So if you've been reading this blog for the last few weeks you know who I am pulling for. I got out all my "why Kris should win" reasons last week thinking he would be going home. That said, I really do think they both are wonderfully talented artists (each in their own right) and either deserves to win. I still maintain that Kris is more commercial but I won't try to deny that Adam is entertaining. That boy can work a flight of stairs unlike anything I've even seen before. I didn't think anything could top the "Feeling Good" entrance until he rose out of the floor for "Mad World" last night. Kris played to his strengths by keeping things mellow and showing us his artistry and being adorable.
They are both winners. So rather than regurgitate all the reasons I still would rather see Kris take the crown, I will spend my time talking about this week's losers: the Idol judges and producers.
This has been a weird season. I am not sure if it was the departure of Nigel Lythgoe, a desperate attempt at ratings boosting, or a desperate attempt to try and keep Simon Cowell from bolting the second his contract is up, but the changes that were made to this season have taken something away from it, I think. Not all of the changes have been bad. Going back to the Top 36 semi-final round system and bringing back the wild-card round have been changes for the better, in my opinion. The save was a good idea in concept but was used in such a way as to make it kind of useless. I loved Matt Giraud, don't get me wrong, and was happy to see him around a couple of extra weeks, but to use it on someone you know has no chance of winning the competition is wasteful. I am sure Danny fans would rather see a 3 man finale than two more weeks of Matt.
But the changes alone are not what took away from this season's magic. (No, I'm not talking about Kara. I am done talking about Kara.) The judge/producer agenda has never been more clear as it has been this season. The obvious, obnixious pimping of Adam and Danny turned even the most devoted fans into passionate VFTWorst-ers. In the producers, it was irritating. In the judges, however, it was obscene. Last night, the only judge I agreed with all night was Randy. I think he was honest in a way the other three refused to be. Even if a contestant is your favorite, it is okay to give them negative feedback if their performance sucks. Adam and Kris' final performances sucked, but only Kris was told that by anyone other than Randy.
Speaking of that last song. (Must keep reminding myself: I am done talking about Kara. I am done talking about Kara.) The finale 'original song' is almost always bad. This one was no exception, though in my opinion it was the worst one yet. (Still done talking about Kara...) The producers should have reversed the order of the show, doing that crappy original song first and closing the show with a rememberance of what got these two here in the first place: performances like "Mad World" and "Ain't No Sunshine". I agree with Randy that the original song is actually suited more to Kris. But the key was too high, however, because it sounded like she was writing it for Danny. Too bad that didn't work out for her, at least she still has Adam. (Crap! I promised myself I wouldn't talk about Kara!)
So did the scheming work? It's hard to say. Most of the people I know voted for Kris, but this has always been Adam's competition to lose. I will say this, though, in seven years of watching Idol, the person in the final pairing that I wanted to win has only won once... so odds are not great for my homeboy but you never know what America will do.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
I Call This Post 'Reasons Kris Allen Shouldn't Go Home'
Warning: I am feeling more-than-slightly cynical this week
I am glad they finally got to perform more than one solo but kind of missed their doing 3 songs in top 3 week. It makes me excessively angry to think that we had to sacrifice an additional performance from each of these three amazing people just to make time for that wench Kara DioUseless. She has got to go! If next season we have to deal with both the loss of Simon Cowell AND increased screen time for that arogant, babbeling idiot I may have to give up Idol. I literally don't think I could stand to watch it anymore. Simon was right, you don't pick out a song for a contestant saying it's perfect for him then pick on him for not changing it completely up. You picked it because you thought the song, AS IT WAS, worked for him. I cannot remember a time I have wished a horrible, painful end on another living creature with the intensity I wish for one for her. UGH!
Now that we have that out of the way...
Given the fact that their job is to guide viewers and contestants in choosing the most appropriate Idol winner, when given the opportunity to actually affect the show the Idol judges historically pick bad songs for the top 3 to sing. I almost never approve of the Judges' song picks in top 3 week. Rare exceptions to this rule include Paula picking And So It Goes for David Archuletta and Simon picking Somewhere over the Rainbow for Katherine McPhee. Others will disagree with me, but I just have different tastes in music than the judges do. Case in point: this week. I hate OneRepublic. That song was overplayed and the only reason it ever got as popular as it did was because it got remixed by Timbaland. I hate U2. Actually, it would be more appropriate to say that I hate Bono and by association greatly dislike U2. PLUS - Adam was way pitchy throughout the whole performance (a fact conveniently not commented on) which ruined any chance I had of enjoying that performance. The only song choice I approved of this week was Danny's and that was a song I had never heard before in my life.
That would have made Danny Gokey the pleasant surprise of the night. Paula picked a perfect song to showcase who he is as an artist. Cheesy and grizzly and old fashioned. That said, I enjoyed both of his performances, even if I felt like the last one was all but blatantly reminding us why he got this far in the first place and why I didn't like him for so long: his dead wife. No, he didn't mention her but he did look up to the sky suspiciously often. I am so over it, dude. Call me heartless, go ahead.
Speaking of people invited to call me Heartless any time they like as long as they do it with a guitar...
How amazing was that? I'll tell you how amazing it was. It was so amazing that I voted! I like never vote for Idol, but I voted for Kris. 15 times! I did this because, as I watched both of his performances (even though the first got ripped to shreds), I kept thinking that, of all three guys left, Kris is the one who fits in best with the contemporary music scene.
Who is making music like Danny Gokey would? No one. Twenty years ago that wouldn't have been true but it's true today. Who is making music like Adam Lambert would? No one. Twenty years ago that wouldn't have been true but it's true today. The judges can't come up with any kind of contemporary reference for Danny and the only one they can come up with for Adam is Robert Pattinson (whose birthday is today, fyi). He's an actor who also sings. Ever listen to his music? I have. Sounds nothing like Adam Lambert. If anything, he sounds more like Danny trying to do an impression of Kris. Steven Tyler is not a contemporary musical reference. Steven Tyler is popular today because he was insanely popular twenty years ago. Adam belongs on broadway and Danny belongs in a lounge in Vegas somewhere. Kris is "current"... to use Randy's phrase.
Contemporary music isn't about big, theatrical voices like Danny and Adam have. Granted, Idol has a very serious bias against anyone who doesn't have a voice like that, but that is the ironic joke that is American Idol. The show can't decided if it's a singing competition or a search for the next superstar. The two are not necessarily the same thing. We are forced to watch contemporary musicians come in every week and perform live on the show... how many of them have swelling, big voices? Not many. The contemporary market doesn't require it. Idol (and it's judges) need to stop being ambivilent about what they're looking for in a winner.
Anyway, I'll end my rant as it is likely all for nothing. Kris will probably be going home tongiht. But I will say this: If, somehow, Kris Allen does not get sent home tonight, I would put money down that Adam Lambert will. I honestly think that the reason the producers keep giving him the pimp slot (closig out the show) is becaue he is not pulling in the votes they think he should.
We'll see...
I am glad they finally got to perform more than one solo but kind of missed their doing 3 songs in top 3 week. It makes me excessively angry to think that we had to sacrifice an additional performance from each of these three amazing people just to make time for that wench Kara DioUseless. She has got to go! If next season we have to deal with both the loss of Simon Cowell AND increased screen time for that arogant, babbeling idiot I may have to give up Idol. I literally don't think I could stand to watch it anymore. Simon was right, you don't pick out a song for a contestant saying it's perfect for him then pick on him for not changing it completely up. You picked it because you thought the song, AS IT WAS, worked for him. I cannot remember a time I have wished a horrible, painful end on another living creature with the intensity I wish for one for her. UGH!
Now that we have that out of the way...
Given the fact that their job is to guide viewers and contestants in choosing the most appropriate Idol winner, when given the opportunity to actually affect the show the Idol judges historically pick bad songs for the top 3 to sing. I almost never approve of the Judges' song picks in top 3 week. Rare exceptions to this rule include Paula picking And So It Goes for David Archuletta and Simon picking Somewhere over the Rainbow for Katherine McPhee. Others will disagree with me, but I just have different tastes in music than the judges do. Case in point: this week. I hate OneRepublic. That song was overplayed and the only reason it ever got as popular as it did was because it got remixed by Timbaland. I hate U2. Actually, it would be more appropriate to say that I hate Bono and by association greatly dislike U2. PLUS - Adam was way pitchy throughout the whole performance (a fact conveniently not commented on) which ruined any chance I had of enjoying that performance. The only song choice I approved of this week was Danny's and that was a song I had never heard before in my life.
That would have made Danny Gokey the pleasant surprise of the night. Paula picked a perfect song to showcase who he is as an artist. Cheesy and grizzly and old fashioned. That said, I enjoyed both of his performances, even if I felt like the last one was all but blatantly reminding us why he got this far in the first place and why I didn't like him for so long: his dead wife. No, he didn't mention her but he did look up to the sky suspiciously often. I am so over it, dude. Call me heartless, go ahead.
Speaking of people invited to call me Heartless any time they like as long as they do it with a guitar...
How amazing was that? I'll tell you how amazing it was. It was so amazing that I voted! I like never vote for Idol, but I voted for Kris. 15 times! I did this because, as I watched both of his performances (even though the first got ripped to shreds), I kept thinking that, of all three guys left, Kris is the one who fits in best with the contemporary music scene.
Who is making music like Danny Gokey would? No one. Twenty years ago that wouldn't have been true but it's true today. Who is making music like Adam Lambert would? No one. Twenty years ago that wouldn't have been true but it's true today. The judges can't come up with any kind of contemporary reference for Danny and the only one they can come up with for Adam is Robert Pattinson (whose birthday is today, fyi). He's an actor who also sings. Ever listen to his music? I have. Sounds nothing like Adam Lambert. If anything, he sounds more like Danny trying to do an impression of Kris. Steven Tyler is not a contemporary musical reference. Steven Tyler is popular today because he was insanely popular twenty years ago. Adam belongs on broadway and Danny belongs in a lounge in Vegas somewhere. Kris is "current"... to use Randy's phrase.
Contemporary music isn't about big, theatrical voices like Danny and Adam have. Granted, Idol has a very serious bias against anyone who doesn't have a voice like that, but that is the ironic joke that is American Idol. The show can't decided if it's a singing competition or a search for the next superstar. The two are not necessarily the same thing. We are forced to watch contemporary musicians come in every week and perform live on the show... how many of them have swelling, big voices? Not many. The contemporary market doesn't require it. Idol (and it's judges) need to stop being ambivilent about what they're looking for in a winner.
Anyway, I'll end my rant as it is likely all for nothing. Kris will probably be going home tongiht. But I will say this: If, somehow, Kris Allen does not get sent home tonight, I would put money down that Adam Lambert will. I honestly think that the reason the producers keep giving him the pimp slot (closig out the show) is becaue he is not pulling in the votes they think he should.
We'll see...
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
May I Offer You a Wine List?
o let's quickly run through the unimportant things first so we can get to the thing we really need to talk about today: Danny Gokey.
Rock night is an odd theme choice as rock music typically doesn't showcase the kids of voices that do well in this competition. But I like that music, so if nothing else it was good to hear some of those songs again. Also, I have waited and waited for there to be duets on Idol and that part I really enjoyed. We all know the entire point of introducing the concept was to allow Adam and Allison to sing together (and close out the show because, let's be honest, the producers are running out of creative ways to have Adam Lambert close the show) but I was also pleasantly surprised by the Kris-Danny performance. Although, I will say that I would put Renegade on that list of songs no one else should touch because Chris Daughtry had a memorable moment with it in Season 5.
I cannot believe Slash sold his soul to consumerism and agreed to be a guest mentor on American Idol. This recession is obviously hitting the music industry pretty hard. He provided one of my favorite moments of the night, though. When Randy told Adam that he and Slash should make an album together the look on Slash's face said, or rather screamed, "over my dead f***ing body." Hilarious.
But most everyone rose to the challenge, although there were some really strange song picks. (Note to Kris Allen: if you're going to cover a Beatles song, don't pick one with a well-known cover by Aerosmith).
So... speaking of people who shouldn't sing Steven Tyler, let's talk about Danny! I hardly know where to start. That was the most awkward performance on Idol since Danny Noriega sang Tainted Love. The whole thing was doomed from the start. He walked on stage wearing a pinstripe vest and a button-up shirt looking like he was about to hand you a wine list. Adding a couple of big silver necklaces does not take you from waiter to rock star. You also knew it was going to be bad when the best that Slash could say was "its success would come down to what he does in the moment" which roughly translates to "if he sounds like he did in our rehearsal, I will feel bad for America". I just don't know what he was thinking. He wasn't doomed this week like Kris was to be given a genre he really couldn't do much with. There are plenty of rock songs he could have chosen. Why he felt that was necessary is beyond me. Like I said, I wanted him to read the specials to me, not scream at me and have a spasm on stage. My friend Laurie, a big Danny supporter all season long, called me at the end of that performance and could not speak for two minutes because she was laughing so hard. I feel like that says it all.
Who I want to go home:
Danny
Who I think will go home:
Hot Boyfriend (Kris)
Rock night is an odd theme choice as rock music typically doesn't showcase the kids of voices that do well in this competition. But I like that music, so if nothing else it was good to hear some of those songs again. Also, I have waited and waited for there to be duets on Idol and that part I really enjoyed. We all know the entire point of introducing the concept was to allow Adam and Allison to sing together (and close out the show because, let's be honest, the producers are running out of creative ways to have Adam Lambert close the show) but I was also pleasantly surprised by the Kris-Danny performance. Although, I will say that I would put Renegade on that list of songs no one else should touch because Chris Daughtry had a memorable moment with it in Season 5.
I cannot believe Slash sold his soul to consumerism and agreed to be a guest mentor on American Idol. This recession is obviously hitting the music industry pretty hard. He provided one of my favorite moments of the night, though. When Randy told Adam that he and Slash should make an album together the look on Slash's face said, or rather screamed, "over my dead f***ing body." Hilarious.
But most everyone rose to the challenge, although there were some really strange song picks. (Note to Kris Allen: if you're going to cover a Beatles song, don't pick one with a well-known cover by Aerosmith).
So... speaking of people who shouldn't sing Steven Tyler, let's talk about Danny! I hardly know where to start. That was the most awkward performance on Idol since Danny Noriega sang Tainted Love. The whole thing was doomed from the start. He walked on stage wearing a pinstripe vest and a button-up shirt looking like he was about to hand you a wine list. Adding a couple of big silver necklaces does not take you from waiter to rock star. You also knew it was going to be bad when the best that Slash could say was "its success would come down to what he does in the moment" which roughly translates to "if he sounds like he did in our rehearsal, I will feel bad for America". I just don't know what he was thinking. He wasn't doomed this week like Kris was to be given a genre he really couldn't do much with. There are plenty of rock songs he could have chosen. Why he felt that was necessary is beyond me. Like I said, I wanted him to read the specials to me, not scream at me and have a spasm on stage. My friend Laurie, a big Danny supporter all season long, called me at the end of that performance and could not speak for two minutes because she was laughing so hard. I feel like that says it all.
Who I want to go home:
Danny
Who I think will go home:
Hot Boyfriend (Kris)
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