" as per R. Jackson.

OK, a quick recap:

Oil Rig Dude - Simon was right, you couldn't understand the words - and isn't that the point of most country songs?

Allison - OK, not great, I like that she kept to her rock vibe but still kept a little country in it

Kris - he's like a palm full of sugar: sweet and empty

Lil - Simon made me angry calling her Little. Sometimes he takes his "I'm smarter than you shtick" too far. Obviously she is not a country singer but when she hits her big notes, she's as clear as a bell

Emo-Chic - see above

Scott - tonight was his best and he's still just not that good

Alexis - Yes. I love her. Yes, she wasn't that good tonight. She should have stuck to her rock guns and done a fun, naughty song like Carrie's Underwood's Last Name. (I know, you people who think I'm a country music hater can't believe I know that song). And, yes, I love her.

Danny - slow start, HUGE finish. When he hits his sweet spot, he gives me goose bumps

Anoop-Dog - Big surprise! Great comeback for him. He really does have a voice and maybe he's figured out how best to display it

Simon-Crushing Meagan - she is so marginal and, again, what was she wearing?? Props for singing as well as she did under the weather.

Matt - I just didn't get the judges over-the-top praise. Better than Danny? What? Diandra's notes said, "Too many flat notes to be forgivable . . . . he should've played piano and Danny should've sung."


Can win: Danny, Lil, Emo-Chic
Maybe can win: Allison, Alexis, Matt (who the judges seem to love)
Can’t win (but apparently will make it interesting): Anoop-Dog, Kris
Really can’t win: Scott, Oil Rig Dude, Simon-Crushing Megan

The Mute Button . . .

. . . is what you use for those awful farewell performances.

So America gets it right by sending Jasmine home. But Anoop (who no longer deserves to be called Dog) clearly deserved to go before Jorge. And Simon-Crushing Megan should have been gone. Oh well, their times will come soon enough.

The new rule now adds unnecessary drama as we have to wait for the judges to rule on each go-home vote. And does it really matter? If people didn't vote for, say, Daughtry, before, what would have made them vote for him enough if he were kept in? I can see the idea as inoculation against Vote For The Worst but am on the fence for now.

Not much else to add except how cute My Girl Alexis is and the next time you see me, I'll be wearing a towel off the back of my pants like Kanye.

What is tomorrow's surprise?

My prediction about Simon's surprise for the voting show (based absolutely on my intuition): since they are eliminating two people, the votes will decide one person; but the twist is that the judges will choose one person.

Michael Jackson Week

Yes, who can Michael but Michael? But the beauty of doing MJ is that it separates Real Idolists from Pretend Idolists.
Here is my summary with Idolist-by-Idolist details following:

Can win: Danny, Lil, Emo-Chic
Maybe can win: Allison, Alexis
Can’t win: Oil Rig Dude, Jorge, Scott, Kris, Matt
Really can’t win: Jasmine, Anoop Dog, Simon-Crushing Megan

Lil – I really liked her giving the song more of a soul vs. a pop feel. She didn’t mimic the original and remade the song as Randy said. She can win. What is Simon’s problem other than he NEVER gets R&B?

Scott – I continue to think he is mediocre, just no pizzazz, no sizzle, as Kara said not dynamic, sheesh, even Oil Rig Dude is better.

Danny – WOW!!! WHOA!!! DUDE!!! I just love this guy’s voice so, so much. He can flat sing and can DEFINITELY win!!!

Oil Rig Dude – Better than I thought, not unpleasant is about the best I can say

Jasmine – Way too big a song for her, pitchy at times. She’s gone. (Don’t you love how Randy name-dropped Mariah?) Randy and Kara were way too kind. Paula was CRITICAL!!!! WHAT????? Simon continues to be right about her, a little girl trying to be a big girl.

Kris – Guitar version did NOT work. Remember the Time pops and Kris’ version had nothing. It was, as Simon would say, “Bizarre.” In point of fact, he said, “Clumsy.” I hate him and want him gone, I don’t care how nice he is or how cute his wife is.

Allison – She’s 16 and her voice gives me chills at times – I know, the gravelly-voice female thing I have. But Randy is right, she’s got “it”; I love her personality, too.

Anoop Dog – Anoop, Anoop, Anoop, you CANNOT go there!! Beat It is way too iconic a song. Who can sing this song other than MJ? Paula was ABSOLUTELY right, the song is untouchable. And you really need Eddie Van Halen on the guitar, too.

Jorge – I liked him better than the judges did although his voice was a little thin and pitchy at times.

Simon-Crushing Megan – Oh, dear, how dreadful was that? Even Simon couldn’t find anything good to say for once. And she needs to stop whatever she is doing that she thinks is dancing. Which could be this week.

Emo-Chic – Man, I love this guy. He is a PRO! He commands – no, he OWNS - the stage, he demands attention. He is outrageously good. AWESOME. Maybe HE could sing Beat It (but you still need Eddie Van Halen doing the guitar)

Matt – Sorry Randy, that was a BAD imitation of Justin Timberlake. I didn’t like it at all but maybe Simon was right, it was too tough to follow Emo-Chic.

My Girl Alexis – Heart be still. Maybe more energy and sex appeal than substance this week but still quite enough substance. Yes, Simon, a little over the top at times but you have your crush and I have mine. The biggest difference is that mine will be back next week.

Bring on the Final 12 - uh, 13!!!!!

In spite of his horrible song choice and dreadful performance, I was so happy to see Anoop-Dog go in as the 13^th Idolist. Which is also why I can’t give the judges a hard time about their selections since they apparently didn’t have vocal quality on their minds. If they did, Jesse (Tell Me Something Good) and Ricky (Superstition) would have been in the finals, as to these ears, they were the best performances of the evening. But we know the show is as much about casting as it is about singing – otherwise how could we have possibly been subjected to the Unspeakable One?

So we get pretty and precocious Jasmine – who I am finally realizing isn’t that good; pretty Simon-Gushing Megan, who may actually be good but isn’t nearly as good as Simon thinks; and Matt who did Terence Trent D'Arby's (anybody remember him?) version of a Michael Jackson song and reminded me of neither. And, of course, Anoop-Dog. At least we have seen the last of Tatiana!

One prediction - when Kelly Clarkson is on next week, she'll do the song on her new CD that Kara co-wrote.

OK, so now the REAL fun begins. BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!!!!

Looking Forward to the Wildcards

I forgot to mention in last night’s post that I knew Scott was going through. With all due respect, he’s just not that good of a singer. He’s supposedly better with a keyboard but I wasn’t all that impressed with his clip from Hollywood singing Daughtry’s Home.
Of course I am relieved that Lil and Jorge went through. And disappointed that Felicia didn’t make it.

Now, on to the fun. Finally we had some real – as opposed to fake – drama with the judges’ selections for the sing-off tomorrow night. I guess the info (from an interview with Simon) that it was going to be nine and they could come from Hollywood turned out to be inaccurate. Oh, well, sorry Jamar and David Osmond. Too bad for us.

Well, here’s my breakdown on each of the callbacks:
Von – mediocre at best, not sure why he got another chance and I will be disappointed if the judges put him through
Jasmine – has the “package” as Kara would say but her stunning looks and precocious poise belie a lack of self-confidence. She didn’t perform well but if she does, she could go through
Ricky B. – “forgettable” as Simon would say because I just don’t remember much about him other than the judges seemed to like him for reasons I couldn't fathom
Megan – Simon seems to have a crush on her. Another “package” but not sure if she’s a good enough singer. However, can anybody say “Kristy Lee Cook” or “I’ll-Just-Take-Off-More-Clothes-Each-Week Haley Scarnato”?
Tatiana – she’s back and apparently will bring her complete package of DSM codes with her. I know most people are turned off by her. But based on her performance alone, she deserved another shot.
Matt – has to bring the Ray Charles thing. If he does, he probably goes through
Jesse – I like her. Plain and simple. So I hope she gets through.
Anoop – Diandra was going to leave the show forever if he didn’t get picked. (I saw her throw her favorite band under the bus for a year when she was angry at them, so I know she was serious.) He deserved a second chance more than any of the others and I think he’s got a real shot at the final 12.

No predictions on who makes it. Most of them just didn’t bring it on their first chance and that’s why they didn’t go through when less talented people did. Is there a Clay Aiken or Jennifer Hudson in the group? But if there is, then, as Randy would say, they “have to be in it to win it!” (Sheesh, did I just say that?)

As an unrelated but relevant aside, I’m writing this while listening to the new U2 CD and I am really digging it. Sorry Coldplay fans (including me) and thank you for keep the throne warm but the Best Band in the World wants their seat back.