The Day After....

Every Thursday I cruise the internet reading articles that comment on the Wednesday results show of American Idol. No one really says anything new or groundbreaking, but it's still easy to pick up general trends or sympathies (or nonsympathies as well).

When MIchael Johns was released last week, a lot of headlines tried to make out as if it was a "shocker." But the reading of the articles generally didn't support that idea. Though it may have been something of a surprise, it didn't rate with Chris Daughtry getting the boot at 4th place, or Melinda's ouster at 3rd. No one predicted that Michael Johns would go all the way, especially with the primacy of one David and the ascendancy of the other. Once you got beyond the fluffery of headlines and opening paragraphs, it really came across as no big deal that Michael hadn't made it any further..

On the other hand, though no one is really surprised at Kristy Lee Cook's finish this week, there seems to be a real sense of sympathy percolating on the web. She may not have had the fan base she needed to remain on the show, but many of the online columnists state that they had grown to admire and like Kristy for her tenacity, especially in light of the disaster she made of the Beatle's weeks. From the week she sang "Proud to be an American" to this week, Kristy was improving in her song choice, in her performance. No one would predict her to win the competition (some speculated about it), but most everyone agreed that her presentation outshone several of the others this week.

I've never voted for an Idol contestant. I don't see the point of voting in a system that allows one person to speed dial hundreds of votes. If the show was based on the reality of the quality of performances in a given week, then Kristy should not have gone home this week.

Then again, she would have been booted off after butchering "Eight Days a Week" the way she did. So that cuts both ways, eh?

Kristy Lee Cook seemed like an average person, pleasant with a little sass and a bit more ability than she was credited with. I wish her well.

Quick Thoughts

First, I think everyone did a good job tonight, some better, but all pretty good.

There was, in my opinion, no one bad performance where I can definitively state that a certain person will not make it. Having said that I think a couple observances can be made.

David A. did a bang up job with Appalachian Memories. I have not particularly cared for him this season. I think he's a good singer, but I've always thought his song choices were very transparent. And he's obviously a ballad singer - the uptempo stuff messed him up. But this week he really nailed it.

Michael J., in the pimp spot, reminded me of Delbert McClinton. And that's not a bad thing.

Ramiele may not have been particularly memorable, but she at least wasn't boring.

Kristy Lee seemed a bit flat at the open, but eventually picked it up a few bars in. The night's style suited her marvelously.

Loved Jason's Travelin' Thru. Thought Randy's comment was right on with the singer/songwriter vibe.

Brooke's opener, though not a huge stand out, was solid Brooke.

David C. - glad to see him take on Little Sparrow in the fashion he did. It showed he's not all about the harder rock aspect.

Carly and Syesha - both decent performances, but Syesha strayed way too close to Whitney territory in her close. She had a good voice, but she sounded too much like she was trying to sound like Whitney. Carly's version of Here You Come Again was quite different from the orginal (I remember when it came out). Not sure if I liked it or not.

There will be a bottom three, and I have no idea who it will be this week. I almost think Syesha will be one of them, perhaps with Ramiele. As to a third, I can't say.

Voted off prediction: Syesha, for becoming a cliche as a Whitney wannabe. I also lean toward Syesha because she has been in the bottom three already and Ramiele has not. If the show were about performance, then I'd say Ramiele will go.

But it's so much more (or less) than that.

Quick Shots

Syesha - If I Was Your Woman
I like Syesha. I wish she'd do songs I like, but I like her. I think she's cute and can sing better than Ramiele. This song didn't do much for me, but she sang it well.

David Cook - Billie Jean
So many of these songs have been covered over the years that you can't tell if these people are singing someone else's cover version or if they came up with the arrangement on their own. I suspect that they are usually doing a cover version (like Daughtry singing Live's version of I Walk the Line). Probably Blake Lewis was one of the most original innovators. Apparently David C. was singing Chris Cornell's (Soundgarden) version of Billie Jean. . Still he pulled it off quite well AND in the pimp spot no less. He's a rising force.

Carly - Total Eclipse Of The Heart
Jim Steinman wrote Total Eclipse of the Heart. He was Meatloaf's hit song writer with songs such as Two out of Three Ain't Bad and Paradise by the Dashboard Lights. He also wrote Air Supply's Making Love out of Nothing At All. You can tell a Jim Steinman song - it's always about relationships and it has long rambling lines. Total Eclipse of the Heart was sung by Bonnie Tyler who had a short run of fame late 70s, early 80s. She had a distinctive, gravely voice, sort of like a female Rod Stewart, and it gave her songs a strong personality. I don't know if Carly's version lived up to the original. She sang it pretty well. I just don't know if it was enough.

Chikezie - If Only For One Night
Yeah, it was Chikezie being Luther for the night. Very 80s sounding. I thought it was a decent performance, his vocals are smooth. Funny thing is, Simon, who panned Chikezie's last performance as sounding like several different songs in one, now says Chikezie needs to go back to singing with that energetic kind of personality. These contestants can't win. lol.

Brooke - Every Breath You Take
The judges complained that Brooke should have not had the band come in uptempo like they did. I disagree. This wasn't Brooke's best performance of the season, but it was good. And the song really calls out for its hook, that haunting guitar part it starts with. The band provided that. She's still moving on, I'm pretty sure.

Jason - Fragile
I like Jason, even if he stays within his genre/style. He's a good package of personality, performance and presence. He does make some weird faces while singing though, which can be distracting. I don't know this song, so I don't know if it has any Spanish influences in it. Thought it was a good performance.

Ramiele - Alone
Not bad. But she is going to get compared to Nancy Wilson's version which is difficult. She seemed to fall short a bit.

Michael - We Are The Champions
I don't think this was significantly different from how Michael has performed to date, so I'm not sure where the judges are coming from. But I've always thought that what they see and hear there in the venue is probably quite different from what we see/hear in our living rooms. Probably enough to keep him safe.

Kristy - God Bless The USA
Finally, Kristy gets back to something she can do - country/pop style songs. She sang it quite well, thought she was a tad out of tune at the key change, but she came back OK. She will have to be very careful about song choice from this point on.

David A. - You're The Voice
He has a good voice, a smooth delivery. But he makes every song sound the same. David may have peaked too early unless he gives a total package in upcoming shows. He's getting a bit boring, he is.

If I had to guess as to who will go? Probably Chikezie. He seems to be the odd man out right now and I can't imagine his fan base is growing.

I hate the "mosh pit." Can the show stop getting camera angle from behind it. Seeing people's hands wave over the singers is quite irritating.

Tonight's Song Performances

Syesha - "If I Was Your Woman" by Stephanie Mills
David Cook - "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson
Carly - "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
Chikeze - "If Only For One Night" by Luther Vandross
Brooke - "Every Breath You Take" by the Police
Jason - "Fragile" by Sting
Ramiele - "Alone" by Heart
Michael - "We Are The Champions" by Queen
Kristy - "God Bless The USA" by Lee Greenwood
David A. - "You're The Voice" by David Foster

from TMZ.com

Beatlemania Revisited

Without going into a song by song breakdown, last night was the Beatles meets Bizarro World. Everyone's stylizing now, and to the point where it's just getting weird. I'm not a Beatle's fan, but I still winced at times from the performances which were, I assume, done the way they were to avoid being called karaoke. It would seem that everyone is afraid of that term.

But really. You either tear a song apart, reassemble it or you do a straight cover. I don't see putting different inflections or runs in it as making it your own necessarily. Trying to sound like Whitney or Celine singing one of these songs is making it Whitney or Celine singing one of these songs.

I don't remember what half the people sang, so I guess it was quite memorable. ha! I know David A sang the Long and Winding Road, but that's only because it was my high school senior class song. Not sure what the lyrics have to do with a high school graduating class, but that's what they voted for. It was either that or Do You Know Where You're Going To?

Don't know if I'll watch the "who gets booted" show tonight. We'll be out for a couple hours and away from television. Probably need the break anyway.