American Idol Season 8 - Final Performance Night!

Welcome to (finally) American Idol's Season Finale! In this corner, the golden boy...the chosen one...the judges favorite of all time...Adam Lambert! He of the famous shriek, and the solo cover on Entertainment Weekly. America loves this guy. Women and Men alike are not sure if he's available. But really, who cares...

And in this corner, Daaaaaaaanny Gokey!! The D-Goke...The Gokester....the one whose wife passed away and people blame him when it was Idol's producers who made a point to play that up. Danny has got a unique voice, although some consider him cheesy. I really like him and hope he wins the whole thing.

Wait, what's that you say? Danny isn't in the finale? Oh.....um...excuse me, I was slightly delusional there for a second! Yes, that's right - it's Kris Allen in the finale. The man who I once called a Muppet (well, on several occasions, actually...). I fell asleep to a few of his performances this year. Alas, I'm so sick of Adam-mania that I'm going to pull for the young man named Kris (that's with a K, thank you very much). And you know what? He's really not that bad. I cut him up pretty bad at times, but then I also gave him "mad props" at other times. Especially when he sang a brilliant version of "Ain't No Sunshine" earlier this season. Go back and look it up - I loved that version (and I generally know, I know, I know, I know I don't really like that original too much...I know).

So, Adam vs Kris. Let's get this party started. Adam Lambert is up first (he lost the coin toss to Kris and Kris deferred to go second) with his version of "Mad World" by Tears for Fears. I think this got cut off originally on my DVR, so I never saw it live. Adam comes up from the under the stage and walks through the smoke with a long coat on...and dry ice. OMG, the producers are going all out to give Adam fans what they want. You know, this song gets stuck in my head but I think that's because it's a good Tears for Fears song. I'm actually a little bored by this version of the song - he definitely has moments where you say, yeah, he's good. But overall, I think he's set Kris up for a first round victory. I think Adam did the smart thing because most people loved this when he did it originally. And I will give him credit in not going off the rails in his typical Sam Harris fashion. So good job, but I'm not going "gaga" over this. But here come the judges...they'll freakin' LOVE this (because they did in the past). So Randy gives him an A+, Kara over emotes her response (god she has gotten annoying as the season has worn on), Paula looks like she's had a face lift or a tan or both - oh, and she loves Adam and says he was brilliant, and Simon...well, Simon said it was a little over theatrical tonight. Good call Simon! Said it reminded him of Phantom of the Opera (Randy yells "Twilight! Twilight!!!").

Kris Allen counters with "Ain't No Sunshine" - hey, that's MY choice for him too!!! I know you may say I'm biased, but Kris does a great job with this version. It's even better than last time, I think. I would actually buy this song if I could (don't tell me it's on iTunes, because I already bought Idol songs last year from Carly Smithson and I never listen to them, so I'm not going there...) Seriously, this is a passionate, well sung performance that proves that Kris really does deserve to be here. I would have preferred Danny vs Kris, actually, but I'm not bitter. Anyway, other than a lame final note (did the same thing last time), I thought Kris was brilliant with this version. Kick ass buddy!! Randy (who is looking dapper in a suit and tie!) talks about Basketball (huh????) and then said it was one of his best performances EVER on the stage...nice close up of Kris' wife...then Kara goes crazy telling Kris how much she loves him...wow. It's very Paula like, except Kara can speak. Paula calls him a great artist. Simon said that song proves that he deserves to be there in the final. Simon gives round one to Kris! Woo hoo!!

After some commercials, we come back to Ryan walking through the celebrity filled audience, and he tells us the next songs were picked by Idol producer Simon Fuller. First up is Adam with Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come". I'll give Adam credit for this one - he does a very good to great job. Yes, he goes off the rails at times, but generally, he's actually quite controlled during a good part of this, especially at the beginning. He is also on stage with a suit, and looks the part of a star. He doesn't have any smoke or long coats or any of that crap. Very well done - and it restores my faith that Adam can actually perform pretty well when we stops believing his own hype. I mean, there are times he goes so overboard he pulls out a Sam Harris moment from Star Search, but overall, I don't mind it on this song. It's the kind of song that is supposed to build and build and he does a very good job. Congrats Adam... The judges? Randy said he can sing his face off, and it was unbelievable. Kara said it was the best performance he's ever done. She noted that he used both sides - controlled and upper range. Paula said it was the best ever...ever....ever....and that he looks like a superstar. She says he'll be ICONIC. Wow. Simon said Adam is back in the game.

Nice shot of Tom Cruise's wife...Katie Holmes, looking totally bored, and holding Suri's ears.

So Kris better come back strong, because it will be tough to top Adam's last song. Simon Fuller picks "What's Going On" by the late, great Marvin Gaye. It's just Kris up there with his guitar, along with 3 other band members. It's a funky, stripped down version of the song. I really love this version - it's different from the original, and yet, very Kris Allen-esque. I haven't always liked what he's done with popular songs (see "All She Wants to Do Is Dance"), but I think he hit this one out of the park. I would probably call this a draw - maybe from an energy standpoint, I'd give a slight edge to Adam. But not much - I think this was great!! Randy said it didn't have enough energy for him (what!?!?). Kara said it was a great choice by Simon Fuller - because it was socially conscious...oh kayyyyyyyyy....Paula said he did Marvin Gaye proud (thank you very much Paula!). Simon said it was like listening to 3 friends in his bedroom strumming some Marvin Gaye, and it was too laid back and that Kris didn't make it his own. You, Simon, are an IDIOT for this comment. Are you kidding me? Didn't make it his own? Too laid back? That's Kris' style, and he definitely made it his own. Go listen to the original, then listen to Kris' version and tell me they are not different. That's totally Kris' style...I can't believe Simon said this! I'm steaming at this point...he just wanted to even this up, and I'd call this round a draw, with possibly a slight edge to Adam. But very very close. In fact, screw it - I'm downloading some Kris Allen tomorrow on iTunes. I don't care what anyone says.

Shocker - Simon gave this round to Adam. "Million Percent Adam..." Yeah, sure Simon...it was SOOOOOOO much better. Get your head out of your behind, Cowell.

OK, so the final song will be the "signature" original song for whoever wins. And that means it's going to be cheesy and horrible. It has to be. We come back from the commercial with all the "Idols" from this season (sans Adam and Kris, natch...but there is my girl Alexis! I miss her!!!!)...and we're informed that this song, "No Boundaries", was co-written by Kara. Isn't "No Boundaries" a tagline for Ford?? Anyway, Adam sings this putrid song - which by the way, contains the words "Mountain", "Hurricane", "Pain", "Dreams", "Higher", "Deeper"....OMG - this is just a horrible song, and Adam doesn't do it any favors. He looks constipated during the entire thing. I hate this song, but I can't blame Adam. He can't help it if Kara served up a giant turd of a song. Ugh....please, let the song end...wow, this really will be on the album of the winner?? I feel sorry for that person! I used to like Kara. Wow... Randy has the balls to stand up and say he didn't care for the song (take THAT Kara!!!). But he says Adam is a superstar - he can sing the phone book. A little pitchy in spots, though. Kara name drops her co-writers. She was moved and proud, and Adam has the audacity to thank Kara for giving him that song - it was "beautiful", according to Mr. Lambert. Yeah...no it wasn't. Adam, stop the brown nosing. America loves you and you're going to win tomorrow night. You don't need this. Tell Kara next time, please leave out the main ingredient of 100% American Cheese and just write a good song. Puhleez!! Paula said she'll be a fan forever (she never actually says anything about the song!). Simon says, "I'm not going to judge that song, I"m going to judge you..." He said Adam is one of the most original artist ever on Idol. He believes he's found the next star in Adam.

Now it's Kris' turn to sing "No Boundaries". Kris sounds like he's sleeping during the first part of this performance. I don't like his version either. It's still the same crappy song. I don't think either of them did anything with this song, but it's not their fault. Kris sounds like he's really straining during this song. Wow, it sounds awful at times. But again, I'm not knocking Kris. Adam's version sounds better, but that's not saying much. This type of song lends itself to Adam's bombast, so in some ways, I think he wins round 3 over Kris. But none of this matters - Kris can't possibly beat King Adam, but he did himself proud tonight. Randy says exactly what I just said - Kris did an amazing job this season. Kara says she doesn't want him judged on her song (ha! That's because it's CRAP Kara!) She congratulated him on a great season, and hoped people voted for the entire season. Paula said it was a compelling finale, and he deserves where he is in the spotlight. Simon said Kris' best song was his first song, and he's come a long way from the beginning of the show. Simon said he deserves to be on that stage tonight.

So who won? Well, I personally think Kris was better tonight (especially on his first song), but I also thought Adam did a very nice job with his second song. The third song was a wash. I think Adam has this in the bag, but I also wouldn't be totally shocked if Kris ends up winning because he DOES have a big fan base (you need to in order to get to the finale). But if I was a betting man, I'd put my money on Adam being season 8's winner. Regardless of what happens, both Adam and Kris will more than likely BOTH have record deals, and I'll more than likely NOT buy either of them. Because I rarely do (exceptions - Clarkson/Underwood/Daughtry). Speaking of Carrie Underwood, she comes out to sing her version of the Motley Crue 80's classic "Home Sweet Home" (where is Vince Neil when you need him?? Can you imagine a duet?!). My DVR gets cut off, but that's OK because I was taping "Glee" anyway, so it's all good.

Tune in tomorrow for the big finale - I'm sure there will be a lot of fun, surprises and time wasted on a TWO HOUR finale. Ugh...I'll watch it of course, but I'll probably just fast forward through a lot of it. And no Lost tomorrow...oy vey...what am I to do?? :^) Thanks for reading my Idol Blog this season. I really hope to post on other topics between seasons, so keep checking back from time to time. And maybe I'll write up a review of the finale tomorrow night. We'll see...anyway, enjoy!!

American Idol Season 8 - Week 10

And then, there were 3. As upset as I was that Allison Iraheta was voted off last week instead of Kris, I can honestly say that the 3 remaining Idol hopefuls are all good in their own way. Danny has a distinctive, soulful voice. Kris has pulled off some of my favorite performances of the year. And Adam? Well, as I've said all year, he's definitely entertaining, regardless of how you view his singing (I think he goes overboard too often, and he's starting to get on my nerves, but I still enjoy seeing what he comes up with).

So onto tonight's show. Each contestant will sing two songs - one chosen by the judges, and one personal choice. First up is Danny Gokey, who by the way, is the choice of Vote For The Worst.com - really? C'mon...I disagree - they called him cheesy and compared him to Taylor Freakin' Hicks! No way...he's way better than the Silver Fox. Of course, I should probably disclose here that I was a big Katherine McPhee fan, so I was voting against Hicks.

Paula has chosen "Dance Little Sister" by Terrence Trent D'Arby as Danny's song. I have that album and know the song, but when I first hear the choice, I immediately say, right artist, wrong song. I would have picked "Sign Your Name" instead (more on that later). So Danny comes out and sings himself a little TTD, and I think he does a very good job. The judges don't care for his dancing, which is at times very clumsy, but hello! It's a singing competition! One of the complaints against Danny is people don't know what kind of artist he'll be. I think he could be a Michael McDonald type, with a little Joe Cocker filled in for good measure (wow, that sounds like what they used to say about Taylor Hicks...er....nevermind). In other words, a white soul singer. I think the song ended up being a decent choice, but I still would have loved to hear him sing the more popular "Sign Your Name" (which is also a better song to begin with). I also liked the little bit of scatting that D-Goke pulled off there. At this point, nobody is really doing anything they haven't done already, so you have your favorites. Mine is Danny, so I'm rooting for the guy. Randy loved it - said it was "dope, dude". Kara said the singing was right in Danny's money spot, but the dancing was distracting. Paula thought Danny's dancing was really good, and loved his singing. Simon said the dancing was desperate - the vocals were quite good. He didn't like the sax during the middle of the song. And then Simon says exactly what I said earlier - he should have done "Sign Your Name".

Kris Allen's song is One Republic's "Apologize" - as someone who doesn't really listen to today's music, I don't know this song. At least I don't think I know this song. But after listening to it 3 times, it sounds familiar. The lengths I go through for this blog...anyway, Randy and Kara picked this one. Since I don't know the original that well, I don't know what to think. The vocal is competent, but I don't really get too excited about this. Kris sitting in front of the piano. Kinda boring. I just didn't feel it. Randy thought this was exactly the type of song Kris should be performing - very nice, according to the Dawg. Kara said it was competent, but it could have been better. She wanted something that was unique - make it his own. Paula was proud of Kris, even though he hit a "bum note" that was quite loud, according to Paula's ears. Simon takes Kara to task for picking the song and then complaining about him doing the song. He said it was a competent version of the original, but not as good.

Season 8 winner Adam Lambert is up next, and Adam learns that he'll be singing U2's "One". Simon takes this opportunity to tell us that he personally contacted Bono and got permission. Adam comes out bathed in blue light, by himself. It starts out OK, pretty quiet actually. Once he picks up the microphone and starts walking, he shrieks in typical Adam fashion. I really don't like this at all. I know everyone will say what a powerful voice. But it's way too hysterical to be a good cover of this U2 classic (off of my favorite album of theirs, and one of my all time favorite albums, Achtung Baby). I didn't care for it, but I KNOW the judges will say it was the best version ever. Randy gushes over it - unbelievable vocals, although he did complain about Adam going off the melody. Kara said he did it his own way and made it unbelievable. Yeah, Kara, he can do that, but that doesn't make it good. Kara also does a horrible impression of Simon. Paula called it "one brilliant song, one superb performance, and one American Idol I'm staring at right now!" Simon said it was a brilliant song choice, and that Adam is brilliant. Brilliant. They all say he'll definitely be there in the finals, which means I hope he's not there. I'd love to see their faces next week (although again, I always look forward to what Adam is going to attempt...it's usually pretty entertaining).

Whew! Round two coming up. I'll keep these comments brief. Because I'm tired, and this keyboard sucks. So here goes.

Danny Gokey - sings "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker. I sound like a broken record, but whenever he sings a ballad, he starts out slow, and then builds it up to a strong middle and ending. I enjoyed it - it wasn't my favorite performance by him, but it was good and nicely done. Randy said he can really, really, really sing....mad vocals! Kara said it was stunning. Paula was left breathless. Simon called it a "vocal master class". Wow. I don't think Simon has ever given him that big of a compliment.

Kris Allen - sings "Heartless" by Kanye West. Apparently the Fray have also covered this. But I haven't heard either of these songs (again, I don't listen to the modern radio much). And even though I have never heard the original, I love this version. This is exactly why Kris deserves to be here in the final 3, and I wouldn't be upset if he is in the finals and boots Adam. He's definitely grown on me in the last 10 weeks, and I thought it was a great performance. Randy said it was the best performance of that song by anyone (including the original!). Kara said it was bold, brave and fearless. Perfect. Paula said he was brave to sing a song about Simon. She commended him - bravo. Simon said after the lame song choice for the first song, and written Kris off - but after this performance, that has changed.

Adam Lambert - sings "Cryin'" by Aerosmith. Didn't Kara mention this song last week, as a possible song for Danny? Maybe Adam heard that and decided to try to tackle. Because this is more of an uptempo song, I can accept some of the "off the rails" moments from Adam, but he takes it even further than he has in the past. I really don't know if I'm awe of that voice or scared of it! Wow. Just wow. It's not really my cup of tea, so as I said, I wouldn't be devastated if Adam gets booted this week. Especially after the gushing from the judges. Randy said Adam is one of the best contestants ever. Kara said it was amazing, and she'll see him in the finals. Paula said we'll see him next week. (ENOUGH ALREADY!!) Simon finally adds some common sense - he says everyone shouldn't assume Adam will be there...but then urges everyone to vote for Adam so he'll be there. Adam, as gracious as he is, said that he is honored to be in the final three with Danny and Kris. That was a classy, nice thing to say.

So I'm continuing to pull for Danny, and not just because he's my only hope for the office pool. I can picture hearing Danny in my dentist office, on a light rock station. I can see Kris being on the radio as well. Adam - well, he's a shoo in to have an album out. He's already on the cover of Entertainment Weekly - by himself.

I'm not going to predict the finale, but I thought everyone did a good job tonight. When you're in the final 3, you better be good! I did vote for Danny about a dozen or so times. Don't know if that helps or not, but at least I've got "Vote For The Worst" on my side (still can't believe that).

So we'll see what happens - I promise not to write a novel for the finale. At least, I'm not planning on it! ;^)

American Idol Season 8 - Week 9

Final four time, and this week, it's Rock and Roll...featuring SLASH! Pretty cool...I didn't realize GnR were around in 85, per Ryan Seacrest, but whatever. So we have four contestants left, and before we begin, I wonder how they're going to pad this into 1 hour...they should have them sing two songs each...I mean, there are plenty of rock songs out there. In any case, all 4 people left can sing, so this should be an interesting night.

First up is Adam Lambert, and here's the funny thing. My dental hygienist Mindy was saying to me earlier today (while I was getting my teeth cleaned) that someone should sing Led Zeppelin. So what does Adam sing? Led Zeppelin's classic "Whole Lotta Love". I'm actually pretty excited to hear this. This is the PERFECT song for Adam - listen, I know I'll get grief from Zeppelin fans, but I really, really enjoyed his performance. I do agree with Slash - he needs to keep from going off the rails TOO much, but I thought he was overall great. The song allows Adam to be Adam - indulge in himself and go flying off the rails at every opportunity. And for once, I didn't think it was uncalled for. He was channelling Robert Plant (although there is only one Robert Plant...) tonight. He really commands the stage and you can tell he's comfortable there. Good job Adam! Randy loved it...so did Kara. In fact, she called him a "Rock God". Kara is really annoying tonight - she is screaming while giving her comments, doing the Billy Idol fist. Paula calls Adam a "Whole Lotta Perfect..." Simon said it could have been a disaster, but instead it was one of his favorite performances that Adam has ever done. Only problem is no one can top it (we'll see, Simon...) Adam tells Ryan he was so excited to get the opportunity to sing some Zep...I think he did Plant, Page and company proud. Can you imagine if he did "Immigrant Song"? Holy crap, he'd probably blow a few blood vessels there. OMG - that would be hilarious hearing that....

Next up is Allison Iraheta, doing "Cry Baby". We learn during the package that it was between this Janis Joplin s and "Somebody To Love" by Jefferson Airplane. Before she begins to sing, I am hoping she chooses "Somebody to Love" because I think it would be amazing. Alas, Slash convinces her to sing the Joplin song. I don't think it is the right choice, but we'll see. She takes the stage, and the first thing I'm struck by is that I am comparing her to the original. It's not that she sings it bad at all, but I think "Somebody to Love" is a better song and would allow her to show more range. Having said that, I think Allison does what Allison does best. She powers through the song, and while I'm still thinking of Janis Joplin while she's screaming "CRY BABY!!!", I can appreciate Allison and her voice. I didn't think it was as good as Adam, but it could have been if she had chosen the other song! Randy didn't think it was a good song choice either. Kara said she definitely sees her singing Joplin, but maybe a different choice (like "Piece of My Heart"). Paula suggests that Allison appear in a biopic of Janis Joplin. And then Randy calls for Simon to give his response (he does this throughout the night, and it's super annoying...it's like he's try to rush Paula through, which normally isn't a bad thing, actually...). Simon said she had confidence and that she's grown a tremendous amount in the past 8 weeks. He said though, that she sounded too much like the original and that she should have chosen "the Queen song". Sorry Simon, but it's not THAT "Somebody to Love"! Allison corrects him, and Simon rewards her by rolling his eyes and then telling her it's time for her to "beg"...what? That is one of the most obnoxious things I have ever heard come out of his mouth. He really can be a d*ck, can't he? If I were Allison, I would have just gone down and punched him...well, maybe not because then I'd be out of the competition, but really...JERK.

Next up is Danny Gokey AND Kris Allen...see, they are going to pad tonight's episode with two duets...oh boy. They sing "Renegade" by Styx. It's ok, but Danny is clearly better than Kris on this. Kris looks uncomfortable up there, even more so than Danny. Danny injects some feeling and soul into the song. Kris kinda just goes through the motions. I wasn't really impressed with this, and hope they don't do this again. :^) Wow, Kris really sounds bad on this. Danny is practically overpowering poor Kris. I couldn't even hear Kris at the end. Randy said he liked the harmonies. Kara said they were better together than by themselves. Paula liked it - powerful and compelling. Simon said Danny was better than Kris.

I'm telling you, Kris Allen looks so uncomfortable out there, like he doesn't want to come back from the break to sing The Beatles. Hmmmm....but he does, and we learn the choice is between "Revolution" and "Come Together", and he picks "Come Together". I was thinking "Helter Skelter" to really shake things up...so Kris is going to make "Come Together" and make it a soulful KA version. Slash suggests that Kris get a little livelier on stage. That's what I said! Kris sings "Come Together", and I thought it was pretty good. It is a little laid back, but Kris does his best to work up a sweat. It's Kris we're talking about here, so there is only so much he can do. It's not really his type of music - he wants to do more of a bluesy version. I think it sounds fine - nothing too memorable, but I thought he didn't embarrass himself. Randy enjoyed it, coming from someone who isn't a rock person. Kara said it wasn't a great performance. Paula said that the song had his signature all over it, and she liked it. Simon didn't like it - it was "rather like eating ice for lunch...it will leave you with nothing to remember it afterwards". Simon says no one could top Adam, and he claims he's right. Kris looks like a person who knows he may be going home this week. Either that, or he didn't get enough sleep (like me!).

Danny Gokey is going to tackle "Dream On" by Aerosmith. That is a big song there, my friend. That song is so identified with Steven Tyler, especially at the end when he screams. That's NOT Danny, so I'm scared to hear this. He starts out ok, but once the song picks up, he (as always) shines. I think the majority of this performance is actually very good - it's just the beginning, and then that scream at the end. It's positively painful to listen to. It starts out kinda ok, but man, it quickly deteriorates. Only Steven Tyler can really do that. Wow...ugh. Randy says he knows this isn't Danny's genre - but he gives him an A+ for effort. Kara said he took the swagger a little bit too far. She also says she sees him singing more "early" Aerosmith like "Crying" or "Crazy" (um, Kara, "Dream On" came out in the early 70's...those songs you mentioned came out in the early 90's....). She's back to her fist pumps again. Please stop. Paula didn't think it was the right song, but says she's a huge fan. She panders to the audience ("How many of you love Danny out there..."), before turning it over to Simon. He said the last note was out of a horror movie. However, after all that, he still thinks Danny will be safe tonight. Danny says he has to go back and listen to it to see if he agrees with the judges or not. I think for the majority of the song it was very good, but that last note...sheesh. Don't do that again!!

Finally, Adam and Allison do a duet to Foghat's "Slow Ride". It's the exact opposite of the other duet - this one really rocks. Both Adam and Allison do an awesome job. As much as everyone gloats about Adam (and really, he deserves a bunch of praise - I'm not arguing this), Allison really impresses on this song. She is such a powerful singer for her age. They are clearly the two rockers left on the show, and in some ways, I wouldn't be disappointed in an Adam/Allison finale. However, I'm still pulling for Danny and either Adam or Allison. I think you would have contrasting styles and therefore make the finale more interesting.

Anyway, all four judges loved it, and I agree! They really rocked it tonight...great, great job Adam and Allison!!

So this is how I rank them tonight (including the performances in the duets):

Adam
Allison
Danny
Kris

I think Kris needs to go next - we shall see. He has a big fanbase, but so do the other 3. It's very tough to call.

So who will be booted? Tune in tomorrow night to find out, but my money is on Kris. I sure hope it's not a shocker like Danny, and Allison and Adam definitely deserve one more week. Kris should go. If that happens, then any one of the final 3 would make an awesome American Idol this year. Good luck to all left in the competition at this point...ROCK ON!!!

American Idol Season 8 - Week 8

5 is a good number. Not only do you get 5...$5...$5 footloooooongs at Subway (sorry if that jingle is running through your head now...), but 5 is also the number of one of the best Quarterbacks in the NFL who just so happens to play for the Baltimore Ravens. 5 is also the number of competitors left in this season's American Idol, and at this point, pretty much anyone could win it all. They are all pretty good singers, so it's getting harder and harder to choose who will go home this week.

When I heard that the theme was "Rat Pack Classics", I first thought - HUH??? What do these kids know about the Rat Pack? What do I really know about the Rat Pack, other than it included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr and Joey Bishop (at least I think Bishop was part of the gang...). And the music will feature "classics" from the "American Songbook" (well, at least that sounds like something Ryan will say...). Jamie Foxx is the Idol's mentor this week, and I found him very refreshing, engaging, and thought he provided decent feedback for all of them. I didn't realize Jamie was such a well known singer, but that probably is because I'm approaching 39. I thought he was an actor?

Anyway, I'm going to try to keep this review to 5 minutes reading time - but I'm going to fail. In fact, I think we're already at 4 minutes. Alas, I'll try to keep it brief. Well, "Mort" brief. No I won't. Who are we kidding?

Before the "Idols" start singing, I realize this would probably have been a good week for Noop Dawg. Poor guy. I also wonder if the "Idols" would have been better served singing "Brat Pack Standards" like "Don't You Forget About Me" and "St. Elmo's Fire". Ok, I can't take credit for coming up with the Brat Pack reference - that was my friend Patrick. Still, it was pretty funny.

So without further adieu, Kris Allen is up first, and he's singing "The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra. During the package, Kris says he doesn't think he can match up to anyone on Idol vocally, and I'm surprised by his lack of confidence. He starts off his song very slow, and it sounds pleasant, but I'm disturbed by his facial hair. He's got a faux 'stache going on, and it looks weird. Anyway, about halfway through, the tempo picks up, and Kris finally shows some passion singing the song. It sounds pretty good at this point, but the songs almost over. Plus, he also drops in a few Kris "falsettos" too, and they don't sound right. I thought his performance was good, not great. I certainly didn't go gaga over it like the first three judges! Randy, Kara and Paula go nuts, saying Kris is the best thing since sliced bread. Really? Who were they listening to? Randy uses the phrase "In it to win it"...ugh. Says it's Kris' best performance to date, and says he has "Mad Nice Vocals". Kara says Kris has set the standard incredibly high. Paula is wearing some fabric that doesn't look like it's finished being put together for a dress, and says something about Kris being impeccable. Simon says Kris' performance was "wet". He compares him to a "well trained Spaniel" - regardless, he doesn't think he can win the competition, and while it was good, it wasn't great. I agree with Simon, although I have no idea what he's talking about with him being "wet". When Ryan asks Simon what he meant, Simon quips, "Not dry". Um, ok.

Next up is Allison Iraheta, who reveals she just turned 17. She's singing "Someone To Watch Over Me". Jamie says she's too young to be that good. Let me say that I was blown away by this performance. I thought it was brilliant. As crazy as Randy/Kara/Paula were for Kris, I was for Allison. I wasn't really surprised, though, because Allison has really been consistently coming on during this season. But what I was shocked at was how restrained it was, yet, she definitely had her "Allison" moments. Very classy, well done performance. I can easily see her in the top 3 - at least she should be. She's a cut above Kris and Matt, in my opinion. Randy calls her "mad young" and compares her to Britney Murphy (good call, actually), and says she sings like Pink, but with 9,000 more octaves, and follows that up with YO, YO, YO...in short, he loved it. Kara loves it too, and says she's not nervous about Allison anymore. She called it a gut wrenching performance that should land her in the finals. Paula is coherent in her comments, calling it "alluring and very tender". Simon asks Allison if she thinks she can win the competition, and the 17 year old Allison looks around, thinks about it, and says any one of them could at this point. That's not the confidence Simon is looking for, so he proceeds to tell her it was ok, but not as good as everyone else thought, and then drops the dreaded bomb: "I have a horrible feeling you may be in trouble this week". WHAT?!?! Simon, I think you've been listening to Susan Boyle too much and it's twisted your brain around, because Allison was AWESOME tonight. So what if she's not confident of her skills - she IS only 17, and I think she's amazing for her age. Give the girl a break. Kara calls Simon out on this - thank you Kara! He is way off base here.

After the break, Ryan talks to Matt Giraud. Matt tells us this music is right up his alley, because he studied Jazz in college, so he's excited. Tonight he tackles "My Funny Valentine", and during the package, Jamie Foxx tells him it's great, then calls him back and suggests he change the key he's singing it in. Right off the bat, I'm reminded of Constantine Maroulis, who also sang this song on a previous season (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFAoPLEBApo). It's a song that gets stuck in your head, and it is driving me nuts. Anyway, when I first heard him sing this, I wasn't impressed. True, he does have some really nice moments, but I think Randy is right in his assessment - it's pitchy in parts, and some of the runs don't really work. Some do, though, but not enough to fix the overall performance. He ends it very strong, but it's not enough. I think it was the least pleasing performance of the night so far. Kara didn't feel Matt was emotionally connected to it (he swears he was). Paula thought it was great. Again, she's very coherent. Good job Paula! Simon said it was the only believable, authentic performance tonight. He compares him to Nat King Cole, and said he was brilliant. Say whaaaaaaaaaaaat? Really? Again, he had his moments, but that's high praise for such an uneven performance. I was yelling at the TV during this, and quickly realized I need to get a life.

Danny Gokey is going to sing "Come Rain or Shine", and Jamie Foxx gets right up in Danny's personal space. It's bizarre seeing Jamie Foxx right up in Danny's grill. Funny, actually. So Danny comes out and just nails it. Normally Danny takes a while to hit his stride, but he gets it right from the first note. A bluesy performance that shows off his vocal skills. I'm glad I have him winning it all in my prediction from preseason, although the money seems to be on Mr. Lambert. I still think Danny is one of the most talented vocalist I've ever seen on Idol - it all seems so effortless. The end of the song is amazing, and as I said, he just nails it. Very proud of D-Goke tonight. Excellent performance! Randy loves it - says he could have an album of songs like that right now. "This is a singing competition, and YOU CAN SING!" Kara says Danny's got his "swagga" on. Paula says one word: Stellar. Simon agrees with Kara - saying that he was great (best so far for Danny), and that he's very confident. He also thanks Jamie for bringing it out in Danny. Great job Danny!

Last, but certainly not least, is America's favorite Idol, Adam Lambert. He's singing "Feelin' Good" by the great Nina Simone. Jamie is blown away during the package. Adam starts out at the top of the steps, and slowly saunters down during the beginning of the song. You just know this is Adam's type of song. He's wearing a white suit that Morrissey would be proud of. I didn't think it was Adam's best performance, but he does have one moment which just made my jaw drop. The last part of the song, where he holds the note for what seems like forever, was crazy. Just crazy. The guy is very talented, and while I wasn't as enthusiastic about it as everyone else was, he CLEARLY deserves to be here and discussed for the finale. He's actually restrained for MOST of the song, but that last part was off the hook. Randy said it was a little too theatrical/Broadway for him, but Adam is consistently in the zone. Kara calls it "shocking, confusing, sleazy, superb, over the top"...wow. I loved her reaction. Paula says it's like the Olympics, and he's their Michael Phelps. Simon quips, "I love Randy talking about you being theatrical, it's like complaining that a cow moos! I mean, that's what he is!" Simon says that in addition to Adam, Adam and maybe one other person feel like they can win it all (I know, Simon meant to say Danny, but said "...in addition to Adam" while talking to Adam...nevermind...).

So if I had to rank the performances from best to worst, it would be like this:

Allison
Danny
Adam
Kris
Matt

I think Matt is going home this week -Kris has too strong of a fan base. I do think Allison will be in the bottom two, though. And I can see her getting a scare, but if she leaves, it's a travesty. As the lone female left, she certainly represents very well. Great job Allison and Danny - I think clearly the two best performances this evening, with honorable mention to Adam and his typical over the top but entertaining performance.

Tune in next week for our final four! We're almost there!

American Idol Season 8 - Week 7

"You gotta knock, knock...on wood...BABY...."

Ah, Disco night on American Idol. The week that everyone usually dreads, but I actually enjoy. I mean, the show is cheesy as is, and singing songs from the Disco era just makes it even cheesier. Gotta love it! As much as I love the 80's (I mean, it WAS the best decade ever), the late 70's were pretty righteous too. So I actually was looking forward to tonight. Plus, we're down to the final seven, and pretty much everyone can sing. Not to mention that it was a VERY rough day at work today, so I was looking forward to a fun, enjoyable night on Idol.

"I love the nightlife, I love to boogie, on the disco ROUND!! Oh yeah!!!"

First up is Lil Rounds. She jumps right into singing - we have no packages this week, no mentors, which is a good thing. I mean, we had Quentin Tarantino last week for movie week, maybe we could have had Perez Hilton this week to coach the Idols on Disco week, but he was too busy taking credit for knocking out Ms. California for sharing her opinion. I digress.

Lil Rounds - what are you doing? She sings "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan. Whenever I hear this song, I feel like I'm watching Oprah, or The View, or Jenny Jones (no wait, that was another song wasn't it? "Got To Be Real"? Anyway....) After Lil is done, I wonder why she chose this song, because she didn't do such a great job. It wasn't horrible, but it really didn't stand out. And if I were her, I would have picked something like "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston. She needs a song that really shows off her pipes, and the one she chose didn't do that. I really regret putting Lil Rounds as my #2 overall at the beginning of the season - she clearly isn't a better singer than the other female singer still left, Alison Iraheta. And I think it's getting pretty sad that every week she hears the same thing from the judges, but I happen to agree with them. Listen, she's not horrible, and she CAN sing. She's just not in the top half of the remaining singers. Randy didn't like it, and said it really didn't show us the type of artist she would be. Kara digs in a little deeper and says it wasn't worth the wait in hearing her sing someone like Chaka Khan. She does throw in a Paula moment when she compliments her on her looks. Paula tells the audience that Lil did great because she had no voice the previous night. Simon says Lil looks sad, and that she's going home. According to him, "It's the last week we're ever going to see you". Really? She's not even going on tour? She's going into hiding? C'mon Simon, you are just being mean. Anyway, not a good start to Disco night, but I still have faith!

"Shake Shake Shake....Shake Shake Shake....Shake your booty....shake your booooooty!!!"

Next up is Kris Allen, and he's singing "She Works Hard for the Money" by Donna Summer, who is definitely a "Disco" artist. The one problem is THIS IS NOT A DISCO SONG by a mile....c'mon, this isn't fair! It's a straight up 80's song that was played to death on MTV and Hot Hits K106. But it's not a song you pull out the bell bottoms for and go dancing. I think this isn't fair. However, onto his performance - and I think he's GREAT this week. This arrangement of this non-Disco song is done VERY well. Unlike his butchering of "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" a few weeks ago, I really enjoyed Kris' performance tonight. WAY better than Lil, and I think it will go down as one of his best. Kara said he took a risk with the arrangement, and it worked. Paula said it sounded like Santana, and said the following: "A lot of women are known to shop in the men's department, but there aren't many men that are willing to shop in the women's department..." WTF does that mean?!?!?!? OMG - please, Idol producers, get rid of this train wreck. She is truly AWFUL, and the fact Simon has to follow her up is embarrassing. Ugh. Simon says he needs a translator - then Paula says Simon shops in the women's department. Simon said it was original and well thought out (the song, not Paula's comments), and much better than Lil's performance. He could care less if Kris wears women's underwear. Randy loved him - he's "ready for the big time, DAWG..."

"Jive Talking, you're telling me lies....JIVE TALKIN'....you wear a disguise..."

Danny Gokey is up next, and he sings "September" by Earth Wind and Fire. It starts out in typical Danny fashion - kinda low and boring, but then the soulfulness of his voice kicks in, and here we go again. I wasn't blown away by it, but I will say it had moments that were brilliant, and the rest was very good. I still think Danny is going to the final 3. He does need some new moves, though. And Paula just has to stop standing up and dancing. It's really annoying. But I like Danny a lot and hope he goes far. The judges verdict? Randy said Danny turned the song into something that really worked for Danny. In other words, he "worked it out....worked it out..." Kara said he's an incredible vocalist, and his pitch is nearly perfect. Solid performance. Paula loves his vocal skills, and says he has one of the sexiest voices on the show. Simon agreed with everyone, although he didn't see star power in Danny's performance. A little awkward.

"Ah baby...my heart is full of love and desire for you...now come on down and do what you gotta do...."

Alison Iraheta is up next, singing "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer (unlike Kris, this IS a Disco song...a classic, no doubt...right up there with "Bad Girls"). So Allison absolutely does a phenomenal job in my opinion. Her voice is amazing - and she's only 16! I really love this girl, and hope she goes to the finals, or at least the top 3. I really underestimated her. She slowed the song down and I think it worked wonderfully. Randy didn't think the arrangement was great, but said she can definitely sing. Kara didn't like the arrangement (WRONG, but it's her opinion, so I can't fault her...did you hear that Perez?). But Kara agreed with Randy - she loves her voice. Paula loved everything about it, and said with the last note, Allison hit it off the charts. Simon said she was "brilliant"....right on Simon!

"First I was afraid, I was petrified...kept thinking I could never live without you by my side..."

Adam Lambert decides to take on one of my favorite songs from the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack...Yvonne Ellman's "If I Can't Have You". Adam can do NO wrong according to the judges. They loved his crappy version of "Ring of Fire" a while back and therefore I think they will love him no matter what. Ryan spends some time chatting with this seasons' winner, er...Adam Lambert. Ryan mentions that he already did "Play That Funky Music", and now he (Adam) wants to mix it up again with an extremely slow version of "If I Can't Have You". He turns it into a torch ballad, and I for one didn't care for it. Maybe it's because I love the original so much. About halfway through the song, he DOES show that he can sing really well, and his voice is pretty amazing (even when he's "off the rails..."). BUT I think Adam may be getting a little TOO much praise here. It was good, but to me, didn't really stand out. But the judges all love him - Paula looks like she's going to cry. Randy said the song showed Adam's range, and that he is "ready right now DUDE!" Kara proclaims Adam is "brilliant". Paula - "Adam, I've never questioned my visceral response when you perform...I felt your pain...it's as if you tore you heart out and put it on the stage...you're fascinating, your brilliant, you're awesome, and you will be in the finals". Guess everyone else should just pack it up - he's WON ALREADY. Simon enjoyed it - most importantly for the vocals and the fact that it was memorable. Ryan says Paula is in a "Pool of Abdul"...um.....nevermind.

"Once had love, and it was a gas...soon turned out, to be a heart of glass..."

The chosen one is followed by the saved one. Matt Giraud is singing the Bee Gee's classic, "Stayin' Alive" from the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack (maybe they should have had the Idols just pick from this soundtrack, since you're guaranteed to hit a pretty good song). Matt comes out looking totally like Justin Timberlake. My wife mentions that he's probably wearing that hat low to hide the bump on his forehead. Anyway, I enjoyed the performance. I really do like Matt, although he's inconsistent. I think he was on this week, and other than a few ill-advised falsettos, he does a good job. But I can see where the judges may not like this - this is perhaps the most "Disco" of all the songs done so far tonight. Matt does a funk/disco thing, and they may not like it. I thought he was good, though. They show Matt's friends and family, and I don't see his large chested friend....hmmm.... Randy said he can REALLY sing, even though he didn't like the song. Kara said it was very Disco, and thought he was solid. Paula - "You pick songs like I bowl, sometimes I have gutter balls and other weeks I have strikes...this was a strike!" Simon didn't like it - said it was desperate and the vocals weren't that great either. He's not a huge fan. You know - it just hit me, Matt reminds me of Idol contestant Chris Richardson from Season 5. Look him up.

"Ah.....FREAK OUT!!! Le Freak, C'est Chic!"

Anoop Desai rounds out the evening with Donna Summer's "Dim All The Lights". Anoop is wearing a pink vest and a pink tie and has some scruff on the face. It's a little strange, but I thought he did a good job. It started out kinda boring, but he did his thing. And I think vocally, he had his moments. Wasn't my favorite of the night, but far from the worst. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if he goes this week, along with either Lil OR Matt. Randy loved the voice - didn't care for the song arrangement. He said this top 7 is very talented vocally. Kara said it was a great song choice, and she said he did a great job and it could be on the radio (which, by the way, is another Donna Summer song...). Paula says "Real men know how to wear pink" She liked it. Simon didn't care for it much. He said it was "mediocre, at best...". He even goes so far as to say it was his worst performance yet (no WAY Mr. Cowell....go back and watch some of his other performances...). Ryan then makes a crack about Noop's bushy eyebrows, comparing him to Groucho Marx. Nice, real nice Seacrest.

So that concludes this week - My top 3 tonight are Allison, Danny and Kris. I think Anoop was in the middle, along with Adam. And my bottom two are Matt (who don't get me wrong - I did like) and Lil, who I think may both be going home. Wouldn't it be funny if someone like Danny is in the bottom three, and somehow gets booted, and the judges realize they used the save a week too early? BTW, I tried to vote for Allison but the line was busy. I think her and Kris were clearly the best, but I think Allison may need my vote more.

Ok, see everyone next week. Maybe I'll start posting shorter reviews one of these days!

American Idol Season 8 - Week 6

Quentin Tarantino. American Idol. A match made in heaven, right? Bizarre - just bizarre. I feel like having a Royale with Cheese (well, without the Cheese...in fact, let me just get a Big Kahuna Burger...).

Ok so the theme tonight is "Songs of the Cinema". Tarantino is on to guide the "Idols", but I think he's on to really feed his ego. A nice package follows that tells us: A) Quentin is a genius, B) he's been on Idol before, and is a huge fan of the show, and C) He's shooting a movie - surprise! Seriously, I LOVE Pulp Fiction. My wife hated it and fell asleep in the theater. And yet, we still were married...

I digress - Quentin's hair is really bothering me. He looks super creepy...but that's QT. :^) So first up is Allison Iraheta, singing "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" from the movie Armageddon. Allison is super excited to meet QT, or at least she says so. You know, even these packages are short tonight - they REALLY want to get through this tonight. So she begins singing the song, and for Allison it's pretty reserved. But then she gets back into her comfort zone during the chorus. Part of the problem with Idol is that you are so used to hearing the songs one way (by the original artist) that when someone else sings it, it sometimes doesn't sound right. Allison has a very powerful voice but sometimes it feels as though she's pushing too hard. There are no subtleties there. Plus, the octive seems too low for this song. I really like her, and I thought her performance was good, but it didn't blow me away like she has in other weeks. Paula said she's very talented, and Simon said Allison is the "Girls only hope" in this competition (ouch, take that Lil!). He must have loved it because he said she could go all the way to the end. Maybe I'm just not a huge fan of that song - I know it was incredibly popular, but I never felt it was as great as it was built up to. So while I think Allison did a good job, nothing that made me say, "Wow...she's definitely going to win".

The interesting thing about tonight's show is because of last week, only 2 judges are going to make comments for each contestant - Randy and Kara are one "team", and Paula and Simon are the other (of course). Hmmm...couldn't they just boot Paula off and be done with it? And maybe cut back on the packages with Quentin?

Anoop Desai is going to sing Bryan Adams classic (ok, well, I liked this song better than the Aerosmith song!) "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. QT tells Noop Dawg to really go nuts and bring it. Anoop begins the song, and the first thing I notice is that he really does have a nice voice. I also notice he has a sweaty upper lip, which he should have taken care of. While Anoop's voice is good, his big problem is that he has such little personality. He's the "Anti-Adam". And yet, having said all that, I really enjoyed this performance. I thought it was a good example of pure singing, and while he had the occasional runs, he kept it to a minimum, and just performed the song. No stupid dancing, no costumes or lighting. Just the song, and I think he did a very good job. Randy said Anoop has found his zone...in tune, with emotion, and an overall great job. Kara agreed - saying that it was one of his best performances. I love the fact Paula can't say anything at this point! This is great!!!

Next up - the person who got cut off of my DVR last week. Everyone's favorite (ha ha), Adam Lambert. He is going to sing "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf (from Easy Rider). QT said he really enjoyed the taste of...er, Adam....what? Did he really just say that? Anyway, Adam breezes through a typical Adam performance. You either really like him or you don't. Wait - that's not true. I like him but I don't think he's the best singer ever on Idol, like some are making him out to be. What Adam brings to Idol is a true sense of theatrics, and watching him go off the rails (I say that term every week) is entertaining. I think Adam is a shoo in at this point for A) the finals, B) gushing from Paula, C) a future E! True Hollywood Story, and D) possible throat problems if he keeps this up. The guy just goes absolutely nuts. I wonder if he'll...wait, did Paula just utter the words, "You dare to dance in the path of greatness...fortune rewards the brave, and you're one of the bravest contestants I've ever witnessed ever..." Wow. Where does she get this stuff? Did she have Chinese food last night? Simon said vocally it was incredible, but it reminded him of Rocky Horror (Adam mouths that he loves RH! No, really?!?) Simon thinks it was good, but it won't be as popular as last week's performance. I wouldn't know, since I wasn't able to see it live....

Matt Giraud said he enjoyed working with QT and his energy. Another Bryan Adams song - "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" from Don Juan DeMarco (sp?). QT said that Matt can't lose the lyrics - in other words, enunciate better. QT proclaims that if Matt does live what he did in front of QT, it could be one of his top 3 performances. Matt said it's one of the most beautiful songs he's ever heard. Once the song is over, I have the following thoughts. Matt oversings this, and hits some really awful notes during the middle to end of the song. I thought it was one of his worst performances, actually. Did absolutely nothing for me. Matt is incredibly inconsistent. Randy said it started out good, but then got choppy. And he also said Matt tried to do too much with it. Kara agreed - two steps forward, and then tonight he stepped back. I see QT sitting in the audience, and I wonder what he thinks about all of these performances?? Oh, and also in the audience they show Matt's friends...holy cleavage! Wow...sorry, I was distracted there. Um...anyway, back to the performances. Where am I?

Danny Gokey (can we call him Dan? Or just D Goke?) is up next. He's not wearing his glasses, and I can't for the life of me figure out that accent. Ryan calls him "baby", and asks Danny about the guitar D Goke just purchased (Danny tells us he was bored, so he bought a guitar...never played before, but he felt like buying one....and he hints he'll use it on tour...I'm so glad they are wasting time talking about this). Danny is singing "Endless Love" by Lionel Ritchie, from the movie Endless Love. QT tells DG not to use his hands so much - ha! Um, yeah...I guess QT doesn't follow his own advice.

Anyway, I'm really struck by the Robert Downey similarities. It's amazing. But I've heard Downey sing, and he's no Danny Gokey. I think Danny does a great job with the song - yes, he goes on a bit like Matt did (or at least tried to), but the difference is Danny knows when to do the runs and it sounds natural. I really enjoyed his performance - I don't think he hurt himself at all this week, and I still can see a Danny vs Adam finale. Paula said he pulled it together from the middle on, and did a beautiful rendition. Simon said Danny was a brilliant singer, but wanted something different done with the song. He did say that he knew the song had meaning to Danny, and for that, he congratulated him. Huh? I don't get it either. Regardless, I THINK Simon liked it...think. Paula actually made more sense here...

Back from a commercial, Ryan does a really bad impression of Randy while Simon won't let Randy get back to his seat (apparently, Randy was chatting it up with QT during the commercial break...or catching a glimpse of Matt's friend...). Kris Allen is up next, and I see that there is 12 minutes left in the show...hmmm...there is NO WAY they are getting Kris and Lil up in 12 minutes...right? And I didn't set my DVR to go over. So we'll see what happens, but I'm getting worried. Anyway, Kris is singing "Falling Slowly" from the movie "Once". I didn't see this movie, but wanted to because so many critics gushed over it. So I have no idea what to expect from this song and can't compare it to the original. So don't hate me for this review. Wait, I do know this song....and I can tell you confidently I don't care for Kris' version. I thought parts of it were good, but overall, I thought he hit more wrong notes than right. Randy agrees with me - he didn't like it either. He said it was Pitchy. Kara LOVED it - totally going against Randy. Hmmmm.....I like Kara a lot but she's wrong here! Ok, everyone's entitled to their opinion except Paula.

Ok, so now we are at 3 minutes left, and Lil Rounds comes out. We learn during her package that she's singing "The Rose" by Bette Midler from The Rose. There are apparently two parts of this - the first part is pretty straightfoward, and then she's going to "Gospel it up" during the second half. Quentin tells her to commit to the first part as much as she's committing to the second half. Wow, great advice QT. Can I be the mentor next week? I can't possibly give more useless, generic advice than QT did tonight...and I love the guy as a director and pop culture afficionado. But c'mon!

So Lil does a nice job at the first part of the song - very straightforward, but as promised, really doesn't bring anything new to it. And except for a few bad notes, she does a good job. You can really tell the purity of her voice during this. Then she hits the second part of the song, and it's kind of jarring. And I actually liked the first part better. She returns to the straightforward part at the end, and hits a nice note at the end. But overall, I didn't think it was one of her better performances, and I'm actually regretting picking Lil as my #2 behind D Goke earlier during the season. I like Lil, but to me, it's become apparent that she is on the second tier of the vocalist that are left. Paula said the lyrics were beautiful (huh?), and I don't know if she liked it or not. Simon said she picked the wrong song again, and it was too middle of the road. He also said she had nice moments, but feels she's lost as an artist. I agree 100%. Lil argues that she put an R&B spin to it, but I don't think it was enough.

This week, they'll probably put the 7 into two groups of 3, and then ask the remaining person to go stand in the group who they think is safe. And they'll sit in the middle. So I say safe: Danny, Adam and Kris (just because of his fanbase). Danger group: Allison, Matt and Lil. And the one they ask to sit in the middle - Anoop (or maybe Adam is the one who has to sit in the middle). I see Matt or Lil going home...if it's Lil, I would have said weeks ago that they would definitely save her. But I don't see that happening at this point. We'll see what happens. Tune in tomorrow night to see if I'm right or not!

Tonight's theme is...

"Songs of the Cinema" with mentor Quentin Tarantino

WHAT?!?!!? Hey, I love Quentin's work, but what the heck does he know about singing???!!!! He does choose great music for his movies, though, and song choice is important, so maybe he can help the "Idols" find songs that no one else knows and make them popular. We'll see....

I can see it now...he'll be manic as always...it should be interesting to watch.

Oh, and sorry about not posting last week. I was so angry that my DVR cut off, I couldn't bring myself to write about anything. But at least america got it right - Scott definitely deserved to go. "The Search Is Over" doesn't even have electric guitar in it until toward the very end of the song, if I recall correctly.

And just so it's out there on record, here are my favorites, in order:

1 - Danny
2 - Adam
3 - Allison
4 - Lil
5 - Kris
6 - Matt
7 - Anoop

Danny and Adam are my two clear favorites, but don't count out Allison just yet. I think Lil has definitely fallen over the past few weeks, but I still like her. Kris has impressed me (notwithstanding that bad version of Don Henley last week...ugh), and moved up a little. He's pratically in a dead heat with Matt. And Anoop rounds out the group. I think they would only use the save on the top 3 I mentioned, but who knows...maybe not. It's that time in the competition where they are all pretty good singers, so I guess they could use it on anyone (although probably not Anoop).

Tune in later tonight for my thoughts about this evening's show!

Adam Lambert = Sam Harris

Ok, so maybe it's not an exact match, but listen to Sam belt out his old standard, "Over the Rainbow"...tell me you can't picture Adam doing the same interpretation of the song, especially towards the end when Harris goes nuts.

Check it out here on YouTube

Oh, and Danny Gokey = Young Robert Downey Jr.

In case anyone was wondering, Sam Harris was a singing winner on the 80's version of Star Search with Ed McMahon. Sam won week after week after week, and ended up putting out an album and then went onto star on Broadway, I think. He tended to go "off the rails" like our friend Adam.

Just thought I'd share...

American Idol Season 8 - Week 4

Week 4 of this year’s American Idol finds us without Michael Sarver, the oil rigger who mentioned he was an oil rigger just about every second he was on screen. Unlike Alexis’ departure the prior week, I had no problem with Michael leaving. He severely over sang his Motown song, and deserved to go. Seemed like a nice guy, though, so I wish him well. And he’ll be on tour, so he at least gets that.

Onto this week’s Idol – apparently this is a “wild card” week since it’s Top Digital Downloads from iTunes (nice cross promotion!). What exactly qualifies as a top digital download? I have no idea – since the selections that the “Idols” choose are all over the place tonight. I will say one nice thing about tonight’s show is that since they are now down to 9 contestants, and are trying to squeeze in an “Osbornes Reloaded” after AI, they have multiple performances between commercial breaks! It actually appears that they are trying to get everyone in and out pretty quickly. Thank goodness. Another thing I noticed (and then I promise – onto the performances). Ryan Seacrest is incredibly annoying. Sometimes I wish that Brian Dunkelman was still around. I never really watched Idol much the first season, other than the final show between Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, but I can’t imagine Dunkelman being much worse that Seacrest. There is something about Ryan that is unbearable to watch. He just exudes such smugness and self-importance. Enough with him! Get rid of him and Paula, and cut out a bunch of the commercials, and you would infinitely improve the show. At once point, Ryan is shown doing his “AT40” (aka America’s Top 40) – and you can tell how important Ryan thinks he is by showing off the studio. Zzzzzz…… Wow, let me show the “Idols” some sound clips that I have at my fingertips! Oooh!! The words “Authentic” and “Seacrest” just don’t go together.

Ok, rant over. First up, Anoop Desai singing “Caught Up” by Usher. Because the “Idols” can pick whatever they want to sing, I am scared I may not know many of these songs. But I know this one – it’s very addictive as it gets stuck in your head and doesn’t want to leave. Darn you Usher! Darn you Anoop! Anoop comes off trying to sound more soulful than he is, and makes some truly disturbing faces. Anoop – you are no Usher and hearing him sing, “My homies say this girl is cramping my style…” is a real treat. Not really. Just kidding – it’s actually not that bad, but there is nothing really special about that performance or that song choice. I like the song, but Anoop seems to be going through the motions here. He’s trying, but isn’t ultimately successful. Not bad vocally, but I don’t think it was as good as Anoop thinks it was. Randy didn’t think it was the right song, although he liked the vocals. Kara thinks he played it safe, and compared him to a Frat guy being forced to get up by his brothers and sing. Paula doesn’t make any sense, but I think she liked it. I think. Simon wasn’t impressed – in fact, he called it a “complete and utter mess”, and he said it gave him a headache! He agreed with Kara – calling him a college boy wannabe. Ouch. I think Anoop is a marked man this week – I predict bottom 3. Don’t get me wrong – he does have a good voice, and he isn’t the worst that’s left in the competition. But it wasn’t anything special.

Next up, Megan Joy. She’s singing Bob Marley’s “Turn Your Lights Down Low” – which apparently was also done by Lauren Hill. She swears she’s going to blow it up because she LOVES this song. Her voice – as “unique” as it is, absolutely SCREAMS for the right song choice, and this isn’t it. It focuses on her vocal shortcomings, instead of showcasing her talent. I know what she’s trying to do – but it doesn’t work very well, and at times, it’s hard to listen to. Still an attractive girl but I didn’t care for her performance tonight. That’s a few weeks in a row now, and again, Alexis was better. Kara really likes Megan but thinks she’s in trouble. Someone screams out “Broken Record!” to Kara – I think it’s a “Broken Record” because she’s right! Gotta pick better songs. Paula still doesn’t make sense…talking about “…beauty developing” and telling her that she should sit on a stool while singing. Wow! What great words of advice!! Um…NEXT! Simon didn’t like it at all, and says she’s becoming “indulgent”. Did I mention Megan is attractive? Randy didn’t care for it, but gets cut off by the Idol crew! Wow, no respect dawg…she makes a plea to her fans to save her this week, but I anticipate her ALSO being in the bottom 3. Not a good start to “Top Downloads” week.

After the break, we get Danny Gokey. During the package, I notice that Danny has an accent that I never realized he had. Or he’s pulling a Madonna. I have no idea. But this week, he’s singing, “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts. Whew…I know this song. I think he may have sung this before? In typical Danny fashion, he starts kind of slow, but when the chorus kicks in, he brings it. And unlike previous weeks, he just stands there and sings the song. Which is good, especially for this song. As the song goes progresses, his vocal get better and better. There really isn’t much for me to say about Danny – I think he’s one of the better vocalists on the show, and this performance proves that. Another week, and another solid performance. Good job Mr. Gokey! I hope I am not repeating the same thing over and over again, but he’s just consistent. What can I say? Paula enjoyed it, as did Simon. He compared Danny to a racehorse, competing against two snails so far (Sorry Anoop and Megan – you are snails). Randy said it was a good choice, but suggested that he move away from the microphone stand. Kara said Danny moved everyone emotionally. Easily the best performance so far.

Now it’s Allison Iraheta’s performance. She picks “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt, and this time plays the guitar. She doesn’t look particularly comfortable with the guitar, and has an awful outfit and her hair is a mess. But you know what? I didn’t care, because her vocal is pretty good. She’s been better, but it’s a solid performance. She ditches the guitar pretty quickly, though. What was the point of bringing it out in the first place? Anyway, I think Allison did enough to stick around for another week, hair and outfit excluded! Randy liked the performance, but didn’t like what she was wearing. He’s got “mad love” for Allison, but really didn’t dig the threads. Kara said she’s a good performer, but didn’t need to dress like the rock star. Paula used the word “Intonation”. She said that Allison is going right to the finish line. Huh? Simon said Allison looked like she belonged in the Adams Family. He said she was kind of fake in her performance – dressing up like the rock star. Simon also said she was shouting the song. Really? I didn’t here that, Mr. Cowell. I like Allison, so I hope she stays.

Scott MacIntyre appears with a new haircut. He must have been reading my Facebook page when I compared him to Leo Sayer. Now, he almost looks like he belongs in the touring cast of Grease. Or at least an early Richard Marx, with a partial fro/mullet. Alas, he’s singing Billy Joel’s “Just The Way You Are”. And as much as I rip on Scott week in and week out, I think he’s actually pretty good tonight. It’s hard to be compared to Billy Joel, who is one of the greatest songwriters ever. However, I think Scott does the song justice. It doesn’t blow me away, but it’s good enough. And for Scott, that’s impressive. For once, I don’t think he’s the worst of the night. Kara thinks he made a smart decision picking that song. Paula loved it, and said that Scott is very inspiring. Simon said it was Scott’s best performance by a “country mile – it’s a different Scott!” Paula also claims that she never said that Scott should not play piano, but she did say that. Sorry Paula. Randy said one of the best performances of the night.

Matt Giraud, who I think has come on very strong so far in the competition, is singing The Fray’s “You Found Me”. I thought he would sing one of the Fray’s more popular songs, but he picks a song I’ve never heard before. Matt has an annoying habit when playing the piano of swaying his shoulders too much. As if to say, look at me – I’m playing the piano, and I’m so soulful and powerful. Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed – it’s a totally forgettable performance. I think the song kills any chance of him getting by with a good mark from me. He repeats the words “You Found Me” over and over again, and tries to show how powerful he is vocally. But it didn’t work for me. Could be bottom 3 this week if he’s not careful. Paula didn’t care for it – said it sounded too much like the original, and reminded her of the Coldplay performance (and that was a horrible performance…). Simon said it was a bad choice. Randy also said it was a bad choice. Kara said he needs to choose between Rock and R&B, but she said he doesn’t deserve to go home because he’s talented.

Now, you all know I like Lil Rounds, and the judges have roasted her lately for her song choices. So what does she do this week? She picks Celine Dion. CELINE DION?!?!? Ugh…I can’t stand Celine Dion. First thing I notice about Lil is that her hair is different again this week. She looks completely different for another week. I think she’s got a great voice, and she proves it at times during this song, but there is only so much you can do with a Celine Dion song. The camera pans around Lil, and at one point, someone in my house claims the words, “Holy Booty!” Yeah…anyway, I think Lil has her moments, but overall, I didn’t care for the song choice. Is there a class these “Idols” can take to pick better songs? Randy didn’t think it was a great song choice, but he said she did a good job on the vocals. He wants to hear her do some Mary J. or Keisha Cole. Young it up a bit! Kara said she heard glimpses of the great voice that Lil has, and wants to hear more of it. Paula didn’t want to hear the Adult Contemporary Lil, she wants to hear a younger, more fun version of Lil. Simon said bad song choice – sounded like she was at a wedding. Said her personality is being sucked out. I know one thing – that dress is a little too tight on her. They interview Lil’s kids, one of whom gives Randy a hug. Lil cries. And then the girl falls asleep on Randy. Hmmmm…will she still be there during the next performance?

Adam Lambert is up next. Adam is a polarizing figure on Idol – some love him, some hate him. He definitely is different, and you never know what you’re going to get. Well, except we’ll probably hear him screeching his vocals a la Star Search’s Sam Harris. He’s entertaining and so I find it mind blowing that he picks “Play That Funky Music White Boy” by Wild Cherry. Really!?!? Um…wow. He says the “groove is really hot”. Really – I’m not making that up. He said it. Does he succeed? Well, I don’t think so, but let me tell you this. Adam is extremely confident up on stage, and I can easily see him going to the finals. He absolutely commands the stage, and while I’m not wild about his performance tonight, I do think he makes it impossible for you to forget him. I just wish he wouldn’t go off the rails so much. It’s also interesting that my 7 year old says he looks like Elvis. Hey, he does still have the hair from last week! Ouch, does his voice hurt when he goes nuts like he does? Wow. Anyway, the judges (and the crowd) unanimously love Adam. No point in going through each of them (although Paula compares him to Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler!). I must wrap this up soon because I’m tired! One more thing about Adam: He gives props to the band, and that’s the sign of a true professional. Ok, and Kara said it’s like “Studio 57 up in here….” Isn’t it Studio 54? What’s wrong with her and numbers/counting?

Final performance goes to Kris Allen. As you know by reading my weekly reviews, I am not a fan of Kris. So I wasn’t expecting much when he took on “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers (otherwise known as “I know, I know, I know, I know….”). But I have to tell you this – Kris absolutely without a doubt was the best performance tonight, even better than Danny. Major props to him. The judges also loved him – they were all blown away. Simon in particular loved the arrangement, with Kris playing the keyboards instead of the guitar. Great job Kris! I usually don’t like that song very much because of the darn “I knows” in there, but I really loved his version of the song.

So who will go this week? Hard to tell, but I think it may be Megan’s turn this week, or perhaps Anoop, or even Allison. Tune in tomorrow to find out who goes, and check back next week for another installment of my American Idol thoughts.

American Idol Season 8 - Week 3

Welcome to week 3 of American Idol – 2009 Edition. I’m still upset that my girl Alexis got the boot last week. It made absolutely no sense to tell her that they MIGHT use the save on her when a) it’s too early in the season, and b) she’s got to sing that crappy “Jolene” song again. Sigh. Farewell Alexis – I’m upset you won’t be going on the tour, but then again, I have never gone to the tour and wouldn’t start this year anyway. Alexis, I’ll miss you. In fact, I think I may just have to post a Top 10 Most Attractive American Idol Contestants According to Mort list. I’ll get to that later. But for now, let’s discuss this week.

Tonights show figures to be a good because it’s Motown night. The songs in the Motown Catalog are some of the most famous and well-written songs ever committed to vinyl. A few weeks ago I picked up an album called “Motown Number Ones” for $2 on Amazon. Easily the best $ I’ve spent on Amazon in a long time. So needless to say, I’m excited about tonight. The ten remaining hopefuls got to meet Motown founder Berry Gordy as well as the infinitely cool Smokey Robinson. Smokey Robinson, people. Should be a fun night. So let’s get right to it.

First up is Matt Giraud. Matt has definitely come on strong the past two weeks, and he looks to continue that trend with his version of “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye. This is a dangerous song because it’s so well known – actually, this will be tricky tonight because nearly ALL of these songs are so identifiable. Smokey says that Marvin would be proud – we’ll see. Matt begins at the piano, and as the song starts, I’m a little worried he’s going to suffer from “Scott-itus”. That is a technical term for sitting too long at the piano on Idol. But he eventually gets up and starts to move around the stage. And I’m struck at how good his voice sounds. For the third week in a row, I’m impressed with Matt. He's turning into this season's Elliot Yamin. With Alexis leaving last week, Matt is definitely moving up on my favorites list. The judges love it too – all four give him major props. Great job, Matt. As Simon said, that soulful type of song is right up Matt’s alley. This reminded me of when he sang “Georgia On My Mind” by Ray Charles. Very soulful – you da man, Matt! Keep it up….

Next up is Kris Allen. I have said before that Kris has the personality of a paper clip. He also doesn’t appear to open his mouth when he talks. He’s kind of like a Muppet. Anyway, he’s singing “How Sweet It Is” by Marvin Gaye (although it’s mostly well known by James Taylor). Uh – oh. He’s got his guitar, which means probably more goofy leg kicks that would make Dave Matthews proud. Kris is wearing the most ridiculous shirt. It’s got numbers on it – like he’s in prison. Anyway, he tries his best to be funky, but it doesn’t work. At least it doesn’t work for me. He’s just so freakin’ BLAND. No soul in his voice. It’s a pleasing voice, but there is no passion. I also think he could have done without the guitar tonight. Not really needed for this song. The best part of the song is his note at the end. But it’s too late. Of course, the crowd loves him. I just don’t get it. Kara liked it – said he did the “Kris” version of the song. Paula loved the note at the end (only props I gave him…). Quick shot of Kris’ wife in the audience – she’s kinda cute. Simon points out that Kris needs more confidence. “It looks like you’re standing at a bus stop,” says Simon. I agree! Randy said it’s “all good now, baby”. Ok Randy. God that shirt Kris is wearing is HORRIBLE. What in the world?!?! It’s like a modified Boy Scout uniform or something. Yuk….Someone call up Stacy and Clinton.

Next up, Scott MacIntyre, but I should be calling him “Dante” because “he shouldn’t even be here”. Sorry – that’s a Clerks/Kevin Smith reference. ANYWAY, Scott is going to sing “You Can’t Hurry Love” by the Supremes. In the package, Scott says he has huge shoes to fill, especially as a guy singing the song. He’s singing it much slower than usual at the start. He also mentions he’s still single. Nice plug there, Scott. Do what you gotta do, bro. So when he takes the stage, I’m not expecting much. Scott is still singing through his nose, and to make matters even more annoying, 3 backup singers join Scott onstage. The tempo picks up quickly but I STILL find all his performances flat – this is better this week because at least he is picking something a little more up tempo. And he has a few nice moments. But it still isn’t enough to make me a fan. I can’t wait to hear the judge’s comments – I predict they’ll love it. Let’s see….Paula, check. She says the singers brought a whole new life to his performance. Simon – my friend, the realist – tells it like it is. He notes the line that says “How much more can I take?” Classic Simon. He even rips into Scott and his piano playing! Says he needs to start picking better songs. Randy – he agrees with Simon and says Scott didn’t take a risk – he’s a better singer than that (he is?!?!). Kara liked Scott’s tempo, but she wasn’t crazy with the performance. He didn’t nail it. So overall, not a good performance from Mr. MacIntyre this evening. Hopefully Scott’s sham will be over this week – and Simon said he should have sung his other choice, “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” (which Scott calls “Reach out and touch”…that’s an old 70’s ad campaign, Scotty…).

Stupid Paula moment #1 – She pulls out Crayons and a coloring book for Simon, insinuating he’s a child. How original.

Next up is Megan Joy Corkrey. Or whatever her name is this week. She’s going to sing Stevie Wonder’s “For Once In My Life”. She’s got that freaky voice going big time during the package. Smokey says she’s so original and unique. So here comes the performance – I’m ready for the shimmy. She looks like Carmen Miranda. That tattoo is so annoying. And she sounds HORRIBLE tonight. She sounds really nervous. And she looks awkward out there as well. Is that a bird nest on her head? Ugh. And what is she wearing? She’s still a pretty girl, but man, that was rough. The judges have to be vicious for this…when Randy starts saying, “Dude, you know I’m a fan, right?”, it’s usually bad news. He called her a train wreck. Kara didn’t like it either, and says she should have sung “My Guy”. Paula, as expected, says she is stunningly beautiful. Even the queen of kindness, though, has to admit – that stunk. Simon said she looked good, but said she was horrible. He said NOTHING good about her performance, and then he curses her! He says the dreaded, “I think you could be in trouble”, which is a sign to Idol Nation to not vote for her. She fights back and implores her fans to vote for her. Oy vey – what a wreck!

Next up – Anoop Desai. He’s singing “Oooh Baby Baby”. A Smokey Robinson song…the first one tonight. Apparently, “Noop Dawg” blew away Smokey in the package. But will he do it live? I think this is a bad idea – it’s nearly impossible to cover Smokey Robinson without coming off amateurish. ‘Noop has some nice moments, and picks it up towards the end. I wasn’t blown away by it, but I didn’t think it was horrible either. Just ok. I sound like Randy Jackson here! Kara’s review is very technical and said he did a pretty good job. She wants him to push it more next time. Paula called him “sweet”. Simon said it was a great vocal, but he looked like he was sleeping. Randy wants more energy next week – said it was nice to hear the “croon and swoon” but it was a little “pitchy” (first time I remember him saying that this season…next to “Dawg”, he loves using the word “Pitchy”. Randy also uses his copyrighted phrase, “He’s doing his thing….”).

Next up – Michael Sarver…you know, the Oil Rigger. He informs us that he couldn’t go to Detroit because of an illness. He’s going to sing “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” by the Temptations. Before he even takes the stage, I have a feeling this is really going to be good. This is the type of song that Michael can definitely sing. Smokey encourages Michael to “pound it more”. Um…ok…. So Michael takes the stage. Immediately I see that Michael is trying to over sing. He doesn’t really need to – he’s got a strong enough voice to just sing it normally, and hit the big notes when needed. But he’s trying to go over the top too much. I could have sworn he sang this song during a previous show – or maybe I’m crazy. Anyway, I was disappointed in this performance. It’s not bad, but I expected much more. And he hits a really bad note at the end. Paula didn’t care for it – said it was too Vegas, baby. Paula can’t speak. She sounds like she’s going to cry. Simon has no idea what she is trying to say. Simon is straightforward – he couldn’t wait for it to end. He also says he has no chance of winning (which is why I now will be voting nonstop for Michael. I mean, c’mon Simon, you can’t say that – YOU PUT HIM IN THE TOP 13!! If he had no chance, why did you put him there?). Randy said that the song was too big for Michael, and while I don’t agree with that, I do agree that he didn’t perform it well. Kara didn’t care for it either. She said he needs to bring it next week and bring his personality to the song. I will say that I like Michael – he seems like a good guy. He can do better and I think if he’s around next week, he will. Unless it’s Disco week.

Watching an iPhone commercial, I realize I really want one, but will happily stick with my LG Dare because a) it’s cheaper than a Blackberry Storm, and b) I like Verizon. But if Verizon ever offers an iPhone, I’ll be VERY tempted.

ANYWAY, getting back to the performances, and next up is Lil Rounds. She is singing “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave” by Martha and the Vandellas. I really love Lil. She is such a great singer. Smokey uses the old cliché “She could sing the phone book”. Lil gets really emotional during the package, and Smokey tells her that he feels the same way. Lil takes the stage, and her hair is very “Motown-esque”. Nice try, but it doesn’t look quite right. While Lil has a very powerful voice, there is something not quite right with it tonight. Like Michael, I think she’s trying to over sing. I liked the ending of the song, but most of the song didn’t sound quite right. Randy agrees with me – she’s got a great voice but sounded rushed. Kara also thought it wasn’t a good song for her. Paula loved it. Simon didn’t think she chose the right song – it doesn’t give her a chance to breathe and have her “moment”. He said she’s one of the best singers in this competition, and he can’t wait for her to blow us away again. Neither can I.

I really have no desire to see “A Haunting in Connecticut”. Ok, just thought I’d get that off my chest.

Back to Idol – hey, there’s Olivia Newton John in the audience! Ok, next up – Adam Lambert, doing “Tracks of my Tears” by Smokey Robinson. Adam intently listens to Smokey’s comments, and it appears he’s going to play it pretty straight tonight. HOLY CRAP! Is that Morrissey on stage? Elvis? Nope, it’s Adam, doing a straightforward version of “Tracks of My Tears”. During the song, I notice a few things. One, Adam has got some pretty big earrings on. Second, in high def, Adam skin doesn’t look so hot. And lastly, he does a nice, falsetto-filled version of the song. After last week’s train wreck/massacre of “Ring of Fire”, this is much better. It’s still a little odd hearing that falsetto at the end, and the look is jarring. But I liked it. Understated, and well done. Kara loved it – but she can’t count. “I’ve got six words for you – ‘One of the best performances of the night’”. Um, that’s 8 words, Kara. If you’re going to call that out, at least get it right. Is she taking private lessons from Paula? She even gave him a standing O. Paula loved it too. She uses the term, “Gutted instinct to have an element of surprise”. Huh? I thought she also said she loved the “Queen look”, but I think she said, “Clean look”. Paula rambles on and on…kinda like me (why are these reviews always so long??)! Simon loved it – and said it was, “THE best performance so far tonight”. That’s six words. Thanks Pam for pointing that out to me. While Randy’s talking (he loved it too), I realize Adam looks a little like actor “Leo DiCaprio”.

Next up – Danny Gokey. He better pick the right song tonight! He’s singing “Get Ready” by The Temptations – good choice, I think. GOD he looks like Robert Downey Jr. Smokey tells Danny to sing the backup singer parts. Hmmmm…. we’ll see what happens. I will say that Smokey at least is offering good advice so far to all the contestants. He should know! Anyway, following up Adam with a completely different type of song, I think Danny blows it up! He can’t dance to save his life, and as my wife Pam points out, he loves to overennunciate the word “Ready”. Paula gushes over him. Simon said it was clumsy and amateurish. Randy compares him to the great Levi Stubbs (wow!) – he loved it. Kara liked it, didn’t love it. Still a huge Danny fan, though. I really enjoyed the performance – his voice is definitely strong, and while I think he should have avoided dancing with the backup singers, I think Danny did a great job tonight. It’s a great, fun song, and he did it justice.

Finally, we reach the last performance tonight – Allison Iraheta, who sings, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” by The Temptations. Allison looks really young in the package – she is only 16 years old, so I should cut her a little slack. She is concerned about forgetting the lyrics. Pam points out that the song starts out “It was the third of September…” Hey – that’s our anniversary!! Anyway, at one point, I can’t understand Allison, and I wonder if she forgot the lyrics? She’s got a powerful voice – I’ve said that in the past, and that last note is amazing. She really did a good job tonight. It completes the trifecta of great performances at the end of the show. Along with Matt, these three are the top of the crop tonight. Randy and Kara both love it. Stupid Paula Moment #2 (well, she’s got a lot more, but I’m just noting the second one here) – she has a drawn on moustache during her comments. Oh boy. But she loved Allison’s performance, as did Simon.

So that wraps up Motown week. I predict Megan or Scott will be the next one to go. We’ll find out on Thursday night. Hope you all enjoyed reading my review of this week’s idol – check back next week for another review!

RIP Natasha

I just heard the news about actress Natasha Richardson's passing. Even though I never met her, I knew of her through the movies, and am very saddened to hear this tragic news. No matter if the person is a celebrity or not, anyone who is taken from us unexpectedly always depresses me. 45 is way too young to pass away. I feel terrible for her children and her husband Liam Neeson, and the rest of her family.

I've never been skiing, and after hearing about all of these tragedies on the slopes (remember Sonny Bono?), I doubt I'll start anytime soon. True, you could be killed in a car accident, crossing the street, in a plane, or die from a heart attack. Still, for me personally, it's not worth it to take a chance like that. I get nervous when my daughter goes sledding! I'm a worry wort - I get that from my mom, unfortunately.

Anyway, RIP Natasha, and my peace be with your family at this very dark time in their lives.

American Idol Season 8 - Week 2

Uh-oh. It's "Grand Ole Opry" (i.e. Country) week...and this scares me. I don't profess to know a lot about country music - I know modern country somewhat because of my wife, and let's face it, I live in Carroll County MD! But still, it's not one of my favorite genres of music. And I just have a bad feeling about this week.

We do get to see country legend Randy Travis - I always think that when he sings, he doesn't open his mouth. And he also appears to have shellacked hair. But nonetheless, the man has had a butt load of hits, so he's a good guy to have on there, as good as anyone else for this themed week.

Michael Sarver is up first - the Texas oil rigger decides to take on Garth Brooks "Ain't Going Down Til The Sun Comes Up", which as Michael points out, has a LOT of lyrics that are sung in rapid fire. I know this song, and unless Michael comes out really swinging, I predict this will be somewhat flat. Michael to me is more of a ballad singer, and I can't picture him pulling this off.

First thing I notice is not whether Michael is forgetting words or not, it's that darn harmonica player who is getting almost as much screen time as the Texas native. Michael looks like he's running out of breath about halfway though the song. He doesn't really look comfortable out there, and I can't understand half of what he's singing (maybe that's the point...can't remember the lyrics, just make them up!) Anyway, as much as Michael tries, I don't think he succeeds on this. Randy said it was a cool song choice, but didn't think it was anything special from a vocal standpoint. Kara missed the big notes, but was impressed he could remember the words. Michael decides to get the crowd on his side by saying, "Country music is about having FUN!" I couldn't tell by his performance. Sorry! Paula liked it and thinks he should stick with country. Simon said it SHOULD have been good, but couldn't understand what he was singing (me too!). He said it was clumsy and didn't appear to be a star. Michael then responds, "If we were all perfect, we wouldn't need this show"....Simon then gives him a 1.5 out of 10..."At least it's not a Zero!" Michael says. This guy needs his own talk show! What a talker...

Alison Iraheta is up next singing another country song I don't know. The package before she sings is noticeable for Randy Travis actually uttering the words, "You've got some GREAT pipes". I felt dirty just typing that. Anyway, Allison is just ok. I mean, it's not horrible, and the more I listen to it, it's actually not that bad. She's got her moments, and her voice is pretty good. Her hair still really annoys me, and those bottom braces...but that's just me being obnoxious about her looks. I'm sorry Alison! Kara uses the old "You could sing the alphabet" cliché. Ugh. At this point, I have no idea how I'm going to make it through the entire episode with Paula's hideous cleavage. Ugh, part two. Simon agrees with me - it was good, but not great. Randy thinks it's "dope". Dawg.

(as a side note, I went back and watched her performance again, and actually liked it a lot more because at least she had ENERGY..some of these performances this week were so BORING...so good job Alison!!)

Next up is Mr. Personality - Kris Allen. I'm surprised he somehow didn't work in a Michael Jackson song. He sings "To Make You Feel My Love", which I believe is a Billy Joel song? Or maybe it was Garth Brooks, who covered it? Again, I don't know country very well. Anyway, he sits there during the whole song, and tries an awful falsetto at the end. It's so boring I may fall asleep typing this. Vocally he's got talent, no doubt, but as I said, it's kinda boring. Paula liked it, Simon thought it was "terrific" (really???), and says "he has a shot at doing really well in this competition"...Randy loves it too...he calls him a "Tender Dawg". Kara loved it too. I must be watching something else, because I didn't care for it much. According to Kris, "Good comments are always good". Very deep. Simon just called him a "Tender puppy".

After some commercials, we get Lil Rounds, my second favorite in this competition. I love Lil - she looks TOTALLY different this week, and I think she looks great! Lil informs us she's not really a country fan, and is nervous about taking on one of these songs. She says she's going to hold back this week so she can honor the music. She's going to sing Martina McBride's "Independence Day" - and after some tips from Randy Travis, she gives it a go. Second reference from Travis on "Big Pipes"... :^) She seems a little hesitant on the first part of the song, but when the chorus kicks in, she really opens it up. I have to agree with Mr. Travis - she does have big pipes (and I don't mean it like that!). She finishes the song with a big note, and I liked it. Not mind blowing, but she did a respectable job. Randy didn't like the beginning, but thought it was just ok towards the chorus. It was just "kinda alright". That's Randy-speak for "I didn't care for it...". I have a feeling that the judges are not going to go easy on her. Kara also didn't like the beginning, but doesn't fault her for picking that song. Paula thought she was great all around - and suggested she shouldn't have sang two verses up front, but rather just go right into the chorus after one verse! WHAT?!?!? Anyway, Simon has problems calling her "Lil" - short for Little, according to the Brit. He uses the tired "Wedding Singer" reference. Screw the judges! I still like Lil. And I can't stand Simon calling her "Little"...whatever!

If I see one more commercial for the Osbournes, I'm going to scream. So after that, we come back to Adam Lambert and Randy Travis in the package. Adam decides to do a Middle Eastern sounding version of "Ring of Fire". Travis didn't care for Adam's nail polish either. This isn't going to be good...is it? Well, no. It's AWFUL. So bad, I want to kick Adam off on principal alone this week. And he's one of my top 3! Wow. Words can't describe how bad this gets. I understand what he's trying to do - I just can't stand it. Sam Harris would even be embarrassed at this. His wailing at the end is ear piercing. Not my cup of tea at all. The crowd loves it, though. Judges summary: Kara - a little too strange for her (but she liked the drama); Paula - she said Adam is being true to himself, and thinks it was a great song choice (she even compares it to Led Zeppelin's Kashmir!!); Simon - finally some sanity - he asks, "What the hell was that!?!" He says there are people throwing out their TVs, and it's "indulgent rubbish". Yeah Simon!! Randy - further covering the judges asses, compares it to Nine Inch Nails! And calls it current. I want some of what he's smoking!

More commercials...blah blah blah.

Next up - Scott McIntyre. Scott always sounds like he's singing through his nose. He sings a Martina McBride song, and I think he's better than he was last week. But that might be because he followed Adam! I guess my problem with Scott is everything sounds the same to me. Halfway through the song, Scott picks up the tempo and also attempts a falsetto that isn't great. But overall, much better than last week. I'll give him that. Paula tells him that he needs to give up the piano at some point, and Scott says he can move the piano closer to her if she'd like. Simon calls her stupid for saying that - he has no problem with Scott sitting behind the piano. They go on and on...he agrees with me - it is starting to sound very samey. Randy is looking for those "hot, crazy" vocals, but wait - he's NEVER had those, so what is Randy talking about?? Kara wants him to up his game. Scott will be safe this week - his fans will save him.

You know, if they would just cut these darn commercials, AI could be 1 hour! Anyway, back from the break we see our next singer is that cutie, Alexis Grace. She's going to sing "Jolene" by Dolly Parton. Randy Travis said she's perfect. I think he thinks she's cute like I do. But I do have a question: Why do some singers feel the need to slowly walk down the steps? The dramatic entrance? Anyway, I remember this song from a previous season for the fact that the name "Jolene" is mentioned about 58 times. Not that I was counting. I don't particularly like the song, but I still like Alexis. She's got a good voice, but I was kinda bored with it. Randy doesn't like her performance, nor does Kara. I agree with Kara - she should have picked "Before He Cheats". I would have liked to hear that! Paula gives her props for her artistic approach - and liked seeing her soft side. Simon said it was "ok". He calls it forgettable. I think Alexis is better than this song, and I may have to vote for her, especially when she utters the words, "Maybe I would have put a little more dirty in there..." And as if she's reading my mind, she then PROMISES, "If I'm back here next week, they'll be some dirty..." I think I love this girl. :^)

Hey, let's go to a commercial...

Ok, were back with my favorite, my home boy, Danny Gokey, who takes on Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel", and when he starts, I'm worried. Very worried. He sounds like he's talking the opening verse instead of singing it. But I know what's coming...I'm just waiting for it...and then he hits the chorus. And instantly - it's like another singer drops in. Danny redeems the first part of the song, and goes a little nuts with the runs (he still looks kinda dorky with his moves, but who cares...). He really finishes up well. I'm still impressed. Danny's still got it, and he still looks like Robert Downey Jr. Kara agrees with me - she didn't care for the front part, but he blew it up from the chorus on. She gushes over him from the second half on. Paula disagrees - she likes the boring intro. Paula's chest is just freakin' me out. Make it stop. Please. Paula also says that Carrie Underwood would buy that record (Really? Wouldn’t she rather just listen to her own version?) Simon doesn't like what Danny is wearing, but liked the vocals. Dawg agrees with Kara - he wants more of the second part of the song, and less of the wimpy verses.

OMG - ANOTHER FREAKIN' COMMERCIAL!

Back with Anoop Desai....who decides to cover "Always on My Mind" by Willie Nelson (although maybe he was going for the Elvis version? The Pet Shop Boys?). So Randy Travis says this will be the best anyone has heard of Anoop. It's got to be better than last week, right? Well, to start, I could swear I see lighters in the audience. I actually liked Anoop’s understated performance of this song. It didn't blow me away, but he's got a very, very nice voice. I think the judges will hate it...Paula proves me wrong, though. WAY wrong. She really liked it. He "touched her heart" (just watch those breasts, Anoop!). Simon said he went from "Zero to Hero" (I always think of Vanilla Ice when I hear that, but I digress...). Simon practically gushes over Noop Dawg, as does Randy. They all loved it - included Kara. Good job Anoop. When asked if he is surprised by their feedback, he says "No, I expect myself to do the best!" Good answer!!

After a commercial, Megan Joy comes in and meets Randy. She has changed her last name to "Joy" from "Corkrey" (she got divorced, right?) She is taking on "Walking after Midnight". That's such a well known song so this is risky. Right away, you can tell the unique voice of Megan is going to take this in a different direction. After the song is over, I don't know if I liked it or not. She definitely is different, and gets points for that. That darn shimmy she does is so annoying, but I tried not to pay attention to that. Randy liked it, as did Kara. She gives her props for coming out to sing while she has the Flu. Paula tells us Megan was in the hospital and tells her to keep being sick. Great advice Paula...Simon said she should have the flu every week too. Simon doesn't like what she's wearing (which I think at one point appears to be see through...but I can't be sure, and I'm not staring at the screen to try to figure that out...well, I kinda did, but nonetheless, it was inconclusive) Megan looks good, but I still think Alexis is cuter. Not that it matters...

Before they go to a commercial, we see Matt Giraud waving like a little girl. What's up with that? Please don't do that. Anyway, Matt is going to sing a Carrie Underwood song I don't know called "So Small". Randy Travis said it's a way different version than Carrie's and he is impressed. Let me tell you this - as much as I liked Danny's second half of his song, I REALLY like Matt's performance. I remember him during his auditions, and was very impressed. This is the Matt that I remember. I really think he ended the show on a high note, and proved you don't have to have a showy performance (are you listening Adam?!?!) to be effective. I think his performance last week was really good too (Human Nature), and give him props this week. The judges practically give him this week's crown - although Paula can't pronounce "Authenticity". I'm just happy I don't have to see her chest anymore. Oh, and Paula also thanks Carrie Underwood for letting them use that song. Right....whatever Paula. Simon compares him to Michael Bublé, as does Randy (he says he's between JT and Bublé).

So overall, not a week I particularly cared for, but I knew that going in because it's country week. I'm hoping for an 80's week next week, perhaps? Or gangsta rap? Either way, I look forward to tomorrow's show to see who gets booted. Tune in next week for another review of American Idol!