Tuesday night music club, sort of

[jlh]

Everyone who is reading this and watching American Idol should be reading the recaps on Television Without Pity because they are amazing. More musings on that in a future entry. In the meantime, the girls, who apparently thought they were doing an event for a soft rock radio station. Bo-ring.

Blah blah judges blah blah blah. Ryan on his knees is a nice look though. Paula really needs to get off those muscle depressants. Having her switch chairs made the rhythm interesting, with her going first.

1. Everything that Simon said about Katherine McPhee was spot on. I hope she survives picking the really wrong song, because I think only her hard core fans are likely to be voting for her.
   
2. Kennik sounded quite good and was all rabble rousing, etc, but I mean, I can sing "I'm Here for the Party." So.
   
3. Lisa was … fine, but overwhelmed by the arrangement I thought. Randy was right; it might have been nice to get some a cappella from her on "Who's Loving You."
   
4. Melissa was actually pretty good. Thank goodness she picked a Reba song instead of some Faith thing, but Simon was right in that she's not connecting.
   
5. Okay Heather, do me a favor and don't hold a flat note like you're some kind of Diva. As usual the editing of the song was weird, but really, she shouldn't have done "Hero" because she's not Mariah.
   
6. And Brenna is no Donna Summer. Once again, the editing of "Last Dance" makes no fucking sense, but Brenna had no energy and didn't sound particularly good. And she has to stop fucking posing.
   
7. As they said, Paris sounded old. I really hate "Wind Beneath My Wings" anyway, and she ruled the song, but who really cares?
   
8. When Ayla said she was going to sing a Celine song I was like, alas! But it was quite good, as was Ryan standing on his tip toes.
   
9. Hmm, Kellie I think might have picked the wrong key because she really wasn't reaching those low notes at the start of "Something to Talk About." But she worked it out and she sounded good.
   
10. Mandisa continues to rule me.

Polls when we get to the finals, but do tell: who's out?

Comments

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

I saw only the first 3 girls tonight. Maybe I should be glad we watched SPIRITED AWAY instead of the rest of AI?

[jlh.livejournal.com]

The two best were definitely at the end, but between the filler and the mediocrity and Simon becoming increasingly annoyed by the mediocrity it definitely was not 90 minutes of awesome.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

Whereas SPIRITED AWAY was 2 hours and 5 minutes of awesome :D

[sisterpandora.livejournal.com]

Didn't watch but sheryl crow ref! YAY! *toddles off to bed*

[adjudicated.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping that Heather and Kellie go. I wasn't impressed at all with them, plus the flat notes didn't help.

Ayla surprised me -- I thought she was good, if not a bit mechanical. Oddly, no one really rocked my socks tonight.

Yeah, Brenna, the posing has to go.

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Kellie... I mean, I know she's from the sticks and all that but dude... never had spinach salad? I think the Mayberry routine is getting a little old.

Paris... I wanted to like but I absolutely loathe that song, so alas, she lost my vote for song choice. I pretty much agreed with all the judges tonight.

I wasn't really impressed with anyone except Mandisa, who continues to rock time and time again. She's amazing.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

First, what is Paula on? I mean, seriously.

There is no worse song than "Wind Beneath My Wings". I'm serious about this and willing to back it up. At least this means no one else will be singing it like, ever in this competition. Kellie I don't think is going anyplace until she hits a theme night she can't fake her way through.

I want Mandisa to go all the way but the memory of Jennifer last year haunts me . . .

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

That's just it... I don't think anyone knows what Paula's on. If she'd just *tell* us and end the mystery. Alas.

I'm right behind you on the song, man. It's just... gah. I am glad that we won't be hearing again. Good point there.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I think Heather may very well go but I don't think Kellie is going anyplace until she flat out sucks some night. She may well survive into the finals.

I thought Simon was so spot on about Ayla and her hard work. So now it's time to lighten up and have fun.

Like the TWOP recappers I am simultaneously amused and horrified by Brenna. She's so fake she's real—all the others are fake, but at least she's upfront about how fake she is, and her posing keeps making Ryan laugh. I'm all for Ryan breaking character every once in a while, too.

[adjudicated.livejournal.com]

And, see, I want to know WHY IS THAT?!?! I think it would be wrong if Katharine went before Kellie. I guess I'm not seeing what's so endearing about her. I'm not saying she's off-putting or whatever, but I certainly don't see an overly special vibe at this point. What am I missing?

I thought Ayla's outfit wasn't quite right for her. She's clearly very tall . . . I dunno, I didn't care for the outfit.

I really need to go read the TWOP items on AI.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I think one of the reasons the judges were harping on song selection so much this week isn't just because you need to learn enough about yourself as a singer to know what sounds good and what shows you off, but also that they've learned, as we all have, through the years that the voters won't respond to someone doing something really unfamiliar (not in terms of the song, but the genre) even if it's done very well. So what Katharine did is precisely the sort of thing that can get a good singer voted off the show early, which is what Randy meant by saying that you can't come out onto the stage and just do your own thing. If the audience has no context for what you're doing, they won't respond and they won't vote. Look at Stevie last week, for example.