Top 9: Song Predictions- ITunes Top 100

Good day all my fellow American Idol Junkies! This week is (reportedly) ITunes Top 100 week. For the first time this season, they did not OFFICIALLY give us the theme of the week, so this has potential to be completely off. Even if Paula Abdul DID state in an interview that this was the theme, we all know that she is about one shot away from being passed out drunk most of the time. The list that I used is provided in the link below. Here goes nothing…

http://blog.zap2it.com/americanidol/2009/03/american-idol-top-9-theme-itunes-top-100.html

Adam Lambert – Journey “Don’t Stop Believing” or Paramore “Decode”

With a list full of rap songs that don’t even deserve to be sung, Adam initially looks like he’s in trouble this week. That is, until you see Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” hanging around the bottom. This is clearly a no brainer for Adam. He showed his soft side last week with his amazing rendition of “Tracks of My Tears,” but I expect him to fully entertain us this week, a la his first two performances. He is the only singer on the show who can sing the notes that Steve Perry belts out , and plus, there is a rumor that he has his own version of this song that he’s been wanting America to hear. Some of you just went “OH NO! ‘RING OF FIRE!!’” but I’m hoping that he uses a little discretion in taking on a song that is an anthem to Karaoke bars everywhere. If someone else picks that song ahead of him, maybe he could do “Decode,” the theme song from Twilight, since Randy has already dropped that reference on him.

Danny Gokey – Nickelback “Gotta Be Somebody” or Miley Cyrus “The Climb”

I had a hard time placing a song for Danny this week. His voice is hard to put on any of the choices that are on this list, but I’m hoping that he goes a different route than he has been doing. He’s been good, but not great, and if he wants to keep it strong heading into the final weeks, he needs to deliver a big performance. I can see him “Gotta Be Somebody,” seeing as Chad Kroger has a similar tamber to his voice as Danny does. I had another song picked before I put “The Climb” as an option. I was reading last night that Danny’s Grandfather apparently passed away some time this week and he had to fly back to Milwaukee for the funeral. This is all according to a blog from a member of his church. He’s had a rough year, and this is one of the only “stirring” songs on the list. This might not come to pass, however. I think he is trying to downplay the media, seeing as the original blog has since expunged all references of the death and there has not been any mention of it in the news headlines. I don’t think he liked the fact that Idol Producers exploited his wife’s death to such an extent that people labeled him as getting sympathy votes.

Allison Iraheta – Pink “Sober” or Miley Cyrus “The Climb”

All season, the judges have told Allison that she has the whole “Pink vibe” going for her. She’s got the same tone, same style, and same attitude in her voice as Pink does. Many would consider it stupid for her to pass up this opportunity. Granted since she has the same voice type, the judges would probably label her as Cabaret, but I think that she would be VERY hard pressed to find anything else on this list that would suit her voice as well. That being said, I would actually love to hear her sing “The Climb” as well. Before you start thinking anything, no, I don’t have an unusual obsession with this song. It just seems to fit for Danny and Allison this week. I’ve stated previously that I want to see Allison do a ballad and this would be a surprisingly nice pick for her voice. Potential to be an “Idol Moment”…perhaps.

Matt Giraud – The Fray “You Found Me” or Kanye “Heartless” (Fray Version)

Matt was a wreck after he found out that he was in the bottom 2 last week. I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone as distraught as he was, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. I’m not the biggest Matt G. fan out there, but I do recognize that he didn’t deserve to be in the bottom 2 over Scott and Megan. I think he got the classic voter response “Oh he did great this week, enough people will vote for him that I don’t have to.” Wrong. I imagine that since last week he left the piano to “perform” a little more (and that did him no good), this week he’ll be seated firmly and comfortably at the ivory. There aren’t many piano friendly songs on the list, but either of the Fray songs are possibilities. I think “You Found Me” is a better choice for his voice, but “Heartless” would be a fun little spin. They could give him a synthesizer and everything. As cool as that would be, I doubt he’ll be that risky since he was so close to going home last week. Expect him to play it safe with the first option. Matt G. fans- your boy needs your vote!

Kris Allen – Matt Nathanson “Come on Get Higher” or Plain White T’s “1, 2, 3, 4”

Well, Kris is continuously giving solid performance after solid performance. “Come on Get Higher” would be another one of those. He can play his guitar again and swoon the ladies at the same time. It’s also a pretty catchy little song, so people will remember it. You could also take some liberties with the melody and do some funky stuff to spice it up. I would like to here “1, 2, 3, 4.” Not many people know this song yet, I don’t think, but it is a pretty awesome and clever song. Another guitar lady-killer. However, don’t be shocked if he pulls out some rap song like “Live Your Life” by TI. My boy got some swagga to him, I think.

Anoop Desai – Ne Yo “Mad”

Surprisingly, there are not that many R&B songs on the list as I would have thought there’d be. I think Anoop has learned his lesson in taking on songs that don’t fit his voice at all. I wouldn’t expect him to turn too far from his soulful roots, and this is one of the only songs that I feel could let him do that. Now, if he’s feeling risky, he might be able to turn one of these songs on it’s head and put a completely different spin on it. I’m not sure what song would fit in that category, but he might be able to pull it off.

Lil’ Rounds – Beyonce “Halo” or Pussycat Dolls “I Hate This Part”

Two less-than-stellar weeks in a row from Lil’ have people questioning whether she is as good as we thought she was. Last week Randy advised her to just go out there and SANG! I expect her to do that this week. Again, not too many R&B ballads on the list this week, but I can hear her singing “Halo” by Beyonce. Good song where she can focus simply on the vocals, and it can also highlight some dynamics, should she choose to show them. “I Hate This Part” could also be a good choice, but I expect the allure of singing Beyonce to win in that fight. This is a crucial week for Lil’. If she does not perform tonight, then I think she is in the realm of needing to be really worried.

Scott MacIntyre – Brad Paisley “Then”

Ok, so if nothing has convinced me that Scott should not be on the show, it was this week (in addition to every past week). We have had 3 themed weeks so far (Michael Jackson, Grande Ole’ Opry, and Motown). Not ONE of those weeks was there a song that could fit his voice/style. That is the same problem that I’m seeing this week. It is going to be very hard for him to pick from this list and find something that is going to grab our attention. If he was smart (which, given his song choice so far, he is not) he should do “Then” by Brad Paisley. 1. It’s a simple song that doesn’t go out of his range. 2. It is a piano driven song. 3. It’s emotional and he can connect to the audience like he did in Hollywood with his passion, something he’s lost of late. 4. And perhaps the biggest plus, he would be able to pick up some of the country voters who were pulling for Michael Sarver. From a strategic standpoint, I think this is the way to go.

Megan Corkery – Adele “Chasing Pavements,” or Taylor Swift “Love Story”

If ever there was a time that Megan was going to sing a song perfect for her voice, it would be now. “Chasing Pavements” is a no brainer here. Megan has the same bluesy/jazzy voice that Adele has as well as similar vocal phrasing. There will never EVER come a time with a more perfect song for you, Megan, so don’t be stupid here. After the past few weeks though, I fully expect her to be stupid and pass on the song perfect for her for another one that she can mar to oblivion. “Love Story” would be my pick if she decided to do that. It’s a popular song that draws in multiple voting groups (country and pop) thanks to the rereleased version with the synthesized drum kit (LAME!). She wouldn’t sound terrible on it, since Taylor Swift isn’t that strong of a vocalist, but I think she would be gyping herself if she went anywhere away from Adele. She wasn’t in the bottom 3 last week, but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t have been. Since this week is showcasing some of the most radio friendly songs in the country, we’ll see if Clayton’s assertion that she would be the best on the radio stands true. (P.S. If you are wondering why she sucks as a performer, it’s because she’s NEVER performed on a stage before. She is a complete novice when it comes to this. It helped put things in perspective for me. It’s sad that I have more experience singing in front of people than a top 9 contestant on American Idol…)

There you have it folks, my predictions for ITunes Top 100 week! Let me know what you think. All comments are welcome, even those saying that I’m a complete goober and don’t know what I’m talking about. The board needs to be re-energized, so bring it!

Your American Idol Junkie,

Billy

(P.S. If Normund Gentle was still on the show he would so pick “I’m On a Boat!” And it would have been awesome.)

9 Ladies Dancing: Elimination Results (SPOILER ALERT!)

So, another week is down and we have our top 9. I'm glad to report that America got it right this week! A few quick thoughts on Thursday night's show:

1. What the crap was that opening number?! So the producers have gone to an all time low. Not only are they lip-syncing their performance, but they are PRE-FILMING them also. What strikes me as funny is that not many people picked up on it! It was painfully obvious with all of the quick camera cuts and the magical changing of formations instantly. But how can these people still not lip-sync well on a pre-recorded video?! If Britney Spears can do it, I'm pretty sure anyone can. Everyone in my living room busted out laughing when Matt G. tried to riff-sync and failed miserably. Oh, and I called "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," but I'm not counting it since it was part of that ridiculous medley.

2. I like how Ryan is now picking on Kara as well as Simon. He punked her about her math problem the other night. In referring to Adam's performance she said, "I've got six words for you. One of the best performances of the night!" Errrr, FAIL! That is 8 words, lady. Yet as previously commented, I'm sure she just got caught in the moment and meant "tonight" instead of "of the night."

3. Ford needs to get on the ball. They have not had very good commercials this year (wait, have they ever?). This weeks was just plain awful though. And "Pocket Full of Sunshine" is only about 2 years too late. Get with the times Ford. I know we are in a recession, but advertising is still important for a major company. Invest wisely, b/c that was a waste of money.

4. I want to quote one review that I read on Ruben Studdard's performance: "Ruben Studdard and the American Idol stage lights are in an abusive relationship. The poor guy sweats like a pedophile chasing a school bus." HAHAHA! I about fell out of my chair when I read that. Ruben sounded good tonight though. He would easily be top 3 this season.

4. Did anyone else think that Joss Stone and Smokey Robinson sounded horrible together? Joss did her thing, but Smokey was struggling big time. As one site stated, Smokey looks like a cartoon! That had me laughing. I guess it doesn't matter, he's still a legend and I'm not. Nor are you, Anoop. His referring to himself as a legend was supposed to be a little funny, but came off the wrong way I think.

5. The bottom 3 consisted of Michael, Matt, and Scott this week. I'm fairly certain that Megan is only getting by on her looks because she should definitely be there over Matt. They treated Matt pretty wrong tonight. The entire time he was on the stools he was obviously emotional. He had the quivering chin, like he was fighting off tears. He couldn't even enjoy Stevie Wonder's performance because he was so nervous about being eliminated. Michael was all smiling and dancing and clapping and Matt was just standing there fighting back the rivers behind his eyes. After revealing that Scott was safe, leaving only Matt and Michael, you could tell Matt was on the verge of breaking. Once they announced he was safe, it was like Lightning McQueen! He jetted back over the safe couch! I'm glad he was safe, because he is much better than Michael, and you could tell that Michael had prepared himself to be going home. His bags were already packed I bet. He sounded much better tonight on "Ain't Too Proud to Beg." One last hoorah before he heads home. The fact that the judges took so long debating whether or not to save him was stupid though. Why save someone who has a 0% shot of winning the competition. Sorry, Mikey, but it was your time to go.

Well there you have it, my roundup of the results show. Sorry again for it being late. Did America get it right this week? Is Matt REALLY in trouble? Is Smokey Robinson really a cartoon? Let me know what you think!

Your American Idol Junkie,

Billy

Top 10: Performance Results

The songs have been sung. The votes have been cast. Last nights performances (for the most part) made me a believer in this group of contestants for the first time. Prior to this, I did not feel that they measured up to the standards that the previous Idol seasons had set (forgetting the Taylor Hicks season, of course). I've known that they could sing, but something had been missing. Maybe it's me just getting used to them. Or maybe it's the fact that they have gotten comfortable on the stage and are not letting nerves get the better of them. I'm thinking it's a little of both, but with this newfound confidence that some of the contestants are finding, this show has now moved from a two man battle to one where anyone can take it all. Well...most anyone.

Last night was Motown night. Smokey Robinson was in the house. I like that cat. He seems pretty cool. I was interested to see what songs the contestants were going to pick. I'm going to say I got 2/10 correct from my predictions, taking into account the whole "what you should have sang" thing. I was so close to having the 3rd had I just stuck to my gut, but I'll discuss that later. On to the critiques!

Matt Giraud, “Let’s Get It On”

So, I didn't think that anyone was going to attempt this song because of it's iconic nature, as well as sexually suggestive lyrics (wait, are they suggestive or just plain sexual?). However, I thought he pulled it off pretty nicely. I liked how he used the piano to show of his talents a bit, but not let it be a crutch to him like they told Scott last week. His vocals were also much more improved from last week. I'm not QUITE as excited about his riffing as Paula and Kara are. He can sing runs, there's no doubt about it, but they are not disciplined at all. Sometimes it sounds like he's shaking the notes out rather than singing them out. That was my only issue with this performance. The switches from chest voice to falsetto were very nice. This was another solid performance from Matt.

Kris Allen, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)”

The pros of doing this song: everyone knows it and loves it, plus it's easy enough to put your own spin on it (which Kris did). The cons: EVERYONE has done this song and no matter how you do it, it's ALWAYS just a tad on the "good but not great" side. I think Kris did a good job on this song. Like the judges said, he's in his zone and performing well on every song. For me though, the song just didn't have that much emotion in it. It was a very safe performance that didn't show me anything new from him. I sorta wish he would have just kept it him and the acoustic, because again, the band drowned out the pretty sweet chords he was playing. And I still can't get over the llama face, man. I like Kris a lot, but someone has got to tell this dude that he looks absolutely ridiculous when he juts his chin 3 inches to the right everytime he hits a high note! What was impressive, however, was Paula's ability to hear the correct note that Kris sang at the end. It was actually an A! Again, solid, but not great, performance from Kris.

Scott MacIntyre, “You Can’t Hurry Love”

WHAT!? My first correct pick of the season that the performer actually sang! What's funny is this was the one I was least sure of. Kudos to Scott for upping the tempo a little this week and having a little bit of fun up there. The singers around the piano was a nice touch. The performance itself was ok, bordering on not good, to me though. I disagree with Simon, I thought the piano playing was great, but I have just come to the conclusion that I don't think he can sing that well. I can pick 10 of my friends who can sing better than him. I think the well is running up sorta dry on Scott and I think he may be in trouble this week.

Megan Joy, “For Once In My Life"

Megan, Megan, Megan...I don't know what that was, doll, but it sho' won't good. You all know how I feel about her voice (don't like it), but she has never had a train-wreck as bad as this one. She didn't hit any of her high notes, her virbrato was crazy annoying, and it come off too forced. Kara and I must be on the same page, because she told Megan that she should have sang "My Guy," the song I picked for her (I count that as a correct pick. I shouldn't be penalized for the contestants stupidity!) I agree with the judges that she is simply picking the wrong songs for her style of voice. It's like she's never heard herself sing before and doesn't know what she can handle. This is something that most singers KNOW! Maybe it's nerves though, b/c I always seem to liker her singing in the videos better than I do live. Hmmmm...I do not know, but I think she is in trouble.

Anoop Desai, “Oooh, Baby Baby”

So, as you have read in previous blogs, I've often commented on how Chapel Hill girls are just short of throwing their panties at the TV after every Anoop performance. This time it literally happened! Girls brought their panties and threw them at my TV last night...and it was hilarious. Anyway, Anoop is hitting his stride right now. He sounded very good last night, aside from some off-pitch falsetto's. It was INCREDIBLY safe though. I don't know if he couldn't do "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" because he lost in the hat draw, but I would have rather heard him sing that song than the guy who actually did (more on that in a sec). Now that Anoop has found his vocals again, I want to hear/see him PERFORM like a superstar. If he finds a fast song that he can shred, he has a legit shot of becoming a front-runner. He's slowly climbing, but he still needs to show people that he is a total package.

Michael Sarver, “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”

I'm glad Michael is not too proud to beg (wait...how IRONIC...he IS begging to stay on the show right now!). You will hear it here every week until it happens. I want Michael off the show. He is terrible. He is fodder. He thinks he can sing much better than he actually can and it's starting to annoy me. His version of "Ain't Too Proud" was karaoke hell. Again, he doesn't open up his mouth when he sings, his runs are God awful (that's being nice), and he is awkward as mess on the stage. I'm sorry if any of you love Michael, but it's high time he went home.

Lil Rounds, “Heatwave”

The first thought that came to my mind when I saw Lil' was Beyonce's song "Pat yo' Weave." That was insane, but hey, whatever works for you, Lil'. As for the song, I stand by my pick. She would have sounded much better doing "Stop! In the Name of Love." Something that I have noticed from Lil', that didn't strike me until last night, is that she is capable of two settings: not singing at all and loud as all get out. I have not heard her back down off the pipes and every song lately has felt forced and screamed. It's like she thinks she has to out-power everyone else to showcase her voice. I don't know, but this song didn't do anything for me. She needs to learn that singing is about more than just belting every note you sing. You need dynamics. You need expression. You need emotion. I'm not seeing any of these things from Lil' right now.

Adam Lambert, “Tracks of My Tears”

Amazing. This is exactly what Adam needed to do after he scared some people last week. I thought his arrangement of this song was perfect for his voice and he really showed a side that no one has seen from him this season. We know he can hit the big notes and entertain us with his stage presence. But what was crazy is that I thought he did a better job of capturing everyone's attention with this song than he did with any of his up-tempo numbers. It was somewhat captivating listening to him sing the words of that song and it felt like he was actually connecting to what he was singing. Kara hit it dead on. That is artistry.

Danny Gokey, “Get Ready”

As I'll say most weeks, Danny sang well this week. His voice sounded pretty good on the song (though this might have been his weakest performance yet). He does need to watch it with all of the cheese he's bringing every week. I'm not sure if people are really digging that. It might be just me, but ever since they stopped talking about his wife (RIP), interest in Danny is starting to slip. One website had him at number 4 in terms of popularity at the moment. I'm not sure if he is letting the proclamation of him being in the finals go to his head, but I think he needs to pick better songs and take this a little more seriously than he has. He's obviously safe, but if he doesn't do something to make people start talking about him again, he might be looking for the save card here in a few weeks.

Allison Iraheta, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone"

Ok, so if I had stuck to my gut, I would have gotten this pick right. I had it up there for her, and then erased it last minute...STUPID! What else can I say, Allison killed it tonight. She got the buzz going again with a great performance that showcased how extremely seasoned she is at 16. The last note was great and I don't think she'll need to worry about being in the bottom 3 this week. I DO still want to hear a ballad from her one of these days. But I'll settle for this for now.

Overall, it was a pretty good show tonight. I think Michael, Megan, and Scott will be in the bottom 3. They were just simply not up to par with everyone else. However, Idol wouldn't be Idol without it's "shock of the week," so expect the potential for Scott to be replaced with either Lil' or Kris (even though they don't deserve to be there).

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Michael should go home. End of discussion. Debate me if you must, but I will win.

Again, I apologize for the late post, but work was insane today! As always, leave your comments and let me know where I was right or wrong. The first week was GREAT! Now let's keep it going!

Your American Idol Junkie,

Billy

Top 10: Song Predictions- 50 Years of Motown

Welcome back to another fun-filled post where I will (try to) predict which songs the American Idol contestants are going to sing this week. As was evident from last week, it’s tough to pick the songs when you don’t have the actual song list that the contestants are choosing from. The list I found last week turned out to be not-so-legit, so it seriously affected my numbers. This week I face the same problem because I only have a list of the top 100 songs from tonight’s category to help me in my choices. We’ll see how I do!

This week, the theme is “50 Years of Motown.” Anoop is probably running around the Idol Mansion like a kid at Christmas. Hopefully, he can perform. Here is the list of songs that I had to choose from:

http://www.nexttalks.com/blogs/1/posts/137

On to the predictions…

Adam Lambert – Edwin Starr “War” or Temptations “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”

This was a tough pick for me. After last weeks controversial “Ring of Fire,” I expect Adam to play it safe with a song that people can’t get as worked up over. He needs to win back some of the votes he lost, and do it in a way that won’t lose him more. However, I do feel like he will still be himself and pick something that sends a message about who he is. For some reason, “War” stands out as a perfect song for him to do. It’s got plenty of funk as well as some baller high notes (screams?) for him to show off on. “Papa” could also be a good pick, but how funny would it be if he did Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out?”

Danny Gokey – Marvin Gaye “What’s Goin’ On?”

Aside from Adam, Danny is probably the only other contestant who could touch a song as iconic as “What’s Goin’ On?” and pull it off. His natural rasp and soulful voice could sound great on this song, and I’m not the biggest fan of his voice. It also has a positive message that is not nearly as cheesy as “Jesus Take the Wheel” (Yes I’m still not over that yet). Look for big things from Danny.

Lil Rounds – Supremes “Stop! In the Name of Love”

So, after a so-so week from Lil’ where a LOT of people weren’t impressed, she needs to come through big time this week. The problem with Motown week for the girls is that aside from Gladys Knight, there weren’t any really big-belter singers. I mean, really, Diana Ross isn’t that GREAT of a singer. However, this is one song that has the ability to be converted into a power-song. I think she knows that she needs to go off this week, and picking a song that everyone knows, and killing it, is the way to do just that. Expect her to have a lot of fun and show off her personality.

Kris Allen – Stevie Wonder “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”

So, this is probably my favorite pick of the whole lot. I think that Kris would KILL this song. I have no idea why, but the energy that he brings with his up-tempo performances fits perfectly with the style of this song. It’s funky, it’s hip, and it’s got some soul, all things that Kris can flourish in. I’ve said since the beginning that he reminds me of Nick Lachey, but Kristen expounded on that sentiment by stating “he is Nick Lachey stuck in a drier.” HAHAHA! After the soft lady-killer from last week, expect him to jazz it up a little this week and show the kind of performance that got him into the top 13 in the first place.

Matt Giraud – Marvin Gaye “I Heard it Through the Grapevine”

A lot of people are excited about what Matt will bring to the table this week, and I am one of them. I am not the biggest proponent of Matt’s but I think he could do amazing this week with “I Heard it Through the Grapevine.” His performance of “George” during Hollywood week showed how much soul he can have when singing, and though we haven’t seen it at it’s full potential since then, I think he can shine here. One website has him as #3 on their power poll, and a good performance this week can justify that ranking.

Anoop Desai – Temptations “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” or “My Girl”

Anoop is frothing at the mouth at a chance to show America his Motown vibe this week. Most of us who went to Carolina have heard how good Anoop can sound doing the likes of Boyz II Men. I’m hoping that Boyz II Men will be on their list to choose from, but if not then either of these songs would work nicely. “Ain’t Too Proud” is one of the most soul-filled songs around and it would be an opportunity for Anoop to show off his runs as well as his falsetto (something the judges go gah-gah over). “My Girl” would be another good choice to cater to the female vote. Crooning either of these would vault him into potential top 5 status.

Allison Iraheta – Gladys Knight & The Pips “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” or Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing”

So, I’ve already given “Grapevine” to Matt G. but I wouldn’t be mad if I heard it from Allison. I’d actually be pretty stoked. I am in the boat that thinks that she needs to do a slow song, since most of her songs have sounded the same the past few weeks, but there aren’t many ballady options in the world of female Motown singers (at least the portion I’m familiar with). I think this song would be the best suited for her voice, but if Matt snatches it before her, she might be able to pull off a slowed down version of “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.”

Michael Sarver – Lionel Richie & Diana Ross “Endless Love”

Michael is hitting the bottom of the barrel this week. I couldn’t find anything that I thought would match his voice. He’d be wise to go with a slow song, since the fast ones seem to give him trouble. This was the only song that seemed simple enough for his mediocre voice. It might garner him some “aww shucks” votes and he might stay around another week (even though we all want to see him go next).

Scott MacIntyre – Supremes “You Can’t Hurry Love” (Phil Collins cover) or Four Tops “Baby I Need Your Lovin’

This is perhaps the hardest pick I had to make. I really do not expect either of these to actually happen, but I had to go with what I thought he SHOULD sing. After sounding the same for the past two weeks, Scott should listen to the judges critiques and have a little fun up there this week. I can hear a piano-based version of both of these songs in my head, and they sound nice. It would also show his ability to liven it up a little bit. But, sorry Paula, I doubt he’ll be able to “work the stage” like you suggested. Scott might be in trouble this week.

Megan Corkery – Mary Wells “My Guy”

Again, Megan does not have the greatest range, power, tamber, or heck just overall voice. She’s somewhat lucky this week in that, as aforementioned, there aren’t that many great Motown female singers. I would be surprised if she doesn’t choose this song. It’s a top 10 Motown hit and it doesn’t take superb vocals to pull it off. It could be an endearing performance, but probably not enough to sway the minds of people on this blog.

Bonus Prediction:

Group Song for Result Night- Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”

Well, that's it. As always, leave your comments and feel free to agree or disagree. I want to know what you think!

Your American Idol Junkie,

Billy

Christians are taking over Idol!!

Here is an article that one of our members, Andrew Brown, sent to me. It's about the number of religious contestants on this season of Idol. What do you think? Does it even matter? Should we vote for someone just because they (might!) have the same beliefs as we do? Remember, some churches still be crazy...

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1606966/20090313/story.jhtml

Best Idol Performance, EVER?!

What's up, y'all? Ok, so there is no new American Idol news as of today. Most of my attention has been on the NCAA tournament. My bracket isn't doing so hot...I only got 12 right yesterday, but that's not terrible. I just have to win some big ones today. Anyway, what does that have to do with American Idol, you ask? Absolutely notta.

So, for your viewing pleasure, and my own curiosity, I am going to try something new (well I guess everything is new since this whole blog is new!). I want to know what you consider to be the best American Idol Performance EVER! Now, I'm not including this seasons performances thus far, mostly because "Ring of Fire" wouldn't get any love and Danny Gokey's "Jesus Take the Wheel...because my hands are F'in freezing which is why I have on this Artic Parka" would OBVIOUSLY win hands down....Bahahaha, yea right. We've had some very good performances from this year, but I'm just sticking to completed seasons. There is a poll on the right hand side of your screen, but as always, I'd like to hear your comments! Let me know if I've left out performances that you think deserve to be on this list.

Your American Idol Junkie,

Billy

Fantasia - Summertime



David Cook - Billie Jean



Jennifer Hudson - Circle of Life



Carrie Underwood - Alone



David Archuleta - Imagine



Clay Aiken - Bridge Over Troubled Water



Blake Lewis - You Give Love a Bad Name



David Cook - Always Be My Baby

And then there were 10: Elimination Results (SPOILER ALERT!)

Quoting Brent:

"[American Idol] is a popularity contest. If they wanted it to be a singing competition, they wouldn't let America vote."

As much as I don't want this to be true, (and overall, I don't think it is) that's exactly what happened last night. If you missed it, the bottom three were Allison, Michael, and Alexis. This shows that my predictive powers of who SHOULD be eliminated is tainted by a Utopic view of American Idol, where the best singer stays and the worst singer leaves. By the end of the seasons, I think America usually gets the winner right, but it is this portion of the competition where people are sent home who shouldn't necessarily be.

First, I want to address how awesome and chill Allison was when she was told she was the first to be in the bottom three. "Ain't no thang!" I believe were her exact words. I like this girl. Since it was between her and Michael, he offered her some consoling words and then had a seat...until Ryan told him that he was ALSO in the bottom 3. Dang, Michael Sarver, you just got PUNKED! And weeeeee doggie, he is a little less than enthused. More like, "Ryan, I want to throw you into an oil pit (because I work on an oil rig, in case you didn't know!)."

The rest of the show goes on with a bland song by Brad Paisley (sad because he actually has some good, entertaining songs), a song by Carrie Underwood (why you cut yo' hair girl?!?! don't matter, you still fine and can SAAAANG) and Randy Travis (I know Carrie is HOT Randy, but stop staring at her like that! CREEPER!!!) and the announcement of the last contestant in the bottom 3.

This was sorta shocking to me, because it was between Adam and Alexis. These are two who I've had in my top 3 all season. I had a feeling that Adam would be in this position since he had what was easily the most "love it or hate it" song of the night, or maybe even Idol history! But he has too large a fan base to be in the bottom 3 this early on. When Alexis was called forward, she rivaled Michael in the "who's got the worst 'i'm pissed' poker face." She rivals, and wins. She looks like a straight up B! This is justifiable though, as she knows she's one of the better singers in the competition. It was just the wrong song to sing, dear.

Allison is sent back to her seat after being deemed safe by Ryan (and I think she threatened him too?? haha). She does a hop, skip, and a jump back to safety. It's now down to Michael and Alexis. I wanted Michael to go home sooooo freaking bad, but Alexis received the lowest amount of votes. DANG YOU, YOU REDNECK HICKS! STOP VOTING FOR HIM! (sorry about that...). This is the part where Andrew correctly predicted that the judges MIGHT use a save for Alexis, but after several botched notes on her final performance, they decide to send her home to her cute lil girl. Peace, Alexis (for all you Cohen fans out there!).

I think that she really deserved to stay on the show longer than this, but she never would have won it. And she COULD have been worthy of a save, but I just don't think she sang well enough last night. I also think people had a hard time connecting with her as a person. She was a good singer, yes, but what else did we like about her. She didn't really have a spectacular personality. I got the "my ish don't stink" vibe from her a lot and never anything that I could grasp on to say "Oh, well she IS interesting after all." She was never her own artist. As soon as Kara said "Dirty it up," she did instead of being herself. She need to do what she do, not conform to what others want to see from her (though she should have conformed to my "Before He Cheats" pick! She'd still be on the show if she had sang that...mark my words).

Anywho, what are your thoughts? Did America get it right (if you say yes I'll probably lash you)? Does it really matter if she was sent home now rather than in 3-4 weeks? Did you take my challenge to relisten to "Ring of Fire?" New thoughts? All things I want to hear about! Comment away folks!

Your American Idol Junkie,

Billy

Top 11: Performance Results

Ok, so the fact that the list from VoteForTheWorst did not show an accurate representation of what songs the contestants could choose from hurt me in my prediction yesterday. However, they told Alexis that she should have sang "Before He Cheats" (my pick!) and said that Lil' should have sang "I Will Always Love You" or "How Do I Live" (BOTH MY PICKS!!!)

Overall, last night was better than I thought it'd be. Some folks were definitely out of their comfort zone (Lil' and Adam!) but others boosted their stock (Kris Allen, Anoop and Matt Giraud). Some were over the top cheese (Danny Gokey, really?!?! but he sang it well at least). Here are my reviews/critiques of each performance.

1. Michael Sarver - Garth Brooks “Ain’t Goin’ Down Till the Sun Comes Up”

Worst performance of the night. I am now to the point where I am getting angry that he is still on that stage and others (Ann Marie Boskovich and Felicia Barton) were sent home so early. Sure, he is a likable guy. Sure, he's got a relatively decent voice. But tonight was fodder, no getting around it. I thought that he was trying to do a ventriloquist act the whole time- he hardly ever opens his mouth when he sings! Pronunciation, Michael...especially with an overly-wordy song like that. I thought he was uncomfortable and showed how average he is compared to the other contestants.

2. Allison Iraheta - Patty Loveless “Blame It On Your Heart”

Allison did well tonight, but she is starting to sound the same every week to me. That is sad, because I think she has a great voice. I did like the rock edge she put on Patty Loveless though. I think Paula is right in that she needs to show a little vulnerability. I would like to see her sing a ballad, take out some of the grit in her voice and really show the audience that she can sing, no matter what kind of song it is. She's safe this week, but she has to do something again next week to keep her buzz strong like it was after she did "Alone."

3. Kris Allen - Garth Brooks “To Make You Feel My Love”

While Kris might not have taken my advice on what actual song to sing, he definitely took my advice to play it up for the ladies. No woman can resist a soft ballad, right? (personal note: learn this song to sing to the ladies). This was one of my favorite performances of the night. It's hard for an American Idol contestant to resist the urge to throw out the big glory notes on every song, but Kris showed that he can. His laid back and genuine rendition of this song shows that he knows how to play the game better than we thought he did. And, I liked that he did it without his guitar (granted, it would have been baller if it was solely acoustic, but still). It showed that he's not dependant on his guitar like Scott and Matt are for their piano.

4. Lil' Rounds - Martina McBride "Independence Day"

I like Lil', don't get me wrong. I think she can sing. But I think this song showed that she is not as good as we all would like to think she is. She is the token Gospel singer for this season, but she's not as good as others on past seasons. Syesha, Jennifer Hudson, and Fantasia all had better voices, IMO. I respect her choice to not do the overly cliched "I Will Always Love You," because I don't think she would have done it justice. I just think it's funny how the judges told her she should have sang it, even though they rip every girl who does attempt it a new one. Lil' was extremely out of her element this week, so I'm not going to hold it against her too much. But, just because you have the biggest voice (of the girls) in the competition, don't think that it's necessarily big enough for Martina McBride. Girl can SAAANG!

5. Adam Lambert - Johnny Cash "Ring of Fire"

Ahhh, the part that you all have been no doubt waiting for. You all know that I like Adam the most of any of the contestants. I think in terms of vocal ability and performance, he can blow any of the contestants this year out of the water. However, this song choice and arrangement was a little on the strange side, I'll give you that. There are tons of mixed emotions on this performance, and I know most of you reading this are on the "I hated that" train. I, however, am on the "I'm loving it" train. It took me three times listening to it to figure that out though. Vocally, his rendition is brilliant. Some of the liberties he took DID give it a very Led Zepplin-ish feel, and I DUG that. Most people would have liked the song more had the musical arrangement been different, I think. But again, I thought it was great. I'm also partial to crazy covers of classic songs, so that might also be why. The one thing that did bug me was the whole starting in a minor chord, then going to a major chord for the chorus, then back into the minor. I would have liked if it was all minor and eerie sounding. The major chords made it sound too bright for the mood that was trying to be set. The drums dropping in halfway through was also baller. It's an iconic song that most people shouldn't touch, and that rubbed people the wrong way, but I challenge you all to go back and watch/listen to it again now that the initial shock has worn off. I think you'll like it more than you think you did. But I'll agree with you, it probably wasn't made for American Idol.

6. Scott MacIntyre - Martina McBride "Wild Angels"

Scotty boy, Scotty boy...what can I say. He's consistently average. His piano playing is great. The little arpeggio thing he did at the end was awesome (even though the camera didn't show it!). His voice is just too bland for me. There is no color. There are no dynamics. Pitch struggles mightily. But he has passion, I'll give him that. And he's sorta funny. But that is not what American Idol is about. It's a singing competition. This week wasn't great, and it wasn't terrible. It was just average, middle-of-the-road Scott. He needs to do an up tempo Billy Joel or Elton John song next week to prove to me that he should be where he is.

7. Alexis Grace - Dolly Parton “Jolene”

Ok, Alexis gave a decent performance. Sounded a little too much like the original for me. I like her though. I think she can sing for a lil' white girl (maybe we can call her "Lil' Thin" to complement Lil' Rounds? no? oh well, moving on). I am really disappointed that she didn't do "Before He Cheats," as were the judges!! She would have absolutely killed that. She is fine for this week, but it was nothing to write home about.

8. Danny Gokey - Carrie Underwood "Jesus Take the Wheel"

Vocally, this performance was very, very good. I enjoyed how he sounded on this song. The soul he brought to the climax of the song added a great deal to it. Realistically, why in the world is he pouring Velvetta cheese all over my TV right now?! I just picture Ryan Seacrest laughing hysterically in the back when he found out Gokey was singing this song. But aside from the worship pastor singing about Jesus (very novel), I think he did a great job with the song. I am still routing against him, but I got to give him what props he deserves, even if I did laugh at it. Also, Simon was spot on about the freaking Tundra jacket he was wearing in 70+ degree weather. Really dude??

9. Anoop Desai - Willie Nelson "Always on My Mind"

'Noop-dawg! Ok, so I am overly critical of Anoop, let me go ahead and put that out there. I don't find the fact that we both attended the same University grounds enough for me to judge him any less harsh than I judge any of the other contestants. I do, however, expect more from him than he gives me on a week in-week out basis. I think he's better than he's showing. That being said...on to the review. I think Anoop redeemed himself last night. I think he did what I said he should (croon a soulful ballad) but what really made it stand out to me was how he changed an iconic song to something completely different and very good. I have issues with his pitch when he is doing the softer parts of songs. If he had a little more breath support, those notes would come out more full, but not lose any of their tenderness. Once he goes into his "money range" as I call it, he has the most pleasing voice of any of them. So I hope he goes far, but I think the Chapel Hill girls should not throw their panties at the TV quite yet. He still has a lot to prove before that is acceptable.

10. Megan Corkery - Patsy Cline "Walking After Midnight"

So, not one of the songs I predicted, but same artist! And it's an artist who sounds similar on every song, so I say I got this one right :). Flu or no flu, Megan looked hot tonight! You'll rarely hear me compliment her vocals on this blog because I'm not a huge fan of her kind of voice, but for being sick, she did ok. Her "WHOOP WHOOP!" at the end was vintage Megan quirkiness, and I loved that. She won't be going home I don't think, and if she does, she will get saved hands down. I don't think that she can last too much longer in this competition because she just doesn't have an American Idol type of voice. Very monotone singer, to me. If she had some range to go with her tone, I'd probably love her.

11. Matt Giraud - Carrie Underwood "So Small"

So what is up with all the guys singing girls songs?! Got me, but I'm liking it! I think Matt did an awesome job with this song. Rightfully so, it was the Pimp Spot! There were a few pitchy notes, but it didn't take away from his performance. This is one of my favorite country songs (one I also like to play and sing also) and I thought the musical arrangement was awesome. The staccato that they used with the strings was very nice. I don't like how he chopped up the lyrics so much though. I feel like if he just sang the chorus all the way through, it would have sounded much better to me. He cut out some of the parts that would have been awesome, but maybe too high for him. He still should have hit them though.

Well, that's it! I think that the bottom 3 will be Michael, Megan, and Scott. Michael Sarver is a goner. If he is, then America got it right. If it's either of the other two, you might see a save! Do you agree with my reviews?! I expect most not to for some (Adam), but I hope you all enjoyed the read. Post your comments!

Your American Idol Junkie,

Billy

P.S. I'm going to paraphrase my roommate, Brenton Clark Woodcox. "You should be on the show helping them, because the show would have been better if they sang the songs you picked for them rather than the ones they did." Hear that, Seacrest? Hook a brotha up!

Top 11: Song Predictions- Grand Ole Opry

Hey everyone! Welcome to my new blog about American Idol. I know, I have no life and I'm a degenerate...get over it! This was a list I made yesterday, so I figured I'd put it up here even though we already know what the contestants sang.

Here is the song list for tonight. In this blog, I will give my personal opinion as to what songs each contest should sing (remember, I'm not all that familiar with country music). This is 100% original and I did not view any other people's opinions online in making my decisions. Hopefully this song list is accurate! I'll try to do something similar to this before each performance episode if I can find the lists every week.

http://www.votefortheworst.com/20090305/spoilers_upcoming_american_idol_8_theme_weeks

1. Adam Lambert - Alison Krauss "When You Say Nothing At All" or Garth Brooks "The Dance"

Adam has provided two extremely high octane songs which called for over the top theatrics and performances. However, many people don't want to be screamed at week after week, even if it's technically good and the song calls for it. I agree with Simon that Adam's performances are in another league from the other contestants, but this is the point where he needs to take a step back, calm it down a bit, and show us that he can really sing and connect with the audience. I think it will be one of these two songs since he probably has very little connection with the Grand Ole Opry and these are two very well known songs that have crossed over to more mainstream success. I think he should do "When You Say Nothing At All." I think it would actually be amazing. "I Will Always Love You" is also a possibility, and he could kill that I think, but another contestant will sing that one...

2. Danny Gokey - Alan Jackson "Chattahoochee"

Danny is in a good position right now. Paula has knighted him to the finals and there are swarms of people who love him. However, there is also a rather large following (myself included) who got tired of the wife card after the producers shoved it down our throats week after week. It is tragic what happened, but there has to more to him than that, right? He has realized this, according to interviews, and I think he is trying to show a more energetic, possitive Danny like we saw last week. "Chattahoochee" would be a good song for him b/c it's up tempo, so he can have fun with it, but also, the natural rasp he has would not take away from the song like I feel it did for "Hero" (I might be the only one who thought that though). He's done an up tempo and a ballad, so he can swing either way this week, but I expect up tempo and this is his best option.

3. Alexis Grace - Carrie Underwood "Before He Cheats"

I think this would be the perfect song Alexis to sing. It has enough grit to show that she has become "dirty" as Kara has said time and again, but it also has the vocal chops to show how well she can sing. The higher notes might be a little out of her true range, but I think this is one of Carrie Underwood's more singable songs on the list and Alexis would be hard pressed to find anything else that fit her voice this well. I am really excited at her potential here and I'm not even THAT big of a fan of hers.

4. Lil' Rounds - Dolly Parton "I Will Always Love You" or Trisha Yearwood "How Do I Live"

Lil' wants to continue belting out big songs. As the lone African American woman (contestant!) on the show, I have a sneaking suspicion that she will do the Whitney version of "I WIll Always Love You," something that so many prior big singers have done on Grand Ole Opry week. I personally think she'd sound better on "How Do I Live" b/c she can showcase her pipes without being compared to one of the best singers ever and coming off karaoke. I would also love to hear her sing "Fancy" by Reba, but that song is well out of anyone's range still left on the show. She could surprise me, but I am fully prepared to hear her best Whitney impersonation.

5. Allison Iraheta - Pam Tillis "Maybe it was Memphis" or Carrie Underwood "Before He Cheats" or Lorrie Morgan "Watch Me"

Allison might find the going rough this week, but she might be able to pull out an amazing performance as well. It's very hard for me to her voice on any of the songs on this list, but she might be able to turn in a good rock version of one of the three listed above. I would like to hear "Maybe it was Memphis" the most. It's a good song and I think that she could put a Heart spin on it and make it truly her own. This is where she has the potential to shine this week- completely making a country song different to fit her style, a la David Cook.

6. Kris Allen - Brad Paisley "Mudd on the Tires" or Josh Turner "Your Man" or Dierks Bentley "What Was I Thinkin' "

So, Kris Allen has his pick as to what song he can sing this week. Even though he is not a country singer, he will still be able to play his guitar on any song he chooses. I think he's starting to realize that he's the "eye candy" for the female voters, so I expect him to play to that strength. I think any of these songs would work for him, granted he has to put them in the right key (Josh Turner sings hecka low!) And he has to stop singing like a llama with his jaw all sticking out like that. I like Kris though, so I think he'll do a good job this week.

7. Anoop Desai - Garth Brooks "The Dance"

Anoop is going to suffer the most. His voice is just not made for any of these songs. Smooth and R&B is about as anti-Grand Ole Opry as you can get. He has been terrible in his song selection this season, so if he continues with that trend, I wouldn't be surprised to see Brad Paisley's "Celebrity" (the video actually mocks American Idol!). But he needs to go back to what he does best- croon out that ballad. You can easily put a mo-town spin on "The Dance" and make it sound like Boyz II Men, so I think that would be his best shot to gain back some of those voters that are perplexed by him right now.

8. Scott MacIntyre - Vince Gill "I Still Believe In You" or Ronnie Milsap "It was Almost Like a Song"

I think people are starting to realize that, while Scott is a very likeable guy, he's not the greatest singer in the competition. But his piano playing and passion are making up for that. He's going to be a one trick pony this season (not his fault). The Ronnie Milsap song fits his voice more, but I like Vince Gill's better. It's more dynamic and expressive. If he does the Vince Gill song, and does it well , I think he'll convey enough emotion to potentially make this one of those very special performances that people talk about.

9. Matt Giraud - Garth Brooks "Friends in Low Places"

At first I didn't know what song to peg for Matt, but then it hit me like a truck. I think he could ball this song out! Clearly, it is a favorite at dueling piano bars (his dang job!) so we know he knows the song and knows how to sell it. If he didn't do this song and went for a slow ballad, I think he would have to be given the "worst song choice of the night" award, even if Anoop does tank in that category again.

10. Megan Corkery - Patsy Cline "I Fall to Pieces" or "Crazy"

Ok, let's just get this out of the way. Megan is crazy. I love watching her perform, just to see what craziness she has in store for us! CAW! CAW! Anyway, "I Fall to Pieces" would be the best choice for quirky Megan. As we all know, she does not have the kind of voice that can be adapted to any song. It is a very old, alto, bluesy voice. This song is the closest she is going to come to finding that, and it's not nearly as iconic or as "untouchable" as "Crazy" is. She can do well with either b/c they hide the fact that her voice isn't nearly as dynamic as the other female contestants.

11. Michael Sarver - Travis Tritt "It's a Great Day To Be Alive"

It truly is a great day to be alive for Michael Sarver, because of all the contestants on that stage, he is the least deserving. Yes, he made up for a terrible start during the top 36 with a very well sung version of "You are not Alone," but I am still not buying his kool-aid quite yet. This song can fit his voice very well since he has that country twang in his voice. If he can add a little soulful flavor to it, it could end up being a decent performance.

There you have it folks, my prognostication for tonights performances. Will I get them right? Will I get ANY right? Who knows!?!? Hope you enjoyed the (long) read :).

Your American Idol Junkie,

Billy

PS. This was more fun than my job...can I get paid to do this?