Musings of a fickle mind

Thursday, February 25, 2010

American Idol Season 9 Review #2: [Top 24] Top 12 Boys

Ok, here we go again. After lackluster night the girls gave us, I really was expecting the boys to bring it. But, no…..all the same. American Idol is getting so depressing to watch. :( Here are my individual performance critiques and ratings:

Todrick Hall (Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone) What was that?!?! I mean, I love this song by Kelly, but did not recognize the song during this performance. He’s got a great voice, and I was expecting a lot from him, but he just ruined that song for me. :( For me, it was waste of talent. Bad. Rating: 4.5/10

Aaron Kelly (Rascal Flatts – Here Comes Goodbye) I’m a country music geek and I do love Rascal Flatts. I think that Aaron did quite a good rendition of the song. However, there were some shaky parts in the performance, probably driven by nerves. He needs to be more confident and work on his stage presence. He’s got a crazy voice for a 16 year old. A lot of potential. Rating: 8/10

Jermaine Sellers (Oleta Adams – Get Here) I was an early fan when he sang “What If God was One of Us” during his audition. Personally, I think he went downhill from then. He has the tendency to over sing and screech over simple, yet beautiful melodies. Less is more… I really thought that he was going to be one of the main contenders for the Idol crown. Disappointed. What a way to start off the show. :( Rating: 5/10

Tim Urban (OneRepublic – Apologize) It’s really getting depressing. You have mediocre performance after another, and then an ultra mediocre like this happens…. :( The song did not fit his voice. The song overpowered his voice. There were a lot of better singers during the Hollywood rounds. I somehow agree with Simon. Maybe he really isn’t right for the top 24. I fear, however, that he’s going to be staying merely because of the fan girl vote. Rating 3.5/10

Joe Munoz (Jason Mraz – You and I Both) Finally, a performance that’s bearable! He’s been under the radar during the earlier rounds. We didn’t really get to hear him that much before this performance. (Another victim of the lack of TV exposure)…I gotta say, he’s got a really nice voice and I think the song was an ok choice. I do disagree with Simon on the star quality comment. I think Joe performed well. He had stage presence. He’s another one with a lot of potential. He may be in danger though. I’m not sure if he’ll be able to get enough votes. He wasn’t a well-established contestant on the show because of the lack of airtime. A breath of fresh air after loads of mediocrity. Rating: 8.5/10

Tyler Grady (American Woman) I used to like Tyler, but now not so much. He doesn’t do anything to me. Contrary to what Simon said, I don’t think I’ll remember this performance at all. Most of the song was just “American woman….American woman…..American woman.” I think he should just leave and stay in his 70s world. Rating: 4/10

Lee Dewyze (Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars) Now, I love this song! He was ok, not great. I don’t get the Simon praise at all. Considering the poorness of the performances in general, he was relatively good. I think he’s a second rate David Cook or somethin’ like that… Rating: 6.7/10

John Park (God Bless the Child) This song is special to me. Katharine McPhee sang this during her audition back in season 5, and nailed it. Unfortunately, John Park’s rendition does not compare. He does his runs well though. He has a good voice, but picked the wrong song. A meh performance.. Rating: 6/10

Michael Lynche (Maroon 5 – This Love) I personally don’t like him that much. I think he was overexposed, with his back-story and everything. Nevertheless, he wasn’t bad. He had one of the more tolerable performances in general. Not great, not bad, just a so so performance. Rating: 7.3/10

Alex Lambert (James Morrison-Wonderful World) One word: NERVES!... This kid has got to loosen up. He has a unique tone to his voice and does sound quite like James Morrison himself! Personally, I hope he stays. He’s likeable and humble. He’s got the chops to make it, but needs to work on his stage presence. He was like a scared cat on the stage. lol. I think he’ll learn to grow on the stage though. Rating: 6.5/10

Casey James (Bryan Adams – Heaven) Clearly the BEST of the night for me! He knows who he is as an artist. He knows what to do with his voice. I think he’s Top 12 material, unless he messes up in the next 2 weeks! Rating: 9.5/10

Andrew Garcia (Fall Out Boy – Sugar We’re Going Down) I was expecting a lot from him. He got the pimp spot, and had the chance to wow us all. The performance was quite bland to be honest, but great if compared with the others of the night. Anyhow, I don’t think he’s going anywhere. He’s got a solid fan base that will keep him in for a while. Rating: 9/10

Here’s my ranking of the top 12 boys based on the individual ratings:

1. Casey James

2. Andrew Garcia

3. Joe Munoz (eliminated)

4. Aaron Kelly

5. Michael Lynche

6. Lee Dewyze

7. Alex Lambert

8. John Park

9. Jermaine Sellers

10. Todrick Hall

11. Tyler Grady (eliminated)

12. Tim Urban

Based on my ratings, Tyler and Tim are out. However, in reality I think those in danger are: John Park, Joe Munoz, Jermaine and Todrick (Not based on the performance, but basing on my perception of their fan bases).

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

American Idol Season 9 Review #1: [Top 24] Top 12 Girls

I have to admit, the talent this year is really diverse and, personally, the girls attest to this diversity. It is because of this that I didn’t really have a favorite, even after the Hollywood rounds were over. I was fascinated by a number of them..stoked, not knowing what to expect during the semi-finals. Their styles encompassed the genres that I enjoy. You find the RnB and Soulful belters, the acoustic musicians, Adele sounding vocalists, traditional Pop singers…. So, I pretty much had such high expectations. Unfortunately, come top 24 night, I was seriously underwhelmed. I don’t know if it was because of wrong song choices, or if it was just an ‘off’ night for everyone. Moreover, the night lacked an important element that has been present in past seasons. Although there were some pretty good vocalists, the night lacked WOW performances. Anyway, here are my individual performance critiques and corresponding ratings:

Page Miles- (Free- It’s All Right) I honestly feel bad for Paige. I mean, she had a comparatively good performance tonight. I just feel that she was not given the same opportunity her competition had in securing an early fan base. She was the only one out of the whole Top 24 that did not have any TV exposure during the earlier audition rounds.

Upon being accepted into the Top 24, Simon reassured her of how great she was as a singer, and that she just didn’t know it. And tonight, after the performance, Simon still held on to his word and said that she had the best voice. From her performance tonight of Free’s ‘It’s All Right Now”, I did observe that she was indeed a technically good singer, but nothing special. What did Simon mean? This performance was Paige’s first impression to the voting audience, which could either make or break her. I guess, in my opinion, she didn’t show us what the judges (Simon in particular) meant by great singer. Will we ever get to see this potential greatness? I would feel bad if she gets the boot. I honestly do not think it’s her fault. Had she been shown in the early rounds, at her prime, perhaps her spot in the Top 12 would have been sealed. Rating: 7.5/10

Ashley Rodriguez (Leona Lewis – Happy) Without skipping a beat, I knew she would be compared to the original. First of all, her voice has a similar tone to Leona’s. Second, she followed Leona’s vocal runs and belts throughout the performance, adding only a few of her own twists. In other words, she emulated Leona, which places her at a vulnerable position to be compared. She sounded OK, but Leona sounded better. She could’ve chosen a song that would enable her to show ‘herself’ and shine. Main culprit: Song Choice. Rating: 5.5/10

Janell Wheeler (Heart – What About Love) One word: painful. What happened to the girl who had this raspy and unique tone to her voice, singing to an acoustic guitar and nailing her own version of ‘American Boy’? She was not in her element tonight. She struggled with the notes, and was incredibly pitchy at many parts. It was a mess. She’s not a belter. She should stick to the acoustic country singer-songwriter image she established earlier on. Rating: 3/10

Lilly Scott (Beatles –Fixing a Hole) As opposed to Janell, Lilly sticks to her roots, making a Beatles hit her own. She taps into the unique elements in her voice and stays original, maintaining the image she established during the auditions. The only problem with her is whether she has that IT-factor. She seems to be more of an indie artist than mainstream. Rating: 7.7/10

Katelyn Epperly (Beatles – Oh Darling) Now, I absolutely loved Katelyn’s performance. She showed personality and control over her voice. She’s giving off this Kelly Clarkson vibe. I personally think that she may be the dark horse to win it all! Her voice is seemingly very versatile, catering to a diverse set of genres. I didn’t like the outfit though..:D Rating: 9.2/10

Haely Vaughn (Beatles – I Wanna Hold Your Hand) Now, that wasn’t good. This performance was all over the place. Out of all the billboard hits that she could’ve chosen, she chose this!?! She’s a country pop singer; she should’ve done something by the Dixie Chicks or even Taylor Swift, for goodness’ sake. Ok, ranting aside, there’s still something likeable about Haeley Vaughn. She might be leaving, but if she stays, I think she still has a chance to prove America that she can make great music. Rating: 3.5/10

Lacey Brown (Fleetwood Mac- Landslide) I don’t think the performance was that bad. It was certainly the wrong song choice for her and her voice was shakey at parts, but she had her moments, using her falsetto and blending with the back up vocals. However, I do agree with Kara that she should’ve gone with songs by Sixpence None the Richer or the Sundays. Rating:5/10

Michelle Delamor (Alicia Keys – Falling) Aside from Paige, Michelle also didn’t get much TV exposure earlier on. However, she pleasantly surprised me with this performance! She showcased the many dimensions of her voice with much ease. She definitely gave a great first impression. I initially feared that she would be in danger tonight, but after this performance, I think she will earn enough votes to sail through the next round. She clearly has so much more she could bring to the table. Another dark horse perhaps? Rating: 9/10

Didi Benami (Ingrid Michaelson- The Way I Am) I love the whole vibe she’s giving. Her voice is really unique that it’s infectious. She channels a mix of Adele and Regina Spektor, making her way through this lovely Ingrid Michaelson hit. Not much to say about this girl. Package Artist? Perhaps. I think she knows who she is as an artist, and will continue to prove that. She just needs to show some energy and confidence. She seemed quite nervous. Rating: 8.5/10

Siobhan Magnus (Chris Isaak – Wicked Game) Siobhan is really different and unpredictable. That’s why I like her. During Hollywood, she belted out Stevie Wonders ‘Living for the City’ effortlessly, showing off her BIG range! Today she decided to be a bit more subtle and tap into the softer elements in her voice. She is indeed versatile, and versatility is key in this competition. Dark horse alert once again! Rating 8.7/10

Crystal Bowersox (Alanis Morissette – Hand in My Pocket) She’s the master musician of the lot. Harmonica and guitar at the same time?!?! Not to mention she’s got an incredible voice as well, knowing how to effectively convey a song’s emotion and story to the audience. I see her going the Brandi Carlile route. I think she’s a shoe-in for the top 12. :D Rating 9/10

Katie Stevens (Michael Buble – Feeling Good) She definitely has a great voice for a 17 year old, but I agree with the judges. The performance seemed pageanty and made her seem older than she really is. She has to be her age. She could do Jojo and go the Rhythmic Pop route. She really has the potential to go really far, with her voice and with the large fan base she already has. Rating 7.8/10

Below is my ranking based on my ratings:

1) Katelyn Epperly

2) Michelle Delamor

3) Crystal Bowersox

4) Siobhan Magnus

5) Didi Benami

6) Katie Stevens

7) Lily Scott

8) Paige Miles

9) Ashley Rodriguez (eliminated)

10) Lacey Brown

11) Haeley Vaughn

12) Janell Wheeler (eliminated)

Based on my ratings, Haely and Janell are out. However, I think their fan bases are quite large and solid that I do not think they will be eliminated. This coming results night, I think the ones in danger are: Paige Miles, Ashley Rodriguez and Lacey Brown.