American Idol top 8 recap, rankings, poll
Loading ...The men have improved week in and week out, especially as we’ve weeded out the weaker ones. This was a decent night overall and a bit less sleepy compared to last night.
And Michael Lynche earned the pimp spot tonight, truly commanding the stage. Was it worhty of a cry? Maybe for Kara, not for me. But he made quite a statement and is pushing himself past Casey James and Andrew Garcia into top dog among the guys. .
I think Andrew, the early favorite child, has put himself in big trouble but his fans might keep him around. There is no obvious person going home. I expect Aaron Kelly out. He tried but it wasn’t enough. Still, the teen gals could come out in force. Then it gets tough. I was ready to write Alex Lambert off but he might have done just enough to save himself. Ditto with Tim Urban, the Vote For the Worst candidate who did shockingly well. So I am going to say goodbye to Todrick Hall, who’s only saving grace is he sang seventh while Alex sang third. There could be a shocker tomorrow night!
My rankings: 1. Michael 2. Tim 3. Alex 4. Casey 5. Todrick 6. Lee 7. Andrew 8. Aaron
Most of the guys came out determined to make the top 12. Some
First up: Lee DeWyze (”Fireflies” Owl City) – I hate the cutesy falsetto original version. His growlier edge makes the tune more palatable to me. It’s perfectly credible, enough to get him into the top 12.
Randy – You made it work.
Ellen – You’re adorable. I thought it was great.
Kara – You look confident. A solid job.
Simon – There’s nothing to rave about.
Second up: Alex Lambert (”Trouble” Ray LaMontagne) – He has zero stage presence. I’d rather listen to him than watch him. Great vocals, boring, vacuous look.
Randy – I felt you could have done a little bit more.
Ellen- You’re becoming a mushy banana. You’re getting better and better.
Kara – You’ve got to let go
Simon – You are so still concentrating on trying to deliver the performance. We’ve never seen you relax.
Third up: Tim Urban (”Hallelujah” Jeff Buckley) – Jason Castro made his mark with this song. Tim may do it himself. His vocals are surprisingly robust and he looks confident for the first time. And yes, he’s feeling the song. He may have saved himself, too, after near certain death after two bad performances.
Randy- You did a pretty good job.
Ellen – That was fantastic. (She hugs him)
Kara – You’re kinda in it. That was an honest interpretation. You were feeling it.
Simon – I feel responsible for you doing well. I gave you a confidence boost and you needed it. This week, very very smart with that song. It’s a song that reacts. Not the best version but for you, terrific. By far, the strongest performance you’ve given thus far.
Loading ...Fourth up: Andrew Garcia (”Genie in a Bottle” Christina Aguilera) – Uh oh. I sense deja vu and not in a good way. He’s trying to channel his “Straight Up” from Hollywood and failing. It does not feel organic at all. One-trick pony? It sure seems that way.
Randy: It didn’t quite work for me. It was pitchy. It had no range.
Ellen: Great song choice. I thought at the end when you surprised us. The genie came out of the bottle too late.
Kara: You peaked early. You were fighting with the rhythm of the guitar. I’m disappointed.
Simon: It was a little bit desperate. You didn’t feel comfortable. You over-thought it.
fifth up: Casey James (”You’ll Think Of Me” Keith Urban) – Beautiful tune, great match-up for his voice. He has no real edge and neither does Keith Urban. So it works well. Not transcendent but good enough to make the top 12.
Randy: It was a little bit of a safe choice.
Ellen: It was great. You are so much more comfortable sitting on a stool.
Kara: I was kind of back on the Casey train. I’m missing that spark.
Simon: It was your second best.
sixth up: Aaron Kelly (”I’m Already There” Lonestar)
The kid sure is trying. He’s working this and not totally torturing it. But he is just not ready for the top 12. His vocal control is not there and the song is too big for him.
Randy: The thing you should work on is the lower notes. A job well done.
Ellen: You’ve sounded better. That was a tough song for you. It was too much song for you.
Kara: It’s not relevant to your life.
Simon: That’s utter rubbish. You can’t get so literal. It was the right type of song to do. It wasn’t a great vocal but what it did have was emotion. I can tell you were trying hard.
seventh up: Todrick Hall (”Somebody to Love” Queen) – You know he’s a Broadway child after this version. He finally shows his vocal range and doesn’t re-arrange the song into non-recognition. It works pretty well. Is he all that memorable? No. He’s still on the fence in terms of surviving tomorrow.
Randy: Todrick is back! You proved you could really sing.
Ellen: Sounded like a gospel song. I wish you had committed to that. You did a good job.
Kara: It was really good singing. There were moments I didn’t know if I should laugh or love it. It was like Godspell.
Simon It was good in parts. You’re a Broadway singer. At least you made an attempt to perform. A good song choice and may have saved you.
pimp spot: Michael Lynche (”This Woman’s Work” Maxwell version) – He doesn’t go all falsetto like Maxwell, thank goodness. The song is sort of shapeless to me. Where’s the hook? But Michael owns it. As someone on coveritlive noted it, he’s doing his best Ruben Studdard. He really knows what he’s doing on stage and that last big note–wow!
Randy: Dawg! Yo! Really? This is crazy! Yo, listen! Listen! Listen! It was dope.
Ellen: Oh my God! That was so beautiful. You are the one to beat.
Kara: [She's crying!] I can feel it! It’s your life. It’s respect for your wife.
Simon: This was so needed tonight. You come out with an incredibly difficult song and 100 percent nailed it. Best performance of all the live shows so far.
The polls from coveritlive.com based on who got the most “no” votes. Andrew’s star has fallen big time, hasn’t it?
Andrew 0% voting, 23% good, not voting 77% no way
Todrick 12% voting, 12% good, not voting, 76% no way
Aaron 7% voting, 43% good, not voting, 50% no way
Tim: 35% voting, 41% good not voting, 24% no way
Alex 17% voting, 67% good, not voting, 17% no way
Lee: 29% voting, 64% good, not voting, 7% no way
Michael, 38% voting 56% good, not voting 6% no way
Casey: 13%voting, 87% good, not voting, 0% no way
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107 comments Add your comment
Collin Kelley
March 10th, 2010
10:30 pm
This Woman’s Work was originally written and performed by the legendary Kate Bush. It’s not shapeless when sung properly. It’s an emotional, moving song.
Mike S
March 10th, 2010
10:32 pm
Tonight was really a surprising night as a lot of the guys stepped it up a notch. Have to give the guys props for some really fine performances for a change.
1. Michael Lynche – This Woman’s Work – WOW! Mike showed his range, and has firmly put himself as the guys front-runner. The falsetto was amazing, and in the middle of the song he was channeling Teddy Pendergras, Barry White, etc.
2. Tim Urban – Hallelujah – I am still not believing I have Tim here. When he finished I was just sitting there thinking “Where in the hell did that come from”. This was a beautiful heart felt performance that may just have put Tim in the top 12.
3. Alex Lambert – Trouble – Ok the world is completely upside down. Another performance that came out of no where. maybe my snarky “FEAR THE MULLETT” from last week was actually true.
4. Andrew Garcia – Genie in a Bottle – The best Christina Aguilara has ever sounded in my opinion. LOL. Seriously though, this was ok, not great, but ok. I liked it.
5. Casey James – You’ll think of Me – Randy was dead on, this was technically excellent, but just a very safe song for Casey to choose. He performed it well, but it was actually a little boring.
6. Todrick Hall – Somebody To Love – Ok I have to give TH props for actually having the balls to even try this. I was expecting complete total trainwreck, and instead this was actually kind of fun and not really that bad. Probably not enough to save him, but not a bad way to go out.
7. Lee Dewyze – Fireflies – His worst performance by a mile. I like Lee, but this just did not do it for me at all. Luckily I think he built enough of a fan base to survive. But this was not great — not bad by any means, but not great.
8. Aaron Kelly – I’m Already There – if THERE is the airport for the plane home, then yes Aaron you are already there. Whiney, Nasally, too much vibrato, and horrible pitchy and off key. Nothing decent or redeeming at all with this stinker of a performance.
Should go home: Aaron. Then probably Todrick based on the overall body of cheesy performances.
Will go home : Aaron. After that it is a crap shoot to be honest. Todrick has to be the leading candidate, but Alex and Tim were already on thin ice and even with good performances could get axed. Casey and Andrew need to sweat too after being fairly underwhelming and not living up to early hype. I would say only Lee and Big Mike are truly safe.
ugaaccountant
March 10th, 2010
10:37 pm
Kudos to Mr. Leonard Coehen – That song is so amazing. Combined with Urban actually having a good voice that kid just flipped his status from longest shot to easily safe this week. Not bad for a kid that was a replacement into the top 24. Really rooting for him to make the tour at this point.
Jeers to Hall for butchering yet another song in his clownlike manner. His best singing to date, but I judge everything about the performance and i’m insulted not impressed.
Mike S
March 10th, 2010
10:42 pm
UGA, but you have to give Todrick props for even trying that. ROFL. My wife and I just sat there going OH NO HE DIDN’T!
boots
March 10th, 2010
11:04 pm
Loved Lynche’s version of the song. Excellent talent and feeling, and the dude nailed it. Thought Hall sounded like a goofball. I don’t think that sounded great at all, and I can’t believe the judges gave him a pass on that.
Negativo
March 10th, 2010
11:44 pm
Neg says:
1. Michael – Wasn’t sure at the beginning what he was going for, but by the end…holy shaaaat! What vocals! I think the accolades were a bit over the top, but it really was a memorable performance. Must admit that Kara’s tears seemed very sincere, and I found it moving the way she was struggling not to completely fall apart.
2. Tim – BAM! Timmy hit it out of the house! What a wonderful performance…by far the best of the unplugged performers tonight. I think he may have moved himself right back into the mix.
3. Lee – I like what he did with that song. Folk Idol badly needs his gritty, modern sound to mix things up. He’s unique and current – a poor man’s David Cook.
4. Casey – First runner up in the Idol Unplugged competition. He sounded very good, but more importantly lost the “pretty boyu” styling and was himself. The sincerity was evident, and he needed that honesty badly.
5. Todrick – It started a bit too weird, but when he got into the Revival portion midway through it was really, really good stuff. Strong vocals. He deserves to stay after taking a risk and having it pay off.
6. Alex – Well, he was the bronze medalist in the Idol Unplugged contest tonight. Pleasant vocal, but a very wooden performance.
7. Andrew – Well, sorry Andrew, but you got lost in the unplugged shuffle tonight. Boring, monotone vocals, and not a lot of feeling. Meh.
8. Aaron – Junior, you did your best, but you were just OK vocally, not very believable, and still way too cheesy.
Going home: Aaron and Andrew.
Nutmeg?
March 10th, 2010
11:54 pm
I’m in the weird position of recognizing that Hall and Lynche had the best vocals of the night, but they’re SO not the type of music I listen to that I’ll be iTunsing other songs instead (DeWyze, Lambert, Urban, James, maybe even Garcia). I’m sure Lynche will move on to Top 12. It won’t break my heart if Hall doesn’t; he’s had so many bad performances that a good one shouldn’t necessarily save him (or you, Lacey Brown).
And yes, I thought Hall had a great vocal. Of course, “Norman Gentle” also had some excellent vocals, too. Great vocals ain’t everything.
I’m bemused by the response to Lynche’s song. It was good. I’d way rather hear Bowersox and Magnus.
RxDawg
March 10th, 2010
11:58 pm
Well 1st off, I just don’t get the Michael love. At least not what the judges gave to him. The one to beat, huh? Kara crying, huh? I guess it was ok vocally if fauceto is your thing. Maybe I just hated that song.
1. My favorite was Tim. Great song and he sounded just as good as the original. I thought his guitar playing was smooth also.
2. Eh…I duno. I guess Casey. I actually thought he did pretty good tonight.
3. Michael makes it for 3rd to me. Vocally it was fine, but if that song ever came on the radio I’d be like NEXT
4. Alex really wasn’t that great. Very adequate. My little bar band plays that song better.
5. Todrick – It was like Queen light. Some parts were good, some parts just lacked the umph.
6. Andrew – Uhoh Andrew. You may be going home.
7. Lee – Sorry all you Dewyze fans. This guy can’t carry a tune to save his life. Everything he sings is a pitch disaster and I’ll be happier when he is off this show.
8. Aaron – It was almost like his voice gave out. He has normally been somewhat solid on just vocals, but he was way way way off tonight and probably will get sent home.
RxDawg
March 11th, 2010
12:12 am
“I’m bemused by the response to Lynche’s song. It was good. I’d way rather hear Bowersox and Magnus.”
Ditto 1000 billion gazillion %
Norman Buchanan
March 11th, 2010
12:55 am
Well I hate to say it but the guys were much better than the girls this week or did I just had such low expectations for them that they surprised me ……….. no, I think they were far better!
JTesla
March 11th, 2010
1:01 am
Overall I felt that the guys were better than the girls, but that was because they didn’t have as many lows. They also didn’t have as many highs – as in Super BonBon.
Tordrick, don’t like the guy, but he gets a pass this week, he finally was able to impress.
Aaron, I don’t care about how bad it was, what was awesome was the smack-down Simon gave Kara. Thank you Simon, the you’re only 16 it doesn’t mean anything to you garbage.
The rest, entertaining, but they weren’t big Mike.
Who will go: Alex will steal some of Aaron’s votes, so Aaron goes along one other guy tomorrow night.
JMart
March 11th, 2010
2:28 am
A lot of good, not great performances and you can see some potential there but none of the guys really blow me away just yet including Michael Lynche. Lynche’s performance was easily the best of the night but I really think his potential is more as a live performer than a future chart topper.
FJ
March 11th, 2010
2:58 am
I think Hall may have the strongest voice among the guys but he has a little bit of Jermaine Sellers syndrome. He tries to over-sing the songs a little too much. In parts he sounds worse than it would if someone with a much weaker voice were singing it. Someone needs to tell him that great singing is about control, not “runs” all over every single phrase of the song.
Andrew for the win
March 11th, 2010
3:58 am
Ok people let’s be honest Andrew Garcia will win because he has talent (something the other contestants lack), all of the others are just meh. If Andrew doesn’t win he will by far be the most famous and succesfull, sort of what happened with clay and ruben, ruben won clay was the most famous. Andrew Garcia FTW!
Highlander
March 11th, 2010
7:47 am
Morning, everyone!
Quote of the day (in Nana’s absence) is a short one: “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” —- Emerson.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
8:01 am
Morning!
OK, now that I have a little perspective…. none of these guys are great singers. Last night they showed us that they can improve, that they can attempt to rise up to the challenge facing 6 of them. There is potential in at least 2 of them, maybe 3.
Last night was a relief more than it was a revelation. Thank goodness we’re not going to cringe every time a guy steps up to the plate.
Michael Lynche has a nice voice. IMO, he’s the #1 guy this season. However he doesn’t have HALF the voice or HALF the talent of many of the young men who have graced the Idol stage before him(not including the winners). Compare Michael’s voice to say, Archie, Adam, Michael Johns, Danny, Bo. What we have with Michael is basically, at best, Josh Gracin or even maybe George Huff. Nice voice, great guy, but not a winner.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
8:02 am
Highlander…thanks for taking over Nana’s “duties” while she is out of town.
Highlander
March 11th, 2010
8:04 am
Just finished watching the DVR and I agree somewhat that the guys were slightly better overall than the girls this week. But I think it’s only because there were fewer of the ’slit-your-wrist’ selections last night than the girls opted for on Tuesday.
Big Mike (who I believe we should now start calling Smooth Mike) really is in it to win it. And I don’t get that same impression from any of the other guys – or many of the girls, for that matter.
And I think he was very smart last night to leave the guitar out. Too many of the contestants are now hiding behind their instruments and their singing performance is paying the price. If the guitar, piano, organ, xylophone, …whatever, isn’t really adding anything to the performance, then leave it in the hotel!
After all, it’s a SINGING competition! We’re not tuning in looking for the next Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan!
Highlander
March 11th, 2010
8:09 am
No problema, D. Nana will resume hers after her retirement vacation.
(Isn’t it strange that in Spanish the word ‘problem’ has a feminine connotation? …No? …Yeah, I didn’t think it strange, either!)
***bobbing and weaving**
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
8:12 am
I love Big Mike, I think he has one of those smooth R&B voices that have all but disappeared in today’s oversampled, voice box synthesized junk.
That said, I have to agree with D, while he is silky smooth, very likable, and quite a decent singer; he does not have the vocal quality of many former contestants. Now, he has the POTENTIAL to be great, I can see and hear that, and as someone else said, he has stage presence and performing ability in spades; but he has a long way to go with his overall vocal package.
Still, he is the best of the males by a mile, but still well behind Crystal and Siobhan. I would put Big Mike firmly in the second group with Didi and Lilly however as a firm top 5 potential.
Lara
March 11th, 2010
8:15 am
This Woman’s Work is a great song and Michael did well with it….especially considering that arrangement. It was kinda weird.
The guys were better than the girls, imho. Well, at least they didn’t put me to sleep.
I liked the Genie in a Bottle, but yeah, you gotta come up with something new there guy…
Who is sick of Kara hanging all over Simon? ANNOYING!!
Oh, still loving the Bo Bice at Moe’s commercials!!!
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
8:17 am
Welcome to Moe’s!!!!!!
I like that he gets a Homewrecker with everything, shows his good taste.
heheh
Sam
March 11th, 2010
8:30 am
Still love Casey and really like Lee, with Alex the 3rd last night. Started out really liking Andrew, but every week he’s worse and worse – last night was rock bottom. Never have liked Todrick – buhbye. Tim really surprised me – but if based on past performances, who knows. Cute though – kinda looks like a young Tim Matheson (”Animal House” era).
Never have liked Big Mike, never will. Didn’t like Ruben either, and he’s just a carbon copy. I like a man’s voice to sound like a man – his is high pitched, whiney and very boring. Little kid Aaron not bad last night, but not near the top either.
Basically none of these guys hold a candle to Crystal and Siobhan.
kelly&carriefan
March 11th, 2010
8:34 am
Rx, I think you and I are gonna have to hang in our little “Don’t get the Mike love” corner. I will concede that Mike is, at this point, in the lead for the guys. But like D stated, that ain’t saying much. The one guy who I’m rooting for is Alex. His voice is pretty different and if he conquers his nerves, he could stick around for a while.
For me, for you, for me, Andrew tried too hard to secure a spot in the Top 24, but after that, I haven’t been as impressed as I was with Straight Up.
My Top 6 guys: Mike-Ruben, The Other Lambert, Cookie-lite, Pretty Surfer Boy, Andrew, and, by a lock of pretty Brady hair, Peter.
Girls: Mama Sox, Indeedee, ShakeYourBonBon, Katey-kat, Lilith Lil, and Kate Gosselin’s wig.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
8:35 am
Hey Lara!
Re Kara hanging all over Simon. She did it a little when she was sitting next to Randy but not nearly as much. I can’t decide whether she’s desperate for attention or she’s avoiding Ellen like the plague. I wish I had a tape of the first semi-final show with Randy between Ellen and Kara. Was she all over Simon then. Cuz I’m really starting to suspect a little homophobia on Kara’s part…..especially remembering how she tried to become the bff of the female guest judges.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
8:36 am
Sam…my guess is that you didn’t like Adam either.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
8:38 am
My Top 6 guys: Mike-Ruben, The Other Lambert, Cookie-lite, Pretty Surfer Boy, Andrew, and, by a lock of pretty Brady hair, Peter.
LOL!!!! But who’s Peter?
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
8:39 am
LOL I love your nicknames K&CF!!!
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
8:41 am
I also agree on Alex being the Dark Horse for this season. Mrs Mike and I both noticed a vocal depth last night that the Deer in the Headlights nerves has been masking. Alex really has a unique sound, and if can reel in his nerves, he has unlimited potential.
I also think there is some unnoticed potential in Tim Urban.
But as for Alex – I am on his fan train now. FEAR THE MULLET!!!!!!
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
8:42 am
BTW…The theme for the first performance of the Top 12 will be The Music of the Rolling Stones
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
8:43 am
I’m right there with ya on Alex…but PLEASE do something with the mullet!
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
8:50 am
NOOOOOOOOO The Mullet is the secret to his super powers. Just like Crystal’s dreads!!!!!
Rickster
March 11th, 2010
8:52 am
I must respectfully disagree on Alex. If there was ever a singer who (as Randy has mentioned numerous times over the course of the show) “sounded nasally” – it’s Alex.
Tim Urban – total non-entity.
Toddrick? Tried to be an African-American version of “The guy who finished second to Kris Allen – you know, the guy who actually won?”
Aaron Kelly – possibly the worst performance of the week.
Lee – was okay. Nothing special.
Mike – great vocal performance, but moving around the stage reminded me of Herman Munster.
I know there are others I’m forgetting, but that shows how forgettable their performances were to me.
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
8:55 am
Rolling Stones huh? This could be intersting.
I would love to see Siobhan’s interpretation of “Paint it Black”
and I can sooooo see crystal slaying “Mother’s Little Helper”
Harriett
March 11th, 2010
9:02 am
D, Peter is Tim. Good morning!
Harriett
March 11th, 2010
9:07 am
Ok. Someone is bound to do “Wild Horses,” but Susan Boyle has done it well already. I can’t see any of the guys who’ve had really laid-back performances doing any RS songs. Of course, there are a few, a very few, laid-back RS tunes.
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
9:10 am
good morning – i’m ready for the rolling stones next week… this has major trainwreck potential for both the guys and girls, lol
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
9:13 am
hi harriet – i want to hear didi benami sing ”19th nervous breakdown”, and aaron kelly put a country spin on ‘’sympathy for the devil”… i’m eeeeevil that way, lol
Mercedes S.
March 11th, 2010
9:19 am
Morning!
Highlander, ‘fraid “Big Mike” has already stuck. Big guys are probably tired of being referred to as
Big (vide Big Mike in “The Blind Side”), but we all know who he is. Mullet Boy, Deer-in-Headlights, and Too Young have started to sort themselves out and we can now tell that they are, respectively, Alex (who is NOT nasal, Rickster), Tim and Aaron.
Was Andrew really that good in the beginning? At auditions and in Hollywood? This was his third, let’s face it, BLAND performance. And: overly tattooed people never make Idol.
Several newsblogs are wondering about Bobbysox’s health – she had to sit down after her performance and just doesn’t look well. Don’t think she’s Idol material either, but she has many fans and I hope she’ll hang in there.
Mercedes S.
March 11th, 2010
9:25 am
As for laid back RS songs, what about “As Tears Go By”, “The Last Time”, “Not Fade Away” (I know, that’s a Buddy Holly song, but I always thing of it as a Stones one).
Mercedes S.
March 11th, 2010
9:26 am
THINK of it
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
9:27 am
I guess Carly Smithson would be the exception that breaks the overly-tattooed rule.
I agree that Crystal’s health will be discussed throughout the entire season. My guess is that, in order to keep her on the show, Idol will get the best doctors available for whatever ails her. It remains to be seen whether or not that will help.
I like her a lot and would like to see how the audience accepts her. Siobhan is just off center enough to turn some people away from her. The only girl I see who actually is “middle-of-the-road is Katie and she may not even make the top 12 thanks to the judges interfering with her singing style.
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
9:27 am
hi mercedes s – i thought his ‘’straight up” in hollywood was great. i mean to take that cheesy song and flip it on its head like he did, and make it sound fresh was cool… but for some reason, he’s lost that kind of mojo w/everything else he has sung. i swear he is following in sundance head’s footsteps… i had that guy pegged to be in the top 10, at least, during his season, but he also had 1 stellar performance, it too was in hollywood, and he flamed out miserably and was cut i think going into this same week… megan joy and, carly smithson have been 2 who’ve made it to the touring rounds being heavily tatted, and i wonder what influence that may have had on voters. tattos don’t bother me, on males or females, though i’d never be able to get one – no needles for me unless absolutely necessary..
`cynthia bryant
March 11th, 2010
9:28 am
i really like aaron kelly i dont think he should be voted of hes cute and has really pretty voice and i think alot of the people would listen to his music .he shouldnt be voted off.
Rickster
March 11th, 2010
9:28 am
Mercedes… if Alex isn’t nasal… then there’s something wrong with the sound on my TV.
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
9:29 am
i think mike lynche would do a killer version of ”love in vain”… it’s a little bluesy, and i’d like to hear his spin on it… that’s one of my fave stones tracks.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
9:31 am
Alex was nasal last night…but not in that “boy band annoying” way. I thought it was ok.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
9:35 am
For your entertainment, the first paragraph of Michael Slezack’s review of boys night:
Imagine a greasy slice of olive-loaf, a package of half-defrosted frozen green beans, and a bowl of two-day-old refrigerated oatmeal. Now imagine going to your favorite restaurant and having the aforementioned foodstuffs placed in front of you. You try to explain this isn’t what you ordered, try to send these unappealing items back to the kitchen, but everyone — the waiter, the manager, the busboy, and the chef — insists you’re turning your nose up at a delicious meal of filet mignon, haricots verts, and creamy polenta. You think to yourself: ”Am I going crazy? Am I losing touch with my senses? And why in holy hell is Kara DioGuardi crying?”
Welcome to Bizarro Night at the American Idol Cafe, where the eight remaining male semifinalists of season 9 received an unwarranted amount of praise, encouragement, and hugs (!) from a panel of judges who seemed desperate to convince us there was a future musical superstar among their ranks.
kelly&carriefan
March 11th, 2010
9:35 am
D, Harriett answered it for me…and I realized it was a joke I carried over from coveritlive, sorry. Yes, Tim has Peter Brady hair.
The RS?! Oy, this could be a terrible, terrible train wreck! I’ll bring the peanuts and popcorn, y’all!
Harriett
March 11th, 2010
9:38 am
Hey, ncdf. I can see Lacey doing “As Tears Go By,” but she may not get the chance. I don’t think of “The Last Time” as laid-back, Mercedes, or for that matter “Not Fade Away.” I was definitely thinking of “Angie,” “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” “Miss You,” and “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” But, I am a fan of the more rockin’ stuff like “Brown Sugar,” “Honky Tonk Woman,” “Paint It Black,” and “Tumbling Dice.”
idolblogwatcher
March 11th, 2010
9:40 am
I agree with you Deirdre and Mike S. on Big Mike. When they 1st introduced him and said what he would be singing…I thought OH NO!! Although I love Maxwell’s version, and I will forever associate ‘This Woman’s Work’ with the very moving performance on last season’s SYTYCD as a tribute to Breast Cancer.
For those of you who never saw that performance and you have 7 minutes some time this morning, pls check out the video along with the judges comments: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEJNfZdbxrw
I will always think of the many women who are fighting this disease when I hear that song. Possibly, Kara was thinking of the same thing last night when Big Mike performed.
Sam
March 11th, 2010
9:41 am
Deirdre, I actually did like Adam – just not the primal scream he threw into almost every song. Loved when he did Queen (and left the scream out). He was very interesting and has a good voice – but post-idol actions a little to far out. Wish he’d just settle down and do great music. He certainly should have won over whats-his-name (speaking of nasally as we have been for the last 30 mins).
If Casey sang “Let’s Spend the Night Together” he might cause a bit of swooning in the audience. I’d love to see some early songs, ie “Sittin on a Fence” and others from a great album who’s name has escaped my right now.
Rickster
March 11th, 2010
9:41 am
I agree with Mike Slezack’s question about Kara. Having the hots for “Pretty Boy” – crying over another guy’s song.
If her marriage survives the season, I’ll be surprised.
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
9:41 am
hi kelly&carriefan – i can’t wait! i mean, i want to be pleasantly surprised by some good performances, but i’m managing my expectations, lol… it won’t come down really to who sings the best next week – it’ll come down to projecting the right attitude, and gaining some stage presence quick, fast and in a hurry for some of these folks… i hope some of the guitar players forego their axes, and learn to use the big stage… i fear some will be swallowed up by the nokia, but we’ll see…
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
9:42 am
Well if there is a god in heaven and we are lucky we will not have to see or hear Lacey or Aaron torturing us with anything next week. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET THOSE TWO BE VOTED OFF!
Sam
March 11th, 2010
9:44 am
Just thought of the best Stones album ever: Flowers. Great songs.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
9:45 am
For anyone who would like to continue reading Michael Slezak’s review, here’s the link:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20312226_20350437,00.html
TCS119
March 11th, 2010
9:46 am
Check out an extensive recap of the guy’s Wednesday night performances before 16 narrows down to 12 this evening http://bit.ly/dlIiX8
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
9:48 am
Mike…Lacey only tortured you this week. At our request, of course!
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
9:50 am
i want to see casey tackle ”heartbreaker”… i’m fully anticipating a lot of these folks to play it safe, but i wanna see someone w/some balls tackle some of the rawer, more rocking stuff too… and maybe a tune or two from the early days like ”time is on my side” would break the monotony… i know i’m dreaming, but hey – sometimes it’s all you got, lol
kelly&carriefan
March 11th, 2010
9:51 am
ncdafan, it’ll be a very interesting mix when they finally have guys and girls performing on the same night. I’m SO looking forward to it.
I think that contestants need to be smart and not show all thier cards too early in the game. Be good and consistent, but allow yourself room to grow and wow people.
Re: Kara’s tears. Jenn Hobby of Q100 reported this morning that Kara explained the tears to the radio folks who were in the audience after the show. She said she felt the song ’cause she’s 40, just got married, and apparently is trying to have a baby….
kelly&carriefan
March 11th, 2010
9:52 am
Err, make that “almost 40″.
ncdafan, “Heartbreaker” made me think of Mariah. If Casey did Mariah? Ha!
RK
March 11th, 2010
9:55 am
1.I cannot believe I have liked Big Mike 2 weeks in a row. And I hate R&B.
2. My wife and I didn’t know it was Tim on stage.
3. Lee took an awful song and made it good.
4. Casey James, put down the guitar one week, or you will be just like Garcia.
5. I guess he is here by default. I didn’t like Alex, I didn’t hate him.
6. You know what Andrew Garcia’s first album would sound like? Sure you do — all the same. He isn’t dynamic enough. It isn’t that he “peaked too early” — he doesn’t have another side. I laughed when he was a front-runner before the top 24 started.
7. I didn’t see what the judges saw with Todrick. A hot mess.
8. At least the boy challenged himself — unlike the other people strumming guitars. Still, it hurt my ears. Thank Simon, though, for telling Kara that she was wrong; I just care if they can sing, not if the song is about them. Seriously, did they complain when Showban sang and called herself a boy ruined by the House of the Rising Sun?
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
9:56 am
oh mike s, you trying to spoil my f u n
i want aaron to hang around at least 1 more week… dying to hear him twang his way through ‘’sympathy for the devil” [please god, let him pick this]…. i mean, just think about it — kelly wailing on ”pleeezed ta meet chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, won’t ya guess myyyy naymeeeeeeeeeeeeee” ”while the blietzkrieg raineddddddddd, and the bodies staaaaaaaaaaank”… i’m cracking up just thinking of the possibilities
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
10:01 am
Well since you put it that way NCDA the trainwreck possibilities are endless. ROFL. What is hilarious is the last part I forgot about Aaron and pictured Kelly Pickler doing that and almost wet myself in laughter.
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
10:02 am
Of course if that is the criteria then we have to let Todrick advance so he can do a Broadway production of “Satisfaction”
KPH
March 11th, 2010
10:03 am
Good morning good people. Big Mike was great last night he is without a doubt the best singer on the mens side. This could end up being a better season than I thought at first but it is still just a 2 maybe 3 horse race at this time with Crystal in the lead.
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
10:07 am
i know mike s – i think stones week will provide a great night of lulz… i’m not expecting a lot of great vocal performances… just a lot of real, honest to goodness gut busting lol’s mixed in with a good performance or two… i hope i am wrong.
Rickster
March 11th, 2010
10:08 am
“For me”… (and forgive me if this was covered in ‘coveritlive’) Alex Lambert reminds me of Carol Brady. No wonder I have trouble telling the difference between Alex & Tim Urban – they’re mother & son!
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
10:09 am
hi mike s – i’m game for todrick unleashing the inner diva w/’’satisfaction”… though if he’s really wanting to go balls out, i vote for ”brown sugar”… that would be a showstopper, hahahah
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
10:11 am
yeahhhh, yeahhhh, yeahhhhh, whooooooooooo!!! how come ya, how come ya taste so goooood… if he makes it to the nokia, i triple dog dare him to rock that
kelly&carriefan
March 11th, 2010
10:19 am
lol, Rickster, The Other Lambert was dubbed Mrs. Brady at one point.
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
10:20 am
ROFL.. well Todrick doing “Brown Sugar” would definately be a moment that is for sure. It might just go down in AI lore with Sanjaya’s Mohawk, Kelly’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, and Megan Joy’s “Rockin Robin” — CA CAW CA CAW!
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
10:21 am
Mrs. Brady. LOL! FEAR THE MULLET!!!!!
Lindsey
March 11th, 2010
10:26 am
I’m sorry, I just don’t get Casey. He has a nice voice, but does not have star quality…at all. I think girls think he’s cute, which is fine, but that’s not what this competition is about. It’s about ability, star power. Come on, no one compares to Micheal, Crystal or Siobhan. They make it look effortless! They transform the moment every time they perforrm.
ncdafan
March 11th, 2010
10:28 am
”rubs hands together in anticipation”
yes mike s, yes
RK
March 11th, 2010
10:29 am
Please tell me that Keith Richards is going to be coaching them next week.
KPH
March 11th, 2010
10:35 am
Highlander said ” We’re not tuning in looking for the next Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan!” But wouldnt that be a great idea for a reality show? Kind of like the battle of the bands type of thing. Simon are you listening?
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
10:35 am
Kieth Richards died 15 years ago, his body just hasn’t realized it yet. LOL
I swear the man has enough chemicals in him, some future civilization is going to dig him up in 3000 years and marvel at our preservation abilities. heheheh
Simon Says
March 11th, 2010
10:36 am
Once again the dude in the glasses stunk it up, Garcia is his name it thin. how does keep from getting voted out.
Last night best:
1. Casey James
2. Michael Lynche
3. Tim Urban
4. Lee DeWyze (my fav, but not good night)
5. Alex Lambert
6. Todrick Hall
7. Aaron Kelly – GONE
8. Andrew Garcia – GONE
Rickster
March 11th, 2010
10:53 am
Andrew Garcia’s time on Idol reminds me of a round of golf I played one time. On the first hole, I hit a beautiful drive, straight down the fairway. Good second shot. Chip from off the green to 2 feet. Holed the putt for par.
Struggled the rest of the round.
Standing on the 18th tee, I said to my playing partners, “You know, it sucks to look back on your round and realized you peaked on the first hole.”
Andrew peaked on the first hole. He may not make it to the back nine.
ugaaccountant
March 11th, 2010
11:04 am
Garcia – I understand why people aren’t digging him on the show. Weak voice for one, poppy music for another, usually singing girl songs for a third. But…his album, properly mixed, would fit right into the current music scene. He’d be like that band owl city that Lee sang tonight. Garcia’s what I like to call “Wuss rock”, but he’s displayed a talent for arranging these songs in a contemporary way that fits his ability level.
Mike S
March 11th, 2010
11:08 am
Good analogy Rickster. I can relate since it always seems like the first hole is a great gauge for my rounds LOL. If i have a great first hole, like your analogy, I usually struggle the rest of the day. If my first hole is mediocre, my round is usually steady and middle of the road. But 9 times out of 10 if I completely butcher the first hole it motivates me to concentrate, and most of my best rounds have an ugly score on the first hole.
Lara
March 11th, 2010
11:09 am
Hey Deirdre!!!!
Going out of town tonight…so y’all have a great weekend and enjoy the vote off tonight!
I like the nicknames too- The Other Lambert – LOL!!!
JTesla
March 11th, 2010
11:09 am
Rickster, my fear would be after doing so well on the first hole that the playing partners would say after every shot “You’ll never do as well as that first hole, you might as well quit.” By the third hole of that I would quit, get a beer, and hope for a lighting strike on my former partners.
I’m not really a fan of Andrew’s, because nothing screams failure like a neck tattoo, but the judges constant pointing out that he peaked early is getting old. Actually, if I’m being honest, Kara is getting old. She is just annoying me now. In fact I think the reason I am starting to like Ellen is because her presence annoys Kara.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
11:11 am
“Wuss rock” LOL!!!!!!!
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
11:13 am
“nothing screams failure like a neck tattoo” LOL!!! You guys are killing me today!
Nutmeg?
March 11th, 2010
11:13 am
EW has someone who’s at the semifinals covering it for them, and he had an *excellent* comment on how different it is being there vs. being on the screen. It isn’t just about pitch, it’s about presence:
“I know he looks big on your TV, and I know his nickname is “Big” Mike. But, really and truly, as I discovered sitting in on my second night of EW’s exclusive look inside the Idol semi-finals, the dude is BIG. As in, he has presence on that stage, and as Ryan pointed out, he knows how to use his size to deliver a song. But the camera can do a funny thing; it can make the very big (Big Mike) and the very small (Teeny Aaron) seem somehow more average, more normal, especially when they’re performing alone without a point of comparison standing right next to them. This is all a wordy preamble to this pretty simple point: In that room, Big Mike’s “This Woman’s Work” killed with a capital K, and that has as much to do with the sheer size and force of the man himself as the impeccable vocals of his performance.”
That explained it for me–at least for the judges. (That, and finding out that Kara has been trying to conceive and is having trouble). The rest of you, I don’t know.
I’ve certainly seen performers who fill a room with charisma and presence, and when I hear recordings or see videos, they don’t seem to be all that. I suspect Mike Lynche falls into that category for me.
By the way, have any of you heard the Bon Jovi cover of Hallelujah? Check it out at YouTube. It’s haunting.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
11:14 am
RE Kara….is she trying to get closer to Simon or farther away from Ellen?
Nutmeg?
March 11th, 2010
11:17 am
Oh, and for those suspecting Kara of homophobia (really, folks? Really?), the EW guy reported on what happened during commercial breaks, and according to him, Ellen stands around awkwardly much of the time (as one might expect with the new kid). He did note, however, that during one of those breaks, Kara chatted with Ellen and Portia (who was also present)–which she definitely did not have to do, as the cameras were off. And there seem to be no signs of tension between Ellen and Simon, either.
JTesla
March 11th, 2010
11:18 am
Kara is doing both, Simon is her gal pal, and she hates Ellen. This was mentioned a while back (K&Cfan will remember)… there’s no crying on Idol! To be fair, there is also no hugging after the top 24 are formed.
Nutmeg?
March 11th, 2010
11:19 am
Deirdre–posted my last comment before I saw yours. I would say that Kara’s just physical.
Rodney Ho
March 11th, 2010
11:22 am
new blog entry!
Nutmeg?
March 11th, 2010
11:22 am
Where are y’all getting that Kara hates Ellen? If you do a ‘net search on “Kara hates Ellen,” all you get are interviews about Kara defending Ellen.
Rickster
March 11th, 2010
11:34 am
It’s a good thing that golfers don’t have coaches critiquing them after each shot.
“Dude… you totally rocked that 3-iron! That was smoking hot! It was dope. It was da bomb!”
“I don’t know anything about golf, so I don’t know what I’m talking about, but I like you.”
“You know… I just feel like you’re out there playing out the round instead of playing to win.”
“I’ve seen better chip shots on a practice range.”
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
11:36 am
Kara would do herself a HUGE favor if she stopped the touchy/feely stuff with Simon and acknowledged Ellen’s existence while the camera is pointed in her direction.
Deirdre
March 11th, 2010
11:38 am
Re the net search. Kara’s a big talker but I have yet to see her even look in Ellen’s direction except to wave at Randy.
kelly&carriefan
March 11th, 2010
11:42 am
JT, of course I remember!
Nutmeg, I also saw the EW comment about Kara and Ellen hanging during breaks, and she may defend Ellen and all, but the body language is what’s getting a lot of people. Even when Ryan brought it up, all she did was deflect the question.
During coveritlive, a lot of us did comment at how Simon was leaning way towards Kara and away from his mic.
Honestly, it just looks weird and distracting.
Negativo
March 11th, 2010
11:47 am
If you look carefully, Simon is the one that has practically moved his chair onto Kara’s lap…not that I care, mind you, because I’d be doing the same thing.
Her tearful struggle to keep from falling apart completely after she finished speaking was very moving. Both Neg and Mrs. Neg were getting choked up watching…
Then again, most of you already know how sensitive and compassionate Neg is, so this should come as no surprise.
JTesla
March 11th, 2010
11:51 am
“and acknowledged Ellen’s existence while the camera is pointed in her direction”
Spot on. She interacts with Simon, indicates that she heard Randy’s comments, Ellen… nothing. I don’t believe it is homophobia, but there is something there. Perhaps massive insecurity, as also illustrated by her juvenile girly interactions during the auditions.